By the Red Moon Part 20

The cold wind whipped past Duo as he pulled his furry, gray wolf cloak all the tighter around himself. Slowly but surely feeling more comfortable in his saddle, he was able to sit back and release the iron grip that he had on his hold rest at the start of the flight.

Deathscythe was good to take any shifts in altitude or direction easy on him so that he would relax more. Smiling to himself, the braided prince stretched out a hand to pat the scales of his steed's back that were within reach. A deep rumble in the form of a purr from the beast responded to his touch of appreciation.

Ingier and Nataku flew up to flank either side of the black dragon so that the knights in their saddles could keep a closer watch over their charge. The edges of the fox fur framing her face blowing in the wind, Anna smiled, "You seem to be holding up well. You have not been screaming since our takeoff."

"Actually, I think I'm starting to get the hang of this," Duo admitted with a snicker back to the archer. "Before we got here, I was afraid that the winds in this land would bash me around more, but Scythe's kept that from happening."

Nodding within the coarser shroud of a bison, Wufei replied, "She has been picking up on your hesitance over flying so she is adjusting herself to make it easier on you." He gestured to the white dragon soaring nearly a mile ahead of them with a concerned frown and questioned, "Is everything else alright?"

The prince peered ahead to see the back of the black bear cloak shielding Heero. Since the Captain had taken the lead following their earlier discussion, he had not even so much as looked back over his shoulder, no doubt lost in his thoughts.

With a deep breath, Duo focused back on the swordsman and answered, "Yea. He just needed some time alone." Judging by the way his friends shared one of their 'conversation glances,' it was pretty evident that they were well aware that he was referring to the Captain and not his steed.

"Do not take offense," Anna urged with a sad smile. "Heero holds you in nothing short of the highest regard as far as he is concerned. Whatever it is that he needs to be alone to deal with, it is not your fault and he will cope with it."

Snorting, the braided teenager smirked at her, "I take it that Quatre is meddling again by telling you what happened back there with his ability?"

Her lips curling up in the same lopsided grin, the archer stated, "Remember that Heero, Wufei and I had grown up together, bled together, cried together. We know more about each other than anyone without the need for an empath."

Wufei shrugged, "Family knows their family. We also understand your wish to learn more about all of us, especially Heero since you both share a past that you cannot remember. Seeing how you both were talking alone and suddenly he needed some space, we had a good idea to what had happened."

The archer continued, "There are very few things that really affect Heero. We were two of the first and only to greet him when he returned from his journey to the portal to send you off to safety. It had all taken... quite the toll on him. Remembering that time would only stand to bring back those feelings that had hit him so hard."

Swallowing roughly, Duo lowered his head and glanced at the knights at either side of him while he frowned, "I'm sorry to have made that assumption about your using Quatre. I forget just how long the three if you have known each other even though you all look my age."

"No harm done," the swordsman reassured with a grin. "Seeing as how the matter was a pretty touchy one for the both of you, that is why Anna and I decided to check on-"

His words were cut off when Nataku, Ingier and Deathscythe all raised their heads at the same time. Scanning around, their eyes were narrowed and their ears pulled back, they growled deeply. To slow their glide, they tilted their large wings back to cause a drag.

Violet eyes widening, Duo could see Wing behaving in the same alerted way ahead of them. And a look over his shoulder revealed that both SandRock and Heavy Arms were also tense and keen on looking about in the midst of their flight.

Their own eyes narrowing in focus, Wufei removed his blade from its sheath at his side, a metallic ring filling the icy air while Anna hooked an arrow to her bow that she had quickly slipped out.

A chill ran up the prince's back... only it was not the cold that caused it. Turning his head to glance between his friends, he breathed, "What's going on?"

"We're not alone," the archer replied so quietly that the answer was almost lost over the howling wind that was picking up.

As soon as she said those words, her cobalt eyes widened when in the gap between them and Wing that something was beginning to materialize within the snowy gale. Heero and his steed had tried to close in and arrived just as a jagged-winged, white tiger as large Deathscythe appeared.

Its face gruesomely distorted with a jaw stretched longer and broader with fangs too large to be completely concealed when its mouth was closed, the monster fixed its blood-red eyes on the prince and let out a loud howl. [1]

"W-what..." was all that Duo could manage as he sat frozen in his saddle with wide, disbelieving eyes when the beast shot for him.

Nataku and Ingier managed to be just that heartbeat faster and managed to fly right in the tiger's path. Weapons drawn and ready, Wufei and Anna struck and shot at the monster, their steeds letting loose waves of flame from their mouths. Every bit of arsenal that they used was all but useless when their target disappeared the moment it was about to be taken out.

Moving past its attackers in the form of a cold gust that swooshed past the couple, the winged monstrosity materialized once again right before Duo.

Deathscythe's eyes whitened in rage and her head reeled back as she let out a piercing screech when the tiger pulled back a clawed front paw. Crying out in surprise at so suddenly being close to being attacked, the prince's jaw dropped.

The front half of her body dove forward to get her rider out of harm's way in only a blink before their attacker's claws dug into him. However, the braided teenager was scratched on his right shoulder when he dropped before the extended claws.

A pained yell escaping him, he instinctively grabbed onto his saddle's hand hold when he found himself looking straight down at the snow-capped mountain range below. "Shit!" he screamed, the blood draining from his face.

In that same moment, the black dragon unleashed her powerful tail in the middle of her full flip around and knocked the unprepared tiger in its side. Hissing as it was knocked back, the demon was only deterred for a second. By that time, the whole team were surrounding the prince with Heero and Wing at the front while Scythe made a quick half swoop back up to straighten herself out.

