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WARNING: Some portions of the following work of fiction contain explicit sex. If you are under 18 (or whatever age is appropriate for your location), HIT YOUR BACK BROWSER BUTTON NOW. If you find explicit sex offensive, please don't offend yourself by reading further.

The full disclaimer for this work of Vampire Hunter D fanfiction is at the beginning of Chapter 1.

Author: Charlotte MacFarlane
Email: duckey@ns.sympatico.ca
Feedback: Please, yes, lots.
Forward to others: would be flattered if you did.
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Always and Forever
Chapter 2 Strategies and Grief

D made sure the remainder of their herbs were mixed properly, and then handed the tied bundle to Kale. "You sure you can manage?" he asked her. She just took the pouch and headed for the private hut on the ground.

"Is she alright?" asked Kara, from herbed.

He turned back to the remains of their herbs, and started putting what was left away. "Nothing you need to worry about. Go to sleep."

"I can't. I mean, I'm tired, but I'm not sleepy. Will you talk to me?"

D just looked at her. She didn't look that much different than Kale. Only she was shorter, and had more weight on her than Kale did. She also had blue eyes, black hair, and a darker completion, probably from being out in the sun all the time. Where Kale was the same, but used creams to keep her skin from darkening from the harsh rays.

"What happened to Kale? She's hurting, and not just physically."

"Its none of your concern."

"I'll ask her about it if..."

"No! If Kale wishes to discuss it, she will! But I doubt it will be with you! No let it alone!"

"Alright. You needn't be so mean."

D turned back to the table, glancing out the window for a moment. The sun was setting. He picked up his sward and left.


On the ground, Kale whipped the tears from her eyes and looked up to see D readying Nightmare. "That time, is it?" she asked him.

"Max will watch over you," he said, placing his right hand to her cheek. He could see the puffiness of her eyes. "I still don't like splitting up."

"D, we've been through it already," she said, "Two of the wolves have left their vampire master, at least two. I have to find them, and you have to find the Vampire, before he strikes again."

"He'll know the girls are dead."

"Then he'll know there's a hunter here, and he'll be on his guard. Which you had better watch out for," she watched as his powerful legs lifted him into his saddle. She uses to get such a thrill watching him do that, now she just stepped away. Literally. "Kill him good D!"

"As always, my Kale. As always."

She watched as the darkened trees quickly enveloped him. All she could hear was the sound of Nightmare's hooves beating the ground as D spurred him into a gallop. "Excuse me," Kale turned to see Willa standing behind her with two other girls with torches. "My girls are setting torches down here fore the night, better to see those creatures, if they show up."

Kale looked above her. The sun had completely set and the moon was full and bright, but clouds were quickly moving in. "Get your people into the trees."

"I have some who will stand guard down here tonight."

"And leave them as bait for the werewolves? Be serious. They wouldn't stand a chance." Suddenly Max began neighing, and prancing around Kale and Willa.

"What's with him?" asked one of the girls.

"They're here. Everyone top side! Now!! Or be kibble!" Kale pushed the women to the near by lift, then, striking her bow and readying an arrow, she turned to the tree line. Max still pranced and snorted, pawing the ground in different places, showing her where the danger seemed to be, but it came from several directions. "They were waiting, they knew where to come."

Just as Kale was about to take aim at a shadow in the trees, Max came up and pushed her with his head. "Max! Cut it out!" But he didn't listen. Again and again he pushed her, until she stumbled and fell onto the landing were Willa was.

"Take us up!" called the queen, and quickly the ropes came taught and the lift began to rise. However, just 15 feet off the ground, the lift stopped. Willa called to her people as the frantically tried to free the jammed ropes. Kale went to the edge of the lift and scanned the ground for the wolves. Max was gone, taking security in his speed and ran off into the woods. Probably for the best, there were low hanging branches that he could duck under quickly and still keep moving, that normally would nock her out of the saddle. Besides in her current state, she wouldn't be able to stay in the saddle that well. The pain of the ride would hurt too much, and she'd probably fall off, trying not to get hurt.

