James sat on the ledge of the roof, his legs hanging over as he watched the stars. The night flares were ruffling his hair as he thought about his future.

I don't want to go to another sect city. Out here, I'm not judged for what I am. I'm not judged for my soul or power. Here, I can make a difference and help my friends grow.

"I'd give a gold coin to know why you aren't in bed with me."

Glancing over his shoulder, he found Luna walking over to him. Taking her seat by his side, she wrapped her tail around his back before resting her head on his shoulder.

"What has you staying up this late?" she asked.

James wrapped his arm around her back. "Just thinking about life and what my future is going to be like."

"Oomph, heavy topics tonight."

Chuckling, he tickled her side, making her squirm. "Be nice. I'm scared how the next city is going to react to me showing up. I don't like feeling their fear as I simply try to shop. I don't like watching everyone flee from the nearby blocks, no matter how much I control my soul."

Sighing, she sat up straight. "I can't help you with that, but I can say that not everyone is scared of you. The farmers for one didn't fear you, and many in the demi-human district didn't fear you either, especially after they had been around you for a bit."

"You feared me," he whispered.

Leaning back into his shoulder, she said, "and I can't take that back, no matter how bad I want to. But now you have me, and I never want to leave your side. Your soul feels like a warm blanket on a cold night. I'm protected and loved."

"So, you're using me?" he teased.

Chuckling, she shook her head. "Not at all, James. But you need to know that the people that fear you don't matter. What matters are the people that love and care about you."

"Like Amber." He meant it as a joke, but Luna sighed and slumped.

"Yeah, like Amber…"

"Sorry," he muttered.

"No, it's fine," Luna said with another sigh. "I was hoping you would have picked Jamie or Mender, but Amber works too." Pausing, she looked toward the stars. "I don't care if Amber loves you, or thinks she loves you. I know you are mine and mine alone. That's enough for me. I know that I'm always going to be by your side, and that fills me with happiness that I can't explain."

Pulling her in close, he smiled. "I have to enchant our rings still. I need to see that gold band on your finger."

Holding up her hand, she beamed. "I can't wait."

"We need more time like this, Luna. Things have been so hectic since we left the city that I feel like I've hardly seen you. If I have to sacrifice sleep to watch the stars and talk like this, I will."

Humming, she nodded. "It's just you and me, building a sect so we can tackle the mysteries of the world."

Nodding, he added, "and the others using my power for their own goals."

"Yeah." Pecking his cheek, she started to get up. "We should lay down and watch the stars easier. Maybe I can fall asleep in your arms, or you can take advantage of me and keep me awake."

Laughing, he got up. "Which would you prefer?"

Tapping her chin, she thought it over. "How about a fluffing of my tail while we debate the moon. I really want to know what happened to it."

Summoning a brush, he moved to a clearing on the roof and rolled out a blanket. Setting down a few pillows, he waved her over. With a skip to her step, she joined him and happily handed over her tail. She did bring up a good question though. What did happen to the moon?

***

Sleep did claim him eventually and thanks to the warm winds of night, he didn't need a blanket. Luna curled into his side, and of course, drooled on his chest. It was cute and exactly what he needed to soothe his thoughts.

The morning rays were what woke him. The clouds seemed to part as the brilliant pink hues danced over the world. Nudging Luna awake, he pointed it out, and they watched together before they heard steps behind them.

"I have to take Everest back," Amber stated as she walked over. Yawning, she added, "do you think the three of us can sit down and talk today?"

Luna looked up at the cat in confusion. "The three of us? You aren't trying to get us naked are you?"

"Ha ha," she deadpanned. "Seriously though, I want to talk about a few things."

James nodded. "Sure. I'm enchanting with Jamie this morning, but this afternoon we can sit down."

"Thanks." With another yawn, Amber left. "I hate mornings…"

Luna giggled as the cat walked back down the stairs. "Is it me, or is she being a little less flirty and more business-like."

James had noticed the same. "I think she's trying to embrace her role as my second. She knows she can't do that while making passes at me, even in jest."

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Luna climbed to her feet. "I need to figure out what to do with myself today. I'm so used to hunting for my people that it feels weird having taken so many days off these last few weeks."

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Joining her, he said, "there's nothing stopping you from hunting on your own. Just don't overdo it. You should be able to handle anything this city throws at you, apart from the center of the city."

Smiling, she kissed his cheek. "Thanks, James. I'll figure something out. You, my dear husband, have a sister to meet up with. She's likely already in the basement."

Walking to the stairs, they descended together. James broke apart from Luna as they reached their apartment. As she went inside, he spread out his soul and noticed Jamie wasn't in hers anymore. Heading to the stairs, he descended to the basement and sure enough, found the woman waiting for him with a new set of pipes.

"Finally!" she exclaimed. "I was beginning to think Amber finally had her way with you."

Scoffing, James moved to his spot from yesterday and grabbed a pipe. "We didn't make as much progress yesterday as I'd hoped. We need to figure out the power rune today."

Rubbing his hands together, he summoned his skill to his finger and started carving the rune he would need. Jamie copied his same movements on a different pipe and once they were both satisfied, they fed it power. It only took moments before the enchantment clicked into place.

"That's the easy part," Jamie stated. "Now, we need to do our goal runes. For you, that will mean drawing your water rune, but don't fill it this time," she warned. "I'm tired of being soaked all day."

Chuckling, he couldn't help but agree. "You're right. I'll draw it and the connecting rune. Do you remember what that one looked like?"

"Yes," she droned. "We have practiced it dozens of times and we still can't get it right."

