(I think this is my favorite out of everything I've ever written. I am having a lot of fun making it. I realize there hasn't been much action as in fights and such, but more of the emotion type. I really like character feelings, and I hope it's as much fun to read as it is for me to write.

School starts tomorrow. Going to have a lot of tough classes this year, so updates will likely be a lot slower. Hope this one is good.)

Chapter 10

He felt something warm and wet press up against his cheek for a brief moment, before a pressure was put on his paw. It stayed there for no more than two seconds, but it was enough to wake the previously sleeping Jet.

His eyelids fluttered for a moment, the blurry-seeing eyes behind them taking a couple seconds to adjust accordingly. Kodi stared at his paws, ears pressed against his head asking silent permission for forgiveness.

"Didn't mean to wake ya," he said apologetically.

Jet yawned, briefly showing an impressive display of shining white fangs, before his jaw shut with a barely audible 'click'.

"Don't worry about it. It's time I get going anyway."

Lifting his muzzle into the air, Jet could smell yet another rain storm making its way in. And judging from the foreboding grey clouds forming out over the sea, the storm would likely bring more than just a little rain.

"When can I see you again?" Kodi asked softly, taking Jet's gaze away from the sky.

"I'll come back tonight."

"Promise?"

"Yes."

Kodi smiled. Jet couldn't resist. Getting to his paws, he returned the gesture. "I'll see you later."

"Bye!"

Jet left his brother's home feeling better than he had in some time. Feeling slightly hungry, Jet decided to go pay his friend the butcher a visit. He made the half mile trip in about three minutes, and of course there the man was. The two had become good friends, though the butcher had not yet been able to get Jet to eat from his hand.

There were already a few scrap pieces lying out on the floor for him, which Jet helped himself to gratefully. With the near constant food, shelter, and not to mention amazing friends and family, Jet's physical recovery was just about complete.

There was very little evidence left on him to show for all the fights he'd been through. Except for the scars that would remain ever-present beneath his cheek and shoulder fur, it was almost as though none of it had ever happened. Of course, he knew better than to think that way.

The butcher gave Jet a few more scraps, before turning his eyes to the sky.

"Looks like a nasty storm's comin' in. Gonna have to close up."

The butcher gave Jet enough time to finish his food before closing up, leaving Jet alone in the alley way. The wind began to pick up, whistling through the narrow space with increasing velocity. Maybe he should've stayed at his brothers.

There was no way he'd have time to make it out to the boat; he'd have to find somewhere to hide, and quick.

Jet scurried back out to the main road, finding it largely deserted, and the few people that remained outside were moving indoors. It looked like the coming storm even had them on edge.

"Hey, Jet."

He looked around, feeling confused when he saw no one. Had he been hearing things?

"Look up."

Jet looked up.

Perched atop the home to his right, was his friend Nova. How had she gotten up there?

"Wanna come with me?"

"Where are you going?"

"To watch the storm. Come on!" Without waiting for an answer, Nova leapt clean off the house before zipping away. Jet ran after her.

She led him through Nome's housing district rapidly, before coming to a home on the west side. It was further away from the town, about twenty five yards away was the nearest home. It was a two story construct, made of wood like most of the other buildings in the town. The sea was no more than 100 yards from it, giving them a clean view of the rapidly approaching storm. Most of the windows appeared to be broken as well.

"It's abandoned. This is where I usually stay." Nova informed him.

Jet nodded. "How come there are no humans?"

"I'm not sure, but I think that they are afraid of this house. Don't know why though. And I don't care, long as they don't come in."

He acknowledged her statement with a flick of his ear. He supposed that was fair enough. But he still had one more question.

"Why don't you want to live with people?"

She shrugged. "I just prefer to be free. After what he did to me, anyway."

Jet felt the curious side of him take hold. He'd never really spoken to Nova about her past, it had always been about him and making him feel better. Of course, she seemed to know what his thoughts were, and continued unprompted.

"He used me only to get money," Nova put a disgusted accent on the word, "they would throw dogs in a ring, make bets, and then have them fight to the death. I'm lucky I survived it."

Jet had nothing to say. What could he say?

"I had no idea…" Jet said, hanging his head in shame. The life of a fighting dog was cruel, and often very short. The few that were lucky enough to survive it were often scarred for life. Not just physical scars, either, but mental. Being trained to kill all your life, seeing so much death, most of it caused by your own bloody paws… it took its toll on the mind. Jet knew that from experience.

It just made Nova that much more amazing.

"That's why I don't like to talk about it. It hurts to think about those whose lives I cut short. I wonder sometimes, am I a murderer?"

