The Heart of a Warrior

A.N: I wrote this bad boy for a friend for Christmas. Also I'm informing you that I've never played the games and have only seen the Movie: Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn. He said it was awesome. So i hope ya'll like it.

Master Chief sighed softly as he leaned back into his cryo unit. His heart was heavy. Cracking his wrist he tried to loosen some of the tension in his body but nothing helped. At times like this he thought of all those who he'd lost over the years. He would move on because that was who he was, but he couldn't help but feel responsible for all those he'd lost. Maybe one day he'd forgive himself but this day wasn't it or any in the near future. Resting his head on the back rest he looked over to where Cortana was waiting for orders.

"Wake me if you need me."

Closing his eyes he allowed the cryo sleep to claim him. Where he would wait till he was needed again.

Cortana looked down that the button on the revival. There was a distress call from a neighboring plant. Deciding it was for the best she slammed her hand down on the button starting the awakening process. Master Chief groaned softly as he came to.

"What is it Cortana?"

"A distress call from this planet."

She showed him a grid with the planet nearest to him. He slowly rose from his cryo pod. His bones cracked as he stood up. It was just another day to try and rid the worlds of the aliens that threatened the human race.

"Let's do this."

"Are you sure?" Cortana asked softly.

He gave a curt nod. Moving towards the cockpit to land the craft on the planet. Once he landed on this seemingly deserted planet he stepped out carefully. Cortana wouldn't purposely drop him right in the middle of a hot zone, but he looked around cautiously. An angry howl echoed through the woods. Deciding that was the best place to go to look for the ones that sent out the distress call. The sun was starting to set on the horizon. Master Chief moved slowly through the foliage. The sound of fighting drew his attention towards the darkness. Carefully with slow even steps he approached the edge of a cliff covered by bushes and heavy vines. What he saw below shocked him. A woman was fighting off a hunter twice her size by herself and with her bare hands. Her hands curled almost like claws as she lashed out and severed the hunter's jugular vein. There were two humans behind her; the male was injured from what he could gather. The other woman was trying to patch their male companion up while keeping her eyes open for any threats. The woman that was fighting was snarling angrily at the dark woods. Once the Hunter went down she looked around and growled angrily. Then her eyes shot in his direction and narrowed. It looked like her lips curled up in anger. Deciding it was best to show himself now he leapt down from his hiding spot just in time to put a bullet in a Hunter's head. It dropped where he shot it.

"Who are you?" the woman on the ground demanded.

"Just call me Master Chief. I got your distress call."

The woman looked at the man then back at the other woman who was standing protectively in front of them. Blood dripped from her fingers as she eyed him warily. She looked like some wild creature that dared anyone to try and tame her. He had a hunch that no one could.

"Layla stand down," the woman on the ground said. "I've heard of him before."

Layla looked over her shoulder at the woman and growled softly. Just because she'd heard of this so called 'Master Chief' didn't mean trust could be doled out so easily.

"I'll stand down for now," she growled. "But don't expect me to forever."

"Of course not Layla."

"We should move out," Master Chief suggested.

Layla snorted at his words but went to the man's side and helped him up. Then she looked at Master Chief. Her blue eyes flashed crimson for a second. She would allow him to help but the moment he showed any signs of distrust she'd kill him.

"Lead the way Master Chief."

He gave a curt nod before heading back the way he came. Suddenly Layla stopped and handed the wounded man over to the other woman and started scenting the air. Master Chief could tell that this woman, this Layla, was a very strange creature indeed. She was wild as if she was barely holding onto her control.

"Layla?" the woman asked.

"Get them out of here Master Chief," she growled softly. "I got these bastards."

Leaping forward she slammed into something that wasn't there. Blood sprayed all over the trees and plants. They started moving forward away from Layla who was tearing into the Hunters who appeared after their comrade went down.

"She can see them?" he asked the woman as they ran.

"No, she can't see them but she can smell them. Layla is different."

An angry howl echoed through the silence of the woods and a huge black wolf darted forward. Master Chief was about ready to knife the wolf but the woman stopped him with a hand on his wrist. She moved forward towards the wolf despite Master Chief's protests.

"Are they following us?"

She gave a curt nod before jerking her head foreword. With a heavy huff she paced off into the woods.

"Layla is different," the woman said again.

Master Chief nodded his head as he started following the strange black creature. This was turning into a bad dream rescue. After few moments the wolf would back track and check on their progress before walking vanishing again.

"I'm Amara," she said. "And this is Blake."

