"I don't like this." Spinner spoke as the cars crept quietly through the jungle.

"I don't get it! We should have reached their coordinates nearly an hour ago." Sherman mused. It seemed like they had traveled in circles, but then, everything in the dense forest looked the same. It was almost maddening; they were following a nonexistent trail. Something had to be done. The twilight hour was falling, and Sherman could tell from his teammates' uneasy looks that they weren't any fonder of a Vandal slumber party than he.

"We're going back." He decided, firing the BattleKey.

"What? But Vert…"

"Vert will have to wait. We'll come back as soon as possible tomorrow, Zoom, I promise. It won't do either of them any good to find us in something's soup pot." Sherman said firmly, driving into the portal. Zoom was the last to go. The scout took a final look at the wilderness that had stolen both his adoptive mother and father.

"Good luck out there, guys. You're on your own."

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Vert watched the area of brush Agura had disappeared into intently, praying for her to re-emerge. He had come so close. He was startled when she silently slipped past him, having snuck up from behind. She nimbly scaled one of the trees, tucking into a nook formed by several thick branches. Vert watched a she pulled flat, palm-like leaves over her body, untrusting eyes not straying from him. It was then Vert realized her strategy: on the ground, he would be easily vulnerable to nocturnal predators. He took a risk; ascending into the branches so that he was positioned a few feet above her. She glared up at him, but Vert held firm. Sighing, he wriggled to find a somewhat comfortable position in the rough branches, when he realized that with the night had brought a chill. Vert knew that he could easily adjust his shocksuit, but she had likely forgotten. The leaves were not only for camouflage, but warmth. Vert recalled when she had confided in him her hatred for cold weather, and it killed him to know she was in such discomfort.

The leader peered over the edge of the branches, looking down to find her wrapped in a cocoon of greenery, but shivering slightly. In a daring move, he gradually descended the branches, crouching down on hers and meeting the huntress at eye level. She looked him over coolly, trying to maintain a calm demeanor while shaking from the chill. Slowly, he moved a hand toward her, brushing the leaves off from her chest. She watched him, hypnotically, as he touched his hand to the 5 insignia on her breast, using the greatest of care not to let his finger stray. He adjusted her suit, trancelike, then finishing to meet warm brown eyes. He was about to return to his spot in the branches, though it tore at his heart, when she stopped him by laying a hand on his shoulder. He turned to face her, and she too took her finger, slowly tracing it along the 5 that was fixed on his chest. Vert felt a tingle run up his spine. How could an action simple as a touch feel so intimate? He gave an involuntary shiver of pleasure at her touch, and that broke the trance. Agura's hand snapped back as if she had been bitten. Vert wanted to cry out in agony at losing her again, but staying strong, he returned to his grouping of branches, leaning against the rough bark. An immense hole of emptiness filled his chest as he traced the numbly retraced the 5 logo in memory of the bond. Shutting his eyes tightly to repress tears, he tried without success to fall into the numb depths of sleep.

Vert gave in to the alertness after a few hours. The only light came from the stars shining overhead, beauty amidst the howls of the creatures of the night. On instinct, he glanced down to Agura, who was now only half-covered by the leaves. He could see her torso shaking in the nighttime chill, and slipped down again. Vert could feel her warmth under him as he arranged the leaves to cover her flawless body. He felt the same feverish want as he had the day they had first met, but now was not the time to satisfy his desires. He stroked her soft hair back, then brushed his lips against her forehead.

"Please remember, Agura. I should have said this before, but I love you. And…I need you to remember me. Please." Vert felt the desperation rise along with his voice as he spoke to her sleeping form. Brushing away a bitter tear, he returned to his spot in the tree.

"Please…"