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I'm Only Human Pt. 8

'Why the hell do I keep getting in these situations?' John thought as he looked around. 'I guess in this case I can only blame myself.' The enemy advance was slowed by the river, but it could not be stopped by it. Once they had crossed the fighting had become a melee. The defensive line in front of him had been pushed back, consuming the back-line of archers and himself. There were friendlies and enemies all around him fighting, and as the battle raged around him John felt fear. The fear that he would die here on this ground, and regret that he would never get to answer her final question. But as more enemies streamed into the battle John didn't have time to dwell on those feelings. He kept lining them up and putting them down, doing his best to ease the pressure on those engaged in melee combat.

As the brawl swallowed him he took shots at enemies in combat with friendlies, and did his best to pay attention around him. A few had tried to sneak up on him, one got had even got within a few feet, but in the end John had spotted them before it was too late. He scanned around again, checking around him to make sure he was clear. He saw no one advance towards him, so he kept up his fire, doing his best to help turn back the tide of enemies. His weapon clicked as he fired the last round in the mag, dropping another enemy. The anthro wasn't dead yet though, as he squirmed on the ground. His suffering didn't last long as the soldier he was engaged with quickly finished him off. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his last mag he had. He looked at it nervously. 'After this I'll be as good as useless.' He thought as he slammed the new mag in and releasing the bolt lock. He needed to get out of this brawl fast, or he would die here. He had a pistol for backup and a knife, but he was ill equipped for this kind of fighting.

He started to make his way towards the edge of the fighting, still taking pot shots as he went. As he downed another enemy he looked over to see a tiger had been knocked on his back; two opponents raised their swords to deliver the final blows. He brought his weapon to bear and put two shots into each enemy soldier's center. They were dead before they hit the ground. He was about to move on again when he saw the tiger getting back up to his feet. He eyes widened at the realization at who he was looking at. 'Khan' he thought as the tiger stared at him in disbelief, but he quickly shook off the shock and reached down for his sword. When the tiger came back up he looked at John one more time and his eyes widened again. He pointed at John. 'No, not at, behind!' John realized quickly and he whipped around to see an otter with its sword already swinging down on him.

Every day since John had been stuck in this world there was one thing that never made sense. Saraph was situated in the middle of a jungle, and like any other jungle one would assume that hot and humid weather would be the norm. However the world had long ago decided that it would not conform to John's preconceived notions of what a rainforest should feel like, and against all logic it had remained cool. Cool enough that John could wear a hoddie and never feel uncomfortable. He asked long ago, but unfortunately the scientific reasoning of the strange weather was not something they anthros concerned themselves with. In absence of an actual answer he had written of the explanation as magic.

Today, however, it felt like a jungle. Hot, humid, and misery. If there was one thing John hated, it was humidity He could handle heat just fine. Drop him down in the middle of the South-West US and he would be fine, but the second you added moisture to the air all bets were off. 'I would kill everyone, ever, for an A/C right know.' He thought as he stewed in his own sweat. Unfortunately the middle ages weren't known for their advancements in A/C. And Saraph didn't break that historical fact. They also lacked pools. He wasn't even sure if there was a water fountain anywhere in the city. So here he sat, reclined chair on a balcony outside, trying expose himself to a breeze to help cool off. Still, even in his misery he couldn't help but feel sorry for the majority of citizens Saraph. "Poor bastards have a layer of fur to deal with. It must be a nightmare." He heard the sounds of talons striking the floor. "Unlike some lucky bastards." He thought as Cearra came into view.

"Hey John, enjoying the weather?" She asked in a bubbly tone.

"Hate you so much." He thought, answering Cearra with a grunt. He had made the mistake of complaining about the weather to Cearra and Pyrros. They informed him, with what John swore was a gleeful tone, that they were unaffected by the weather. Something about how a dragon's body was warmer than others and when it was hot like today all they could really feel was the moisture, so it didn't bother them. Needless to say John had not spoken to either of them for the last three hours. "Is there a reason you're here?" He said with a bit more bite then he meant.

"What other reason do I need than to enjoy this beautiful weather?" She said smiling innocently as she gestured to the sky, obviously not put off by his mood. Cearra knew full well that she was, as John had put it, "messing with him." And she quite enjoyed it. She didn't even need to look at him to know John was glaring at her. She walked over to the railing, resting her elbows on the stone surface. "Well if you must know we were invited to dinner at Cassie's house later today. The invitation was for my family, but I'm sure they wouldn't mind of you joined. I know her parents have been wanting to meet you for a while."

John glanced at Cearra, then quickly away. In the time since the fight with Khan she had been spending more time with him. Whenever he left the keep, it usually with her. The two had almost become inseparable, and there was a part of him that was really starting to like that. He was passed feeling uncomfortable with his own feelings for her. For all that progress though, there still remained doubt in his mind. And that doubt had grown recently, so much so that he practically avoided the dragoness for the past couple of days. "Who the hell has a social gathering on a day like this?" He asked quietly to himself.

"We've had this dinner planned for a week now John. It's not like anyone call tell how the weather will act a week from now." She said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

'Of course she heard that, damn anthro super hearing.' John was about to respond, but stopped mid-breath. 'I wonder how accurate our 7 day forecasts really are. I've definitely known a few to be wrong.' He thought about it for a moment, before focusing again on the original question. He didn't think about that for too long. "It's too hot to do anything today Cearra. Especially walk all the way across the city just to eat dinner." He could see the dragoness deflate a bit from the answer, but it only lasted a second before she straightened herself. She smiled at him but there was a noticeable lack of bounce in her step as she walked towards him.

"Well I will take your word in regards to the weather." John mumbled something to himself. "If you change your mind, just let us know." She said before she disappeared around the corner.

John didn't enjoy that. To see her deflate like that. But he told himself that it was better this way. It was easier to recover from a crush than have your love be torn apart. He may have gotten over his uneasiness of being attracted to a non-human, but another concern popped into his head to replace the one he just settled. Why was he here? John had asked himself this many times before, and even now he had no answer for that. But he was here for a purpose. If John had come here from Earth then he could have written it off as some random anomaly. A freak accident. The problem was that John hadn't come straight here from Earth. In between he spent an unknown amount of time in between the worlds. The masters had trained him, gave him the knowledge he didn't have before. If he needed to be trained that meant that he needed those skill to fulfill some purpose. John couldn't begin to guess what that purpose was, hell for all he knew that purpose might not even be on this world. Maybe this was another stop in his training. Once that purpose was found, who knows what would happen. Would he be struck down by some divine wrath? Would he be returned to his world? Would he be whisked away to solve some other problem in another world? With that in mind, John felt it wasn't fair to have a relationship with the dragoness. If he did end up having to leave this world, it would hurt, and not just Cearra.