Blake just groaned softly at the introduction. When Layla came back a second time she just stopped in her tracks facing the three. Her fangs were bared and her hackles were on end. Her eyes were shifting from crimson to blue and back again. She grew larger and leapt over their heads taking down the hunter with her superior weight. Clamping her jaws down over the throat she kicked backwards taking flesh with her. The creature gurgled a second before twitching and going still. She spit out the blood and flesh.

"Run!" she snarled angrily.

"I have an extraction point up ahead."

"Then go," she growled. "No matter what just go, even without me."

Master Chief just nodded his head and helped Amara carry Blake.

"If you didn't help why send out the distress…"

"Because even a creature like Layla can't hold up forever in a fight."

The sound of roaring engines made them press on. The extraction ship was about twenty yards away. They rushed for the dock. In a rush they were on board the two remaining members of his team guarding their rears.

"Creature?" he finally asked.

"She calls herself a demon," Amara said. "We found her sleeping in one of the deep caves on the planet after a run in with some of those things. Our team nursed her back to health and began to train her in our ways. That was five years ago."

Master Chief looked at the opening of the cockpit wondering if she had fallen. A loud howl erupted and she exploded from the forest. Her fur was covered in iridescent orange blood. She landed in a heap on the floor of the ship as the doors closed. They took off into space. Master Chief knew exactly where to take them. He eyed the huge wolf carefully. Layla changed back and rose unsteadily and strapped herself into one of the seats and fell asleep easily. Blood dribbled a bit from two parallel gashes across her shoulder. He went for his bio foam, but Amara stopped him.

"Don't. She rarely sleeps and when she does its dangerous to wake her especially when she's in pain and trying to heal herself."

He gave a curt nod even though he didn't understand why she was telling him this. He leaned back and let his thoughts drift.

Master Chief looked down on the space ship Infinity. They would take these three in. Lasky would take the trio in no questions asked from him. It was always about a debt that could never be repaid. Amara approached the viewing deck to stand beside Master Chief. He could tell that she had something on her mind. So he waited to hear her out.

"You should take Layla with you," Amara said softly.

"No," he said.

"Why not?" she demanded.

"Because where I go she can't follow."

Amara just smirked at the man. That set him on edge right away. It was almost as if she knew something that he didn't. He never could really trust a woman that could smirk like that.

"Do you want to lay a bet that she can follow you where ever you go Master Chief?"

Layla was sitting on the lower deck watching the stars. Her ears twitched occasionally. He couldn't get over that a human could have an animal form and not be considered alien and a threat. Though she'd proven herself in the fight on her planet. Her strength and courage shown through the toughest battle, and she was willing to die to defend her companions. After the battle she'd seen the way Layla watched Master Chief. He was one of the pack, as she called it, now. And pack he would remain to her until either she or he died.

"She's attached to you already Master Chief, you should take her with you."

"No."

Amara just shook her head at the man. She knew his story without him having to say it. His stance told all. He was a warrior that had lost too many comrades in the battles he'd fought over the span of his long life. He was tired and yet there was no rest anywhere for him. She could also see he wanted a companion but didn't want to risk loosing them to the enemy or even time. She was determined to make him see that he could take Layla with him and not have to worry about her much.

"Have you not seeing what Layla has taken and bounced back?"

"She needs to stay with you."

"I warn you here and now Master Chief, she will find you if you leave her here. There were days that I assumed she was made of shadows and could appear anywhere."

He looked down at her and then back out over the approaching ship. "Did you know that Layla in Arabic means night?" Amara asked as she looked over her nails.

Master Chief tried to ignore those words wondering where she was getting at. They would part ways here and that was final in his mind. Hopefully they would be useful to the USNC's cause and he would never see them again especially the creature known as Layla. She was a mystery that he didn't want to solve.

A year later…

Master Chief looked up into the eyes of a Hunter and stared death in the face. He'd used up all his ammo and lost his knife in battle he just fought against the last ten hunters before this one. An angry howl echoed through the woods making both Hunter and Spartan start. Something black and white blurred through the forest and slammed into the hunter. Purplish blood sprayed all over his green armor. The blur didn't stop with the one as it leapt into the hoard. In what seemed like hours only took a few moments before the hoard was dead. An angry growl echoed through the woods. Gleaming red eyes were getting larger as they moved closer. He couldn't find the energy to move or to fight. The eyes melted to blue as a figure could be made out in the dark. A huge wolf stalked from the woods. White claw marks crossed the gleaming black fur. It approached him carefully. Then he recognized those eyes.

"Layla," he coughed.

She was at his side in seconds. She assumed her human guise and helped him sit up. A bag was dropped beside her as she fussed over him.

