Chapter 3: Traveling Partners

Hours have passed and it was now morning. Birds were chirping and sounds of water were splashing down from the rooftop of the cabin. The sun is out bright and shiny drying off puddles and trees were soaked with water. Inside the cabin were two teens, one sleeping while the other was up reading.

Dex was in bed sleeping soundly and peacefully with Daina right next to him laying on her right side. She woke up earlier before him and was thinking about what happen last night as she turns her head up to the wooden ceiling; She was still worried about him doing anything if left alone so she wanted show and make him that he is important and that he did mattered. He may not matter to the world or other people but he did matter to her. He was nice to her last night not because he had to, he wanted to make new friends seeing him for who he is and not what he is just like her. She then exits her train of thought and turns her head toward Dex, wondering what else has he gone through before meeting her. Has he been living alone from the start or was it something else entirely? She then turns head back at Dex slowly thinking on what to do.

"He'll tell me on his own time. I don't want to force him on it like I did last night with his mother ." She thought. She then sees some strands of his hair falling over his right eye covering part of his face. Daina raises her left hand moving toward his face and pushes the strands back over his ear.

"You really are an adorable puppy" she thoughts. She realizes what she just said and her cheeks quickly blushed.

"Why do I keep thinking like this? Do I like him already I just met him?" she continues thinking in her head. "Maybe I do, but for right now I think I'll wait before I know my own feelings" She finishes.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a soft groan coming from Dex. Dex opens his eyes and sees Daina wide awake looking at him with a smile on her face. He then tries to remember how he and her were sleeping in the same until the events from last night played in his head. His nightmare haunting him, being comforted by Daina and his mask being broken. He was surprised to see Daina in the bed with him. He remembered asking her to stay sounding like a scared child and shocked when she said she would. He was afraid of losing her, his first friend. He didn't want her to leave but that's probably being selfish of him to think like that. He quickly shakes those dark thoughts away and talks to Daina.

"Morning Daina" Dex says.

"Good morning Dex, how did you sleep" Daina says with a little worry in her voice.

"I was able to sleep ok thanks to you. I didn't think you were gonna stay with me the entire night I thought you were gonna stay until I fell asleep" Dex replied.

"I-I-I kind of wanted to stay in here with you because of what happened. I didn't like seeing you like that and it scared me so I wanted to stay" Daina replied with a slight tint of red in her cheeks.

"Well thank you for staying it means a lot. Also, remember when you told me that I could talk to you about anything?" said Dex.

"Your welcome and yes I do remember saying that. Do you have something to talk about? Daina asks

"Yes, and I want to ask you something else as well?" Dex replies.

"What is it?" Daina asks him?

"If I tell you my past and who I really am, will you not judge me because of my kind?" Dex tells her hesitantly while frowning. "I mean its up to you in the end really, I understand if you don't want to be friends with me anym-mmmph" Dex was then interrupted when he felt two arms wrapped around him. He had his gaze on the ground entire time he didn't even hear Daina move from the bed.

"I told you last night didn't I, it doesn't matter what you are. Nothing will make me think any different you Dex okay. Besides who else do I know makes good hot cocoa? Daina reassures him with a joke in the end. She sees his frown turn into a smile after she says her piece.

"Heh, how did I get myself to meet someone like you Daina?" Dex asks her. She giggles at his question and says "I just like seeing you smile. Now come sit down and tell me your story." Daina tells him. Dex then starts to become nervous as he sits down on the bed with Daina. He doesn't know why he is telling someone like her about his past. All through his life he couldn't trust anybody because of all the hate he had to endure. That was until he met Daina, she was being so nice to him and not threatening to kill him with malice intentions. Maybe that was why he was being kind to her because he trusts her.

He turns his head towards Daina and notices sees that she is patting her lap for him to see. He thought she was doing it because she wants to that until he saw her glare. He shrinks back a bit from her wondering what he did wrong.

"What did I do wrong, I haven't even started talking yet?" Said Dex.

"Nothing, I want you to lay down and put your head in my lap, I know it might feel a little weird to you at first but I want you to be comfortable while telling your story ok?" Daina answers.

On the hand Dex didn't want to have a giant blush on his face while talking but on the other hand he didn't want to hurt Daina's feelings, she just trying to help him and the more he thought his past the more he didn't want to talk about it. If he was going to talk about it he needs to say everything because he does not want to talk about it again. So, he takes up on her offer and lays his head down on her lap.

