As usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

Dwarven Vow 57:
Còmhla ri chèile mar an t-sluagh a 'fuireach.
People survive under the shelter of one another.

44-

"NOISHE!"

Lloyd had seen the red near Noishe's muzzle only momentarily, but it was enough to confirm that it was blood. Lloyd ran after him, calling him again with the hope that he'd stop and allow an examination. Noishe could fight, but he was so afraid of monsters that he generally turned tail and ran at the sight of conflict. What could have hurt him…?

He heard Noishe stop a short distance ahead of him, and by the time he caught up, Noishe had turned around to face him. Lloyd held up the lantern to see better, but the scene was clear, even in the waning light.

A thin stream of blood dripped down from Noishe's muzzle, and Lloyd followed it upward to the mass of brown and white fur that hung limply in Noishe's mouth. It was a hare- a snowshoe, by the looks of the feet and the last few remnants of the white winter coat. Lloyd sighed in relief that Noishe was unharmed, and then began to puzzle over the situation out loud.

"Wow, buddy. That's a nice, uh… nice catch. I didn't know you could hunt. You've never done this before, at least not as long as I can remember. Are you hungry? We have plenty of food for you back at home-"

As Lloyd spoke, he was interrupted by the sound of Pete barking from further down the trail. Noishe turned around and ran off into the forest again before Lloyd could even call out his name.

"Noishe! W-wait! Where are you going? Hey-" He started to run after Noishe, but Colette caught up just as he did, so he turned around to explain the situation. "Something's wrong. Noishe is acting weird."

"Is he hurt?" Colette asked, placing a hand on the scruff of her dog's neck to keep him from running ahead.

"No, he's fine. But that hare he caught has seen better days."

Colette gasped and covered her mouth. "I didn't know Noishe could hunt! You always fed him, so I just assumed… but I guess even he has certain instincts."

"Stil, I don't know why he's suddenly taken up hunting. He doesn't seem like the kind of animal who'd hunt for sport, and Mom and I always make sure he has enough to eat."

"Well, where did he go? If we follow him, maybe we can find out!"

Lloyd frowned and looked back into the thick brush. "I dunno. He ran off so fast, I didn't have a chance to see exactly where he went. It's almost dark, and it's not a good idea to be wandering aimlessly around the forest in the dark-"

As he said this, Colette took her hand off of her dog's neck, and he bolted out into the forest, his tail raised in excitement. Colette ran after him, motioning for Lloyd to follow.

"This way! Come on!"

When they finally caught up with Noishe, they found him knelt down over his catch in a small thicket. As soon as he noticed them- tipped off by a tentative growl from Pete, his ears perked up and he lifted his head, dropping the piece of raw meat that was in his mouth. Lloyd slapped a hand over his mouth in disgust as he saw the red stains around Noishe's muzzle. He was about to speak up when he noticed another sound, like the squeaking of a tiny animal. His gaze shot down to the ground by Noishe's feet, but it was obscured by the thick brush, so he couldn't see anything. Noticing the movement of Lloyd's attention, Noishe swiped his tongue around the sides of his mouth to clean it and leaned down into the thicket again to grab something. Lloyd stiffened and looked away, halfway expecting to be offered the tattered remains of the hare. But that wasn't what Noishe was reaching for.

"Oh Lloyd, look!"

The joy in Colette's voice was unexpected, and Lloyd turned his head back around to see what was going on. From the thicket below, Noishe had produced a tiny canine creature that was squealing and squirming in his grip. He placed the pup down on the ground near Lloyd's feet and returned to the thicket to retrieve a second. Pete began to tread closer with his nose pressed to the ground, but Noishe turned toward him with an uncharacteristic snarl, and he retreated behind Colette with his tail between his legs.

"They're… puppies…?" Lloyd gasped, kneeling down to examine the creatures. Noishe had returned to the thicket again and came back chewing a piece of meat. Lloyd was inspecting the pups, but he scrambled as soon as Noishe spat out his chewed-up mouthful right near his feet.

"Ew, Noishe-" Lloyd shot back up so that he could take a proper step back. "-that's disgusting-"

"No it's not!"

Colette grabbed Lloyd's free arm with one hand and pointed with the other. The two pups were already digging into the pile of chewed meat while Noishe watched with a look of satisfaction.

