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I hate it when I don't dream at night. Dreams always provide a certain peace of mind for me. Mostly because I hardly ever have nightmares. My dreams always keep me within arms reach of the ones I love, even from a distance. My mother, Tony, Jake, Albert, now Selina and Elrick and since my coma up to recently, my father. He hasn't visited me in my dreams since the morning I woke up next to Selina but I wish he would. I need his guidance. He's left me on a wild goose chase, and now, when I'm risking my life for a city full of innocent people, he's not around to help me through it. I've never felt more alone.

I hope to God this works.

I slowly and lazily opened my eyes, squinting to grasp my vision in the low-light forest. After adjusting, I propped myself up on one arm in the sleeping bag Rick provided for me. I looked to my left where Rick laid his sleeping back down but discovered he had already risen from his slumber. I looked around. The horses are still tied to the tree where we left them, laying on the ground in their own slumber. The tall trees of the forest Daniel brought us through a month ago still blocked all sunlight from shining through the dense fog overhead. The trial to my right held no passerby's and the small fire pit sat under my feet, cluttered with black charcoal and grey ash from the burnt wood we salvaged from the forest.

This can't be good. Where is he?

I sprouted to a squatting position, grabbing my bow and mounting my quiver on my back. Drawing an arrow and placing it on the string, I scanned my surroundings from treetop to the ground.

Nothing.

I rose, on guard. I began shuffling towards the road, alert and expecting trouble. I weaved between trees and touched the dirt road under my boats.

Still nothing.

Keeping my eyes open to the world around me, I wedged my arrow between the fingers of my right hand holding the bow, bent down and clawed a small 'X' in the base of a tree trunk. Then, a sound was heard. A loud, "whack" against what is most likely a tree followed by the rustling sound of leaves in the wind. I spun around in the direction it originated from, pulling my string back, preparing to fire. I waited.

Whack.

There it is again, somewhere in the forest ahead of me, back the way I came, towards the camp.

Whack.

I began cautiously walking into the woods, scanning the background, my arrow still drawn back.

Whack.

I took cover behind the tree the horses are tied to and looked around the side.

Whack.

Still nothing in sight. I pressed around the fire pit and sleeping bags and further into the trees beyond.

Whack.

What the hell is that?

I dug deeper into the trees, looking for an explanation.

Whack.

I saw something that time. Leaves a couple dozen yards ahead floating to the ground in the fog ahead.

Whack.

More leaves fell as the rustling sound faded out.

Whack.

I got closer, gradually making my way towards the vibrating tree.

Only a few more yards. I think I see someone..

Whack.

There's definitely someone there. Swinging...

Whack.

An axe? Who the hell is chopping wood way out here?

The axe came down again.

Whack.

A short, undeveloped tree with no leaves cracked loudly, popped as it sent chips flying through the air and creaked louder by the second until it hit the ground with a thud, its limbs breaking off into pieces as it landed. Behind the new stump in the forest floor stood Rick, resting the axe over his shoulder as he took a moment to breath. I lowered my bow and eased the string forward.

"What are you doing, man?", I asked with a frustrated tone as I approached him.

"What's it look like?", he replied in response, turning his head to me as he walked over to sever the thin length of the cut down tree into small sections. His axe came down with great force and sliced through a few layers of the wood with ease. "I'm gathering", he mumbles, grunting as the axe hit again, "firewood.", he finished before bringing the axe down again and cutting a short cylinder chunk of wood clean off.

"Yeah, I got that much.", I said, returning my arrow to its quiver and my bow across my back. "I want to know why, smartass. Shouldn't we be getting ready to leave?"

"Why rush?", Rick asks as he sets the head of the axe on the ground and leaned against the bottom with his palm. "It's not like we have to be there the second he falls asleep. Actually, the later we arrive, the better. Point in case. Besides, I'm using this to make us some breakfast. You don't have to eat but I would suggest it. You'll need the energy."

I looked to him with curiosity then crossed my arms. "Point accepted.", I respond. "But do we really need the whole tree? Two or three pieces would have been more than enough. Actually, here's a crazy idea, you could have just gathered sticks and twigs like we did last night."

"A valid point as well.", Rick agrees, returning to chopping the tree into pieces. "But it's a good work out. I prefer to keep fit for whatever task I'm expected to complete."

"Fair enough.", I concluded. "How 'bout this, take another couple pieces off and leave the rest for when we come back through."

"That'll work.", Rick says.

Rick did as we agreed, severing two more cylinders of wood from the thin tree and gathering them all in his arms while I took the axe then walked at my side as we proceeded to our camp sight. Neither of us spoke during the short walk. When we returned, Rick lit a fire in the pit, propped an iron pan above the flame with sticks and began cracking eggs into it when it had heated up. I believe he is making an omelette.

I slid the axe into its holster on Rick's horse then reached into a pouch hanging from mine and pulled out four apples and a brush. I gently woke the steeds, allowing them to stand then grooming their chests and necks as they ate the fruit from my palm. First one, then the other. When I felt they had been properly prepped, I returned to my sleeping bag and intentionally fell on my ass.

"I hate mornings.", I randomly announced, letting my arms hand down between my legs.

"That's exactly why breakfast is a good idea.", Rick says, flipping the omelette in the sizzling pan he held over the fire with a metal spatula. "You like eggs, right?"

"I tolerate them.", I replied, not moving a muscle. "I prefer the meat that made them."

"Of course you do.", Rick said. "Damn carnivores."

"Have you ever tried chicken before?", I asked, laying back on both hands. "It's pretty great."

"The day I consume another animal for sustenance is the day I begin to wither from starvation.", Rick answered, flipping the omelette again.

"Of course it is.", I replied, turning and shaking my head. "Damn herbivores."

"Here.", Rick says. I turned my head back to him to see his hand extended out to me with a paper plate, a fork and a steaming half-circle sandwich made of eggs and cheese. "Eat up."

I took the plate from him with caution, sat it in my lap, held the fork in my left hand, and remained still.

Maybe he's trying to poison me.

I looked up to him. He wasn't moving or making another omelette for himself, he was just looking over to me from his seat on his sleeping bag, waiting for me to bite into my food.

"Well?", Rick presses me, waving his hand to the plate. "At least tell me if I'm a good cook."

I looked back down to the eggs oozing with cheese.

It looks pretty damn good, to be honest. Everything's better with oozing cheese.

"I appreciate the gesture, Rick.", I told him, extending my arm with the food back to him. He took it from me with question in his eyes. "But I'm feeling a little nauseous, I don't think I'll be able to keep it down. I'll just have an apple for now."

"Suit yourself.", Rick replies, shrugging, picking up the fork and digging into the egg pie. He took a bite, chewed with ease and swallowed before repeating.

Okay, so it wasn't poisoned. Better safe than sorry.

I rose to my feet once more and walked to my horse to dig out another apple from its pouch. Sinking my fangs into the sweet fruit, I shuffled back to my seat and fell again. I began lazily chewing the apple, my eyes half open as I looked around into the thickness of the trees.

Damn, it's dark out there. I'm surprised I haven't caught an arrow with my face yet.

If Rick plans to assassinate me in some way, he sure as hell is taking his sweet time doing it. What's he really planning? Send an arrow through my head from behind while we ride? Sneak up behind me while I'm taking a piss and cut my throat? Alert the base when we arrive so they can rush me as a group.

Maybe there's a ninja in the trees, waiting to drop down on me from above.

I looked straight up, chewing another piece of apple, as far into the fog as I could see. Nothing.

"Hm.", I hummed aloud then swallowed my mouthful. "Interesting.."

"What?", Rick asks.

I looked over to him as I bit off another large chunk of fruit. He looks to me, chewing his omelette, waiting for me to explain myself. "It's nothing.", I told him with my mouth full. "Just had a thought."

"Sharing is caring, Nate.", Rick says, grinning to his ridiculous pun.

"Please don't call me that.", I said, changing the subject.

I still don't fully trust you.

"My name's Nathaniel.", I finished.

"I didn't realize it made a difference.", Rick replies, shrugging again. "I'll keep that in mind next time."

You best.

"In any case", I continued, looking back up into the fog, "I was thinking about this forest. A month ago, this fog was just as dense as it is now. I'm wondering if it ever lifts."

"Well, I can answer that for you.", Rick said, looking over to me as he chewed.

I waited for him to continue.

"Well?", I pushed with impatience.

"It doesn't.", he finally answers, looking back down at his plate as he forked another piece of egg and cheese.

Another brief moment of silence.

"Care to explain?", I pushed again, circling my hand in front of me.

"I can't.", he tells me. "That is, I don't know why, not for sure. It's mostly referred to as an ancient realm. For centuries, this forest has been fogged over, creating the moisture you feel in the air and the humidity of the atmosphere. There's no certain reason for this anomaly but the stories I've been told are quite the eye catcher."

I really, really, REALLY don't want to know, but I need him to think I trust him.

"Sharing is caring, Ricky.", I said with a smirk. I took another bite from my apple, laid back and chewed as I waited for him to bore me to death.

Maybe that's how he plans to kill me.

"As a child, my mother would walk through this forest to visit her parents in the town on the other side once every month.", Rick begins.

The town where Selina's shop is, I'm guessing.

"We lived in the city so it would take her a week or more just to make it through.", he continued. He took another bite of his omelette, chewed then swallowed. "I was always afraid something would happen to her because of the stories she told me so I would go with her with the intention to protect her with a dinky training bow I bought for myself with an allowance."

"So what bedtime stories did she tell you at night?", I asked with a grin then bit into my apple again.

"She always called these woods 'a realm between worlds'.", Rick informs. "I originally assumed it was because they split the central section of the kingdom where the city is from the mountains up north but I soon found out I was wrong. She would tell me that long ago, before the time of Christ, a particular group of people known as 'druids' lived amongst these trees. They were the peaceful, nature loving type and had a strange physic. Some only had fur on their heads, some with hair on their faces and they all looked nothing like any animal known to man. Their skin was a pale pink shade, they possessed no paws, tail, wings, claws or anything of the sort. My mother would describe them as hairless apes. They'd happily welcomed any travelers into their woodland homes so they wouldn't be forced to sleep alone in the dark. They would feed their guests until their bellies were full, provide them with supplies to continue through to the end and even heal the most serious of injuries with magic."

Magic. There's that fucking word again.

"But, one day, a dark entity known as Lucifer arose from the earth and laid waste to everything that lives, plants and animals alike.", Rick proceeds, setting his his empty paper plate aside with the fork.

"Lucifer?", I questioned in skepticism. "As in the fallen angel, king of hell, Satan, Lucifer?"

"That's right.", Rick assured, nodding at me. "Although, I don't believe the Lucifer in the story and THAT one", he pointed to the ground, "are one in the same."

"What makes you say that?", I asked, leaning forward.

"Lucifer, the one below, was believed to be a proud dragon of his time in the heavens before he was banished.", Rick answers. "This Lucifer shared the same physic of the druids."

"Alright.", I acknowledged. "Continue."

"Lucifer reined over what remains of the Earth he had left untouched for centuries.", Rick says. "Eventually, he was brought down by a druid of great power, one so great, it's believed it was he who gave the animals of the Earth the transformation that lead to our generations."

That's interesting. I wonder if the story Elrick was going to tell me yesterday is about this druid.