Daina smiled glad that Dex took her offer and was now waiting patiently for him to talk. She didn't want to force into telling everything about him right away, she wants him to tell her at his own pace. So, she just stays there quietly with his head on her lap waiting for him to speak.

Dex wonders if he should tell her about his race when she asked that question yesterday before he tells her his life story. Dex then musters up all the courage within him to start telling his tale.

"Ok, first remember when you asked me that I could hide my ears and tail?" Dex asks

"Yes?" Daina answers

"The truth is I'm a hybrid or that's what people in my village called me" said Dex.

Daina was shocked at his words when he said he was a hybrid. She was shocked with joy because she really was just like him a hybrid. Back in her village hybrids were known to be dangerous and to be considered the roots of evil because of all the trails of dead innocent bodies they leave behind but she didn't believe that. That was just a story told by the elders and she always wondered if it was true. She discovered herself being a hybrid when her father told her on his deathbed. He also told her that he was one too. Only he knew what hybrids were really are and that they were framed for all misdeeds and deaths. While growing up, she taught herself how to control her powers in secret from everyone including her own mother, even though they ignored her she had an advantage. Now here she is with another hybrid and is now extremely happy that she met him.

"Uh Daina? Are you okay, you spaced out a bit?" Dex asks her

"Hmm, oh yes I'm ok. It just that I'm glad that I've finally met someone who's the same as me a hybrid" said Daina.

"WAIT, you mean you're a hybrid TOO?" exclaimed Dex.

"Yep but let's not get off topic here, remember you haven't told me your story yet." Daina says calmly.

"Oh, right sorry. As I was saying, I was born as a hybrid because my mother was one but she died from giving birth. I found out I was a hybrid by my father who didn't really care for me. He told me I was cursed on my family and said that I shouldn't even been born. It was hard growing up with a father who did things to you and gives you nothing but hate and pain. Hell, it was harder growing up with no friends and having the entire village basically shunned you just because." Said Dex.

Daina was feeling sad for Dex. He was hated for something that was out of his control. He had no fault for his mother's death only for his father to be mean to him and not give him the love he needed. He had to grow up without a mother in the village full of mean people. It wasn't fair to him. Then something clicked in her mind when Dex mentioned his father "doing things to him" what did that mean? So, she decided to ask him, although she wasn't prepared for the next event that about to happen.

"Dex, what did you mean when you said your father would do things to you?" asked Daina

Dex's entire body froze completely in fear. He wasn't ready for her to ask that question, he didn't want to answer to that at all. All he could think was being back in that room. That room was filled with nothing but darkness and it scared him to death when he was little. He was afraid of whatever was lurking in the shadows waiting to attack him but that was not the reason why he hated being there. His father did something to him that turned him in to a monster. He was a different person whenever he was being experimented with that. He wanted to stay from anybody that he could hurt and right now he didn't want to hurt Daina.

Daina was becoming worried about Dex as she looked at him. She didn't want to ask him that question but if she wanted to help him in any way she can she needed to know more about the problem so she doesn't set Dex off into a panic in the future. She then heard irregular breathing again from Dex only this time it sounded a little feral. She turned his head from her lap to her and was shocked at what she saw. Dex's eyes went from gold yellow to bloody red. He looked like a wolf ready to hunt. He then screamed in pure agony and fear.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

"DEX! DEX! CALM DOWN!" Daina yelled.

"NO PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME GO THERE! I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK INTO THAT ROOM! PLEASE I HATE BEING HIM! I DON'T WANT TO BE HIM PLEASE!" Dex shouts.

Daina is confused at Dex's pleas for mercy. Who was him any why was he so terrified of him? "That's not important right now I need to help him" she thought to herself. She is then pinned to the bed with her wrists held tightly by Dex above her head and sees that his eyes changed even more and glowed red.

"Dxx let me go" she demanded. Daina tries to break free but Dex tightens his grip. Daina was feeling afraid of what would happen next if she didn't do something.

"Please Dex, snap out of it let me go now" she continues before he barks at her and she froze.

