"What did he just say?" I demanded, just about ready to pick up Peri and shake him. "What did he say?"

I could tell Matri had said something, Peri was still fixed on the wolf's face. I picked him up and faced him towards me. "Peri please!"

He shook his head like a wet dog all of a sudden. "He said Felix."

"That's it?" My voice cracked.

"That was all." Peri confirmed.

"He spoke?" Jason gasped.

"Craig." Ryan cut off my line of thought. "Look at him."

I glanced back down at Matri to see he was wheezing and gasping for air, his mouth was frothing. He looked dangerous. He let out a shrill whine suddenly and tried to get to his feet before falling back down again.

"He said it again." Peri informed, he sounded as if he were far away and couldn't believe what was happening.

"Said what?"

"Felix! He's calling out to Felix!" Peri shivered again. "Kosmos, it's so cold."

"I think we have a more to worry about then the temp-" I started.

"No!" Peri snapped. "Matri's making it colder, Craig I don't like this."

"What's going on?" Eryan asked, tapping my shoulder.

I glanced around at their expectant and scared faces. They couldn't understand Peri so I had to take charge.

"Matri's taking but he's just saying Felix's name. Peri say's he's making it colder? I don't understand what that means." I tugged up my hair, stressing.

"Is Felix close?" Ryan asked, cutting to the point.

"I don't know." I admitted.

Aurora put a hand on my arm. "You guys, I don't think this is safe, Chubb's is telling me the same thing."

The bear let out a low growl, snout pointed at Matri who was still gasping on the ground. I bent back down to crouch next to Matri, barely hesitating to pull off my jacket and drape it around him. I wrapped him up and picked up the wolf easily. He was so light, that scared me. I could feel the tears forming at the corner of my eyes as I realized I had no idea what I doing.

I didn't know what to do. I was carrying a wheezing wolf in my arms who seemed so light he might float away at any moment. I didn't know where Felix was and Matri was dying. If Matri was dying, that means Felix was dying. He was dying and I had no idea where he was. Just like everyone had told me was going to happen this whole time. Everyone had promised I was going to fail and here it was, playing out just as they intended.

"Craig..." Jason seemed to realized how lost I was. "He's not...Matri...he's still..."

"Alive?" I choked. "Look at him guys, he's dying and he's so light. He's...so..."

I couldn't finished my sentence. My throat closed up and I let out a sob and rocked back and forth, holding the wolf. Ryan walked foreword slowly and wrapped her arms around me. I could only stare at Matri's face, he already seemed so distant. I couldn't stop myself from crying.

All of a sudden, Jason grabbed onto my shoulders and stared right into my eyes. I was so lost in my overwhelming grief that I didn't understand what he was doing, only that he looked so serious.

"Craig." He said, not breaking eye contact with me. "Your powers."

I froze, my powers! I kneeled down and unwrapped Matri. I took a deep breath and wiped my face before yanking off my gloves and holding my hands out. I breathed out and tried to summon the feeling that I had grown somewhat familiar with. All I could hear was Matri's labored breathing, I could hear the bones rattling in his chest. The wolf let out a horrid, choked, cough and I sobbed, feeling overwhelmingly useless. Kosmos! Why even give me these stupid powers if I couldn't use them to save my friend!

"Craig!" I felt a hand grip should shoulder and looked over to see Ryan clutching onto me supportingly.

She met my eyes and smiled through her own tears. "You can do this."

I was suddenly filled with new energy. I took a deep breath and nodded, then to my surprise Jason, on my right, also reached to grab my shoulder.

"I believe in you too." He added quietly.

That surprised me so much I was shocked out of my overwhelmed mood. He looked so sincere and fragile too.

"Me too." Eryan shuffled quickly around and gave me a gentle hug from behind.

Aurora nodded and placed a hand on my shoulder. Sky ruffled my hair gently. I was so overcome with happiness and support, when the tug in my gut came it was sharper and more powerful than before. A dim glow appeared from under my palms as I dug my fingers into Matri's fur. The wolf let out a sharp howl. Peri, who was sitting on the other side of Matri, blinked as indeed, his small eyes gave off a dim glow.

