Authors Note:Sorry for long update time. I started college and that kind of took up a lot of my time. This is a sequel to Ryo's gift. If you haven't read that one you should read it before reading this. Hopefully I will have the rest of this story posted sometime in the next two weeks. Will probably make changes to this part (like spelling and a few things that I am not sure I like) but I thought if I got the first chapter up I would have an incentive to finish it over my fall break.

the stuff in bold is dream sequence

the stuff in itallics is telepathic speech

&&& means time has gone by

"Ryo"

Ryo jerked his head around. He could hear the voice and he knew that it was somewhere nearby. It was getting closer. He had to get away.

"Ryo, you can't escape me. I will always be able to find you."

He didn't know what to do. He wasn't real sure where he was; everything seemed hazy and took on a surreal quality. Ryo only knew that he was in a forest somewhere, it was dark, and he was positive that his father was chasing him. He tried to call out to his friends, to anyone, but there was no response. There was only silence. His foot caught on a root and he fell. The ground bit into his hands and he yelled in pain.

"I killed them Ryo. They can't help you now."

He scrambled to his feet and continued running. He could feel the tears start down his face. His friends were dead and he had done nothing to save them. It was his father that had killed them. It was his fault.

"What did I tell you about crying!"

A hand grabbed his shoulder and jerked him around.

"NOOOOOO"

Whiteblaze looked up as his master shot up in bed. He could make out tears drying on Ryo's cheeks. Whiteblaze stood and climbed onto Ryo's bed, where Ryo latched on to him in an attempt to draw comfort from his familiar presence.

It was a dream. You're ok and they are too. They're asleep but if you keep projecting your fear the way you are they won't be for long.

Ryo quickly and easily put up the necessary shields, and briefly reached out to see if he had disturbed any of the other sleepers in the house. No one was awake besides him. He had become stronger since he was with his father. Whiteblaze had been helping him and he had built on top of the things that he had already learned. Things he had once struggled with, he now did without thought. He held onto Whiteblaze and slowly felt himself calm down.

I think it was the same dream.

Whiteblaze nodded his head. Ryo had been suffering from nightmares for two weeks. He couldn't remember what happened in them but he always woke with the horrible feeling that his friends were gone.

Are you going to tell them?

Tell them what? That I have been having dreams that I don't remember and I wake up every night scared and crying. There is nothing they can do. I don't want to worry them.

Ryo let go of Whiteblaze and lay back down on his pillow. Whiteblaze curled up on the bed next to him and rested his head on Ryo's chest.

They would worry but they wouldn't fault you in any way. It's not like you haven't worried them before.

Ryo laughed quietly.

I know Blaze. I guess I'm just not ready yet to share my problems. I just need some more time.

Whiteblaze could tell that Ryo's body desperately needed to sleep but Ryo was fighting it.

Sleep. I will keep the dreams away tonight.

Ryo nodded and slowly started to close his eyes when he remembered that Cye was cooking. Cye insisted that everyone be at breakfast in the morning and even forced Rowen to roll out of bed for breakfast whenever he cooked.

Eat Cye for me if he comes to wake me up for breakfast.

Whiteblaze laughed at the image Ryo sent with his message. It showed Whiteblaze with Cye's kicking feet hanging out of his mouth. Ryo smiled as his eyes closed and he drifted off to sleep, confident that Whiteblaze would protect him from his dreams.

&&&&

"Whiteblaze move! Breakfast is ready and even Rowen has already managed to get down stairs to eat." Cye was trying to fight his way past a very determined cat. Every time Cye tried to get past Ryo's door Whiteblaze would growl and playfully swat at him. "Please let me in already! If I don't wake him up now Kento will eat all the food."

I am under orders to eat you should you get past this door. I would appreciate it if you wouldn't come any farther I would hate to have to eat you.

Cye wasn't even surprised to hear Whiteblaze talking in his head anymore. They had all become used to hearing Whiteblaze and Ryo talking to them.

"I'm sure he didn't actually mean it. It was just a joke…right?"

While Cye had been talking he had slowly moved forward and was now partially inside of Ryo's bedroom. Whiteblaze crouched down low to the ground like he was going to attack and began to growl. Cye decided not to test whether or not Whiteblaze would eat him and turned to go back down stairs.

I'll wake him up in another hour or two. Try and save him some food.

