"You really are an idiot." Sika could only watch as Drake handcuffed him to himself. "I have a broken leg, where the hell am I going to go on my own?"

"Well, then you should think that this is a pretty ingenious idea Sika," Drake steadied a foot against the bed, lacing up his boot. "Because I'll be helping you around."

"I'm not going."

"Come on Sika," Dannika appeared. "Don't be so difficult."

"I'm not going to be easy, these freaks can't have the satisfact-"

"There is no satisfaction, don't you get it?" She snapped, her eyes glowing. "There's only a war because Saurians like you fuel it!"

"Dannika," Drake cut in. "Relax."

She gave an exasperated sigh and left the tent. Drake watched her go.

"Passionate little thing isn't she?" Sika stared after her.

Drake answered by jerking the handcuff chain to get his attention. "Get up."

With a glare, Sika stood with some difficulty; rising above Drake by almost a full foot. Resisting a quip the Saurian's way, Drake set his beak firmly shut and towed him out of the tent.

….

Life was beginning for the new day around the small tent city. Beside Drake, Sika studied his surroundings. The women were starting fires in the individual pits, boiling ice and snow. The males glancing up and nodding acknowledgements to Drake and shooting Sika looks of distain, fear and anger. It made Sika want to shatter their spines.

Finally they paused outside of a larger tent. Drake un-cuffed himself and reattached it to an embedded pole outside the entry flap.

"Really?" Sika growled.

"Really," Drake replied with a grin. He clapped Sika on the shoulder. "Make yourself comfortable." He disappeared inside before reappearing with a thick blanket.

Knowing he had no choice, Sika took it with a swipe, "thanks." Awkwardly, he settled on the ground immersed in the blanket in an attempt to stay warm.

At some point later, a shadow fell over him. "About time," he snarled glancing up, expecting to see Drake and a slew of whom ever else was in the tent. Instead he saw a young girl about nine with blonde hair braided similar to his sister's. He recognized the saurian style and realized it had to have been either Dannika or Morjana who did her hair. She watched him in open curiosity, holding a large bowl in her tiny hands. At first he tried to ignore her, but found it quite hard with her earthly smell wafting into his nostrils from the near constant wind that always plagued the planet. "Don't you have some where to be?" He snapped at her.

She tilted her head questioningly, seemingly unperturbed by his hostile outburst. She finally moved, drawing closer and sitting near him. She held the bowl out to him, now that she was closer, he could smell the food she had brought. Unbelievable.

When he didn't take it, she set it on the ground by his side and gestured for him to take it with a smile. Never one to ever have seen the beauty in the duck race, Sika was suddenly whacked with a foreign feeling. The child was beautiful, the realization shining off her with her smile.

"This is Emily." Morjana appeared.

At seeing Morjana, the child jumped up and gave her a hug; one the Saurian woman returned. Sika watched as Morjana completed some complex signs with her hands at the girl. The female duck nodded and quickly signed back, before heading off to the tents.

"She's deaf, made that way by one of our percussion bombs that took out Isling City a few years ago." Morjana sat by her son. "Damaged her hearing. She was lucky and was found in some rubble near her dead parents six days after the assault."

Feeling a pang of guilt, Sika dug his claws into his palms. He had been apart of the Isling assault, had he been the one to deliver the killing blow? He shook his head, sealing off his feelings. "Why are you telling me this?"

Morjana watched him carefully. "She seems to like you Sika. Don't hurt her or I'll have to kill you."

He considered her threat. "Just keep her away from me. Drake's the only pet of yours I've had to deal with and it's going to stay that way."

Morjana stood up, "I'm not her mother, I don't tell her what to do. I just look after her. If she wants to be with you, then you better be civil Sika or it won't end nicely for you." She started to walk away, but then turned back to him. "I'm happy you're here Sika…even if it is against your will."

He watched her go and then returned his attention to the ground, happening to see the bowl Emily had brought him. Rolling his eyes, he pushed it away, his hand pausing on its rim. Then he slowly picked it up, hoping no one was watching him.

…

"Getting soft Saurian? Would have thought you'd break the pole and make a run for it."

Sika fixed the white mallard with a glare.

"Wouldn't want you the satisfaction of running down a cripple."

"You mean walking down, right?"

Sika growled, his eyes lighting up.

"Okay Farris, leave him alone." Drake appeared, lightly pushing a chuckling Farris away from the enraged Saurian.

"Why are we keeping him here Ducaine?" Another duck, more grizzled than the rest, asked. "He's a liability."

"Yeah just shoot me Ducaine, I've had enough of this shit," Sika grumbled.

"He's seen too much," Drake answered. "He can't leave."

"Oh, that's just perfect," Sika said louder, condescending, "I'm your first prisoner of war, right?"

"If that would make you feel more important," Farris retorted.

Sika curled his tail in anger, "come closer and say that duck."

"Hey," Drake thumped Farris in the chest, "knock it off." Turning his attention to Sika he gestured for him to get up.

Grudgingly, Sika stood with difficulty. Drake reached out to help him only to stop when Sika growled 'don't.'

Drake backed off with his hands up.

…..

One event Sika couldn't understand was that the whole rebel group had their meals together. What a way to set up good conditions for mass kill-off if the Saurians sprung a surprise attack. Sika expressed this to Drake.

"Its supposedly a tradition among them," Drake answered, handing him a bowl of stew.

Sika took it with a roll of his eyes. "Supposedly? You don't know?"

Drake gave him a look, one Sika didn't immediately understand. Then he realized what it was, sadness. "I was born into servitude and never saw a duck until I was twenty Sika."

Sika looked away and found himself staring down at Emily. She smiled at him and took his hand, folding herself close to him.

"This kid won't leave me alone."

Drake turned to see what he meant and grinned. "She likes you."

Sika shot him a scornful look.

"Emily doesn't warm up to just anyone." Drake glanced at the Saurian. "Maybe that should tell you something. You're not a bad guy Sika, it's taken me a while to realize that."

Glancing down at Emily, Sika could scarcely believe he was saying this.

"Neither are you Drake."

Emily squeezed his hand.