Pre A/N:

Incoming transmission…

Wotcher readers, you got L0RD3N here! Welcome back to yet another chapter, y'all! A quick response to the reviews now, if you please!

Plague: It's fine mate, it happens you just don't catch things straight from the fly, we're all human after all! And about yours and the guest's review, we think you'll like the ending we have in store for ya! I'm also not the biggest fan of the endings that you mentioned Plague, 'cause it does kinda just seem awkward. I won't say anymore though, gotta try at least to get you hype for the ending :D

Some Random Guy: Thank you for the criticism, mate, we actually appreciate it, so don't hold it back, I wanna hear all the thoughts, not only the nice ones. And you are right, at the end of the day! But, I kinda addressed that thought already in the response for Plague, so yeah, you got it. Anyways, for short, we have something different planned!
P.S. It's great that you're sharing your opinions and Wolf and I'd in no way ignore reviews because of suggestions (especially the good and thought out ones) or constructive criticism, that'd be just closing our minds in, closing possible opportunities, and I'd hate to do that!

Archmage Ithilien: Glad you liked it! You know by know my love to write fights, so yeah, glad it's working out as well as I hoped!
P.S. How many times are you gonna keep switching accounts, Gabor? xD

We really hope the ending we thought out is gonna be liked by y'all, and we thank you for the support thus far, it really means a hell lot to both of us! Also, hope this chapter isn't too cramped or whatever you wanna call it, but it also reflects Rohrrin's mental health at the moment.

Now, enough lollygagging, let's get to the chapter!

Transmission ended.

Chapter 6: A Wayward Ranger once again

I opened my eyes, and I saw a bright blue sky. I was on soft grass.

"What?"

"Look at you," spoke a deadpan voice. "Sleeping, and not in your room? Naughty naughty"

I knew that voice. I then saw a man with a scar on his face. I know how he got it because I gave it to him the night I left. Why is my father here? I rolled off the grass. For some reason I hit something hard, it must be a rock. My ribs began to hurt.

"This isn't real!"

"Oh, it isn't?! Tell me, does this hurt?!"

My father jammed his thumb into my ribs. I fought down my yell of pain.

"You were dreaming. After I'm done with your punishment, I'll lock you away. You'll never see the light of Middle-Earth again!"

I began to fight. No matter how much it hurt, I blindly swung.

"I'm not that defenseless child anymore! I won't let you take me anywhere, you bastard!" I knew it wasn't real, but it certainly felt like it.

"I won't go with you, with that sow you call my mother, or with your spawn you call my siblings!"

A woman's malicious cackle. Cackling at me.

"You don't have a choice!" he yelled, laughing derisively.

"It's not real," a voice was almost a whisper.

"He's not real, Rohrrin!" it repeated. Its gentleness was… giving me strength.
"Yes, I do have choice. I'll make it myself." I whispered.

Everything began to fade away. I threw one last punch, and everything began disappearing faster. Everything except pain in my arms, legs, and ribs. Then… nothing. Have I fallen into the gorge? Have I finally lost my balance…?

##########

My eyes slowly opened. Everything was blurry.

"Mom, he's waking up!" I heard a familiar voice.

That was loud. A white blurry figure appeared… It was almost angelic, like those legends our captain once told us around the campfire…

I guess I died for real this time? I then saw a familiar reddish brown figure. No, I'm not dead. Soon, my vision fixed itself, and I was staring at Lilly, and behind her stood Garth and Eve.

"Can you hear me, human?" Asked Eve.

"Yes."

"What is your name?"

"Rohrrin." I answered without thinking, and then wiped my head. I immediately regretted what I just said. I just revealed to them my identity as a human.

"I knew it…!" squealed Lilly.

I tried to sit up, despite the pain in my arm, legs, and ribs.

"Stay down!" commanded Eve. "You suffered grave injuries, and need rest! Just lay down, so you can explain yourself."

I felt Lilly gently push me down, and I reluctantly let her. I let out a breath, and spat blood on the cave's floor to my right.