"This is how mother dogs teach their puppies to eat solid food," Colette explained. "Once the puppies are about a month old, the mom stops nursing them and instead offers them pre-chewed or regurgitated food. It's not disgusting at all; it's a totally natural thing for mother dogs to do."

Lloyd didn't necessarily agree with her on that account, but he was too fascinated by the facts to worry about her opinion. "Noishe…" he began with a gasp, "...are these your puppies?"

At the sound of his name, Noishe raised his head to look back at Lloyd. He didn't react to the question right away, but eventually he tilted his head to the side and whined.

"Aw, buddy, why didn't you tell us you were having puppies? We would've supported you!" In his excitement, Lloyd completely forgot his earlier disgust with the situation and set his lantern aside so he could embrace Noishe. He threw his arms around Noishe's neck, burying his face against the soft fur. "I can't believe my Noishe is a mom!"

Noishe whined uneasily, but didn't try to pull away.

"These are some of the strangest puppies I've ever seen, though," Colette commented, kneeling down to get a closer look at the pups who had finished the available food and seemed to be searching for more. "I know it's dark, but even so, I know I've never seen any puppies quite like them. They're adorable, but couldn't even begin to guess what breed they are."

Lloyd let go and turned back around, keeping one arm around Noishe. "Well, their mother isn't exactly the most normal dog either."

"True." Colette picked up one of the pups, fascinated by the way it squirmed in her hand and started biting at her arm. "I wonder- ow, sharp teeth!- wonder who their father is."

Lloyd let out a scandalized gasp and pressed his hands over Noishe's ears. "Colette! That's none of our business! If Noishe wants to tell us, he will. But if not, there's no need to pressure him." He removed his hands and turned his head back. "I'm sorry, buddy. If you want to be a kick-ass single mom, we're here for you unconditionally. You don't have to tell us anything you don't want to."

"I don't think he's going to tell us anything, whether he wants to or not…"

"I know that! But it's the principle of saying so that counts!"

As the two argued, Noishe looked back and forth with a confused whine. Pete inched forward again with some trepidation, trying to get a better sniff of the pups, but all Noishe had to do was take a step in his direction and Pete scampered away. Colette giggled and approached the whimpering dog, the pup she was holding still cradled in her arms.

"Here, boy. It's okay. Noishe is just trying to protect his babies."

Lloyd watched her with a fond smile, but he turned back when he felt Noishe nudge his shoulder. Noishe had picked up the other pup by the scruff of the neck, and when Lloyd turned to face him, he dropped the pup into his arms.

"You want me to hold it? Thanks, buddy." Lloyd hugged the pup close, ignoring the way it scratched against his arms and cheek. "We should probably give the puppies names, don't you think?"

"Yes, of course!" Colette took a closer examination of the pup she was holding and looked up again. "This one feels like 'Sweet Pea."

"How perfect!" Lloyd chimed. "And this one can be 'Noishe Junior!' Welcome to the family, little guys!"

Noishe leaned over Lloyd's arm to nudge the pup, and began licking around the top and side of its head. The pup stilled its earlier struggles against Lloyd's grip, enjoying the sensation of being groomed. Lloyd could've watched the scene for hours, but the echo of a faraway voice caught his attention.

"...Colette! Lloyd!"

Colette perked up too, her heightened senses giving her a better sense of where the sound was coming from. "That's Genis' voice! How long have we been gone?"

Lloyd looked up at the sky, examining the positions of the constellations. "Well, the moon isn't above the treeline yet, so it can't be that late-"

"No, I mean, weren't we supposed to be back before it got dark?"

There was a pause.

"Aw, dammit. Dad's gonna be pissed."

Colette pulled herself to her feet and yelled out "GENIS? WE'RE COMING; DON'T WORRY!" She then turned to motion toward Lloyd and Noishe. "Do you think Noishe will mind if I carry Sweet Pea back?"

"I don't think so," Lloyd answered, gauging Noishe's reaction as he stood up with the other pup still cradled in his arms. "Is it alright if we carry the puppies for you, Noishe?"

Noishe's ears perked up and he started leading the way back toward Dirk's house, so Lloyd followed after him. It didn't take them long to find the mountain path again and retrace their steps back to the light of the house. Genis was waiting by the creek, waving from the bridge and running over to meet them halfway.

"There you are! Dirk said you were supposed to be back before dark. What happened? What are you-?"

