Sighing and stretching, Bast stepped out into the fading light. The young woman looked around the valley, locating her partner playing with the shadows. The man within his twenty second cycle did not see the older woman, but felt the shadows react to their master. He turned, grinning when he saw her. The woman smiled back at the tomb robber, walking over to him. Stopping beside him, she looked out over the sands to the nearby city.

The two had returned to Alexandria after Bast had turned into her twenty first cycle, four years ago. Upon returning, they had found that the Pharaoh's son had moved to the guarded city, whose walls were now destroyed and removed. Bast's old friend, Kena, had passed on to the afterlife before they returned, but they had learned that his son, a healer, had taken on his part in the black market. Bast sneered as she looked upon the palace built for the Pharaoh.

"He will be crowned soon," said the man beside her. She looked at him. The dark skin hid the heat flush, the scar under his eye white against the darkness of the man. She smiled, reaching up to trace it. The man, glancing at her with amber eyes, stood dead still as she did.

"I know, 'Kura," she replied, crossing the scar in a symbol of luck. His usually hard eyes softened as he watched her, her own green eyes reflected in the amber. Her smile disappeared as she let her hand fall to his shoulder, pulling him close in a half hug. The man's body relaxed against her, allowing her to wrap her arms around him. "You had another nightmare."

"You heard me," he said. He pulled away slightly, looking up at her. She nodded in reply, smiling sadly at the man. "I did not mean for you to, friend." Bast frowned as his eyes darkened and he looked away. She blinked, touching his chin and lifting his face to look at her.

"You should not be afraid, 'Kura," she told him, her voice softer than normal. She was always like this around him, but he never complained. With an evil smile, she moved her other hand, grabbing the luck pendent he kept with him and taking off with it. He blinked before noticing what she did and running off after her. He chased her through the darkness, finally catching her well after the sun had set.

He jumped her, sending the two to the ground. She turned under him, looking up into the angry amber eyes. She started laughing, more in amusement, and returned the pendent to its place in his waist bag. He blinked, watching her as she laughed, her eyes dancing. After a minute, he laughed as well, leaning back and standing up, pulling the crazy girl with him. Shaking his head, he started to walk away, but stopped. Bast quit laughing as she felt the shadows quiver. In the distance, her stallion, Zahur, began calling for her. Nodding to her partner, the two ran off for their hideout.

Bast growled as she saw the soldiers trying to capture an angry Zahur. Atsu was at his side to protect Kakra. Speeding up, Bast attacked one of the soldiers, aiming for his neck. As she struggled with the soldier, another tried to attack her with his sword. She ducked, causing the man to hit his partner, and spun, tripping the man at the same time. Grabbing a sword from one of the soldiers after the horses, she cut the lines holding them down. Zahur, understanding, took off. The twins stayed for a second, until Bakura called out to Kakra to run. When she did, Atsu followed his sister.

With the horses safe, Bast fought the soldiers without reserve. There were too many though, and one was able to throw her into the rock wall behind her. Her head hit and she could feel it crack, the skin splitting. She crumbled to the ground, her back against the wall. She heard Bakura yell out to her and, opening her eyes, she saw him being dragged away by two soldiers. She cursed aloud, able to call the shadows long enough to send the ten near her to the shadow realm before losing consciousness.

She awoke to the sun in her eyes and the smell of blood, her own mixed in. She tried to move, causing her head to seer. She shut her eyes against the blinding light of pain, calling the shadows to heal the back of her head before sighing. A noise caught her attention and she looked to see Kakra and Atsu in front of her. Kakra leaned her head down, allowing Bast to grab a hold of her and pulling the woman to her feet. A glance around told Bast that she would have to move quickly, so she saddled the two horses and, gathering what she could, she created a stone door that would protect the rest of her belongings.

She rode forward on Atsu, looking around for Zahur. She finally found him lying on the sands, dead. She dismounted Atsu and went over to him, finding the kill point, a sword through the heart. Bast cursed, finally losing the last thing Kena had ever given her. Growling, her anger to the boiling point, Bast stood and created a fire with the shadows, burning Zahur's body. Once the fire had gone, she mounted Atsu and rode forward, Kakra following without being led. She summoned a shadow creature, a baby dragon, and sent it ahead of her to find her friend.

