Chapter 2

A/N: Done with all my Kranna stuff not to work onRiver and Shards!

Beginning Dynamics

He was cold, yet warm half and half. After the cold of death the warm hurt but the pain was not bad as the aching emptiness that had licked at him a short span ago. He cracked an eye open, confused. There was no flapping of birds wings, no sharp jagged pin points of pain now that he dared to stir. He was... safe... well that was his illusion when he woke up, he cracked his eyes open, ignored the world about him, and reached out to push off of the ground.

He touched flesh, warm, still living flesh. It moaned, snuggled closer to him, and he discovered that "it" was a woman. The woman cracked her soft green eyes open a mite and with a might yawn and smile began to wake up. He recoiled from the being as if he had been bedding with a snake, and she looked up at him in sleepy confusion.

"Oh my Gods!" The auburn haired man turned to see a young child of ten or so look up at him with wide crystal hue eyes. "Yuan you were right! The Human was making a move on Martel!"

He looked down at the woman dressed in furs and she looked up at him a hint of crimson about her cheeks. She had soft spring shoot green hair that matched her gentle eyes, those eyes were worried. That in turn made him very worried.

"Oh no... No Mithos, it's not like that!"

Too late the kid had ran off screaming for a Yuan.

"Bodyguard of yours, this Yuan person?" The brigand said, his lips curling into a slight ghost smile.

"No... We're just friends."

"What!" Roared a male's voice.

"He touched her butt and I think he was gunna do worse!" Came a child's voice in what was known almost universally as the tattle tell tone.

"Oh no... You better run!" The woman whispered. "Yuan's a really good swordsman."

The auburn haired man chuckled a vile sound with no warmth.

"Young Miss, I run from nothing. And before things go to hell, I want you to understand any touching I did was while I was out cold, I meant none of it."

She blushed, nodded, and pulled the blanket over her tattered clothes. He wasn't going to bother with modesty, someone had stripped him of his clothes, he hardly cared as the fire nearby kept him warm enough. Standing, shedding the tangled blanket that someone had thoughtfully draped over him he met the blue haired pointy eared roughen, on his feet.

"You get away from her!" The man growled, his sapphire hued eyes -the brigand could safely say they were that color for his first loot had been a small sapphire taken from an over sentimental noblewoman who had ignored Kratos' warning of the jewel or her life. Kratos spared the man in his black tattered cloak and heavy fur garments a humored look.

"I don't take to elves." Kratos growled, eyed the man's make shift hunting spear. "I prefer my own specie thank you. Your woman's honor is not in question, and I want no fight."

"How dare you... you bastard... get away from my Martel."

"Your Martel?" The woman and boy protested in unison.

"Ms. Martel, an honor." He mock bowed to her, then turned to the blue haired pointy eared freak. "A shame your companions could be no less civil then yourself."

The man... it was a general term, after all this Yuan was by no means a human. Glared bloody daggers at him. Kratos waited, the tension of the things muscles was obvious hints to the human who had seen men in a number of blood rages to recognize one right in front of him. Snarling a line in a language Kratos didn't know the blue haired man charged. Kratos blocked the overhand chop of the staff of the stone tip weapon, then wrenched the spear out of the man's grasp. His foe was a stuborn one, refusing to give up, like two dogs they warred over the staff. One sharp and uterly rude kick to the blue haired thing's groin made the pointy ear sink to his knees. He looked up at the human who'd just defeated him. Was forced to meet those black empty eyes for the stone point of the weapon tilted his head up.

"If you have a weapon, learn to fight with it before trying to kill with it." The human tossed the spear to the side. "Boy."

The blue haired elf went scarlet in rage, and the human looked at him.

In the blue haired man eyes he saw the other begging for another fight, drooling for the chance to inflict more pain.

From the auburn haired human perspective he saw a beast before him properly dispatched and out of the fight, for now.

They both knew, for them where the other stood, and that was all they needed for now.

Xxx

"Martel... this is weird..." The blonde haired boy hissed to his sister, sparing a look for the non pointy eared man who was silently eating a bowl of stew.

