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Summer cut the engine, coasting her bike to a stop; a gentle squeeze of the brakes bringing them to a complete stop, her foot already in position to kick down the stand. Even with her gentle braking, that didn't stop the arms that had already been holding to her waist for dear life squeezing a little tighter.

'Are you okay?' Summer said, pulling off her helmet and turning to face Ari, shaking out her fire red hair with a casual flick of her wrist. The vixen was leaning on the side of the bike, her helmet she had borrowed from her clutched in her paw already, her green hair having seemed to come through being crammed into the small space a lot better than hers

'I think so. Do you get used to that?' Ari asked, drawing the zip of her jacket up a little higher, the metal tag nesting against her short brown fur

'It's practice.' Summer said awkwardly, brushing idly at the tip of her nose, toying with her yellow fur as she did when she was embarrassed. 'Maybe this was a bit much for your first time on a bike.'

'Maybe. But there was always going to be a first time.' Ari replied. 'It really was kinda fun, once you get past the oddness of driving on two wheels. I'm definitely going to stick to cars for myself though.'

'Well, I hope it will be worth it.' Summer said, pausing only to lock her bike and grab the key from the ignition.

'It might be. If I knew what it was.' Ari said softly, her renewed curiosity obvious in her voice now that she was back on terra firma.

Curiosity she had been hanging onto ever since before they had set off. Curiosity Summer had chosen not to indulge. And not just because she wanted it to be a secret. She did, but she had also been worried that Ari might not have liked what she had in mind. Rationally she knew she was being silly, but she couldn't shake it.

'Follow me and I'll show you.' Summer said quickly, all too aware she had been silent for a few seconds.

'Is it far?' Ari asked.

'Not far.' Summer called back, wheeling her bike along the narrow tree lined path that lead deeper in the small wood already alive with the sound of evening birdsong, soft chirping coming from all around them. While the path was wide enough for four men to walk astride, it wasn't obvious from the side of the road unless you knew what you were looking for. One of the many desire lines around the city, almost secret walkways created by accidental action rather than focused design. The natural bough of trees that created the thick canopy overhead had to have helped with that, most likely what had attracted the first people to explore this secret path. Or an animal trail but she liked the first idea better.

'I had no idea this was even...oh wow.'

Those words came from Ari as they stepped out from under the cover of trees to the summit of a hill, the subtly rising gradient of the land hidden by the wood around them. A hill that stood over the sprawling cityscape that lay below them while the inky black cloud of this clear night was dotted with a twinkling kaleidoscope of stars that stretched as far as the eye could see.

'So..is it worth it?' Summer teased, grinning at where Ari stood with her mouth open.

'It's..incredible.' Ari whispered, leaving Summer not sure if she was talking about the lights of the city or the lights of the stars. 'Do you come here often?'

'Mostly when I need time to think.' Summer replied. 'I guess that's why I brought you here.' Summer continued, answering the unspoken question. 'You brought me somewhere special to you and I wanted to do the same. I know it's not the same.' She paused, her mind drawn back to the evening she and Ari had spent at The Hooded Hare. 'I don't have anywhere that special. Or someone.'

'Don't you have family in the city?' Ari asked, her tone making it clear she wasn't sure if asking that question was taking a step too far.

Summer sighed. While that was the question she had dreaded her raising, she didn't begrudge her asking it. And she was going to face it head on. 'My father. But we aren't that close. He'd like to be. But we aren't.'

'Must have been hard.' Ari replied slowly.

Summer shrugged. She had never seen it that way. It was just the way things were. 'I was always used to standing on my own. Commander Vylias sort of took me under his wing I guess. He sees things in me I don't see myself.'

'Like what?' Ari pressed, seemingly feeling more confident about asking questions.

'My father taught me how to be a soldier.' Summer said slowly. 'The Commander taught me to live my life I suppose. When I started, I was all about my job, nothing beyond that. The Commander, or captain as he was then, had to take me aside and verbally knock some sense into me. Made me see things differently. That a soldier isn't all about giving orders and an officer doesn't have to be so above those she commands. A hang on from my father I suppose. I never was that confidant taking to people. You saw that first hand after all.'