Despite that, as John listened to her steps slowly fade down the hallway, he couldn't help feeling hurt right now. Just because he had decided that this was for the best, didn't make seeing her sad any easier. As her steps finally faded he tried to relax, and put those thoughts out of his mind. Unfortunately for him, the heat quickly replaced his thoughts of Cearra, and did little to improve his mood. Still he supposed it could be worse. He could be stuck in the middle of nowhere, fighting for survival. Or maybe having a second round with Khan. It had been over a month since that fight, and he hadn't been attacked by a pissed off tiger. Hopefully John's personal appeal for leniency might have killed Khan's want for revenge. He wondered how miserable he must be in this heat having both tiger fur and armor to wear.

"I see you are enjoying the weather." Another voice came from behind him making him jump.

'Fucking apple from the tree' John thought, shooting the black dragoness a glare as she came around the corner. Amaya smile and rolled her eyes, clearly unfazed by his attitude. "I have lived long enough to know that on days like today everyone in the city is miserable. Even we dragons cannot escape its effect."

"Oh. What effect can the weather have on someone who doesn't feel it?" John asked contemptuously.

"It's true that dragons do not feel the weather on days like today, but we certainly feel the effect it has on others. They become grumpier, quicker to anger, less reasonable."

"Well if it's so terrible out then why are you going out to dinner? Wouldn't it make sense to just reschedule?" He asked, trying to poke a hole in her cheerful demeanor. He then realized that he was acting exactly how she had described, but if she cared about his attitude she didn't show it.

"Oh so Cearra already told you." She said completely ignoring the questions. "You aren't going then?" John looked at her questioningly before shaking his head slowly. Though he didn't know it she had seen Cearra leave John, and while Cearra didn't look sad she was definitely missing the enthusiasm she usually had around him. It wasn't hard to see what John's choice must have been. After a few seconds of silence she knew that he was not going to say any more than that, and she was curious as to why he said no. "What made you say no?"

That was a question John wasn't prepared for. He didn't have a reason besides 'I don't want to be around your daughter right now, because it's probably for the best.' Not the best excuse to say to her mother, still the day provided him with a good out. "It's like you said." John responded. "The weather makes everyone miserable, and I'm no exception. It's just too damn hot to do anything." He knew it wasn't the best excuse, but it was all he had.

Of course, for one such as Amaya, long lived and wife of a council member, it was clear to her he forced the excuse. She could guess what the real reason he was reluctant to go. "Oh, is that the only reason?" She asked, feigning innocence.

John's resisted groaning. She had easily figured out the lie, but he didn't want to talk to her about this right now. "I need another reason than that?" He said, hopping she would leave the conversation there.

Amaya sighed looking back out over the city. He clearly didn't want to talk about Cearra's feelings for him, and that wasn't her conversation to have unless he wanted to. It would be Cearra who he would eventually need to talk to about this. Still, she didn't like John avoiding the issue. The longer he avoided it the harder it would be on Cearra. "No I suppose you don't." They stayed quiet for a minute, during which John quietly thanked God that worked. "Did you know there is a belief by some that dragons gather all sorts of precious things to keep for themselves?" She turned to face John again, who looked at her confused but intrigued by her words. "Gold, jewel, and any matter of material possessions are thought to be sought by dragons. And once they had those things we would never relinquish them. Even after death our possession would be buried with our remains."

For the first time that day John smiled, it was slight but there. "Funny, we have the same stories about dragons in out myths of them as well. Dragons would hoard gold, silver and jewels. They would never relinquish them, and always they would know were each piece was making it impossible to steal from them."

Amaya smiled back at him, glad to see his mood had improved, even if it was temporary. She found it interesting that both cultures shared the same belief of dragons. Though she wanted to ask him about his culture, something he only seemed to talk to Cearra about primarily, she pressed on with her point. "Interesting the similarities of our cultures." She said, getting a nod from John. "However, there is some truth in this myth. You see dragons do not hoard anything. We do not go out seeking gold and jewels to add to our collection. If offered some I would cherish it as a gift, but I have no need of such things, and I would have no qualms with relinquishing them. What dragons do, is hold on to things that are dear to them. For example, Pyrros had given to me a necklace when we first began our courtship, I still that necklace with me, and will for all my life because my mate had given it to me. Even if that necklace was made of stones I still would keep it."

John wondered why she was telling him this, it seemed like there was a point to this, but John couldn't figure it out. Amaya saw the disinterested look on his face, and smile as she said the next part. "When that thing we hold dear is another living being, then we want to be around that being even more. Though some cling tighter than others." Now that got John's attention. Amaya smiled as she looked back over the city. "I remember when Cearra first became friends with Cassy. They were inseparable, and for a while Cassy practically lived here with us. Of course, as time goes on it becomes easier to be separated from the ones we love. Still all dragons feel this desire to some extent. So we tend to have a harder time being away from those we love more than others. Because of this dragons don't often make such deep connections to others, but it does happen."

John fixed his eyes on the ground as Amaya walked towards him. She squatted so she was eye level to John, and reached out her hand to pulled John's chin up so their eyes met. "I know aren't dumb, John. You know exactly what Cearra thinks of you. You have become someone special to her."

John pulled his head away from her grip. "I know she likes me Amaya, but I don't think I can return those feelings."

Amaya shook her head. "It matters not to what you decide John. You saved her life, and for that you will always be a friend. However, I am not convinced that you don't already return those feelings, but whether or not you do like Cearra back is not the point of the conversation."

John looked at her with a confused look. "Then what was the point." He asked warily, not sure he really wanted to know.

"You are special to her now, whether you want to be or not. She wants to spend as much time with you as she can, but she can still go without you, even if she prefers you to be by her. In time that will change though. The longer you let her think of you like this, the more attached she will become, until one day you leaving her side will cause her distress." John's eyes widened he began to understand. "I'm not telling you to decide one way or another, John. All I ask is that you make that decision soon. The longer you wait, the more painful it will be for her."

She walked past him as she ended her sentence, leaving John to brew both in the heat and in his thoughts. After a few minutes he sighed in frustration. 'This day can fuck off!' He thought bitterly as he got up from his chair and retreated from the quickly warming air.

John's arms jolted as the sword hit the side of his gun, held protectively over his head, barley missing his fingers. The sound of metal ringing snapped John back to the fight. He pushed the sword away to the side, and as the anthro was recovering he threw his fist right into the otter's nose. The anthro stumbled back and brought a hand up to its bleeding nose. Unfortunately for the otter, blood coming from his nose was the last problem he would have to deal with as John used that time to send a round screaming into his head. The otters head snapped back, a bit of blood and brain flying out of his head.