"Where exactly are you hurt Master Chief?"

"It's nothing I can't handle," he groused.

A soft growl escaped her lips. This wasn't the time to have a friendly spat over his stubbornness.

"Come we should go before more come back."

"What are you doing here?"

"Didn't Amara make a bet with you whether or not I could find you wherever you are?"

She was sure he was shocked that she knew anything about that. "She told you also that I had grown attached to you."

"But what about your friends?"

"They are safe with your friend Master Chief. It's you who needs a friend, a friend that doesn't bow so easily to death or even time."

She hauled him up. She steadied him when he started to sway. "Lean against that tree and give me a minute and make good use of these."

It was a weapons bag. It had lots of ammo, a few guns, and a long knife. He loaded the guns up and slung them over his back and then placed the knife where his old one used to rest. He leaned against the tree wondering what she was doing. Layla focused her inner strength and let it explode outward. When the light died away she was the size of a Clydesdale. Moving forward she laid down. Her ears and eyes always on the lookout for the enemy.

"Come on Master Chief get on. Call Cortana to meet us."

He looked at her in confusion. She rolled her eyes. "I'm basically a big horse right now."

With a bit of hesitation he hauled himself up onto her back. His hands took big fist full of her neck ruff. She planted her feet allowing him to get settled and so she could get used to his weight on her back. It was rare that she allowed anyone to sit on her and use her like a steed but this man, whoever he was underneath was something special she could tell that. He was a wounded soldier in need of healing. She knew she'd lay her life down for this man, she couldn't explain why and some part of her knew. She would always be able to find him where ever he was no matter the distance.

He wanted to say something but didn't know what to say. There was something that told him this might be a bad dream but he had a feeling that she was really there. He didn't want to let anyone in because he always was the one that made it out alive when others failed to do so. She probably wouldn't be any different.

"Hang on tight."

Before he could even reply she darted forward. He barely had seconds to grab a handful of her neck ruff to steady himself. The tree she'd been standing next to exploded pelting them with debris. Layla drove through the woods until she came out on a dirt road. Digging her claws into the mud she paused only for a second before power exploded through her and she leapt forward. And all she could think about was getting this man out safely. Mud and dirt exploded up all around them as she ran for their lives. Then she skidded to a halt smelling the disgusting scent of old blood, a strange metal, and the stagnate, musky scent the Hunters carried. They were surrounded. Her ears twitched madly.

"Make a run for it Chief," she growled. "I got this."

He slid off her back and faced the enemy. His hand was resting on her shoulder. There were white marks there now and he remembered her being hurt in that area the first time they met.

"No, let's finish this fight together."

She nuzzled his chest with her nose before diving forward. He followed her taking out as many hunters as they could before they could board the ship.

Layla sighed softly as she lay down on the deck of the Forward Unto Dawn. They'd been together for a few months and soon Master Chief was going to go back to sleep until he was needed again. Her ears lay back because she didn't know how long that would be. Getting up she knew that she had to talk with him before he went under. She got between him and his cryo pod. Her fangs were bared at him. It was irritating to her that he always hid behind his mask.

"When are you going to take off the armor that covers your body and your heart?"

He wouldn't look at her. "How pathetic all that courage to save others and yet you save none for yourself. You don't even have the courage to look me in the eyes."

"What would you know?" He finally snarled as he faced her. "What would you know about loss?"

"I know plenty. Those hunters as you call them came to my planet and slaughtered my entire family and clan. Even the other clans weren't safe. They captured me with a great deal of trouble might I add."

"They don't take captives."

"I'm different than humans Master Chief. They tortured me and when they landed I fought back. And the locals namely Blake's team took me in and trained me until the hunters came back. So I do know what real loss is Master Chief. You hide yourself like a coward in that armor. At least I know what it means to accept the loss for what it is and move on."

She turned her back on him and walked away. He would stew on that for a bit she knew it. And it made her smirk when she could rile him up a bit. She would hit him until he snapped and admitted to needing someone. She was prepared for a long wait, but the watching would be half the fun, she was a demon after all.

Master Chief retreated to his room. He stood in the bathroom looking at the mirror. Something in her words made him angry so in a fit of rage he punched the mirror shattering his image. Blood dripped from where the shards had gotten through his armor and dripped down the sink. Wincing he ripped the shards out one by one dropping more blood down the sink. He turned on the water to wash away the blood. He vowed right then and there that her words wouldn't affect him anymore. He was the way he was for a reason and he didn't need her coming in and ruining the armor he'd built up through the years.