"Oh, Genis, you're never gonna believe the news we have!" Lloyd met him first and held the lantern over the pup he was holding. "Is Kratos still here? He's gotta hear about this."

"What is that? A baby fox?"

"It's a puppy, silly! Noishe had puppies!"

Genis frowned and looked back and forth between Noishe and the pup in Lloyd's arms. "Wha… is that even possible…? I thought he-"

"Let's go inside and talk it over with everyone!" Colette insisted, pushing her way across the bridge. "Pete, sweetie, come on! Let's go show Zelos the puppies!"

"Oh! Colette, uh, about that-" Genis reached out after her and the dog, but she didn't seem to be paying attention, so he sighed and followed. "Let's go Lloyd. Dirk was worried about you, and I want to see what Noishe's so-called puppies really look like."

By the time Lloyd and Genis made it to the door, Colette had already gone inside and they found her receiving information from Kratos. Her excited smile was gone, and she was nodding her head as she listened.

"-didn't tell him exactly what the meeting was about, but I assume that, if I was asked to come, it has something to do with the Great Tree or the NV Zone."

"I see," Colette replied. "I'd sleep better tonight if I knew what the meeting was going to be about, but I guess if it's sensitive information, they wouldn't want to give it out to just anyone…"

"What's going on?" Lloyd asked, pushing his way into the conversation. "Where's Zelos? Wasn't he supposed to be here?"

"Zelos was called to Mizuho," Kratos replied, "along with Colette and me. Apparently they're holding a meeting tomorrow and they've requested the presence of the Chosens. The fact that they've invited me as well makes me think it must be related to the NV Zone, but I can't say for sure. Zelos decided to go straight there from Sybak, since he was so close. Colette and I will leave for Mizuho tomorrow, after we've accompanied you and Dirk to Luin and I've taken care of some militia responsibilities there."

Lloyd pouted. "That's no fair. Sheena didn't ask me to join in?"

"Probably 'cause ye're still recoverin'," Dirk responded. "Whit were ye daein' out sae lang? What've ye got there?"

"Oh, that's right!" The pup had fallen asleep in the crook of Lloyd's arm, so he'd almost forgotten that it was there. "This is so exciting, you guys- Noishe had puppies!"

Kratos' stern expression dissolved into one of unexpected disbelief. "What? That's impossible. Noishe isn't a… and even if he were, he's not a…" His voice trailed off and he shook his head, leaning over to get a better look at the pup in Lloyd's arms. As he did so, Colette let out a sharp gasp, and everyone in the room turned to look.

"L-Lloyd!" she exclaimed, spinning around on her heels to face him. Her voice was twinged with a sense of sadness, almost betrayal. "These… these aren't dogs at all!"

"What?" Lloyd held his up to get a better look.

"Genis was right," Colette continued, letting her pup crawl over her arms and up her chest to her shoulder. "I think… I think they're foxes."

Genis moved over to help Colette with the explorative pup that was sniffing and biting at her hair. Lloyd reexamined his own pup and carried it back over to Noishe, who was sitting calmly at Kratos' side.

"So…" Lloyd began, trying to wrap his mind around the situation. "...so Noishe's mystery beau wasn't another dog at all, but a fox? No wonder he didn't want to tell us. Don't worry, buddy! We approve of even inter-species relationships-"

Kratos put his hand on Lloyd's shoulder to cut him off. "No, Lloyd, that's not what they meant. There's no way Noishe gave birth to these pups. He must have found them somewhere and brought them here."

"You're saying Noishe is a kidnapper? He would never-!"

"No, he wouldn't," Genis interrupted as he reached over and picked up the pup from Colette's shoulder, "but he might rescue pups that have been orphaned. Based on the square face and narrow muzzle, I'd say these pups are Gaorrachian sand foxes. They're native to high altitudes on the Gaorrachian continent in Tethe'alla."

"That's-!" Colette gasped. "That's where the Great Tree is!"

Genis handed the pup back to Colette. "It's possible that the pups' mother was hurt or killed by the recent earthquakes and landslides associated with the NV Zone."

Kratos nodded in reply. "I received a radio dispatch this afternoon that Anna and Bryan's patrol discovered a fox that had dug its way around the fence and was killed in the NV Zone. Noishe usually accompanies Anna on her patrols, so…" He turned his head to make eye contact with Noishe. "Did you do this for Anna, Noishe?"

Hearing the name, Noishe sat down and began to wag his tail, giving a cheerful yip in reply. His eager-to-please expression told Kratos everything he needed to know.