Dex growls even more at Daina until he sees something in her eyes that gives him a pang of guilt in his chest. Fear. She was afraid of him and how he was acting. Dex eyes switch back and forth from blood red to gold yellow until it returned to normal. He releases Daina as he gets off of her. Dex and Daina look at each other for a few seconds before Dex starts shaking in fear. He did something he could not fix. He scared Daina. Not his village, not hunters and not his father, it was him and him alone. He looks at his hands, the ones he used to hurt her, they were trembling. He looks back up to Daina and sees she was shaking a bit, that shattered him. She was afraid of him and was focused on the ground instead of him. It was his fault.

"I told you would be alone and so did your father. This is why everyone hates you. No matter how much you train, and no matter how many friends you try to make, you will hurt them. This is your fault and you can never be free from this curse you carry." The voice in his head said mocking him.

The voice was right he was bound to be alone from the start. Dex didn't want to believe it but after what he just did to Daina, he thought that "he" was right.

He then notices Daina looking at him worried. He then realizes that if he loses control of himself, he'll kill Daina and he didn't want that.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Daina." He apologizes to her getting up but not before looking at her with guilt. He tries to leave the cabin to go hunt someone other than Daina but doesn't get that far when Daina grabs his forearm tight preventing him from leaving.

"Daina let go of me" He pleads at her trying to break free but Daina tightens her grip. As he turns around to look back at her he sees her hair covering her face so it was to tell if she was trying to hurt him or something else. He couldn't blame her since he was the one who attacked her. As he tries to pull away from Daina she pulls him back and pushes him into a wall while gripping his shoulders. Dex was waiting to see hatred or malice in her eyes as soon as she grabbed him but what he saw wasn't anything of that. It was sadness and concern. He thought that she would hate for what he did but she didn't. As he thinks about this Daina had thoughts of her own. Dex was trying to run away from her for her own safety and even though she got attacked he apologized before he tried to leave. "I don't think he will even forgive himself for what happened, I wouldn't if I was in his position. I don't want him to think like that, he's already got enough problems. I need to show him that he can trust me." She thought. She pulls him into an embrace putting a hand on his head pushing him down towards her chest.

"Daina let me go please I don't want to hurt you" Dex panics

"NO. Dex you're here ok, your right here with me. You're not in that room anymore, you're not back in the village, you are right here with me ok." said Daina.

"But"

"Dex, remember what I said last night. I don't care, I know you didn't mean to hurt me."

"No but"

"Then there's no need to put anymore blame on yourself. So please calm down."

"Daina I can't stay here please let me leave I can't….." he pleads

Daina tightens her grip and keeps him in place. "Listen to my heartbeat and calm down" She says softly

Dex's irregular breathing began to slow down while he listened to her heartbeat. Daina kept repeating soft words of comfort to Dex to keep him calmed down. After a few minutes, she turns his head towards her and sees him frowning. She finally sighs in relief that he was back to normal although she still felt him shivering from the fear that went out through his body and her as well from earlier.

"Better?"

"Yeah thanks. Sorry I attacked you earlier."

"It's ok Dex. I'm fine. Do you want to take a break, we can if you want to? asked Daina

"No, I want to keep going because if I stop I know I won't talk about it or bring it up ever again. And I want to tell you. I want to tell you because I trust you. If I can do that then I can do this." Dex answered her.

"Okay. Just remember I'm right here with you ok?" Daina says in a comforting manner

"Ok." Dex replies.

He then lays his head back down in her lap hoping to feel comfortable again and his prayers are soon answered when he feels her fingers running through his hair. Dex then continues to where he left off.

"To answer your question from earlier, my dad if I should even call him that did experiments on me a lot." Said Dex with a frown on his face.

"He…. did…. experiments on you?" Daina said shocked at his reply

"Yeah, he said it was punishment for disobeying him whenever I did something stupid or wrong. I was just trying to make new friends or do anything fun but everybody basically ignored me and left me alone like I was a terrible person. My father would always come get me and basically hit me for no reason. And this was all before I knew I was a hybrid. Everyday was a living nightmare for me until the day he left and that was actually the worse day of my life" Dex says sadly.

"What happened?" Daina asked

"…." Dex stayed silent for a minute before she asked again.

"Dex what happened on that day?" Daina asked once more

"It was horrible. After my father took me down to the basement, things went from horrible to terrifying" Dex answered.

Flashback:

Dex was being dragged by his father down to the basement with his wrist harshly gripped. He was afraid of what his father would do to him. This morning he just woke up hoping he would be ignored as usual because he wanted to be alone because today was his birthday and he was turning six wishing he spend the day in his room alone but fate had other plans for him.

"Sit down boy" his father said with malice.