"What happened?" I croaked.

"You wiped out the pack! You're a human! What's there not to explain?" That didn't make me feel good. I felt…strange. I guess they do deserve an explanation.

"Wait!" said Eve. "I'll bring everyone else, so you won't have to explain twice."

She left, and it was just Garth, Lilly, and I.

"It really is you," muttered Garth. "How is this possible?"
I looked at him, but I didn't answer.

I then felt Lilly gently rest her head next to mine.

"Thank you." She whispered. "For saving us."

I was being thanked? Normally I would only be asked to leave, best case scenario, receive something close to worthless in return.

"Um… it was… nothing."

"Nothing?" snorted Garth. "If it was nothing, you wouldn't be lying here wounded like you are."

"I've had worse." I shrugged.

"We know." Lilly's words shocked me, how did they know? I then realized I was only in a cloak, and my clothes were torn apart. All that was left were the upper part of my leggings.

"What… happened to my gear?"

"We had to tear them away, so we could tend to your wounds. I then saw scars upon scars on your body. You didn't just get all of those in the fight."

I closed my eyes. Of course they've seen them. As if I hadn't disgusted them enough already. After a few minutes, Eve returned accompanied by Winston, Tony, Humphrey, and Kate.

"Rohrrin, you are awake… and human." Winston's statement made me snicker, which also made my ribs hurt.

"Nothing gets past you, sir."

"Alright," said Eve, "Everyone is here now."

"Very well… Hell, where to even start… I come from a place called Middle-Earth, another world completely, you don't know it. I was a part of a… team we can call it… known as the Rangers of Ithilien. On a mission I… we all… were killed. I then woke up as a wolf pup here. I couldn't shift back at all, until I made a deal with the ghost of Shadow Forest. I appeased her spirit, and Shadow Forest should be a good hunting ground. The pups brought her daughter. That about summarizes everything. I don't know why I am here. It was some sort of magic that brought me here, and magic that allowed me to shift back."

A thought popped in my head.

"I should probably mention that I mean no harm to your pack… but I understand it would be hard to take my word for it when you witnessed what I'm capable of."

Everyone was still silent.

"Do… you have any questions?"

I raised my head to look at everyone. They had blank looks. I couldn't read it.

"Rohrrin, what you did was…" began Winston, and I finished for him.

"Horrible, vile, and down right grotesque?"

"Yes…" he had to agree, "But… it also saved many lives. Garth, Lilly, Kate, and Humphrey for example wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you, among many other of our Alphas… and that is something to be acknowledged. You said you couldn't turn until recently, but now that you're in your normal… form… what will you do now?" That… was quite a good question. I shrugged.

"Can't do much until I heal, anyways. Then… I don't know yet."

I then heard Tony whisper something to Winston. He then nodded.

"Rohrrin, we will be back. We are going to go talk amongst ourselves, and we will make a decision when we return." said the grey wolf. They all left.

I nodded dispassionately.

Everyone left, and I was left alone. It was quiet. Winston's question stuck with me was biting at my mind. What the hell will I do now? It's not like I can just go back to Middle-Earth… Did I have a place here…? Not really…

After what felt like a few minutes, I heard paws walking into the den.

"We have come to a decision, Rohrrin."

I listened.

"You will stay and heal. We owe that much to you after what you did for the pack, vile or not. We will tell the pack a bit about you, but not much. Afterwards, you shall be free to do as you please."

"Very well." I answered.

"Good." began Tony. "Please remember this kindness if you ever feel like harming the pack. We could have left you for dead." he snarled lowly.

"Dad, you -!" snapped Garth, but I raised a hand to silence him.

"It's fine," I said. "I understand." Hell, I would've bled out if it wasn't for them. Tony was right. They could've just as well left me.

"With that out of the way," continued Winston. "We will let you rest. Thank you again for saving our pack."

"Don't thank me." I said quietly, but they didn't hear me, as the all left.

