Dawn couldn't come soon enough to illuminate the prison cell that Connor found himself in. Shadow had managed to drift off to sleep eventually, but the teenager wasn't so lucky. Though tired, the cold, damp, and activity of the fortress had kept the Connor awake all night. After a while, guards came by to let the people out of their cells.

Stepping into the light, Connor blinked a couple of times, eyes adjusting to morning sun. It was a clear day, the sky slowly turning from gold to a brilliant blue. A gentle, warm breeze swaying the trees back and forth as if they were towering cradles. Looking around the arena, he could see that guards were posted on the perimeter wall to keep watch, but otherwise their gladiators were allowed free reign of the open area.

"Yeah, it's not so bad once you get used to it." A voice softly spoke from behind the teen.

Turning around, Connor was greeted by the sight of the basitin he had talked to the previous night. He was slender and short, but clearly lean and strong. Not only was the basitin covered in scars from fighting, but his pure white fur glistened in the light, making the figure appear to glow. It was a shame the man couldn't keep the fur cleaner, otherwise it would shine twice as bright.

"I guess so, but all the same it would be nice to go home."

"On that, my friend, we couldn't agree more. So, will your partner join in?"

Shadow spoke up before Connor could give an answer, coming out of her cell after having woke up. "First, that human isn't my partner, he and a friend of his are my targets."

"Oh. Well, this is certainly a… strange ally to have boy. Does this felid tell the truth?"

With a sigh, Connor admitted the truth. "Yes, Shadow here is right. We aren't so much allies as I am her target. There's a bounty on my hea—"

The basitin was quick to hush the teenager up.

"Shh! Don't say something like that out loud! If the guards catch word of a bounty on your head, they'll kill you off before anyone else can come after you."

The seriousness in the voice of the basitin made Connor rethink speaking so openly. He had assumed that, if anything, the people here would just find a way to sell him back to Captain Drake and that he could escape on the road somewhere.

"Okay… well, I guess I can fill you in later. It's a long story anyway. The short version is that I need to get out of here and find my way back to a young basitin boy. His name is Asher."

This surprised the white-furred basitin. "Y-you know another basitin?"

"Know him? Heck, I'm basically raising him right now."

"Was raising him, that is" Shadow chimed in. "Not going so well now, is it?"

"At least he's safe, probably with the remains of the caravan. They'll be out of the valley this day or the next, then it's only a few more days to the trading post. Meanwhile, we're stuck here. So, Shadow, are you going to help get us out of here, or are you going to keep trying to throw my failures back at me?"

Shadow was now the surprised one. She didn't expect Connor to be so… direct. He really was serious about working as a team. "Alright, fine. I'm in, but only because I know that once out of here, it's only a matter of time before I get you and Asher back to my client."

"Oh yeah, and you might want to remember that box, Shadow. Apparently, that dragon-looking lady was really interested in it."

"Shit" Shadow thought, the human was right. She wasn't going anywhere until she could get that box back as well. It was worth more than her other two targets combined, apparently, so it was certainly worth risking her fur to steal.

"And all this is assuming you two can even survive the first couple of days." The basitin interjected.

"Which is where you come in," Connor replied. "If you can teach us how to beat these other fighters, that should at least buy us enough time to figure out a plan."

"That's what I am to do, if we're all in agreement, that is. So, do we have a deal?"

"Yes, I think we do, mister…"

"Just call me Shiloh kid."

"Shiloh it is, then."

"Excellent! Rule #1, it's best to have allies. Us, working together, will be quite formidable."

"Well that much is obvious, and what's rule #2?" Shadow asked.

Shiloh smiled, "don't die."

The same dawn was illuminating the trail ahead of the caravan. The wagons had found there way across the valley, and the tired travelers where happy to be out of the jungle and in the foothills of the next mountain range. While mourning the loss of their fallen loved-ones, every one in the wagon train was happy to have survived the ordeal. Over time it would be easy enough to replace the possessions that were lost, even replacing the lost lives would be impossible.

That thought hung over Asher. Yeah, he was happy to not be alone out in those woods all alone, but he was traveling with strangers and the one human who took so much care to keep him safe was being left behind, much to his protests. Unfortunately, this seemed like a common thing for humans. They lived and moved around in groups for safety, but when one falls or is taken, the rest seem to move on and keep living. Basitis would rather die than abandon their friends.

