A/N: I managed to pull through on this one! I'm really hoping that I am keeping Pagan in-character as I write him and I'm hoping I'm not boring anyone with Tahki or Jesse. Or this story in general... So, I hope I don't confuse anyone with the start of this chapter, but I'm certain that you'll understand who it is. (Oh, also, if you follow my Tumblr, you'll know what I think about Pagan's morning habits). Anyways, I hope y'all enjoy!

Chapter Genre: Friendship, Action

Chapter Rating: T

Rating Content: Brief Language, Brief Mild Scenes of Violence

She's an interesting one. But I can also sense her pain. It's the most sickening stench and it hangs around her like a skunk spray. I've always watched her, seen her bleed, seen her cry; she's already been through so much. It's hard for her to move on in such a way.

I'm going to make sure she doesn't lose anyone else close to her, I'm going to make sure that she doesn't get hurt again. And I'm going to make sure that both of their hearts change.

Time to just give them a little nudge!

...

And, of course, wake her up first...

/ / /

She felt something poking at her face, making her cringe and roll onto her side. "'S cold..." She muttered.

She felt the weight shift to the other side of her and the same thing poked her face again, this time making a little noise. She groaned and pulled the sheet over her head. "Go away..." She breathed.

Pup released a short howl before pawing at where her head was, almost playfully. He heard her growl and she immediately turned over and, poking her arm out from the sheet to grab a pillow, she put the pillow over her head.

He sat there for a few moment, his head tilted off to the side. His icy blue eyes continued to stare at the lump under the sheets.

Just as she felt she was about to fall asleep again, Pup let out a sharp, mournful howl, making her growl in frustration. Instead of trying to stop the wolf pup, she pressed the pillow harder onto her ear, trying to block out the noise.

Pup stopped howling for a moment and, in an instant, he jumped onto Tahki's side, much like a wolf would hop onto their perch, and howled again, this time a lot louder, with his eyes closed and his head pointing up to the ceiling.

Tahki groaned and clenched her fingers to the pillow, curling herself up into a ball. "I can ignore you, pup!" She said.

Pup took a breath and howled again.

"It's not going to work!" She shouted over his howling. "I'm not getting out of bed!"

Over the loud singing, Tahki could hear the door to her room slamming open. "Shut that confounded mutt up!" She heard someone shout.

Tahki poked her head out from under the pillow and winced at the bright sunlight that flooded her room. Without even feeling it, Tahki could tell her hair was probably a nightmare. There was cold air on her head, so that could only mean it was sticking up.

Pagan was in her door. What on earth was he doing near her room?

She was tempted to test his patience and simply crawl back under her bed sheets but she was still tired and she was already losing her patience with Pup, so she decided against pestering Pagan. "Alright, Pup, I'm up!" She shouted, pushing the covers away from her head.

Immediately Pup stopped howling and barked happily, jumping across the bed. Tahki sat up and rubbed her eyes, almost glaring at the small wolf. He just wagged his tail. Off down the hall, she swore she heard Jesse shout, "Finally!"

"Of all the creatures, why did you decide to keep the most annoying one?" Pagan seethed.

She groaned and turned her head to him and yawned widely. "What are you even doing here?"

"Your mutt-"

"Wolf Cub, or call him Pup." She interrupted.

He rolled his eyes and his hand gripped the door frame angrily. "I don't care what you call it! I could hear that mutt all the way down to my own room!"

She patted Pup on his head. "It's not exactly my fault he wanted to sing the song of his people."

Suddenly, Pup jumped off the bed and trotted towards Pagan, who only glared down at the black-furred creature. He sat there and barked up at him, gently nudging his head against Pagan's leg. "Oh, don't you try to butter me up."

Tahki yawned again and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. "You should be happy he still likes you after you pointed a fucking gun at his skull!"

"And you threw a shoe at me!" He countered.

"Because you had a gun pointed at him. He's just a baby."

Brushing her hair back with her nails, she stood from the bed and stretched out her arm. Pup barked excitedly and ran over to her, jumping up on his hind legs in front of her before running back to Pagan and doing the same. He then turned back to Tahki, panting heavily with his tongue lolled to the side. It almost looked like he was smiling.

"Mm, yes, a 'complete face of innocence'."

"Don't get smart with me." She snapped. "He's a cub that lost his mama."

"How do you know that?" He asked.