##########

Some time later

I woke up when I heard pawsteps entering the den. It was both Lilly and Garth. Lilly was carrying a leaf that had something inside it. Garth was carrying the leg of a caribou. Lilly gently sat the leaf down next to me, and I could see it was water.

"We brought you some food and water," she said. "Here, let me help you sit up."

She moved to my back and I tried to protest, but I couldn't push her away.

"I can sit up by myself." I commented, but she ignored it. As she sat me up I noticed Garth was looking at more than just my fresh wounds. He dropped the leg, and said nothing.

I looked at him and he stopped staring. I snorted quietly.
"It's fine… I get stares often. At least yours aren't full of contempt."

"What?" asked Lilly

I then undid my cloak, and it fell.

"Usually about visible scars, sometimes about what I am. Depends."

"I am not curious on how or why, but more about who." said Garth.

"Who?" I repeated in disbelief. "Why's that?"

"Because no one, especially a young pup like you, should be as scarred as you are." he argued.

"Most of them were my mistakes." I shrugged impartially. "I wasn't fast enough to dodge, or thought I was fast enough to parry or deflect."

"Dodge what?" asked Lilly in a confused tone.

"The enemies, of course, what else, myself?" I chuckled ironically. "You can call it another pack of humans, so you can understand. We were at war."

"And the others?" the reddish-brown wolf persisted.

"Garth…!" hushed Lilly. Garth realized his mistake.

"Rohrrin, you don't have to-" he started, but I answered him nonetheless. It was like my mind had a voice of its own… I just started and couldn't stop. Like I've been waiting to say this for a long time.

"They were tough. They would do horrible things with knives, um, sharp things like your claws. They would burn me with fire, punch me, kick me. From when the sun came up to sundown they were hurting me. I never showed it. I never screamed. I knew what they wanted, so I always held my tongue, and fought cries down. Eventually… I finally had enough and I left. I cut the bastard's face before leaving though, at least that much satisfaction. I then joined the army, and was enrolled as a ranger. That's when I finally felt somewhat at home. On or behind the battlefield. I thought they were trying to toughen me up, make me a warrior, I still don't know if that was the case, but it probably wasn't… I left, and I'd rather drop dead then return."

They were silent. Lilly and Garth both looked… saddened, but I noticed a gleam in Garth's eye. A gleam of… anger.

"When we brought you back…" began Lilly in a strangled voice. "You fell off Garth, and began fighting us. You were yelling at someone, and telling them you weren't going back. Was that…?"

"I saw him, yeah. It felt so real, but I heard a voice telling me he wasn't real. I then remember passing out again and waking up here."

"That was me," mumbled Lilly. "I was telling you that while Garth held you down. I was trying to help you, somewhat…"

"You did help. Really. So… now you know, I guess. Everytime I see these markings, I hate them. I hate myself for not being strong enough, I hate myself not fighting more, and most of all I hate that they won't go away. They don't show how strong I am, they instead prove how weak I was once… how flawful and stupid. You're probably disgusted with what you see, but probably not more than I am.

I then felt both Garth and Lilly gently rest their heads on my shoulders. It felt nice. I then felt something wet and warm on my left shoulder. Lilly was crying.

"Don't you ever say we are disgusted with you," she sternly said through her tears. "We could never think that of you… and neither should you."

I opened my mouth, but Garth spoke.

"Rohrrin, you didn't ask for this life, those horrible monsters gave it to you. Lilly and I are angry with them. Sad that you had to go through that… and regretful that we couldn't help you. You didn't deserve that. You suffered so much, and shouldn't have. For that, we are sorry."

"You didn't do anything wrong. You didn't know. How could you have known?"

"We know now," said Lilly. She and Garth got off my shoulders, and they both bore their eyes into mine. "I can promise you this, Garth and I would never do that to you, hurt you."
"But… What if it is my fault about something? Won't you-" Lilly interrupted me abruptly and rasply.

"NO! Never! You should know this too. You didn't do anything wrong Rohrrin, it wasn't your fault that you were treated like this. You shouldn't have been beaten like that, ever!"
"I always thought I was the problem." I said hoarsely.
They both shook their heads instantly.
"No, you weren't. You were never the problem. If you stay, we will help you. Can you promise me that if you feel upset or angry at yourself that you will come talk to us?"