"In a fit of rage with a thirst for revenge, before being cast away in a prison deep inside the Earth's core, Lucifer used his inferior power to transport the druid, his home and all of his fellowmen into another dimension, trapping them for the remainder of Time.", Rick continues. "However, the magic Lucifer used to cast them away was unknown to the druids, leaving them clueless as to how to return."

"This is fascinating and all, but I'm oblivious to your point here." I cut in. "It just sounds like some kid's fairytale to me."

"I'm getting there.", Rick said with attitude. "The reason I would always accompany my mother on her journey through these woods is because of the result from Lucifer's actions. Ever since the day he removed the druid race from this dimension, these woods began to provide graves for travelers. Anything from a single passerby to a full military escort would disappear without a trace when traveling that rode behind us. It didn't always happen, only on rare occasion, but the unlucky ones who were caught in the forest's grasp were never heard from again."

"So, what, the druids started kidnapping people from the other dimension?", I questioned, trying to provide myself with an explanation to the mystery.

Why am I asking? Why do I care?

"That's one theory, yes.", Rick replied. "But highly unlikely. Even when enraged, the druids were sworn to never harm an innocent."

"Which means I'm left with an open-ending.", I set up Rick's reassurance.

"Basically.", he answers.

"So did your mother actually disappear?", I asked. "I assume something must have happened to her."

"What leads you to think that?", Rick asked.

"Intuition, I guess.", I reply. "I can see the sorrow on your face whenever you mention her."

"Well, you'd be right to think something happened.", Rick says, leaning against his knees. "But, no, she didn't vanish. According to the story, the disappearances seized over a hundred years ago."

"What happened to her?", I asked.

"She was killed ten years ago.", Rick said. "In an assault on the town her parents lived in. I wasn't with her, she convinced me to stay behind when she left. A week later, I receive a letter notifying me of her death as well as the death of my grandparents."

"I'm sorry.", I said with a gentle tone. "I know what it feels like to lose a parent."

A few moments of silence passed as we both waited for one another to say something.

"Do you know how she died?", I asked, looking over to him.

"An arrow through her head.", Rick informed me. "Her parents shared the same fate."

Ironic. Tragic, but ironic.

"Who made the assault?", I question further, tossing my apple core to my horse's feet.

"It was never confirmed but the king's court believes it to be one of the bordering kingdoms.", he said as I watched my steed chomp on the core. "At least, that's what I was told. I'll never understand why they picked such a random settlement. You'd think they'd attack the city."

"Yeah, no shit.", I agreed, nodding. "Not to open old wounds. Do you have any family left?"

"Just a distant cousin and his side of the family who I've only heard of.", Rick replied. "But I hardly think that counts."

"Can't say I disagree.", I said. "How did you end up working for this jackass?"

"Well, I was only thirteen when I lost my mother and grandparents.", Rick responded. "Soon after, I lost my home, I became complete unable to provide for myself. My father died of a heart attack when I was an infant so I had no one to turn to. I lived on the street for a year before the Boss found me unconscious from dehydration in an alleyway."

"I see.", I said. "You feel like you owe him your life."

"I did.", Rick said. "I repaid that debt, a number of times but he refuses to allow me to leave."

"What could he possibly hold against you to keep you from leaving?", I ask.

"His fist.", Rick joked. I snickered under my breath when he did. "That aside, he would find me no matter where I ran to."

"He's that resourceful, huh?"

"How do you think I found you?"

I'm pretty sure I know how.

"Okay, so here's a good question.", I continued the conversation. "Where does he think you are right now?"

"Leading a heist on a cargo escort due south of the city.", he replies. "I had a friend I trust fill in for me under his nose without letting the group know that I was supposed to lead."

Clever. If that was I lie, I should be more careful of what I believe from his mouth.

"Quick thinking.", I said. "But I'm sure you planned everything ahead of time, right?"

"Aren't you just the sharpest tool in the shed?", Rick appeared to be picking on me.

"Bite me.", I tried to pick back.

Rick chuckled then all fell silence again.

"You said you knew what it felt like to lose a parent.", Rick states, revitalizing the conversation.

Shit. In retrospect, I shouldn't have told him that. He opened up to me, if I want him to think I trust him, I'm going to have to open up to him.

"My father.", I told him. "Although my loss wasn't nearly as tragic as yours."

"It doesn't matter.", Rick said. "The loss of a loved one eats at the soul all the same."

That's a pretty dark way of looking at it.

"How did you loss him?", Rick asks.

"I'm not sure, honestly.", I reply. "He just disappeared spontaneously on my tenth birthday."

"He didn't come through here, did he?", Rick asked.

"What?", I responded then grasped my memory. "Oh, no. Up in the mountains in my home town."

Fuck! I shouldn't have told him that either! Is he playing the information out of me? Or is he just genuinely curious?

"I guess that explains your first encounter with us.", Rick says.

"You mean the one that nearly enslaved me and my friends?", I reminded him.

"Well, if you're going to put it that way.", Rick said, averting his gaze from me.

"Never mind.", I said, reaching into my pocket. "Care for a smoke?"

"No, thank you.", he answered, holding his hand up. "Those things would be the death of me."

I shrugged, pulled a cigarette from my pack, lit a match and enflamed the tobacco, puffing out smoke. No more words were spoken for a while. Thank God. I don't want to say anymore than I have to. I'm uncomfortable enough just sitting next to him but at the same time, I pity him. There was no fib behind his mother's death, even a master of deception couldn't properly hide or imitate such a serious emotion, at least not to an intelligent mind. He really did lose the only family he had, there's no question about it. But that's not my concern right now.

I need to focus on my current objective. We have a ways to go before we reach the exit of this forest and almost the same length between there and the base. I need to figure him out before we get there and the sooner, the better.

For now, it's best that he thinks I trust him so my most obvious option is to keep it that way. If he doesn't already think he has it, it won't be a problem, I'll just open up to him as we go on. As much as I want to vomit even considering sharing my life stories with Rick, the best way to convince him of my false trust is to let him in. But if it all comes out at once, he's bound to get suspicious which can only end badly if he really is planning to kill me. So I'll have to stretch it out over the distance between us and the base but I have to be sure he's convinced before we arrive. Provided I'm not dead before then.

Shouldn't be too hard.

When we get there is a completely different scenario. There's a lot of possibilities of what could happen. He could have been telling the truth from the beginning which means his plan for me to sneak him in should work. Rick would have taken in account of his sleeping hours and guard positions so with his help, I should be able to lead him to any point in the base he wants without being detected, no sweat.

There's also the chance that Rick slipped up in some way and the Boss knows we're coming, provided Rick hasn't been playing me from the start. In which case, the Boss will most likely be waiting for us to show up just to cut us off with his entire base up in arms. The only way we'll get out of that alive is to turn and bolt before they kill us. But if it comes down to that, he's bound to continue with his plan to assault the city. I can't be responsible for that, I won't be. If I have to, I'll just give him what he wants. I can accept death with dignity knowing it'll save all those lives but I won't make it easy for him, I'll fight him to my last breath. If I die, he will come with me.

Worst case scenario, Rick has been lying from the start so the Boss knows I'm coming. When it comes down to it, I'll be fighting for my life then, as well. Plain and simple. I wont have many choices at that point, at least none I haven't already thought of and chances are it won't end well. So, again, I'll go down fighting, and again, he will share my deathbed. It seems that no matter how this goes down, it won't have a happy ending. There's still the possibility all will go according to plan, in which case I'll live, but to be honest, I'm feeling a little pessimistic.

So on a scale of one to "in the ass", how fucked am I?

I chuckled to myself.

At least I can still make myself laugh. That's a good sign. I think.

"What's funny?", Rick asks from his spot across the dirt.

"Nothing I just.."

Come on, Nate, valid excuse, it's not that hard, think of something!

"Thought about how alike we are.", I said. "As much as it pains me to admit it."

"I guess, in a sense, you wouldn't be wrong to see it that way.", Rick replied. "We both are trained with a bow. And we've both suffered a heafty loss but when you think about it, it appears there's more of difference between us than similarity. You grew up in the frozen country, I lived within the city until I was fifteen. You choose the bountiful path that blessed you with the loved ones you deserved while I took a darker path that ultimately would have been my downfall."

"That wasn't your choice, though.", I argued, snuffing out my cigarette and dropping the butt into my pack. "And don't act like you don't know it. When that grizzly took you in, you had no other options than to go with him or die alone in the streets. You did what any rational man would have done in your position so don't beat yourself up for something you couldn't help."

Good start. I should draw it back a little though, it's too soon for me to suddenly care for his feelings. He's not stupid, he'll know I'm faking.

"Besides, that's not all we have in common.", I continued, reaching into another pocket to retrieve my tin case and pipe. "You DO smoke weed, right?", I asked, motioning my bowl towards him.

"Who living in this kingdom doesn't?", Rick responds with a question.

You could have fooled me you giant ear-ed, puffy tailed, overgrown albino muskrat triple dipped in a fresh batch of go fuck yourself.. I'm beginning to think I have a grudge problem.

"What else did you have in mind?", Rick asks, sitting up.

"A number of things.", I reply, beginning to pack my pipe with the Devil's Fruit I had stuffed into my case before I left the lab. "From what I've gathered, you didn't have an easy child hood, well, neither did I. Like you, the only person I truly had there for me was a parent, my father. My mother loathed me from birth, always kept me at a distance and hid things from me. Then there was the alcohol she always blamed her mistakes on, pleading each time that she'd give it up but it never happened. Me, being only a child, and my father, love drunk and broken hearted, we believed her every time. Soon enough we realized neither of us could rely on her for anything. I think that's why my dad left when I turned ten."

"What about the loud one that's always at your side?", Rick asks.

"Jake?", I assumed. "I didn't meet him until he moved to the mountains a year or two ago."

Lies, lies, lies, every bit of it. Get your fill, Ricky.

"I see.", Rick says. "I didn't realize."

"Well, I didn't exactly share it until now.", I said, stowing my case away and retrieving a twig to torch. "Besides that, there's also our brown eyes, big hands and feet."

Ha! It's funny 'cause my boot is half the size of his.

"And physic, posture and height, if you want to get technical.", Rick adds as I set the twig ablaze.

I looked over to him with a questionable smirk as I took my hit and held it, passing both pieces to him. "Those foot long ears don't count, man.", I said, still holding in smoke and pointing over his head. I exhaled. "Tuck those things down and you barely come up to the hairs on my chin."

"Yeah, well, you're blue.", Rick says, lighting the bud in defeat.

.... And I'm worried he's playing me.

"This coming from the guy as white as Santa's holly jolly jizz.", I replied.

Rick fell silent as he looked at me over the flame, apparently at a loss for words. Even after taking his hit, passing me the pipe and twig and exhaling, he just continued to stare at me. I grinned and laughed under my breath as I read the disgusted look on his face.

"I'll admit, I didn't see the conversation taking a turn in THAT direction.", Rick says as I puff the marijuana.

"That's the price you pay for spending hours with a gutter-mouth like me.", I snickered, rolling smoke over my lips and passing back to him.

"At least you admit it.", Rick states, shaking his head with a grin.

That's actually one of the few things I've told you that's true.