I stared hard at Matri's face, waiting for a reaction. He had gone completely still. Then all of a sudden he let out a deep, slow, breath, and resumed breathing normally. The glow faded from my fingers and suddenly I felt very dizzy, and thirsty. Little black spots danced before my eyes. I wobbled even though I was sitting down.

    Matri looked up at the six of us and our familiars, he looked normal again. The wolf sat up, tongue lolling out as if he were tired. Matri might very well be as tired as I am. Then I noticed he was still holding his leg at an awkward angle. I hadn't fixed him completely.

    "We should go back." Aurora suggested, looking uncomfortable.

    "What about Felix?" Ryan insisted, standing up and putting her hands on her hips.

    "Look at Craig, he looks like he's going to pass out." Aurora insisted, gesturing at me.

    I removed Eryan's hand from around my waist (she was still hugging me, aw) and stood up shakily.

    "Guys I'm fine, totally completely-"

    I swooned backwards and both Eryan and Jason rushed to catch me, both holding an arm. I blushed and stood back up, brushing off the snow.

    "You're not fine." Eryan insisted. "We should rest for just a moment."

    "I don't think Matri's going to let us." Jason pointed out ominously, before actually pointing at Matri's disappearing form.

    The small gray wolf had continued to limp on.

    "If he keeps pushing himself, that might happen all over again." Peri informed me quietly from my shoulder. "You don't have the strength to heal him like that again."

    "I'd still try." I insisted, stubborn as ever while I wobbly chased after him.

    The sun had started to set in the time it took for me to heal Matri. The snow was backlit orange and everything look scary and disproportionate. The long shadows of trees stretched out like claws towards Matri, who was limping rather fast now. I must have given him some sort of energy boost.

    "Wait a second Craig!" Eryan called out form behind me. "He's going towards some people!"

    I glanced up from trying not to sink into the snow to see there were two hooded figures in the distance and Matri had took off at a run straight towards them. My heart began to beat wildly in my chest and I glanced back at my friends.

    "Do you think...?" I dared ask.

    "There's only one way to find out." Jason gave me a thumbs up.

    I grinned, then turned back towards the figures in the distance.

    "Hey!" I shouted at them. "Felix? Is that-"

    Another figure stepped out from behind the trees and slammed their hand over my mouth. They yanked their hood down with the other hand and I realized it was Eddie. He looked genuinely surprised to see me?

    "What are you doing here? How did you find us?"

    I mumbled something into his hand.

    "Whatever. You can't be here it's not safe. You need to leave, right now." He warned.

    "That sounds exactly like something someone who doesn't want me to find Felix would say." I forced out, prying away his hand.

    Eddie's face twisted up into a mask of pain. "No I'm dead serious, okay. Okay look. I've kind of grown attached to you okay? I don't want you too-"

    Jason suddenly peaked out of nowhere and shoved Eddie away from me. He fell to the ground with a grunt and Jason knocked his bow. He had an arrow pointed at Eddie's face before I could wipe the taste of his hand away form my mouth.

    "You get your hands off of him." He growled, Lafayette landing on his shoulder as if on cue.

    "Yeah like I'm scared of you." Eddie spat at his face. "You should get out of here right now, if you want to do what's really best from him."

    "What do you mean?" Jason asked, pulling the string a little tighter.

    "You're idiots!" He pushed himself off the ground, and shuffled back into the forest. "I hope you no what you're getting into."

    "Craig are you all right?" Eryan caught up to us.

    "Y-yeah." I slid back against the tree.

    "Where is that little punk?" Ryan threatened, pulling out her knife.

    "It's fine guys. I'm okay." I insisted, forcing her dagger down gently.

    I was a little shaken up by the weird look in Eddie's eyes.

    Sky was staring off in the distance. "You guys, the figures on the horizon are coming towards us now."

    We stopped and glanced at the horizon. The hooded figures were only meters away. One of them stopped but the other kept coming. They were wearing the same cloak Eddie had on.

    We stood there, catching our breath for a bit until the figure was only an elephant length away. Matri was circling them, clearly protective. They reached up their hands and pulled away the hood.

    Standing there with three, bright pink, six-inch long, brand new scars on his face, was Felix Vlasta.