I was speechless, for I noticed genuine care in their eyes, something which I had never seen before.

"You have my word." For some reason, I didn't want to say no. I could have, but… something stopped me.

"Good, now eat up, and rest. I'll come back and change your bandages later." Lilly said, now… smiling. Still crying, but smiling.

With a nod, I dug into the food, and drank the water, as they left.

##########

I tried to rest afterwards, but I just couldn't. I felt the need to meditate on a certain matter… me.

What really was I in Middle-Earth?

A more… antiheroic protector? Something like a dark knight?

Or just a straight up ruthless killer?

I just assumed it was alright because all of the others were doing the same… the other rangers were just like me. Always spilling blood, always murdering anything we had to.

We never questioned the orders, the Harradrim were always portrayed as plunderers to us, as an evil force that had to be put down. The soldiers may have more or less been like that, but… those healers we killed? All those defenseless citizens we killed while burning down supply outposts…

We only respected the given orders: "Burn down the outpost to smithereens and leave none alive."

We never asked ourselves if that is "the right thing" to do or not, never even thought about all those lives we've taken.

Since when the hell do I have emotions anyway? I never had a thought like this pass through my mind. Ever.

Was this… shadow always somewhere inside of me, but never woke up until now? This doubt, about… everything I have done. Once I came here, and I stopped killing for a while, it felt… different. It didn't feel like me anymore, but… it didn't feel exactly bad either.

Was all that bloodshed really necessary? Or could I have avoided it somehow? Those were the orders. Should have I disobeyed, I'd have probably been straight up executed.

Another thing was eating at my mind… Lilly.

For the first time in my life, when I sat with someone other than the rangers… I felt no stress or discomfort. I felt… calm. Especially around Lilly. I didn't want to admit it, but her hugs felt so… surreal. Honest. Calm. Tender. I had never felt emotions so many at once.

But… isn't that weakness? To just let myself succumb to a mere gesture like that, throw my guard to hell and ignore anything else? Wolf or human, I can't be weak! Ever!

But is it weakness…? Having allies?
No. They aren't allies. I don't help them with anything, I'm only a weight on their backs and I won't just whine like a stupid child… I had the time to be one when I was four.

I tossed and turned once more, ignoring the slight pain in my body.

I couldn't even figure out what I was now. Just a stupid pup who wandered amidst this pack, and I don't even know what I'm doing anymore. I'm just training aimlessly, and for what exactly? I have nothing to train for, nothing to fight for… and I feel empty. I have no purpose, I have no goal.

That talk with Lilly and Garth from before… it was… interesting. I never really talked about my scars to anyone before… and Lilly seemed genuinely concerned… and that was something new also. Nobody really ever seemed to give anything on them. Maybe they'd ask about a more obvious one. That, a "rough" or "sorry" that they never meant, and that was all. I always saw emptiness in their eyes, never the real worry I saw in Lilly's, or the real anger on my side that I saw in Garth's.

And the question from another days crossed my mind again. Do they actually care? Won't they just ditch this attitude once I get friendly with them then start treating me like my parents did? My parents were always like that though… but neither Lilly nor Garth laid a single paw on me, even when I did step out of line.

That conversation after I had that dream… "it helps you get it off your heart". Isn't that weakness too? They didn't seem to consider it like that, even when I pointed it out… They treated it as something… normal? Whining for them is normal? But they never called it whining. What do they look at it like then, if not weakness? What is weakness for them, really, anyway?!

I made a promise that I never thought I'd make… I couldn't believe that I actually agreed to that promise. I guess that someone who stopped me from refusing them was… me?
Dammit!
Questions after questions, and no damn answers!

I finally felt that sleep was overtaking me. After how long? I have no idea… I fell into an uneasy rest.