"Does everyone in the mountains talk like that?", Rick asks before taking a hit.

"For the most part.", I answered, waiting for him to pass to me. "Except the children and..", I thought to myself for a moment, "well, some of the elderly, anyway."

"I don't think I'd fit in well.", Rick says, puffing smoke out a little at a time as he handed me the pipe and makeshift torch.

Good. I'd kick your ass back into the hole your species crawled out of if you even tried.

"Where did you pick up your vocabulary?", I asked in genuine curiosity. "I've had my fair share of words with the Boss to know you didn't get it from him."

"My mother.", Rick answers as I smoked. "Respect and behavior were always a must have for her. It's how she raised me and it's the only way I know to honor her memory."

"That's very respectable.", I said, passing to him. "Honestly. I hold my own values to honor my father."

Rick looked up to me with a curious stare as he took the objects from my hand. "Sharing is caring."

Shit. Should have saw that coming.

"Well, archery for one.", I said, watching Rick lower the flame to the bud. "My dad had experience with a number of weapons which he passed down to me but his favorite was a bow, more specifically, a recurve. It easily became my favorite, too. I think his blood in me gives me a taste for it. His closest friend taught me how to use a bow but my dad taught me everything else and I still prefer it over any other weapon I've been trained with."

"That makes since.", Rick says, his hand out to me. I reached over and took the bowl and burning stick. "And it explains a lot. From our beginning, I've wondered how you attained such talent."

"Now you know.", I said, bringing the pipe to my lips. My eyes glanced down into the chime to discover all the bud that once had been was nothing more than ash now. I lowered my arms, stuck the blazed end of the stick in the dirt and stuck the pipe back in my pocket. "That's done."

"Well then.", Rick states, rising to his feet. "We should start moving."

"Really?", I questioned, looking up to him from my sleeping bag. "What happened to killing time?"

Rick looked up into the fog as he began rolling up his sleeping bag. "Unfortunately, I have no idea what time of day it is.", he says, kicking dirt into the fire pit to put it out after burning his paper plate then walking to his horse to tie his sleeping bag to its side. "Chances are we slept through most of the morning given the low-lighting in these woods. And if not, night is bound to fall soon after we make our way out."

"Whatever.", I stated, following his lead. "I'd rather just get this over with anyway."

"Don't worry.", Rick says, stowing away the pan he cooked with and then the carton of eggs and bag of cheese into a compact icebox strapped to the white horse's other side. "It'll be over before the night's end."

I looked to him, burning holes into the back of his head as I tied my rolled sleeping bag to my black horse.

Was that a disguised threat?

Oh well. Even if it was, I have other things to worry about.

"This is gonna be a long ride.", I complained, lifting myself to my horse.

"Yes, it most definitely will be.", Rick agrees, rising to his. "And it'll only get harder the closer we get."

"Thank you, Captain, for pointing out the obvious.", I mocked him as our steeds trotted between trees. A few moments of silence passed until we turned onto the road and sped off towards our destination. "You seriously have nothing to say to that?", I asked, flipping backwards on my horse to face him. Rick just shook his head. I crossed my arms in disappointment while the horses carried us down the straight dirt road that seems to go on forever. "Unacceptable. We're gonna work on that.", I said, nodding to myself.

"What do you mean?", Rick asks, hollering over the wind.

"Before we get out of this forest, I'm going to teach you how to properly talk shit.", I answered.

"How about you teach me how to not fall on my face from riding backwards like that.", he suggests.

"That's easy.", I reply. "There's this neat trick called balance. Look into it, you won't be disappointed."

"Alright then, smartass.", Rick responds. "Have it your way."

"Like I was asking for your permission.", I said, chuckling to myself. "Okay, let's start like this: I'm going to insult you and you're going to give me the best comeback off the top of your head. Alright?"

"If it'll get you off my back.", Rick unenthusiastically agrees.

"Awesome.", I smiled. "So what do you got, bucktooth?"

"Bucktooth?", Rick repeated, apparently taking the insult to heart.

"Yeah.", I said, smiling again. "Those things are fuckin' huge, man. I bet if we paint your fur brown and duck tape a log to your ass, you'd pass for an ugly beaver."

"You're serious. You really want me to do this.", Rick says to himself, lowering his head.

"You're damn right.", I answered, nodding. "So lay it on me, Chewy."

"At least I don't have a big mouth.", Rick finally replies. "Really, you could clear a room with that thing."

I blinked then leaned forward in my backwards position. "That's it?", I questioned, more surprised than I was expecting to be. "Oh my God, that's just painful."

"What were you expecting?", Rick asks with a tone.

"Effort.", I said. "I was expecting effort."

"Okay, then how do you do it?", Rick questions.

"I don't think about it.", I answer. "Usually, I just say whatever comes to mind and it works out."

"Has anyone ever told you you are one cocky bastard?", Rick asks, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, really. You're a pretentious prick with an inflated ego that's most likely the largest thing about you."

Did he just say I have a small dick?

I blinked and gave an awkward grin. "That's...", I mumbled over the wind, "better. Actually, it wasn't too bad. You could choose a better phrasing though."

"Thanks.", Rick says, rolling his eyes. "Although, I'm not too sure I wasn't completely serious, to be honest."

"Oh, Rick.", I said, laughing, throwing my head back and recrossing my arms. "I don't care."

"That's exactly what I'm talking about.", Rick states.

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it.", I told him, chuckling under my words.

"Well, that's just a pleasant thought.", Rick says. "Thanks for the reassurance."

"See, look at that, you're using sarcasm already.", I said, pointing to him. I pretended to cry, sniffed and wiped a fake tear. "They grow up so fast."

"Jackass.", Rick insults.

"Yeah, that's been said.", I replied.

"Fits, doesn't it?", he asks.

"Oh, you don't even know."

Rick shook his head averting his gaze from me to the road behind me. I saw his eyes open wide as he tilted to his side to look passed me. I turned my head to look in front of my horse to find several figures walking through the fog ahead in our direction.

I really hope that's not what I think it is.

"Who the hell is that?", I asked with a speedy infliction, flipping forward in my saddle and drawing back on my horse's momentum.

"I think..", Rick says, pausing to squint into the darkness as he pulled on his reins as well. "I think they are knights."

"Knights?", I questioned, squinting in response. "The fuck are they doing out here?"

"Possibly shifting hours for border patrol.", Rick answers. "Their replacements must have taken over so they're heading home."

"Oh. Well that's awesome.", I stated. "Just stay relaxed and they shouldn't bother us."

"Let's hope so.", Rick says as the group of soldiers draw closer. "I'd hate for this to have to get bloody."

I pulled back on my reins, forcing my horse to a full stop and cutting his off. The white horse neighed and rose to its hind hooves. When it had calmed down, I grabbed the front of Rick's clothing and pulled his face into mine.

"If you so much as break a bone, I'll skin you alive.", I threatened him. "Understand? I don't care what happens, we will NOT spill innocent blood."

"Then what do you suggest we do in the event they attempt to arrest us?", Rick questions, forcing my grip off of him.

"Why would they?", I questioned back.

"In my profession, faces are noticed, and if you haven't noticed, my profession isn't exactly legal.", Rick shouted in a whisper.

Right... I guess I was too blinded by instant rage to think about that.

I looked back to the road ahead as the silhouettes grew bigger in size and number. "We can't risk getting thrown off schedule.", I said. "If it comes down to it, we'll have to fight them off. But that's IT. No killing."

"Fine.", Rick agrees. "Do you have a strategy?"

"Yeah.", I answered, turning my horse to continue on. "Knock them all unconscious so they can't follow us."

"Brilliant.", Rick says, following behind me.

Here we go. Don't disappoint me Rick.

The soldiers drew closer. And closer. First there were three. Then there were seven, then twelve. Twelve soldiers. I could handle that myself but I hope neither of us will have to. The four assorted colors of Canniban began to show through the fog on their clothing. Then the silver of their armor and chainmail. Long staffs with tall spear heads became visible in each of their hands with a large, full body shield to match in the others. They marched down the center of the trail in two rows of six, each in tune with the others footsteps, as if they all shared the same heartbeat. The front two made their faces visible as Rick and I trotted along the side of the road, hoping they would let us pass.

"Halt.", says the knight closest to us and we crossed paths.

Dammit.

I brought my horse to a stop in front of the group, Rick came up alongside me and did the same.

"Morning.", I greeted them with a smile as the two in front walked up to each of us. "Assuming it's still morning."

"Citizen's cards, please.", said the guard that approached me.

Jesus Christ. Rick, you better not have been living here illegally, too.

I leaned forward on my horse and reached into my back pocket to retrieve my wallet with all my legal ID's. Pulling it out, I popped it open and showed the laminated casing with my citizen's card in the front as I looked over to Rick who was digging in one of the pouches hanging from his horse's side.

"Where you heading?", asks the one looking over Rick's ID after he handed it to him.

At least he has one. Provided it's real or it's fake and these guys are too stupid to noticed, they won't have any reason or right to harass us anymore than their standard protocol.

"The settlement just on the other side of these woods.", I answered, returning my wallet to my back pocket. "We're visiting his mother like we do every month."

That probably pissed Rick off but it was the first thing I thought of.

"And you are?", asks the same knight as he gives Rick his ID back.

"Just an old family friend.", I answer. "If you don't mind, we're on a tight schedu-

"I know you!", yells one of the other knights still in line. I looked to the man standing out and pointing a finger dead at Rick.

God dammit, I knew this was going to happen!

"He was with the smugglers when they attacked the city!", the soldier continued to scream and point. "He's the one who called them off!"

"Get off the horses and put your weapons on the ground.", says the guard next to me as he points his spear at my neck.

"Do you really have to be that noticeable?", I bitched at Rick as I did as we were told. "Really?"

"It's not like I had planned this.", Rick defends himself, climbing off his horse and standing next to me. "I never actually thought we'd get caught in this situation."

"Out of all the time and energy you spent putting this together, you never once thought, 'hey, maybe I'll run into some guards who will recognize my face. It MIGHT be a possibility that I'll get arrested for smuggling and ass fucked in prison'!", I pushed for a fight and placed my bow and quiver on the ground in unison with Rick.

"Excuse me if I made a damn mistake, Mr. Perfect!", Rick raised his voice as he got in my face. "Unlike you, I don't have to be the best at everything I do!"

"Enough!", yelled one of the guards in front of us.

Ignoring him, I got in Rick's face, rage hot in my eyes. "At least I know what the fuck I'm doing when I do it!", I yaped on. "Have you even seen yourself holding a bow? You're like a mentally challenged squirrel trying to imitate the three no-evil monkeys!"

"I said stop!", the knight yelled again, raising his spear and stepping towards us.

"SHUT UP!", Rick and I screamed at him in unison, only averting our gaze long enough to catch him step back in shock.

"We wouldn't be in this position if you had just killed the Boss when you had the chance!", Rick continued to scream in my face. "I mean, of all your most idiotic, asinine qualities, your mercy is your weakest link, I'm surprised you've lived even this long!"

"For all you know, we wouldn't be in this situation if you had never joined him in the first place!", I argued. "It was your damn cowardice that drove you into his arms and now you're so caught up sucking his cock, you had to turn to me for help!"

"Arrogant dick!", Rick screams.

"Scared little bitch!", I screamed back.

