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Batrias, his concentration fixated on the coming battle, stares off into the distance. "A tall order indeed, to take them down..." He says to himself.

---

Saberstryke stops as he hears something in the underbrush of the forest. An animal? A person crawling on their belly? He cannot be sure.

"Dannin," he whispers, "Be at the ready."

He scratches the back of his head looking sheepish.

"Most of them. A few I've worked from are Sage's.... but mostly..... it- it's a hobby. My sister taught me when we were little."

"They're still very good," Kaylyn smiles, "I have no skill for the arts."

He colors as he speaks. "You don't need it, you are a living work of art just as you are."

Kaylyn shakes her head, "Naw, just a simple warrior, nothing more." She looks at Alaric, "Sorry I lost my temper back there."

"You were right. Honestly, I was prepared to draw on them if they kept attacking Sage. If you hadn;t come when you did...... I might have done something less than diplomatic as my final act in there."

"So you DO have a diplomat at heart. That is a rare gift with a warrior. One with both gifts can command the hearts of many by his will alone."

He chuckles. "Diplomat at heart? hardly. My sister is far more suited. I just didn;t want to have to start a fight when Sage was so weakened. That, and I can;t ever seem to say anything of real meaning to you- I get tongue-tied and tend to revert to being the rather clodhopperish and klutzy twelve-year old." Again, he was fiddling with something in one of his sleeves.

Kaylyn smirks slightly, "You spoke with me earlier. I told you, when it's you and me, it's just Kay, you don't have to be afraid of me."

Alaric bowed his head, then took both of her hands, visibly steeling himself. "Kaylyn Hyrosha, Lady Warrior of the Wildcat clan..... "

He took a deep breath, looked into her eyes, and continued.

"Will you marry me?" In one of her hands as he turned it over was a beautiful, delicate ring set with- instead of a diamond, an even rarer, more beautiful stone that looked just like one.

Kaylyn eyes went wide for a moment, then she wrapped her hands around his neck. She burried her face against his, wispering so he could hear.

"Yes, but you knew the answer before you asked."

He held her close, closing his eyes as if in thankful prayer. "No, I didn't. I just- for once in my life- prayed."

He had relaxed, and when he opened his eyes, kissed her tenderly. "Now how are we going to manage a wedding in the middle of all of this?"

"Very carefully.....Hyroshas aren't to marry outside the Wildcats."

His eyes glittered. "Secretly, then?" It was obvious from his look he already had an idea.

"A mutual friend did a secret wedding once, she may be willing to perform one again if we can find three people we trust for witnesses."

"It will work, we'll make it work," Kaylyn smiles

"Then I reccommend the dunderheaded Michael for a witness. My sister for another, I stood witness at her wedding."

"Anubis should come...I know he's not been happy since mom died, but since Dannin is missing, he should know."

"Will he tell anyone before it's too late? He..... is known for being a little brash."

"He is, but he is loyal if anything else..though he sees me as trying to take my mother's place, he will keep any secrect I charge him with."

"Then we have our witnesses..... koi- shii?" the shii was added almost questioningly- as the other ending left it simply as girlfriend. What he had said was beloved, with the connotation of 'wife'.

Kaylyn smiles, "Anata...anata-kobito..."


"Together forever" Kaylyn lets out a sigh...one of gladness and relief

Again he held her close, enjoying the feel of her in his arms. "Aishiteru, Kay."

Kaylyn closed her eyes, feeling more than seeing Alaric now, "Aishiteru, Alaric."

"Forever.... Eien no mirai I dedicate to you." (transl: I dedicate my endless future to you.)He smiled softly. "Koishii. I like the sound of that."

"I bet YOU would Alaric," comes a voice from the tent flap, "Dunno about anyone else.."

Alaric, with a literal yip, released Kaylyn and stumbled back, tunring a violent shade of crimson and proceeded to sputter until he faced a wall, and stood, trying to get his face to revery to it's normal skin tone.

Anubis at the tent flap stood with his hands on his hips, "Do I really want to know what you two are up to?"

Kaylyn walked up to Anubis calmly, then suddenly grabbed him by the front of his shirt. She speaks so quietly that only Anubis' wildcat ears pick up what is said, He nodds and she lets him go.

Alaric........ was slowly regaining his color.

Anubis nodds, walking outside the tent to see Batrias, "They had to grab a few things. Not to worry."

Kaylyn smiles as Anubis leaves, she glaces at Alaric, "He swore to keep us a secret until I reveal it. Come, we have work to do....amoung other things."

Kaylyn smiles, feeling the ring that is now set on her hand, then takes a step out of the tent.

"Anubis, summon Hairel and Shadowsage, they will journey with us," she says, "we leave as soon as all are able."

Anubis nodds, walking away. Hariel isn't far away and Anubis grabs the other by his arm. They walk towards where Shadowsage was with the others when Anubis sees a young woman with dark hair. He can tell it isn't Dannin, but someone who looks a lot like his sister.

Dannin smirks, "They'll all be dead soon anyway. It doesn't matter."

Kaylyn sighs slightly, "Since when have all warriors lived to the end of battle? I only pray that this will be over quickly and the souls of those lost may rest in peace."

She starts walking, "All right, let's go."

(group should be - Alaric, Shadowsage, Batrias, Hariel, Anubis, and Kaylyn)

Kaylyn leads the way out, no one stopping them as they leave the encampment. They walk for a few hours, Hariel and Anubis scouting ahead until they find a young woman their own age in red and white sub-armor.

"Who are you?" Anubis asks.

"Dani..." the young woman says.

"And your clan?" the Wildcat asks.

"Not really sure, mom's a Wildcat, dad has no idea," she says, "is that the golden question today? No one cares about which Clan is which anymore."

Anubis and Hariel look at each other strangely, then bid the warrior to follow them. They walk up to Kaylyn and the others.

"Hails Wildcat blood," Anubis says, "but who in the clan wears red and white armor?"