Cye nodded and went down stairs.

"Where's Ryo? You better not have left him sleeping after you dragged me down here." Said a very groggy Rowen.

"If you want him down here so bad then you go wake him up but be warned, the tiger has orders to eat anyone who comes past the door." Rowen, who had stood to get Ryo, sat down at hearing the tiger was going to eat him.

Morning went on as usual and Ryo was up when Whiteblaze said he was going to be. Everyone was slightly worried about him. They had all noticed that he looked like he hadn't been sleeping well but they didn't want to force him to tell them what was wrong.

"Kento have you gotten the mail yet?" Kento briefly looked up from the video game he was playing and shrugged. "I am expecting a new computer program and I hope it doesn't sit in the mailbox all day."

"It won't hurt it Rowen and besides I am about to beat Kento for the third time today." Said Cye without taking his eyes off the game.

"It's not like it takes all that much to beat him." observed Sage. He and Ryo were playing a game of chess or at least Sage was playing. Ryo seemed more interested in watching Cye and Kento play.

Cye the short cut I was telling you about is coming up on your right.

Cye smiled at Ryo's message and took the short cut.

"Ryo you sure seem distracted today. You're going to lose in three more moves. Are you helping Cye win again?"

Ryo looked up as he heard Sage talk to him. Sage just pointed at the board and Ryo saw that Sage was right. He was going to lose.

Well someone has to beat him at that stupid game. He won't figure out that Cye is taking shortcuts for at least another week or two. It's fun to watch.

"I withdraw," said Ryo

Ryo turned and looked the two gamers just in time to see Kento throw his paddle and tackle Cye. They fought playfully for a few minutes before resuming their game.

"I don't see how you're doing that. One minute you're almost in last place and then you're in first. I didn't even see you pass me!" whined Kento as he reset the game

"It's skill Kento. Just face it you're loosing your touch." With that said they started to fight again.

"Since I can't seem to beat you today, I think I am going to go for a walk with Whiteblaze." Ryo yelled over the sounds of the fight on the living room floor. From the sounds of it Rowen had joined in too. Sage nodded his head and waved before wading into the fight in an attempt to break it up before they broke something.

Ryo walked outside and whistled. It didn't take long before Whiteblaze came running through the woods to greet him. They left from the house and headed toward the forest.

&&&&

"Whiteblaze! I'll get you next time, you just wait!" yelled Ryo

They had both left from the house just planning on walking a few trails but on a mere whim they had left their normal path for one that they had never used before and were now playing with each other. Ryo couldn't help but play. For some reason he felt so free and even though it was well past lunch he was reluctant to go home.

Whiteblaze seemed to be in the same mood he was in. Ryo was hungry but he felt so full of energy that he just wanted to do something, anything at all. He just wasn't sure what it was he wanted to do. Right now though, he was chasing Whiteblaze down the trail in a game of tag. Whiteblaze would jump from behind a tree and hit Ryo and then he would run away. Ryo could almost see the smile on Whiteblaze's face as he somehow continuously managed to surprise him.

Ryo rounded a corner and was immediately pinned by Whiteblaze. Ryo was sure Whiteblaze was smiling now. He could see it in the tiger's eyes and almost feel it in his head. Ryo laughed and tried to wiggle his way out from under the tiger. He laughed even harder as Whiteblaze licked his face.

"Let me up! Come on Whiteblaze, I don't need a bath." Ryo said between laughing and being licked by Whiteblaze. He wiggled a little more and managed to get partially free only to have Whiteblaze sit down on top of him. Ryo got a sudden image of what they must look like. A tiger lying down on top of a squirming boy, the only part of which could be seen was his head and his feet. The image seemed so funny in Ryo's head that he started laughing even harder. Whiteblaze was purring on top of him.

Whiteblaze jumped up and started running again. Ryo stood up and started the chase again. He got to the cliff that overlooked the lake before Whiteblaze caught him again. This time Ryo was prepared. When Whiteblaze jumped to wards him, Ryo jumped out of the way and then quickly jumped on top of Whiteblaze. Then Whiteblaze caught him off guard. He twisted knocking Ryo off and then pinned him again.

For a moment Ryo just laid under Whiteblaze with his eyes closed, enjoying the feelings of happiness and freedom that seemed to be rushing through him. He felt like all the scars from the battle with Talpa and the time spent with his father were gone. For the first time in a long time he felt like a normal teenage boy. Whiteblaze realized that this was what his master was feeling and shared the feeling as well.

