Tucked in between the seat and the center console of my truck used to be a pack of cigars. Not the expensive kind, but the cheap eighty nine cents a piece with plastic tips. They were tucked away for those nights I would tie one on in a field or by a river. I'd sit back in the bed with a couple of six packs or a bottle, drink and smoke while looking up at the stars. I'd loved a night like that back in my world, but I won't ever get the chance again.

Right now, the air is warm enough that I don't feel like a jacket is needed. The stars above almost seem like they are close enough to reach out and touch. The two moons are rising above the edge of the cliffs to the east. The same direction we just escaped from. Not that it means anything to me right now. At the moment, I'm just laying on the hood of my truck. My beat to shit, fucked up truck. I'm laying back and watching the smoke curl off the end of the cigar stuck between my lips.

Shouldn't have lit this damned thing. I should have left them in the fucking truck. Instead, I am smoking a damned cigar while staring up at the moons rising. I'm doing the shit I shouldn't be doing. Here I lay, just wasting time.

"Boss, are you alright?" I take a deep draw on the cigar in my lips, tasting the pipe tobacco that it's rolled from. I can feel the burn in my lungs as I hold it in for an added second.

I'm fine Sarge, just fucking done right now. I've been running since we got here, and now we are out of Dolus. I just don't feel like moving right now. So I'm just going to lay here, finish this cigar, yell a 'fuck you' to the king, then I'll get up. Sarge circles the truck and lays down next to the drivers side front end.

"Shiva and Thea are worried about you, boss. You haven't said anything since… you know." I know exactly what he is talking about, and he's right. I haven't said anything. When the truck finally stopped rolling, I kind of lost it. I jumped out of the truck while proceeding to yell and curse at anything that moved. The only thing that slowed me down was my truck.

I turned back to look at it, and my heart fucking sank. I remembered every hour of tearing it down, bolt by bolt, piece by piece. The countless hours I spent with my dad as we worked on it. The cuts, burns, broken knuckles, sweat, blood and tears that we had put into it. It all hit me at once and I just froze.

Shiva and Thea tried to talk to me, but I ignored them. I just needed a few minutes to myself, and some time to decompress. When I started to dig through the cab, I found the cigars. At that point, I figured what the hell and dug a lighter out of the glove box. Everyone seemed confused when I climbed onto the hood. They seemed more confused when I laid down.

Eventually everyone left me alone, but they tried and tried to talk to me first. Not that it did any good, I already decided I wasn't talking to anyone for a while. Of course, then Sarge had to speak to me. Now, I can't stop myself from listening as the rest of the group talks.

"Is he ok?" Tarril is fairly close to me, so his voice is crystal clear.

"I think so. He just gets like this sometimes. Mostly when something happens that his mind can't keep up with." Jacob sounds annoyed, so I flick my ash in his general direction. A curse from him tells me he was closer than I thought.

"I'll try and go talk to him again." Thea's voice sounds like she is getting worried. Even if I couldn't tell it by her voice, I can feel it through the bridge between us.

"Just give him a few minutes longer. He doesn't look like he is freaking out, and it's more like he is just taking a minute." For once, it seems like Shiva is the one trying to calm Thea down. For a brief second, I wonder where Vaunea is, then I feel the truck shift. The way it lurched, I know it has to be Vaunea sitting on the rear.

"We can't keep waiting here. He needs to pull himself out of it." Thea's voice is getting closer as she speaks.

Great, now she's going to try and get me moving again. I start to shift on the hood, trying to find a more comfortable spot. When I look at the cigar in my hand, I can see there is only about five minutes left on it. Not doing shit til this is done.

"I'll let her know, boss. Don't worry." I mentaly nod to Sarge as the end of the cigar glows a bright orange with my inhale. I was always told not to inhale a cigar, but I'm pretty sure that doesn't apply to these.

"So, what does this say?" I'm not sure how I managed to keep myself from jumping when Mynas starts speaking. There was no sign anyone was anywhere near me until she spoke. The crinkle sound tells me she has the pack of cigars in her hand.

"Hey, get away from him!" Yep, there's Shiva. That didn't take long.

"Just let me try talking to him. It's not like you have had any luck." I can hear Shiva getting ready to argue when Thea starts to speak.

"Wait, let's give her a chance." The silence after Thea's words tells me Shiva is about to lose her shit. I can literally feel her anger radiating through our bond. "Sarge already said that he isn't doing anything until he finishes that. So worse case scenario, she talks to him for maybe seven minutes. Best case, she gets him moving sooner." Shiva starts to grumble, but Thea apparently starts to lead her away as their voices get quieter.

"So, you going to talk to me?" I ignore her question as I take another long drag on the cigar. Mynas lets out a low huff as she hops onto the hood of the truck beside me. I bite down on the plastic tip of the cigar, then shift over to give her some room.

"Thank you for that. There wasn't much space up here." I don't bother replying as I stare up into the sky. The way my smoke is curling upwards is almost hypnotic. Mynas shifts a little closer to me as I flick the ash off the end again.

"You know if you don't speak to me, I'm just going to keep talking." Again, I don't respond. I'm doing my best to ignore her. "Fine, you asked for it."

"My mother and Tarril have been talking about you a lot. Nothing bad for the most part, but they can't seem to figure you out. Tarril says that you are someone to watch. That you are going to force this world to change. He thinks that you could be a major player in whatever kingdom you settle in." The wind shifts, causing the smoke above me to start to drift away.

"Me, I'm not sure what to think about you. My mother told me to keep my distance, but she doesn't stop me when I get close to you. So I don't think she means distance wise, do you? She thinks you are going to end up as a guard dog for some smaller country. You'll get a title and be left alone unless they need you to help defend it. So you would ride out your life in luxury with your grove." The wind picks up a little bit and blows the smoke away. Underneath the scent of tobacco is something else, right on the edge of my senses. An almost fruity scent that I can't quite place. I know that I know it, but I can't place it.

"So how long are you going to take to finish that?" A burning feeling on my fingertip makes me look down. While I was trying to ignore Mynas, the cigar burned down low. I take one last drag off of it before I toss it aside.

"It says, warning: this product can cause tooth loss, gum disease, and cancer." Mynas looks confused as I force myself to sit up. Before she recovers, I start to slide off the hood of the truck, nearly stepping on Sarge. "Sorry, boy." He wags his tail when I reach down to scratch his head.

"Wait, what was that?" Mynas slides off the truck as I start digging in the cab.

"I fucking know it's in here somewhere. Where is the fucking piece of shit?" Somewhere in the cab is a travel toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste. If I can figure out where it went.

"What did you say?" Mynas opens up the passenger door and stares in at me as I search the truck. When she does, the wind starts to blow at me past her, and the smell of some kind of fruit hits me full force.