At least he was stuck with a nice family. Eira especially had been doing everything she could to find help, even approaching several of the mercenaries to find willing warriors, but according to her they weren't going to follow someone without money, "much less a woman" as she put it. This was a strange sentiment for the boy, basitin didn't really care weather someone was a girl or boy, they all learned to fight.

"Eira?" The boy asked, looking over at the young lady trying to teach herself how to polish her new sword.

Looking up and smiling sweetly, Eira replied "yes, Asher?"

"Will we find Connor by ourselves?"

Eira had to think long and hard about that as it was in the back of her mind for the past day. Everything told her to go find Connor and bring him back to the caravan safely, but she knew that without help that it would be a one-way trip. "Asher, we can't go fight alone. We simply don't have a chance."

Thankfully, Asher seemed to be picking up human speech easily. Likely, it was his young age and being surrounded by humans. Unfortunately, the boy knew exactly what Eira was saying, and he knew she was right. There simply wasn't anything they could do without help. For now, he would have to be content to watch the miles click by, studying the human language so that he'd be able to at least communicate with these new protectors.

Eira continued to polish and sharpen her new sword. It wasn't much to look at, but she knew that keeping such a weapon sharp and clean was important. Unbeknownst to her parents, Eira had every intention of using the blade to free Connor and whoever else she could find as soon as she could find assistance. The survivors were understandably hesitant to launch a rescue mission, especially when there was a real possibility that those taken were already dead.

That last thought is something she really didn't want to think about, at least for Asher's sake if not her own. Connor had to be out there still, he just had to be. Granted, she was only 15, but Connor was the first boy who actually seemed to take interest in her passions. Shouts from ahead toward the front of the wagon train broke Eira from her thoughts. As her dad stopped the wagon, Eira dropped to the ground, sword in hand and ready for a fight if another was to come.

"Eira, what is it?" Asher asked?

"I don't know, stay here while I check it out."

Sneaking past her parents when they weren't looking, Eira slipped up the road along the remaining wagons. What she saw stopped the young woman dead in her tracks.

Metal and wood clashed in the fighting pit. It was practice for tonight's bout and Connor was currently getting his ass handed to him by Shadow as Shiloh watched over their moves, commenting as they sparred.

"Connor, keep your shield up and your feet moving. You stop, you die. Shadow, you must learn to commit more, Tapping your opponent gently isn't going to do anything."

"Yeah, well I've been holding this shield for two hours now Shiloh, my arm can't take much more of this. Isn't a match like ten seconds?"

"And besides Shiloh, I'm an assassin, not some brutish fighter. I was never trained to attack like a basitin."

"Well, you two are going to have to get the basics down before nightfall or you won't last the first round, much less survive long enough to get out of here."

"At least let's take a quick breather then." Connor said, the shield and wooden sword weighing him down.

"No, you'll have an hour or two to rest before the matches begin, but for now you have to keep practicing. See those people up on the walkway? They are making wagers. Put on a good showing and you can earn yourself better food, maybe even a patron. Do poorly, and you'll simply be practice for the more experienced warriors."

"Warriors, huh, I just see a bunch of criminals and slaves." Shadow remarked.

"Yes, well these criminals and slaves mean to survive. Do you mean to die already? I thought we had a deal. I teach, we escape."

"Okay then, basitin, why don't you show us how you've managed to survive so long then?"

A smile came across the basitin's face. Somehow, Connor knew that Shadow had just overplayed her hand.

"Alright, if that's what will teach you two, then you both come at me and work as a team. It will be a good exercise anyway because tonight you'll be fighting in pairs."

The basitin stood up to his full height, which was still a head shorter than Shadow. Unveiling a wooden sword from under his robe, the basitin made himself ready. Shadow and Connor looked at each other and gave a nod. The teen was naturally a defensive fighter, but Shadow was fast. Working in tandem like a sword and shield, they could probably overwhelm the basitin.