John quickly looked around for a new threat to approach him, but none came at that moment. Looking around he was able to survey the battle, and it was fierce. The defensive line that had formed in front of the archers had long since collapsed and everywhere he looked the fighting raged around him. It seemed like they had fought the enemy to a standstill and had even managed to reform a rough defensive line, but the enemy had plenty of numbers on their side and only time would tell if they would be able to hold out. On the bright side, there were plenty of targets for John to shoot at. With that in mind he once again picked out targets of opportunity, prioritizing those who seemed to be making a move for him. Bodies dropped as the rounds flew down range, ripping through the bodies of the enemy with ease. More than a few lives were saved by his intervention, as the bullets would kill an enemy before they could land a killing blow. Those he saved rarely acknowledged what he did, and John couldn't blame them. There was still plenty of fight go around, and there was no time to celebrate that small victory of life when there was so much more opportunity of death around them.

John had fired a couple of rounds into a wolf charging at him, when he heard the dreaded click. He was dry...completely. Panic quickly followed the dreaded sound. Being in the middle of this brawl with a gun was one thing. John could still be useful, even when he was using a weapon that was not meant for this kind of fighting. But now he was without the gun, and though others quite literally lay around him, the last time he had picked up a sword it hadn't ended well for him. And this time if someone managed to land a blow it would more than likely be the end of him. He had no choice. He needed to get out from the middle of the fight. He didn't want to abandon the Saraphans, but right now he was a liability and in the way.

_'Maybe if I can get out and find a bow an--'_John's thoughts were interrupted as a glint caught his attention. Immediately he reacted and threw himself forward as he heard something slice through the air behind him. John hit the ground and rolled onto his knees, facing whatever had tried to kill him. The sword that had almost killed him was planted firmly in the ground and its owner was trying to pull it out of the ground. The owner was feline that was for certain, though John couldn't quite place it. John gave it no more thought was the sword started to wiggle free. The feline was too focused on freeing his weapon and that was the opportunity John needed. He quickly got to his feet and rushed the anthro, pulling out his knife in the charge. The unknown cat looked up at John wide eyed as John plunged the knife into his throat. They both tumbled over for a few rolls before John was on top of the cat, taking out his knife and stabbing him a couple more time for good measure.

John looked at the now very dead cat. 'Oh that's a mountain lio-' again he was interrupted as another body had impacted his own, the armor that this new anthro was wearing made the hit all the harder on John. John tumbled to a stop, looking up at the sky. Thankfully the blow hadn't knocked him senseless and he immediately found the new anthro that had slammed into him. Fortunately for John this anthro had stupidly decided to body check him instead of killing him outright, which gave John time to do something. Unfortunately it wasn't that much time, as the anthro was getting ready to administer the killing blow. John had lost his knife when he was hit, though he doubted it would have done him any good in this situation, leaving him defenseless. He felt a handle with his hand, but he stopped short of pulling it up.

Time slowed as he contemplated bringing whatever weapon it was to save himself. 'What do I gain by this? Another few seconds of life before another comes and takes my head off? I can't fight in this kind of battle. I'm surrounded and alone, in this fight and in this world.' John watched the sword begin to descend slowly as his grip loosened around the grip of the weapon next to him. He was about to accept this as his fate, and be done with this adventure he had been unwillingly thrown into. Then a thought flashed in his mind, and he almost hit himself for moment of great weakness. In his last second act of desperation, he grabbed the weapon next to him and pulled it in front of him. The ring of metal resonated in John's ears as he looked nervously between the sword in his hand and the wolf anthro above him. With his sword skills lacking John was in a very tough spot. Still he managed to bring his foot between him and the wolf and pushed with all he had pushing the anthro back. John quickly scrambled to his feet as he readied for the wolf's counter attack. He had barely gotten to his feet when he heard the cry of the wolf as it charged at him.

John made himself scarce when the dragons had returned. Thankfully in the mansion they lived in it was quite easy to slip away unnoticed, and here he was roaming the halls of the council's keep. It was dark out, long past time for the council to adjourn for the day, and the halls were empty except for the occasional guards, either on patrol or keeping watch. The few he saw had given him a nod as they passed. It had been a rapid change in the guard's attitude for him ever since his bout with Khan. Word of the fight had spread fast through the guard about how the strange looking creature, who looked so weak before, had been beaten down and still got up to answer Khan's challenges. How this beaten creature suddenly fought with strength none had seen before and had bested Khan again, and all of this while Khan had cheated in their fight. Even if they didn't like him, all of the guards looked at him with newfound respect. He had even begun to hear some pretty far out rumors about humans and their fighting capabilities. John was fine with this, and he would never confirm or deny any rumor he heard further adding to humans mystic. Plus it kept most of them from bothering him, lest they incur the wrath of the humans.

All in all his situation in this world was improving in all respects, except one. He thought about his talk with Amaya earlier in the day. That evening a month ago had been eye opening for John. Cearra was the problem that wouldn't go away, but he didn't want her to go away. After that day he was never bothered by her being a dragoness. He could freely admit to himself that she was beautiful and not feel ashamed of those feelings. But this was real life, and hardly in life you cleared one hurdle and the other side was free of them. He still wasn't what he wanted, but it seemed that he had taken too long. In seeking to keep from hurting Cearra he might just be doing the opposite. 'Where the hell is the easy button when you need it.' He thought wishing something could take his mind off of this dilemma. Fortunately, fate seemed to give John an out again. Unfortunately for John, it took the form of a door opening in his face.

As John lay on the floor holding his face in pain, a familiar fox peaked around to corner to see what the door smashed into. "John?" He said as the human stared at the celling again. Unsurprisingly this part of the celling looked the same as the last. "What are you doing down there?"

"Fuck you." He said through his hands, hoping the depths of his hate was transmitted through his pain voice. It was not. The fox stepped out from behind the door, head cocked to the side trying to figure out if he was being sincere or not. Sometimes he had a hard time telling with John.

John lifted his head up, looking at the fox. His eyes widened as he saw two Keith's. John closed his eyes and gently shook his head, but he was still seeing double. He was concerned that Keith had somehow managed to break him, but then John's brain began to process what he was seeing. The fox on the left was taller than Keith, and seemed to have a larger build. His fur was redder than Keith's and his coat patterns were different from Keith's. Keith extended his arm and grabbed John's hand.

"I could ask the same of you." John said through a grunt as he got back to his feet and turned his attention back to his friend. "I live upstairs" He pointed his thumb up. "In case you forgot." He looked at the other fox. He hadn't made a sound the whole time. He just stared at John, seemingly indifferent to his presence.

"This is my captain." Keith said, answering the question before John asked.

