The wind whistles through the trees, gently nudging the leaves as it passes by. The grass waves to the sky as the wind passes by, less soberly and more like it was wishing it well on it's journey. I sprint up the grassy hill, leaping from small bump to small bump with the grace of a falling cat, but as nimble as a deer. I reach the top, staring in awe at the puffy clouds passing by in the deep blue sky. The wind is the strongest up here, almost pushing me over! I gasp in surprise as a black blur bowls me to the ground, but close my mouth as something warm and wet grazes my cheek.

"Ella!" I exclaim, as warm brown eyes gaze back at me. My friend yips in happiness, wagging her tail. My hands reach out towards her, the soft yet firm hands of a youth whose adventures in the wilds have not left him completely unscathed, yet one who comes back every time. My hands stroke my pet's coarse black-and-white speckled fur. Ella deftly dashes to my side as I sit up. Noticing the flowers on the hill around me, I reach down and grab one. I lift it off the ground, examining it closely. The seemingly countless petals capturing my gaze and my interest. A wet black nose shows interest in the flower as well, sniffing it in my hand. The tags on it's collar jingling.

"Do you want it Ella? Do you want the flower?" I tease. My speckled friend responds with a happy yip. I open my palm, and she carefully picks it up in her mouth. "Good girl!" I exclaim joyously, reaching behind her ears for that sweet spot that just seems to melt dogs into a big puddle of happiness. The relaxed look on her face just melts my heart, right up until she sneezes. The sheer force of it shoots the pollen on the flowers around us up into the air, and I burst out laughing. A joyous laugh, one of a youth whose innocence outweighs his experience. One who hasn't had everything taken from him. The laugh of someone who is genuinely happy.

"Rise" a voice penetrates the scene. I don't seem to notice, laughing my heart out. "Rise human!" the voice insists. My head jostles back and forth as the scene slowly fades away. I hack and cough, trying to loosen the knot in my throat. "Good, human is still alive." I loosen my eyes open. In front of me stands the speaker, and presumably the one who woke me. All four of his eyes searching me, the bright blue in them a stark contrast against the flowing green and gray cloak behind him. My unlikely ally stands before me, and judging by his hesitance, and lack of hostility, he hasn't forgotten my actions earlier.

"Human has saved Kovran. Kovran did not think human would help a scavenger." My unlikely ally, named Kovran, shifted. "Kovran will return human to human's people as repayment. Kovran is curious though, why would human help a scavenger that human attacked earlier?" I cleared my throat, stalling for time to think.

"I attacked because I was afraid you would attack first. With your weapon, if you attacked me I would have had no chance unarmed. So I had to attack first, it was the only way I could have possibly won."

"Very strategic of human-" Kovran started, before I cut him off.

"You don't need to keep referring to me as human."

Kovran inclined his head. "Then what is human's name?"

I open my mouth to respond... but nothing comes out. I think back, trying to remember. Nothing. Wait... I'm remembering something. I remember tags, tags on a collar. For a split second, Dog Tags flash in my memory. I see them in my hand. All I can read on the dog tags is a single name.

"My name is Toland," I reply with confidence. Kovran nods.

"Kovran sees, but Toland has not answered Kovran's question. Why did Toland not leave Kovran in the claws of the hive?" So that's what was chasing us... at least I have a name for what will most likely plague my nightmares for weeks to come.

"As soon as that tanker exploded and the... hive... started to screech, we looked each other in the eyes. I could see in yours that we both just wanted the same thing: to survive. In that moment, you trusted me, and I trusted you to help each other escape the claws of the Hive. I wasn't going to violate that trust as soon as it became convenient."

Kovran nodded in agreement. "Toland has shown valor, and rescued Kovran. For that, Kovran is thankful. If Kovran meets Toland again, Kovran will not forget." The scavenger extended his hand towards me, in what I would assume as a near-universal gesture of friendship. I took his hand in my own, and he pulled me onto my feet. Pain tickled my arm as I did, and this was when I noticed that claw marks stretched across my arm. Surely it would leave scars. For now though, the pain was manageable.

"Kovran cannot trespass upon House of Light's lands, so Toland must finish journey alone." The scavenger hit a button on the side of the room we were in with one of his lower arms. Six circles sparked blue on the floor, before the panels slid open. Kovran gave me a nod, and I leapt down the hole. After an extremely brief fall, I landed on the grassy ground on my hands and knees. As I stood up I gazed into the sky. Six panels closed on the underside of a gray-green ship, which then sped off into the distance with a rush of wind.