Charging forward confidently, the spar was over in seconds. Shiloh moved deliberately, but with the grace of a dancer. He easily evaded Shadow's thrust while kicking away Connor's shield. The human hadn't even a second to react to this development before he felt a solid slap on his side. Shiloh had found a hole and ran him through. Spinning the wooden blade, the basitin locked with Shadow's wooden sword before quickly maneuvering to throw her off balance. Tumbling forward, the leopard couldn't even get up before a wooden tip was thrust under her chin.

"Connor, you're now bleeding out from the ribs. Shadow, I could finish you whenever I please. This is why you both need practice. Tonight will be easy, but each match gets more difficult."

"Jeez, you really are fast!" Shadow remarked.

"Yes dear, I am. And if you plan to live through this, you'll have to be even quicker."

Shiloh again stood upright, ready for an oncoming attack.

"Okay you two, let's take it from the top. Connor, lock up my weapon with the shield. Shadow, wait until you've got an opening."

Slowly, the sun traveled on it's westward arc as the trio practiced their skills in preparation for this evening.

Back at the caravan, Eira walked up to a scene she almost couldn't believe. Hastings was at the very front, talking with a keidran holding a spear. Surrounding the front of the wagon train must have been over one hundred tigers and other big cats. Spying a keidran that looked to also be an adolescent, Eira approached the tigress.

"E-excuse me. Who are you?"

The tigress looked away from her leaders as they were discussing with the human guards and guides to see a human teenager walking up, sword in hand.

"Oh, we are a rescue party. Slavers in the area took some of our clan and the matriarch finally decided to let us root them out."

"The slavers, they wouldn't happen to have a symbol like this, would they?" Grabbing a stick, Eira traced the tattoo of the man who had threatened to rape her when Connor first showed up. It looked like a stylized dragon holding a sword inside a diamond frame.

"Yeah, some of the raiders who attacked us had that marking. You ran into them too?"

"If you mean attacked us, then yes those men did. In fact, they took a friend of mine."

"Let me guess, your friend put up a fight and the dragon-lady they were with chose to take him alive?"

"How did you know…"

"The Adrakist, as they are called, led the charge and used her fire magic to counter our abilities. Burnt half the village down before the attack ended. I saw her picking out the bravest to be used for some other purpose than being sold into slavery."

Just then, the tigress caught a glimpse of something brown and furry hiding behind the teenager. Sensing a shift in the keidran's tone, Eira gripped her sword tighter, ready for a possible confrontation.

"And you wouldn't happen to be a slaver, would you?"

"Slaver? No! My father trades cloth and knickknacks, we've got no way of keeping slaves! Even if we did, we think the practice is barbaric."

"Then who is your friend there?" Just then, the tigress crouched down and motioned for the young figure to step forward. Eira lifted an arm to look down behind her as Asher sheepishly stepped out from behind the teenager, one hand instinctively holding onto Eira's thigh for security.

"Oh, this here is Asher. He's a basitin orphan. My friend, the one who got captured, was caring for him."

"Okay, so not a slaver then. But why haven't you humans mounted a rescue mission yet? I know you females don't usually participate in such things, but you're caravan here clearly has enough warriors."

"I wish we would, but after our group was attacked the other day no one thinks that we've got enough volunteers to rescue our stuck friends."

An announcement from Hastings interrupted the conversation. "Okay travelers, listen up! These keidran are going to let us pass and will be watching our rear tonight. Safety in numbers and all that. Proceed slowly after me and we will be making camp just up the road."

Eira looked back to the tigress she just met. "I had better get myself and Asher back before my parents start to worry. But could I come find you later tonight? I want to come on this rescue of yours."

"Coming with would require permission from my leaders first, but if you're any good with that sword I think we can find a spot for you. I'll be making camp on the road nearest your caravan."

This made Eira smile. Finally, she may have found some like-minded people going off to give those criminals a what-for!

"Thank you, miss…"

"You can call me Lily. And you are?"

"Oh, yeah. My name is Eira."

"Okay then Eira, come find me once you've made camp."

After the sun set and the two camps were illuminated only by fires, Eira and Asher snuck back down the trail toward the Tiger camp. When the human guard wasn't looking, the two quietly passed by and continued until she heard a voice call out.

"Eira, is that you?"

"Yeah, me and Asher."

Just then, Lily stepped out from the bushes with a couple of other tigresses. "Okay, great! Follow us back to camp, you'll be fine as long as you stick with us."