She rode until midday, when she had to stop so the horses could rest. Kakra was Bakura's favorite of the twins, and she was slowing as it was. While Bast allowed the horses to rest up on one of the plateaus, she went to the edge and looked over the sands. They were a good nine miles from the city, a three day walk and a day's ride. As she thought this over, she heard a noise behind her and turned, seeing the Baby Dragon.

"Have you found Bakura?" she asked. When it nodded, she went over to Kakra. "Are you ready to ride again? We have to save 'Kura." The horse whinnied and nodded, Atsu doing the same at Bakura's pet name. Grinning, Bast pulled herself up on Atsu on and rode down to the valley floor. She then turned the horses and followed the small dragon. It was another half day's ride, but the dragon led her to a place near where two soldiers were resting.

Tethering the horses and calling the dragon back into the shadows, she watched the soldiers. They were talking, so Bast slipped closer to hear them, hiding in the shadows caused by their fire.

"Why did we not take the girl again?" asked one. His partner jerked his head off to the side, and Bast looked to see Bakura chained and tied to a post drove into the sands.

"The boy promised to go quietly if we left her alive," said the second soldier. The first nodded and the second began laughing. "But he didn't see the extent of the damaged caused to the girl. She may have been alive when we left, but unless she some sort of demon, she's dead by now." He laughed again, the first soldier joining in.

"Maybe we should have grabbed something," the first said.

"Like what," the second asked, looking at his partner.

"Did you see the necklace on the girl? Gold with a sapphire embedded in it," the first replied. "It looked like something Old Runihura would have made. Girl probably stole it as it was."

"Nah," said the second. "She would have needed something to take with her when she met up with Ma'at. Besides, some rouge will probably take it when they find the body." Both soldiers began laughing again. After a few minutes, the second calmed down, looking over at Bakura. "I'll take first shift, and I'll wake you halfway." The first nodded and lay down on the sand, falling asleep.

Bast slipped back to the horses, who watched her as she grumbled while she was unloading her mat from Kakra, where it was tied behind the saddle. Laying it down and sitting on it, she watched Kakra lay as well. The horse was close enough to hide Bast from the winds, and Bast was able to fall asleep.

The next morning, before the sun had rose, she woke to Atsu nudging her. Jumping up to the sounds of movement nearby, she looked around the rock hiding them to see the soldiers packing up. Bast grinned and followed their example, rolling her mat and tying it to Kakra's saddle. She then hid the horses and herself with the shadows, mounting Atsu and following the soldiers. She followed in silence, watching and cursing everytime Bakura collapsed in the heat.

Finally, as she heard them mention the Pharaoh's crowning, she summoned a shadow soldier. The creature, a skeleton with a helmet and sword, appeared before her. She dismounted Atsu, climbing up on Kakra in return, and summoned a shadow horse. Making sure she could move from Kakra properly, she rushed forward, several more mounted shadow soldiers appearing. Bast and Kakra arrived first, startling the soldiers before turning and rushing back at them.

A mounted sword fight broke out between the woman and the soldiers as one of the shadow soldiers dismounted and broke Bakura's chains off. Laughing out, Bast rode forward as Atsu came up beside Kakra. The woman jumped from the female to the male as Bakura grabbed Kakra's reins and pulled himself up. They turned to the soldiers, both grinning sadistically.

"Never think you can destroy me," said Bast, growling. Bakura laughed out, patting Kakra on the neck. "And what is this about the Pharaoh's crowning?"

"It's today," called out the one. Bast recognized him as the first soldier from the night before. "They say he will save the world from the darkness." Bast laughed out, remembering the goldsmith.

"I see," she said, still laughing. "I do not think he will miss you two." She called the shadows, attacking the soldiers and sending them to the shadows. She turned Atsu, riding off with Bakura following her, the man laughing with sadism. Bast laughed as well, the shadows around them quivering as they headed to Kul Elna. Bast stood up on the saddle, feeling the wind pass over her. "The Millennium Items will be mine, Pharaoh."

"Just yours?" called out Bakura, still laughing as they rode at full speed. Bast laughed in reply.