"So you're the one who's been causing so much trouble lately." He said in a flat tone. The tone made John tense. The last thing he wanted was to meet another anthro who hated him. It stayed quiet for a few uncomfortable seconds as the two seemed to size each other up. Finally a grin flashed across the captain's face breaking the unease. "I should congratulate you for knocking Khan down a few pegs." And the grin faded. "But then again I guess you were the whole reason he had become much more irritable lately, so I guess you owed us that."

"Oh trust me I paid any debts I had a long time ago." John said, adopting the same serious face that he captain had. "And then some."

The two stared each other down. John didn't know what to think of the captain with his sudden flip-flop opinion of him. "Saving Cearra only made up for the turmoil you sent this city into." The fox still held him with a neutral gaze.

The sounds of a door opening next to them caught everyone's attention, as well as causing John to flinch, and broke whatever the captain was going to say next. Skel stood in the doorway his eyes sweeping over. "Captain there you are! You should know better than to keep--" The old gryphon fell silent as he caught sight of John. His eyes narrowed and he clacked his beak in annoyance. "Well I guess that explains why you are late."

John rolled his eyes at the hostility from the gryphon. At this point it was the expectation for Skel to hurl an insult at him, just as his reply was expected. He extended his arm in front of him, his hand closed into a fist, and slowly lifted his middle finger. Skel kept an annoyed gaze on John, while the foxes looked at him in confusion. No one but John knew what the gesture meant, though he had used it enough times on Skel for him to know it wasn't anything nice. "I don't have time for your games human. Captain come!"

Both Keith and his Captain followed quickly after the gryphon, and with a few moments of hesitation John followed them. "So what are you guys doing here so late?" John whispered to Keith when he caught up.

"Oh umm." He looked over to the Captain as if asking for permission to say any more. The Captain didn't object, but he didn't give approval either. "Last minute planning for escorting a supply mission to one of our outposts." Keith whispered back.

"What you mean you guys are providing an armed escort for a supply train in your own territory? That seems like a waste of manpower." John noticed the Captains ears flick in their direction. 'Can't have a private conversation with anyone with these anthros super hearing'. He looked up a Skel who was a couple of yards in front of the three. If he heard any of the conversation like the Captain had then he didn't show it. 'Maybe he's hard of hearing in his old age.'

"After you showed up we started sending out supply caravans with guards." The Captain answered back in his annoyingly neutral tone.

"What?" John said loudly. Skel glared back at him, clearly not pleased that the human was following them, nor did he seemed pleased that John was making sound. John waved at the gryphon who huffed as he turned around. John kept his gaze fixed on Skel for a few seconds before turning back to the foxes. "When did that happened?" He demanded in a hushed voice. "I watched that city for days and never once did I see a supply caravan leave the city, much less an armed one."

"Well," Keith started hesitantly looking over at his Captain for approval before continuing. The Captain shrugged his shoulders and motioned for Keith to continue. "The order was given when you first appeared but I believe the only time we did send supplies out was when Cearra was abducted. After you returned the council decided to continue sending escorts, in case those responsible for her abduction tried to attack them."

John gazed at the wall remembering the whole affair. "Yeah, I don't think they should be a problem anymore."

The Captain hummed in agreement. "That may be true, especially if you handled their group like you did in those chasing you in front of Saraph."

John smirked at the fox. "You were there to see all that huh?"

The fox smiled back at him. "Yes, I was part of the force sent out to repel the attackers and retrieve you if you were still alive. I must say that you are a rather tenacious opponent. Even injured you fought back, though those weapons you had certainly helped you that fight. However, your brawl with Khan only serves to prove that point that you are a capable opponent."

John was about to respond when he noticed that they had entered the large double door to the councils chambers opening. He was startled by the fact that they were already here. As they stepped inside he noticed that the room was emptier than usual. There wasn't as many guards stationed around the room as there usually was, and the seats that the council usually occupied sat mostly empty. Only Pyrros and Marth sat in their seats joined shortly by Skel. The horse, and Pyrros saw John and looked surprised while Skel just muttered something to himself angrily. John was pretty sure that he was pissed that he was there, but he didn't really care. Skel had been the most adamant in keeping John out of council business, but he had proven to be such an asset to them so he usually got to sit in whenever he wanted. Not that there was anything interesting to talk about most of the time so he rarely was down here.

In response to their questioning gazes John pointed to Keith who was getting up from the obligatory kneel that most citizens of Saraph performed when they were in front of the council. "He nearly kills me with a door while I'm strolling down the halls, of course I'm gonna follow him and see what's up." John explained as if it was so obvious. Pyrros chuckled when John mentioned the door. John was less than pleased by that.

"It seems, how would you put it? Today is not your day?" Pyrros said smiling widely.

John grumbled in response choosing to not give the dragon the satisfaction of a full response. Before Pyrros could respond a throat being cleared silenced him. They looked at Skel, who looked as joyful. "If you two are done we do have matters to discuss and I for one would like to be done quickly so that I may return to sleep."

"We thank for your speedy arrival to this late night summoning." Marth said to the foxes. Skel snorted when he said speedy, but everyone ignored him.

"It is our duty to respond to your call whenever it might arise sir." The Captain said. John almost laughed at how generic his response was. "Your letter said that this had to do with a supply caravan."

Pyrros nodded in confirmation. "Yes, usually this kind of matter could wait until morning but this is an emergency."

Pyrros nodded to Skel who proceeded. "Earlier this evening we received a messenger from one of our border outpost. He told us that the camp had been attacked yesterday. It seems that they were able to fight off this incursion with minimal injuries to themselves. Unfortunately, in the confusion they were unable to get a count of the enemy forces. They very well might still be in the area waiting to starve them out."

The news of an attack got their interest right away. From what John had learned it had been over a year since the last attack on a border outpost, and that outpost was located on the Eastern border. The border with Drachma. That one too had ended with little casualties. "Which border is this outpost located?" John asked.

Skel looked hesitantly at the human, almost debating if he should let him know, but he knew he would have to let them know eventually.

"It is on the eastern border." He stated. John hummed in thought. While a small skirmish didn't mean outright invasion it was definitely cause for concern. If more attacks were prevalent then it could be the start of something bigger.

"Sir, do you think it was Drachma?" Keith asked

"We do not believe that it was Drachma, at least not directly." Marth said. "The force that attacked the outpost did not wear any markings of Drachma, however we cannot rule out that Drachma hired a band of mercenaries to harass our outposts." Everyone breathed a little easier. Even though Drachma could have been behind the attacks, it seemed more likely that this was just a poke at the defenses rather than a precursor to a larger invasion.