Ryo laughed as Whiteblaze nudged his head almost like an impatient child wanting to get back to a game.

Come on. Get Up. I can't catch you if you aren't going to run.

OK, OK just give me a second will you.

Ryo opened his eyes and Whiteblaze got up again. They both raced down the path, Ryo laughing happily as he played and Whiteblaze purring and roaring in triumph as he caught Ryo.

They rounded a corner and something red caught Ryo's eye. He stopped and looked down. The path had twisted and turned but in the end it looked like it was going to end up at the lake. Ryo looked through the branches and thought he could see something red waving in the wind. He thought maybe it was a shirt since it wasn't that far from the dock.

Blaze can you make that out.

Whiteblaze came to where Ryo was standing and looked.

I'm not positive but I think it is a child's blanket or something along those lines.

You're not sure though?

Not a hundred percent, no.

Race you then.

Then they both started running down the slope to see who could reach the blanket first. At first Ryo was winning but Whiteblaze easily caught up to him and passed him.

Just cause you have four legs…

Ryo let his thought trail off. He was close enough now to see what the red thing was. It was a blanket but not just any blanket. It was his blanket from when he was a young child and first introduced to the basement of his house. If it was here then it could only mean…

He is here too. Dad is here somewhere.

Ryo could feel the old fear returning. His father knew where he lived because the ronins had sent him an invitation when he had first returned to his father's house. At first Ryo had worried that his father was going to come but it had been almost a year since he had last seen his father. There had been no sign that his father was going to try and find him but now…

Ryo it will be ok. If he were going to do something he would have already done it. I think he just wanted to scare you.

Ryo let Whiteblaze's words slowly calm his fears.

If you want I'll stay out here and look for him. You can go back to the house and if he is out here rest assured that he won't bother you.

Ryo could feel the anger radiating off of Whiteblaze. He knew that Whiteblaze would like nothing better than to kill his father. Ryo couldn't say he blamed him.

Ok…just be careful. I don't know what I would do if anything happened to you.

Whiteblaze jumped up and licked Ryo's face before turning and heading into the woods. Ryo looked at the blanket one more time. It was just waving in the wind, a corner of it caught on a piece of wood. It looked innocent enough but Ryo somehow knew that its presence marked the beginning of something he wasn't sure he wanted started. He slowly reached up and pulled the blanket down and then turned and headed back home. He briefly considered telling the others but decided that he didn't want to needlessly burden them with his own growing problems. He slowly began the trek home without Whiteblaze.

Ronins

"Can you hear me?"

"Of course we can Kento. You are talking out loud again." Cye was smiling as he hit Kento's head with a well-aimed pillow.

"Cut it out you two. We need to figure this out." Sage glared at Cye and Kento.

For the past month they had been working secretly on learning to communicate using the bond they all shared. It was hard work keeping it secret from Ryo since he shared the bond as well, but Whiteblaze was doing a good job in hiding their activities. They had discovered only accidentally that the bond could be used to talk to each other and not just send feelings when they were in stressful situations. On the day they discovered it Cye had been talking nonstop to Rowen about his new goldfish. Rowen being the patient person he was put up with it, but finally he reached his breaking point. He told Cye to shut up, but instead of saying it out loud everyone heard it in their minds. Now that they knew it could be done it was only a matter of practicing so that it came easily. They wanted to be able to surprise Ryo once they mastered it. Rowen had come up with the idea of one day just starting a conversation with Ryo using the bond to see how long it would take him to realize that they were communicating telepathically. They were all looking forward to that day because at the moment Ryo could talk to them but they couldn't talk to him. Most of the time only Ryo could initiate a conversation and even then it was only one way. Except for the few times that Sage was able to make contact, Ryo was basically only able carry on a meaningful conversation with Whiteblaze. Whiteblaze had understood the need to keep their idea secret from Ryo and was helping. He had also given them a few pointers to help them learn faster.

"Ok lets try it again. I think we are almost there. That last time before you started talking out loud I thought I could almost hear you. This time focus a little more"

Can…me?