Tahki rubbed her eyes one last time. "Because I was-" She almost did a double take as her vision cleared up (for the most part). "Okay, you can wear a silk, three-quarter length shirt in this area of Kyrat, and yet here you are wearing that!"

It was another blinding piece of clothing, but it was definitely not something that she thought he would be one to wear. It was a fuzzy housecoat. It was pink and the edges, sash and collar were a maroon. Why would he need a warm housecoat? And, for once, he wasn't wearing makeup.

"How can you wear nothing but a tank top when it's so cold in the morning?"

A small gasp escaped Tahki's lips before she suddenly grabbed the bed sheet and covered her non-arm with it. She needed to get into the habit of wearing something with a closed sleeve or something to bed. "I'm a Canadian; I'm built for this weather."

He raised an eyebrow at her before shaking his head. "Just keep that damn mutt quiet in the morning! Some of us don't have the luxury of sleeping at regular times."

"Aw, poor baby." She mocked him.

"Bitchy teenager..." He muttered under his breath before leaving her room, closing the door behind him.

She looked down to Pup, who was still staring at her with the same goofy grin on his snout. "Just what are you trying to pull, here, Pup?"

His tongue disappeared into his mouth and his jaw snapped shut, tilting his head off to the side with a small whine. Tahki tsked and shook her head. Although animals weren't sentient, she always wondered if pets could really understand people; know what they're saying or doing.

If they could, it would most certainly explain some animal behaviours.

/ / /

She sat back against the tree, a book in her hand and Pup on her lap. She could hear him lightly snoring and whenever she looked, she would sometimes see his ears or paws twitching. He looked absolutely adorable when he was sleeping!

Of course, his current position on her lap made her unable to move her legs, and her right one was beginning to fall asleep. She could simply move it, but then that would mean moving him as well. She always felt that whenever a pet fell asleep on you or your bed, you are practically obligated not to disturb them.

Tahki heard someone approaching her and she briefly looked around to see Jesse. "Hey, Jess." She said with a small smile.

"Hey, KiKi." He sat down beside her and gave Pup a quick glance. "You know, he's actually kind of cute."

"Mhm." She set her book down and gently, carefully, stroked Pups' back, making him twitch a bit in his sleep. "Is there something you need, Jess?"

He shrugged, slightly. "You know Ronin?"

She nodded. "Yes, the soldier that acts as our escort."

"Y'know what his deal is?"

Tahki raised an eyebrow at him. She knew what he meant, of course. But... Ronin? "You think I'd know?"

He shrugged helplessly. "I don't know, maybe?"

She couldn't help but chuckle at him. "Look, if you're interested in him, then just go and say so."

"Okay, much easier said than done, KiKi." He turned his whole body to her. "Look, I'm not one for rejection, you know. And if he's straight, that's just going to make things awkward."

Her brows furrowed in confusion. "Hold on, we haven't been here for even a week and you're already interested in Ronin?"

Jesse raised his hands in mock surrender. "Hey, while you're out here in the garden, I need someone to talk to and he was the closest guy that didn't look like he wanted to shoot me. And, like, I just want to know. You know?"

She sighed slightly and patted his shoulder. "I'm no expert, but you should go and ask. Don't ask him directly, but just... suggest. Let him know where your position is and, if he says he's not, then it's not entirely rejection, but a statement of preference. You get what I'm saying, right?"

He patted her shoulder in return and gave her a ghost of a smile. "Yeah. Thanks, Tahki."

He stood up and left her alone in the garden, leaving her to her own thoughts. She felt something nuzzling under her hand and she saw that Pup was trying to get her to pet him. "Since when did you wake up, eh?" She asked, stroking the little wolf between his ears.

Jesse would always seem to come to her when it came to relationships. Although she herself had never had any experience with love, dating, or even flirting, he always said to her that she had the best advice. Sure, he had experienced more than a few heartbreaks, but she always knew what to do.

This was the first time in a few years, though, that he came to her for advice. She didn't know if that was a good thing or not. He could've had a boyfriend she didn't know about and recently broke up with him (well, then again, if that had happened she was certain he would've come home almost distraught and passing out on alcohol), or he had been alone for the past seven years. She guessed that it was more likely that he had been alone.

This made her think back to the one time he brought someone home for her to meet. They had been dating for a year and, considering that she was really the only family he had in Kyrat, Jesse wanted her to meet him. They had dinner (not at their house, as shabby as it was) and she remembered his boyfriend asking if she had someone.