"Self conceited asshole!"

"Grizzly fucking drama queen!"

"Ass pounding fuck face!"

"Pussy mouthed cock pheasant!"

"Break it up!", the knight yells as he moves towards us to put an end to it. "I've heard enough of this ridiculous bullsh-

I grabbed the knight's spear when he had approached close enough and yanked the weapon from his hands, pushing him away from his grasp with my foot firmly in his gut. The soldier fell to his back as the other next to him tried to rush me with his spear. He thrusts the point at me with great force only to miss me when I spun the point end of my stolen spear away from me, knocking his attack off course then bashing the blunt wood of the butt into his face rapidly five times. The man wobbled for a moment and fell to the dirt, front first. The other soldier rose from the ground and tried to tackle me. I side stepped and swung the length of the spear around behind me, cloths-lining the soldier as he missed me. His feet ran out from underneath, sending him back to the ground on his back. Before he got a chance to get back up, I spun the spear back around my waist and swung down into his chest and, I think, breaking a rib or two.

Okay, got a little carried away.

"Whenever your ready to help!", I yelled at Rick, kicking the second knight's spear to him.

As he caught it, the remaining soldiers rushed around us, scaring off our horses into the fog ahead.

At least they didn't backtrack.

Rick pressed his back against mine as the last ten knight's surrounded us. I held my position and stance, keeping my defense up for the upcoming wave of attacks and my eyes on the five men in front of me.

"Whose gonna be the next one to drop?", I asked, rhetorically. "Be smart and let us pass!"

"You don't got a chance, kid.", says a voice behind me facing Rick. "You might have caught those idiots off guard but the rest of us are much more alert and outnumber you ten to two. Just give yourselves up!"

"Please let me kill him.", Rick says from my back. "Just him, I promise. Please?"

"You're a twisted mother fucker, you know that?", I responded, shaking my head. "Do it and you'll share his grave."

"Enough of this!", the voice behind me screams. I felt Rick push off my back as he engaged the burly voice. Two of the men in front of me stepped off the dirt as they charged. I simply ducked, letting the points of their spears cross and collide over my head. With ease, I swept all four feet from under their bodies with the length of the spear, dropping them both on their backs. I spun the weapon around my waist to thrust the blunt end into the stomach of my next pursuer, spun again then smacked him across the temple and knocking him unconscious to the dirt. One of the two at my feet began to rise, the wind knocked from his lungs as he strained to breathe and his helmet on the ground, leaving him open. The spear spun over my neck, into my other hand and dropped down on the knight's unprotected head, knocking him out as well. The last two on my side rushed me as a pair as well. One swung his spear horizontally at my artery which I dodged and rammed the blunt end of mine into his esophagus, making him choke and fall back on his ass. The other brought his weapon down vertically which hardly grazed the hairs at the tip of my tail by the time I had stepped around him and put him in a headlock. As the soldier in my grasp struggled for oxygen, clawing and scratching at my arms and face, the one I choked with the spear rose to his feet and stumbled to his knees at my side. He looked up at me as he and the other in my arms continued to struggle to breathe. Tightening my grasp on the one, I rose my leg and kicked the other in the face with a fair amount of strength. He fell to the ground, unconscious, followed by the one I had choked out as they joined the others.

Shaking off the adrenaline, I looked over to Rick and watched him finish off his last two attackers. It took him a minute but he managed to pull through with dignity.

"Well now, wasn't that fun?", he says, brushing dust off of his cloths and walking over to retrieve our bows and quivers.

"Maybe for you.", I said, as I took my gear from him. "I don't find pleasure in hurting people like you do."

"I wasn't talking to you.", Rick says, pointing behind me. "You forgot a couple."

I turned to see the other knight I had swept his feet out from under him sitting on the ground, leaning against his palms next to the other with a broken rib or two as they stared at me with fear.

"Don't do that." I said to them. "Don't be pussies. You're both twice my age and you're cowering like a children, grow some balls!"

"Deal with them.", Rick tells me as he walks off into the fog. "I'm going to get our horses back."

Rick walked the road until he disappeared into the fog ahead. When he vanished from my sight, I turned back to the still conscious knights. I began walking to the one laying on his back in agony. He stared me down with a single eye, the hot intense fire of a newborn rage burning bright in his pupil. I stopped in front of him, regret written all over my face. Loathing my reaction as I went, I pulled the spear back and struck him with the blunt end in the center of his forehead. He fell limp instantly, his single open eye no longer staring at me but into the fog above, motionless.

Oh shit, is he still alive?

I watched his chest very carefully. He was breathing but it seems like he was having a hard time.

He'll be fine.

Dropping the spear on the ground, I turned to the other watching from across the trail which must have freaked him out because he recoiled on my first step and shuffled across the trail away from me.

"Stay still, dipshit, I need your help!", I yelled softly as I moved faster over to him.

"Help you?", he repeats with a russian accent, his voice inflicting at every pitch. "You just beat down all of my comrades!"

"Just shut up and listen, I don't have time to explain.", I said, kneeling next to him. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a sheet of paper folded into the size and shape of a small square. The ink from the written words within had bled through to the outside. I held it up to him. "When you get back to the city, give this to your admiral, Anthony.", I told him very slowly to make sure he got it. "Understand?"

"The..", the soldier mumbles, "the admiral?"

"Yes, genius, the fuckin' admiral!", I assured, getting frustrated. "Can you do that?"

His mouth gapping open in fear as he trembled for his life, he slowly nodded but wouldn't take the note from me. So I stuffed it into his pocket and patted his leg to let him know it was there.

"Good boy.", I said. "Thank you. When the rest of them wake up, tell them I'm sorry, especially him.", I pointed to the soldier behind me with the broken ribs. "Also, I'm sorry for this next part."

Before he could say, "what?" I quickly socked him in the face in an instant, knocking him out with the rest of his troop.

I rose and looked about the mess I created. Twelve innocent men, elite soldiers, lie unconscious, scattered across the foggy trail of these strange woods, injured and probably as emotionally scarred as Anthony was the day I subdued him. Twelve different spears and shields lie over the trail in their own manner.

Can't say I'm proud of this.

I stuck my hands in my pockets and began walking the trail towards the direction the horses and Rick took off, hanging my head low with my eyes practically shut.

My father would never have approved of that. His first rule was to never harm the innocent and I destroyed the law he taught me. I was wrong to resort to physical confrontation. I don't know why, but it overcame me, it flowed through my veins with the rush of adrenaline and obliterated its competition and I shouldn't have let that happen. There was more than just the single option. If I had stopped to think of my actions, we could have escaped on the horses the second the soldier in formation pointed out Rick's fault. It's what we should have done, they would all still be in perfect health, unable to catch us on foot and there would have been no reason to resort to delivering my note to Anthony, which surprises me the most that I didn't realize it at the time.

This is embarrassing. Humiliating. Degrading. I want to puke. Actually.. I think..

My stomached turned and cramped, forcing me to my knees as I grasped my gut in nausea. I fell to my hands, wallowing in a temporary sickness and opened my mouth wide, spilling the contents of my stomach across the ground. I choked a few times and vomited again, coughing and groaning in disgust. Hanging over my puke, I held my mouth open and gasped for air as I attempted to catch up with myself. My stomach began to slowly settle and I groaned a little more while I fell back on my knees in relief.

I need some water.

Coming over my sickness but still trapped in self pity, I slowly rose and began walking the trail once more, searching for Rick and our steeds. I traveled for quite a while before becoming uneasy.

They must have sprinted off pretty far. This isn't good. Given their amount of fear at the time, they could have gone on to the end of their strength and it's a very unfortunate, likely possibility. If that's the case, then the plan is completely screwed. If we're left to walk the entire distance, there's no chance we'll arrive to the base on time. At this rate, we'd be lucky if we got there before noon tomorrow.

All I could do is continue on, so that's what I did. I walked a lonely path, most likely heading towards my demise. And, given the trouble I've caused in the past month, I think I'm okay with that. With me out of the way, the Boss will have no reason to stray from his usual habits to assault the city or take more innocent lives. The king won't have to worry anymore than he did before I showed and the people living beneath him will find no point in fearing for their loved ones.

I can only imagine how Jacob would take my death. We've always been close but he never usually showed his compassion for our brotherhood, or anything else for that matter, only on very rare occasions. Like every time I risked my life in the past month. Or when he sliced my ear way back when. He never liked to appear "weak" to those around him, even to me. I've never seen him so much as shed a tear, it makes me wonder if he has ever really cried before.

My mother and Tony would take it the hardest. Tony would most likely swear revenge and make several attempts to act on it before being convinced out of it by my mother. And I know her too well, she'd never recover. Heartbroken and alone without her husband and son, she'd cry herself to sleep every night for the rest of her life. She'd wake up in the middle of the night, horrified of reoccurring nightmares. She'd never be the same person again..

It seems no matter how I go about this, I lose. I die and the city and its inhabitants will go on living their lives while my friends and family are forced to deal with my passing. Or I go home to those I love, let local authorities clean up my mess and live with the guilt of several hundreds more stolen lives.

But even now, as these thoughts pass my mind, I still press on with the intention to win. No matter how much I feel I'm disappointing my father or making the wrong decision at every turn, I won't stop until the very end. I'm going to be the first to fight this war I started and I'm going to be the one to finish it. Whether I live or die, I will take my victory and I'm going to rub it in the Boss' smuggling little smug face as I watch him bleed out in his own dwelling.

You brought this on yourself, grizzly, just like I brought it on myself and I promise, I won't be the only one to pay a price. You've pushed me to the edge and now your taunting me by stepping on my fingers as I cling for my life. Well, get pissed because I'm not going to fall now, you can push me over the cliff as many times as you want but I'll just keep climbing back up to kick your fat furry ass. I won't stop until I'm standing over your corpse, looking into your lifeless eyes, saying "I won" before giving into my injuries. It'll hurt but watching you die will make up for any agony I could go through. You bring out the demons in me and if I die along with you, I'll torment you in hell for eternity for the pain you've cause to me, my family and all the good people you slaughtered in your path, I fucking swear it.

Adrenaline began swelling within me as my anger fueled my heart rate. It pounded in my chest as I clenched my fists in my pockets. My claws broke skin in my palms and drew blood while my head fiercely throbbed, my brain overloading from the thousands of images being processed in my mind. My teeth started grinding behind my lips and my tail twitched as it whipped the air around me. I began to tremble as it all built up inside.

I need to calm down before I lose myself.

I stopped and sat in a indian position, resting my elbows on my knees and connecting my finger tips to their counterparts on the opposite hand. Lower my head and doing my best to clear my mind, I closed my eyes and gradually drifted into a meditative state.

At first, I listened to the crickets chirping in the background of the forest, calling to one another as they bounced around the scenery. Then I heard faint thumps of several hoofs trotting across the forest floor. A small family of deer navigating through their natural home a mile or two away. And now.. more hoofs? Larger ones, pounding the ground close enough for me to feel the vibration traveling across the ground.

Wait a minute..

I opened my eyes and looked up. Two large silhouettes in the shape of a four legged beast moved my way in the fog ahead. One had a taller extension sprouting from its center, bouncing as the beast stepped.

It's about damn time.