'True. You were kinda being a stick in the mud when we first met.' Ari chuckled softly.

'That's putting it mildly.' Summer smiled, glad she could actually laugh about it now.

'Guess that's why you trained as a Scout huh?' Ari said, her shrewd comment hitting exactly on the nail.

'Got it in one.' Summer saw no sense in deny it. It was what it was after all. 'Just another way to avoid people I suppose. Silly really, I think I've been missing out on some good friends.'

'Never too late.' Ari mused.

'You really think that?' Summer said, stepping forward to look down over the city, her eyes focusing on the streams of lights below, as if they could resolve into cars and vehicles if she focused hard enough.

'I know it. ' Ari said, the soft crunch behind her telling her she had taken one step closer. 'You seemed to be getting on okay with the guys from Rattan Squad didn't you?'

'Well, that's true I suppose.' Summer conceded.

'Will you be staying with them?'

'What?' Ari's question caught her by surprise. Not just because she hadn't expected it, which she hadn't, but also because she hadn't thought on it herself.

'You must have thought about it.' Seems she had though she had then, Summer mused but let her continue. 'I'd say it's a good move for a junior officer looking to progress. Wouldn't you?'

'Can't argue with that.' Summer said, mostly to have something to say, to fill the gap left as her mind raced.

'Well then.' Ari said as if that settled it. Which maybe it did in her eyes. Or she just saw that she had suddenly given her a lot to think on and didn't want to confuse her more.

Summer couldn't help being touched by that, even as she decided she needed to think on that more alone.

'What about you?' Summer cleared her throat, moving the conversation onto the next logical step. 'Did you always want to be an engineer? Was that always what you wanted to do? Fixing things?'

Ari actually laughed, the sweet sound cutting across the nightly noises around them. 'Believe it or not, I was going to train as a pilot. Even got as far as basic training before it turned out I had as much of a head for heights as a rhino.'

Summer waited for her to continue, not sure exactly what to say as not wanting to push her. Luckily she didn't have to wait long.

'The one thing I had a real head for was how they worked inside rather than out. Six months into basic training and I was better at stripping down a fighter than flying one. I was better than most of the techs too.' Ari trailed off.

'I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you upset. I..' Summer began.

'You didn't.' Ari replied. 'I was just thinking it's funny how things change. How we can think we want to make something of our lives when really it's something else we want. And that we can waste time chasing after it.

Summer turned to face her, resting a paw on her shoulder. 'I wouldn't say you wasted anything. You just found out what you are good at via a roundabout route. Whoever said the path of life was a straight one.'

'Well, aren't we in a philosophical mood tonight.' Ari laughed.

'I guess I am.' Summer chuckled mostly to herself. 'I've just had a lot of time to think on stuff like this recently.'

******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* It was late when Summer pulled her bike up in front of the barracks. Far later than she had intended if she is honest. Time had just slipped away while they had sat chatting about everything and nothing; until Summer glanced at her watch and saw that it was almost 11. Luckily that had meant that the roads were pretty quiet, letting them make it back within a quarter of an hour.

'Can you believe we were talking for that long?' Ari swung off the bike more easily the second time, having found her feet before Summer had brought them to a complete stop.

'Not really. I'm sorry for keeping you out so late.' Summer said, feeling a squirm of guilt deep in her belly.

'Don't be. You didn't do it alone. And besides, it was fun.' Ari said with a genuine smile as she handed back her helmet.

Ari stood there as if she wasn't sure what to do then she kissed her; letting the paw that rested on her cheek draw her closer until their lips brushed. Even that was beyond Summer, the squirrel so taken aback she didn't move, not sure what to do, her mind suddenly feeling light and floaty while her body seemed to have become a lead weight.

Before she could even think about doing anything, Ari had leapt back, breaking the kiss as quickly as she had started it; her face a study in shock and mortification all wrapped up in a package of confusion. 'I'm sorry...I shouldn't have..I didn't mean too...I have to..goodnight.'

With that abrupt word, Ari turned and raced into the barracks, her feet pounding on the hard Tarmac seemingly not caring about the late hour. And leaving Summer out in the night; surrounded by the cold air, very much alone and confused.