Kyle woke up deliciously sore and feeling warm and sated. He let out a long stretching yawn and was expecting to see Kira beside him, only to find her side of the bed empty.

he sat up quickly, gasping in panic that she might be in trouble again, seeing her clothes gone from the floor. He glanced at his arms, seeing skin still and looked out the window, the sky burned red with the looming sunrise.

On the small table across the room, he noticed a piece of paper with feminine scrawling writing over it. Feeling another surge of panic, he got out of bed and walked over to pick up the note.

'Kyle and Jasa-

I know you're going to be angry that I left without telling you, but I knew you would never let me if you knew. They have my mother- and I have to help her.

I'm not sure how long I'll be gone, but if you leave on your trip before I return, know that no matter where you go, I'll find you. I'm not abandoning my mate.

-Kira.'

Kyle stared numbly at the words, re-reading them several times to see if they were somehow wrong.

Kira had left him.

She didn't know that where he was going, she couldn't follow.

He felt a mixture of anger and sorrow fill him, pain making him drop the note and stagger on weak legs. It was so much worse knowing you were not only going to lose your life, but your love as well.

He hardly flinched when the transformation hit, Jasa bristling in alarm at Kyle's emotional pain. What has happened? Where is Kira?

"Kira left." Kyle said, his voice cracking with emotion. "She's not coming back in time."

Jasa was silent in shock for several long moments before whispering What?

"She's going to save her mother from the hunters." Kyle said bitterly. "She doesn't want our help this time, I guess."

We must go find her- we must protect her-

"And how do you expect to do that?" Kyle yelled angrily. "Sniff her out or something? We have no idea where she's gone or what she's doing. For all we know we may expose her and put her in danger."

Jasa sat in shock, a whimper of pain coming from him But-

"She doesn't want us there, Jasa." Kyle said more calmly, though his tone was bitter. "We'll just live our the time we have left. We've failed."

The leopard recoiled at the realization, sinking further into withdrawal until the only way Kyle knew he was still there was the fur covering his body in the sunlight.

He sat back down on the couch, feeling bereft. He felt something wet hit his hand and realized he was crying. With a curse of frustration he wiped the tears from his eyes, determined to make the best of the time he had left.

Tinder hissed angrily as another piece of bread burned, turning it to ashes in frustration.

"Calm down, hothead." Oak glared at him. "We'll never get dinner done at this rate." The gnome was stirring a spoon within a massive pot, standing on a stack of books in order to reach it.

"I just don't see why he's so sad still. She didn't deserve him, so why is he upset?" The lizard growled, taking out another piece of bread with his teeth, gently setting it on the metal table. He had gone through nearly half a loaf of the bread, the only reward for his troubles one crispy browned piece of toast and a growing pile of ashes.

"Because no matter if you think she deserved him or not, he loves her."

"Well, all he's done is paint and draw since that night. He hardly sleeps, only eats if we shove it in his face." The salamander hissed in frustration, incinerating another piece of bread. "I don't understand it."

"Human emotions will never be understood, Tinder. Just accept it." The gnome shrugged simply, hopping down from his pile of books. "Okay, it's ready." He called out to a group of pixies waiting.

With a group effort the pixies managed to ladle some soup into a bowl as Tinder finally made another browned piece of toast.

The elementals brought the food through the halls and into Kyle's room, where he worked on a painting. It was a large picture of a leopard in the forest, the mansion in the background and elementals along the edges of the frame.

As ever during this last week, he stood concentrating in front of the canvas, heedless of the pain covering him. He probably didn't realize this was his last night.

"Dinner is ready." Oak called out, holding the bowl up proudly.

Kyle looked down in surprise and saw the elementals crowded around his feet. "Thanks, guys." He said, his voice raspy from lack of use.

He sat on the wooden floor among them, eating his soup and toast while the pixies chattered about meeting different creatures of the forest. Kyle finished his meal, smiling as he listened until a sharp pain made him double over in shock.

"What the hell?" He gritted through clenched teeth as the elementals clamored around him in alarm. Tinder let out a long hiss before wrapping himself against Kyle's feet, looking up at him in concern.

It has begun. Today was our last day. It has been good knowing you, Kyle You were a good man. It was the first time Kyle had heard Jasa's voice all week since Kira left.

Kyle tried to respond but only cried out as pain lashed through him again.

"Let's at least make him comfortable." Oak said grimly, putting a small hand against Kyle's leg as Tinder let out a small sound of sorrow.