Author's Note: I'm back finally after a million years! Here is the last, end and final chapter of Wolf! The grand finale! Anyway, thanks to those who have still been loyal after all this time and thank you for your support!

Yu-Gi-Oh: Wolf

Chapter 10

It wasn't long before they started towards the mountain. Seto, all the while, kept his eyes peeled for that wolf.

They reached the base of their goal, which loomed up high above them. Here they stopped, looked at the mountain then at each other. None of them seemed to want to climb up first.

Seto shook his head exasperatedly and pushed past the others. He had just placed one paw on the mountain when he felt a tremor run through him. Confused, he tried to stop but realized he was climbing anyway.

Fear gripped him. He hadn't decided to climb! There seemed to be something wrong with his brain-!

It took him a minute to realize his wolf instincts had seized control. He struggled to push them aside but it was like trying to get his own soul out of his body. Then again, some people had already done that for him... but that wasn't the point.

He watched himself bound from rock to rock, showering the others with snow and dislodged dirt. It was like someone had simply pushed him out of the driver's seat and he couldn't do anything about it.

((Note to people who know Animorphs: This is similar to how a controller feels))

Kaiba! Get back here!

Bakura had scrambled after him and grabbed him by the tail. Seto didn't know much about his wolf instincts but he DID know that it hated being grabbed by the tail. A lot.

It whirled out of Bakura's grip and snapped at him, jaws inches from closing over his muzzle.

What the h-!

Niisama!

I can't st-! Seto tried to yell desperately as the wolf forced him to start climbing again, quickening its pace. No. He couldn't get his thought speech through with the wolf in the way.

The others were hurrying after him. Then the wolf stopped. It turned to look over its shoulder at the approaching wolves. The wolves on HIS territory.

The wolf started to leap and Seto saw whom it was aiming for a split second before. Mokuba.

No!

Seto braced himself and so he ended up half pouncing, half not. The wolf, confused by the interference tumbled. Changing its mind, it switched tactics at the speed of light. It began running up again.

When it reached a small ledge, it turned and launched itself onto the others. This time, Seto couldn't stop it as it joined forces with gravity.

It knocked into Marik with full force. It was all Seto could do to stop it from closing its teeth around the tomb keeper's neck.

The Millennium Rod tangled with the string of his locket, preventing them from separating.

GET OFF, KAIBA!

Seto felt teeth dig into his back and attempt to drag him off. Snarling viciously, the wolf resisted and continued to rip at Marik.

Marik in a desperate attempt to get Seto off him bit the cord of his locket, untangling them and shoved him away with all four paws.

Seto slid back on the hard packed snow and knocked into Joey, the one who had grabbed him. Joey slid back about 5 feet and knocked into a pine tree, which promptly showered him with snow and pine needles.

The wolf had pounced at Marik again when Yami leapt out of nowhere and rammed him hard in the side. The wolf yelped in pain and missed it's target. They tumbled together in the snow.

They rolled a few feet away, then his rival deftly pinned him down. The wolf thrashed wildly, growling as it tried to push Yami off.

Kaiba! Get a grip! Yami commanded.

The wolf stopped struggling very suddenly, confused by the sudden commanding voice in it's head. Seto took this opportunity to get back in control.

Then there was silence.

Back off, Yugi, Seto growled suddenly, feeling grumpy. Yami got off and Seto rolled to his feet.

N-Niisama? You okay?

Seto felt ashamed. It was his fault. HIS. He had nearly killed them. Without even answering his brother, he grabbed his broken locket in his teeth and plowed up the mountain.

Kaiba-kun!

No. It was too dangerous for him to stay with the group any longer. He would have to get there by himself. Alone. Like before.

The others were calling him back. He had to get away! He would have to trust them to protect his brother. After all, how could he protect Mokuba from himself?

Footfalls behind him. The others were closing in fast. He jumped into a snowdrift to hide. He heard them get farther away and watched them disappear over a crag.

He slipped away and began trotting to the other side of the mountain. He would meet them at the top. Once he was sure he was out of sight, he put his locket down, trying to figure out a way to mend it.

Finally, he settled on using a bead of sap he had scraped from a pine tree with deep gauged scratches that looked like the result of bear claws in it's trunk. He stuck it onto both frayed ends of the string and fixed it.

He hung it on a low bush branch with his teeth and awkwardly slipped it over his head. He had pulled it free from the brambles when a thought-speech voice came from just behind him.

Baka, Seto.

He whirled on the spot, tensed for battle. A wolf was stretched out, relaxing on a rock not 2 feet away from him. He recognized the eyes. This was his anonymous stalker. The wolf's sea green fur also gave away it's real identity.

Seto's eyes narrowed.

Noa.

Noa smirked and flicked his tail.

I tried to warn you.

Warn me about what? Seto snapped, annoyed.

I tried to warn you what would happen if you got separated from the group.

Seto froze. Yes. Now he remembered. That voice had told them something when they were first sent here. That had been Noa...?

Do you remember what I told you, niisama? Noa asked tauntingly.

Shut up.

Seto racked his brains for a few seconds. He couldn't remember. It had been a fairly long time ago. And so much had happened since then. Then it hit him.

Noa easily read the horrified look in his eyes.

Yes, Seto. Your companions are walking right into a trap. It's impossible for them to get out without your help. With only five wolves, they'll all die. Because of you.

