A/N: Ah finally, I've found time and motivation to continue this. In case you haven't found it already, 'Back of the Bar', by the author tikitikirevenge is finally done and you will do yourself a favor by going and checking it out and dropping him a review. Its simply amazing.

Anyway I've forgotten how some of this goes so I've had to re-read my own story, lol. If you notice anything off, let me know and I'll correct it.

Well, sorry for the short chapter, in comparison to the others. But I'm gonna have to update my Luigi's Dragons story too, so, I have to manage my updates wisely.

READ THIS!

I hate 's document formatting thing. It gets rid of the little stars ( the 8 key) I use for scene seperating and I just realised that throughout the entire story it jumps from scene to scene. I blame FF. So, sorry if anyone's cornfused. Er, confused.

And now it also seems it has removed the dashes as seperators as well... ho hum.

ooooooooooo

Rusl was left carrying Shad, as Green took off to spy on his own tribe before he lost his intelligence. He said that when he discovered where they were headed, he would try to return and warn them, but for him to fight them would be a suicide mission.

Rusl had no trouble carrying Shad- the nineteen-year-old was thin and frail. Yet even still, it was emotionally burdensome. With every breath, the young man in his arms wheezed, struggling to breathe. Holding him in his helplessness caused Rusl to feel very responsible for him, as a father would his own child.

How would his own father feel if he knew this has happened to him...? Rusl thought as he approached a deep slope.

I just have to climb down here... and then I'm home free to Renado...

With Shad in his arms, he needed to take exquisite caution while journeying down the side of the mountain. He did not want to trip, and accidentally make Shad's condition worse. With care and close observation, he made his slow descent, trying his hardest to ignore the constant pleas for help that Shad was giving him, without words. His wheezing was the only sign that he was still alive, however, and it was enough motivation to keep Rusl going steadily.

When he finally reached the small hut in the center of the village, Rusl felt as though he was a man stumbling into heaven. He ran to the doorway and beat on it wildly with a free hand. Sooner than he had expected, Renado threw open the door, and without a word, took Shad from Rusl.

"Is that yours?" He asked quickly, motioning to Rusl.

He looked down, observing his clothes and armor, which was ensanguined. "No. Its not."

Renado had brought the boy to a separate room, and Rusl followed worriedly.

The room was dark, lit by lone candles. There was a small bed, just big enough for Shad. Renado had already displayed a collection of different herbs and medicines about the floor, and was picking up a few and working with them, perhaps making some sort of potion with his skill in alchemy.

"Please tell me what happened, Rusl..."

Rusl lowered his head. "We... succeeded in our mission, but... we lost Ashei... Green went to go find her, and..."

"Green?"

"Oh... it was one of our allies among the enemies... it was a Lizalfos that Shad was merciful to in the past, and he came to our aid."

"Intresting... please continue... how was Ashei lost? How did Shad receive the injury?"

"Ashei was overcome by them and taken prisoner. Green said that her captor might try and take her to another nest. He said that without their queen, the Lizalfos lose their sense of order and become animals. We... we also discovered that the Lizalfos try and deform humans and turn them into their kind... and I fear that this is what they plan to do with Ashei..."

Rusl shook his head, then spoke, "I... do not know how Shad received his injury. I only saw him fall."

Rusl heard Renado mutter a quiet "oh, no..." under his breath. "I... did not believe it would come to this. I had believed stealth would overcome these creatures... but perhaps we must find another strategy..."

Renado slipped off Shad's jacket and shirt, and took a nearby rag. Sopping up the blood with it, he then quickly applied the liquid remedy to the wound. After bandaging them, Renado pulled a blanket over the victim and stood up.

"How is he?" Rusl was almost afraid to ask.

"He'll live." Renado replied, "but it may be at least two days before you can set out again. What is your plan?"

"We can't leave Ashei behind to those beasts. If Green returns, he will return with information concerning where the next Lizalfos nest is, if it is truly where they are trying to bring Ashei. We will need to think of a plan and go there... but I think the man with the strategies is Shad..."

Both Rusl and Renado looked down at him. His wheezing had ceased, and Rusl wondered if it was a good sign.

"He's breathing, right?"

"Yes. His pain should have left him by now..." Renado replied in a concerned tone, "but I'm debating when he will wake up... this has been a most tragic involvement and he may want to sleep through it in his subconscious..."

"Can't you wake him up?"

"He is deeply unconscious. I do not think it is possible."

Rusl and Renado fell silent.

Breaking it soon thereafter, Rusl spoke, "I'm going to go wash off in the spirit oasis." He turned and walked away.

oooooooooooooooo

He opened his eyes.

Shad blinked, trying to clear his blurred vision, and when it did not, he was slightly afraid. Has being in that battle impaired my vision? Yet when he realized it was because his glasses were elsewhere, he sighed and slowly attempted to sit up. However, there was a sudden, intense pain in his abdomen which forced him back down.

As he laid upon the uncomfortable, lumpy mattress, he glanced about the room despite his blurred vision, attempting to make out where he was.

Renado's... house...? Suddenly, he was wide awake.

"Ashei! Ashei! Where's Ashei!?" He demanded aloud, sitting up abrubtly. Quickly, yet shakily, he took to his feet and slapped a hand to the wall, dizzy, then stumbled to the door. He quickly yanked it open, only to run into Rusl, who had heard him.

"R... Rusl..." Shad said, and began to teeter forward.

Rusl grabbed him. "Easy, easy... Are you alright?"

"What happened... where's Ashei...?" Shad asked.

Rusl carried him back to the bed, then said, "right now I want to know about you, Shad. Do you feel alright?"

"Just a little dizzy..." he replied, then realized he wasn't wearing a shirt, and glanced around the room. "Ru... Rusl... what happened...?"

"You don't remember? Ashei was captured by the Lizalfos and you were hurt defending her. Try to take things slow..."

"Slow?! Slow!? Ashei's captured!" He exclaimed, and Rusl did not recall ever seeing him so intense before, especially in his condition.

"We're waiting for Green to get back, Shad, just... stay down. You're hurt."

Shad began to calm down, and he placed a hand to his temple and sighed. "I.. can't take much more of this..." he murmured. "How bad can my life get?"

Rusl, now feeling compassion for him, sat down next to him in silence.

Wind howled through a small window in the room, a window which let in a smoky light from the setting sun.

"Do you love her?" Rusl spoke after the silence

Shad blushed. "I, well... I..." he stammered idly. "I... don't know... I just... don't want her to get hurt, is all... I, uh, I wouldn't... I wouldn't call it love..."

Rusl wasn't sure what to think. Perhaps Shad didn't love her, but cared about his companion. Perhaps he did. Either way, Rusl knew that both of them wanted her safe, and both of them felt helpless being unable to do anything.

They had to rely on Green to return with information. If he didn't, then they would have to continue on their own.