"While the attack may not have caused much harm to our soldiers it did do damage. They were able to gain access into the outpost, and when they couldn't take the outpost the assaulters targeted the supply depots. They were able to quickly set fire to most of the outpost's supplies either by spell or dragon. Almost all of their supplies were destroyed before they could get the blaze under control. That is why you are here." Pyrros said. "Well at least most of you." He glanced at John who was smiling innocently at the dragon.

"So we are to escort an emergency caravan to the outpost." The Captain guessed.

"You are correct Captain." Skel nodded, the other two council members voiced their confirmation. "We would like for you to get underway before sunrise."

The Captain held a practiced indifference to what Skel said, but even John noticed his body flinch slightly. It was justified. It meant that they would have to spend the rest of their night getting ready for the trip. If they left at sunrise then it would take most of the day to get to the outpost. Meaning that they would be out for two days or more, and the first portion of that would be with little sleep. If they fell under attack by the same group that could be a problem. "Understood sir, are you sending anyone else out with us?" The Captain asked.

Skel flinched slightly at the question. "Unfortunately Captain, your unit is the only one was the only one that can be sent. Every other unit is out of Saraph, and it would take too much time for us to get another one ready for this duty with such a short notice. These supplies need to be delivered as soon as possible."

Both foxes looked astonished by it. "Sir," Keith started. "You're sending us to resupply an outpost that was just attack by an unknown enemy, with unknown numbers, and we don't have any reinforcements. If they are still in the area then a caravan will look like a very tempting target."

"If there are still enemies in the area they are most likely around the outpost. If you fall under attack then the outpost will be in a position to assist you." Skel said, dismissing the concern of the fox. Both Pyrros and Marth starred daggers at the clueless gryphon. Even John slack jawed by Skel's seeming ignorance.

"So our best defense is hope that we do not get attacked out of sight of the outpost. If they are waiting to starve them out, then they will most likely be on the lookout for a supply caravan. We could be walking into a trap." The Captain stated, a growl started to creep into his voice. John smiled, he was starting to like this Captain. Usually no one had the balls to question the council, but he was different that much was for sure.

"Please be calm Captain. What Skel does not say is that while our forces survived very much intact the enemy suffered a number of losses. We understand the danger of the mission Captain, and if we could we would send more with you. However what you want and what we have available are two different things." Marth said trying to placate the Captain. "The outpost cannot last long without those supplies, and speed is critical. Gathering more forces..."

John tuned out what was said next. Unfortunately for the Captain, having brass balls was not going to help them in this predicament. John didn't really know too much about the military structure of Saraph. Though it seemed that they did use similar structures, he didn't know how many would be in a company, even from home. Considering the amount of fight the Captain was putting up, it apparently wasn't enough. Granted, a force that was able to hold of an outpost long enough to set fire to all of their supplies was larger than a company, probably. Even if they did suffer losses in their attack a force that strong would be able to destroy the whole caravan and kill everyone they sent. 'However, if they can't find more backup it really doesn't matter how strong the enemy may or may not be.' He started stroking his chin as he thought. 'If they can't get any more manpower, then they need some type of advantage. But what? They are flying blind into this. There is no way I can see them getting an advantage.' Then a light bulb went off. 'Unless, the advantage isn't theirs per say...'

"What they need is a wild card." He said, which stopped the back and forth argument between the Captain and the council members. They all looked at John in confusion, except for Skel, who looked at him in annoyance.

"We need a what?" Keith asked

"A wild card. An advantage. Something that the enemy hasn't planned for." John began. "Let's say you are engaged by the enemy, they will attack you with more numbers, but all you have to do is bloody them enough that they have to pull back or they risk not having the forces to overtake the outpost. In order to do that, you need to have a wild card. In this case something that can put them down fast, to minimize the time fighting and the amount of losses you'll take." The anthros still didn't see where he was going with his idea. "I can be that wild card." He finished pointing to himself at the end.

They looked at him in disbelief of what they heard.

"You are only one person John. I can hardly see what you alone can accomplish." Marth said.

"Normally I would be inclined to agree with you. Adding one gun on a mission hardly gives that much of an advantage." John pulled his pistol out from its hiding spot. "However, nothing about me being here is nomal. Here, where you still use blades and arrows to fight, the technological advantage I have is not something to be discounted." He looked back at the horse who seemed lost. "I can kill enemies farther out, and faster than the average soldier. So even though I am one man, my I can accomplish what would usually take many more soldiers to complete. You already know what I can do even when outnumbered."

Skel's brows furrowed as he considered what John said. "While your combat prowess is admirable, the sneaking and ambushes you used to fight off Cearra's abductors will be of no use in this type of combat." The scowl that Skel wore softened for what must have been the first time in his life. "However, I cannot deny that you would be of use to the convoy, and it might be enough to see them through." He looked up at the other two council members. "What say you?"

Marth looked thoughtfully at John. "I do not see why not. You make a strong point John. You going can only strengthen the convoy."

Now all eyes were on Pyrros, who looked down at the bench with a frown. "I do not support sending John on this mission." He said finally, looking up at John who looked back in surprise.

"Oh? Why's that?" The horse asked.

"This is a matter for the guard. I do not think that we can send one who is not part of the guard into such danger like this." Pyrros explained.

John didn't know what to say. If that was the argument Pyrros was going with then it was possibly the stupidest thing he ever heard the dragon say. "Well first of all, why does this being a matter for the guard matter? I'm not part of the guard I realize, but you guys sent me off to Therum. That was some Navy SEAL shit there."

"The situations of now and when you were sent to Therum are entirely different. We didn't understand you at the time. We sent you there to earn your freedom back. You have nothing to earn here. You would be sent into harm's way for nothing, and you have no obligation to protect this city like the guard does. Because of that I do not believe that it is fair for us to send you with the caravan." Even with the weak argument, John could see both Marth and Skel seem to reluctantly agree with the dragon. Though that might have been the look Pyrros had shot them when they were about to speak. He may have been one voice, but in the council the only person that carried more weight than Pyrros was Krypt.

John still didn't see the difference between sending on a suicide mission to Therum and sending him with the convoy was. In fact, going with the convoy was probably safer than the infiltration of Therum was. It seemed that Pyrros was dead set against him going. Unfortunately for Pyrros, his opinion didn't really matter in the end. "I still don't think that this is any worse than me going to Therum." He said shaking his head. "However, it doesn't matter. By this very councils own words I am free to come and go as I please. I am not bound by the council's decisions." Everyone's eyes popped out a bit as John said that. Especially the two guards. While the Captain may have been willing to trade blows with the council over this, they could not believe John's open defiance of Pyrros. "I'll be at the gates when you guys are ready to leave." He said to the foxes as he turned to leave, he had to get packing after all.

