"I'm shocked you changed back to being a wolf so willingly." Richard said, walking the same 'road' they had taken two months prior. They were hesitant at first, knowing this was where Raine had first encountered Aruhn, but there wasn't a better option. Templars were still mobilizing, sending soldiers east.

"I spent so long as a human, and when I finally met Rose, she showed me that being a wolf wasn't quite what I thought it was. And, after my dad showed up trying to 'hedge his bets' I decided that maybe it was better to just let my magic develop naturally. It never did before, but now that it has a chance to grow, I can actually feel it. A… connection. It's bizarre, but for the first time in a very long time, I actually feel like myself."

"So you can change whenever you want now?"

"I don't know. I've actually been quite content to stay as a wolf. Sure, the fur has it's drawbacks and tangles, and the tail has a nasty habit of getting caught on things, but I'm at least warm, and I don't need a coat."

"For a while you wanted nothing more than to forget that the wolf half existed, and now here you are, happy as can be, walking with me as a wolf. Fate is very strange indeed."

"Says the guy who when we first met, wanted nothing more than the destruction of all the Keidran, especially wolves, remember?"

"Hey, past me was an idiot, you know that!"

"Is present you any better?"

"Shut up Sythe!" Richard and Raine said in unison.

"I thought we were past that… man, why did I come with you?"

"Where else would you have gone?" Haelith asked. She didn't say much during the day, but was always listening.

"I'm not sure. I guess… I guess I would have gone wherever Maren did. I still feel bad that I kind of got her into this mess in the first place, and I really want to do better. You're actually some of my best friends, since most of the people I knew hate me for not killing you on sight."

"I know the feeling…" Richard said, sighing.

"Have we met before?" Haelith asked suddenly. "I feel like I've met someone like you before."

"No, I'd certainly remember if I met a giant, scaled Ishtaer like you."

"Maybe I've met your family? You have connections to the Templars, right?"

"Can't even try to deny it. I went to the Templar Academy when I was younger, but dropped out before graduating."

"Oh. Which academy did you go to?"

"I went to my d- uh, my hometown's academy. Durlon."

"Really! I grew up in Durlon! Maybe we met just in passing?"

"I doubt it. Again, you stand out pretty well."

"Oh, yeah. I just can't shake the feeling I've met someone just like you."

"Weird…" Richard said with a forced chuckle. Raine gave him a look, but he shook his head. The group fell to silence for the rest of the afternoon, and as night fell, food was eaten, and the group slowly dispersed to tents. Richard went into his tent, and Raine followed.

"Hey, do you mind if I join you tonight?"

"Oh, uh, I guess not." He smiled as he slid over his bag, making space on the ground for her to lay next to him. "This feels… weird. Anyways, what's up? Why the sudden shift, or did you just want to see me?" he said slyly.

"You're not that flattering." Raine said with a smile, sitting down next to him. "I really like you. But I have to know what you stopped yourself from saying earlier. If it's something we need to worry about, I think someone should know."

Richard was no longer smiling. "It's… it was a long time ago." he said, looking away as he folded his arms.

"And that matters… why? We've seen that people's pasts can come back to haunt us, just look at Trace. So I think you need to be ready for that, and I want to be ready too."

"Fine. I went to the academy in Durlon. It's where I met Trace, where we learned to be bullies, where I learned magic, and where I was forced to train to be a Templar."

"Forced? By who?"

"My dad. He was, or is, I've not talked to him in years, the headmaster of the academy. Haelith probably remembers him: Headmaster Richard Olrin the Second. He was a stern old man, and he ran the academy with an iron fist. Except with me. He forced me to go through training, because 'by golly, if I can do it, so can you, my boy!'. I hated it. But… I did it. Because my dad ran the place with an iron fist, and there was no way that his little boy could possibly be that much of a troublemaker. There's no way his little boy could have lit the dormitories on fire. No way he could be flunking every class. No way he could be bullying other students into doing his work for him. No way he could be sneaking out every other day and practicing his magic by attacking Keidran servants and slaves. I got away with everything because of him. And I hated him."

Raine sat and thought for a minute. "That's why you've never mentioned him."

"Yeah. I hate him. He didn't want me to drop out. I technically didn't drop out. I just left. When Trace left, so did I. I followed him for a few months, but we eventually parted ways."

"I forgot you and Trace were friends. Don't mention Trace to Haelith. She doesn't know that we're going to his place yet. She has some… personal history with him. Recent personal history. I'll tell her about it before we get to Edinmire."

"Got it." They sat in silence for a few minutes. "We should… we should get some sleep." Richard said, blushing.

"Yeah…" Raine laid down, staring at the top of the tent. She felt a hand reach around her head, and she let Richard pull her closer. They were in separate sleeping bags, and she knew they wouldn't go too far tonight. She was OK with that. "Let's take things slowly, OK?"

"As you wish." Richard whispered, closing his eyes, and leaving his arm behind her, happy to just be there.