Both parties clearly astonished by what had been revealed, for a moment they could do little but stare each other down. Charlie's lips agape, and whilst Anthony was able to conduct himself with a bit more elegance, it was apparent he too was confounded.

For a moment, there was no words or movement. Like too statues, petrified where they stood.

Then all at once everything seemed to happen with an explosion of action.

Spinning around on his heel, Anthony was gone through the wall before Charlie could think to follow him. Knowing there was nowhere to run, the young wolf could only hope that he wasn't being left here to starve now it was apparent he was useless.

Pausing with uncertainty, he tensed. Ready to throw everything he had against the wall in order to get out, but it turned out that he wouldn't have to wait too long as a pair of confused guards returned to the room.

Millions of thoughts pounding his brain, it was hard to think straight, but he knew one thing.

He needed answers.

And to get them he was going to need to get out of here alive.

Charlie lunged, on four paws before any of the guards had realised he had moved to shift and he was threw the wall as fast as he was capable of going. Spilling all over his own paws as he struggled to keep his balance.

In a split second, Anthony had realised what was going on and the opening in the wall snapped shut behind him. A howl tore from him as it snapped shut on the very tip of his tail but he didn't look back.

Not stopping to think or hesitate, he charged blindly forward with a growl.

Partly terrified that the tip of his tail would not be the only thing he would leave behind if Anthony was able to get a good enough grip on him. Charlie ran, no clue of where he was going. He simply prayed that he would be able to find his way above ground once again.

Racing through the darkness, practically blind as he fought his way through endless dead ends and narrow paths. The lanterns had gone out with a great wind, no doubt the work of one of the witches capable of brewing fire at their own fingertips to light the way.

It may have left Charlie at a disadvantage, but he wasn't concentrating on that right now.

The further he went, the darker his mind became. Until the inevitable happened.

A snarl split open the darkness as he lost it completely, and something more feral raced through the darkness. More than happy to rip into anyone or anything that got in his way as he threw himself further and further down the tunnels.

Skidding to a stop at a scent of life, he tossed his head from side to side. Snarling through the pain as he tried to pinpoint the source of it. Certain that there could be no other reason for his pain, and intent on killing them all.

Rippling from him was a growl which would have given the Devil reason to panic, his ears flat to his head and fangs bared. He was all but cornered in the dark corridors, and it was doing nothing to help.

However, there was a voice from the darkness which very nearly pulled him from the darkness, mentally at least. "Snap out of it." Came a somewhat familiar voice.

Briar.

Not fully back to normal, but caught by surprise by the sudden presence of somebody who didn't want him dead. As far as he was aware. A very animalistic growl tore from his throat, giving tell to the fact that he was still anything but human.

"What are you doing here?" He demanded, a feeling of panic very nearly overwhelming the need to kill. Nearly.

For the time being it could be the only thing that was stopping him from inadvertently killing the one friendly witch he currently had on his side.

"Saving your butt from the looks of it," she replied. Even the sarcasm in her voice was drowned out by her own panic. Briar was trying her best to remain calm, and whilst she was doing a better job of it then Charlie was.

Though that was never saying much.

From the small amount of light at her fingertips, Charlie could at last see at least a little bit.

And he froze when he saw what lurked over her shoulder, he leapt. Clearing Briar easily but very nearly crashing into the rocks above head as he did so, dodging by the breadth of his hear and he landed hard.

Bringing down the witch behind her with him to the ground, finishing it before he thought twice. Looking back, he let out a low growl, though it wasn't an entirely mean sound at that point. "Get better at it then."

She seemed to contemplate abandoning him there and then, then seemed to thankfully think better of it. She ducked, flattening herself to eye level so she was a mere centimetres away from the end of his muzzle.

"I know how to get out of here, trust me?"

Charlie inherently wanted to say no, everything he had been taught in life told him to never trust anyone. Even the ones who supposedly loved or cared for him. Yet something in a much louder and harder to ignore voice told him otherwise.

He nodded.

Not needing to be told twice, she ducked down and threw open her hands. Before Charlie knew what had happened, the ground beneath their feet was gone and he landed hard. Staggering to his feet, he would have run off, had it not been for Briar's quick thinking as she grabbed him around the neck.

"Wrong way," she said through her teeth as she took off running in the opposite direction to the one Charlie had started in.

Pausing, he watched her go. A more logical person would have wondered how she knew, but he didn't care right now. He would have sold his soul if it meant that he could be above ground again.

If he had one to sell.

The pair ran through the tunnels, Charlie began to pant as the injuries sustained began to slow him down but he didn't slow his space by a step. Except for an occasional look back at the witch who was beginning to stray behind.

Letting out a sigh, he skidded to a stop beside her and gestured firmly. "Get on, I'd like to get out of here alive." Charlie said, his tone very much conveying that he wasn't going to accept anything but a yes for an answer.