"I asked what those words meant. I know tooth loss, but what is gum disease and cancer?" Under the passenger seat is what I'm looking for. I uncap the toothbrush and spread on a line of the toothpaste.

"Basically, it's a bad day for everyone involved. Gum disease can make your teeth rot out. Cancer causes these masses to grow in your body. It eventually will kill you if it's not treated. In my world, it was one of the biggest killers, especially lung cancer. The kind these things will give you." I pull myself into the driver's seat as I start to brush my teeth. When I glance at Mynas again, she has a look of confusion on her face. "What?"

"If it will kill you, then why are you smoking them?" I chuckle while I continue to brush my teeth. I lean out the hole where the door used to be and spit out a mouthful of toothpaste.

"Because the people in my world that make them spray them with a chemical. It's addictive as hell and your body becomes dependent on it. So when you try to quit, you end up with headaches and your hands shake like hell. Not that I haven't quit before. It sucks, but you can power through it. Now I just smoke when I drink, or when I need a second to decompress." When I finish brushing my teeth, I cap the toothbrush and toss it with the toothpaste back behind the seat. If I need it later, then that can be future Jim's problem.

"If you know it's addictive then why would you smoke them at all?" I shrug as I slide out of the truck and climb into the bed.

"Why does anyone do anything? Peer pressure and what's considered normal." When I open the toolbox, I'm greeted by a jumbled mess. "Fucking hell!" I start to pull everything out and try to sort it as best I can.

"What?" Thea and Shiva are walking up as I continue to curse and pull out gear. When the rifle case comes sliding out, my breath freezes in my chest.

"When the truck flipped, everything got fucked in the toolbox." I start to unzip the rifle case, praying to whoever is listening that nothing is broken. "Now, I'm just seeing how fucked everything is." When I shift the case around, something inside the bag clinks and broken glass falls out of the opening.

"Fucking shit! What the fuck else can go wrong!?" When I start pulling my rifles out, the Browning's scope is fucked. The tube is crushed almost flat and the dials are just gone. I lay it to the side and start pulling out the rest too. The Henry and my second AR are fine as there were not any scopes on them. My M1a though, its red dot is fucked too.

"I can fix them, Jim. I'll absorb them first." My M1a and the Browning disappear as I set the others back into the case.

"Thanks Alexis." I feel more drained now than I was before. The damage to my rifles is wearing me down all over.

"Jim?" Shiva's voice makes me take a deep breath, I need to calm down. When I feel her hand on my shoulder, I slowly turn my head to face her.

"I'm fine, just tired of my shit getting broken." Shiva doesn't look convinced, but she nods her head. When she doesn't start to move away from me, I take a second to look at her closer.

"What?" I shake my head before I answer her, turning to dig back in the toolbox again.

"Just realized I gave Thea one of my pistols to protect herself. I should probably teach you to use one too." After a second of searching, I find the molle messenger bag holding my last pistol. I set it to the side and start to dig back through the toolbox. It takes me another minute or two to come up with a holster for it. The holster itself isn't great. It's just one of the cheap universal ones I picked up for ten or twelve dollars, but it will do for now.

"You sure you want to give me one of your weapons? I kind of got the feeling you were only going to teach Thea about them." The chuckle that slips out of my mouth surprises me.

"Before it became apparent that you were sticking around, I wasn't going to. If you're here for the long haul, then it's a different story." I double check that the H&K is empty before handing it to Shiva. "You are sticking around aren't you?" She nods her head and carefully takes the gun from my hand.

I take a few minutes to get her familiar with the gun. She pays close attention as I explain the safety, mag release, slide, and trigger. I briefly touch on proper stance and recoil as well as the trigger break. It takes a few more minutes of practice before her movements smooth out and she starts to seem comfortable with it. When I think she is starting to get it, I slip behind her. I look around to confirm everyone is behind us before I hand her a loaded magazine for the pistol.

"Ok, load it and release the slide." Shiva keeps the gun pointed away from herself and everyone else as she does. After the pistol is loaded, she turns her head to look back at me, arching an eyebrow as if to ask what's next. I slide my arms around her to correct her stance as I start to speak.

"Now, look at your sights. Line the blade up with the notch, that's your sight picture. Focus on your target, for now, that tree." I point to a knotted pine sitting the closest to us. "When you have the sights lined up, squeeze the trigger. Don't jerk, just squeeze it. You will feel when it fires. After it does, bring it back on target and do it again."

From my view of the side of Shiva's face, I can tell she is concentrating hard. Her eyes are focused on the tree ahead of her. After maybe five seconds, her finger starts to tighten on the trigger. Her finger relaxes for a split second, then the gun jumps as she jerks the trigger. I feel my mouth pull up in a grin because I already know what happened without looking. I was right. Her first shot missed the tree completely. I hear her growl in frustration as I start to chuckle.

"It's ok, just take a breath and try again. This time remember, squeeze the trigger and don't jerk it. It was the jerking motion that screwed up your shot." Shiva nods her head as she gets back in position. This time, I rest my hands on her hips as she lines up her sights, leaning in to whisper in her ear. "You got this, just take your time. Feel the slack come out of the trigger. Feel the break and squeeze."

Her second shot hits the tree center mass, making me smile. Shiva keeps her eyes glued to the tree, bringing the muzzle of the pistol back down. I drop my hands from her waist as I step back and sit on the edge of the bed.

"Now, see how many times you can hit it again." Shiva nods her head before she fires again. When it becomes obvious that she isn't going to miss again, I go back to sorting through the toolbox. By the time the magazine in the pistol is empty, I have dug out the spares as well as enough universal mag pouches for them.

"Good, now reload it and holster it. Don't forget the safety." As she is doing that, I undo her belt and start to pull it through the loops of her pants. She raises an eyebrow at me, but doesn't move to stop me.

"Don't give me that look. We need to get these situated." Shiva laughs as she hands me the holstered pistol.

"I know, I was just wondering if you did. The look you were giving me made me think you had something else on your mind." As I slide the holster on her belt and start feeding it back through the loops, I lean in to kiss her stomach.

"Who said I didn't?" Her breath hitches as my fingers trail over the skin around her waist.

"Not now, later. We still need to keep moving for a while." I slide the mag pouches on her belt before clinching it tightly back around her waist.

"Why do we need to keep moving? We made it out of Dolus." Shiva lets out a low moan as I let my fingers trail over the inside of her thighs. My right hand is coming up to cup her ass from underneath. For a second, I'm sure that we are about to forget anyone else is around us. Shiva's scent is filling my nose and drawing me closer to her. The spell is broken as Mynas's voice pulls my focus away.