After a few minutes of walking, Eira followed Lily into the keidran encampment. There were no tents or wagons, just small fires with communal beds surrounding the flames. Hushed voices talked indiscriminately as Eirn and Shadow slipped through the huddled groups until arriving at a small fire near the uphill side of the encampment. Lily gestured for Eirn and Asher to have a seat on a bedroll. Seated on the opposite side of the fire was an older-looking tigress. Past her prime for certain, but still a force to be reckoned with. A warrior refined by years of experience.

"Is this the one you have told me about, Lily?"

"Yes mother, she wishes to fight."

"What is your name dear? And that of your friend?"

Taking the elder's invitation to sit down, Eira sat on one of the bed rolls, Asher sitting down close to her. "My name is Eira, and this here is Asher, a basitin."

"I see that. So you wish to fight with us, do you? Why?"

"Well ma'am—"

"Please, call me Iris dear."

"Well, Iris, a friend of mine was taken prisoner when our wagons were attacked. He had defended my family previously and so I owe him a great debt. The young man, Connor, was caring for Asher here who has lost his mother. He's the closest thing to family this child has, so if there is any chance of rescuing him alive, I need to take it."

Iris gently stroked her chin, moving the fine tiger fur between her fingers like an old man would do with his beard. After some contemplation, she spoke. "Can you fight?"

"N-not exactly, but I can do other things. I can scout ahead, spy on the enemy, get the jump on guards, that sort of stuff."

"And you think that alone will allow you to survive?"

Eira didn't have an answer to that, at least not one she wanted to say out loud. The truth was, no, if caught in a fight she'd probably lose badly.

"Young lady, I have fought in many battles. Intelligence and luck can only get you so far. As I understand it, humans do not let their women fight in battle often."

"You're right ma'am, I probably wouldn't survive a battle. Not without training anyway. But you see, I don't want to be like most human women. I don't want to just stay home, cook, and clean. I want to learn how to fight, how to defend myself, keep my family safe."

"And let me guess, you haven't found anyone who can teach you?"

"Y-yes. Everyone I ask won't teach a woman to fight."

"That is a disappointment."

"I understand ma'am. Asher and I will head back to camp—"

"I didn't say you had to leave dear. Do you want to learn from warriors?"

Looking around, Eira began to understand what the elder was implying. By staying with these tiger keidran, she could learn the basics of fighting. "Are you saying, ma'am, that I could stay here and learn from you?"

"Yes Eira, if you truly want to learn how to fight like a warrior, we can at least show you the basics. But, do not expect to be able to fight in the upcoming battle. Once we find your friend, you'll have to head back to you wagons. We won't be coming back this way."

Eira's eyes lit up at the offer. Studying under warriors who understood what she felt would be the opportunity of a lifetime. Her parents would surely say 'no' but she could be well on her way before they ever found out. There was one problem though, Asher still needed someone to watch over him.

"I would love to Iris, but Asher still needs someone to keep him safe. I can't just leave him wit the wagons, he barely speaks any language other than basitin."

"Dear, basitin are natural warriors. He's about old enough to start training as well. Take him with and he'll be as safe with us as he would be anywhere else."

Lily then spoke up for the first time since the conversation began. "Well Eira, I guess you've got yourself a deal. Come and train with us, help out where you can, and when we find your friend you can head toward the trading post."

"Thank you both for your help, I just need to grab a few things and I can be back here shortly."

"Yes, come back here to get rest, you'll come with us before dawn. Be sure your elders know where you are."

With that, Eira stood up, grabbed Asher, and immediately made her way back to the human encampment. Finding her parents fast asleep already, she wrote a quick note for them to find in the morning, silently grabbed a few items she might need, including a knife and spare clothes. Asher, for his part, didn't quite understand what was going on, but Eira did her best to explain that they were going off to rescue Connor. That part he understood, and so was immediately on board.

Taking one last look at the wagon that had been her home her whole life, Eira slipped into the darkness toward the distant glow of the keidran encampment. They'd be miles away before dawn, and hopefully that note she left would keep her parents from sending someone to retrieve her. This was finally Eira's chance to do something other than cook and sew, she wasn't going to pass it up.