The Swan's Song.

Chapter 21

"He was so casual. He smoothed out my fur. He told me that he's still getting used to us." Thought Rita. The last few minutes had been spent thinking about Swan and his recent actions regarding her.

He had a thoughtful and deep conversation regarding his actions and thoughts on the world he was in.

Swan had reached out and touched her, smoothing over some fur on her forearm. Then, he lifted it and looked over her arm.

Swan had touched her and it wasn't to make some sort of racist remark.

"Maybe he isn't as racist as he thinks? Or we think? Who knows?" Thought Rita. What she did know is that Swan seemed to be less spiteful of anthros than what he put out.

That, or he was so racist that he looked down on them as lesser creatures for him to observe.

But Rita did not exactly glean such a thing from Swan. He seemed very personable in moments and always spoke reasonably with them. She never felt a sense of superiority.

And now, Rita watched as Swan stood alone under that awning, staring out into the depths of the dark forest with tens of thousands worth of dollars attached to his face to help him see.

All from a young age, enduring so much to turn him into a strange shell of a person. The 'oddities' he displayed were normal for others: Affection, compassion, emotion.

All were ruined by twenty years of warfare.

"Or however long he's been alive. We don't even know his age and his name, though he doesn't want us to know. All we have is a stupid patch!" Thought Rita. She watched as he quite literally scanned the forest, moving his head slowly.

Rita watched the back of his helmet and she made a decision. As a medic and a person, she would do something about this whole situation.

"There will be a change. I will help Swan. He isn't what he says he is! There IS more to that man inside of that shell. There is someone in there who needs to come out." Thought Rita.

She made her choice. She made her decision.

Swan wasn't going to be without guidance in this new world he found himself thrust into.

XXX

"Site 12. Site 12. A substation on the border with New Mexico. I need to tell Brixley." Thought Swan.

Rita had gone away to speak with Callie regarding something small but somewhat related to the mission at hand.

Swan still stood under the awning alone and in the shadows, still as the night sky above them.

He hated to admit it, but the best chance at facing this organization would be with the help of Brixley and the APG...

...no matter how crooked it sounded to receive help from those who spent so long destroying his nation and sense of identity.

"Benny is fifteen out. Two filing cabinets. Good lord." Callie's voice blurted over his comms and Swan decided that he suddenly did not like being on low ground.

Looking off to his side, Swan saw that Ana and Ava were sitting on the roof of one of the buildings and decided that such a vantage point was a much better location to sit and wait.

At least he could turn on his thermals and spot anyone sneaking up on them.

Coming out from under the awning, Swan moved to the back of the building where the cougar and the dire wolf climbed up and immediately spotted their path up.