“Sir, they approach here and here,” a Were says, tapping a finger against the map splayed before us.

Shefa Bridge was very close to getting Healer Morgana to force me to rest another day. Thank all that is good and holy Morgana actually agreed with me this time and said I needed to go. I can rest off any lingering pain and healing on the way to Videlia.

The mountains are a natural hideaway for the Were people. The cats were able to exist under the Emperor’s nose... at least until now. The Imperial is moving his entire people to Dragon Valley, leaving liaisons for the refugees who have even now begun to trickle into the mountains.

There are fifty humans in the Werecat village, and the scouts have seen more coming up the path. Hundreds. General Brackenridge, the current military leader of Videlia and the old grizzled man who knows who I am along with David, sent soldiers with each fifty people group, ensuring they made it safely.

They came with news about the encroaching army.

And they also came with news of the jingoist who ran from The Beast. From me. They apparently fled, not even attempting to attack the villagers fleeing from their main army. If anything, they hid and ran even from them. The soldiers from Videlia caught one and told the Imperial the man was like something possessed, screaming and crying about demons in the hills and to turn back before it was too late.

At least they didn’t prevent the villagers from making it up this way. One small silver lining in a grey sky is still a silver lining. How’s that for optimistic?

I turn my mind back to the task at hand.

“How strong?” I ask Leo, the human who came from Videlia with the first group of refugees.

A pause. “Ten dragons and five thousand men, Sir Kursk. Perhaps more. And some strange shadows were reported from the edges of the forest.”

My heart drops and I clench my fists. More Shifters? I squeeze my hands into fists. “We can’t...”

“Roland, do your best. You have the whole of us at your disposal. Use it. Use us,” the Imperial says, leaning forward, his eyebrows furrowing in concern.

I tap the dagger strapped at my hip. “You’re right, sir. I just—“ I pause, words failing me.

“Leadership is an ugly thing, deary. But someone must hold the mantle, or all fall,” Morgana says sharply, tapping her cane against my leg with a rap I normally would’ve dodged. But I have not the energy for that at the moment.

I nod, sigh, and raise my head. “They will know the wrath of the Resistance.”

The gathering of men, women, Shifter, and Were nod, their eyes trained on me.

Heather stands beside Flash who stands beside his pretty little red-headed love. Alyssa and Sir Rey are opposite me in the Imperial’s din, the big brown bear at their backs. Zephora stands with the Imperial at my side, her silver gaze piercing souls and wooden plank alike. Many others, about thirty in all, crowd around as we prepare to defend a human town against the biggest threat on Avidon: the Empire.

“How are the catapults?” I ask the man from Videlia, a man who is short and stocky and has fires of determination burning in his eyes. This man tested the heck out of me when I was training them to defend Videlia, but he now moves with a grace that I am proud to have been a part of. He moves with a lethality he didn't have before and it makes my chest swell. Perhaps I did something right.

“There are five. We had ten a goin’, but they weren’t done yet, sir,” Leo says, his eyes meeting mine.

I nod. “Thank you. How many Berserk can you spare, Imperial?”

“I’d say we can send thirty,” Flash says, not even looking at his father.

The Imperial glares at his impudent son. “Thirty,” he says, dry annoyance filtering through his tone.

I know I don’t miss the twitching lips on the black-haired cat or the way his eyes twinkle with mischief.

“The people need to be out before the battle begins. With the dragons, there will be fighting throughout the village and beyond. We don’t need civilians caught in the crossfire.”

“If I may, Sir Kursk,” Leo butts in, then continues when I nod, “Many aren’t wanting to leave.”

I rub my forehead. “We will just have to keep casualties as low as we can. Until then, use the Berserk to ferry the people to these mountains.”

I try to think through what else we may need, but I draw a blank. “Any further ideas?”

“The f-f-fires,” comes a small voice. I look up to see Jed standing at the entrance.

My eyes widen. He has on a tunic of chain-mail and wears the dagger I gave him on his side. His light blond hair is pulled back in a warrior’s queue like my own and he has on bracers and a small shield strapped to his back. He has bags beneath his eyes and his brows are constantly furrowed in pain, but… he stands before me, no mere boy. Not any longer. His eyes say he found something within, something stronger than the lot he's been given.