"Well, then, I suppose 'at answers 'at."

Dirk laughed, crossing the room to give Noishe a pat on the head. "It seems 'at Noishe has learned his Dwarven Vows as well. He ken nae tae leave a bairn aw alone when ye can dae somethin' tae help."

Colette took her pup back over to where Noishe was sitting, allowing it to scamper down and hide behind Noishe's front legs. "I guess that means they areNoishe's puppies after all. He's an adoptive dad."

"It's no wonder." Lloyd leaned down to elbow Dirk's arm. "He learned from the best, after all."

"If ye hink flattery can gie ye out ay trouble fer stayin' out past dark, ye're sorely mistaken."

"What? Dad, come on-!" Lloyd stood up straight again and crossed his arms. "There were extenuating circumstances, and it's not like you said we needed to be back by sunset in the first place. You just said that Genis would be here by then."

"I'm jist teasin' ye this time, lad. I ne'er actually tauld ye tae be back by sunset, sae you didnae disobey me. I jist want ye tae be careful. I ken I cannae stop ye frae runnin' aff now 'at ye're officially healed, sae as lang as ye tak' care ay yerself, I willnae get angry."

"Dad," Lloyd gasped, his pout melting back into a smile, "does that mean I can ask about going to the-?"

"Aye, I dorn't see why not."

No one else seemed to know what Lloyd was talking about, and Kratos took a step back as he saw Lloyd spin around on his heels to face him. "Kratos!" Lloyd exclaimed, clasping his hands together. "Can I please go visit the Great Tree?"

It took a moment for Kratos to respond. "You… what are you talking about? Why do you want to go to the Tree all of a sudden? There's nothing out there except the NV Zone, and that's dangerous-"

"That's exactly what I want to see!" Lloyd insisted, taking a step forward to close the gap between them. "I've heard all about it from Genis and Zelos, but I want to see it for myself. I want to understand it better."

Kratos reached out to place a hand on Lloyd's shoulder, though the gesture seemed less of a reassurance and more of a precaution to keep Lloyd from tackling him like before. "If you want to get a better understanding of it, the best way would be to visit the Imperial Research Academy or the Palmacosta University where the major research is taking place. Going to the site itself won't help you, and it might put you in danger unnecessarily." He turned to look at Dirk. "Do you really approve of this?"

Dirk winked at him. "Dwarven Vow 178, donnae let yer formal education gie in th' way ay yer learnin'."

"Yep. I should've seen that one coming."

"Th' lad has tae see it wi' his ain eyes. He was th' ain fa promised tae care fer th' Tree when it first began tae grow, after aw. Cannae ye at least allow him 'at?"

"I… suppose it wouldn't hurt for him to go close enough just to see it," Kratos answered with a sigh. "But he still wouldn't be allowed into the restricted area for safety reasons."

"Aye, ay course."

"And I would want someone else to accompany him." He turned to look at Genis and Colette, who were busy playing with Noishe and the pups. "You two- would you be willing to accompany Lloyd to the border of the restricted area so that he can observe the Tree?"

"Huh? I mean, yeah, but…" Genis looked up, pulling himself to his feet so that he could rejoin the conversation. "I'm actually headed to Sybak tomorrow. Professor Low is meeting with a Lezareno Company consultant in the morning, and then she promised to give Bianca a tour of the Imperial Research Academy, so Nika and I were gonna go on a little… d-date…" His face flushed red as he choked the last word. "But maybe some other time-"

"It's near Sybak, though, right?" Lloyd interrupted. "The three of us could go together tomorrow morning on the way to where we're headed- you on the way to Sybak, Colette on the way to Mizuho, and me on the way to Luin."

"It is… nowhere near being on the way to Luin, Lloyd."

Colette giggled, standing up beside Genis and grabbing his arm. "I think he just means that he'll return to Sylvarant afterward. Honestly, it doesn't sound like such a bad idea. I haven't had the chance to see it yet either. I've been too scared to go alone, and Seles hasn't felt up to traveling much. We could go early tomorrow morning, that way no one will be late for their plans."

Kratos cleared his throat. "If you three want to go, I know I can't stop you. However, I still have some time-sensitive work waiting for me in Luin, so I cannot accompany you. I will contact the patrol on duty for tomorrow to let them know that you're coming, and that you won't be allowed inside the restricted area. They'll let you into the observation tower and will be authorized to let you use some of their optical equipment to get a better view- will that be sufficient?"

