Enslaved

Chapter 12

"Next week, Ryuu?" Kajeel called over to him, his voice incredulous. "There is no possibility of them learning how to fly effectively in one week with only a few lessons under their belt by then."

Ryuu ignored him and kept flying low over the treetops, cutting quickly and diving towards the middle of the cabin area where he knew the new arrivals would appear soon enough with their new roommates. He landed heavily, his wings flared out around him for a second before he stood up straight and folded them in, Kajeel landing and following suit. Ryuu stalked off towards the biggest cabin in the center of the camp, running a frustrated hand through his hair as Kajeel's stalking footsteps followed him.

"You know that's true! They're malnourished and beaten up, Ryuu. There's no logical reason to get them flying by next week." Kajeel's voice was close to a whine as he tried to break through to Ryuu, which grated on Ryuu's already fried mind. "We don't need more fighters or carriers for a little while, at least! What we sorely need are cooks, laundresses, healers, and others to maintain this camp. None of those jobs require flying."

Ryuu's mouth tightened into a sharp line but said nothing back, only continued walking towards the large cabin. He knew that there was no reason to push these new recruits to fly but if his information was correct, then he didn't know if he could protect the entire camp on his own. He didn't know if the Emperor was tracking their very location as he argued with Kajeel. Now that he had found his soulmate, he would risk absolutely nothing. He couldn't. He stepped up onto the porch of his cabin and turned around to face Kajeel, flaring his wings slightly in anger.

"There is always a reason." He snarled lowly, trying and failing to keep the slight edge out of his voice as he thought about the danger to Kaida. "And with how the Emperor is breathing down our necks trying to find us, I'd rather be safe than sorry. I can't lose any more of our hybrids, Kajeel. Not to that monster. Being a leader means making hard decisions, you should know that by now."

Kajeel bared his teeth and slipped into a slight crouch where he stood at the edge of the porch stairs, his wings flaring in a mirror image of Ryuu's.

"I know that just as well as you, Ryuu. You know that." His voice ripped out of him, more dragon than human at that moment. "But pushing these traumatized hybrids is going to get us nowhere. And I am willing to bet that you freaked out more than a couple by telling them they need to be able to fly by dragons-damned next week. Get your shit together and lead the way we were taught."

An actual shuddering snarl tore from Ryuu's lips as he launched himself down the steps of his porch and half flew, half fell through the air to land inches away from Kajeel, buffeting his second's hair with the wind.

"You do not get to tell me how to lead." Ryuu's voice was quiet but deadly, causing even Kajeel to flinch backward. "Either support my decisions and help me lead or get the hell out of my camp. Everything I do, I do for the good of all hybrids. There is always a reason."

Kajeel folded his wings and nodded his head slightly in acceptance, his dark eyes still simmering under the surface.

"I thought you of all hybrids knew that."

Kajeel's eye twitched at that and Ryuu snarled one more time before straightening up, folding his wings, and taking a step backward, noticing how the new hybrids were coming out of the trees were looking at them with anxious and slightly frightened expressions.

"Help them," Ryuu growled to Kajeel before turning on his heel and marching back over to his cabin and up the porch stairs without another look to his friend.

Ryuu had just folded his hand over the doorknob when he heard slight footsteps on his porch and a growl slipped out of him.

"What did I just tell you, Kajeel?" His voice was brimming with unbridled fury.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm not Kajeel."

Ryuu let go of the door handle and turned around, coming face to face with Valik, Kaida not even two steps behind him on the porch stairs. Ryuu stared at her face for longer than he should've trying to gauge her expression before he tore his eyes away. Ryuu settled on scanning the surrounding area, searching for his second to see if he had followed his orders or not. Kajeel pointing hybrids in different directions towards their own cabins and talking to a few that looked on the verge of tears and Ryuu nodded to himself before looking back to Valik, straining his eyes to stay off his mate.

"My apologies, Valik." His voice was carefully controlled this time and he cursed himself for snapping; he was tired and sore and made a mental note to apologize to Kajeel later. "Is there something you need?"

Valik swallowed and looked over his shoulder to where Kaida stood. She offered a tentative, almost scared smile at him and walked up the stairs, coming to a rest on his right side where he carefully placing a hand comfortingly on her shoulder. Ryuu resisted the urge to pry that hand off her shoulder and throw the male across the yard. She didn't even know him and if he did that, he was certain it would scare her.

"Yes, actually." He said, peeking at Kaida quickly before looking back to Ryuu. "We were wondering if we could room together? Kaida isn't comfortable around anyone else and, well, I would like to room with someone I know as well. Is that okay?"

Immediately, Ryuu felt the red-hot jealousy at this male in front of him flare through his body at the thought of him sharing a room with Kaida. He choked down his feeling as he looked down at her and noted how she never met his eyes for longer than a couple of seconds before looking away and he forced the feeling further down. If it helped her, he could tolerate anything. He turned back to Valik, readjusting his wings against his back as he considered his words carefully before he answered.

"Usually we pair up hybrids with the same gender, for obvious reasons." He started, gesturing to the groups of two walking towards the smaller cabins that surrounded his huge one in the center of the entire camp that counted as his home as well as the sick-house, dining hall, armory, and meeting center. "It's safer and more comfortable for everyone. However, if you both swear an oath to not do anything that would cause each other harm, slow down this encampment, or get Kaida pregnant, then you may room together."

Ryuu noticed that Kaida's face flushed a brilliant scarlet out of the corner of his eyes but didn't shift his gaze from Valik, who's eyes were shining with relief. He knew that he shouldn't have added that last part but he wanted to make sure that this male did not have any ideas when it came to Kaida.

"Of course we swear that, Ryuu." His voice was full of badly repressed gratitude. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

Valik turned and walked off the porch, heading towards Kajeel and Ryuu turned to Kaida, meeting her mismatched green and blue eyes. She blinked up at him and took a shy step closer, fiddling with the end of her filthy shift that covered next to nothing. Ryuu kept his eyes on her face however, wanting nothing else but to respect what little privacy she had left.

"I promise too. Ryuu," Her quiet melodious voice washed over Ryuu, relaxing his muscles immediately and causing him to involuntarily let out a breath. "Thank you."

She turned and followed Valik, meeting up with him just as Kajeel pointed to a cabin barely in sight over to the left of Ryuu's. Ryuu watched her until she entered the cabin and watched the cabin door long after she disappeared inside of it, an ache pulsating in his chest that he had never felt before.