"Because we are just starting into Rathenk. The nearest military outpost is still ten miles away or more. If Dolus's soldiers pursue us, they can claim they didn't cross the border. Look around, there is no one living anywhere close to the border on this side." My head turns slowly to face Mynas, and my annoyance is clearly showing on my face.

"So what? If they follow us, I'll cut them down. If you don't believe me, ask Thea. She was there last time I was being followed by the king's men." Mynas lets out a loud exhale as En'Las walks up beside her, leaning against the bed of the truck.

"So you think you can cut down a thousand plus troops? Each and every one of them being buffed by spell casters from behind. I don't know the circumstances of your last exchange with Dolus's troops, but this time it will be their actual army. They don't move without making sure their troops are protected." En'Las raises an eyebrow as she speaks, and I realize that she is right. As I let go of Shiva, I stand and stretch, feeling a pop in my lower back..

"You're right, I'll quit wasting time." As I start to close the gun case that's laying on the toolbox, I feel the weight shift.

"I fixed your rifles. As soon as you get clear of the truck, I'll absorb it and start working on it. It's still going to take a while because your truck is really messed up." Alexis's voice is soft, almost like she is trying to comfort me.

"Sounds good." As I jump out of the bed, I turn around and lift Shiva out. It doesn't take long to get the supplies out of the truck and tucked away. The void backpack that Shiva stole from me holds everything that I shove into it, including the rifles and ammo. Now for the first time, I find myself wondering how much the bag can actually hold.

Going to have to ask that question one day. Sarge starts to circle around the truck as the rest of us finish last minute preparations. Ammo gets redistributed, dry clothes are sorted between the two void bags while food and water gets passed out between the group. Everyone has a bag of some kind on their waist or backs by the time we are done.

"Well, I guess it's time to go." I take one last look at the truck as Alexis starts to absorb it. The truck seems to just disappear into thin air, and I feel my stomach drop as it does. Even though I'll get it back, it's still gone right now.

We start walking down the road. Within the first few steps of the trip everyone has spread out. Sarge is running ahead, nose into the wind as he runs. Vaunea takes a position to the rear of our little group. For some reason, I end up forth in line with Thea close behind me. It takes me longer than I want to admit to realize what is going on. The group has fallen into a loose skirmish line. So if someone is attacked, the rest of the line can react and not get hit at the same time.

"So, who is right?" I can't stop myself from jumping as Mynas starts to speak. She was in front of me at one point, then fell behind about a mile back. I never heard her walk up beside me, so her voice caught me off guard.

"Holy fuck, woman! Make some damn noise next time!" When my heart rate settles down, I turn my head to her. "What the fuck were you asking?" Mynas laughs a light almost musical sound as she starts to speak.

"Sorry for scaring you like that. I was asking who is right, Tarril or my mother?" It takes me a second to figure out what she is asking. Then it comes to me as her one sided conversation on the hood of the truck plays through my head. I shrug my shoulders as we keep walking.

"I don't know, haven't planned that far ahead. Right now, all I care about is keeping Thea and Shiva safe. The rest can wait till then." Mynas looks like she is about to ask something else when Tarril appears beside her.

"That's enough, go help Sarge look ahead." Mynas opens her mouth to complain, but a look from Tarril silences her. She nods her head and starts to run ahead of us, slowing down for a second to speak to Sarge before they both start to run again.

"Sorry about her. You know how children get when they think they know everything." He gives me a look that says he is waiting on a response so I just nod. It seems that teenagers are the same here on this world as they are on my last.

"Not that she is still a child. I just still see her that way." His eyes seem to look into the distance, and it seems like he is remembering something. "Her father, he was a good man. I promised him I would look after her if anything happened to him." There is a long pause after that, and I can feel it getting awkward. I try to figure out something to say because the silence is weighing down on me.

"Were you and her father close then?" Oh great, you fucking idiot. Next time, why don't you ask him about the first time he couldn't get it up! I'm starting to think that Tarril isn't going to answer when he starts to laugh under his breath.

"Not really, no. I always thought he was too hard on the children in the grove. He thought I was a lazy bum leaching off of them. When the slavers came, we stood shoulder to shoulder to try and hold them back. It didn't do any good as our grove fell. We lost all but the three of us, even the children too young to run." His eyes are looking into the distance again.

"We were betrayed, you know?" I glance at him from the corner of my eye as he speaks. "We were hidden in Dolus, just trading with a select few people." His mouth pulls up into a small grin as if he is remembering a happier time. "You probably don't know, but night elves are some of the best craftsmen when it comes to certain tools. Mostly those used to kill quietly, but not only those."

"You're right, I didn't know that." Tarril nods his head as he continues speaking.

"We were saving up our energy for another child." His grin slips as a scowl covers his face. "It was going to be my child this time. This would have been my second one." His hands are gripping the hills of his blades now, the knuckles turning pale from how tight his grip is on them.

"I'm sorry about your grove." The words seem flat to me, like they are nowhere near enough. What can you say to a man who lost almost everything? To have lost his family, friends, even his child to a group of slavers. I don't have the words I would need to try and console him.

"It's in the past and no matter what else, I can't change that. All I can do is keep moving forward and try to avenge their deaths. Hopefully one day, I will see them again, walking on LaMortan's fields." He seems to stare off into space again as we walk, and the silence returns. When I can't stand the quiet again, I decide to risk speaking again.

"What are LaMortan's fields?" Tarril shakes his head slowly as he turns to face me.

"I keep forgetting that you aren't familiar with this world's religions. LaMortan is the God of the night elves, almost all of them at least. Our history states that he taught us to hide, to mix poisons that couldn't be traced, and to kill quietly. He freed our people from the oppression of the high elves, and led us to our chosen lands. His fields are where we go after our deaths, if we have stayed true to him." I'm quiet for a long time after he finishes speaking. My mind is buzzing with the new information and half a million questions.

"Just how many fucking Gods are there in this world? It seems like I keep hearing about more and more of them." Tarril laughs quietly as he slaps me on the back.

"No one knows for sure. There are the nine major Gods, the fallen tenth. Then there are lesser Gods by the multitude. Lesser Gods of individual crops, safe travels on the roads, clean water, of cities, and of winds. There are more lesser Gods than anyone knows. Most people follow one of the nine major Gods, and then pray to the lesser Gods as needed." I'm about to ask the names of the major Gods when Sarge runs back to me.

"Building up ahead, boss. There's smoke from the chimney and a big tower in the middle." Shiva steps up beside me as Sarge is speaking, nodding her head along.

"That should be the outpost. We can take a break there. Then move on when it gets light outside." She starts to turn around when Sarge begins to speak again.

