"He told me he'd wait at the edge of town once he had conducted his own business," Kent explained. "I don't think he feels very comfortable in civilized areas."

"We used to run into mountain men like these sometimes when I was with the army," Heath said. "A strange bunch, to be sure, but reliable."

"Then..." Florina looked around. "Where is he?"

They all peered at the people around them, not spotting anyone matching the description Kent had given them. It was starting to get late, and they were anxious to go, but agreed that they should wait for Kent's guide—Romul, he said his name was—to return and lead them through the pass. Their encounters with Linus and the Drakoon bandits had taught them to be wary in those mountains.

"Romul?" the knight called. "Romul, where are you?"

"Right here," the response came.

All three gave a start and whirled around to see a very large man wearing a traveling cloak over his mountaineer's garb. The hood was drawn up around his head, so the only view they got of his face was obscured by shadow.

"You... bought a cloak?" Kent asked.

"It was on sale," the man muttered, shrugging.

Kent studied him a moment longer. "I see," he said. "Romul, this is Heath and Florina. We got lucky; they were about to leave when I found them."

Romul bowed to them. "It's good t' know you're alive," he said. "Sir Kent spoke of you quite a bit."

Heath bowed back. "Thank you for helping him," he replied. "From what he told us, it seems as though you saved his life."

The mountaineer nodded at him before looking back at Kent. "Well, I'm ready to go when you are. Night's comin', and the quicker we move, the better."

"Agreed." Kent climbed atop his horse; Florina and Heath also saddled their mounts. "Let's go."

They set off, but before Heath could take to the air, he saw Kent motioning to him. He guided Hyperion over, and they lumbered alongside the more nimble horse. "I didn't want to say this before," Kent said in a low voice, "Because I didn't want to worry Florina. But there's something about Romul that seems... strange to me."

"What do you mean?" Heath said.

"I'm not sure. But I'd like you to keep an eye on him. I think he'll guide us through the pass, just like he says, but if something goes wrong, I think we'd best be able to depend on ourselves."

Heath nodded. "I will." He took to the air before anyone noticed how long he was tarrying.

They set off at a trot, Huey and Hyperion flying at a speed their earthbound companions could keep up with. Heath was surprised at Romul's ability to move so quickly; he could easily keep up with Kent's horse, albeit at a fairly low speed. He hoped the man would have the stamina to reach and cross the mountain pass before he needed to rest.

At their rate, they reached the pass shortly. Heath and Florina rose higher into the air to keep an eye out for anyone attempting to ambush their two companions. They did this automatically, without any planning or commands. When Heath realized this, he looked over at the pegasus knight and smiled. "Feels good to be in the air again, doesn't it?"

When Florina looked back at him, her face was bold and smiling brightly, the fear and timidity gone. "Yes," she said. "You're right, Heath; this is where we belong."

The sight of her so happy brought Heath a warm feeling he hadn't felt in a very long time. In fact, being here with her brought back memories of a happier time. Days before the nation he had served so faithfully turned on him and his companions, before he fled the place he had lived all his live, before he fell in with a troop of unfeeling mercenaries. In a way, surrendering himself to Lord Eliwood had been the best to happen to him since he left Bern. Now here he was, among new friends, flying alongside trusted companions into battle. The only difference was the beasts his companions rode.

In a few minutes, they had made it through the pass without incident. Heath was a little surprised; their luck had been so rotten lately, he was half expecting the mountains themselves to rise up and attack them. But it seemed for once, fate had smiled on them, and they made it through in one piece. Heath and Florina circled down to meet Kent and Romul at the end of the pass to say their goodbyes to their guide.

"You'll be able to find your way back from here?" the mountaineer was asking as they landed.

"Our friends told me where they'd be before we left," Kent responded. "Even if they're not there now, we'll be able to track them easily enough."

"Well, then," Romul said, looking around, "I guess I'll head back up. You take care of yourselves. You may be out of the pass, but that don't mean you're out of danger just yet."

"We know," Heath sighed. "Bern can be... treacherous. But we can handle ourselves. Thank you."

Romul only responded with a nod before turning and heading up the side of the mountain. He was soon lost to their sight.

The three of them set out again after a short rest. Heath once more pulled Hyperion alongside Kent's mount. "Well, it looks like we got through all right," he said softly.

"Yes," Kent nodded, pursing his lips. "I guess I didn't give our companion enough credit."

"I don't know," Heath muttered, looking up the mountain after their guide. "Something about him did seem..."

"Strange?"

"Familiar."

Kent looked up the mountain as well, then shrugged. "Well, perhaps we'll meet him again someday, and we can solve his mystery then. But for now, I think I should concentrate on getting you two back." He frowned. "Morale did take a dive when we lost you. This was the first time someone we all knew, someone we all fought alongside of, had fallen in combat. I'm thankful I was able to find you alive."

"Not as thankful as we are, believe me," Heath responded, laughing. "We'd have had plenty of trouble finding you if you hadn't found us first. And those bandits..." he shook his head. "I'm still not entirely sure why they stopped attacking us when they did. They just vanished into... the mountainside..." He trailed off, and his gaze went back to the spot where he had last seen Romul.

"What is it?"

"Nothing," Heath replied, shaking his head. "Just thinking, is all." He paused, then decided it was time to change the subject. "Hey, Kent... there was something I wanted to ask you about..."

Kent turned to him. "Yes?"

