They made good progress after that.

Logan’s good arm wrapped around Stray’s waist, pulling her closer and keeping her warm. The feel of him a reassuring weight, his slightly pained breaths slowly giving way to more even breathing as they darted quickly through the forest. Stray held onto him as hard as she could, forcing herself to meet his pace as they battled through the snow: He still had the arrow buried in his shoulder and she was afraid that if they didn’t get it out soon the injury would be permanent. That somehow something terrible would happen, though she couldn’t imagine what. Besides, she thought, What else was she going to do, trapped in a snowstorm in the middle of the wildwood? Go back to the Company of Miracles?

She remembered the look on Logan’s face when Ororo shot him and pushed that thought fiercely away.

So they hurried through the forest, the world an icy, feathery cloak around them. The light of the crescent moon silvery, the air so unbearably cold that it cut like a blade. Every so often Logan would stop, head lowered, nostrils flaring. Eyes narrowed as a wolf does when it first scents its prey before choosing a path and pushing on. Further and further into the wildwood they went, the snow now coming so thickly that it covered their tracks in moments. The howl of the wind mournful and frightening around them, its keening like a ghost. They rounded another set of trees, an unseen (and unexpectedly steep) incline causing both of them to tumble downwards through the snow, coming to rest together in a jumble of limbs and curses. The sudden feeling of hair on skin making Stray’s heart flutter in her chest. Logan got to his feet first, eyes darting about him as he pulled her into standing: The air around them was suddenly deafeningly silent and stifling after the chill of the night outside. They were in a clearing, the trees ranged about like soldiers. Branches a thick lattice overhead, roots snaking and treacherous underfoot. He frowned, eyes narrowing as he squinted into the darkness, and just as Stray thought they were going to push onwards she saw something… shift in the undergrowth. Something unnatural. The girl froze and suddenly she knew, though she could not have explained how, that nothing of the sight in front of her was real.

One look at Logan told her she was right.

She caught her breath then, surprised by this revelation but not doubting it: It felt like the knowledge that she couldn’t leave Logan had felt, as if it were just something she’d always known but never let herself think before. The clearing was still dark and silent but the air around them seemed to be moving. The image of trees giving way as water does when an object breaks its surface. For a split second the very forest seemed to waver, rippling in ever decreasing circles… And then suddenly, as if someone had somehow pulled back a curtain in time and space the image of the clearing gave way to that of a cave. Its mouth gaping and dark against the snow’s white, a tiny pinprick of light like a miniature sun glowing within. Stray’s hand tightened on Logan’s in fright despite the fact that she’d somehow expected this, and she felt his hairy great head rest itself on her shoulder for a moment. His hot breath flared against her ear.

“It’s alright, little one,” he muttered. “We’ll be safe here. I won’t let anything hurt you, I promise.”

And without waiting for an answer he tugged her gently towards the cavern. His hand tight and reassuring on hers, the fur rustling against her fingers like wild silk. The two began trudging towards the cave, Stray for one wanting out of the wet and cold so badly her skin was aching for it. The knowledge that she had gone wandering through the snow in nothing but her nightdress now at the forefront of her mind. As soon as stepped inside the tiny ball of light began moving alongside them, beckoning them deeper into the cavern. Throwing odd shadows against the walls around them, illuminating pictures of animals and people and things that were some mixture of both- Things just like Logan, the girl thought. Bones crackled underfoot as they walked, the air turning sticky and stifling as they ventured deeper. The way eventually forking and the ball of light moving to hover above the left-hand path, indicating that they should go into the cavern beyond. Logan nodded to the thing once, muttering something quick and singsong in a language Stray didn’t know before pulling her inside. The sudden darkness of the cave hard on her eyes after the brilliance of the passage. The ball of light stalled at the entrance, breaking off into little pieces until it seemed like several golden stars were hanging in the air rather than one miniature sun. Stray stared around her, taking in the massive cavern, its walls covered in what looked like fireflies. A silence so thorough, so apt filling it that Stray felt as if she were standing in a cathedral. She felt Logan come up behind her, his shaggy head resting on her shoulder again, his big, heavy hands splayed across her belly. Again her heart fluttered.

“We’ll be safe here,” he muttered, his voice now almost completely inhuman. “This place will always be safe fer the likes of us…”

“If you say so,” she murmured. And she shivered, though this time it was not from the cold. He’d begun rocking into her, ever so slightly, and it was very distracting, wet fur against wet skin. “But what if there’s something else in here?” she asked. “What if there’s something waiting in the dark-?”