"Building is empty, and smells like they left just a short time ago. Mynas is checking it out right now." I can feel the shock coming off Shiva at Sarge's words.

"What do you mean it's empty? There should be at least twenty men there!" Sarge just shrugs his shoulders, still walking along with us.

"I mean the building is empty. As in no one is inside. The barn is empty too, just goats and chickens inside. Stalls for looks like twenty some horses that were full not long ago. I'd guess they left less than four hours ago." Before Shiva can start to yell, I step in.

"Doesn't matter if they are there or not, we are better off figuring out why they left. Until we get there, we can't do shit. Stay alert and let's pick it up a little. Sarge, lead me in." Sarge nods his head and breaks into an easy run as I fall in behind him.

"I'll stick with you, if you don't mind." Somehow, I'm not surprised when I turn my head and see Tarril running beside me.

"Suite yourself, but if Sarge is saying it's empty, then it's empty." Tarril raises an eyebrow to me before nodding behind him.

"Is that why you left the rest behind and ran ahead?"

"I trust Sarge, but if there is a risk, I'm going to be the one to take it. I'm not leaving the rest of the group behind. I'm making sure I'm in the front. Even if the risk is low, I'm going to do what I can to make sure my grove is safe." Tarril glances over to me before turning to face the road ahead of us.

"I understand that. I feel the same about my grove. Which makes it so frustrating that Mynas didn't wait." The road is starting to slope upward, making my calves burn as we run.

"It's all part of growing up, and I know that I drove my dad crazy as a teen. Keep in mind, I wasn't fighting for my life every three days either. Just give her time. I'm sure she will straighten up." Tarril laughs as he gently shoves me into the treeline. Sarge glances back then follows our lead, slipping in amongst the trees to keep running.

"Problem with that is she's considered an adult already. Or at least a member of the grove whose opinion should be listened to. She may still be young, but she is not a child anymore. No matter how much I wish I could change that." Ahead of us, I can see the outline of a tower standing out against the sky. Tarril, Sarge, and I slow at the same time.

"You want to circle around, and I'll keep heading in this way. If either of us sees anything, holler out to the other." Tarril nods his head and starts moving through the trees, leaving Sarge and me alone.

"Well, what are you waiting on? Guide me on in, boy." Sarge lets out a high pitched bark before doubling his speed towards the tower ahead. I shake my head as I struggle to keep up. Even with the way I'm reinforcing my body, Sarge is still faster than I am.

When we reach the edge of the treeline, Sarge pauses and turns back to look at me. I take a half second to catch my breath as I study the building ahead of me. It's more of a small keep than a building. The walls are made of some dark gray stone, and the mortar barely shows in the cracks. In the center of the building is a single tower just up into the sky.

I have to stop myself from laughing when I realize the tower itself has a rounded dome roof. Sarge looks up at me curiously, tilting his head at me. I wave a hand to him as my breath finally evens out.

"What's so funny, boss?" It seems like he's not going to let it go, so I start to explain.

"The walls on this place are rounded well as the tower. If you let your eyes unfocus a little, the whole place looks like a cock. It just struck me as funny." Sarge huffs and I can feel his annoyance at me.

"Oh what, like you never found something funny when no one else did." He starts to walk out of the trees and towards the building, ignoring me. I shake my head as I follow him. My rifle comes up to scan the windows.

"You sure this place was empty?" Sarge huffs as we get closer to the giant double door. When he gets to it, he shoves it roughly with his shoulder, making it swing open with a loud creak.

"I don't know, does all the blood leave your head everytime Thea or Shiva get naked?" He steps in through the door as I stand there mouth gaping.

Did he just say what I think he said? I push that thought aside as I follow him inside.

We seem to have stepped into some kind of great room slash dining hall. A hearth at the center of the room still has a fire burning low. A cauldron is sitting just off the coals. Along the long edge of the walls a table sets, spanning the length of the room. A long wooden bench runs the length of the table on each side. In the center of the table is a pitcher laying on its side. Its contents spilled onto the dark wood, still wet in the dim light.

"Seems pretty empty, but it doesn't look like it's been empty long." Sarge rolls his eyes at me as he starts sniffing the room.

"From what I gathered, it's only been empty a few hours." Once again, I'm jumping when Mynas starts to talk.

"Fucking shit! I told you to make some fucking noise!" Mynas laughs as I try to get my heartbeat back under control.

"You're jumpy." Her eyes are twinkling with mischief as she watches me.

"Don't know why, not like we just escaped a hostile country or anything." Mynas smiles as she starts to walk closer to me, her eyes locking onto mine.

"Maybe, but you proved multiple times that you can handle yourself. When I see you jump, it's amusing. Sort of like when a dog gets scared of a kitten." Mynas is almost touching me now, circling me slowly as she speaks. When she moves back in front of me, I shift to put my back to the wall. I'm not sure what game she is playing at, but I'm not interested in playing it with her.

"What makes you think this place has only been empty a couple of hours?" Mynas pauses, her face getting confused for a second before she answers.

"Most of the personal belongings are still here. The armory is cleared out, except for one bow and a handful of arrows. There was a communication artifact in the upper floor, but it was smashed. Looks like they sent a message to someone, then left in a hurry." She leans against the edge of the table as she speaks, crossing her ankles.

"What does a communication artifact even look like?" Mynas opens her mouth to speak, but Tarril's voice cuts her off.

"A metal work surface covered in platinum lines and runes with a crystal of some sort set in the center." When tarril steps into the room, Mynas looks over to him nervously. Tarril takes a second to stare into her eyes before turning back to me.

"Sarge and Mynas are right, the outpost has been abandoned recently." Mynas smirks as she starts to turn to look back at me.

"Don't get too excited, you still made several mistakes. Now, go back to your mother. We will talk about your actions later." Mynas turns to start to argue when Tarril cuts her off. "I know what you are about to say. I know you are not a child to be ordered about. Take Sarge with you and go back to your mother."

"Fine!" Mynas lets out a loud huff, then stomps out of the room. When Sarge turns his head to look at me, I nod to him. He rolls his eyes at me, but follows Mynas out the door.

Did she seriously just throw a tantrum? Tarril shakes his head as he moves over to the hearth, throwing wood from the stack next to it onto the coals.

"I'm sorry about that." I let my rifle slide around to my back as I take a seat near Tarril.

"No worries, man." Tarril shakes his head again as he slides onto the bench across from me.

"I'm not apologizing for her stomping out of here. I'm apologizing because she is being pushy and not following proper traditions." Tarril glances over to the door, then turns back to look at me.

"It's fine, it wasn't that long ago I was a teenager too. So I still remember how it is." Tarril stares at me for a long moment before he starts to speak again.

