“Enery! Return!” Aatchen said sharply.

No answer.

“Hold this.” Aatchen thrust the food at GreyMaw, who caught it awkwardly in one arm, then lowered it to the ground. “Feed the others – wait here.” He stepped into the fog, head high, seeking Enery.

There. Not far, against the wall, watching, waiting.

“Enery?” Aatchen looked around, as if confused, then pounced. Enery’s arms came up, defensively, but Aatchen enveloped him, holding him easily.

“The stronger I am …” Enery panted, struggling.

“No. Belief, Enery. I can take you. I can …” Pinning the other against the wall, Aatchen forced Enery’s head back, exposing his throat. He bit, savagely, then drank deeply, drawing strength from the warm, fresh blood.

“Aatchen!” GreyMaw. “Take – but do not feed!”

“Too late.” Aatchen dragged Enery’s corpse back to where GreyMaw stood.

“We do not … feed on our own kind …” GreyMaw faltered. “It … weakens us … They say …”

“No.” Aatchen felt Enery’s strength flooding through him. He stretched, arching his back, feeling the power. “They said the amulet would protect the hunter, didn’t they?”

GreyMaw nodded, not meeting his eyes.

“Did it?’

“No …” she whispered.

“Belief, GreyMaw. Belief. I lead the Family now, because my belief is the stronger.” He lowered his head, feeding again from Enery’s rich blood, eyes still holding GreyMaw’s. She nodded slowly, not daring to look away.

“You will teach me,” Aatchen went on, satiated finally. “But I lead.”

“You lead,” GreyMaw agreed.

“A good hunting place, this,” Aatchen said, looking around. “If more prey comes, you will feed first.”

“Dissolution is near,” GreyMaw said. “Feel?”

“Yes. Over there.” Aatchen looked toward the East. He dropped Enery’s body carelessly to the ground.

“No – you must consume it utterly, leaving no traces. Nothing for the guardians to study,” GreyMaw reproved. Aatchen bent, lifted the body, and took it all in, feeling the last of Enery’s strength drain into him. “Now stand ready for dissolution.”

“We need to grow the Family. We need more hunters,” Aatchen said. “Young ones, strong, like me, not like Little Lou and Baby.”

“Not easy to make more of our kind,” GreyMaw whined.

“But it can be done. I was not always like this, I was made. By you.” Aatchen fixed the older woman with his eyes. “When we return, you will show me how to make others.”

“Not easy,” she repeated. “I don’t have the strength any more.”

“No. But I do. And I know how to get more.” Aatchen glanced meaningfully at the spot where Enery had stood waiting. “Teach me, GreyMaw. Teach me what I need to know, and you will continue. Refuse me, and I will consume you as I did Enery.” He looked East, where the sun was just beginning to rise over the buildings, thinning the fog. Smiling, as dissolution took him.