Dex went into his corner and sat on the ground waiting for his father's punishment. As he looked around the lab he saw numerous containers of parts that belonged to humans or animals. Those parts were like arms and legs and some eyeballs that were mutilated from the result of an experiment. HE was scared of what would happen next. His father may have beaten him a lot but he never used him as a lab rat. until he felt something being injected into his neck. He felt pain shooting through his body as his eyes became blood red and his growls became more feral. He was acting more like an animal and that is when his father smiled at him and what came next would forever haunt him.

"What I just injected in to you was blood. Not just any blood, it was blood of the first hound that went nuts and kill everybody and everything in his sight, Dark Hound. You don't know this either but the real reason everybody rejected you is because of what I told them, what you really are…..a hybrid. Half-human and half-hound. Your mother was the only one I cared for in this world and you took her away from me. If you hadn't come into our lives, if you hadn't been born then none of this would've happen." He explained.

Even though Dex couldn't control his actions on the outside, he heard everything on the inside. He was hurt to his heart's content. He was hated by everyone and everything because of his father. All he wanted to do right now was get away and far away from him that is.

"Now that I've told you everything about yourself, I think it's time you and I part ways boy. As long as this blood is in your system, you will always be a cold-blooded killer and kill anything you see. No matter how much you struggle to keep it locked away inside of you, it will always be within you, part of your soul forever and you can never change that. Ever. In the next few minutes or so after I leave you will be back to normal and won't remember anything that had happen in the past half hour, it's been nice knowing boy. Have fun living a life full of hell." His father finishes and leaves the house.

After his father left, Dex was back to normal. He stared at floor for a few seconds processing everything that had just happened. He slowly looked at his hands and saw his own blood. He clawed himself while trying to control his urges. Dex then screamed as loud as he can while falling to the ground. He was on his knees and his hands were on the floor. Tears of pain and sorrow were flowing down his cheeks as he cried. He wished his mom was here, he wished she didn't have to die, he wished he was a normal kid.

All he ever wanted was to be with his mother and not care about anything else in the world.

Reality:

Dex finished telling Daina his story and saying she was shocked and angry was an understatement. Daina was downright furious at how bad things went for Dex. She was even angrier when she learned that Dex was nothing more than a tool to his father and didn't even love him for a second. Her mother may have ignored her and stop paying attention to her, but she never thought of as something useless and looked as a tool for someone to use repeatedly. As much as Daina wanted to go find this man and hurt him for what he did to Dex, her anger was cast aside when she saw face come to view he was just more than sad, he was broken. His eyes looked empty as if nothing mattered to him anymore. He was alone all through his life and nobody bothered to help him. She was so angry at them for what they did.

"After my dad abandoned me, I had a hard time controlling my urges in me. Every year they get worse and worse to the point where I was very dangerous. The night I left my village was also the night where I hurt people. At first, I didn't want to believe when they told me I did it but then I believed them after I had these flashbacks of what happened. Some people were antagonizing me and insulting me, and last thing they said made me want to kill them but I didn't." Dex sadly explained.

Daina didn't want to ask him what they said to him but she did.

"What did they say?" she asked

"They said no wonder your father left and your mother died, they couldn't handle raising a monster like you. We're kinda glad she's dead because she doesn't have to see how her son was nothing more than a coward and embarrassment to her and this entire village." Dex quoted

Daina gasps at the horrible answer she received. She couldn't believe his own kind would say that.

"I was so mad that day that I didn't care anymore. I didn't care who they were I wanted to kill them for insulting my mother. I just charged blindly at them and clawed them up to the point where they couldn't move. I wanted to kill them but I didn't, I couldn't take a life it was wrong. So, I left, once I did the village was so happy that I was gone. I guess I never mattered to them after all huh." Dex finished as his eyes slowly began to water.

Daina couldn't take it anymore. She lifted Dex up from her lap and wrapped her arms around him pulling him to her chest. One hand settled on his back and the other on his head. She soon feels wetness on her chest and hears Dex cry out his pain and sorrow.

"You think my mother would've been alive if I didn't exist" he asked

"Dex, it's not your fault that she isn't here. She would be angry at what your father did to you and how your people viewed you. She would be sad at how you had to go through but she would be very proud at how you've grown." Daina assured him.

