The sky was cloudy and the wind was fighting me for every mile. Duha shifted in my arms. I looked down and saw her pain. "You could take the stuff you were given. If you need protection from the wind I can do that."

She cried out in her pain. I tucked my wings and hurtled to the ground. As I landed I laid her down on some rocks. "Duha.." I said unsure what to do.

She lay there panting while Green Dragon came over and knelt. "Duha let me look." She stopped writhing and the Green Dragon sighed. "You are OK.. we will give you something for the pain."

I translated his words for her. "No..." Duha growled through gritted teeth.

Green Dragon looked at me. I shook my head and he moved away from us. "Duha please take your medication," I begged her.

"I...can't."

I put my hand on her back and warmed it for her. "Kyanite..." I looked at Kyros, seeing concern for his friend.

"Tell the others to take my load and go on. I will wait for her to be better and then follow."

Kyros looked at Duha lying on the floor, panting. "I will do as you asked. Duha... you don't need to be brave." He walked away as she moaned again.

"Why can't you take it?"

"It will send me to sleep." I sighed at her answer as the others took off.

"You can sleep in my arms Duha."

"What... if we get... attacked?" She growled, eyes closed.

I picked her up, sitting her in my lap, pressing her back against my chest and radiating warmth. "You can't help us if you're in a lot of pain. Please take the painkillers."

She finally looked up at me. She nodded and pulled the packet out in a shaking hand. She took the medication. Then writhed against me for another 20 or so minutes before she stopped moving. I looked at her and she was half asleep. "I will keep you safe Duha." I said softly not wanting to wake her.

She nodded weakly as I changed my grip on her and took off. It didn't take long to catch up without the things I had to carry. I took my supplies from the Purple Dragon that had taken them from me, holding them in my foot as I flew. Duha slept soundly close to my chest until the light started to seep out of the day. "Kyanite... you are very warm." She said softly.

I pulled her slightly away from my chest and offered her a water skin. She gulped from it and then sighed. "We will be landing soon. How is the pain?"

"Not too bad... I will take them again tonight then tomorrow I will not hold us up again."

I smiled at her as the others started to spread out to look for somewhere to land. "I'm glad you are not going to be stubborn about it." I said, making her growl softly. "You're as grumpy as a bear when you wake up." She growled again but smiled, too.

After a few moments of silence, one of the others bobbed up and down, making us all come in and start our spiral.

Eric put a hot cup in front of me. I sat in the house he had claimed with Kyros feeling every moment of sleep I didn't get last night. "You look tired Reina." He said interupting my tired stare at the wall.

He sat opposite me. "I am. I ate breakfast at lunch and I've only just sat down. Everyone needs me it seems. Now what was it you needed."

"Good thing I asked you to come here then." He chuckled.

I nodded taking a long sip of tea. "I've been pulled in all directions and have a lot of things to do before I can get a brake. So what did you need Eric?"

He smiled. "I'm lonely and need my friend. She has been running herself into the ground, so I thought I would steal her for a bit."

"I could hug you right now... except I don't want to stand up." He laughed and stood to hug me.

He had only taken one step before there was a pounding on the door. Eric spun halfway to the door as a voice from the other side shouted. "Rat! Armoured men are approaching!"

I stood as Eric ran for the kit he had made up to help him when this kind of thing happened. I ran out of the house, making the woman who had come to get me jog to keep up with me. We ran for the crowd of people that had gathered on the edge of town. One of the Dragons met me with my armour and strapped it to me fast. Another handed me a knife that was long and heavy. I was only slightly surprised by the fit of the armour when not in beast form. I made my way through to the front and saw the line of cavalrymen followed by small shapes. Are those wolves?

The men looked exhausted, and one of them fell from his saddle in a unmoving heap on the floor. The horses looked just as exhausted like they had been run a long way without stopping. 

