Here it is, Chapter two of my since renamed story A Tail of Peace. From here on out everything is my own creation, except the characters. They are still owned by Humble Hearts.

Chapter 2: A Helping Hand

The battle was over, the Moonbloods where at peace once again, thanks to the San-Mithrarin. While all the Moonbloods, as well as Ginger knew that one day the Sen-Mithrarin would be born anew. They had agreed to tell anyone who would ask of his whereabouts, or him specifically that Dust was dead. Upon the agreement with Elder Gray Eyes the Moonbloods broke camp in front of Everdawn Basin. Half went with the Elder to live a new life at the Blackmoor Mountins, and rebuild Zeplich Village. While the other half went with Ginger to resettle Denham Village and live in Aurora Village. All the while telling any who asked that Dust was dead.

One Week later.

*Haley's POV*

"Dust was Dead." It was a phrase that haunted her very nightmares ever since she was told. While Haley was told of Dust's death a week ago, the memory was still fresh.

*Flashback*

"we need supplies for our travels. That's way we came here." Said the Moonblood reptilian warrior Sanjin.

"I can probably find something for you if you need Raw Supplies, other wise you two are out of luck." Matti replied. "Unfortunately we are a Forge, not a general store."

"I am well aware of that." Sanjin then gives Matti a paper. "These are the supplies we need."

Matti looked at the paper, it was a list of supplies that, luckily they had readily available. "No problem. Haley we have an order!"

Sanjin was really hoping not to hear that name, being one of her regular customers during the battles, he knew how she felt about Dust. Hopefully they wouldn't ask about him.

Haley walks out from the Forge, and takes the list of supplies from Matti "This should be easy enough. By the way where is Dust? Didn't you say you where headed back to Aurora?"

Sanjin really hated his job as the Messanger sometimes.

*End Flashback.*

She remebered that she cryed non-stop when she was told that horrible news, it got to the point that Sanjin's travelling companion, a tan furred Warmblood Vixin named Ginger, had embrased her in a hug and didn't let go until she would finally stop, she stayed in her arms for about an hour. Now, though things had changed a little bit. She was still upset about the death of Dust but her now daily counseling sessions with Ginger where almost the lone bright part of her day. If Haley was being honest it wasn't counsiling more then it was just 2-3 hours of them just talking like the friends they have become. It was great talking to someone other then Matti at least once in a day. For now, she had to get this armor done, while she was no longer commissioned for it, that didn't change the fact that she just had to finish it.

*Ginger's POV*

Ginger was prepparing to go on her way to Archer's Pass to see her new friend Haley for another "Counciling session," really it was nothing more then just a talk between friends if Ginger was being honest. As she left her house she gave herself a moment to take in the sights of Aurora Village. Honestly not much changed from the time she arrived, except for a Statue that was being worked on in the town square. She could still remember when the news was broken to the poor villagers.

*Flashback.*

The Village was in a state of mourning for the fallen hero Dust, the Town Guard had switched to all black uniforms, as well as all the villagers coming to the center of the town to prey for his safe passage into the Life Thread. Even Mordecei, the somewhat lovable shop owner had closed down his shop. Something he had never done before according to the villagers.

After the honorary day of mourning. Mayor Bram had announced that a statue be erected in honor of their fallen friend, and had commissioned the finest Stone Masions in all of Falana to build it, this included some of the villagers of the underground village of Mudpot. They owed everything to him, in comparision this was the least they could do to honor Dust.

*End Flashback.*

It was still hard to belive looking at the statue's near complete state that it was commissioned five days ago. If Ginger didn't know better she would think they had been working on it for a least six months. She couldn't really gawk to long at the craftsmanship, after all she was running late for her 'meeting'.

She had tried to talk Haley into moving in to her house as a temporary move to help her more, but each time she refused saying that she needed to help Matti at the Forge. If only she would move away from the Forge, maybe she could make some more progress. Oh well no use in worrying about that now.

She finally made it to Archer's Pass.

"Hello Ginger." Haley said in a flat tone. At first Ginger was taken aback, but then she looked at the workbench

"Again? Haley, you really need to stop beating yourself up over that, you don't need to finish it." Ginger stated softly.

"I know, I want to, it was the last thing he commissioned me to make after all." Haley halted on her work as tears slowly fell from her eyes.

"You need to get a vacation or something, this Forge is just filled with too many memories for you to stay." after that was said Ginger embraces Haley in a hug. "my offer still stands."

"Thanks, but no thanks. You already know my place is here." Haley loved the offer, but she just couldn't accept.

Today they talked about their hobbies. At least the ones they did away from work in Haley's case. To Ginger's great surprise, Haley was a reader, and she loved it to, if her list of books she read was anything to go by.

"What about you? What do you like to do Ginger?" Haley was truly curious, it seemed she loved helping people, but their had to be something else.

"Flower arrangements. I love doing floral arrangments for the Village." No real shock as far as Haley was conserned. To her, Ginger seemed like an average girly-girl.