Some months later Cortana looked over at the sleeping wolf and then at Master Chief. She refused to be put in cryo like him, and her reasoning was that she wanted to be able to dream, dream of things her heart desired and longed for with every fiber of what she was. She'd fixed the ship on her own while Master Chief slept. It gave her something to do other than to sleep and pace back and forth like a caged animal. Her blue eyes came open as if sensing her eyes on her and stared at her.

"Something wrong?"

"A distress call."

"I'll go."

She rose gracefully, and moved to sit in front of Cortana's stand. The ghost like holograph started back at her with almost a blank face, but Layla had learned to read the subtle emotions in the AI's face.

"Master Chief won't like this."

"Let him sleep."

She rose and headed towards the ship. The AI looked at Master Chief worriedly. She knew that Master Chief would be upset if she allowed Layla to go out there alone. Slamming her hand down on the reactivation button starting the process. Layla may hate her later, but Master Chief had grown fond of the black wolf since she'd been with them even though she'd never hear it from him. She'd done a planet scan there were a lot of enemies. They needed to work together.

Master Chief shook himself as he came out of the Cyro tube. He looked around for the black wolf and she was nowhere around. He knew Cortana would know, but before he could even ask his AI beat him to it.

"You and Layla are needed."

"Where is she?"

"She's gone ahead."

Cortana heard him cussing a bit under his breath. She hid a smirk knowing the wolf was getting under his skin. He went towards the nearest pod to get on the planet's surface. He was going to give that wolf a stern talking to about going into situations without backup. Cortana smiled softly knowing that in his own subtle ways Master Chief would do anything for Layla. This two were bound together in more ways than one and whatever god that was listening will keep it that way for a very long time.

Master Chief landed on the planet.

"Keep in radio contact, Cortana."

"I will Master Chief."

He followed the trail of Hunter bodies that littered the ground. The screams of humans made him dart forward. His gun was up ready to shoot any the enemy that may have gotten past Layla. When he finally found Layla she was holed up in a room that looked like a class room. She was covered head to toe in orange blood. Her fangs were bared and her eyes were crimson. A feeling of déjà vu washed over him. Her form was almost as tall as he was. There were seven young teens and a teacher standing behind her hulking form. He could see they were afraid, but they were armed to the teeth. Layla's eyes were crimson and her fangs were bared. She relaxed a bit seeing him.

"Who's that?" one of the students asked.

"Just call me Master Chief," he growled out.

His gruff voice was directed towards the black wolf who visibly tensed at his words.

"These are the only ones I could find thus far Master Chief."

"I heard a distress call from somewhere further in the building."

"They're dead. I got the call too."

He nodded his head before looking over at the teacher of the small group. He figured as much but still. Layla looked at the older woman's uniform and it had Haley stitched in a dark green lettering.

"Finish arming your students Haley."

Haley gave her a curt nod before returning to the ammo lockers and punching in her codes. Layla looked over the contents she noticed a saddle bag looking item.

"Load the extra ammo into that bag tie it to my back."

Haley nodded her head and started loading the bag to the max before tying it around her flank so she wouldn't be unbalanced when she shifted. Master Chief looked out the door waiting for the okay from Layla. She moved to his side and nudged his shoulder with her nose. He faced her.

"They're ready as they'll ever be Master Chief."

"If we make it out of this you and I will have a long conversation about your insubordination."

"Yes, Chief."

She looked at him with a wolfish smirk. "Let's Finish This Fight Together, Master Chief."

The students and teachers looked back and forth wondering what had just happened. Master Chief took a step back and allowed Layla to stick her head out the door and sniffed the area. She jerked her head back into the room forcing Master Chief to back up further into the room. The loud thud of heavy footsteps silenced all questions. Layla got into a crouch and her eyes started bleeding crimson. Her hackles were raised. He grabbed her neck before she could leap into an unnecessary fight. The door shut in front of her.

"Easy Layla. You're scaring the cadets."

She looked over her shoulder at the kids. Seeing the fear in those kids turned something in her to molten lava. She shifted to her humanoid form and slammed her fist against the door handle. Darting through the small opening she charged into the hall. The Hunter's energy weapon was the only thing visible and that was all she needed to see. Darting forward and shifting at the same time she slid under the creature's feet and came up behind it without giving it a chance to fire a shot. She drove her clawed hand through its chest and ripped out its still beating heart. Orange blood sprayed all over her. As many times as she'd killed these things the scent of their blood made her stomach turn. Changing back to her wolf form she shook the blood from her body. Then she moved back to the room. The door slid open and there was a really pissed of Master Chief standing there.