"All I wanted was to be with my mother. Why did I have to be treated like that? I didn't ask for this. Why did everyone have to hate me? Why did father have to resent Me? Why did mother had to leave to ME? WHY DID SHE HAVE TO DIE AND LEAVE ME ALL ALONE? I JUST WANTED TO BE WITH HER WHY DID SHE HAVE TO LEAVE!? WWWHHHHHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYY!?" Dex sobbed loudly.

Daina held him tighter to her chest and ran her fingers through his hair hoping to comfort him. That was all she could do right now. She was so angry at Dex's past that she needed to leave and hit something but right now all she wants to do is comfort Dex as he continues crying. Her past was nothing compared to what he had to go through. So, she held him as he kept crying until he would fall asleep from crying too much.

One hour later:

Daina is now walking down a trail to a market now far from the cabin. She saw it the same night she met Dex. She stops walking for a second turns to the nearest tree she sees and punches it as hard as she could and leaves a crater within the tree. She doesn't even feel the slightest bit of pain in her hand, when she was little she would take her anger out on trees to keep herself calm. As she looks as the tree she wonders about Dex. She couldn't believe someone nice like him had to live with a cruel father and a hateful village.

As Daina pulls back for another punch a voice stops her before she could make contact. "Red you need to calm down for a sec. You don't need to lose control." the voice said. Daina's arm struggling to release her anger on the tree before putting her arm down back to her side. Her fists are still clenched with anger from her fury.

"Red what's going on? I know your angry but I don't know why you are? You shut me out to keep me from hearing your conversation." it said.

Daina then took a deep breath before speaking. "You know that boy I met yesterday Dex, I learn a few things about him but there's a lot that I didn't like." She spoke.

"Wait you mean you don't like him?"

"What I mean is that I'm not angry at him, I'm angry for what he had to go through when he was little and how it affected him and his life."

"Ok before you start knocking down trees in to next week, tell me what happen in his life that made him well that."

So Daina told the voice in her head about Dex and his life and what traumas he had to go through and how people hated him and shunned him all his life. Daina had to pause every few minutes to take deep breaths to keep her anger from getting the better of her. Her voice in her head was also angry as well.

"Wow. I never thought he had it that bad. I can't believe his own father abandoned him and caused him so much pain."

"I'm more-angry at the fact that his own father used him like a lab rat and experimented on him that day. Even worse it was the day he lost his mother. I feel even worse now when I accused her of not being there for him but learning she died when he was given birth."

"Hey look, you didn't know about that so you can't blame yourself. The only thing you can do for right now is to support him and watch over him to keep from do anything dangerous, not from others but-"

"I know, the state he's in right now is bad. He's more of a danger to himself and if he's not watched over he could…could.."

"Hey calm down and relax. No need to worry about that right now. All you can do is be there for him when he needs it even if he won't admit it."

"Maybe you're right. I just wish that he didn't have to go through all of that."

"We can't change people or the past Day and we can't change what happen to him. We can only affect what we do here and now."

Daina then sighed. "Heh, can't argue with that."

"Listen, I know you and me didn't get along that much when you were little but look what at us now as time passed by, you took the time to get to know me and learn about me. You didn't think what people thought I was and protected me when I wanted to be alone. I didn't have anyone but you when I lost my siblings and I'm grateful for that. We both grew up together and became sisters. Daina if you were able to help me change into a different person then I know you can do the same for Dex ok?"

Daina then stops walking and remembers moments of her childhood of where she met "her" and how she cared for her. She hated how others thought of "her" and saw "her" as nothing but a killer but she didn't care. She believed that "she" wasn't hurting anyone and was just a kid like her and she refused to let anyone hurt her. Daina was glad that she met "her" that day and wouldn't have trade for anything in the world.

"Yeah your right. Thanks for the encouragement Lucine. Sorry I mean Luna."

"that's alright sis. You can call me either but be careful when im not in your head because the other me will get violent and play mind games with you." Voice now revealed Lucine/Luna said.

"Don't worry I won't. Later sis."

"Bye"

After talking to her "sister", Daina almost forgot where she was going when she saw the market in sight. She planned to make lunch for them both to when she gets back. As she enters the market she gets a small cart and quickly makes her way down an aisle picking up canned soup. She also looks med supplies and traveling gear. She was looking for to-go food and gear because she's thinking about traveling with Dex if he wants too. Plus, she didn't want to leave him alone after learning about his childhood. She's worried that he'll hurt himself and will try to hide it from her and she doesn't want that happening. After hearing his childhood, she didn't want to leave Dex's side for more than a few seconds.