As he strode down the hallway he couldn't help but think about what just happened. He had never thought Pyrros would act so, protective of him. John didn't get much time to think about it though, as he heard the doors to the council's chambers open and close in behind him. He figured that they must have been done in there. 'Which means...' He heard footsteps coming up behind him. 'Well, this is going to be interesting.' He thought as the steps grew steadily louder, until they were behind him. He turned around to face the dragon.

Pyrros avoided his gaze, which was surprising to John. He had never seen Pyrros so hesitant to avert his eyes, even in the chamber he had never not looked at John. "Forgive me John." Pyrros said finally meeting his gaze. "I know that the council cannot command you, and it was foolish of me to try and tell you what you could do."

An apology from Pyrros was a rare thing, though in this case very much warranted. "Yeah, yeah it's fine. No hard feelings." John said, still a little shocked at Pyrros' behavior. "We can just pretend that it never happened and move on with life." He said. The dragon nodded in agreement and they walked again in silence. However, despite what he just said he still couldn't let it go. "You know what, fuck it." He said stopping and turning to the dragon who didn't look surprised by John's about-face. "What was that all about back there Pyrros?" He asked.

The dragon sighed heavily, and was quiet as he gathered his thoughts. "You have only been here a short time John, and yet the effect you have had since you're arrival has been staggering. That's not to mention the effect you have had on my family. Both Amaya and I enjoy your company, and we both value you as a friend if not a member of the family." John looked at the dragon, never having realized that he impacted his hosts this way before. "And that's nothing to say what Cearra thinks of you John." The dragon sighed heavily. "I was reluctant to have lost that John. That is the biggest difference between now and Therum. Before I didn't care if you survived or not. Sending you was a means to an end. When you came back alive, and wanting to stay, I offered you a place to live because I felt indebted to you for saving Cearra. But as I have said, you have changed many things John, and if you were harmed or killed from this mission, all of us would be overwhelmed with sadness. And I with guilt that I allowed it to happen."

John didn't know what to say. He thought back to immediately after Therum. Cearra, of course, was open with him. Amaya was less receiving but still pleasant to be around. Pyrros, as well as many others, seemed to put up with his presence. They were kind to him, but more out of curtesy than actual friendliness. It took some time before he could Pyrros became friendlier towards him. Then when the incident with Khan happened, that seemed to solidify the growing relationships he had with his hosts. He just never realized it was to the point that Pyrros was trying to actively keep him safe. John smiled a grateful smile. "I appreciate your concern Pyrros. It means a lot to me that you would consider me such a close friend. I never realized that I could make such an impact." He placed a hand on his shoulder. "So like I said earlier, no hard feelings now."

Pyrros smiled back at John, in silent thanks for the accepted apology. "So did you abandon Marth and Skel back there or were you done?" John asked.

"They will be fine without me there." Pyrros said with a chuckle. "Marth and Skel are more than capable of finishing up what little there was left to do. In fact they are probably already done. Come" He said gesturing ahead of them. "Let us go back home."

John nodded and they were off through the bowels of the keep. They walked in silence through the barren halls. Sometimes John wondered how he ever learned to walk them without getting lost. Finally they came to a hallway that was on the edge of the building. This was one of the few hallways that had windows, which at this hour let moon light spill into the hallway. As they walked John looked out the window to see the city outlined in the light of the moon. The city looked different at night. The shadows and silhouettes gave the city a dark and dangerous feel. It brought him back to a rocky outcrop overlooking the city.

"It is a beautiful night is it not." Pyrros said, finally breaking the silence between them.

John nodded in agreement, but said nothing at first. The dead silence between them threatened to return, until John finally collected his thoughts. "I remember the first night I saw the city." John said as he stopped and gazed out one of the windows. "It looks like something out of a bygone era in human history. Most of our cities now, they never become dark. The sun may set, but we have lit up the night with our own light." He paused, trying to imagine what the dark city before him might look like with streetlights. "Everything about this city was foreign to me, from the architecture and the infrastructure, the materials used to build it, and of course the people inhabiting the city. I was scared of you guys. You were an unknown to me. Running low on supplies I was fully prepared to do sneak in the city and steal to survive, but even more than that, I was willing to kill anyone if I needed to because I was scared of you. In my mind you were all monsters, living in this city." He said, a sad smile coming to his lips. "Fear has such a way of distorting reality."

John expected Pyrros to be a little peeved at him, but the Dragon looked intrigued. "So why did you remain here? In this city full of monsters. Why not leave when you had the chance." Pyrros asked somewhat amused.

"Come on Pyrros, don't tell me a dragon's memory is that bad."

Pyrros grunted as he recalled that meeting "You said that the only reason you stayed was because you believe you wouldn't have survived?" He looked at John who nodded. "But is that the real reason you stayed here?" He said looking at John, who gave him a puzzled look. "You have proven yourself quite capable. And if you had decided to leave, we would have sent you with enough supplies to last you to the travel to another city."

"Oh, you say that like you want me to leave." John said playfully, but Pyrros could tell that he was trying to distract him. The dragon would have not of it.

"Like you said John, you have no commitment to this city, and you can leave at any time." Pyrros continued, ignoring the diversion attempt. "And with what we know and what I have seen you would more than likely easily survive in the world. Why stay? Why not go out and explore this new world, or better yet, try and find a way back to yours"

John was quiet for a moment, not exactly thrilled that Pyrros wasn't fooled but that wasn't surprising. Pyrros had been playing that game for a lot longer than John. He didn't have any choice but to answer. "Originally I had thought that if I could stay and gather enough supplies to last me a while I could find someplace small, like a village, to settle down while I looked for any way I might be able to get home. But when I stayed here, a light was shone in the darkness and I wasn't afraid anymore. I made friends and I realized that you guys weren't monsters, just people." He sighed glancing at Pyrros who smiled at John.

"I suppose staying has worked out quite well for you." Pyrros chuckled. "However, what about getting home? Surely you would have started looking for some why by now?"

John looked away from Pyrros and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well to tell you the truth, I wouldn't even know where to start." The dragon looked at him skeptically. "It's true. I doubt there is a portal somewhere that will just take me to my world, if there was then our species would have met long ago. And there wasn't anything that looked like a portal when I woke up here. I thought of is trying to get someone to research if it was possible to make a portal with magic, but I don't think that will lead anywhere. I mean, you guys don't even know much about electricity, so trying to determine how to apply magic to manipulate the fabric of space-time would be too much. I also lack the knowledge to properly explain the concepts that would be needed to figure that out." He sighed heavily. "Still as time has gone on I figured why not stay here. Who knows maybe all I need to do is stay here and one day my way home will be revealed?"

The dragon looked at him skeptically, and John could tell he was holding back a more biting comment. John was actually surprised that his retort was as dialed back as it was. He was suggesting that he wait for some kind of divine intervention. Pyrros never believed in any gods, and given that explanation he expected the dragon to at the very least taunt him. 'But if only you knew Pyrros, what I know. I have a purpose here, and that purpose has something to do with Saraph.'