Seto glared at him. You're lying.

But somehow, the triumphant look on his stepbrother's face made him feel uneasy. He turned away and began climbing again, trying not to look rushed or worried. Like he didn't care what Noa said.

Better hurry, Seto.

Seto didn't answer him and quickened his pace. He trotted faster and faster then went in an all out run. Bounding up a non-existent path.

An angry bellow of a bear ripped the once still silence and shook the ground.

Seto ran faster. He could just make out the others as they turned to look, horrified at the grizzly bear. How had it gotten out of the cave!

Great! Our friend's back! Make a run for it!

They tore away, luckily towards Seto. He hurried over and joined them as they turned and ran along a narrow ledge.

Big brother!

Seto gave his brother an eye smile as they tore along, the grizzly hot on their tails. He glanced back. For something so big, it sure could move.

Just in time Kaiba. Now we can all die together, one of the wolves up front said bitterly.

They continued on, shifting to single file so they could move quicker along the narrow path that wound up the mountain.

Once again, Seto looked back. Nice. Not only was the bear fast, it had good balance too.

Suddenly, Yami, who was in front, skidded to a halt. Ryou knocked into him. Everyone plowed into the ones in front of him. Seto, confused, looked up to see why they had stopped. They had reached a hulking boulder right in their path.

Climb!

Yami glanced back apprehensively at the charging grizzly before leaping. He snagged the top of the boulder with his paws and struggled up.

All the yamis quickly took over their hikaris for faster work. One by one, they managed to climb up. There was a collective sigh of relief when they had jumped down onto the other side.

'That wasn't so hard,' Seto thought.

WHUMPH!

The boulder creaked threateningly. Seto glanced around panicked and saw it was on the top of a hill in the path. If the bear managed to push it, they would all be crushed. On the other hand, if THEY pushed it...

Push the rock! Marik called, getting the same idea as Seto.

They threw themselves against it, pushing with all their might. The bear retaliated. Seto was gasping from the strain. There were more of them but the bear had more raw strength.

Work together! Yami gasped. 3 of you push, the other 3 brace the rock!

Seto, Yami and Joey began pushing the rock, fighting against the bear. Marik, Bakura and Mokuba braced the boulder whenever they inched up so it would go down again.

'This might actually work-!'

The thought came only fleetingly. Then he was distracted as the boulder suddenly gave way and tumbled down towards the bear. Gravity became their friend. All 6 of them stumbled, falling from the sudden release of pressure.

The last they saw of the grizzly was it tumbling off the cliff. It's roar echoed, then faded.

They just lay on the cold ground, panting. There was silence except for ragged breathing all around.

Everyone still okay?

There were sounds of affirmation from each of them. It took them about 5 minutes to rest up and get back to their feet.

We're nearly there, Mokuba said bracingly, starting up the path again.

Seto followed suit. They were nearly there. Soon they'd be home.

As they climbed, Seto had time to think. He was sure this was a virtual game, with Noa being involved.

He glanced up front where his rival was. Yami probably thought this was magic. Most likely some nonsense about the 'Millennium Items' or something like that. Yeah right.

His thoughts wandered back to Noa. Then something occurred to him.

Yes, Noa had taunted him and made him feel guilty. But he HAD helped him. He had been the one to remind him and prod him to go back with the group.

Seto glowered at the ground. It was true. Noa had saved them. No matter how much he hated to admit it.

Yes!

Seto looked up just in time to see Joey leap triumphantly onto the peak. They all clambered up. Finally. They had reached the top.

The peak was a plateau was quite small comparing to the mountain itself. It was only about the size of half a tennis court. A stiff cold wind blew and swirled up snowflakes.

Seto smirked. Now that really gave it away.

A large red neon sign hung suspended in mid-air over the center of the plateau. It read 'EXIT.'

Joey trotted happily towards it. But he was within 5 feet of it when the wind picked up very suddenly.

Agh!

The others didn't feel it much, but Joey sure did. The wind was so strong, it made Joey's fur stand on end sideways and he was actually being pushed to the side. He backed off with difficulty and crouched on the ground, panting.

Ok. Bad idea.

Let's move in a group, Ryou suggested. Then we might be dense enough to-

Good idea, Yami said, catching on quickly. Let's do it. Stay close and move slowly.

They bunched together and moved forward. Seto felt the wind hit him like a wall and he staggered. Malik bumped into him.

Keep going...!

They pushed forward, staying low, fighting the wind that moved so fast it was hard to draw breath. The gale continued to whip at them mercilessly as they moved through the barrier.

They were nearly there.

With an almighty heave, the six wolves tumbled into the eerie calm of the eye of the storm. Directly under the exit sign.

FLASH!

Seto opened his eyes. He was on the floor of his dark office. He stood cautiously, giving himself a once over. Nothing different. He was himself again.

He glanced at the clock. The cheerful digital numbers read 2100. ((that's 9 pm for those confused ;D)) Hadn't that been the time before everything happened?

Had it been a dream? Yes. Maybe.

Seto went upstairs, dismissing everything as a figment of his imagination. Nothing more.

In his room, he took off his trench coat and took off his Duel Monster card locket. Then he felt a small lump on the string. Confused, he studied it.

The string appeared to have been broken, but now it was mended... Seto swallowed hard. It was mended with a small piece of tree sap.

/ /\ \

Author's Note: Well, thats it! Good bye! You can go now!