"Yeah, totally!" Lloyd replied. "As long as I can at least see the tree, I'll be fine."

There was a moment of silence. Kratos frowned and narrowed his eyes as he evaluated Lloyd's statement. He turned to look at Dirk, who just shrugged in response. Sighing, Kratos turned back to the group.

"Genis, Colette, I'll be counting on you two to make sure Lloyd keeps his word."

"Wha-? Y-you don't trust me?!" Lloyd stammered. "But I-"

"We'll keep him in line," Genis interrupted, stepping forward so that he could give Lloyd a pat on the back. Colette smiled and nodded in agreement.

"You can count on us!"

"Good. I will."

Lloyd pulled away, holding up his hands in defense. "You guys are so mean! When I say something like that, I mean it! Dwarven Vow number eleven, lying-"

"-is the first step down the path of thievery." Kratos, Colette, and Genis all finished the vow in unison, and Dirk started laughing so hard that he had to step back and steady himself against the wall. Lloyd pouted and crossed his arms, but there wasn't much more he could say in his defense.

"Thanks a lot, you guys! If you're gonna be so mean, I might as well just go sleep outside with Noishe and the puppies."

"Make sure tae tak' a blanket. It still gets cold at night."

"Dad!"

It was already light out by the time Lloyd's group arrived at the Great Tree, but it was overcast and the few rays of pink sunshine peeking out from behind the clouds on the horizon did little to lighten the solemn mood of the place.

Kratos had commandeered all the rheiards for use by the militia patrols, but since he and Dirk were able to travel from Iselia's north port to Luin by ferry, he allowed Lloyd and his friends the use of one so long as Lloyd returned it to the militia's Luin headquarters when he returned. This meant that they arrived in "official" style, and were greeted immediately by the tower patrol, who showed them inside and allowed them use of the telescopes and binoculars. Lloyd, however, just stood by the window, staring at the scene.

"It… looks awful…" he murmured, fidgeting with his hands. Genis put down the binoculars he was using and patted Lloyd on the shoulder.

"Look at the leaves, though. They're all bright green and the branches are full of them. That at least means the tree is healthy."

"Yeah, but…" Lloyd narrowed his eyes and leaned closer to the window. "...what's up with that circle of dead grass around the perimeter of the NV Zone?"

One of the soldiers broke in to answer his question. "Actually, the bare soil only shows the original placement of the boundary," she explained. "The line between the live and dead grass marks the current position. There have been fourteen expansions so far, each one increasing the radius of the NV Zone by an average of eight centimeters."

Colette clasped her hands against her chest. "Zelos told me it was expanding, but I thought it was just by a small amount. To have grown over a meter in only three months…"

"That's not the most dangerous part," Genis added. "Each of these expansion events is accompanied by a powerful earthquake. Though the epicenter has always been the Great Tree, people have felt the effects as far away as Ozette. It seems to be happening more frequently lately, but it's still so sporadic that no one is sure how to predict when the next expansion will happen."

Lloyd pounded his fists against the windowsill. "Dammit! The Tree is obviously in pain, but I don't know what to do about it! I promised I'd care for the Tree, and yet I let something like this happen-"

Colette hugged Lloyd from behind, throwing her arms around his waist and squeezing him tight. "It's not your fault! You were hurt! There were lots of other people trying really hard to protect the Tree, and even all of them working together couldn't prevent this… couldn't protect the Tree… or Adora…"

She started to shake like she was trying really hard not to cry, and buried her face in the back of Lloyd's coat. He turned around so that he could pull her to his chest instead, and she allowed herself to begin sobbing. Genis moved to comfort her too, but noticed the soldiers watching with awkward expressions.

"Colette, Lloyd, why don't we… uh… go downstairs and take a minute to calm down."

Lloyd and Colette nodded and stepped back, following Genis down the tower's spiral staircase until they reached the ground floor. Safely away from the prying eyes of the soldiers, Colette allowed herself to cry and Genis was the one to offer a hug and comforting words. Lloyd, meanwhile, stood by the door and stared out at the fence.

"We've got to get out there," he murmured once Colette and Genis' voices had died down. They both turned to look at him, Colette wiping the last of the tears from her eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," he replied, pointing toward the fence, "we need to get closer to the Tree."