And then, suddenly, their roles were reversed. Usually Nova was the one trying to comfort or help him. Jet found himself being suddenly thrust into the 'comforter' role. It was a part he hadn't played in a long time, but it came back to him with ease.

"Don't you dare think like that," He said sternly, before taking on a calmer, more sincere tone. "I know it hurts, I…"

"You've killed someone?"

"More than a few…" and slowly, gently, he revealed to her his past. He left out one important part though. Minerva. Oh how even the thought of her hurt.

He knew that leaving Minerva out could and likely would come back later to haunt him, but at the moment, he didn't really care. It was as if all else in the world was gone, and Nova was the only one he had ever known, and would ever know.

The wind picked up, blowing harder, ruffling their fur and whipping across the land. And there the two were, standing right out in the middle of it. A storm boring down on them, but it didn't matter. Not in the moment. Without words or action, the two made peace with each other. They had both seen and done terrible things. But together they let go. They let the past go in a whirlwind of old memories and emotion.

"We'd better get inside." Nova said eventually.

"That sounds like a good idea."

And just like that, it was over.

Nova brought him inside. The bottom floor was one huge room, shaped like a rectangular prism. They entered on the side facing town, as there was the only door. The door itself was long gone, leaving only a few rusted hinges and the barest hint of a frame. The windows were in much the same condition, the glass having long ago been removed.

Only the wooden floor remained, but even that was beginning to rot away, and as such it creaked and moaned under the two canines' weight. Only a stone fireplace, set against the back wall of the large, rectangle room, and a similar stone, spiral, staircase placed on the far right remained.

Without so much as a word Nova proceeded up the staircase, Jet following right behind her. Their claws clicked on the stone annoyingly, and he resisted the urge to sneeze as her tail brushed lightly against his nose. He paused to allow her to reach the top, before scurrying up after her.

The upper floor was nothing more than a single hallway and a few rooms. On Jet's left were three doors, and on his right was only one, at the opposite end of the corridor.

The first door to his left was cracked open the slightest bit, but Jet resisted the urge to peek inside. Nova brought him to the only door on the right, but there was one small problem.

"It's locked," Jet said, as he attempted to push it open.

Nova's only reply was a sly smile. The husky stood on her hind legs for a brief moment, slapping a paw down onto the handle.

Jet suddenly felt very stupid. With nary a sound, the door opened up. This room, unlike the one below him, had a threadbare red carpet covering the wood floor, though sections of it were missing. As per usual, none of the four windows in this room had glass either. This room ran the length of the building, but was only one fourth as wide. Two windows were on each side, while two more were in the wall before him.

Between those two windows was another door frame. It looked large enough to fit two doors, actually, and rusted hinges on either side proved that there actually had been two doors. Beyond where the doors would've been was a small balcony. There were no rails around it, but there was a roof over it.

Jet suddenly wished he could've seen this place when it was still being used. He could imagine a set of sparkling glass doors occupying the frame, windows and perhaps curtains draped over them. And he could imagine a person sleeping in this room.

The person would wake in the morning, open up the glass doors, and step out onto the balcony. They would be able to breath in fresh air. They could also sit up here and watch the sun set behind the water, or watch storms as they rolled in off the sea, like he and Nova were now doing.

They were sat beside each other, about twelve inches of space between them. The wind had died down for a moment. The calm before the storm.

"I like watching storms. They just seem… I don't know, mighty?"

"As in powerful?"

"Yes."

Jet nodded. He couldn't agree more.

Lightning lit up the grey clouds which rolled in off the sea, and every so often a bolt would lash out at the water's surface. The thunder seemed to shake and vibrate their building to its very core. Then the winds returned, and with it, the rain. Forced to retreat back into the room from the cold and blowing rain, Nova and Jet were content to watch and listen.

Listen as the rain crashed against the roof over their heads. Watch as the lightning seemed to intensify, bringing with it even louder and more intense thunder. The chilly winds which whipped through the entire building, managing to disturb the two even inside.

Without even realizing, the two moved closer together. It took around thirty minutes for the storm to die down, turning into nothing more than a gentle rain. Jet felt a weight lift off his left shoulder, and rotated his head to see Nova yawning.

"You have a comfortable shoulder," she said jokingly.

He felt warmth radiating from his face. He hadn't even realized!

Nova laughed, sensing his embarrassment. "Don't worry, I didn't realize either until just now."

Unsure of what else to say, Jet went into default mode. "Well… thanks for… for everything."

Nova frowned. "You're leaving?"

"Yeah." He didn't want to overstay his welcome.

He could feel that Nova was disappointed, but she hid it well with a smile and a laugh.

"Well then, I'll see you around."

"Definitely."

And with that, Jet turned and left Nova alone once again.