I rose to my feet as Rick drew closer with our steeds back in his control. He trotted up to my side and dropped the reins of my horse to allow me to take command.

"Took you long enough.", I said, mounting to my saddle.

"They ran pretty far.", Rick replied, circling around me to turn in the proper direction. "Horses tend to do that."

"Really?", I asked with a sarcastic tone as we spurred our horses to get back on our original schedule. "Learn something new every damn day."

Our horses trotted side by side at considerable speed as we carried on pointless conversation.

"So did you do it?", Rick asks through the turbulence. "You didn't leave them to wake the others to send for help?"

I looked over to him from horseback.

That was.. an oddly specific question.

"Yeah.", I replied, hidding my regret. "They'll all be out for a while. At least, the ones I handled will be."

"Is that your way of telling me I have poor combat skill?", Rick questions although I couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not.

"More like sloppy.", I replied, not really caring if he wanted an answer or not. "You enjoy it too much and you take your sweet time doing it. Not to mention your form is flawed, your method is reckless and your stance makes you about as stable as a one legged chair."

"You may be right.", Rick states. "But I held my own compared to you all the same."

"I'll give you that.", I told him. "But if you want me to accept your friendship, things are going to have to change. I won't be associated with a sociopath any longer than I have to be."

"That's blunt.", Rick complains. "But I'll just take it as a sign that you don't think I'm all bad."

Good. You keep thinking that.

"If it gets you off.", I said, my voice low and probably not audible at our current speed.

"By the way, that was a clever ruse you put on.", Rick continues. "On the spot, no less. I almost didn't catch on, I could've sworn you were serious at first."

"I'm not so sure I wasn't.", I replied. "Honestly, Rick, I'm kinda peeved it had to come down to that."

"Are you saying you blame me?", he asks.

"Yes and no.", I said. "Don't take it to heart, I hate you right now for it, but I know you had no control over it. At the time."

"You're a hard man to please, Nathaniel.", Rick says.

"You're the first man to say that to me.", I reply. "I like it better from the women."

"And you call me twisted.", Rick points out.

"There's a difference between gay jokes and insanity, you know.", I informed him as I pulled another apple from my horse's pouch and bit into it while we moved.

"And again with the harsh words.", Rick complains.

"Yeah, dude, I'm not exactly in one piece after having to do that.", I smarted off, raising my voice. "The rush I get from a fight is far from the one you do."

"I'm sorry it came down to that.", Rick says to me. "Sincerely, I am. I'm sorry you had to break your precious code but it got us out of a pinch and back on track. In a few hours, the Boss will be dead and we can both go on about our lives, we would not have that to look forward to if we hadn't done something."

"I fuckin' realize that, Rick.", I bitched at him, taking another bite and chewing. "But that doesn't mean we had to resort to destroying their pride. We should have went about it differently."

"Even so, there's nothing that can be done about it now.", he assured as he watched me munch out. "Hungry, are we?"

"Yeah, all of a sudden.", I answer.

"Regretting turning down my offer to make you breakfast yet?", he asks.

"No.", I replied, taking another large bite and talking with my mouth full. "I more or less left my first apple on the ground back there."

"You.. you what?", Rick questions in confusion. "You vomited?"

"Yes, Rick, I vomited.", I repeated. "I fuckin' puked all over the road. So much, it's shocking."

"And you don't think you're over exaggerating?", he continues to ask.

"Sure as hell didn't feel like I am."

Rick and I continued on, not another word to be spoken for miles. At first it was peaceful. The first moment of silence that lasted forever. I don't have to talk to Rick. I don't have to pick my words to convince him of my trust in him. I don't have to think about what's coming next or how to handle it. I probably should be but this is much more settling. I'm slowly pulling myself back together and I'm going to need to be in one piece so this is for the best right now.

After a couple of hours of riding, it became nerve racking. I started to get anxious knowing we are getting close to the ends of these woods. The fog began to lift slightly and dim streams of light seeping through the treetops high above. Our destination isn't far off and it's only getting closer. Another hour, hour and a half at the most and we'll be waiting outside the Boss' front door, hiding in the shadows, preparing to make our strike. It won't be long now.

"Look at that.", Rick shouts from ahead. I looked over my steed's head to see Rick riding in front of me, pointing into the distance. "We finally made it out."

I followed his finger down the trail ahead to an opening in the trees. The road leads straight out into a flush green field shadowed in the dusk embrace of the oncoming night.

"God damn, that took forever.", I randomly bitched as I kicked my horse up beside his. "I'm not looking forward to going back through."

"At least we'll have peace of mind to enjoy when we return.", Rick assures.

"Let's hope so.", I replied. I looked around the open field, following the trial with my eyes. It skimmed over a few hills, hid behind a couple groups of trees and straight into the small town outside the forest where the smugglers' base is. "Only a couple more miles to go.", I changed the subject. "Any ideas of how you wanna go about doing this?"

"I thought you were taking lead.", Rick states, looking back to me from horseback. "I asked you to help me get inside, remember?"

"Obviously.", I said, rolling my eyes. "I mean, if you have anything I should know before we go in, now would be the time to tell me."

"You already know everything you need to.", Rick assures. "You know your way into the Boss' bedchamber so head that way and I'll follow behind you while keeping my eyes open on the guards' positions."

"It's not getting inside that I'm worried about.", I told him. "Rick, we both know this is going to end badly."

Rick looked back to me again with a raised eyebrow and parted lips as he questioned my words.

"It'd be nice to think we'll get lucky enough to put him down in his sleep.", I continued. "But chances are it won't come to that. He'll hear us coming inside and he'll catch us in the act which means we'll only have one option."

The confused or maybe surprised look on Rick's face passed as he turned his gaze back to the town ahead. "Yes, I had thought of that, as well.", Rick says. "As likely as it is, I think it'd be in best spirits that we ignore it as a possibility."

"Wishful thinking.", I replied. "I'm bringing it up because if things go downhill, I want you to know you surprised me."

"Mind elaborating?", Rick asks.

"Well, up until a couple hours ago, I swore up and down that you were just as bloody thirsty as your boss.", I explained. "When you asked me if you could kill the soldier with the fat mouth, I thought for sure you wouldn't control yourself. I was well prepared to drop you on the spot but you never did it."

"What exactly are you saying?", Rick asked.

"I'm saying after this is over", I paused for a moment to choke on my words, "under my supervision, you might have a chance at redemption."

"Are you saying you're going to allow me to stay in Canniban?", Rick questions further.

"I didn't say that.", I corrected with a tone, pointing a finger at him. "All I'm saying is you didn't disappoint me. I'm sure it's obvious that I'm still suspicious of you, but for the most part... I think I can believe you."

"I...", Rick mumbles in response, "I didn't think I'd earn your trust this soon."

"I didn't say that either.", I added. "But you've earned enough."

"Thank you, Nathaniel.", Rick says, nodding to me. "It's not what I had hoped for but I'll take what I can get."

"Probably a good idea.", I replied. "In any case, I thought it'd be better for the both of us if you knew."

"I certainly appreciate the thought.", Rick assures. "But we should be preparing ourselves for what's coming."

"You're right.", I agreed. "But see, the problem is, I'm ready now."

"We'll then enough of the chatter, let's go do what needs to be done!", Rick shouts, motioning to the road ahead.

"My thoughts exactly.", I conclude, snapping my reins and kicking my horse into high gear.

I zoomed passed Rick and trotted alone in the center of the trail, watching the settlement in the foreground grow and expand as I drew closer. After a minute or two, Rick caught up to me and we traveled the remainder of the distance side by side.

As we approached the first few buildings, one being Selina's shop, we noticed the road was mostly clear of civilian traffic, making our passing through much faster than expected. We proceeded with speed, crossing through the town within minutes and back onto the empty road we became so familiar with. Now all that's left is the intersection about a mile away then through the forest that conceals the base.

It's almost time. Let's hope everything works out according to plan.

Our horses stomped their hoofs on the ground with great speed as they carried us down the dirt trail. The town behind us slowly disappeared from sight as the intersection beyond began to show. As we crossed through, I looked towards the turn leading to the mountains. To my mother. For an instant, I was drawn to ditch Rick and return to the snow. I almost did. As I looked into the valley above that hides my birth home, I felt a need, like an unknown hormone urging me to pull on my reins and race at the speed of sound to the family I left behind. It's like a calling. Like, it's where I should be. But I resisted. As much as I want it, how much I need it, this moment right now is more important.

Eventually the moment in time I had been trapped in passed, leaving me free to ride with Rick to my own personalized hell. The trail curved around a wall of trees, normal, short, un-fogged trees, and concealed the intersection behind their leaves. When I could no longer see the path that could have been, I turned my head back in front of me and flinched as I ducked under a rogue branch hanging down from the treeline of our destination. With caution, I rose my head and looked around as our steeds sprinted through the average woodlands.

"You alright?", Rick asks, shouting over wind.

"Yeah, I'm fine.", I shouted back, rising back to my normal position. "Just wasn't paying attention."

"You probably should.", Rick picks. "The next thing that'll try to take your head off like that won't be a hanging tree limb."

"Thanks for the pointer, smartass.", I mouthed off. I wanted it to be insulting but I felt as if I was joking along with him.

"You're welcome.", Rick continues with a big grin like he was hoping to irritate me.

I almost, ALMOST, feel like I'm with Jacob right now.

"So, Rick, I got another question for you.", I said, changing the subject as we rode.

"What would that be?", he prompts me.

"How do you guys know when to turn into the woods?", I asked, scanning the trees that flew by. "I mean, it all looks the same, how do you get to this trail from the base and back without getting lost? Even I'd have to backtrack a little bit."

"There's a sharp left turn a ways ahead.", Rick answers. "We turn into the woods when it comes up, continue straight for a few miles, then turn right again."

"And then you're there?", I questioned further. "You just turn randomly at certain points in the forest and out pops the home of the giant grumpy gopher?"

"That's how you escaped, isn't it?", Rick responds. "I recall one of our men returning the day after with an injured kneecap claiming you had forced him to lead you back so, unless that man knew of another passage I don't, I dont-

"Alright, alright, I get it.", I cut him off, waving my hand to shut him up. "Damn, your annoying all of a sudden."

Rick laughed by himself as I raised an eyebrow at him.

"What happened to that guy, anyway?", I asked. "Is he alright?"

"The one who helped you escape?", Rick questioned in response. "He's dead. The Boss snapped his neck for betraying him."

"Of course.", I mumbled to myself, pressing my fingers to my temple.

Just another death I'm responsible for. I'm getting so good at killing people, I don't even have to strain my bowstring to do it anymore.

"Something wrong?", Rick asks, as we traveled through more trees.

"No, just a minor headache.", I told him dropping my hand and straightening my posture. "It passed. So how much farther do we have to go?"

"Not much.", Rick says, as he looks up between leaves to examine the sky. "And our timing couldn't be more perfect. The Boss should be laying down soon."

"What, does he have a bedtime?", I joked, looking over to Rick. "Big powerful grizzly bear sleeps with the children?"

"I never understood it either.", Rick tells me. "There's a lot of rumors that go around about what he does when he's in there."

"Like what?", I asked, becoming slightly curious.

"Nothing you'd want to know.", Rick answers. I looked over to him in a deeper curiosity, considering the hilarious possibilities. He looked back at me and shook his head. "Trust me."