She did. Once. But it was a failed relationship even before it started. Of course, she didn't say that to him, but she simply explained that she had no interest in a relationship at her age (she wasn't that old, being about twenty-eight when she was introduced to him) and it wasn't a lie. Entirely. But he also didn't need to know that.

"I'm almost forty years old, Pup." She spoke aloud. "I don't have time for that stuff..."

Pup whined and cuddled closer to her in a comforting manner. 'It's okay.' He seemed to say.

/ / /

Tahki paced around the various corridors of the palace with Pup following close at her heels. Gardening was great and all, but she felt like she really needed to get outside. Of course, knowing Pagan, he would probably tie her to a chair before letting her waltz around outside. She could watch TV (which she still hasn't turned on yet), or she could read a book, but even those things could easily get boring. She was itching to do something, anything. Hell, she was even ready to pick a fight with the soldiers again!

Although she was "getting at that age", she still enjoyed participating in the illegal fights. It brought in some good cash and it always let her blow off some steam. She also needed to keep her fighting skills up. However, because she's under 'protection', she can't go to the fighting ring back down south. She didn't hear about any fighting rings up in the North, so that was out of the question.

She halted in her steps and Pup stopped alongside her, sitting beside her feet. Pagan did say that she and Jesse were both under his protection, but he didn't say a thing about not going out. Of course, he had hinted at there being consequences if either of them tried to escape, but Tahki wasn't escaping. She would merely be going out.

'Ronin might pay the price...' She heard that little voice say.

Tahki remembered when Pagan threatened Ronin the first day she had been working out in the garden. And now, with Jesse being evidently interested in him, she couldn't risk having Pagan's wrath being taken out on him.

She sighed in defeat and continued to walk down the corridor. She still had a hard time understanding why Pagan needed to 'protect' her. She was a fully grown woman that could kick his ass into next year if she wanted to! And she did not have any reason to believe that he was keeping her at the palace because of her father; why would that man care about her safety?

Pup let out a short, low growl and she looked down at him. "What?"

He was standing with his legs slightly spread apart, staring directly ahead of them and down the corridor. His white-tipped ears were flat against his head and his lips were curled up in a snarl, his hackles raised on his back. She looked down the corridor. The only source of light provided was the candles that were lit and, no more thanks to her sight, she couldn't hardly see anything.

She tsked and tried to pet Pup, but he snapped at her and continued to growl at whatever was down the corridor. "Quit spooking yourself, Pup." She told him. "Let's go."

She attempted to walk forward but his teeth clamped onto her pant leg and he tugged back, trying to get her to stop.

Tahki turned around and placed her hand on her hip, looking down at the wolf cub with a scornful look. "There is nothing down there." She said to him. "And if there is, it's probably a mouse."

Pup growled menacingly at her and she backed up slightly, almost scared of the little creature. "Hey, take it easy..."

With a vicious bark, Pup lunged at her.

And between her legs.

Tahki looked down and then turned around to see Pup attacking someone, grabbing harshly onto their leg and making them cry out in pain. "Pup!" She shouted, running after him.

The intruder kicked Pup against the wall, making him yelp. Tahki used the distraction to her advantage and grabbed the intruders' shoulder, spinning them around and headbutting into them, making them stagger back in surprise. She didn't stop there; she started to deliver several kicks and punches at the intruder, barely giving them enough time to dodge or block them.

Whoever they were, they knew what they were doing! She was barely able to land any decent hits on them!

Pup had soon recovered and, shaking the dizziness out of his head, he barked again and attacked the intruder, sinking his teeth into their arm, a feral growl emitting from deep within his throat.

The intruder didn't seem fazed by the small creature biting them, this time and, swinging their arm around, they used Pup as a weight and smacked Tahki square on her face, making her fall back.

She was taken completely off guard by that attack and she wasn't able to react before she was hit in the face. The wolf cub was a lot heavier than he looked, because the force in which she had been hit nearly knocked her out. As she stumbled, she attempted to clear her head, shaking it slightly.

She heard Pup yelp loudly and then she felt her hair being pulled back and a gun being pressed to her skull. "You are coming with me."

Like hell I am! Sucking back some air, Tahki opened her mouth and attempted to call for help. Before the word could even start to slip past her lips, the butt end of the gun hit the side of her head. There was a small flash of white and then there was a sheet of black.