Pushing those thoughts away in the back of her head, Daina heads to the register to pay for her items. While she was paying, she overheard someone behind her talking about something.

"Didn't you hear what happen to that isolated village a few miles from here? said a middle-aged man.

"NO what?" another customer asks.

"I heard that they kicked out someone who they thought was their own but they weren't. The person they kicked out was a hybrid."

"A HYBRID?" the woman behind him gasp.

"Yeah a hybrid. I can't believe they didn't know about the hybrid living among them but I can't believe even more that they didn't kill him the moment they found out." the man exclaimed.

Daina was silently listening through the conversation. She knew they were talking about Dex when he isolated. She was gritting her teeth and clenching her fists to how people were seeing her friend as nothing more than a monster. She doesn't make a sound and pays for her items and leaves the counter but the next thing she heard before leaving the store, made her lose her composure.

"They should've killed that hybrid as soon as they saw it. Hybrids are nothing more than bloodthirsty and ruthless killers that should be UUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHH" he was interrupted as Daina punched the hell out of him through the market into an aisle, luckily there were only 4 people within the building including her so she didn't attract much attention. Her eyes were foreshadowed by her hair and her aura was flowing around her body very dangerously. She was going to kill him for what he said about Dex. She didn't care what would happen right now as she gripped harshly onto the man's shirt and lifted him up in the air. She was about to punch him until Lucine came into her head.

"DAINA! DAINA! Calm Down, it's not worth it." She exclaimed.

Daina spoke to Lucine in her head telepathically. "I don't care. I'm going to kill him even if you try to stop me." She reeled her hand back as the man started panicking.

"Please, please don't hurt me!"

"Too late" Her fist was about to connect until Lucine stopped her with her next sentence.

"THINK ABOUT DEX!" she screamed. Daina's hand stop inches before his face as she froze.

"What…" She said silently to herself.

"Think about Dex. I may not know him or what he would want but I do know that he would never want you to take a life and have blood on your hands. You told me his dream from the other night right, it may have been a dream but to him it felt real and it scared him to no end. Please Daina don't let this one thing change your life, do this not just for Dex or me but do this for yourself." Lucine said softly to her.

Daina thought about what her "sister" said to her and she was right. She let her anger get the best of her and looked where it almost got her. So, she calmed down as her aura went back to normal and her hair stop covering her eyes as she looked at the man with hatred and dropped him to the ground. As he was dropped and before he could escape his foot was stomped on as Daina leaned down to him, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"If you ever talk bad about my friend again, I'll rip out your tongue and shove it down your throat, understand?!" She warned him. The man nodded his head quickly understanding her threat. Daina wanted to give him a broken ankle but she had other things to worry about so she glared at him once more before releasing her foot off of his and walked away from him. The woman that was behind the man and the cashier were both shocked and frozen with fear at what just transpired. Daina slowly regained her composure and walked out of the market saying thank you to the cashier.

Daina arrives back at the cabin. She sets the groceries down on the counter and walks over to the bedroom to see if Dex is still sleeping when she left. She rolls the blanket down a little and sees him snoring silently. She sighs in relief glad he was still here. She then sees something clutched tightly in his hand. She reaches out to his hand and slowly opens it trying not to wake him up. She then sees something that looks sharp within his grasp. She opens his hand a bit more and her eyes widened at what she sees. A small knife was in his hand that looked clean with no blood stains. Daina switches her nose from human to fox to smell any recent blood that has come from Dex in the past half hour she was gone. Daina doesn't really use her hybrid abilities most of the time but the knife in Dex's hand told her otherwise. She again sighed in relief that he hadn't cut himself but this only increased her worries. She now wonders what other stuff he would do while she was gone. She then remembered she had lunch to make and needed to make it now while he was still asleep. She removes the knife from within his hand very slowly, switches her nose back to normal and takes one last look at him before leaving the couch and begin lunch.

She fills the pot with water and puts it on the stove and turns on the burner to high waiting for the colorless liquid to boil. As she waits, Daina thinks about what she just saw. Dex with a knife in his hand. He was already in that stage and she didn't think about it. She thought it would happen sooner but not this fast and this was probably another thing he didn't tell her, probably to make her not worry about him. Idiot.