I nod to him, and he walks up to me, hunching his shoulders at the many eyes upon him.

“The f-f-fires. Can the other d-dragons, can they, you know—“ he says, gesturing with his hands as if blowing something from his mouth.

I sit a hand on his shoulder, needing to ground myself as I turn to the rest gathered with their eyes on my brother.

“The other dragons can also breathe fire, and with fighting in the city likely to come, fires will spread. What do we have to combat this?” I ask, squeezing my brother’s shoulder. The others share glances, and Leo speaks with his second.

Jed looks up at me and gives a lopsided grin. His eyes are still sad, red-rimmed, and exhausted, but he stands with me in this fight. Together, we are stronger.

Life has pounded him into the ground, but he is no longer taking this sitting down. He has a warrior's spirit and a leader's heart with a mind of steel.

He looks around, then stands on his tiptoes to whisper in my ear. I lean down.

“Water brigades, salt, and sand,” he whispers.

“Thank you, Kinko,” I whisper back.

He nods, looking bashfully to the floor.

I want to grin. I want to cry.

The kid will be a leader yet. Even if he is a shy one.

“Why?” Barry’s lips tremble, and I once again am forced to leave them behind, before we’ve even had time to properly grieve.

I know in his young mind struggles to come to terms with all that has happened… he needs stability and a chance to regain trust—both in himself and those around him. A chance to be a child.

He cannot have that with me.

“Kinko—“

He shakes his head, his little fists clenched at his side. “No, kino. You’ll be gone, and there's nothin’ I can do.” The lisp in his voice is almost entirely gone as his adult teeth are mostly in.

He walks away, his steps heavy and leaden with a burden he was not meant to bear on his shoulders.

Jed watches him go, a frown tugging at his lips.

“He doesn’t need me as a big brother,” I say softly.

Jed shakes his head. “You c-can’t help it. You have t-too much on your shoulders. Go. I’ll l-look after him.”

I clasp him on the shoulder, and he smiles as he looks at the ground.

“You’re a good kid.”

He scowls at me. “I’m not a kid, kino.”

I ruffle his hair. “You’ll always be my kid brother to me, Jed. But that does not mean I don’t respect the warrior you are becoming.”

He smiles. It’s weary, but it’s there.

I kiss his forehead. He doesn’t understand the significance of such a thing, but I have plans in place if I do not return.

For the way of the wolf, I just gave him my birthright. If I die… my fortune, my contacts, and someone to train him and Barry belongs in his hands. It’s the best I know to do to help them should I not be here.

I walk away before I decide to throw caution to the wind and stay, leaving others to fight for Videlia. But I can’t. I can’t live with the guilt if those in Videlia die after they had saved my life.

Something crashes against the back of my legs and I stumble.

I twist my torso, laying a hand on Barry’s straw-like hair. He releases me.

I bend down and Barry almost chokes me when he throws his arms around my neck.

“You had better come back or I will never forgive you,” he says, tears falling to my chain-mail shirt the Were had gifted me before we leave.

I hug him close. “I promise to do everything in my power to make it back to you,” I say, my voice sure and confident, even as it breaks.

“Don’t leave… me like… like Pa,” he says between sobs.

I hug him tighter, being careful of my strength. “Never, Kinoeshire. Never. Even were I to leave this world, you would never be alone. Put in a good word to the Allfather, alright?”

“Always, kino.” He pulls back and rubs his nose on his sleeve, then runs back to his brother.

I strike my chest and hold my hand out to them in a gesture of respect I taught them years ago for fun. It’s two fingers up creating a V, standing for Valor. Honour. Respect.

A lopsided smile pulls at Jed’s lips. He repeats the gesture back to me.

Barry glares, but strikes his chest with a battle yell, then holds his hand out to me.

I turn, my heart somehow heavier and lighter for having two brave souls I am responsible for and must return to. All my life, no one cared whether I lived or died, only if I completed the job.

But now, those two care only that I return.

It’s a warmth I am still adjusting to.

I turn my mind to what’s to come.

A part of me is glad to be returning to the place that welcomed me like an exuberant family. But another part is terrified of what we might find when I return.

I send a plea to the Allfather that I may make it in time.