Alright then.

"I got another question.", I told him, not willing to wait for a response. "What's he been saying about me since I last handed him a silver platter with his ass on it?"

"Just what you'd think.", Rick says. "Revenge, kill, die, blah, blah, blah. The worst part is I'm the one who always has to hear it."

"That's kinda funny.", I replied, chuckling with a wide grin. "I'd love to see your face when he's PMS-ing like that."

"Well, that's too bad.", Rick says. "After tonight, I won't ever have to watch him change his damn tampon again."

I looked at Rick and bursted out in laughter, surprised that he pulled that out from thin air.

"Again, better.", I complimented his shit talking skills. "But could still use work."

"How about during our act for the knights?", Rick questions.

"Better than I was hoping.", I told him. "I was expecting the worst insults in history to come flying at me but you caught me off guard."

"Really?", Rick continues with a grin.

"Yeah, man, really.", I answered, nodding with a grin myself. "Like, 'ass pounding fuck face'. What in fuck's sake is that, anyway?"

I laughed as he attempted to explain but I just mocked him and made fun while we still had the chance.

"Hey, it's better than, 'pussy mouthed cock pheasant'!", Rick defends himself.

"Please.", I begged for restraint. "You just throw words into your insults, mine have a meaning and a base root."

"What the hell does that mean?", Rick asks, sounding confused.

"It means I'm funnier than you.", I told him, chuckling to myself.

"If you say so.", Rick replies, rolling his eyes before looking ahead and pointing. "There's the turn."

I looked up front. The trail thinned into a string in the distance before cutting sharp to the left and disappearing around trees.

"So we just turn right, right?", I asked. "Where there's absolutely no sign of a passageway?"

Rick chuckled to himself before nodding. "Yes, you got it." Rick's face dropped its joy and became serious. "This is it, Nathaniel. Another ten minutes and we might just be looking the devil in his face."

"This wouldn't be my first time.", I pointed out.

"Nor mine.", Rick added. "But we need to be on full guard, nonetheless."

"No question.", I agreed as we slowly approached the turn and sped back up, flying between trees.

We continued straight. Well, at least I did, following behind Rick as he guided me to his former home.

It seems like he's truly trying to prove his innocence, if any. Throughout the entire trip, he never once made an attempt on my life, he never crossed me and has shown me he's capable of loyalty. But that's what worries me the most. Loyalty is obviously a huge factor in his life so that makes the following question that much more difficult to answer; is he loyal to me or the Boss? There's still a chance he'll cross me. I won't know for sure if I can trust him until I see him drive a knife into the Boss' neck.

After a few minutes trotting aimlessly into the woods, Rick came to a short stop and cut right in a new direction. I followed behind him with haste. It seemed as if we were just circling around in the same area over and over. Everything looks the same, no road, just dirt and wood and leaves.

It's a good thing I have a good sense of direction.

"See that?", Rick calls to me from ahead, pointing into the distance. "We're here."

I heeled my horse up next to his, still weaving between trees, and looked ahead. The man sized hole in the ground sprouting out of the dirt became visible, revealing the entrance of the smugglers' base.

"Alright.", I declare, slowing my horse to a stop. As Rick followed me in unison, I tied the reins of my steed to a tree not far from the entrance, clawing another 'X' into it out of Rick's sight. "Let's make the world a better place."

Rick and I shuffled from the trees to the entrance, taking cover on each side. I readied my bow with an arrow, waited for Rick to do the same and cautiously made my way inside. Step by step, I proceeded down the stairs, scanning the dirt corridor as Rick followed behind. I stopped short at the end of the hallway and checked my corners before making a turn towards the Boss' bedchamber. Then I noticed something that made me uneasy.

"Rick.", I whispered, keeping my eyes up front as we moved along with the shadows.

"What?", he whispered back.

"Where is everyone?", I asked, double checking my corners. "It wasn't well guarded the first time I was here but it wasn't deserted. Even the entrance had guards sitting outside."

"I guess the Boss' wanted you to himself.", Rick speaks normally.

Yup. I knew it.

I started to turn around to look at him but was cut off by a sharp point jamming into my cheek as I turned. I recoiled, dropping my bow and arrow to the dirt and attempted to look again. Rick stood over me, his bowstring drawn back with an arrow aimed for my jugular.

I closed my eyes with a grin and started to chuckle. Then I opened my mouth and chuckled louder. I began to laugh out loud to myself, gripping my sides and carrying my voice throughout the base, causing an echo in a hysterical fit. As I slowly calmed down and stood, Rick moved closer sticking his arrow in my face but I stilled, unmoved as if it wasn't even there.

"What's so damn funny?", Rick questions, looking irritated.

"I'll tell you later, asshole.", I answered, still chuckling and wiping a tear from my eye. "Look, we both know I can break every bone in your body before you take a single finger off that string so how 'bout you get that toothpick out of my face and we go see your lover like men?"

"Do you really think you can still call the shots?", he asked, waving the arrow around.

My face went flat as I stepped to him, passed his bow and stood, eye to eye. "Do you really want to test me?", I asked, my voice low with a mean frown. "Because I will kill you. I get you out of the way now and it just makes this that much easier for me."

Rick stared at me, his arrow still drawn back but pointed at the ground between us. His eyebrows hung low and it was clear he was angry. Enraged. But it was also clear he knew I was right.

Keeping my gaze at level with his, I removed my quiver and held it out to him. He looked down for a split moment then back up to me and took it from my possession. Ignoring him as a possible threat, I stepped over my bow and casually proceeded to the Boss' chamber.

"Don't break my bow.", I told him as I walked off. "Or I'll kill you anyway."

Assuming he picked up my weapon and caught up behind me, and assuming he still has his aimed at the back of my head, I walked to the end of the next corridor, turned and made my way for the ring room.

"I have to hand it to you, Nathaniel, I didn't think you'd give in so easily.", Rick says as he walks behind me. "Making this simple for us. It doesn't seem like something you'd do."

"Who said I was?", I replied, slipping my hands in my pockets. "I am going to kill him. Then I'm going to kick your ass."

"Still with that cocky attitude.", Rick says to himself. "Even in the face of death."

"Keep pushing your luck, Ricky.", I told him, slightly tilting my head back to him. "I don't have much tolerance for dumbass so try to keep it at a minimum."

"I really can't wait to watch you die.", Rick says.

I rolled my eyes as I turned down a hall with a battered old door at the end. I walked to door, grasped the knob and opened it. As I walked through, the Boss sat in his chair on the other side of the ring with a large lump of raw meat sitting in opened tin foil on the desk in front of his bedchamber hall.

"Nathaniel.", the Boss acknowledges me as he picks meat from his fangs with a bowie knife. "That's your name, right?"

"Nothing gets passed you, does it?", I replied as Rick closed the door behind him. I turn around for a moment to see him standing behind me, now empty handed with both our bows and quivers on his back. I also noticed Shaun, the fox who me, Jacob and Daniel first encountered, standing beside him.

The fuck did he come from?

I turned back to the Boss as he continued to pick at his teeth. "You do know meat can be cooked nowadays, right? It actually tastes a lot better than you think."

"I prefer my meat picked fresh off the bone.", he replies, standing and slowly making his way over to me. "It's what I do with all my food and it's what I'm going to do to you."

I looked up to his neck as he drew closer, staring at the two bald spots on each side where I had ripped chunks of his meat out the last time we met.

"You know, I've actually tasted raw meat before.", I said, pointing up to his neck. "You should know, you were there, right?" The grizzly growled at me after I said that. "I gotta admit, I just don't see it. It just tastes like bad pussy to me."

"You got some nerve.", the Boss growled again.

"Yeah, yeah, you said that last time.", I said, waving my hand at him and looking around his gigantic body. "Hey, what happened to the ring?"

"What?", the grizzly questioned, irritated at the way I'm treated his threats.

I raised my hand, pointed at the ground behind him and looked up to him. "The ring where you hold those fights. There's just a bunch of holes in the ground and ceiling where the bars were."

"Uh..", Rick's voice mumbles from behind me. "There's a pulley system that retracts them into the ceiling.."

"Oh, that's interesting.", I announced with fake enthusiasm. "Hey, I was wondering if you place bets during those fights, I've been looking for a way to make some extra cash."

"You're kidding.", Shaun assumes from Rick's side.

I shifted around and gave him a serious stare. "Do I look like I'm kidding?", I reply, raising my arms in question. "Seriously, it's not easy making a living these days." I looked down at the dirt floor, holding a finger up to them as I thought about what I just said. "Well, I guess you guys would already know that, huh?" I turned back to the Boss and looked up into his broad face. "You know, I actually pity you. Feeling like you have to take everything that doesn't belong to you. Slaughtering a city full of people for a single man who kicked your lumpy ass. Are you really so desperate to redeem the pride you lost to me that you actually thought this retarded rabbit could trick me?"

"Excuse me?", Rick calls me out.

"Revelation can be a bitch, can't she?", the Boss asks, wearing a wide, evil smile. "Say what you want, even if you picked up on it, it worked long enough to get you inside with no way out."

"Revelation, that's a big word for you.", I told him, nodding in seriousness. "But whatever. If it gets you hard to think you've won, who am I to judge?"

"I'm going to cut that smug grin off your bite sized face.", the grizzly growls as he bends down to me.

"Uh.. I wasn't grinning but okay. Whenever you're ready, hotshot.", I said to him, smiling in his face. "It's about time I clean up my mess."

"Smartass little maggot!", the Boss screams, pulling his enormous arm back and thrusting a fist down towards me.

With great force, his attack struck the palm of my right hand and stopped in place. I looked up to him as he gazed in shock.

"What's a matter?", I asked with a grin. "You mad, bro?"

"How did you - how are you able to block me so easily?!", the Boss questions in rage, pulling back and throwing another attack which was also blocked. The grizzly began to throw one punch after another, each being cut off by the palm of my hand with a loud "smack". "You" *smack* "weren't" *smack* "this" *smack* "strong" *smack* before!"

He stepped back a few feet as he caught his senses, staring at me in confusion.

"For starters, you are REALLY fuckin' slow.", I said, crossing my arms. "Honestly, I don't even know how you landed a finger on me last time."

"The same way I'm going to now!", the grizzly screams throwing himself at me.

I actually didn't see that coming but I caught it in time to step aside and let him plow over Rick and Shaun. In a dog pile, they all rolled over each other to the ground.

"And you're top heavy.", I added, pointing a finger at him as they all looked at me from the dirt. "Did you know a bear can't run down hills? It's a fact, believe it or not."

"QUIT MOCKING ME!", the grizzly screams at the top of his lungs, rising from the dirt and lunging at me again. He swung another fist which passed over my head with ease as I ducked. Using my crouched position to hurl my weight into him, I sprung up and planted a hard, firm fist into his gut. I gave it everything I had which must have been quite a lot seeing as I knocked the wind from his lungs. The grizzly coughed and heaved, straining for oxygen, bent over himself and stumbling backwards as he claws at his stomach.

"What the hell was that?", Shaun asks as he and Rick help the Boss stay on his feet.

"Are you alright, Boss?", Rick asks from his side.