Below she saw the wolves begin to circle. Two of them, one small and skinny, a young one most likely, not more than 17 years old. He other one was huge, muscled through its shoulders and chest, powerful legs propelled him upward and giant claws grabbed the edge of the platform. "Up the ropes!!" Kale called out, firing an arrow at the monster, only it had shook the platform trying to get up, knocked her off her feet, sending the arrow off into the trees. Behind her the girls climbed up the ropes to the main one leading to the huts above. "Kale come on!" called Willa, extending her hand. She opted to take the rope opposite her and help the younger girl get out of the lift.

"Move it!" she called as the girl climbed over the lift's canopy to the main rope. "He's almost on the lift!"

"I can't climb ropes that well," cried the young girl.

"Think of it as a skinny tree, now move it!"

"Come on! Give me your hand," called Willa. "Kale you've got to cut the rope!"

Kale pulled out her long blade from her boot, and as the women climbed higher she started cutting through the bindings above the canopy. "I can't hold on!" cried the girl, Willa tried with all she had to keep her tribeswoman from falling, but she failed. The girl crashed through he roof of the lift, screaming as the wolf pounced on her.

"NO!!!!"

"Willa Don't!!" called Kale, "She's GONE!!"

The girl's cries died as though she were drowning in water, Willa closed her eyes to the sound, then turned to the one's above her. "Get moving!"

Kale finished cutting the rope, and hung on as the lift fell away from her. The wolf inside yelped as the lift crashed into the ground. The younger one went over to investigate. The older one pulled itself out of the rubble, carrying the dead girl with it, her body covered in blood. Together the two went off into the woods, the older one limping badly on its right leg.

In the safety of the trees, Willa turned to Kale. Her eyes filled with rage, and questions. "Wolves can't climb trees," she said to the queen. "Your people will be safest here."

"It killed Taish," Willa whispered. "She was my first daughter." She steadied herself. "Whatever you and your mate need, you will have. Kill this thing! And it's companions, before any more of my people die!" She stormed off to her hut, not wanting anyone to follow. "Taish was only 17," said another girl, "She was my best friend. Please help us."

Kale turned to the trees where the wolves had retreated. "Wolves will always return to their den's to eat, at least Werewolves do. What is in that direction?"

"I have a map in my quarters, I'll show you."

"Maps are good. Lead on... ah?"

"Maida."

"Lead on Maida."


Day light came and Kale was on the ground, the lift was unsalvageable. "It's safe, they've most likely gone to sleep for now," she called. Some of the girls came down in the next lift, and immediately started gathering the wood of the lift for fire use. Other girls stood around them with spears ready. Maida appeared next to Kale.

"Queen Willa has ordered me to show you to the cliff of caves I showed you on the map, so you don't get lost or end up in other dangers around here."

"Very kind of her," replied Kale.

"What of your horse, Max?" Maida asked looking at the tracks of the horses and the wolves. "Did he just take off, or did the wolves get him?"

"Max," from the treed in front of them, Max calmly trotted forward, a few branches caught in his steel form, but none the worse for ware. "Good boy."

"Amazing. The wolves left him alone."

"Because cyberized horses, don't have a lot of meat that is edible to the wolves."

"Cyberized? What does that mean?"

"He's mostly machine, some horse left in him for certain things, but he's been enhanced for survival in the northlands, which is where we are from."

"Can you change him back?"

"No, this is permanent."

"That's awful, why would you do such a thing to a wonderful animal?"

Kale pulled the last of the branches from Max's shoulder and turned to Maida. "Be glad you live down here. There are far worse things in the northlands than just werewolves and Vampires. Believe me." She pulled herself up into the saddle, careful not to aggravate her wounds. Her back was sore, but the knots would only work themselves out if she kept moving as she normally did. "Can you ride?"