"There was a reason I followed you here. I would like to speak to you, on behalf of the Long Fields grove." Something in his tone has shifted. I straighten my back and sit up straighter.

"If you feel like you need to say something, go ahead. If something is wrong and you need help, I'll do my best to help." Tarril nods and looks to the door again.

"This isn't easy to ask for. I'm assuming that you don't know a lot of grove politics." When I shake my head no, he nods to himself and continues.

"Sometimes smaller groves will band together temporarily. Usually it's to help one or both of the groves conceive." I'm starting to get a feeling that I know where this conversation is going.

"I'm starting to feel like I might need Thea here. If this involves my entire grove, I feel like my grove needs to be here." Tarril shakes his head slowly before leaning over the table.

"I'm not asking for our groves to band together, even temporarily. Your grove has enough power that you don't need mine. While my grove doesn't have anything of value to trade with you." When I open my mouth to try and speak, he cuts me off.

"We aren't following you because we have to. We have been following you because of curiosity, and because you seem like someone that is worth knowing. I'm not talking to you to try and negotiate for our continued help, or for us to stay. I'm talking to you now because we need your help. En'Las and I have spoken about this a lot the last two days." Tarril pauses and looks down to his hands, his fingers are tracing over the grain of the table.

"There are times when one grove will… borrow enough members of another grove so they can conceive a child. It's not a physical connection, just a transfer of mana. That's what I'm trying to ask for, in my own awkward way." Tarril glances up at me, then back down to the table. He has been hard for me to read ever since we have met. Now, he seems wide open to me. He looks embarrassed and a little ashamed.

"You're wanting to rebuild your grove." Tarril raises his head to look me in the eyes as he nods his head gently.

"I'm not asking you to participate. We just want to borrow your mana. After you transfer your mana, you can leave. We just want to try and start rebuilding." I nod my head as I lean back on the bench.

"So it's my mana that you need, not necessarily me transferring it?" Tarril nods his head as his eyes remain glued to mine.

Alexis, are you listening? I can feel a pressure on the base of my skull as Alexis starts to speak.

"I'm always listening. What is it you are thinking? Because you know I am trying to fix your truck. When you pull my focus, it takes longer."

Good to know, so I'll try and leave you alone as best I can. What I'm wondering is if you can make me one of those mana bricks of yours. It doesn't need to be one full of mana. I'll handle that part. I know that you are still filling them because I can feel the draw from it.

"I actually have Vixi doing that while I work on the truck. Yeah, I can make you one, just give me a second." Tarril is still staring at me as I focus back on him.

"Just give me a second, I'm working on something that should help." He looks confused, but doesn't say anything. A quiet thump causes both of us to look down at the table. Between us is one of the mana bricks that Alexis makes.

"It's not charged like you asked. You do realize you are probably going to be tired tonight? Especially with how much mana you have been using." I pick up the stone in my hand as she is speaking, nodding my head.

Yeah I know, but what else can I do. When a friend asks you for help, you have to help them out. I know that we just met, and technically I bought him, but he is a friend.

"Whatever, I'm going to go back to your truck. I'm not kidding when I say it's going to be at least two days. If you don't interrupt me again." She is feeling annoyed, but it doesn't feel like it's with me.

Thank you, Alexis. I can feel her giving me a mental shrug as Tarril starts to speak.

"What is that?" I force myself to focus on him again as he stares at the stone in my hand.

"Long story short, it's a huge mana stone." Tarril's eyes go wide as he takes in the stone in my hand.

"I've never seen a mana stone that large before." I start to channel my mana into the stone as I tilt my head.

"How big are they usually?" Tarril holds up his index finger and thumb, holding them about an inch apart.

"This is how big the largest one I've ever seen was. I've heard some may be as large as two inches across, but most are smaller. The average size is about the size of a fingernail. Most end up in magical items to increase spell casting abilities." I shrug my shoulders as I feel the stone getting closer to being full.

"I guess they can be bigger, especially when a dungeon makes them." When the stone starts to shudder in my hand, I stop channeling my mana into it. It takes a few seconds for the stone to settle in my hand. When I'm sure I didn't overcharge it, I offer it to Tarril.

"Is that enough mana for your grove, or do you need more?" Tarril eyes the stone for a second before he drops it on the table. As soon as it hits the table, he scrambles to pick it up and turns it over to check for any damage. When he seems sure it's ok, he turns to me.

"You are seriously giving this to me?" For a second, I'm worried that it's not enough.

"Do you need more mana than that? I'm not trying to be rude, but I'd rather not be in the room when you are using it." Tarril shakes his head and pulls the stone in close to his chest.

"This is enough mana to let En'Las and I conceive at least three times. This is enough to get our grove back on its feet. I don't have anything worth near enough to trade for this." I shake my head as he starts to offer it back to me.

"It's fine. I wasn't asking for anything in return. I'm not using the mana for myself. If it can help you then use it." Tarril looks down at the stone in his hand, then tucks it away into the pouch at his waist.

"I won't forget about this." I shake my head as I stand up.

"Seriously, don't worry about it." I roll my neck as I start walking towards the one doorway I can see. "I'm going to check out the tower. When everyone else arrives, let Thea and Shiva know where I went."

The doorway doesn't lead to a hallway like I was expecting. Instead, it's a storeroom of some kind. Barrels and bags are stacked along the wall with vegetables hanging from the beams of the roof. I ignore that for now and step through the doorway to my right.

Of course, this would be the armory. Because what do you need more at a military outpost, food or your weapons? Mynas was right about the contents to, a single rough looking bow is all that is left. Next door, here I come. The next room seems to be a barracks of some kind as there is a row of lockers against one wall. The other side has a row of beds. Unlike the other rooms, this one only has the doorway behind me.

Where the fuck are the stairs? When I step farther into the room, I hear a squeak above me. I look up and see a field mouse looking down at me from a square hole in the ceiling. The hole is nearly five feet across in both directions.

"So where are the fucking stairs?" When I don't see any way up, I shift my rifle onto my back again. The ceiling is only a few feet above my head. So with a grunt, I jump up and grab the edges of the hole. It takes a second to swing my heels up into the lip of the hole. A grunt escapes my lips as I manage to pull my body up into the opening. I have to roll onto the floor as I feel my arms starting to shake. When I raise my head up, the mouse from earlier is staring at me.

"The fuck you looking at?" The mouse squeaks again before running off. Shaking my head, I glance around the space. There is a set of narrow stairs leading up to my left, and a ladder is laying beside the hole on my right. I take a second to slide the ladder down the hole before I start up the stairs.

On the first landing, there is an open room with a trapdoor leading to the stairs. The room is open, but a thin cot is pressed against one wall with a table beside it. Not seeing anything worth looking at, I start back up the stairs again. The second platform is the same as the first, the third follows suit.