The Boss stepped forward, backhanding Rick as he did and sent him spiraling back to the ground. "Let go of me, rabbit!", the grizzly shouts as he re-enters the fight. He stopped in front of me and stared into my eyes. Wearing a satisfied smile, I stared into his as calm as can be. "I'll admit, you surprised me there for a minute.", the Boss tells me, grinning himself. "But just because I'm big", he began to raise an arm again, I readied myself for the oncoming attack, "does not mean I'm too slow to catch you!" His fist came down with astounding speed, struck me in the face and sent me tumbling backwards hard enough roll head over heels a few times before whacking my head into the dirt wall. Disoriented and surprised, I wobbled to my feet, rubbing my cheek where his fist struck me.

Okay, didn't see that coming either.

"Man, you're just full of childish tricks.", I said, quickly coming back to my former sense and stature.

"Don't give up now, this is just getting fun!", the Boss says. In an instant he bolted across the room and tackled me into the wall with his giant elbow. I coughed up a little blood and screamed out the pain as he continuously rammed his fists over and over into my gut.

Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. This is not good. Ow. Ow. Ow.

Grinding my teeth, I blocked his next swing then put all my strength into my free arm as I launched my fist into his face. I felt a bone crack deep under his thick fur before he stumbled backwards. Trying to ignore the agony in my gut, I pulled myself out of the new hole in the dirt wall and burst into full speed at the Boss. I jumped just short of being in his face and busted his jaw with an upward knee. Arcing and dropping back to the ground, I clenched my hands together and brought it down with my weight onto his head, smacking him face first into the dirt before my feet touched the ground. He quickly rose back up to swing at me, savagely. I stepped back a few times, dodging the series of attacks. I began to close in on the wall behind so I jumped backwards, landing my feet on the wall and pushing off, sliding on the dirt and between his feet. As I slid under, I grabbed his dinky stub of a tail sticking out of his jeans and used it to lift myself up behind him. Before he could turn around I hopped up on his shoulders and kicked him back to the ground.

"Look at you, getting beaten and covered in dirt.", I mouthed off to him as he rises again. "The look suits you."

The Boss screamed in rage and threw himself at me. I flinched to react but he got to me before I could, holding my arms outwards and bearing his large fangs at me. I, in turn, did the same, snarling like a rabid animal but mostly just to mock him. He threw his head back then forward to smash into my forehead. I grunted in response as my vision started to blur. He did it again with the same force, giving me a throbbing migraine in the center of my forehead. He did it one more time before I started to get pissed. Unable to use my arms, I jumped and planted my feet in his face, using his grip on me to hold myself in the air. With one foot stabilizing my position, I used the other to rapidly curb stomp him in his upright stance. With the first kick, he stepped back, apparently too stupid to think to let go. With the second kick, he started losing his balance and wobbled around the round room. With the third, I kicked myself free of his grip, back flipping off of his face as he stumbles away.

My turn.

I threw myself at him, tackling him with my shoulder into the wall like he did to me. His back hit hard but he kept on his feet. Before he had the chance to open an eye, I jumped and landed a kick to the side of his head, pounding it into the dirt. I caught my balance when I floated to the ground and sprung into his gut again with my shoulder. He choked as I felt his organs recoil. Then he wheezed out the air in his lungs when my fist met his gut. Again. He coughed up blood when my other fist made contact in turn. Keeping him pinned to the wall, I unleashed a barrage of vengeful strikes into the same point of impact. A punch to a kick, a kick to an elbow, an elbow to a knee, a knee to another few punches and kicks, followed by a full powered jumping headbutt to his bottom jaw. I planned to finish the combo with a flying roundhouse but the Boss came to his senses and placed a firm grip around the guilty leg before it made contact. My weight pulled me towards the ground, leaving me hanging upside down from his grasp.

"Is it just me", the grizzly started to ask, lifting my upside down eye level to his gaze, "or is something about this eerily familiar?"

The Boss gave me a diabolical grin before grabbing my arms and setting me up for a backbreaker. Unable to defend myself, I panicked as I watched his knee fly up as he dropped me down. The attack was ruthless and hurt like all hell. He dropped me to the ground and I screamed in the dirt as the after affect soaked into my nerves. He, Rick and Shaun laughed as I quivered and cried out on the ground for a few moments, getting their fill in watching me suffer.

Struggling to stand in a tremendous amount of semi ignorable pain, I found myself using the wall for support. I looked across the room to the three of them, straining to keep an eye open. The grizzly began to walk towards me. I frowned and forced myself to stand on both feet. With a smirk, the Boss lunged at me again, swinging a giant conjoined fist of both hands plummeting down in my direction. I jumped aside, dodging the attack but landing on my side from lack of muscle control. I heard the grizzly laugh low as he walked over to me again. I took the few seconds to contemplate my next move. When he stood close enough to me, I rolled backwards on my palms, pushed off the ground with everything I have left and struck the Boss in his esophagus with both feet. He fell backwards as I landed on my back again. I struggled to stand before he could but he easily beat me to it and continued to smack me around the room.

Time after time, I hit every surface as he tossed he like a doll. I felt my bones begin to crack and I started losing control over my body. Even during the seconds he left me untouched, I was too broken, too beaten to rise any further than my hands and knees. I made several more attempts to strike him, a fist to the face which was blocked and countered with a foot to my right side ribs. An elbow to the gut which was dodged and returned with his claws sinking into my back, lifting me over his head and bouncing up and down on his hands as he dug deeper into my skin. Assuming he got bored, he tossed me on the ground at Rick and Shaun's feet where I laid, looking up to them smiling down into my face.

Okay. Any second now.

"Pick him up.", the Boss orders.

Rick and Shaun gripped my arms from each side, lifted me to my feet, holding me up and forcing to look into the Boss' face.

"Not so cocky on the other side of the ass kicking, are you?", the Boss asks, bending down into my face. "You know, this was almost so easy, I'm embarrassed to think you ever beat me before."

"Is that *cough cough* all you got?", I strained to ask, spitting up my blood. "The rabbit comes up with better comebacks than you. *cough* Trust me when *cough cough* when I say that's really saying something."

"Arrogant fool.", the Boss says, spitting in the dirt. "Hold him still, it's time to finish this."

Alright, any fuckin' day now!

I glanced down to my tiny puddles of blood in the dirt at my feet.

I starting to see this much too often.

"Anything you want to say before I put an end to you?", the Boss asks, kneeling down to my eye level.

I lifted my head and opened my eyes then revealed a weak smile. "Just one thing.", I answered, grunting behind my words. I looked him in the eye for a few moments then coughed up bloody film and launched it into his eyes.

In an even hotter rage, the Boss stepped back, flailing his arms as he screamed and wiped his face clean. "You stupid imp!", he screams, rubbing his eyes. "You spit in my face!"

I grinned as he looked to me with one eye while rubbing the other clean. "Yeah. I did.", I replied, holding my grin. "Whatcha gonna do about it, huh?"

The Boss' large mouth opened at its limit and let out a ear piercing, horrifying roar.

"Are you done?", I asked, rhetorically, breaking free of Rick and Shaun's grip to weakly stand on my own when he shut his mouth. I slightly raised my hands to prompt him for his attack. "Come at me, bro!"

Rage red hot in his eyes, he lunged at me one final time. I can't move, my body's broken. It's a miracle I can stay upright without Rick and Shaun's unfriendly support. With no other option than to take the strike, I shut my eyes tight and waited for the end. I listened to his scream grow louder as he moved closer. Then I heard a familiar sound, I don't know what but I've heard it before. It's like a water balloon being flattened and splashing liquid over a concrete surface followed by a loud thump and utter silence.

I cracked one eye open. Where the Boss once stood in front of me, my life in his hands, now rests his corpse lying lifeless in the dirt. I opened both eyes to see blood pooling around his face and the feathers of a bolt sticking out of his ear.

"Oh, thank God!", I prayed, filling with relief.

"B-Boss?", Rick mumbles from behind me.

How'd I forget about you two?

With the last of my energy and strength, I spun around, swinging a fist into Rick's face. He flew backwards while I made a move on Shaun, sweeping his legs out from under him and dropping my weight into his stomach with my elbow. Finally, my body gave out from the stress and left me laying on the ground, completely motionless.

I struggled to turn my head towards Rick who had already begun to stand and draw his bow. Before he could pull an arrow, another bolt flew out from nowhere, piercing Rick's arm and pinning him to the dirt wall. Rick screamed in agony as he dropped his bow to cover the new pain.

I smiled from my bed on the ground. "Pussy.", I mumbled to him. I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned my head in response.

"I was starting to think you got lost.", I mumbled, straining to look up to my savior.

"Actually, I did.", Jacob replies, kneeling down at my side with the crossbow loaded in one hand. "I gotta hand it to you, buddy, you're one hell of a mentor."

"No.", I mumbled with a smile, trembling as I shook my head. "No, it was all you, Jake, I just pointed you in the right direction."

"Whatever.", Jacob declares as he removes my hunting bag from his back, rummaging through it and pulling out my first aid kit. "Just so you know, I fuckin' HATE it when you put some much faith in me like that."

"Faith well placed.", I said, biting my lip as Jacob striped my sweatshirt off and began treating my injuries. "It worked, didn't it? Just like I said it would."

"WOULD SOMEONE EXPLAIN JUST WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?!", Shaun screams from the ground, still grasping his stomach as I bit my tongue through the burning alcohol pouring over torn flesh and meat.

Jacob helped me rise in a sitting position while he wrapped my torso to cover the open wounds the Boss' claws had created in my back. I looked over to Shaun and Rick wallowing in pain and shock as they looked back and forth between us and the dead grizzly on the ground.

"I played you.", I finally answered with a self satisfied smile. "From the very beginning."

"How?!", Rick screams. "EXPLAIN YOURSELF!"

His words sent me spiraling into a flashback as I gave them the details, word for word.

"Fine.", I agreed. "I need some time to prepare. Meet me at the front gate in half an hour."

"Very well.", the rabbit says. "I've brought a horse for you, some supplies and food to last throughout the trip there and back." I heard his footstep move further from me then they stopped as the front door creaks open. "I'll be waiting.", he concludes then walks out, shutting the door behind him. After a long sigh, I downed the last of my beer and rose to my feet.

I began walking over to the stairway leading to the bedrooms and den below, motioning Jacob, Selina and Elrick to follow behind me. We all casually made our way downstairs and crowded together at the bottom.

"You're not serious.", Selina assumes. "There's no damned way you're going with him!"

"Shhh!", I hushed her, holding my finger up to my lips, worried that the rabbit is still behind the front door, trying to listen in. "Look, I don't have a lot of time to explain this so I need you all to shut the fuck up and listen very carefully."

They all looked to me in anticipation.

"I have little doubt in my mind that this is a trap.", I told them, speaking softly. "That asshole didn't come to me because he had a sudden change of heart, he's trying to give me reason to go with him so they can kill me."

"Is that not what we just told you up there?", Jacob questions, motioning to the floor above.

"How do you know?", Elrick asks, his arms crossed, standing at my right.

"Since I left the castle early today, I've had someone tailing me.", I answered. "I'm pretty sure it was that rabbit. I first noticed when I left to go to Pete's shop, again after Selina and I left for the giant oak and again in the woods while we were walking the trail. I assume he kept eyes on me long after that but I didn't catch him in the act again."