One Week Later.

Haley still couldn't belive that Matti had agreed to Ginger's proposal about her staying at Ginger's house in Aurora and working at the Forge during the day. When she asked why Matti agreed to the proposal, he said 'you look like you can use the time away.' So now here she was, with Ginger on the way to her house. It's been 3 days since the move, but it still seemed new to journey all the way to Aurora Village, in fact when she went for the first day she even got new clothes.

*Flashback*

"Are you done unpacking yet?" Ginger asked her new house guest.

"Yes, I just finished, it's all in my closet." Haley replied

Ginger was always curious as to what her friend wore when she wasn't working so she came into her room and went into her closet.

"No offense, but all I see are off-grey tops and overalls. Where are the rest of the clothes? What do you wear to sleep?" Ginger questioned.

"These are all my clothes, as for sleeping I just take off the straps of my overalls and sleep in the jeans and top." Haley stated as if it was the easiest thing to comprehend.

"No, I will not allow my friend to be uncomfortable, you need proper clothes and sleep wear." Ginger said with passion.

*End Flashback*

She remebered that Ginger tried to give her some of her old clothes, only to find that Haley's chest was too big to fit in her old dresses. "How big are you!?" Haley still laughed when she thought about that, she totally forgot that her bust size was somewhat hidden by her overalls. After a while Ginger had determend they would go to the shop, but Haley had found some other clothes upon digging and was allowed to keep them after asking about them. Score free clothes, she maybe a tomboy, but even she loved 'shopping' sometimes.

They finally got to the house after about a ten minute walk in comfortable silence. Once they went into the house they decided then and there to call it a day.

"I'm going to go get dressed. It's been a long day today." Ginger said, trying and failing to hide a yawn.

Haley of course giggled "I'm going to my room to read."

Haley was sitting at the edge of her bed, facing the doorway, reading one of her favorite books. After about ten minutes of reading she put her book down and what she saw made her blush. Normally Ginger closes her door, which faces Haley's room, when she's getting dressed, not today. Haley saw Ginger's panty covered butt, she couldn't help herself, she gave out a wolf whistle and a shout. "MMM... I want a piece of that tail." As far as Haley knew, she wasn't gay, but that was to good an opportunity to pass up on that joke.

*Ginger's POV*

Ginger couldn't belive that Hayley's brother allowed her to stay at her house, apparently Matti saw the same thing she did, hense way he didn't give her proposal a second thought. This was only day 3 of having Haley at her home, but already she was sure this was going to be a work out in patience.

*Flashback*

Ginger gave Haley one of her old dresses. "Here, try this on."

"Ok, be right back." Haley went in to the bathroom just off or her room to change, after about five minutes she came back into the room. "It feels tight."

'Thats an understatement' Ginger thought, it looked like Haley was about to burst out of her old dress. Ginger finally found her voice when she said "How big are those!?"

"What, jealous?" Haley said with a playful undertone. "To be honest I kinda forget that they are as big as they are, since my overalls make them look smaller."

Ginger couldn't argue there, the overalls really did hide a lot, A LOT, of her figure. "Any way those aren't any good." Haley agrees as she steeped back into the bathroom to put her old clothes back on. Then went with Ginger to raid her closet. Ginger was almost out of ideas when Haley climbed back out from the top of the closet. "What about these? Are these any good?" They where her brother Jin's old clothes. She forgot she even had those. "If they fit you can have them."

*End Flashback.*

To her surprise, Jin's old clothes did fit Haley, she had told Haley that the clothes had once belonged to her brother. When Haley heard that she tried to offer them back, only for Ginger to give them back stating "You need them more then I do." To which Haley mouthed the words "Thank you." After about maybe ten minutes, they arrived at home, not a moment to soon, she was getting tired.

"I'm going to go get dressed, it's been a long day today." She said stifling a yawn, she thought she was successful, until she heard a giggle.

"I'm going to my room to read." Haley said as she went to her room.

Ginger walked into her room and slowly started to undress, man she must be more tired then she thought. After about ten minutes of working on her shirt and blouse, she took off her skirt and thought she was leaning toward a closed door. A wolf whistle from her new found Rabbit housemate told her other wise.

"MMM...I want a piece of that tail." Haley shouted from her room.

Oh no...In her fatigue, she forgot to close her bedroom door. Her tail went stiff in shock, giving Haley an eye full.

"Now I definitely want a piece of that tail." Haley joked as an embarrassed Ginger slammed her door shut.

As that was going on in Aurora Village. In The Glade, bright blue eyes opened up, after two weeks of being shut tight.

I know it doesn't seem so yet, still early, but my idea is to make this a DustxHaley story, with GingerXHaley implied heavily through Haley's jokes, as you have seen here. I don't know if I'll actually pull the trigger on the second one, or just keep it friendly banter, and I do intend for Ginger to get a few of her own licks in later. Oh yeah and DUST IS BACK BABY!

Till Next time

Sasuke149