Shin-ah had somehow managed to cross the room without waking the rest of the group and he was now kneeling before Jae-ha, watching him in that near-perpetual silence. Ao wriggled out of her hiding spot in the fur of his mask and peered at Jae-ha with what could almost be called concern in her tiny, black eyes.

Simultaneously the boy and his squirrel leaned their heads partially to the side, asking without words, "Are you ok?"

Jae-ha let out a shaky breath and held one finger to his lips. Shin-ah nodded. Ao burrowed back into the mask's fur.

Jae-ha let his eyes adjust to the gloom around them and looked over his traveling companions. All still asleep. Good. He quietly got to his feet.

Shin-ah's mouth, the only visible part of his face, turned down somewhat. Jae-ha lay a hand on his head gently, and leaned down to scribble in the dirt – Don't worry. I'll be right back, it said. He was sure Shin-ah could read the dusty marks in the darkness, and after a moment he brushed the words away.

Shin-ah continued to watch him as he crept across the small room, weaving between Yona and the others. Ao peeked out of the mass of fluff, little nose twitching.

Jae-ha was very careful not to make a sound when he opened the door and slipped outside. It was reminiscent of the times he'd snuck out as a child, and it sent a chill down his spine.

He made his way silently through the city. The moon shone high above – he wished he was up there too – and the homes were still, all the villagers asleep. He remembered the layout of the town as if he had never left it, and so he was easily able to find what he was looking for. At the back of the village, the clan kept a small cemetery. He often wondered how many of the previous ryokuryuus were buried here, or how many had been discarded like Garou.

He wandered the graveyard for some time, searching for something specific, and when he found it he glanced back at the town. He didn't want to cross it again. He wanted to fly. The dragon blood in him was begging to take flight, but…

He remembered all the failed attempts of his childhood and he was scared.

But the night was clear and the whole city was quiet. He decided to risk it.

One leap and he was above the village, looking down on it. He took comfort in the fact that no arrows shot past him and no one grabbed hold of him to drag him back down. A weight left him at the realization that even now he was still free. The hold that the village had on him was not as strong as he'd feared.

He landed on the other edge of the town, back at the entrance. No cries went up from any of the villagers, still sleeping, and he was sure he could set to work without any trouble.

But when he found himself standing over the bones of his predecessor, some of his resolve melted away. His hands quivered and his grip on the shovel he'd found among the gravestones loosened.

Staring at Garou's remains, he opened his mouth as if to speak, but he could think of nothing. He was sure he should say something. But no words seemed appropriate.

I'm sorry wasn't good enough. It wouldn't bring him back, or dispel the shame of this non-burial.

Thank you sounded childish, and anyway he couldn't say it enough to convey his gratitude.

"I wish you had just taken my hand," he finally said, because it was the only immensely true statement he could make. He fervently wished Garou had escaped with him that night.

With a heavy sigh he turned away and began to dig. All the time they had been in the town it had nagged at him the way they simply threw Garou's body out like garbage. Maybe he wasn't always good to Jae-ha but he was still a person, still a dragon, and he deserved better than this.

"A hole in the ground may not be very beautiful," he said quietly, as if Garou could hear him, "but it certainly isn't as ugly as this."

He worked slowly, calmly, feeling slightly safer on this side of the wall. Yet he still tensed when he heard footsteps.

"Jae-ha," Yona's voice washed over him, pushing the fear away. He turned to see her and the rest of the group exiting the village and traversing the wall to his spot.

He couldn't help giving Shin-ah a small frown. He hadn't expected the boy to wake the others and come after him.

"You said you'd be right back," Shin-ah mumbled, "You were gone too long…"

The frown faded. He couldn't fault the younger dragon for worrying about him, after all.

"Jae-ha, what is this all about?" Ki-ja asked.

All their eyes were searching his in the night. All except Zeno. His gaze was as calm as ever. Jae-ha focused on him. Then finally he sighed and gestured to the wall.

"This…is my village…" he said.

Ki-ja and Yun looked taken aback, Hak actually seemed angry, but for Yona suddenly everything was clear. His behavior that day – the silence, the distance, the unease. He desperately didn't want to be here.

Her eyes fell on the old bones and a deep sadness filled her. She knew the answer already but had to ask, "And he was..?"

"My predecessor…" Jae-ha admitted. "Garou."

Yona nodded.

"That is…unacceptable," Ki-ja growled. No dragon warrior should ever be disgraced in such a way. "How could they –"

"Because," a voice said harshly behind them, "it was just another monster."

The group was startled and turned around quickly to see the elder and several villagers approaching them. He was followed closely by the female attendant, and Jae-ha guessed that she had been watching the group through the night.

"You're the green dragon clan," Yun said, eyes scanning the group, his voice rising with anger. "This is how you treat them?"

"It's not just this," Yona said certainly, "They put us in the same room they gave to Garou and Jae-ha."

Jae-ha shivered, always surprised by this young girl's perceptiveness.

The rest of the Happy Hungry Bunch looked appalled, no doubt remembering the windowless hut and the chains on the walls.

"How dare you," Ki-ja's voice was soft but sharp with rage. He was trembling now. This was worse than how the seiryuu village had hidden Shin-ah away in those caves.

"Do not think you can judge our actions," the chief spat, "My clan has been cursed with these creatures for generations upon generations. We did what needed to be done to protect the entire village. Even now we are not offered salvation, for the current one still lives, somewhere far from here."

"Not so far at all, actually," Jae-ha said from the back of the group. He stepped forward to stand beside Yona. His fear was gone now. He had no urge to run. For now he knew they could never catch him anyway. No one would ever chain him down again.

And with a flourish typical of the current ryokuryuu, he pulled the hood of his cloak back, exposing his long green hair, and the people of his village were left in stunned silence.

Author's note: We're getting close to done! I get the feeling though that you all will be waiting on the last chapter just like my Tumblr followers, and I'm sorry I'm taking so long with it. My writer's block is strong...