"Mithos, be polite, it might just be a human custom we don't understand."

"Derris merth..." Yuan murmured her pet name. "Stoney silence for five hours is not custom from anywhere I've ever heard of. Not that I mind, he's an -"

"Yuan!" Martel smacked his arm lightly. "Don't you dare curse in front of Mithos!"

They were all sitting in another clearing, he'd marched with them, said nothing, had only siad all of five words. They were 'boy I need your sling' the man had then taken Mithos' sling, killed a rabbit, and that's why they were having a dinner tonight. The half elves were sitting on a log and across from them, on the outer edge of the fire light was a human who seemed to suck all the volume from their voices and the cheer from their souls. Mithos hated it, hated how this gloomy, mean, filthy human just joined up with them because he was hurt and Martel healed him. Mithos hadn't even heard the man even say 'thank you' yet.

That was completely inexcusable!

"You are a jerk, you know that!" Mithos said in his loudest voice, standing up and puffing himself up so he wasn't as tiny. The man who was sitting, one leg sprawled out before him the other bent and serving as perch for his hands regarded him cooly. Mithos' stomach went all cold and shrivelly inside.

"Can you hear me, I said..."

"I heard." The man stared at him, stared through him. "Who are you and why should who you are make me care?"

"I'm.." Mithos paused for dramatic effect. "Mithos Yggdrasil!"

"You are a young snot nosed brat who needs sense beat into him." Came the soft counter. "And if your sister doesn't retrieve you right now I'll be the one to do it."

Mithos almost wailed out to his sister that the human was being mean, but realizing that would just prove the stupid human right. Gritting his teeth he boy stomped up to the human, ignoring how those black eyes seemed to bore into him like knives. The eyes, the face, said 'go away' but Mithos wasn't going to listen to some dumb old human! No matter how scary he was!

"I'm not scared of you!" Mithos growled, well squeaked was more like the sound.

"Mithos, leave him alone!" Yuan called. "You never know, he might be rabid."

"Shut up pointy eared slime." The human snarled, then looked to the small child before him. "You're a brave one or your stupid, since your young lets call it the later and save some time shall we?"

"You are a jerk."

"You said that already." The human looked beyond him, bored.

"I gave you my name, your supposed to give me yours, or are you non-pointy ears so dumb that you don't know what common courtesy is?" He was proud how he got Martel's word right, and ended the question with a smirk.

"Kratos Aurion." The man growled, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Satisfied? Good. Now go back to your friends and leave me alone."

"No." Mithos crossed his arms in front of his chest, a pale mimic of the man's gesture. "I'm not, not till you say thank you!"

"For what?" The human hissed.

"My sister and her friend saved you from drowning!" Mithos growled. "And you're gunna say thank you, right now!"

Kratos rose and eyebrow, his lips quirked in a hint of a mocking smile.

"Or what little boy?"

"Or..." Fire licked at the ends of his tiny fingers. "Or I'll... I'll..."

"Mithos, don't you dare use mana!" Yuan barked, getting to his feet fast, he knew what was going to happen.

"He's not casting a spell, he's all wound up..." Martel gasped. "Oh no!"

Kratos got to his feet, dodged the line of fire and grimly advanced on the boy, and before Yuan or Martel could do anything about it shoved the child so he fell in the cold snow. Shivering, power lost in his shock the small blonde boy curled into a ball and whimpered as the pain of losing the spell smashed into him. Crying, shivering, he looked so pathetic that even Kratos winced at the sight.

"What's wrong with him?" The human growled, stared at the child in disgust and pity.

"He's sick, it's a half-elf sickness when we lose control of our mana. When we are young and not in control of ourselves sometimes the mana about us makes us do things or maybe we make it do things..." Martel scooped up the small boy in her arms. "Shh it's alright Mithos, just ride it out like before." She rocked the child in her arms.

"You said you were elves." Kratos hissed, his eyes seemed to burn in accusation.