Briar regarded him with a dark look, clearly failing to pick up on his tone. "You're hurt."

Growling in frustration, "We'll both be hurt a lot more if we don't get going."

The second time she hesitated, he lost his temper and pushed forward. Knocking her off balance and causing her to land on his back. He grunted, trying to pretend it didn't hurt as much as it had.

At the same time Briar pretended not to notice how painfully she could feel the ribs of the wolf beneath his fur.

Forcing himself onwards despite the extra burden and the pain from his wounds. Charlie charged, following the tunnel as far as it went. Unlike those above, this had no turns or swirls. This was a perfect straight line.

It seemed to take an eternity, and by the time they finally spotted daylight again. Charlie was close to collapsing from his legs, and he forced himself out and into the brightness of the evening sun.

Panting hard, he looked around. It appeared they hadn't been followed, but he wasn't sure as to how long it would stay this way. He lowered himself to the ground, allowing Briar off of his back once again.

She regarded him with caution, but didn't say anything. As much as she hated to admit it, they had greater priorities. Even if it went against every part of her healer training, she knew it could be a lot worse if they didn't hurry.

Quickly Charlie caught the scent of the rest of the army, or rather what remained of it. He nodded to the left, "This way." He said firmly, praying that they weren't very far away, he wasn't sure how far he could go in this state.

At least not without losing his humanity once again.

Despite heavy limping from both party, the pair set off. Following the nose of Charlie as best as he was able. Struggling to ignore the heavy smell of blood that was coming from both of them which made it harder to concentrate.

However, there was the one thing that drove him on almost as strongly as his darker side did that was enough to hold him together, for the time being at least.

The need for answers.

Partially driven by the desperate need to tear them from his father, along with several limbs.

Charlie could barely see by the time the pair had reached the makeshift camp. He walked with a purpose, somewhere in the back of his consciousness he could hear the surprised sounds from around the others but he barely noticed.

He had one destination in mind, and a bomb going off wouldn't have distracted him from it.

Following the scent which had scared him since childhood, he knew it all to well as he slipped left and right between several tents which had been hurriedly put up. His head low and a growl rippling from him as he walked.

Then he heard a voice which he almost recognised from in the depths of his fury. "Charlie?"

He ignored Robert and Evie, barely sending them a passing glance as he went and he slipped between the flaps of the royal red tent marked by the scent of his father. He pulled to a stop when he came face to face with the King.

It seemed he had almost taken the King by surprise, which in itself was some form of victory. He appeared to have believed his youngest son dead, despite Charlie having been gone less then twenty four hours.

"Charlie," he said quickly regaining his composure and masking his expressions again.

"Is it true?" Charlie cared little for being polite right now.

Robert entered the tent behind him, followed by Evie and Violet who looked equally confused by it all. It wasn't long before Briar as well had joined them in the tent, but Charlie barely noticed them.

As far as he was concerned it was only him and his father in the tent at that moment.

"Yes."

The King didn't need to think about it twice, he said it calmly and firmly. As though it meant nothing to him, whereas nothing had ever felt more important to Charlie in all of his life. That made it all the more infuriating.

"What's true?" Evie's voice was one of few calm ones at that time.

"Explain it to them," and me. Charlie was thirsty for answers and trembling with anger. "Tell them the truth."

The noise from inside the King's tent had begun to grow an audience, and several guards had poured into the tent. Intent on protecting their King from whatever threat may have lurked inside.

Even in his furious state, Charlie could see them recoil when they realised what the threat was.

"You aren't the way you are because of any accident."

Now he was hearing it out loud, and he knew it to be the truth it crippled Charlie on the inside. It hurt to breath and think, and he would have torn out his father's throat then and there had it not been for the need to know more.

Shockwaves were audible from the gathered men and women, as a number of gasps rippled across them but otherwise there was an almost perfect silence. Charlie was still shaking, but he felt Evie run her fingers through his fur, trying to calm him.

Right now, Charlie wanted to be anything but calm.

"And what happened? Why am I like this?" Charlie was yelling, but he barely noticed nor cared.

When the King shook his head, Charlie almost lunged at the King, to end it all in one foul swoop.

"Not now," The King said firmly. Regarding his guards with a firm look.

He's terrified that the truth will lose him their loyalty. Charlie noted, surprisingly logical considering everything that was going on.

"The past changes nothing," the King said firmly, looking at Charlie with a growl of his own for the first time. "Our deal still stands, and I intend to carry out my end of the bargain. You had best yours."

His words ricocheted around the tent, and Charlie half expected a crash of thunder to follow what had been said, but there was only silence.

Charlie stepped forward, controlling himself surprisingly well.

"All this time..." Stammered Charlie, tears welling in his eyes as he struggled to hold himself upright.

"Mother's blood is on your hands."