Sleep did not come easy on the hard ground with the storm swelling outside. Many of the early hours of the night she spent awake thinking, trying to get comfortable and stay warm. When she finally did sink into sleep it was shallow, fraught with unwanted imagery and short lived. After one such bout of light sleep she awoke warm and draped in a blanket. It smelled strongly of old leather, sweat, blood and dirt, but was far from unwelcome. She readjusted and didn't wake again until morning.

Morning. It was still damp and grey from the storm and the lingering cloud cover. She wanted to sleep more but the dim light and lack of a proper bed kept her from doing so. With a begrudging moan she sat up and rubbed her eyes. Almost immediately she noticed her companion was gone. No surprise there. Surprising was that what she thought was a blanket was actually Sebastian's duster. Brooklyn silently ran her fingers over the collar for a moment brows knitted deep in thought.

She stumbled out of the tent with the duster draped over one arm. The outside world became far more crisp all together. The smell of rain, the sound of the creek and a bird every now and then, the cold air on her skin. But no Sebastian. Thankfully no Tenau either. She made her way to the creek intent on washing up a bit before continuing her search. Shivering she decided to slip into the duster for now.

The water was freezing on her face but it served to wake her up a bit more. Unfortunately this also pulled her further into the real world and her mind began to grind through the logistics of getting off this island and back home. Home. She frowned. If she had been taken on a prison ship then... Was she an outlaw? But what did she even do? Could she even go back without being taken again or worse this time? It finally struck her just how right Sebastian had been when he told her she wouldn't be going home. Despite herself her chest started to ache and her eyes burned. Tears began to flow and mix with the creek water she was trying to dry away. She hated everything. She stood up with clenched fists and turned toward the camp. Then she came face to face with a pair of very large, violet, reptilian eyes. Brooklyn jumped back, her heart stopping. Then she screamed.

---

Adrenaline surged through his blood and violently ripped him out of his slumber. Sword already in hand while he slept Gabe practically tore the tent down as he lept up and sprinted out in to the forest. Terrible screaming came from the water's edge chilling the morning further. He was in kill mode fully prepared to destroy whatever threat waited for him without a second thought.

His boots skidded over mud and rocks as he slammed to a full stop on the banks. Bloodlust was given away in every aspect of his form. Every muscle was tight, his breathing came heavy, his teeth clenched and every sense was on pins and needles. He searched the area quickly only to have every desire to kill immediately snatched away and replaced with the urge to run. Run. Run for miles. And then find a nice quiet place to sit and take a moment to seriously consider which life decisions had been the ones to land him in this situation.

There was the little blonde brat screaming and panicking. There was the loudmouthed Prosthetic that had Her Almighty Bitchfullness Annabelle so bent out of shape. And there was a dragon. No. Gabe took several slow and very quiet steps back toward the trees. Those two were on their own.

Annabelle came rushing out of the trees after him and stopped by his side, "What in the name of the Gods are you--!?" She balked at the sight before them.

Perhaps the shock of it all had suddenly rendered her more insane than before because Gabe could have sworn he heard her order him to kill the thing. Did he? No. He couldn't have.

"I said kill it!" Annabelle snapped at him, "Kill it!"

Ah, so he did.

"Lady," he turned toward her and looked her right in the eye with a look as serious as death, "Can you shit gold bricks?"

Her silence, the slackness in her jaw and the blood boiling in to her face was answer enough.

"Then you can't afford that," he rested the sword over his shoulder and turned his attention on the dragon once more.