"Was Dex already thinking about suicide, I told him he could tell me anything and he still doesn't trust me." Daina thought angrily. She was about to wake Dex up and give him scolding but then something didn't seem right to her. Blood.

"That's right there was no blood coming off of him and he was sound asleep the whole time while I was gone. Even if he did just wake up and tried to fake sleep I could tell but yes that's it there was no blood and I didn't smell any either. What am I missing here?" she thinks curiously. She then lets out a small "eep" sound as she turns back to the stove and sees the water boiling. "Oops, forgot about that." She says sheepishly. She then picks up the ramen and takes them out of there packs and stirs them in the pot. Daina is still curious on what she was missing and how it this started but she figured she could wait until Dex wakes up and tells her when he's ready.

A few minutes later:

Dex wakes up to the smell of food in the cabin. Dex groans a bit opening his eyes and looking at his surroundings. He tries to remember why he was still in bed in the afternoon, then he realizes that Daina wasn't in the room with him. He gets up and stretches himself out and walks to the kitchen where he sees Daina cooking some ramen. She must've left and got some stuff after he fell asleep.

He sees some packs of med supplies and travel gear along with some food for the road, it may him wonder if Daina was leaving. At first Dex was frightened by the thought of Daina leaving him but he then sees two different packs sleeping bags near the door, one blue and one yellow. Dex then wonders why Daina bought two instead of just one, he would ask her later when lunch was over. He then hears someone calling him to get his attention.

"Oh, Dex your awake. I'm sorry I didn't even hear you get up." Said Daina.

"No, it's ok I needed it" said Dex while frowning.

"Hey Daina when your ready can you tell me about you and your past, I mean you don't have to tell me right now just when you're comfortable talking about it?" Dex asked gently. He was a little afraid she would say no and move on but something in his head told him not to worry and just ask.

"Don't worry Dex, I tell you my story one day but right now sit it's time to eat" said Daina with a smile on her face.

Dex was relieved at her answer and sat down. While waiting, he was wondering why his left hand felt numbed like he had been holding something for a while. He wonders what it could've been in his hand but shook those thoughts right away when Daina gave him his bowl of ramen.

"Here you go" she said.

Dex then picks up his fork and dips it in the soup pulling out the noodles and bites it. Dex eyes widened at the sweet taste of food that had just entered his system. He turns his head towards Daina who was looking away from him.

"So how is it, does it taste good?" Daina asked hesitantly.

"Good? Good? It tastes freakin' awesome." Dex exclaimed with excitement in his voice.

"R-R-Really" Daina asked shockingly.

"Yes, this is amazing. I didn't know you make food taste so good." answered Dex.

"Well this is my first-time cooking food for anyone but myself, so I was a little nervous about your opinion." said Daina.

"Well it tastes great to me so don't worry about it. If anyone didn't think it was good, then there all idiots in my book because it was awesome." Dex said with a smile on his face.

Daina was glad that someone liked her food but she was even more happy when she saw Dex's smile. She was glad he had forgotten about his breakdown from earlier and enjoying what was happening right now although it broke her heart a little that she had to ask him about the knife she had found in his hand when she came home. She didn't want make be sad again but she needed to get the problem out of the way before she forgets. So, after their lunch she decides to ask him.

"Hey Dex" Daina calls.

"Yes Daina?" Dex replies.

"Why did I find a knife in your hand when I came home, you didn't do anything to yourself did you?" asked Daina her voice laced with concern.

Dex then remembers his hand being numb when she asked him that question. He was asleep the entire time she was gone so how did it even come into my…...hand? Dex's eyes then widened at the realization. He did get up and move from the bed earlier but it wasn't of his own intentions, it was because of …him. Dex's other half Eclipse was the one who moved. Eclipse is a phantom who feeds on Dex's negative emotions. He was created from the blood Dex's father injected him with but not at the time he was little. He came off the negativity that the villagers had when they shunned him and called him a monster. He was Dex's pain, anger, and depression; basically, his dark emotions. He must've come out for a reason but that is for another time, right now Dex had to tell Daina another secret.

"I think I know why you found me with a knife in my hand." Dex tells her.

"And?" she asked waiting for an answer.

"It was Eclipse." Dex answers with venom in his voice.

"ECLIPSE!?" Lucine yelled.

"Who's Eclipse?" Daina asked startled with Dex's change of attitude and Lucine's frantic yelling

"Eclipse was someone who was nothing more than a voice in my head." Dex says.

