The New District

March 24, 2110, District 9

Chan walked out to see Jeongin's wolf form pacing back and forth. His steps were heavy, and when he noticed Chan walked out he turned to him with his golden eyes. He growled for a second, but after Chan leaned down he started to relax. Chan sighed as he saw Jeongin whimper slightly and shake his head, blood still dripping from the wound on his head.

"It's okay, just calm down." Chan kneeled down and slowly put out a hand for Jeongin to know its him. The wolf moved slowly, slowly sniffing Chan's clean hand. He started whining after he knew who Chan was. He went around him circling around and rubbing his shoulders along Chan's torso. Chan watched him do it a few times, allowing the wolf to become comfortable again.

"I know, Jeongin. I know you hurt, but you need to try to listen to me, okay." Chan wrapped a hand around the wolves shoulders, the wolf looked up, but Chan knew he couldn't understand. "Try to listen, try to understand and try to shift back." Chan watched as Jeongin simply laid down, letting out a whine and rested his head on Chan's lap. Chan sighed, Jeongin wouldn't be able to shift back until he falls asleep.

Chan started petting Jeongin's head, he looked over his body, seeing how hurt the younger really was. His thick fur covered most of the scratches, but Chan didn't think he had a bullet wound, his ear was another story. His left ear wasn't just nicked by a bullet, the bullet hit it straight on. Half the ear was gone as the rest was torn, Chan could see pieces of skin and flesh hanging off the ear, and he could see bits of debris and dirt in the wound. If it wasn't cleaned it would most likely get infected and cause the wolf even more pain.

Chan was going to try to talk to him again but Jeongin sprang up, suddenly sniffing his body. Chan watched as he sniffed around till he went to his arm. There was a small scratch from a graze of a bullet. Chan watched as the wolf started licking away the blood. Chan flinched and stopped him, but Jeongin looked up with an innocent look. Chan sighed and lifted his hand to the wolf's head again. He let his fingers trail down the wolf's muzzle and nose, and Jeongin closed his eyes at the feeling.

"This is a mess, Jeonginnie." Chan teared up once again, not being able to stop the tears from falling this time.

=*=

Chan had to help all of the boys, and had to make sure everyone was stable. Minho woke up later in the evening. He would have to use crutches, and he couldn't retract his wings because of the wounds. He had cried when he figured out Woojin was dead, he blamed himself for everyone who got hurt. Jisung himself had a bullet wound in his shoulder, thankfully Chan was able to get it out even after he shifted. Everyone left the infirmary, leaving Woojin covered in a linen sheet, but were met by a pacing Jeongin still stuck in wolf form. Jisung and Chan tried their best to help him shift back, but it was useless. They couldn't even help his wounds because he would attack them if he got hurt.

That night they made a fire outside in the cool air. Jeongin laid down as everyone sat around the fire. Seungmin hadn't let go of Hyunjin and they seemed they wouldn't leave each other's grasp for a while. Jeongin's head was left to lean on Chan lap, he was the only one the wolf would let touch him. As darkness finally fell, he would keep on whining and looking up at Chan. Minho and Jisung were clinging to one another as well. Minho blamed himself, so Jisung was consoling him. Jisung was just as sad about Woojin leaving than anyone. He had grown found of the older, he was so cute but could be tough when he wanted too. Jisung admired him, he was a caring older brother to all of them.

It seemed like everyone was depressed that night, except for Changbin. He stood away from the fire, staring out passed the gate and into the darkness. When anyone would call his name, he wouldn't even flinch. Chan had an idea why we wasn't crying, and why he was still in his half shifted form. Changbin was a creature of night, he caused everyone around him to have a sense of fear, dread, and depression. Changbin was feeding off of their depression, he was growing stronger with so many emotions around him. And sooner or later it would break him and cause him to loose control.

"Changbin, will you please come to the fire?" Chan asked one last time. Everyone looked over, but the younger didn't flinch, he didn't move. Jeongin whined again, but this time he got up off of Chan's lap and padded over to Changbin. Everyone watched as Jeongin sat down beside him and nudged his cloak-covered hand. Changbin raised it and rested in on the wolf's head, and after a few seconds Jeongin threw his head back, and howled.