Logan made a strange, huffing sound; It took her a moment to realise that that was how the beast within him laughed. “Nothing else would come in here, little one,” he said roughly. “Even if it tried, it wouldn’t make it past the door.” And still holding her against his front the walked her over to the mouth of the cavern, hairy head nuzzling her shoulder. The heat of his body sending warmth spiking sharply into hers. He gestured to the wall beside the entrance: An ochre-red handprint stood out sharply against the wall, a blue-grey wolf print on top of it. Something about the fadedness of the image telling Stray that this symbol was very old indeed. Without really understanding why the girl reached out and placed her small, pale hand inside the painted one. Tracing it, feeling something tingle through her palm from its shape. This place will always be safe fer the likes of us… With a low growl Logan placed his own near-paw atop hers, somehow riveted by the sight of their hands re-enacting something which had been done so long ago. Fingers threading through hers, a growl vibrating through her shoulder-blades from his chest. Again, she felt his mouth against her ear.

“You feel it, darlin’?” he muttered then, voice growing thicker and more bestial by the moment. “You understand now, why we’re here?”

And she nodded. She could feel something hot and honeyed and powerful moving through her, something that was both part of her and part of this place. It made it hard to breath. “Yes,” she managed to stammer, “Yes, I think I understand… I know what this place is for people like us…”

And she turned so that she was looking up at him, eyes hooded. Her chest now pressed against his, her back against the wall. The heat of that ochre handprint scorching between her shoulder blades, its touch as real as his. For a second Logan’s eyes flashed, becoming both human and hazel again, and he made to move but she stilled him. The will to have him pressed against her something she couldn’t- wouldn’t- ignore. Something almost forgotten and long voiceless was moving inside her, sending ribbons of sensation curling through her body. Making her want to forget she’d ever felt the touch of snow, making her want only heat and flesh. Little girl, little girl, scarlet, blood-blessed little girl, sing your wolf-song lullaby and joy will come for you…

And without thinking she raked her fingers across Logan’s massive shoulders, making his breath hitch. Luxuriating in the feel of fur and muscle there against her skin, after being so long trapped without sensation in a body like a cage. Their gazes locked again, human to lupine, and without her really willing it her mouth slipped open. The need to have it filled with a man’s moan or a wolf’s howl too intoxicating to resist. Stray had been kissed but once before and that had been by the boy she was betrothed to; His reaction had thrown her into exile and set her on the road that led here. But Logan was no boy, she thought, and she was not that girl anymore. She was no longer the helpless Spring Maid, trudging through the snow. He held her gaze as his lips brushed against hers- once, twice, hot breath flaring- And then he moved his mouth away, kissing her chin, her earlobe. Her fingers spasming against his fur as she pulled him closer, nails drawing a moan from his throat as his wet tongue traced and teased her skin. By now Logan was breathing harshly, mouth suckling against her collar-bone: The sight of those beautiful, lupine eyes staring up at her from between her breasts was the most wicked, gorgeous thing she’d ever seen. She raked her fingers through his fur- hair- fur again and he moaned for her. She pushed herself into his hand- it had snaked down to that spot below her belly that made her squirm- and heard him moan some more. They were shivering, quivering, aching together. Moving in time, one with the other, as if they’d never been anywhere but here. Stray whimpered, losing control, trying to touch him everywhere, wanting to, needing to-

And as she did her hand brushed against the bloody arrow shaft, still buried firmly in his back. The shock of it sending a shiver of horror through her even as it sent a shiver of agony through him. If he hadn’t been so far into the transformation Stray doubted it would have happened, but he was on the knife-edge between wolf and human and had been for quite some time now; without a moment’s hesitation he snarled, pushing her harshly away from him, claws and teeth elongating and growing sharp. Slashing against her skin. For a second Stray was on her back before him, terrified, staring up at eyes unlike any she’d ever seen before, the beast in him howling out for the law of tooth and claw-

And then with a sudden shock the cave lit up like a sunrise. The miniature sun which had guided them here growing suddenly brilliant and blindingly harsh. The Once-Was-Logan crouching down, shielding his eyes. His predator’s vision burned by such a swift change from night to day after all their time in the dark. Stray skittered back, unsure what was happening and completely disorientated, her only thought that whatever was happening she would not leave Logan, no matter what had happened between them-

And when she could see again, Ororo was standing right in front of her, bow trained on the werewolf.

A thin, elegant, entirely blue man standing beside her in gentleman’s doublet and shirt, a rapier in his hand.

For a second the huntress’ head flickered between the pair of them, eyes taking in the girl’s dishevelled state, Logan’s distress at nearly hurting her. The scent of desire which hung in the cave obvious even to someone as unworldly as Stray. And then, without a word, a slow smile spread across the huntress’ face, her blue eyes understanding. Hand gesturing for Stray to stand up as she slowly put down her bow, arrows spilling across the floor. “I knew it,” she murmured in her gentle voice, “I knew I was right about her…”

She looked Stray dead in the eye and her smile widened. “Now let’s get that arrow out.”