The fourth platform is a cluttered room, full of broken bits of metal and glass. A large table with a metal surface is pressed against one wall. Faint lines have been carved into the top and a circular indentation is in the middle. Beside the indentation is a stack of paper and an overturned quill and ink set.

"I guess this is the communication artifact." Not seeing anything else of interest, I start back up the stairs. The next floor is completely empty, but the trapdoor has a deadbolt on it. The best I can tell this is the last floor before the top of the tower. There aren't any stairs up to the top, but there is a ladder hanging down this time.

When I push the door to the top off, a stiff breeze starts to blow inside. I tuck my head down against the wind as I climb outside. The top of the tower has a low wall all the way around. A single lantern is suspended from the roof with thick columns supporting the roof itself.

"Hell of a view." I take a second to look in all directions, admiring the view. I channel my mana into my eyes, letting me see farther and clearer. From the east, I can still see smoke coming off the top of the cliffs. So apparently the fires are still burning. I hope the fire didn't spread to the treeline. I don't want to be the one who starts a forest fire, even if it is in Dolus.

"What are you looking at?" Thea's voice makes me smile as I feel her arms slip around my waist.

"Just wondering if we started a forest fire or not." Thea lays her head on my back, shifting my rifle out of the way.

"Don't worry about that right now. Right now, you have your own problems." I turn in her arms, resting my hip against the low wall behind me. My arms come around and lift Thea up by her waist until her eyes are even with mine. Her legs wrap around my waist, and her arms slip around my neck.

"Oh, and what might that be?" I can feel that she is getting excited even without the connection between us. Her breath is starting to come in quiet pants while her eyes are narrowing as she stares at me.

"You have an excited elf, and a very horny beastkin girl expecting you to take care of them." Her fingers tighten in my hair as she pulls me in for a rough kiss. As the kiss breaks, I have to gasp for air.

"Where is Shiva anyway?" Thea laughs as she slips off of me.

"Dragging two beds up to the room right below us. While at the same time warning anyone who interrupts us that she is going to kill them." I raise an eyebrow at Thea as she turns to start down the ladder.

"How did you convince her to do all the work while you came and teased me?" Thea laughs as she disappears down the ladder. Not wanting to be up here by myself, I start to follow her. When my boots hit the stones of the floor, I feel a pair of arms wrap around my waist again. Thea's voice comes from off to my right in a low throaty growl.

"I told her she could have you first tonight." The hands at my waist start to undo the straps on my armor. At the same time, another set of hands slipped my sling over my head. I turn my head to try and see which one is which. Thea giggles from behind me, and one of them forces me to keep my head faced forward.

"No peeking." The playful tone in Shiva's voice makes me shiver as strong fingers start working their way under my shirt and armor.

I take a deep breath and do my best to stay calm. As excited as I'm getting, I don't want to lose myself too quickly. Ahead of me against the wall, two beds are thrown almost haphazardly.

"Don't worry about the noise tonight, Jim. We are high enough up that we won't bother anyone, and tonight we are going to be loud." My armor is pulled over my head, lifting my shirt as it does. I feel kisses being trailed along my shoulder as my shirt is being lifted above my waist.

"So when do I get to play?" My words trail off into a groan as sharp teeth bite down on the side of my neck.

"Later, it's our turn first." Thea's voice lets me know it's Shiva's teeth biting down on me. Even if she didn't speak, I would have known. The number of times she has bit me in the last few days, I was almost sure already.

My shirt is coming up higher and higher until it's covering my eyes. Instead of being pulled over my face, I feel my arms being pulled through. I feel lips kissing their way up my chest as the sleeves of my shirt get pulled tight behind my head. Someone's fingers lift the hem of my shirt to uncover my mouth. Then I feel the shirt tightening as the sleeves get tied behind my head.

"See, I told you he couldn't peek like this." Shiva's voice is full of excitement as she trails her fingers around the edge of the makeshift blindfold. The way her nipples are pressing into my back tells me she has already shed her shirt. Strong hands grab my wrist and pull me forward. Before I can start to stumble, I'm roughly pushed down onto the mattress as I'm spun to land on my back. The air is forced from my lungs in a loud grunt as I land.

"Take it easy you two. These beds aren't as thick as they appear." My complaints are cut off as a pair of lips are pressed against mine. Someone's hands are working on my belt as I'm forced to lay back on the bed. I feel my pants being pulled down my waist as my boots are untied and pulled off.

"This doesn't quite seem fair." My complaints are cut off as another pair of lips crash into mine.

"Don't worry about fair, Jim. Oh, you should also know that I told Shiva she gets you twice first. But only once on this hard cock." Thea's hand is stroking slowly up and down the length of my aching cock as she speaks.

"Wait, what?" Instead of answering, I feel Thea pushing me onto my back again. Thea's lips trail across my chest as the bed shifts beside me. Before I can think about what she had said, I feel a pair of warm legs slide along the side of my head. Shiva's scent is filling my nose as I feel the heat from her center just above my face.

"Are you sure of this position? It seems weird to me." Shiva sounds hesitant, and I grin as I push myself up slightly. My tongue slips from my mouth and traces over Shiva's wet center. A low moan escapes her lips as I continue working over her slick folds.

"See what I mean." Thea's voice is full of amusement as Shiva's body starts to shake. I can tell from the way her body feels on my face and in my hands she is facing my waist. My hands are roaming up her body to play with her hard nipples as I continue to drive my tongue inside her. Thea's lips are kissing down my stomach, trailing down towards my aching cock.

"What are you waiting on, Shiva? We have work to do too, you know?" Shiva's body shifts, and I let my hands come up to cup her ass. I have to pull my face away from Shiva's soaking folds as one of them engulfs my shaft. The low groan that escapes my lift makes Thea laugh.

"See. I told you this position had its merits." A hand comes around to pull my face back into Shiva's pussy. "Don't stop, Jim. If you do, I'll have to make her stop too." With another low groan, I dive back in. It doesn't take much time to figure out Shiva is considering this a race. The way she is working my head and shaft has me rushing towards cumming. I'm not one to back down from a challenge though. I double down on my efforts. I slide my hand around the curve of her ass, slipping two fingers inside her as I move my tongue down to her throbbing clit.

My lips are pulling up into a smile as I feel her getting close. I'm sure that Shiva is about to lose our little race when Thea decides to help. Her lips start to kiss along my inner thighs, making my hips buck up. Shiva gags for a second from the sudden movement, then forces her head back down. I can feel myself getting close when Thea's lips reach my balls.

I hear Shiva let out a high pitched squeal around my cock as she comes. A split second after, I feel her soak my face. My hips pump rapidly up into her as I feel myself cumming in her mouth.