"I suppose given the other options a wait and see approach would be understandable. But perhaps I may add another reason why you chose to stay in Saraph?" John looked back at Pyrros, curious as to what the dragon might have to add. "It is the same reason what brought you to Saraph in the first place. She has been at your side at all time since you got here."

"Cearra." He said evenly, but still nearly tripping on himself with her being brought up.

The dragon nodded. "She brought you to Saraph, and I think that she has played no small role in keeping you here as well."

John sighed pinching the bridge of his nose. 'I guess Amaya shared our conversation this morning.'

"Please John, it is plain as day that she has feelings for you, and you have them for her." He said teasingly. It was like he was reading John's mind. It made John question whether or not Pyrros had fucked around in his head at some point. "But your feelings for my daughter are not what I am talking about." John looked at him curiously, about what the dragon meant. "Your feelings were not there when you first saw her. However, there was something else there almost from the start."

John thought about what had what Pyrros could be talking about. He remembered back to the first time he saw here, she had tried to keep him in place with her magic, and she almost succeeded as well. But when she failed she did something that he wasn't away of at the time. "You're talking about that brain link thing that I'm pretty sure she hasn't gotten rid of."

"Yes, and she seems to be more and more reluctant to unbind your minds as time goes on, and as her feelings for you grow, but that is another conversation. The link that you two share, is special. As you have been told before usually dragons will bind minds to mates. However, most don't know that binding your mind to one you have just met is unheard of. Even Cearra is unaware how difficult it is to do such a thing without having an intimate knowledge of the other, some would say to the point of it being impossible."

John eyes widened at that. "Yet she was able to do it right on the spot." John almost missed a step. The dragon nodded at him. "What does that mean?" He asked.

Pyrros frowned at that. "I do not know. It might meant that Cearra is much stronger than anyone had ever assumed," He trailed off.

"Or?" John asked.

"Or perhaps there are things happening that we do not understand. That you were destined to meet her, and come to Saraph. Maybe you are right, and there is some reason you are here, and Cearra is part of that reason even if we do not know the role you or her will play."

"Careful Pyrros, more of that 'destiny' talk like that and Krypt might just have you baptized." He said with a smirk.

Pyrros looked bemused, but still smiled at what he figured was a joke. "I do not know what 'baptized' is," John sighed, and murmured something to himself in disappointment. "However, I have never believed in the gods. Though given all that has happened recently, perhaps all I need to do is open my eyes to the possibility."

John chuckled as they came to a stop, in front of them were the doors to the mansion. "For all that we humans have accomplished, for all that we know, that is one thing we will never be able to prove or disprove." Pyrros nodded and opened the door. John didn't follow him in immediately. Pyrros looked at him questioningly, but John gestured him to go on. The dragon took his leave with a final farewell, leaving John alone in front of the door.

What he learned right now about Cerra creating the mind link was important. It gave him reassurance that being in Saraph was what he was supposed to do. However, it was now very likely that Cearra was going to play a role in whatever it was he needed to do to go home. And that made the problem of their feelings that much worse. Before it was a matter of breaking her heart. Now, it was matter of her being a means to an end. As useful as the information was he felt it might have been better if he never knew it at all. He stood there for a few more moments before he shoved those thoughts out of his head. 'I have to get ready. I can think about this once I get back from the mission.' He thought as entered the mansion.

Even as terrible at sword fighting as he was, he could still avoid being hit. The wolf had charged with his sword raised, telegraphing the way he would attack before he started to swing. Instead of jumping back from the swing, John pulled forward towards the side the wolf was swinging with, causing the wolf to overshoot John and leaving him exposed. John thrust his sword at the wolf's exposed midsection, but the anthro did not accept death, nor did he try and block the blow at an awkward angle. Instead he rolled away using the momentum he built up in his charge, bringing him back on his feet and ready to face John in an instant. John was slack jawed. He couldn't believe that the wolf had been able to pull off such a maneuver. Wearing that armor he would never have believe that such a move could be pulled off so easily.

The two started each other down for a moment, before John heard a curious sound coming from behind him. Almost like a jingle. John eyes widened as he realized it was the sound of metal rings rattling, like from chin mail. He tried to dodge to the left, but the hot pain in his side told him he wasn't completely successful. He cried out in pain as he saw a spear in his lower vision. He quickly grabbed onto the wooden shaft of the spear to keep the anthro behind him from recovering. Thankfully for John, the spear had only cut his side and not stabbed through him. Unfortunately, the wolf wasn't going to wait for John to deal with the new threat before he attacked again. John heard the wolf yell as he once again charged at John. In desperation John somehow ripped the spear from the hands of the attacker behind him and hurled the spear at the wolf. The throw was underhand, and not very fast or accurate, but it did cause the wolf to abandon the charge for the moment and dodge out of the projectiles way. This gave John enough time to turn around and face the anthro that came up behind him. It was some kind of elk or caribou, not that John really cared, he just wanted it to die. The anthro was fumbling to pull out the sword from the sheath on its belt, leaving it defenseless.

But just before he was about to strike the thing down he felt something was off. He quickly brought the sword around in time to see the wolf was already upon him again. He barely blocked the blow that was meant to finish him off. John cursed as the wound in his side flared at the use. John heard the sound of a sword being drawn from behind him and quickly kicked out at the wolf to make space as he pulled away from both opponents.

The situation was bad. He had two opponents in front of him, and he was injured. Even if he had done an admiral job holding them off so far, it was not going to help him. At full strength his sword skill could not match up to one opponent, much less two. Thankfully there was room in between them now, and that gave him time to reach for his pistol. 'I might be able to drop one of them befo--'_His thought stopped as he hand grasped air. The pistol was no longer there and he had to resist the urge to look down to his waist, but the two anthros noticed that he had one hand away from his sword. They both charged him, and all John could do was watch as those who would end his life came at him. He felt no rage at his imminent demise, more surreal with a large dose of regret. He closed his eyes and thought about Cearra, their last words were. How she wanted to help him, and he had brushed her aside. _'I'm sorry Cearra, that I couldn't tell you the truth...'

Something roared next to John, He snapped his eyes open to see an orange blur smashing into the two attackers, knocking them off their feet. John stood, stunned at what had happened. When he looked at what had smashed into the enemies his jaw dropped. Quickly climbing to his feet was a familiar tiger. 'Khan?'

