The future and present converged in chakra-blue lines, and ended with the grey wolf pinned, the black wolf’s teeth at his throat. After a furious moment, the grey wolf allowed himself to go limp. The black wolf shook him once, for good measure, then released him.

The white wolf gave that breaking rocks laugh again, watching the grey wolf disdainfully. She — just as definitively female — glanced up with a spark of interest at the trespassers on her land. The black wolf licked blood off his teeth and nosed her ear.

Both of them moved so fast that, this time, even Obito couldn’t help Kakashi dodge. A giant paw knocked him flat on his back and pinned him, claws framing his head. Crushed against his side, Kurenai made a faint, thin sound.

Ryouma swore breathlessly, then cut short, flattened under the black wolf’s other front paw.

The white wolf had closed her teeth delicately around Raidou’s waist and picked him up. She settled herself comfortably on the ground, and put him back down between the circle of her front paws, like a cat with a wounded mouse. He held himself rigidly still, either in terror or because she’d just squeezed his broken ribs.

Teeth filled Kakashi’s worldview.

The black wolf sniffed him, made a disgusted sound, and rumbled, “Human wolfling. Your ancestors corrupted our blood and stole our foolish cubs. I should kill you on principle.”

Apparently there were some lessons his mother had neglected. Or his father. Dread made Kakashi want to pant, high and useless in his chest. He forced himself to breathe slow. “But you won’t,” he said, on pure gamble. “We have a contract.”

Which, until now, he’d always thought was mutual.

The black wolf snorted. “Only with you.” His gaze went meaningfully to the rest of Kakashi’s team.

The white wolf stretched her neck to look curiously down at Ryouma with gold eyes. Her growl was softer, like an avalanche of fine sand. “We could help,” she said silkily. “What will you give us?”

Ryouma’s voice was a trampled rasp. “We’ll go away again…”

The white wolf grinned. “I can make that happen myself.” Her tongue flickered red between her teeth. “Your friend is lost, little one, because you are careless, selfish people. Why should we help you?”

Kurenai squirmed against Kakashi’s side, until her mouth could find his ear. On the barest breath, she started, “How do they—?” The black wolf’s paw pressed down, forcing the air from both of them. Kakashi felt bones grind in his chest, just shy of breaking.

How did the wolves know about Genma?

Ryouma was silent. Kakashi could just see his hand flexing, long fingers wrapped helplessly around around one huge claw. He couldn’t get his hands together for seals. Neither could Kakashi.

“Because it’s not just us,” Ryouma said at last. “Genma’s a better person. And if you know he’s lost, you know that. He’s worth saving. And we’re the only ones who can.”

The white wolf huffed, and the air smelled like old blood. “A better little murderer. We kill for food.”

“Sometimes for fun,” the black wolf rumbled.

The white wolf shifted to flatten Raidou under one of her paws, and leaned her head over to study Ryouma. The shifting yellow tones of her eyes flared bright, unnatural gold, and she bent lower to sniff Ryouma’s straining fingers. She made a curling little sound of amusement. “Let me bite off your hand,” she said, “and I’ll help you.”