Rubbing his chin, he couldn't help but frown. "What are we doing wrong?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "We have tried using it as a bridge from the power rune to the water or heating rune, but it isn't working."

"Maybe it needs to be a two way bridge," he absentmindedly muttered.

Jamie snapped her attention to him. "That's it! If we can make that, it might just work!"

Frowning, he stared at her for several seconds.

Sighing, she explained. "We've only had the power flowing one way so far. What if it needs to be a cycle. The power rune would need to be able to flow into the water rune and back, allowing it to activate and deactivate with a touch."

"In theory, it makes sense," he said. "I'll need to power the connection rune first and then the water. If we can pull this off today, we can start combining all of them into one complex rune. Heated water."

"Yes!" she cheered. "Let's do it!"

***

Luna walked with Amber and Everest as they headed back to the store. The dragon was nuzzling the cat, making both of them purr. It was odd.

"I think Everest likes you," Luna commented.

"Kitty, friend!" Everest cheered.

Laughing, Amber rubbed the dragon's head. "Yes, I'm your friend. Who else is your friend?"

"James!"

"What about Luna?" Amber asked.

"Luna?"

Sighing, Luna glanced at Amber and found the cat smirking. "You're going to rub this in, aren't you?"

"Ohhh yes!"

Turning to Everest, Luna said, "I'm Luna by the way. I'm James's wife."

"Wife?" Everest asked.

"Mate," Amber simplified.

"Kitty is mate?"

Snorting a laugh, Amber turned to Luna and started laughing harder. Luna glowered at the two of them, making Everest inch away.

"Amber is not his mate," Luna stated. "She's his friend, just like you."

"Wolfie not mate! Kitty mate!" Everest said angrily.

Eyes wide, Luna backed up a step from the hostility the dragon let out. Even Amber turned to Everest perplexed.

"She's right though," Amber quickly said. "I'm just his friend."

"No…"

Sighing, Amber ran a hand through her hair. "Oh boy…I think James is going to need to handle this one."

"I agree," Luna said. "Do I need to have sex with him in front of her?"

"Kitty mate!" Everest growled.

Holding up her hands, Luna backed away. "I think I'm going to go kill something. You can handle her, right?"

Amber waved her off. "We'll play chase for a bit."

"Chase! Chase!"

Amber rubbed the dragon's head. "That's right, Everest! Let's get your brothers and sisters together and we can play!"

"I like play!"

Luna shook her head as she walked away. That dragon is a handful. James is going to have a hard time setting her straight. I don't know how I should feel with her thinking Amber is his mate.

Shaking her head, she dropped onto all fours and changed to her wolf form. Fur flowed along her body, blowing gently in the wind as she stretched.

Freedom. Pure freedom. I get to explore the world at long last.

Raising her nose, she sniffed the air for several long seconds. Trace scents of some sort of animal greeted her and she turned her heading further into the city. Racing forward, she passed three blocks before sniffing the air again. She was closer.

What's out here? What am I going to find? Will it taste good?

Her soul thrummed with power as she slowed her pace and started tracking in earnest. The towering apartments thinned to a suburban area, much like the one that James had been complaining about. Although, she didn't sense pollen in the area.

Lowering her nose to the ground, she sniffed the nearby grass and concrete. Sharp claw marks pitted the sidewalks and roads, she honed in on the scent of a feline.

Hmm. Maybe I can picture this hunt is Amber. Shaking her head, she added, James would smack me for joking like that. God forbid I make fun of his mate.

She wanted to laugh, but that little dragon honestly believed that Amber was his mate and she wouldn't take any other answer or reasoning. Just what exactly had happened between all three of them?

Lowering her stance, she scanned the nearby houses and found them to be largely intact with towering treehouses in their backyards. The grass wasn't overgrown, but was still black, yet alive. Flagstone paths led around the sides of the houses and into the backyard where wooden fences blocked the view.

It's all a little too uniform. I don't like this. James said it was weird the more he studied the city, but now I see it too.

Walking to the front door, she sniffed it several times but didn't detect any traces of the animals she was hunting. Moving down the path, she couldn't find a gate of any kind and didn't want to risk jumping the fence and landing in an ambush.

Letting out a slow breath, she moved back to the front door and transformed back into her human form. Examining the doorknob, she sniffed it a few times and even licked it. Apart from being oily, she didn't sense anything wrong with it.

Turning the knob, she stepped inside and found herself in a bizarre room. She expected a living room, but what she found was a huge empty space with no stairs leading up to the second floor. There weren't even windows or a door to the backyard.

The furniture was stacked against the left wall in a giant pile as if whoever designed the house didn't know what to do with it all. Plush couches were buried under tables and dining chairs. A tv was balancing on top of it all, while cords from refrigerators and microwaves draped over the edges. Lamps flickered their light in and out of the pile, casting shadows over the room.

What the fuck did I just walk into?

Stepping into the room, she sniffed the air several times before scrunching her nose.

It smells new. Unusually new.

She didn't dare touch the pile lest it collapse. What she needed was for James to be here with her. This was definitely something that he would find interesting on his exploration of the city. Maybe it would help him find answers.

Frowning, she turned back to the entrance and debated her next action. Rather than head back to get James right away, she moved to the next house. She didn't know why she was surprised when she discovered everything was the same. Down to the same positioning of the tv and flickering lights. Even the random cords were draped in the same way.

I'm definitely going back to get James. Screw this hunt.

Changing back into her wolf form, she started to jog back. The sooner she could show him her findings the better.

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