Moonbay didn't know what it was that she had done to make Raven run off? Did she touch an old battle wound? Did she get too close? Did she hurt him? She wished he'd talk to her; at least yell at her or something like that. She could deal with that just fine. But she couldn't deal with silence. She wasn't used to it.

" What's wrong with him Shadow? You know him better than anyone. Did I do something wrong? Was I not supposed to touch him? Tell me please."

The black organoid looked back at her with its blue eyes; silent. It was contemplating an answer to her question. He never had to any an emotional question before. No one ever asked him about Raven. He was slightly flattered that she treated him as a living thing and not just a weapon and great tool.

But he didn't know what was wrong with Raven. He didn't tell him anything. He was just as confused as she was on the subject of their ebony-haired pilot. He never saw him act that way. Only when Reese had brought back his memories of his parents did he even remotely act anything similar. He wondered idly if she had inadvertently triggered a memory and that's why he ran?

That had to be it. That was the only thing Raven was sensitive about; other than losing to someone like Van. Other than that, he was a pretty much an insurmountable mountain. You weren't getting over Raven unless he wanted you too or you had helluva determination.

Hoping to comfort the female that obviously was starting to depend on him as Raven had unconsciously been doing for all the years he'd known him, Shadow curled up around Moonbay and rocked her steadily until she calmed down and finally slept. She would need her strength to heal her injuries and deal with whatever sickness she may catch from this whole ordeal.

*******************

When Raven had finally gathered himself enough to be able to face the semi-hypothermic girl and returned to the front of the cave, it was sun up. He had spent the most of the night chucking rocks into the water and thinking of his parents and trying to remember the good times he actually had with them.

What he saw when he reached the front of the cave was certainly a surprise to him. Shadow and Moonbay curled up together near the smoldering fire; trying to keep warm and sleeping. It wasn't like Shadow to warm up to someone like that. He cared about this girl enough to snap at him and take care of her himself.

" Well, that's a first."

He decided he needed to rekindle the fire first. He didn't need the girl getting sick all over again now that she could actually begin to talk. She would need to stay warm all the time until she was able to do so herself. He would need firewood and food from the rations in his ZOID. Or he could always go hunting.

Raven smiled good-naturedly at the prospect of hunting. Using a rifle and actually sitting and waiting for the perfect time to take his shot on an animal. Using a ZOID was an unfair advantage and he didn't want to hunt that way. He preferred using a gun, camouflage, maybe a bow and usually Shadow as his partner, but someone had to stay and protect Moonbay.

" Moonbay…Who are you?"

He knew he knew that girl. She knew him, but that was to be expected with his rep. and all. He racked his brain for any sort of memory of who she might be, but again he came up empty. He usually didn't keep very many memories of people in his mind. Merely military tactics and things he needed to remember ABOUT people. Like Van was stupid.

" Heh, heh, heh. Stupid pilot."

********************

After bagging a large wild boar and dragging back firewood, Raven sat off to the side of Moonbay and Shadow; poking at the fire to get it to satisfactory size. He was cold from his hunting and he wanted to make sure his companions were warm as well.

He cast a glance over to Moonbay again. He didn't realize that he had been doing that for a while now. He was just waiting for her to wake so she could eat again and take some decs. She would need all the help she could get.

" Mmm. *Yawn* Raven?" Moonbay rubbed her eyes in a childish manner.

He tore his eyes away from her and grunted in response. " Hn."

" Where'd you go?" She tried to sit up on her own, but failed miserably and grabbed her sides in pain.

Raven immediately went over to her side and held her from smacking into the cold, unforgiving ground. It would do no good if she just hurt herself all over again. He would have to keep an eye on her and Shadow too.

Moonbay giggled sleepily and looked up at him." Guess, I'm still sleepy. You're so warm…" She leaned against him and started to go back to sleep on him. It was still early and those who were sick and had injured ribs needed sleep.

*****************

Raven panicked a little when Moonbay completely rested against him and relaxed. She totally trusted him not to hurt her and slept on the dark-haired pilot like he was a friend of hers or a boyfriend.

Eh? Boyfriend? Where did that come from?

He shook the thought from his head and cradled the woman in his arms. He couldn't very well put her back down now, she was up and resting too much weight against him. He'd wake her if he moved her too much.

But this was so unnatural to him. Holding a female in such a way. Reese had done this before, but he had no trouble letting her fall flat on her face into the dirt. In fact, he enjoyed it and did it whenever she put herself in the position.

Moonbay didn't feel as awkward as Reese did. He didn't exactly feel threatened by her touch, as long as she didn't reach for his face again, he would stand human contact again. She wasn't rubbing his chest or trying to romance him. She was just content to sleep against him.

Although this…this was nice. She fit perfectly in his arms. She didn't squirm too much as she slept. She didn't snore or twitch in her sleep like some people were prone to do. She didn't drool; though her mouth was slightly ajar. She just snuggled into his chest and sighed as she fell asleep again.

Raven saw his food was almost ready, and while he was still watching over the female, he needed to tend to it. He carefully shifted Moonbay's weight and pulled the food away from the fire. Then he just went back to holding Moonbay.

Hesitant at first, he ran his fingers over the side of her face; clearing the ice and snow from her cheeks and eyes. Then moving on to clean off anymore-exposed skin before it got frostbitten or worse. They had enough problems as it was.

After he brushed the ice away from her neck, he used a technique he learned from one of his combat tutors. He was going to increase the blood flow and thereby get her body to warm faster and the person would become more relaxed. At least, that's what he told himself.

Moonbay purred at his caresses and indulged in it. It was nice to have someone pet her like that; even though she was not fully awake. She liked contact too. And this being taken care of, although new, she was beginning to learn to like it.

And the fact that it was Raven the Dark One taking care of her was something she was starting to like too. He was totally heartless, ne? Especially the way he rushed to help her and keep her from further injuring herself. Maybe there was hope for the Dark One yet.

She would dwell more on the thought of their starting relationship, but her mind was the only thing functioning properly right now and even it was starting to go. It was best to just give into the slow rocking of the strong arms and the lull of his rhythmatic breathing and sleep the morning off.

Outside in a clutter of bare sakura trees, a lark and a raven huddle together to remain warm in the cold weather. The raven holding his shadowy wing over the brown lark to protect her first and himself second.