"We're good thus far so let's blow this joint. I saw a warthog sitting out front almost to the tree line."

She turned around and stepped out carefully scenting the air for anymore of the Hunters. Moving out of the way she allowed Master Chief to take point. He moved the group of eight down the hall. His gun was up and scanning the hall as he went. She was taking up rear guard in her humanoid form. Her clawed hands were curled and ready to strike at a moments' notice. She knew that she was in deep shit when they got back to the ship. Suddenly the air shifted then and the temperature went up a few degrees from behind her. Her hair stood up.

"Chief," she whimpered.

That stopped the entire procession. He looked back in her direction."Run."

She lashed out knocking all eight people to the ground except for Master Chief. Her blood splattered his armor. Layla grimaced in pain as the energy blade was driven through her side. The crystallized weapon broke off in her side but she ignored the searing pain. Whipping around barely she raked her claws across its eyes making it screech in pain and reel back allowing Master Chief to take the critical shot dropping the huge beast to the ground.

Master Chief froze as he felt blood splatter over his armor. His heart froze in his chest. Blood was dripping in waves down her black fur. He scrambled to her side as she and the hunter fell.

"Layla!"

He frantically checked over her. For once his calm facade in front if others in war shattered if only for a moment. He yanked out the purple shards. Then he came to a startling realization, he loved her. This angry black wolf with a human form meant the world to him.

"Is she going to be all right Chief?"

He looked up at the kids standing beside them. He pulled out his canister of bio foam and was about ready to jab it into her would but Layla stopped him. Her eyes were filled with pain but she was fighting it for the sake of these kids.

"I'll live without it Chief," Layla groused as she rose albeit unsteadily.

The female teacher allowed the black wolf to lean on her. She shifted to her human guise with a heavy sigh. Master Chief turned his attention to one of the male students.

"Can any of you drive a warthog?"

"Yes," the tallest male said as he stepped forward.

His name tag said Zephyr.

"Then let's go, shooters at point driver in the middle."

The fourth was a teacher who was holding up Layla despite the shocking revaluation that she was more than she seemed. Somehow they managed to get to the rendezvous point. Haley started fussing over Layla once she got her situated on a bench. Layla just pushed the woman's hands away. Master Chief watched the interaction quietly. She lifted her shirt to show that the wound was only an angry red line covered by drying blood.

"That wound should've killed you!" Haley exclaimed.

Layla looked away from the woman. People liked to point out the obvious and it annoyed her to no end.

"Yes, it should have but I'm made of some strong stuff."

"You are," she agreed.

"I just need to sleep."

Before anyone else could protest or question her further she passed out. Master Chief watched over the sleeping wolf carefully until Haley tried to draw him into conversation.

"Where will you take us Master Chief?"

"To the USNC spaceship Infinity."

She nodded her head knowing of the ship and its purpose. They all looked over at the sleeping wolf. He got them onto the Forward Unto Dawn and into the cryo chambers so they could start their trek to find the Infinity. He forwarded a message to Lasky in order to let him know he had more people that needed somewhere to go. Now he needed to go find that stupid wolf that was always getting into trouble. He found her walking the hallways. She was exactly like her name suggested. Amara had told her that in some ancient forgotten race's language Layla meant 'night', and she'd more than proven herself to be able to move like a creature made of night and shadows. She'd showered and changed. Without warning he pulled her into a dark room and yanked his helmet off and captured her lips heatedly for a few moments before pulling back and panting softly.

"Don't do that again!" he growled trying to hide his worry with gruffness.

She smirked at him but he couldn't see that. There was some part of her that told her the heat in his words was forced. He was trying to cover up the worry he'd felt at her being hurt even after all the times she'd told him that she could handle her own fairly well. She would turn this on him though. He needed to admit to her that he cared even if only a little bit. Even the smallest hint of caring would be enough for her. It was about time that his thick armor around his heart needed to crack just a bit to allow someone in to try to heal his wounded spirit.

"Is that an order Master Chief?" she purred.

"Yes," he growled before taking her lips again in a heated kiss.

He pulled away and led her to the corner of the room where some blankets were stashed. He pulled her down onto the blankets.

"Sleep Master Chief."

He put his helmet back on out of sheer force of habit and lay down on his side facing her. She waited till he was asleep before she shifted and curled up around his form. Layla knew then this was the true heart of her beloved Master Chief. He would always put others first because that was the way he was. She could see the hurt of the loss inside of him. It was a festering wound to the heart that she intended to heal, because they were alike in the aspect that they had the heart of a warrior inside, and they would mend together.