"Well no, but it shouldn't be that difficult."

"We'll see, just climb up behind me and hang on, I'll to the rest." Maida did, and hung on as she turned Max to the trees, and they started off.


They watched from the bushes, where the wolves had made their camp. The cliffs were riddled with caves, but the higher ones were small, the only large enough ones were near the base of the cliff, which was really what the wolves preferred. "Are you sure it's them?" whispered Maida.

"Positive." Kale watched as the older man limped across the encampment. His right leg badly swollen, and tied to a long stick for support. "You ever see these guys here before?"

"Well no, but that doesn't mean that,..."

"The wolf that killed Taish last night, wounded his right leg in the crash of the lift. By tonight, that leg will heal, this is the only time you can find them in human form. This guy's leg is broken, consistent with wounds sustained in the fall."

"But still..."

"That and the bindings around the stick, are made of the cloth from Taish's clothes." Maida remained silent. "It's them, don't worry." Just then, they noticed someone else. "Were there any other girls missing from your village last night?"

"No, all were accounted for," the girl answered.

"Then I think we have a problem."

"What? Who is she?"

"A breeder." She pulled the girl back and readied her bow and arrows. "There can't be any female werewolves. It's a physical impossibility; the body goes through too many changes. If a woman were pregnant during a change, the baby would die. The wolf gene travels along the male line, but females can be carriers, without even knowing it sometimes."

"And this girl is a carrier?"

"Probably not," Kale peered back through the bushes to see the woman tending the older man's wounds, while the younger man groped her and himself. "She's a willing mate. Knowing what they are, she's probably agreed to mate with them to get something in return. Or she really loves one of them regardless."

"What if she doesn't know?"

"Impossible not to. Werewolves, even in human form, have some wolf characteristics to them. Some have body fur, like the younger man there. Other's require extra healing time from wounds suffered in the wolf form, like the older man. Others, god you don't want to know."

"What are you doing?"

"I've got to take out the girl. If she's willing, she's either ready to mate, or has already and could become pregnant. If that happens, she'll go to ground, and we'll never find her."

"You can't shoot her with that thing. It doesn't have the range. Here use mine."

"I can't. The arrows are too small."

"Then we'll use mine."

"I can only use them to shoot her. She's human, they will have no effect on the wolves."

"Worry about that later. Right now, just do what has to be done." Maida handed Kale her bow and an arrow. Kale pulled the bow back with the arrow at the ready, she took aim through the bushes at the woman, who had decided to take advantage of the older man's weekend state, and service his needs as she wished. When she stood to turn to the younger man, Kale released the arrow. It landed square in her chest. The two men cried out to her, but it was too late. She died before she hit the ground.

"Lets go. They'll be onto us soon." Together they returned to where Kale had left Max, mounted up and returned to the treetop village.


"They'll head out, to a new Den," Kale explained, "I'll need to find someone with a forge to melt down some of my smaller arrows and either coat some of the ones you have, or make new ones. Maida, if you don't mind, I'd like to borrow your bow for a while. I may need it."

"That's fine," Maida returned. "Queen Willa, do you wish me to go with her to the Wolow's village. They are the closest ones that have a forge. Only two days away."

"Two days?"

"Yes, Maida, you may go, but remain in the Wolow village and teach them what we have learned." Willa then turned her attention to Kale. "I trust that if provided a map, you will be able to hunt down these things, and find your way back here?"

"Sure. No sweat."

"Good. Maida. Take the map from my Council Champers. It is the most up to date, and is easier to carry."

"Yes Queen Willa."

"Leave me please."

The women all bowed and left. Kale nodded her respect to her, and went to leave, calling back before passing the curtains that served as a door. "I've always believed that the dead can hear your thoughts, and watch over their loved ones after they've past on. Think of her, and she won't be far away."

Willa nodded, and Kale left. Sometimes, grief was needed to be dealt with alone for a while.