"Yuan and Mithos did, I didn't." Kratos blinked at the vehamince in her tone, took a step back and gripped at a sword that was not there. "It's not like you'd care anyways, you'd hate us no matter what we are. I'm sorry you're like that Kratos."

"Waste your pity on those who deserve it woman." Kratos snarled, then he looked to Mithos and some of the anger left him. "I'll fetch some fire wood, you and your husband should tend to your kid."

Yuan flushed, sputtered a few protests, but Kratos wasn't there to hear them, and poor Martel looked like she'd been struck dead by the man's totally incorrect presumptions about them.

Xxx

"When'd you turn nice?" A small hand poked him on the side, and Kratos resisted the urge to swat it and the small pest at his side away.

"Since your sister and her boyfriend told me I would be murdered in a very messy manner if I wasn't."

"So, you don't like me?" Another poke.

"No."

"Well I don't like you, except poking, it makes your face twitch and it's kinda funny."

That statement was followed by another poke.

"Mithos, I will be having a watch in a few hours, I need to sleep."

"Well I'm bored."

Poke.

"Well I will... smack you with the flat of my hand if you poke me one more time, go bother the blue haired one."

"Yuan said he'd cook me if I bothered him and I'm bored."

Poke.

"Well I'll beat you senseless, nag your sister!" Kratos rolled over, put a wadded up blanket over his head.

"No!"

Poke.

"I!"

Poke

"Wont!"

Poke

"Listen to some stupid human!"

Pokepokepokepokitypokepoke.

Kratos sat up, reached for the food packs which they had ordered him to carry and threw it at the small half elf. Squeaking the boy dodged the projectile and then thoughtfully scampered to it and popped it open, seeing the sweat bread inside, the last slice, he popped it into his mouth.

"You little brat, give that back!"

"Martellll Kratos is being mean to me!"

The green haired woman opened her eyes and yawned.

"Mmm what's wrong Mithos?"

"You lying little ba..." Martel's eyes narrowed and Kratos flinched. "brat..." He finished lamely.

"Mithos, look me in the eyes, now, were you bothering Kratos?"

"Ummm no!"

"Give him the bag and let him sleep."

"Yes, Martel, I'm sorry for waking you."

Martel crossed her arms over her chest and waited.

"And... same to you human."

Mithos went to his blankets, snuggled up and closed his eyes.

"They'll understand, give them time." Martel said quietly.

Kratos stared at the woman. "Frankly I don't know what you're looking for half elf, I don't see what you see, but then I'm not crazy."

She made a fact at the insult but didn't rise to the bait and respond.

"We'll be reaching the cross roads tomorrow, if you want to leave I guess you can then." Martel said, staring at him with this sad look that made him feel a sliver of guilt.

"I can't."

"We'll give you some food or something.." Martel said calmly, as if they had food in an abundince. "You'll be fine."

"I can not." Kratos sighed. "You don't understand do you? No I can see you do not. I owe you my life, and until I have repaid you that debt I am bound to you. So until my death, your death, or until I have defeated death for you we are stuck together." Kratos closed his eyes, laid down on his blanket aware of the horror on her face, it was almost a horrified aura.

"You don't have to..."

"I have a favor to ask." Kratos cut her off, savored hte dark behind his eyes.

"What is it... you don't need to be all formal you know."

"If I was not formal I would speak my mind, and that would lead to my early death half breed." Kratos pulled his blanket over himself, ignored the pain she radiated. "Next time, if there is a next time I lay at your feet, wounded, dying... let me die. It would spare us both a lot of time and effort."

"You can't mean that..." She whispered, horrified.

He let his eyes slide open, stared at her unflinching, let his gaze speak for him, then he re-closed his eyes.

"You can't mean..."

"Good night Ms. Yggdrasil." Kratos snarled, rolling over.

"You can't..."

Kratos curled into a ball, curled away from the light, away from her protests.

"I'm sorry."

"Save it for someone who cares half elf. Save it for someone who gives a damn."

She said nothing and with those bitter worlds leaving a vile taste on his lips he fell asleep.