***
"Niklaus." The voice was barely a whisper yet somehow it was clear. "Niklaus."
Niklaus opened his eyes to once again find himself in the never ending, empty void.
"Great." Niklaus sighed. "Just what I wanted. To be here."
"Welcome back, Niklaus." The voice was completely clear. Unlike last time when it seemed to be speaking a different language from a different universe.
"Why am I here again?" Niklaus turned in place. He still didn't find anyone else in the void.
"I called on you. We need to talk." The voice was precise in its words. It also almost seemed familiar.
"Do I know you?" Niklaus couldn't shake the feeling of having met this voice before.
"It's understandable that you wouldn't recognize me after having left you for so long. For that I am sorry." The voice was sincere, almost sullen. "It.. was not my choice to leave you."
"I don't understand." Niklaus looked around again, he hoped that if he looked hard enough, he might find someone. "Who are you?"
The void shifted and formed a black mist. Glowing eyes could be seen in the center of the form that the mist had taken.
"Is this better?" The voice still didn't come directly from the mist but at least Niklaus felt he was actually talking to something.
"Yes but.. I still don't know who you are." Niklaus shifted walking closer to the form but it seemed to always be the same distance away. "Why don't you just tell me who you are?"
"The spell doesn't allow me to say directly who I am." For a moment the mist lost its shape and disappeared. "I'm afraid I can only give you the smallest of hints."
"The spell?" Niklaus sighed. "This has something to do with Blink, doesn't it?"
"Yes."
"Okay, so you know who Blink is." Niklaus paced. Was he being dumb? This was obviously someone who he'd know in captivity but also someone who was forced to leave Niklaus behind. Finally, it dawned on him. "Shade?"
"Yes." The mist was no longer there, instead a wolf stood with Niklaus in the void. "I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you. I know what pain Blink put you through."
"Shade.. it's okay." Niklaus swallowed. He had been angry at Shade for so long. He had hated him, for so long. Now he was back, standing in front of Niklaus. He no longer felt the anger or the hate but relief. Relief that Shade had not disappeared but had simply been suppressed by a spell that Blink had put on him.
Niklaus walked forward, this time the figure didn't keep its distance but got closer as Niklaus walked. Niklaus threw his arms around Shade's neck.
"I have missed you too, dear friend." Shade lowered his head over Niklaus's shoulder, as if returning the hug.
"So, how do we get out of here?" Niklaus released his grip and stood back from the wolf.
"It's not so easy as it sounds." Shade sat in his place. "We still have much to talk about."
***
Harper had gone home to change and shower. Olivia had sent her friends to their pack house to speak to their alpha and her family. Neil had given her the bed that the hospital provided for family, he figured that Niklaus might kick his ass if Neil allowed Niklaus's mate to sleep in a chair.
Neil had woken up around thirty minutes ago. Niklaus was still in his coma-like state. Olivia was awake too.
"Hey." Olivia smiled and put her phone away. "I was just about to go to the cafeteria, do you want anything?"
"Why don't I come with you?" Neil looked at Niklaus. "He's certainly not going anywhere."
"Sure, let's go. Olivia grabbed her bag and followed Neil from the room and into the elevator.
The two of them returned from getting their food. Neil dropped his coffee and ran to the nurses station.
"Well, isn't this cliché." Olivia followed Neil to the nurses station. "Do they know anything?"
"No, they said that the last time they checked, Niklaus was still in bed." Neil dropped his head. "How could he have just walked out of the building without anyone seeing him?"
"I don't know but maybe we should call your pack?" Olivia pulled out her phone and handed it to Neil.
"I have a phone." Neil pulled out his own phone and dialed Atlas's number.
{Neil. Has he woken up?} Atlas sounded calm. It was reassuring to Neil.
"Yeah but the thing is.. we don't know where he is."
{What do you mean?}
"Well we went to grab some food from the cafeteria and when we got back he was just.. gone."
{I see. Is there anyone else's scent in the room?}
"No, I don't think so but-"
{What?}
"Niklaus's scent seems different somehow."
{Different? In what way?}
"It's stronger. Like-" Neil removed the phone from his ear for a second before putting it back. "Like his wolf is back."
{What? Neil are you sure?}
"Yes. Niklaus's wolf, Shade, is back." Neil paused as he thought. "I know where he went. I'll talk to you later when I bring him home."
Neil hung up the phone and walked towards the elevators again. Olivia following behind him.
"Where are we going?" Olivia watched Neil's face turn to a grin.
"We're going for a run."
Neil and Olivia exited the hospital just as Harper was pulling into the parking lot.
"What's happening?" Harper stepped out of the car and walked towards them.
"Niklaus is awake. Shade's back. We think he went for a run. We're going to find him." Neil spoke in short sentences. He figured a summary was the easiest way to explain things.
Harper followed as the three of them walked to the woods. Neil and Harper shifted first and waited as Olivia shifted behind a tree. She emerged shortly after she finished her shift. She was small, just like her human form. She had yellowish eyes like most young wolves who had yet to be forced into a pack war. Her fur was a gingery brown like a foxes, in fact she was a Fox, a Kitsune.
A Kitsune is a type of shapeshifter just like werewolves, in Japanese lore Kitsune are generally considered a type of demon or trickster. In reality, while Kitsune were created by Dolos, he did not intend for them to be seen as evil. He created Kitsune as a gift to his father Aether, a primordial deity. The appearance of a Kitsune symbolizes peace and prosperity. The Kitsune's nine tails represent their wisdom and power, the youngest Kitsune's start with two tails.
Harper and Neil exchanged looks. They hadn't realized before that Kitsunes even existed. They had heard fables and rumors but had never actually seen a Kitsune before. Neil bobbed his head, gesturing that they should get going. Olivia couldn't connect to the pack link due to not actually being a part of the pack.
They each sniffed the air, trying to find Niklaus's scent. Harper barked as he started running following the scent, Neil and Olivia followed behind him.
'We're coming Niklaus. Then we can all go for a run together.'