Seto crack his knuckles. He had slept enough in the last two decades. Yugi, after his outburst, had fallen asleep practically in Seto's arms. Not before he insisted Seto wear a cover over his gender. He obliged if it meant the boy-hobbit would not blush so fiercely. He laid Yugi out on the bed. The sheets lacked dust because Seto had used this room many times in the past. He watched Yugi as he slumbered. He had little disturbances in his dreams as Seto could tell. He sighed. He was bored again.

"Wake up soon, little Hobbit," he whispered.

The group stared at the mountain road. They had made it. Ryou breathed; just pass the road lay the old brownies' mines and where Yugi could be trapped by a dragon. He waited until the rest of this group passed by to follow. The leader, Bakura, said he had a map that gave directions to another secret path, one the dragon did not know of. He had said he stole it from a scholar and that it was that path which had rescued some brownies from the fire. Ryou and the others were skeptical, but they had come up with no such plan to get to Yugi. They also had no real plan at all.

Ryou squeezed the charm Mai had given him. He looked at Bakura again. He knew the man was determine to find Yugi, even at the cost of his own life. That showed in how he came in his venture without a second look. Ryou also saw that he would brood at an empty space beside, as if he talked to someone there. He kept staring that he did not notice Tea flick his ear.

"Ah!"

"Hmm, watching someone?" Tea said, winking her eye.

"No. And aren't you watching Joey?" Ryou turned away to see Bakura scowl at them.

"He's fine. Duke and him are getting along quite well." Tea pointed to where Duke was telling Joey of his heroic deeds. Ryou rolled his eyes. Duke's stories were shallow at best but intriguing with how he gave the end a twist.

"What is it now?" he asked Tea.

"Something about a hobgoblin and tork; I'm not sure. Back to you. You like him and I think he might like you, so talk to him."

"I can't," Ryou said and had his horse trot higher.

She doesn't know, Ryou thought, no one does. It is this affliction that father sent me away.

He remembered the pure rage in his father's cold eyes. Ryou had spent the day as he did. Work in the libraries, practice with his bow, and stare at the brawny elves that would sweat and remove their armor. Ryou would spend his time watching them train and enjoying the masculinity he lacked. On that day his sister, Amane, caught him swooning over one particular elf, a soldier named Odis. He was tall and had auburn hair with brown eyes. Amane scoffed at Ryou. She threatened him. So Ryou kept to himself. But father found out, to Ryou's disgrace.

Ryou kept thinking to how father found out. Amane was awful, however she kept her word. Ryou buried his face in his hands.

Let this be different. I want a new life and Yugi is part of that. Ryou looked at Bakura again. The man was talking to Duke now, Tea and Joey laughing about something. He looked at Ryou and smirked briefly before turning away. Maybe Bakura is too.

By night fall, they had reached the mountain pass Yugi had entered five days previous. Ryou gulped. He was afraid of the dragon. He was afraid Yugi was on the brink of death or worse. Ryou knew dragons' quirks. Some could become attached to things. Yugi may be alive, but that did not mean the white drake did not capture him. Ryou sat with the group as they ate their stew. It was the best thing he has had in weeks.

"W'ere de map?" Joey asked. He glared at Bakura. The man spit out the sugar cane he had stuffed in his bag.

"Right here." He took out an old map, first new age, with drawings of when peace encompassed all Middle-Earth. "The passage is here, at the entrance of the mines. The way inside is not locked, but difficult to find in night. Get a few hours' sleep then I will wake you all. There is a rise of the fog at first light and it isn't for long."

"Dat's good, but how we goan and git Yugi outta dere?" Joey growled.

"I don't know," Bakura said.

"What? Boss, you don't have a plan!" Duke said.

"No. I've been trying for these past days, but all I know Yugi is half dead of thirst. He can handle starvation and we have a limited window of time. So, yes, we're going in with nothing but fool's hope for survival and safety."

Everyone was quiet. It was Joey who spoke. "He kept us alive, wese gonna do the same." He got up and walked away. Tea went to go after him, but Duke grabbed her.

"Let him be," said Ryou.

"But…"

"He can smell him. I think he's just trailing Yugi, but we also need to rest." Duke led Tea to her bedroll.

Ryou stayed by Bakura who folded his map.

"Sleep, Elfling. You'll need it," he said.

"Ryou."

"Mmh."

"My name is Ryou, son of Lord Fumio of the Red Woods."

Bakura furrowed his brow then barred his teeth. "I don't care for your damn titles elf."

"I mean for you to remember my name. This time being the third I have told you since we met."

Bakura opened his mouth but Ryou kept speaking.