##########

Two days later

The instant I woke up, I knew I healed almost completely. From the way I felt I could bend my body to my will, without any kind of pain. I jumped up and walked out, stretching my limbs with well-known warming up moves. It hurt only slightly, but it was good enough.

"You really shouldn't be doing that yet." I heard a stern feminine voice from my right. I turned and saw Eve, looking frowningly at me.

I only scoffed in response and continued.

"Hey, you need to heal-" she tried to scold me more, but I interrupted her roughly, as I started standing on my hands.

"I healed. I believe I know my own body better than you, thank you."

I heard a familiar gasp as I switched to balancing on one hand. I huffed in annoyance.

"Rohrrin, you-"

"I swear to the devil, do I need to do flips for you to understand that I healed?" I growled. Lilly fell silent.

After a few moments, I did end up flipping and landed back on my feet, to find the two she-wolves still staring at me.
"What?" I asked, confused.

"I still can't believe you can do all of this… at least we know now how you were so skilled as a pup…" she said in awe.

I gave no answer to that.

"Where're my weapons?"

"In Kate's den." said Lilly. I nodded shortly and walked away briskly. The cool morning wind slithered past me, making me shiver very slightly, as the only thing I had left on myself was my cloak. Many of the wolves which I passed stared incredulously, some growled lowly, others hid their pups, some even… smiled? Nonetheless, I ignored them all. I was used to treatment like this anyways. In Middle-Earth, a lot of the people who actually knew what we were often saw us as freaks of nature and spit after we passed. But we could still hear the spit hit the ground, even if we didn't see it.

"Mom, what is that?"

"That's a human, must be…"

"He's the one that killed a pack single-handedly… what a freak."

"Get the little ones behind you…"

"No… you shouldn't approach him, he might bite!"

I chuckled sarcastically. Even the whispers were matching.

"If I'd have wanted you dead, you'd have been dead already." I smiled uglily, which made some of the wolves cower even more. I always found it somewhat amusing that whatever I'd do, they'd just back up more, like I could explode at any given moment. Talion's voice was especially haunting, even his humble requests sounded like death threats. I've always loved that about him.

I was almost at the entrance of the den. I heard one of them approaching me quickly from behind, but I just let him get closer. There goes his paw up in the air…
I whipped around at the last second and caught it, smirking at his shocked face.

"Professional advice: when sneaking up on someone, try not to thunder your paws like that, it slightly gives your position away." I sneered. I threw his paw on the ground and turned back around, and went slightly left towards the wall, just in case, he'd try something.

"So predictable." I thought amusedly as I heard him trying to lunge at me.

I put my foot on the rock and almost lazily flipped over him, as he crashed face first into the wall. I couldn't help but laugh quietly and derisively. Humphrey came out of the den, startled, as some of the other wolves also giggled at their pack mate's failure. He looked at the both of us questioningly, and as he opened his mouth, I gave him his answer, as I walked past him.

"He tried to pounce on me. Key word: tried." I walked into the empty den, grabbed my twin swords and fastened them on my back.

I looked at the others, but didn't bother equipping them too. I only needed my two main weapons, anyway. I got up and headed to the only place I felt somehow more… safe. Garth and Lilly's den. I took a route through the forest, I didn't feel like encountering any idiots again, I've caused enough trouble already. Even through the wolves who giggled or laughed, I could still see scared eyes. Looks that told me I didn't belong here… which I felt like they were right. I didn't.

As I arrived at the den, my mind wandered back to my previous thoughts. What the hell am I gonna do now? Where should I go?

I sat down next to the small, yet beautiful pond in front of Garth and Lilly's den.

I've never felt so lost before…

I had no idea for how long I was staring into space, but at some point I heard familiar light pawsteps behind me, I didn't even have to turn to know who it was.

"Hello, Lilly." I said quietly.

She sat down next to me.

"It seems like there's a lot on your mind."

I didn't know what to answer.

She wrapped a paw around my back. It was so… comforting. I made to push it off. I then remembered what I told myself after I defeated the experiment, that I could at least try to give them a chance. She apparently thought similarly, as she held fast, not letting me push her paw off, but instead holding on to me tighter. She started to hum a soft tune, until I finally just blurted out:

"Is this… weakness?"