"Wait, wait, wait.", Selina halts the conversation. "Are you saying he was watching... us?"

Oh. Right...

"Uh", I mumbled at a loss for words. "Yeah.. I didn't tell you because it would have only raised his suspicion.. it's probably better if you don't think about it."

"So then, it wasn't a doe?", Selina asks, looking sickened.

I shook my head.

Selina revealed the most horrified look I have ever seen as she gagged, thinking about the rabbit watching us in the heat of the moment.

"Alright, now listen, I have a plan to counter these dumb mother fuckers but I need all of your help to do it.", I told them, looking into each set of eyes.

"Name it, son.", Elrick says. "Whatever we have to do."

I smiled at their loyalty in me. "Selina, how long can you stay air born?", I asked, gazing to her.

She shrugged as she guessed. "Five, six hours tops.", she answers.

"Good enough.", I stated, turning to explain her role. "Wait ten minutes after I walk out of the front door then make your way to the front gate and look for me but stay hidden. Chances are we will have already left but if you find me, wait for the rabbit and I to leave on the horses then tail us from the skies. If we've already left by the time you get there, get into the air and catch up."

"Okay.", Selina replies, looking curious.

"Jake", I said, turning to him, "wait fifteen minutes after I walk out then grab my hunting bag and head for the front gate, too. By the time you get there, neither me, Selina or the rabbit should be in your sight. If we are, stay hidden, wait until were gone, count slowly to one hundred then walked out the gate. Danny will be waiting for you along the outside of the city wall with a horse. Take it and tail us but keep your distance, if I can see you, he can see you."

"Alright then..", Jacob mumbles, giving me a funny look.

I turned back to Selina. "Selina, I'll need you to keep your eyes on me while looking out for Jake.", I told her. "If he starts closing in on me and the rabbit, swoop down and make sure he backs off. ."

Selina nodded in acknowledgement.

"While you two are following my trail, I'll be gradually working the idea that I trust him into the rabbit's head.", I continued. "As long as he thinks he has me fooled, he won't suspect a thing. Now this is where it gets tricky. We'll have to cross through the forest with all the fog and chances are we'll end up camping it out within. The trail is completely concealed under the thick trees so Selina won't be able to track us anymore until we come out the other side. At that point, Selina, I want you to wait at the entrance for Jake to show up then both of you very cautiously move into the forest behind us. Keep going until you find our camp then backtrack a mile or two and set up for the night. I can't trust Jake to wake up early on his own so I'm trusting you to make sure he's up and ready when you wake up."

"I really don't see where this is going.", Jacob says, questioning me with his hand.

"Just don't talk right now, Jake.", I told him, throwing him a glare. "As I said, I have LITTLE doubt that it's a trap, but on the off chance it isn't, I'll need you two to keep an eye out for a marking as you pass through the forest."

"A marking?", Jacob repeated.

"I should know for sure if he's planning something or not before we leave the woods.", I informed them all. "If he is or gives me any reason to believe he is, I'll leave a small 'X' in the base of a tree trunk along the trail side. I also may or may not leave another on a tree outside the smugglers' base entrance. If there's an 'X' keep going, if not, turn around and go home. If you find no 'X' at either location, it means I was wrong and the rabbit has been telling the truth."

"Where do I fit in in all this?", Elrick asks, butting in.

"Elrick, I don't want you getting too deep into it.", I answered. "You're old and we need you around to make our lives hell so I want you to make sure Jake and Selina leave at the exact time I specified, not a second sooner, not a second later."

"Very well.", Elrick agrees, nodding.

"If the first 'X' is there, continue on just like I said until you reach the forest where the smugglers' base is.", I continued, turning back to Jacob and Selina. "Selina, after that, wait for Jake to pass by you as he moves into the forest then head back to the city and stay inside with Elrick. With all this going on, I'd have a clearer conscious knowing you're safe."

"Alright.", Selina said. "No problem."

"Good.", I said, smiling. "Jake, do you remember how to get to the base? It involves blindly running through the trees."

"Not off the top of my head but I'm sure it'll come back to me.", Jacob answers.

God, please don't let him get lost.

"I'll take it.", I said, not really seeing any other option. "When you pass Selina at the entrance of the forest, book it to the base, look for the second 'X', if it's there, ready the crossbow and head for the smuggler boss' bedchamber behind the fighting ring. I can't say for sure if there will be guards, chances are the grizzly will run them all off somewhere to deal with me himself."

"Are you sure?", Jacob asks. "What if they're all still there?"

"That bear has a hard on for his pride so I doubt he'd risk displaying a possible ass kicking to his men.", I replied. "It's what he did last time. He knows I'm capable of it and he won't want to appear weak, even if I'm just giving him a run for his money. But, if there are guards, I'll take them out for you, provided Rick hasn't been trying to trap me the entire time."

"Okay, what else?", Jacob asks.

"Not much more.", I said. "When you get to the door leading into the ring, I'll most likely be fighting for my life. I'll stall him to give you time to get inside the base if you haven't already but don't enter the room until we've actually started fighting. I want you to watch the bear and anyone else in the room carefully then sneak inside and hide behind the desk on the opposite side and wait."

"Wait?", Jacob repeats.

"Yes, wait.", I said again. "With the crossbow loaded and make sure you aren't spotted." I paused for a minute as I looked about their worried, skeptical faces. "I'm not going to lie, as strong as I feel since my recovery, there's still a good chance I'll fall, that's why all this is important. Jake, if, and only if, it comes to the point when you are absolutely sure I'm cornered with no chance, raise the crossbow and take the grizzly down. Do you remember what I said to the king about hunting a bear with a single arrow?"

"Yeah, uh..", Jacob said then paused and thought to himself. "In the ear or eye. Right?"

"That's right.", I assured, nodding.

"Have you lost it?", Jacob argues. "What in the hell makes you think I can make a shot like that?"

"Because I watched you make an equal shot on five different targets earlier today.", I replied. I smiled and placed my hand on Jacob's shoulder. "I know you can do it, Jake, I have faith in you. If it comes down to it, my life will be in your hands and I know you won't let me down. I fucking know it."

"You have lost your damn mind.", Jacob tells me, looking away and shaking his head. "Alright. Not like I got a choice anyway."

"Fair point.", I said, pointing a finger. "But not relevant. Everyone clear on their task?"

They all nodded with questionable confidence in my counter attack but it was confidence all the same and that's all I need.

"Alright.", I finally conclude, turning to go back upstairs. "Let's make it rain on these assholes."

After climbing the stairs and returning to our base floor, I gathered my gear as I had Selina and Jake rehearse their instructions. As they did, I took a piece of scrap paper sitting on the table, grabbed a pen, started scribbling words then folded the paper into a small square and stuffed it in my pocket. Elrick asked me what it was for while I packed my tin case with the Devil's Fruit but I simply labeled it as a precaution I hope I won't have to use. When I felt they were ready, I slapped and bumped with Jacob, hugged Selina and shook Elrick's hand in the event I don't return, my way of letting them know how important they all are to me.

I never was good with goodbyes.

Taking one more look back to my friends as I opened the door, I walked through and shut it behind me. I began making my way to the stables somewhere along the castle's side outside. I've never actually been to it before so I'll probably have to ask for directions.

I don't have time for that.

I stepped it up a notch, picking up speed as I zoomed around corners and down the spiral staircase leading to the courtroom hall below. I flashed across the floor, stomped down the stairway covering the hall in front of the courtroom door and through the next door into the main hall. I quickly closed in on my gigantic exit and turned to proceed through when I smashed into someone coming through from the other side.

"Watch where you're going you bone headed - Oh, Nate!", Daniel acknowledges as he helps me back to my feet.

"Danny, thank God, I was just coming to see you.", I told him.

"What fer?", Daniel asks.

"I need you to prep a horse for a two day ride and wait for Jake outside the front gate in about thirteen minutes.", I said. "Can you do that?"

"I suppose.", Daniel replies. "Why, what's going on?"

"I really wish I could explain", I said, moving around him to walk through the giant cracked doors, "I really do but I need you to take a leap of faith here."

"Alright, fine.", Daniel says, scratching the back of his head. "S'pose I still owe you for saving my tail before."

"Fantastic.", I announced, snapping my fingers at him. "Thanks Danny!" I bolted out the door and proceeded to meet the rabbit at the gate.

The thirty minutes passed like the wind and I found myself standing in front of the gate with my gear, staring out into the wilderness beyond.

"I've lost my fucking mind.", I mumble to myself, contemplating my new plan.

"And that's about it.", I conclude as Jacob finishes wrapping me up. "From the very moment you showed up at my doorstep, Rick, I played you like a fuckin' violin."

"How's that for a revelation, bitch?", Jacob smarts off at the dead grizzly as he packs away the first aid kit.

I staggered to my feet, using Jacob's shoulder for support, limped over to the corpse and ripped the bolt out of the Boss' head. "I won.", I said, standing over his body.

"That's why you were laughing before.", Rick realizes. "You son of a bitch!"

"Don't you dare!", I screamed at the rabbit, throwing myself off of Jacob to confront Rick. I strained to stay upright but somehow made my way over to him pinned to the wall and got in his face. "Don't you dare contradict me. I warned you all what would happen if you made another move on me and you did it anyway. This is your own damn faults and now you have to live with his blood", I pointed at the dead, bloody grizzly, "on your hands!"

"Are you letting us go?", Shaun asks, finally recovering from my attack and sitting up.

I grinned then ripped the bolt out of Rick's arm and handed both back to Jacob. Rick screamed in pain and grasped the wound as blood poured out from underneath his other hand. I pushed him back up against the wall, killed my muscles as I stretched to pick Shaun up to his feet and pin him next to Rick then forced them both to look me in the eye.

"Do I need to explain what will happen to you if I EVER see your faces again?", I asked, my voice low and angry. "I shouldn't."

They both shook their heads in unison and Rick very casually handed my gear to me while hiding his pain and fear behind a terrified smile.

"Good.", I said, limbing back over to Jacob. "Now leave before I change my mind." I shuffled over to Jacob, took my sweatshirt back and examined it. There were ten new holes in the back but that appeared to be all the damage it took.

Good thing Elrick can sew.

I popped my head through the neck hole followed by my arms and wrapped one arm over Jacob's shoulder for support. I looked up to find the two idiots still standing there.

Dipshits.

"I said GET LOST!", I screamed, throwing myself in their direction and almost taking Jacob and I to the ground.

Shaun and Rick flinched then rushed out the door for their lives, stumbling over their feet, yelling "run" at each other. When they were gone, I looked over to the Boss' dead body lying in the dirt again.

It's about damn time.

"What was it like?", I asked Jacob, staring at the dead grizzly. "Taking a life for the first time."

"Not as dramatic as it was for you, I'll tell you that much.", Jacob says as he helps me walk to the base entrance. "Actually, it was kinda fun."

I stopped, releasing Jacob's hold on me and socked him square between the eyes, sending him flying to the ground as my legs gave out under me from the pain. I sat up on my elbows as Jacob rose and looked at me like I'm stupid.

"What the fuck was that about?", he bitched, looking down to me laying on the ground.

"Don't you EVER say killing is fun again!", I yelled at him, angry with new rage as I thrust a finger into the air at him. "NEVER!"