"The blood of our friends and your family will be avenged," she called back, looking at him as he and Kakra caught up to them and rode at her side, the shadow soldiers following. "The Items were made with our blood and life. They belong to us and us alone. Our first target, The Millennium Ring."

"Yes, the Item you carry," Bakura called out. The smirk on his face was that of pure sadism as Bast sat back on the saddle, leaning forward to give Atsu more speed. Bakura laughed and did the same, Kakra keeping speed with her brother.

They rode through the day, arriving in Kul Elna by sun down. Bakura unsaddled the horses as Bast took their supplies into the sleeping building, which was set just how they left it. When Bakura returned to the sleeping house, Bast was sitting on her mat with her back to the door. She did not know he was in the small house until she felt his arms around her. She leaned back in his grasp, leaning against his chest.

"I still owe you my life," he said, making Bast chuckle. "I saved you that night, and you came to save me."

"Not to mention you still owed me for saving your from that scar," she said, looking up into his softened amber eyes. "But you did not have to do that, you know."

"I owed you," was the reply. The man looked up at the wall in front of them. "And I didn't want you to get killed. I wouldn't be able to handle losing you."

"Why?" she asked, curious. He never admitted something like that. Frowning, he looked down at her. She tilted her head and he seemed to remember her question.

"I have my reasons, okay?" he said. Bast blinked, her face impassive, as she watched him. His barriers dropped and several emotions she couldn't name flickered through his eyes for a moment before he seemed to catch them. Shaking his head, he pulled her closer and rested his chin on the top of her head.

"But there has to be something you can say. I do not understand," she said, closing her eyes at the warmth she felt. He grunted, running one of his hands through her hair.

"I don't think I should. Anything I have to tell you could jeopardize our goal," he said, almost whispering. She smiled sadly, nodding slightly. He moved, causing her to gasp as he picked her up, moving her over to his mat as he leaned against the wall beside it. Bast blinked, looking up at him. He was staring at the spot they had just been sitting in. She watched him frown before looking down at her and smiling.

She frowned herself, blinking as she realized she was getting tired, and it didn't look like Bakura was going to let her up anytime soon. She tilted her head again, looking up into the tired amber eyes watching her. She yawned unwillingly, closing her eyes and trying to shake away sleep. She looked up at the man again, who was smiling down at her as her eyes began to close. Grinning, she threw away her reservations and leaned up to place a kiss on her friend's lips before falling asleep in his arms.

Bakura blinked as he realized she had fallen asleep. He frowned, freeing one of his arms and brushing his fingers across his lips. 'What the hell was that?' he asked himself. He looked back to the woman he was holding. He blinked again, realizing he had never seen her asleep. She looked younger when she was asleep, her face not as angry at the world. He sighed, knowing there would be hell sooner or later.

The shadows around him began to quiver as he heard a woman began laughing. He looked around, not seeing what was causing the fear the shadows were giving off. He blinked, recognizing the power he now felt.

"You're Bast's mother, the Lioness Goddess, Skhemet," he said. The gold skinned Goddess appeared before him, smiling down at the two. Bast, still asleep, muttered something and hid her face in Bakura shirt. Skhemet chuckled, stepping closer to the two.

"I am such," said the Goddess. "And it appears you are beginning to understand what you have been feeling." She smiled as Bakura blinked.

"How did you know about that?" he asked her. "I never told anyone."

"You forget that I am a Goddess, my Child," said the woman. "I could tell. I need you to remember something, Child. Bast has always been there for you. She has worried about you over the years, has never let you fall. Do you think there may be a reason for this?"

"Does this have something to do with the kiss?" Skhemet giggled in response. "I don't understand."

"I came because you refuse to understand. You must learn the truth yourself, My Child. You must learn that the two of you are stronger when you are one, when you work together. There is a reason We made it this way. Follow the path that you wish, but remember that your decisions in life affect this girls' life as well."

Bakura blinked as the Goddess disappeared. Frowning, he looked at the girl who was leaning into his embrace, albeit unknowingly. With a soft smile, he tightened his embrace a slight bit, just to let her know he was still there. Resting his chin on her head again, he drifted off to sleep.