She looked at me, completely lost.

"W-weakness? What're you talking about?"

"J-just… this."

"This what?"

"How I'm sitting like this, how're you hugging me, how I feel somewhat safer, how I just drop my guard when I'm with you, I just don't understand…" I rambled angrily. "I don't understand myself anymore, and I just have no idea what I'm doing anymore!"

Lilly was staring at me… in disbelief…?

"Yeah, I know I sound like a complete idiot, but-"

"No, you don't!" she interrupted me softly, but sternly. "I wasn't looking in disbelief, but in regret. A pup at your age shouldn't feel like this… And… Oh Rohrrin, I never knew this is how you felt when I was hugging you… that you don't understand what you're feeling. I wanted to make you feel this. To feel safe.

"But isn't that weakness?!"

"No!" two voices said in unison.

I saw Garth also padding up behind me.

"Weakness is when you don't have the strength to keep going, but neither do you want to have it or push yourself to build it. What you're talking about… it isn't weakness." he explained.

"Then what is it?" I asked.

"It's just… having a heart." answered Lilly simply. "Feeling this is perfectly normal. It's just the safety you feel when you're near someone that can protect you, that can love you.

"I should be able to protect myself." I muttered.

Garth chuckled. "You can't always do it, you know."

"I should."

"But that doesn't mean you will." he countered.

I remained silent. He had a point, I guess…

"You need friends, Rohrrin, family. Somebody you can trust. You can't do everything alone." added Lilly, while Garth nodded.

"I've done everything else alone." I mumbled.

Garth hummed. "Are you sure? You said you had a team."

"Well, yeah, but I mean, about emotions." I shrugged.

Lilly also giggled slightly. "It doesn't mean if you found a solution, which is to hold up everything and try to deal with it all alone, it's the best one. Why keep doing something difficult if you can make it easier on yourself?"

I hummed. They did have a point…

"If I'd really choose this… who would care enough to listen?"

"Us, of course." giggled Lilly. "Remember that promise you made?" She made to prod my head playfully, probably, but I instinctively dodged it, and looked at her confusedly.

"Oh yeah, sorry. It was supposed to be just a playful prod, but I forgot about your reflexes." she said sheepishly, putting her paw back around me.

I shrugged it off with a smirk.

"I heard you before, about feeling lost." Garth said, looking in the distance. "You always had orders to follow from a leader, correct?"

I nodded.

"Well, now, you can… make your orders yourself," he continued.

"What?" I asked.

He hummed, wondering how to explain it.

"Right now, you could think that you are your own leader, that you don't need to wait for someone to give you the next order, you just do whatever you wish."
I remained silent.

"Do you wanna go inside? We'll probably take a short nap, then get back to our duties." asked Lilly.

"I'll just stay out here a while longer." I replied quietly.

"Alright." Garth said, laying his paw on my shoulder for a few seconds, as Lilly licked the side of my head. They both went inside. Those two gestures… felt so… nice. Like someone actually cares, which I still can't know for sure, but I felt something rise inside me… a shred of… hope. Hope that they really meant what they said and what they did, that I wasn't lied to, or tricked, because I just feel like… I wouldn't be able to take a betrayal right now.

I came back upon what the two wolves told me before. So… it isn't a weakness. It's just… how'd Lilly put it? 'Having a heart'? But was I supposed to even have one as a ranger? Nobody ever told me that before her…

I knelt and stared at my reflection in the water.

Maybe… this life is just different in itself, and I can't be who I am anymore… I just don't belong here.

"Who the hell are you? A wolf, a ranger, a murderer, a protector, a combination between all of them?!" I whisper-shouted, while looking angrily at myself in the sparkling water.

The water remained silent, as my pleas for answers were swept away by the calm wind.

"This answer you can only figure out by yourself." a sad voice ringed from behind me. It was Lilly's. She approached me.