One wolf walked forward and howled. It sent a feeling like the fur all over my body would be standing on end if I were in beast form. Katja walked up to me and howled back to the wolf. I frowned at her. "It howled like mum." She said walking towards the wolf as it padded over to us.

I followed her and jumped a little when the wolf put its cold, wet nose in my hand to sniff me. I took the note tied to it and looked it over. "Topaz! I need you up here!" I cried in his language. Topaz rushed over in human form and stopped next to me. "These men need help." I said as slowly and clearly as I could so he would understand me.

"I will do this." He said bowing and walking over to the men. "I am Topaz, I will help you."

The humans followed him being disarmed by the crowd. Everyone whent back to their day, leaving the wolves standing alone in front of us. "Thank you for bringing them to us. Is there something you would like as a thank you?" The wolf in front of me licked my hand and ran off with the others.

That was very odd. I will have to ask Duha what that was about. "I'm going to find Topaz." Katja said.

I nodded turning back to the village. We ended up walking together to the tent, where Katja saw Topaz helping one of the men. Once Katja saw him, she gave me a small hug and then walked away from me. Eric put his hand on my shoulder. "You are coming with me before you collapse. You will eat and drink then you will sleep." I sighed as he led me back to his home.

That is exactly what I want. Some food and somewhere I can sleep where I will feel safe. He sat me down and brought me a bowl of whatever he was making. "You are running yourself ragged Reina." I nodded picking up the bowl and eating like I had been starved. His food was stewed vegetables and was a little on the bland side but edible. Eric watched me with a look of worry, making me eat slower than I had been. "I think I will have to pull you away from your tasks for an hour or two to eat."

I put my empty bowl down and sat back. "Everyone seems to need something from me so that would help." I yawned as I started unstrapping the armour. "I think I need to go home... when Kyanite comes... back." I said yawning in the middle of my words.

Eric came closer to me frowning. "Didn't you sleep last night?" I shook my head as he lifted me out of the chair. For once, I didn't feel afraid at someone other than Kyanite picking me up, so let him carry me to a bed.

As he laid me down on the soft mattress and covered me with a light blanket I was asleep.

Topaz took me outside the tent. "I didn't get to take you for dinner." He said, looking up at the dark sky, leading me away from the group of men that we had treated.

"That is alright. We have spent the day doing fun things so..."

Eric hurried over to us. "Ahh, sorry, I know it is your day off, but could you come and check on Rat? She is acting oddly and I'm worried I'm missing something." Eric said in a rush

Topaz looked at me. "Something is wrong with Rat." I said in his language.

He smiled. "I understood him... mostly. I was waiting to see what you would say."

I smiled and took his hand. "Let's go."

We followed Eric to his home when he stopped to talk to us outside. "She has been wearing herself thin and.. she said something about going home."

Topaz nodded seeming to understand something in those words that Eric didn't. Eric turned and showed us into the house. Reina was lying on a bed against one wall. She looked like she was just asleep. Topaz walked over to her and laid his hand on her head. She didn't move. Surely that would have woken her up.

Topaz smiled, and a small puff of smoke came from his nostrils. "She is asleep. I think she feels safe enough to sleep here so she is getting the rest she needs. It is my understanding that Rats can sleep lightly until they feel safe. She will be able to be woken up if we make a lot of noise but I would suggest letting her rest."

"I think he's worried that there is something more wrong with her." Eric waited for me to translate as Topaz turned back to her and gently moved her so he could check her out.

He finished and shook his head at me. "She is fine. Just very sleepy." Topaz said softly.

Eric breathed a sigh of relief. "That is what I thought, but she was eating like she was starved and was practically asleep before she took her armour off."

Topaz stood. "She needs to eat more." He said shrugging. Topaz came over to me and took my hand. "Let us go find dinner."

I smiled. "Let's."

Eric opened the door for us. "Thank you so much for taking time out of your day for me."

"That is alright," Topaz said with a small bow. We left Eric's house and Topaz took my hand. "Why do you not mind taking time out to help people?"