"Fuck!" Shiva's legs collapse as her body falls on top of mine. I smile as I gently shift her off of me, pulling her gently to lay the same direction as me.

"That, that was amazing. I can barely feel my legs." Shiva sounds out of breath, and I use her voice to pinpoint where her head is. My right hand wraps itself into her hair as I pull her face up to kiss me. Her hands are trailing down my body as she arches her body up into mine. Thea's hand pulls my face from Shiva's to kiss me.

"You still good, Jim? We didn't break you, did we?" I can hear the smile on her lips as she speaks, and I smile back at her. I can feel myself starting to harden again as Shiva shifts beside me.

"You aren't breaking me, but I might break the two of you before the night is over." Shiva and Thea are pulling me up onto my knees as Shiva pulls away from me.

"Mmmmm, that sounds good to me. You going to break me, Jim?" I feel Shiva's ass pressing back against me as Thea pulls my shirt off my head. My breath catches in my throat at the sight in front of me. Shiva is on all fours, her ass arching up to me. My hard cock is nestled between her cheeks as she bounces back gently. Her tail swishes back and forth gently with each movement she makes.

"Fuck, I'm going to damn well try!" Thea laughs as she moves around the two of us, sitting back against the wall. I've never been more grateful for my mana enhanced sight than I am right now. Even in the almost pitch black room, I can clearly make out every curve and line of both women.

As I reach down to guide my hard cock into Shiva's wet center, Thea's hands start to move too. When the head of me slips inside Shiva, Thea's fingertips slip inside herself. Shiva starts a slow rocking pace back onto me as Thea watches. A low almost continuous moan escapes Shiva's lips as she bounces back on me.

Thea's right hand comes up to cup her breast, tweaking her nipples. Her other hand slips first two, then three fingers inside herself. I feel Shiva shudder as my hands grip her hips tightly, driving myself into her almost violently.

"Just like that, show her who is in charge. Show her exactly who she belongs to." Thea's voice is driving me on, her words and tone pushing me to slam into Shiva harder and harder. Shiva yells out again and again as she cums. Her inner walls clamp down on me each time. I can feel myself getting close when she starts to pull away from me.

"What?" Shiva shifts on the bed, looking to Thea as she falls on the bed beside her.

"I, I can't take any more right now. Should have waited longer before." Shiva trails off as Thea starts to laugh.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of him while you recuperate." Thea leans down to give Shiva a kiss before moving closer to me. "So Jim, how do you want me?" She starts to stroke my cock as she leans back. "On my back like this?" She starts to turn around. "Or bent over like Shiva was?"

I growl as I grip her waist, turning her and pulling her back tight against my chest. My right hand comes up to cup her breast as my left slides her legs apart gently. Thea arches her hips as her hand comes down to guide me inside her. A groan escapes my lips as I feel her lower herself on me.

"Mmmm, Goddess you feel even bigger like this!" I don't need the boost to my ego, but I still feel myself getting more excited. Gripping her hips tightly, I turn us both and let myself fall onto the bed. Thea catches herself as I fall back, keeping herself upright.

"Fuck!" Thea starts to grind on me as my hands grip her hips. "You like me like this, Jim? You like watching me bounce on your cock? You like watching my ass while you're inside me?" As Thea speaks, I can feel Shiva shifting beside us.

"Fuck yes, I like watching you like this!" Thea's inner walls tighten on me as she lets out a low moan.

Fuck, these two really might kill me like this! Shiva's hands grip my head as her lips crash into mine. My hand reaches up to cup her head as my other stays gripping Thea's waist. I can feel myself getting closer and closer as Thea starts bouncing faster.

I rip my lips free of Shiva's as a roar escapes my lips. Thea's pussy clamps down on my hard cock as she cums with me. A shriek is tearing its way out of her mouth as her own orgasm hits. Thea falls backwards onto me, knocking Shiva out of the way.

"We aren't done yet. I just need to catch my breath." Thea's chest is heaving as I feel myself slip out of her.

"Take your time. I think I need a second too." Shiva brushes her red hair away from her face as she smiles down at us with an evil grin.

"Oh I don't know about that." Before Thea or I can move, she shifts out of my view. Her fingers wrap around my member gently and start to stroke up and down.

"Oh!" Thea jumps, causing me to crank my neck down to see what Shiva is doing. Her red hair is just visible around Thea's open legs. The mental image of what she must be doing to make Thea start to squirm, as well as her fingers stroking me, has me rising to the occasion in record time.

"Fuck! Let me off, Jim. I need to move." I let my arms slide away from Thea as Shiva's mouth slides down the length of my cock.

"Fuck!" My hips jump up on their own as Shiva swallows my whole cock. Thea smiles down at me as she swings her legs over my stomach.

"A little help, Shiva." I feel myself slide out of Shiva's mouth as she leans my cock forward. Thea lets out a low moan as she slides down the length of my cock. I'm about to lean forward to kiss her when Shiva slips around her.

"Don't worry, I'm going to put that mouth to good use too." She spins around to give Thea a deep kiss as she slides herself down onto my face. I feel myself grin as my tongue starts to once again work its way inside her dripping center.

Good thing I don't need much sleep anymore. The next few hours pass in a blur of sweaty bodies and position changes. Shiva falls out first again, collapsing on the bed and passing out. Even with her newly enhanced stamina, she just can't keep up. Not long after, I have Thea laying down beside her as I drive myself into her.

I've lost count of the number of times I've cum, much less Thea and Shiva's orgasms. I can feel my load starting to rise up, my balls starting to tighten as I get close. Without warning, Thea lets out a loud yell and her body goes stiff under me. When her body starts to relax, she collapses on the bed and doesn't move. I start to panic as I pull myself free of her to check on her. She seems fine, just passed out.

"First time I've had someone pass out on me." I laugh as I lean back on my knees, my hand idly stroking my length. As close as I had been, I'm feeling frustrated that I hadn't finished. For a second I consider finishing myself off, or waking up Shiva, but I decide not to. It's not like I really need to, it would just be selfish on my part.

As I start to dig through Shiva's bag for a blanket, I realize something is wrong. Since we escaped Dolus, the feeling of being followed has almost disappeared. Now, in this almost empty room, the feeling is back and stronger than ever. I drop the bag to the ground as my hand reaches for my belt.

My eyes scan the room, taking in every detail of it. There doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary. I don't leave it to just my eyes as I scan the room. My ears are straining to listen for the slightest sound. There's still nothing I can see or hear, so I take a deep breath.

Underneath the smell of sweat and the scent of Thea and Shiva, there is something else. I take another deep breath, focusing on the scent that doesn't belong. Its an almost fruity smell, so fucking familiar, the name of it is right on the tip of my tongue.