Heath hesitated for a long time before continuing. "You... uh... you got to know Florina pretty well at Castle Caelin, right?"

"Yes," Kent said. "We met her while traveling with Lyn over a year ago, and she joined the knighthood along with Wil after we reclaimed Caelin from Lundgren. We all bonded as a result of those journeys, and in the year afterwards."

"I see," Heath said, looking down.

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, I know how timid she can be around men... but when you showed up, she just threw her arms around you like you were her brother."

Kent paused. "Well, in a way... I suppose I am," he said. "She's grown comfortable with Sain, Wil, and I over time... I suppose we are something like brothers to her." He studied the wyvern rider. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason," Heath responded too quickly. "I just... she seems like a nice enough girl, and... it'd be nice if she'd... open up more, y'know?" He hesitated. "Being stranded with her was... awkward. I felt like I couldn't so much as move without frightening her. And when you came along, I..." he cleared his throat. "It's good to know there are some men she trusts, is all. Maybe next time, you can get stranded with her. She'd probably be more comfortable that way."

Kent arched an eyebrow. "Huh. I never thought I'd say this, but Sain may have been right."

"Eh? About what?"

"Nothing," Kent said, "I'm just letting my mind wander. Anyway, you may be right about Florina, but you did a commendable job of taking care of her."

Heath looked away, turning a little red as he spoke. "In all honesty, she did more for me. I probably wouldn't be able to move now if she hadn't taken care of my leg."

Kent smiled. "I'm sure Lord Eliwood will be glad to hear that the wyvern rider he recruited needs a pegasus knight to take care of him." He laughed at Heath's resulting expression. "But I mean it. You did well out here, both of you."

"Thanks," Heath said, allowing himself to smile. "I'd better take off now. See you once we get to camp."

"Of course," Kent said. "Take care up there. I don't need you two falling again."

"Don't worry," Heath sighed. "We've had enough of falling for one lifetime."

Romul brought himself before the Drakoon master without waiting to be summoned. The man studied him as he paced about his quarters. "You didn't leave before he met with the pegasus and wyvern knights."

Romul gulped. "I... I decided it would be more... convinin' if I..."

The master sighed, rolling his eyes. "Calm yourself, Romul. You made a good decision; I am not here to admonish you."

Romul slowly relaxed, just a hair. "...really?"

"They didn't recognize you, you said?"

"No," Romul said, holding up his new cloak. "I bought this from a vendor to help hide my face, just in case they did. It was a good deal, too. Can you believe, a genuine..."

"Focus, Romul," the master said intently.

"Yes, sir," the bandit replied, letting the cloak drop to the floor.

The master turned to the window. He could just make out the two dots in the sky and one on the ground from this distance; soon, they would be gone. "They're leaving," he muttered.

"What do you plan to do?"

"Nothing, just yet," the master sighed. "If what our spies tell me about the Black Fang is true, they're going to have their hands full for some time." He looked back at his underling. "But now their most recent memory of you is as a guide, and as long as you keep your face partially hidden, they should recognize you as a friend before they recognize you as an enemy. I might be able to use this to our advantage."

"But not yet."

"No. I need time to... refine my plan. Much has happened of late. I need to consider the new information, and figure out our next move." He turned away again. "You've earned a rest, Romul. Go take it while you can. I'll give you your orders as soon as I have need of you again."

The bandit obediently bowed, and left his master to his thoughts.

The sun had already crept under the horizon, and the sky was now darkening rapidly. Kent looked around, then signaled to the two fliers. Once they had circled down and landed, he dismounted. "We'd best make camp here. It's getting too dark to travel, and we could use the break."

Heath stretched. "All right. I'll take first watch."

"You sure?" Kent said. "It's been a long day for you."

"But even longer for you," Heath said. "You're the one who had to fight off one of the Four Fangs, remember?"

"I wish I could forget," Kent sighed. "If you're sure. Wake me up once it's my turn."

They soon had their camp set up. Kent went to gather some wood for a fire, leaving Heath and Florina alone.

"It's strange, isn't it?" Heath heard the pegasus knight say. He looked over at her; she was lying on her back, looking at the stars as they appeared in the darkening sky. "It's only been... what, two days since we fell? But it feels like so much longer..."

Heath nodded. "It does, doesn't it? I guess a lot has happened in a short time."

"Yeah," Florina sighed. "I'm glad it's almost over."

Heath glanced at her, but didn't say anything for a while. He sat down, laying his lance by Hyperion, who was already letting deep, soft snores emanate from his body. "You should get some sleep," he said. "It has been a rough couple of days."

She hesitated, looking as if she might say something else, then acquiesced. "All right." She lay down, pulling her blanket over her body and turning away."Good night, Heath," she called to him.

"Good night," he echoed. He watched her as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. She was such a strange girl; she drew away if he so much as touched her, yet she was willing to throw her arms around Kent upon seeing him. Even after everything that had happened between them, she still didn't trust him. Of course, Kent had nearly a year up on him; perhaps she only needed time. Heath had only been flying alongside her and her sister for a few weeks. And the fact that she treated Kent like a big brother meant that she could open up to men, eventually.

He let out a sigh. Florina might have been be shy, and he might have respected her reluctance to grow close to him, but although this foray had been short, it had started something between them. He just hoped she didn't meet the same fate of the last few people to fly alongside him.

Kent soon returned, helped Heath light a fire, and went to sleep himself. Heath stared into the flames, hoping they would drive away the bloody images of his past.