"Wait was?" Daina asked

"Looks like he can now be able to move around freely while I'm asleep." he said.

"Do you hate Eclipse?"

"I didn't until he gave me the nightmares about what I would do to people."

"Wait he was responsible for your nightmare from last night?"

"No, dreams with me being chased by my former village always happens. Eclipse hasn't been himself since that day either." he said while frowning.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"All I know about him is that he was separated from his siblings and trapped as my father's lab rat and was used repeatedly with torture until the day he left me. Eclipse was so angry that he thought since I was his son that he would take his anger out on me and make me feel his pain."

"Brother would never do that!" Lucine shouted

"Brother!? Wait Lucine you have a brother?" Daina asked surprised at the fact that her inner self has a brother.

"Nothing to worry about right now ok. I've got to do something for a bit ok. I'm collecting my thoughts and trying to remember my memories for a bit of what happen that day ok?" Lucine asked

"Ok but don't stay "there" for too long ok. You remember what happen last time?"

"Don't worry I won't be "there" for more than an two hours ok, I promise?"

"Alright, be safe Lucine."

"You too Daina, have fun with your boyfriend. Tee hee!" Lucine said teasingly before disappearing.

Daina's face turned red while shouting to her "That's not funny you hear that's not funny."

"What's not funny?"

"Eeeeepppp" Daina was too busy embarrassed by Lucine that she forgot she left and she wasn't talking to her anymore so she shouted her words outloud….To Dex.

"Whoa whoa, sorry I didn't mean to scare you like that I thought you were talking to me?"

"No no. It wasn't to you I meant someone else. "Note to self, kill Lucine for teasing."

"Anyway, you said that Eclispe was a voice in your head who can now materialize himself or take over your body and can move around freely right?"

"That's right."

"Should we be worried?" Daina asks although she was already worried at this point.

"No" Dex casually replied

"No" Daina repeats shocked that he wasn't worried about this as much as her.

"Don't worry he only comes out when I'm alone and very depressed." Dex reassured her when he saw the shocked expression on her face.

"Oh. Wait if he only comes when your depressed and alone then why didn't he come out earlier when you had the nightmare from last night and breakdown from earlier?" Daina asked curiously.

"He probably couldn't come because of you." Dex replied

"Me?" Daina questions

"Yes, thanks to you he couldn't get out and takeover me because you comforted me. You cared for me and my well-being and was worried about if something was wrong. So," he stops and stands up. Dex walks over to Daina holding his hand out to her. Daina grasps his hand and feels him pulling her up from her seat only to be embraced by the wolf hybrid. "Thank you Daina, thank you so much for helping me and being my friend." Said Dex.

Daina was happy that Dex was starting to open up to her a bit. She wanted to continue to help him with his problem but right now she wanted to relax in his arms for the moment being overjoyed by the fact that he was thankful for having someone by her. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"No need to thank me for that Dex. I'm just glad that your back to your kind, fun-loving self." Daina said with a smile on her face.

"Hey Daina, I know this is out of the blue but I'm going to be leaving this place." Dex says carefully. Before Daina could reply he continued. "I don't want to stay in this region because I don't belong here. I also don't want to be reminded of where I came from. And lastly is a question for you, do you want to travel together?" Dex mumbled that last part. He then feels Daina hug him tighter then before squealing with joy but not too loud. She wanted to ask Dex but was nervous to do it and he beat her to it.

"Yes, yes, yes and yes I would love to travel with you." Daina says excitedly while unconsciously hugging Dex a little tighter than before.

"Really?" Dex asks shockingly

"Mmmhmm. Just say when you're ready and off we go." Daina answers.

"Ok, um is it ok if we do it right now, I want to leave before it rains like it did yesterday and I don't plan on us getting soaked again." Dex said sounding a little embarrassed.

"Sure" Daina answers gently.

So, the two packed up their stuff and everything they needed for the road. They made sure they left a sign on the cabin so it wouldn't be forgotten so easily.

Dex and Daina are now outside and take one last look at the cabin before turning around and start the walking the nearest path out of the region.

"Ready to see the world Daina, I am" Dex says with excitement in his voice.

Daina giggles at his expression and answers "As long as I am with you, I'll go anywhere."

The two hybrid friends leave behind the cabin and walk down the dirt path leaving the region ready for the adventures that await them in their new lives.

Next Time:

Chapter 4: The Creator and Guardian