Everyone looked up in surprise and smiled. Only part of it had gotten through, but they were getting better. It was only going to be a matter of time now. They had to stop as they heard Ryo coming up the porch stairs. Everyone rushed to look like they weren't doing anything. Rowen picked up a book. Kento jumped onto the couch and turned the T.V. on. Sage put headphones on and pretended to be meditating. As the door opened Cye began lecturing the unprepared Ryo about skipping lunch. Ryo still didn't suspect anything was going on.

Later that night

"I killed them Ryo. They can't help you now."

He scrambled to his feet and continued running. He could feel the tears start running down his face. His friends were dead and he done nothing to save them. It was his father that had killed them. It was his fault.

"What did I tell you about crying!"

A hand grabbed his shoulder and jerked him around. He refused to look up at the person that had grabbed him. He didn't want to look up and see the face because he knew that he would see his father.

"Look at me boy when I'm talking to you."

Ryo jerked away and just missed the punch aimed at his head. The hand on his shoulder lost its grip and Ryo started running again. He wasn't sure where he was going but he felt that he was heading in the right direction.

"You can't escape me boy. You might as well give in. Your friends did."

Ryo searched for the bond, hoping that maybe they were just too far away for him to reach with his gift alone. He felt nothing. The place in his mind where his friends belonged was silent and dark. They were gone. They were truly gone.

Ryo shot up in bed, his breath coming in gasps. He was scared and this time there was no calming voice to help him. Whiteblaze was searching for his father. Ryo had told him that he would be ok, but now he was regretting his decision. It is much harder to calm your own fears when you are alone in the dark.

His nightmares had never bothered him this much before. Most of the time he would wake from them and the fear would fade quickly. He would normally go back to sleep afterwards. That wasn't the case anymore. The fear stuck with him, refused to go away and with every dream it got worse. He couldn't calm down and he was so tired of being scared. He couldn't remember the dreams so he didn't even know what he was scared of.

He checked his shields to make sure they were still strong. He had made a promise to himself that he was never going to invade his friends personal privacy and normally only projected his thoughts. Tonight, he knew that he was going to violate his own promise.

He grabbed his pillow and a blanket from his closet and headed to the room shared by Kento and Cye. He wasn't exactly sure why he chose their room but he felt drawn to it. He quietly opened the door and lay down between the two beds. He reached out and connected to both Kento and Cye and let their dreams rush over him. He was safe now. He could sleep. He drifted off still sharing and enjoying the comforts of his friends' dreams.

Cye POV

Cye was swimming. He was enjoying the security and safety of the water, but he almost thought he could see something red out of the corner of his eye sometimes. He tried to focus on it but it always faded when he turned to see what it was. Eventually he had given up on discovering what it was he was seeing.

He had been swimming for awhile when he felt something change. He was floating above himself watching as everything around him went dark. The wind started blowing and the scenery changed. A cliff loomed in front of him and the water was choppy. He looked up at the top of the cliff and he could see a man holding onto a limp form. The man began shaking the person he was holding. To Cye's eye the person was glowing a dull red.

"I won boy!"

"RYO!"

Cye screamed as the man threw the body over the cliff and jerked awake only to realize that he was not the only one screaming.

RYO POV

At some point during the night Ryo had drifted out of Kento's dream and was only watching Cye. Kento was dreaming about a pizza that was trying to talk him out of eating it. Cye on the other hand was in water. Ryo could never enjoy water the way Cye was in his dream and he was drawn to the sensation of security and peace.

He wasn't sure how it happened exactly but somehow his nightmare had found him. Cye had seen part of the nightmare and was now screaming. As Cye stopped screaming, Ryo heard his own voice screaming as well. He was shaking in fear and kept his eyes squeezed shut. He wanted to stop, needed to stop, but he couldn't. He had never been this scared. Something was running down his cheek.

What did I tell you about crying boy?

The voice, he thought maybe it was from his nightmares, but this time he was hearing it while awake. Something was wrong. He heard a crashing sound like the breaking of glass and then what sounded like a stampede. The door was thrown open.

Miss me boy?

Whiteblaze, Rowen, and Sage all came running into the room. Ryo latched onto Whiteblaze and buried his head in the tiger's side. The shaking was worse.

You can't protect them. I will win.

Whiteblaze begin to put shields around Ryo's mind. Shields Ryo didn't know how to build. There were yelling voices, but Ryo didn't know what they were saying.