Elderberries! That's the scent. It smells exactly like elderberry wine, minus the alcohol. As I realize what the smell is, I place it in the same second. As I glance back to Thea and Shiva, I stand slowly.

"Mynas, you better show yourself now!" My voice comes out as a low growl, the anger evident in my tone.

"No need to be angry." Mynas steps out of the shadows in the corner. I know she hadn't been standing there before, and it makes me wonder how the night elves do it once again.

"If you like, I can help you with that." She motions down to where my member is still standing.

"Cut the shit! What are you doing in here?" I want to pull on my jeans, but I don't want her to know I'm feeling uncomfortable. It feels like a battle of wills is going on, and damned if I'm going to lose.

"Isn't it obvious? I came here because I want to be with your grove." I shake my head as I keep my eyes glued to her face. She stares back into my eyes, then her eyes flick downward for a split second.

"Not going to happen." I step to the side slowly, blocking Thea and Shiva's bodies from her view.

"Why not!?" She seems shocked at my reply, but I don't back down.

"For one, you're a child." Her face screws up in anger as she steps closer to me.

"I am not a child!" When she gets within an arms reach, I raise a hand to keep me out of her reach. "How old do you think I am?"

"Sixteen, maybe seventeen." I shrug my shoulders as I answer. Mynas's face seems to get angrier and her hands clench into fists at her side.

"I'm nineteen years old. I'm an adult in every society in this world. I am not a child!" Her voice is starting to get louder the longer she talks, and when I hear Shiva stir, I shush her.

"If you wake them up, I guarantee you are going to regret it. It doesn't matter how old you are, you are acting like a child. I am not going to welcome a child into my bed, or into my grove. Even if I was interested in you, and I'm not saying I am. How the hell do you see sneaking into my room as the way to go about it?" Before she can answer, Sarge's voice echoes in my head.

"Boss, En'Las and Tarril are looking for Mynas. Apparently, she is missing." Fucking great, this is the last thing I need right now.

"I thought this would be the way to show you how serious I am. I know I'm not experienced, but I'm more than willing to learn. Just give me a chance, I'll show you." Her hand comes forward, reaching for my softening member. Without thinking, my body starts to move. I grab her wrist and twist her around, slamming the surprised night elf into the wall and pinning her there.

Sarge, get the attention of one of them, and try to make them understand they need to come up here. Mynas is in our room, and she is causing some trouble right now.

"Fuck boss, that's not good." Mynas struggles against me for a second, then stops. Her hips start to push back against me, so I turn until the outside of my hips are pressing into her.

"I know you like to take your women from behind like this. I don't mind, you don't even need to tell them if you don't want to. I can be quiet. I've learned to be quiet all the time." I have to clench my teeth to keep from yelling.

"Just shut up. You realize En'Las and Tarril are both looking for you." From outside the building, the sound of Sarge barking barely reaches my ears.

"Fuck, let me go." She starts to struggle before I slam my weight back into her.

"Shut up, I've already told Sarge to let them know where you are." Sarge has stopped barking, and I hear a creaking from the opening in the ceiling.

"Mynas, are you in here, girl?" Tarril's voice is barely a whisper. "You had better not be in here." I feel Mynas stiffen in my grip.

"Oh, she is in here, so you might as well come on in." I hear whispering from the hole in the ceiling, then Tarril and En'Las both drop through the opening. Neither one of them makes a sound as their boots hit the hard stones. En'Las looks angry, but it seems like it's directed at Mynas not me.

"Mom, I can explain." En'Las cuts her off with a raised hand.

"Later, but for now, you and Tarril need to leave." I let Mynas go, and she hangs her head as she walks towards Tarril.

"The trapdoor squeaks, so leave the way you came in." Tarril nods his head as Mynas changes direction and ascends the ladder.

"I'm sorry about this." I don't reply to Tarril as he turns and climbs up after Mynas. Then it's just En'Las and me standing in the room. Once again, I feel awkward as I realize I'm still naked.

"I am sorry about my daughter's behavior." I shake my head as I kneel down and start going through Shiva's bag.

"I don't care about most things, and I'm not holding a crush against someone. Her coming into my room though, that is not ok." I'm doing my best to keep my voice even as I dig through the bag. I know there is a blanket in here, but I can't fucking find it right now.

"I know, and I'll talk to her about it. I would appreciate it if you didn't mention it to your grovemates." I shake my head as she finishes speaking.

"Not going to happen. I'm going to tell them the truth about this." There's the blanket, as I pull it from the bag I move to spread it over Thea and Shiva. "The only reason I didn't already wake them up is they need their sleep." When I turn to look at En'Las, she is staring at me closely.

"I understand, and I know they are going to have their own conversations with Mynas after that. I just…." She pauses as I pull my pants over my hips. Now that I'm no longer naked, I'm paying closer attention to her. She looks scared, not upset.

"You just what?" En'Las takes a deep breath, and I notice her hand comes up to cradle her stomach.

"Her sneaking in on another grove, that's bad. Your grove could choose a long list of punishments for her, and I would have to allow it. I'm already in debt to you for this." She motions to her stomach that she is still holding. "Please, don't let them be too hard on Mynas. I promise this won't happen again. I just can't stand the thought of her getting hurt." En'Las looks like she is about to cry. I let out a long sigh as I shake my head.

How the fuck do I get myself in these situations. My hands come up to push my hair back while I think.

"I can't promise that I will be able to keep them calm. I will do my best, that's all I can promise." En'Las nods to me and starts to turn. "This better be the last time I catch her in my room, do you understand?" She pauses, and turns back to face me.

"I promise, this will be the last time she is in your room. Unless you ask her in, for any reason." I shake my head again.

"No offense, but I won't be asking her into my room." En'Las looks thoughtful for a moment before she shrugs.

"Never say never. She is at a prime age for a grovemate."

Is she saying what I think she is saying? I shake my head as she stares at me.

"No offense, but I don't see that happening." En'Las shrugs as she starts up the ladder.

"I never saw Tarril as a grovemate either, but he snuck into my heart." Before I can respond, she is up the ladder and gone. My mind is buzzing as I slip my pants back off and slide under the blankets.

"Are you ok, boss? Tarril is yelling at Mynas and En'Las looks pissed."

I'm fine, Sarge. Just been a weird night. Try and get some sleep, and I'll see you in the morning.

"Ok, boss, I'll be down here, keeping an eye on everyone." I can feel Sarge laughing through the bridge. Something tells me he is still listening to Tarril and En'Las as they yell at Mynas.

Fuck, when did this get complicated again? It's almost an hour before I finally fall asleep, my arms wrapped around Thea and Shiva.