"I couldn't sleep knowing you were out here all by yourself. I listened to what you said. I wish I knew, so I could take this pain off you, but I can't." she continued, sniffling slightly, resting her muzzle on my head.

"You poor thing, you shouldn't be going through all of this…"

"It's not like I have a choice." I muttered.

"You sadly weren't given one." she whispered. "But… I have faith things can turn around for you. I know you feel lost in both of your forms… but as a wolf… you belonged here. I felt, in my heart, that I finally had a pup."

I was shocked. "You… considered me… your own…?" I shuttered. No, I couldn't have meant that much to her.

But... I never deserved a second glance…

"Yes." she answered without hesitation. "Whether you're human or wolf, I just feel so comfortable when I'm next to you, I feel… complete."

"Do you… really mean this?" I asked, still in disbelief.

"Yes." she repeated instantly. "I do. Every word of it. And whatever you choose to do Rohrrin, know that we will always be here for you. Whatever form you assume, I still love you, with all my heart, and so will Garth." She said, now hugging me with her paws. I didn't return the gesture, but I could feel something in my chest warming up.

I was at a complete loss of what to say. I… felt honesty in her trembling voice… but I almost couldn't accept it.

"I…"

"You don't need to say anything," she shushed me lightly. "I figured you wouldn't be able to accept it from the start, due to what you've been through, but… maybe one day you will. And when you do, Garth and I will be right here for you. I don't care if other wolves call me crazy, or even treacherous…" she trailed off, now tears stealthily, making their way down her muzzle and cheeks.

"I don't care! I want you to know that someone is there for you, as no one ever was…"

I swiftly turned and… hugged her. It was what my heart told me to do, which was something new too, as I always listened to my cold judgment, never to empathy, which I didn't even believe I had up to now.

"I'm not hurting you, am I?" I asked, not wanting to hold on too tight.

"No," she replied, then pulled me in tighter.

"Thank you." I said, barely in a whisper, but she still caught it. I felt her smile give a pleasant, warming feeling to my whole body as she hugged me back tightly. It was the first time I ever returned this gesture… and it was… just amazing. I don't even know how to describe how I felt, I knew I've never felt this before in my life… but it was the most beautiful thing I've ever experienced. Just holding her close to me gave me a sense of safety, of calm… of happiness. These emotions… they're all just so new.
I don't know for how long we stood like that, but at one point, we've both heard a howl, and I abruptly let go. She backed away too, slightly sad, but smiling.

"Duty sadly calls… heh, how it can come at the best of times." she chuckled.

"I know how you feel." I also smirked, huffing amusedly.

She giggled, and licked my forehead shortly.

"Thank you… for everything." I whispered.

"That's what someone who truly cares about you does." she smiled again, and left me staring at the lake, as the soft breeze made it tremble slightly.

Garth laughed from behind me, making me turn abruptly.

"That… was one of the cutest things I've ever seen in my entire life."

I smirked. "I'm glad you had fun."

He nuzzled my face a little, and he added.

"Well, now you should get your orders in order, captain." he chuckled.

I didn't answer, only huffed amusedly.

"It's kind of a forge your own path kind of a thing." he shrugged. "I'll see you later, Rohrrin." he finished, as he also departed.

I was left staring at my reflection at the water, still wondering who exactly was staring back at me. I'll figure it out soon… maybe with some help too. Now I can finally consider them alli- no… even friends. Allies wouldn't have felt like they do, they wouldn't… care that much.

I chuckled to myself. "I have friends." I thought briefly. Just like 'free', I never thought I'd be able to say that about myself. Hell, how many phrases like this am I gonna keep adding to the book?

Though, as I stared, one last thought flew briefly through my head, like a whisper from a drowned out voice, but which still sounded like me:

"I don't wanna be you anymore."

Just a quick mention, this isn't the end of the story! Not yet, anyways! But this journey is sadly coming to a close real soon, so stay tuned and may the best of things come your way, fellows! (I tried to sound cool, OK? Don't make fun of me, 'cause I know where y'all live… (jk))