What? What are you doing…Oh I see...Your tiger might be able to protect you tonight but he can't protect you all the time.

Suddenly the fear and the voice were gone. He was still shaking and now his head felt like it was going to explode. He was so tired.

Sleep Ryo.

Ryo's arms went slack and his head began to fall sideways towards the floor. In an almost human gesture Whiteblaze caught Ryo's head with his paw and slowly lowered it to his pillow. Only then did he turn to deal with the other Ronins.

Ronins

"What is going on here?" yelled Sage

"I don't know I was sleeping and then I heard Cye and Ryo screaming. I woke up. What was he doing in our room anyway?" asked a confused Kento

"Cye you were screaming, what was going on?"

Cye looked briefly up at Rowen when he asked the question but didn't answer. He continued to watch Whiteblaze and Ryo. He gasped as Ryo slid sideways unconscious.

"Cye?"

"I don't know ok! I was dreaming about swimming. I thought I saw something red. Then nothing. I don't remember anything else. I just remember being scared…"

They all looked down at Ryo then. When Sage and Rowen had first come into the room they had seen the fear in Ryo's eyes.

Someone attacked him.

"What!" All the Ronins began to talk at once. No one could figure out how Ryo had been attacked when there was no else in the house. A roar silenced them. Ryo didn't stir.

He wasn't physically attacked. I think he had a nightmare and I wasn't here. He sought comfort by coming in here and he probably attached himself to Kento and Cye's dreams.

"But I didn't have the reaction Cye did. Maybe he only went to Cye?" Kento looked around to see if anyone else could come up with something and then he remembered, "No wait he was there I think. I don't remember really but I thought I heard him say something about how I only think of food. Then he was gone."

It's possible that he started out with both of you and then switched only to Cye. The point is in order to do this he let down a few shields. Someone got into his head destroyed all of his shields. His body reacted to the stress by shaking. The fear was partly his own but most of it was due to the manipulation of the person who broke into his mind.

"Wait a second. You said that he came in here because of a nightmare and the fact that you weren't there. Where were you Whiteblaze? And how do you know he had a nightmare?"

Whiteblaze sighed and looked down at the boy lying at his feet. Ryo didn't want the others to know about the nightmares or the possibility of his father being after him. If he told the Ronins then he would breaking Ryo's trust but if he didn't far worse things could happen. Ryo had forgiven him once for breaking his trust maybe he would again.

Ryo has been having nightmares for the last few weeks. He doesn't remember them when he wakes up. He wakes scared of something he can't remember and positive that all of you are dead. I wasn't here because I was out looking for his father. His father is back and could be after him.

"Wait you mean Ryo didn't tell us any of this? Why was he keeping it all a secret?" asked Cye.

He didn't want to bother you about the nightmares and neither one of us were positive that his father wasn't just trying to mess with Ryo's head.

"He is going to be ok though?" Everyone looked at Whiteblaze waiting for the answer.

I think he will be ok for now. He's sleeping. I put up shields in his mind that are far stronger than Ryo can build. They should keep him safe for a while but Ryo won't be safe until we can find the person that did this to him.

Whiteblaze paused and waited for everyone to nod their understanding before continuing.

I realize that it is mid summer, but I want someone to go down stairs and light a fire. Kento carry him down stairs. He is real weak right now. The fire will help build his strength back.

Everyone moved to follow Whiteblaze's orders. Kento carefully picked Ryo up and took him downstairs and Rowen built the fire. After laying Ryo down next to the fireplace they all found sofas or chairs to sleep on. No one was leaving him alone. They all watched amused as Ryo turned towards the fire and Whiteblaze lay down behind him.

Ok I am going to sleep now I recommend all of you do the same.

They all waited until they were sure that Whiteblaze was asleep before talking again.

"Who would have thought that we would end up taking orders from a tiger?" Rowen whispered

"Yeah that is kind of funny, but until we can talk to Ryo and find out what is going on Whiteblaze is our best bet." Replied Sage.

"Well, see you three in the morning." Kento said as he turned over on the sofa.

Rowen also got comfortable and had his eyes closed not to long afterwards. Sage looked over at Cye. He hadn't said much at all since they had run into the room. In the darkness Sage couldn't tell if he was sleeping or awake but if he was awake he was watching Ryo. Sage fell asleep wondering if maybe Cye remembered more than he was saying.