The howl was loud, and Chan knew you would be able to hear it for miles. It was broken, the sound making Chan himself want to cry. It sounded soft, but also filled with so much pain. As Jeongin howled, they watched as Changbin's form shifted, he grew, but his cloak covered him from the boys. His shoulders hunched, the bony spine sticking up through his cloak. Jeongin drew out his howl, and when he glanced over at Changbin once more they watched as a long bony hand reached out and stroked his fur.

Jeongin turned away and walked back to Chan, circling him and laying his head on his lap once again. Changbin slowly walked away, back into the infirmary, and they all let him. The rest sat in silence, Jeongin slowly closing his golden eyes as Chan stroked through his fur.

"His scratches are going to get infected." Minho's voice was soft as they stared at the huge wolf. Chan stared down Jeongin, his silver hair almost glowing in the firelight.

"He will be fine." Chan almost whispered it. "If they get infected, Jeongin will be able to fight it." As Chan said those words he felt the wolf's body twitch, but it wasn't his whole head, it was only his skull. He pulled up his hand as Jeongin's body slowly started to shift back to a boy. The wolf woke up throughout this and whined as bones cracked and shifted. Chan tried to calm him down, talking slowly and trying to distract it from the pain. It writhed and whined, barking and curled itself inward as Jeongin started taking form. Soon enough, the boy was laying on the ground, in a fetal position. Chan was surprised to see the young boy still with the silver hair of the wolf. Jeongin moved slowly, his chest was on display and the shorts he had on were dirty and muddied.

"Jeongin?" Chan scooted over to the younger, putting a soft hand on the others shoulder. The boy only coughed, his body racking against each movement. He looked up and looked into the older's eyes. Chan was surprised as he stared back at golden eyes. Jeongin moved forward, Chan grabbing him and pulling him up so he was sitting and leaning on his chest.

"Jeongin?" Chan could hear Seungmin moving forward, and Jeongin looked away from Chan to look at him. "You got a new hair color, and apparently an eye color as well." Jeongin cocked his head to the side and felt his hair, he pulled it forward so he could just see the end of it.

"Its grey?!" Jeongin's voice cracked and they chuckled drily. "Wait-" Jeongin looked around, then bolted up and ran into the infirmary- "No, no, no, no, no!" Chan got up and ran after him, trying to stop him but he got inside before he could grab him. Chan saw that Changbin was no longer in his wraith form, and was standing to the side of Woojin's bed. The white sheet covered the body, but you could still see his form. Chan walked forward to Jeongin who stood at the end of the bed, looking at the white sheet. His hand was covering his mouth as his eyes started to water. Chan could see him shake as he started to cry. Jeongin turned and looked up at Chan, but he stopped him from hugging him for a moment.

"Please say I didn't do this." Jeongin started to get weak.

"No, never. You wouldn't ever hurt any of us, not even in your wolf form." Chan wrapped his arms around Jeongin's body and let him fall onto him. Changbin walked passed the two, sparing a small glance at Chan as he walked out of the infirmary. Chan slowly helped Jeongin toward a bed. He sat him down, and quickly let go of him to grab cleaner. Jeongin was weak, and Chan had to hold him to his chest as he still cried. Chan worked quickly but deliberately to clean all of his wounds. There were a few scratches from the sharp rocks that he fell into, but the wound Chan was more focused on was the boy's ear. In his human form the top part of his ear was gone, and the rest was ripped and jagged. Jeongin cried as Chan cleaned the wound, but after a few moments he was wrapping a bandage around his had to cover it.

"Come on, Jeongin." Chan pushed the small box away, and wrapped his arms around the boys back, as well as under his legs. He quickly picked the younger up as he held onto his neck. He slowly walked out, pushing open the door and walking near the fire. Changbin now stood next to the fire, but everyone stared aimlessly into the flames. All their tears were shed, and the grief they felt only grew stronger as memories ran through their heads.

"We all should get to bed. We all need rest, this next week there isn't going to be any training." Chan said it simply and walked passed them. None of the boys questioned him, they followed his order and all got up to walk into the dorm building straight after him and Jeongin.