"I love learning new things so watching you work is fascinating." He made one of those pleased growls and put his arm around me, leading me into the centre of the village. "What does that growl mean?"

"It is the sound we make when we are very happy about something." He looked down at me and smiled.

"You must be very happy all the time then."

His smile widened. "I can't help but be happy. Good company will do that to you."

I laughed as we stopped at the door of my home. "Come on, let's get dinner here."

I opened the door and stepped in. Dinner was on the table already, and Michi was sitting there looking angry. We sat at the table and Topaz smiled at Michi. Michi glared back at him. This is going to be uncomfortable. I thought looking at the two men. Topaz was gipping his knees under the table. I'm starting to wish Topaz had taken me out for dinner. "I see you have made your favourite dad." I said in a light tone in the hopes of raising the mood a little.

Michi turned his glare on me. "I did and it's nearly cold."

Topaz sighed. "I am sorry. I was tasked to look at the men who arrived... then I was asked to check on Renia of the Dragon Fire. She was not eating or sleeping well."

Michi stared at Topaz like he had grown a second head. "You had to look after those humans? They attacked us!" He practically shouted at Topaz.

Ahh grate! Now, he is looking for reasons to attack Topaz. Topaz looked to me for help. "Dad, we came here to eat, not discuss the orders that Rat gave. Topaz was ordered to help the humans. If you don't like it take it up with her."

He gave me a surprised look and then frowned. "I just don't know why you would help them! They attacked us!" As he spoke he started to serve the food. I glared at him as I patted Topaz on the arm. Michi saw the expression on my face and then cleared his throat. "At least tell me we did a lot of damage to those bastards." He muttered.

Topaz shook his head. "They were.... tired and had... some small wounds." He said uncomfortably.

"I don't think we should discuss wounds at the dinner table. How is the boy today, Dad? Did he behave?" Please talk about anything else. I begged with my mind.

Michi took his seat with a sigh. "He took his medication and settled."

Topaz smiled and looked at me. "Katja... is there something wrong with the boy?" His voice sounded all business, and I smiled until I caught Michi glaring again.

You have got to be kidding me. I thought as Michi stood. "His health is being cared for by Eric!"

Topaz flinched. "I do not... that could be seen as an insult... but I don't know how else to say it." Topaz muttered to himself, making Michi stand and puff his chest out again. "I do not wish to stand on anyone's tail. I only asked because this is what I know."

"He has an infection." I put in before Michi could explode.

Topaz nodded picking up his spoon. "Do you know what he is being given Katja? The mixture of herbs Eric uses is so different to my own that I can't help but be curious as to what it is."

"Then ask him." Michi muttered into his food.

I smiled, inwardly sighing with relief as I seemed to defuse the situation. After admitting, I didn't know, we all ate with just me and Topaz talking. Once the meal was complete, Michi went upstairs with the boy, and I followed Topaz into the night. "I am sorry If I have coursed tension between you and your father." Topaz said with a small bow.

"Ignore him, Topaz. He is just overprotective. Even if spending time with you cursed tension with him, I would still do it. I've not had very many friends in my life and... I like you." Topaz smiled and took my hand. "I wish he was nicer to you."

Topaz shook his head. "Do not fear I will walk away, Katja. I like you too so he will not chase me off." I frowned at his words as they seemed to mean more than I could figure out. "Now I must tend to my patience before I head to bed." He gave me another bow as he changed back into his dragon form.

"Are you coming for breakfast?" I blurted to keep him longer.

Topaz smiled. "If you wish me to, then I shall see you here in the morning." He raised my hand to his chin and rubbed it.

"I will see you in the morning then." I said flustered.

He let my hand go and turned, walking away. I watched him walk up the street with his tail swishing behind him. My heart thumped into my rib cage, and I felt the heat of my cheeks. What the hell is wrong with me? He angers Michi and I'm inviteing him over again. I shook my head and walked in steeling myself for the conversation I would have with Michi.