The tiger got up to his feet fast, though the wolf was just as quick. Still, John could practically hear the wolf gulp as he stared at the tigers imposing figure. Hell, John almost ran away himself. The wolf did work up the guts to move and struck out at Khan, who was easily able to block the attack. John saw movement as the caribou started to get up. Khan could no doubt fight two opponents better than John could, but with his new lease on life he figured the least he could do was help. He stepped up to the caribou, who turned to face him instead of Khan. The pain was fresh still in John's side, and he knew that he would have to finish this fast if he could. The longer he held this out, the less likely he would be to survive.

Both jumped at each other at the same time. Swords meeting in between, struggling to gain the upper hand. John's side flashed in pain. He stepped back, and the caribou re-doubled his efforts as he pushed harder. Instead of fighting the anthro, he stopped, and took a step back. The anthro lurched forward without John holding up his weight. John slammed the edge of the sword into the caribou's stomach. The sword didn't cut through the mail shirt, but it did knock the air from the caribou. He fell to his knees clutching his stomach. John brought the sword over his head, with the way the anthro fell he had a shot at the neck of the caribou. The caribou came back up to a kneeling position, and saw what John was doing. The caribou dodging, in combination with the pain coming from John's side, caused John to miss his mark, but he didn't completely miss. He heard the caribou scream in pain. The anthro was clutching his snout, part of it laying on the ground. John could even see the white of bone in the chunk on the ground. He was surprised that the sword was able to do that, but the screaming of the caribou did not allow him to dwell on that for too long. As the caribou was busy clutching the bloody stump of his snout John lined his sword and thrust it into the neck of the anthro. The caribou's eyes widened and his hands fell to the side. John grimaced as he noticed that the top and bottom portions of the snout had been cut through. John had killed a number of anthros since arrived in this world, but this seemed particularly brutal. It seemed a kindness to end his enemy after a wound like that.

He looked over at Khan who looked no worse for wear, which was more than he could say about that wolf. The wolf was panting heavily, and he took a wild swing at Khan. The tiger grabbed the wolf's arm mid-swing. The wolf look in fear as he realized it was over. Khan roared in the wolf's face, who screamed appropriately, but what he did next almost made John piss himself and puke. The tiger leaned forward, mouth open and bite into the wolf's neck. The wolf's scream was cut off as Khan crushed his airways, and with a few shakes of his head, literally ripped the wolf's throat out. John looked in terror as the throatless body of the wolf sank to the ground, blood pouring out of its neck. John thought cutting a snout of was brutal, but this took the cake. _'How the hell did I survive out fight?'_John thought was he watched the wolf's body twitch a few times before becoming still.

Khan turned to look to his side, and there were two more anthros, enemies by the look of them. They looked between their fallen comrade, and the red muzzled tiger, their knees visibly shaking. Khan smirked, and roared at the two anthros, a horse and a rabbit. Both turned tail and ran away immediately, Khan laughing as he gave chase.

John watched Khan give chase for a second before he remembered where he was. He looked around, and noticed something miraculous. The enemy was retreating. They had somehow won. They were outnumbered and they had won. He watched, most crossed the bridge, while a few waded across the river. He heard a cry as the Saraph soldiers gave chase. He smiled as he saw them charge, and then he started laughing. It was a humorless laugh, but then again, after all that it was damn good to be alive.

It didn't take him long to pack. With the short trip for the mission, they wouldn't be gone for long. Some spare clothes and ammo was all he really needed. Along with a canteen and a couple of MRE's. The bag he slung over his shoulders was more empty than filled. He picked up his carbine and picked up a magazine. He loaded the weapon, looking out at the moon again as he pulled the charging handle. 'No point loitering around here.' He turned as the door to the room opened revealing a certain dragoness he didn't want to see right now.

She wore a black night gown that ran from her shoulders to her knees, a strip of see through material started from the middle of her chest, running down to her midriff and wrapping around it. He felt his face heat up from, doing his best to eyes from drifting over her form. He forced himself to look at her face. Cearra looked at him in surprise, her eyes moving from the weapon in his hands, then to the bag over his shoulders. "J-John?" Her voice trembled. The sound of her trembling voice made his gut twist. It made him feel guilty, for what offence he didn't know, but he felt like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"What are you doing here Cearra?" He said as evenly as he could.

"I-I felt that you were troubled. I wanted to see if there was something I could do to help." She explained.

'Damn mind link.' He bemoaned mentally. "You know I don't like it when you do that without my permission." He said, keeping the frustration out of his voice.

"I know, but sometimes they just come through." She explained, once again looking at the bag over his shoulder. "Ar-Are you leaving Saraph?" She asked, her voice small.

John was confused by the question. She asked it like she was afraid. Then he realized what it looked like. Here he was standing in the dead of night with his gun, which he never took out unless he was going out of the city walls, and a pack on his back. She must have thought he was trying to high tail it out of there. "There is a mission that Keith's company is being sent on. They are undermanned at the moment though, so I volunteered to go with them."

She relaxed a little when she heard that he was not leaving for good, but that still didn't calm her completely. "What is this mission you are being sent on?"

He sighed. This wasn't how this was supposed to go. She wasn't supposed to be in his room. All he was doing was getting a couple of things and leaving, but it seems the universe was out to get him, again. "Don't worry about it Cearra, we'll be back in a couple of days." He said, trying to side-step her, but her wing shot out.

"No John,"

'Oh not this again.'

"You're hiding something John, and it is putting your mind in chaos." As he tried to move past her again she stepped in his way, her look of worry replaced with determination. "Please John, talk to me. Tell me what is troubling you John." She grabbed his arm and pulled him towards her, gently hugging his arm. Her head came to rest on his shoulder. "Please John, don't leave me. I want to help you"

If John's emotions were conflicted before, now they were at war. And he was sure she could feel that. But in those emotions he felt comfort from her embrace. He looked into her blue eyes, which were beginning to water. Seeing her on the verge of tears, because she wanted to help him. It hurt him. It made him want to stay in her embrace, but he couldn't. _'It would be too cruel to embrace her love, only to have to leave her alone.'_But as he stared into those watering eyes, that argument seemed to lose weight. He forced himself away from her embrace, but she still held a light grip on his arm. "I'm sorry Cearra, but this is something you can't help me with." He stepped passed her, and the feeling of her hand on him arm finally went away. He did his best to think about the mission ahead of him, and not the devastated look that she had.

"I can't help?" She asked. He stopped and looked her in the eye. He was surprised at what he saw. It was not a look of devastation, but one of determination. "Or you won't let me?"

'She really is something else. Even now she is so determined to help me. Damnit Cearra, why are you making this so hard.' He forced himself to look away. "I don't know." He said, readjusting his pack he headed out. He could feel her gaze on his back as he walked away, perhaps waiting for him to turn around, but he didn't. He pushed back his guilt at leaving her like that. After all he had a mission to focus on, and until that was done nothing else mattered. Not even two aching hearts.