"I am tired of being called these things. I have a name. Ryou, not elf, not elfling, and certainly not princeling. I no longer have the title, but Eru-damnit I have a name!"

"I know your name and be quiet there's a dragon here," Bakura said.

"Well, get used to saying it. I plan on staying. And—" Bakura placed his index finger on Ryou's lips. Ryou blushed at the contact.

"I'd stop but it is amusing to see you glare." Bakura leaned in closer. "And I think my little brother will love for you to stay, once we retrieve him." Ryou was blushing harder as Bakura's nose touched his. Then the finger came off his lips and for the first time he had a kiss. Ryou kept his eyes open. Bakura's lips were dry and crisp, however the kiss was soft and hardly there. It was over in seconds. Bakura went to his bedroll. Ryou went to his and let his fast pace heart slow. I guess now I have Yugi and Bakura to keep.

Joey sniffed the ground hoping to track Yugi's scent. The moist air diluted the ground and made any scent blur with another, but Joey was the best. He pawed through the terrain with the smell of honey as his guide. Yugi would eat any treat with honey on it; once the boy had ate pure honey syrup from the bottle. He was sticky for two days and had leaves decorate his clothes.

A sniff later and Joey's snout found what it was looking for; Yugi's scent was getting stronger. Joey started after it. He ran to the honey smell as it grew stronger until he stopped. The trail ended at a rock covered in green plants. Joey sniffed around, hoping the trail would pick up. The scent ended at the rock as Joey made his third turn back. He began to push the stone, maybe roll it over to reveal a passage. The rock would not budge.

Joey whimpered and walked in circles. Where was Yugi? He could smell him. Joey knew the boy had come through here, but the trail ended at a rock. He remembered Dicho saying there was a secret way for the mountain, but Joey doubted it was a rock. He heard Tea calling for him. He should not leave her with only the elf for protection.

He began to walk back when his snout caught another's scent. It was fresh, meaning Joey was not alone at night. He inhaled deeply for the scent to come to him; it was like breathing smoke from the fire, except this smoke carried the smell of man flesh and blood. Joey listened to the night. Swift motions were small in step, but caught them. The steps were definitely human, but there was another element to this creature. The smoke seemed to be coming off its body. Joey listened more to the motions until they disappeared. He ran. He had to go and warn the others of their dragon.

Seto rushed to check on his pet. He ran as fast as this body could take him. That skin changer was out there with a motley crew of weaker beings trying to steal what was Seto's right. He would show them. He got in through the tunnels he carved for such occasions. Entering the treasury, Seto shredded his cloak and became his dragon form. He glided through the air, knocking down trinkets and more statues, which were rubble. He stopped at the rooms and found his boy-hobbit searching through the wardrobe.

"Hello," he said.

Seto sighed. Those beings would never find Yugi. He chuckled. He, Seto the White Dragon, was frightened by the prospect of an elf, a mutt, and three humans coming to take what was his. It was ridiculous. They would not make it pass his fire. He lowered his head to be eye level with Yugi. The boy-hobbit rummaged through the wardrobe and took out each dress. He was looking for something.

"I can't find a decent pair of trousers," he said after a while. "I'm grateful for the clothes, but could you have let me keep the trousers?"

Seto grinned. Yugi shook his head. "I guess not. Well, I give up." Yugi turned to face the dragon. He smiled sweetly and came to lean on one of Seto's claws. "Do you want another story? You seem quiet and maybe I can finally get through the whole tale."

"Yes, I will love a story. However, can you finish the one you started yesterday?" Seto asked as he gestured for Yugi to come closer. Yugi climbed on his hand to where he was staring into Seto's right eye.

"The one about the bean stalk? Sure." Yugi cleared this throat and began to spin a yarn of bravery and stupid courage for the young farmer boy. Seto listened and smiled at his new pet.

I can't worry if he is happy. He is; now to just keep those pests from coming in, he thought as Yugi was at the part with the gold egg goose.

Some hours later, Yugi had fallen asleep again. Seto watched him as usual, but he also lay down with Yugi. He was back in human form with a loin cloth for cover. He stared at the boy-hobbit. His chest rose and fell with small breaths. Yugi also wiggled closer to Seto. He did not know why, but the boy seemed to want to get closer to him. Seto started to maneuver closer too. He stretched out his hand to stroke Yugi's plump cheek. Then Seto turned and both hands were in Yugi's hair. It was still soft. Seto then found himself with a small creature snuggled on his chest with the tips of tri-colored hair tickling his chin. Seto sighed and buried his face in the hair. This was nice.

However that could not last long as three shadows crept in the dark, searching for the lost.