His cobalt eyes narrowed heatedly on the disfigured monstrosity, the Captain gripped the hilt of the sword in his hand tightly. Not paying any mind to him, the tiger kept its trained focus on Duo at the center of the pack around him. Gripping his bleeding shoulder, the shaken youth just looked on in horror.

"Stay back," Trowa warned as quietly as he could over the wind. Near the back of the ring with blades in both hands, he glared at their unwelcome guest and stated, "It would have killed us all by now if that was why it was sent. But, that could change if we provoke it to attack further."

Holding onto her husband's waist as she peered over at the First Scout beside them, Relena blinked at him and considered his phrasing of the caution. Realization sinking in through the fear that had gripped her up to that moment, her blue eyes widened. She snapped her head forward once more when the tiger rumbled out what sounded like an amused chuckle.

Its black lips curling back to reveal its ghastly teeth, the monster disappeared quickly into a gust that spiraled flakes over them for a moment before completely vanishing.

Duo's breath panted heavily in and out of him when it was clear that there was no longer a threat. "We need to tend to him. Now," he heard Heero command as he looked over at his shoulder. Through his hand that was covering the three long scratches that had pierced through his layers of clothing, blood was seeping out and over his fingers.

There should have been pain, the braided teenager thought to himself. But there was none. And the anxious voices around him, along with the faces of dragons and his friends alike, were becoming fuzzy.

Suddenly, it hit him that shock from both the injury exposed to the freezing temperatures as well as his panic over what had just happened was as setting in... fast.

A pair of warm hands that had been stripped of their gloves were suddenly cupping the sides of his face. The contact made his skin tingle. "Duo?" someone called urgently through the haze. "Stay with me."

Heero. Those cobalt eyes of his were coming more into focus and the worried etches on his face that was only inches away were becoming clear.

Blinking his own eyes, the prince noted the bit of relief washing over the Captain as he nodded firmly, "You are safe and we are going to keep it that way. But I need you to stay alert for now. You hear me?"

When his voice did not work after a failed attempt, Duo nodded. He watched as a small smile graced Heero's lips and he felt the other teenager's calloused thumbs lightly run over his cheeks. Pulling back, the knight secured himself back into his saddle and called to the rest of the team, "Let's go!"

At that, Deathscythe stayed right beside Wing at the lead as they swooped down hard and fast for the mountains.

In and out of consciousness during the search for shelter, Maxwell was completely unaware of how long they had actually been looking when a large cave was found and taken. All that he had been concentrating on the whole time was keeping alert as he had promised he would.

...As he needed to.

Duo was then assisted out his saddle by Heero and Wufei under either arm while Anna made a fire and the gifted couple unpacked the medical equipment they had picked up in Virgo. Still numb by the time he reached the ground, he all but collapsed before the flames that were starting to lick at the wood chunks used to feed them.

Moving quickly, Heero removed both the prince's cloak and tunic to have a good look at the damage that had been done to his shoulder. "I can patch that up pretty easily," he heard Wufei announce.

"Just make it fast before he loses much more blood," the Captain replied as Duo felt himself being pulled close to lean his left side against something. Arms wrapped tightly around his waist in support to keep him sitting upright a deep inhalation of the scent revealed that he Heero was the one holding him.

Quatre moved in to hand over a sealed up box to Wufei. Kneeling before his braided friend, he brushed his long bangs back to see his violet eyes more clearly. With his gift used to assess the condition and mental state of him, the empath smiled, "It's going to be okay, Duo. You can rest now."

More than happy to finally let go of his fight, the prince sighed and leaned even more heavily against Heero while his eyes closed. Almost instantly, he was pulled into a blissful slumber where the pain and fear no longer existed.

*  *  *  *  *  *

(Flashback)

Heero paced anxiously back and forth in the room where he had been sent to wait as their tiny charge was tended to by the healer that they had found in Taurus. Unable to fit completely in the infirmary, Wing was able to stretch his long neck inside of the opened front door to lay his head on the ground. His blue eyes were the only source of movement to come from him as he tracked his rider moving before him.

The steed had been... less than approving of the squires' offers for him to stay in one of the stables until word came back on the baby's condition. Outright refusing to go, he wordlessly made it clear that he was staying with the knight to hear the news as soon as it came.

When footsteps from the hallway approached, Heero froze and spun himself to face the doorway leading to the patient rooms further into the building. Lifting his head as much as he could, Wing attentively watched as well.

Finally, the woman in a simple, light-green dress that reached the floor who had taken Duo at their arrival entered with the baby safely cradled in her arms. Her blonde hair pulled into two braids that draped over her shoulders, her face bore a warm smile that stayed in place when she looked up from the little one to her guests.

"He is going to be just fine," the healer reassured as the knight all but ran towards her. "I was able to break his fever with my gift and the medicine that I had given him will prevent him from catching another cold."

Sighing deeply, Heero's tense shoulders sagged in relief and took the baby back into his arms. "Hey," he greeted quietly with a small grin. Duo's large, violet eyes blinked up at him and he let out an excited coo. Laughing, the little one reached up with both of his arms.

At the sight and sound of the child, Wing smiled as his body rocked back and forth with the sound of his tail thumping along the ground outside. Stretching his neck as far as he could, he lowered his snout within reach of the tiny hands.

The healer shook her head in amusement and chuckled, "He is such a pleasant child."

Nodding, Heero met her gaze and replied, "Yes, he is. And thank you very much for your help at this late hour, Sally. Your healing of him was more important than you know."

"Well, considering how quickly words between prophecies and attacks travel, I am more aware than you know," Sally frowned. "All of Taurus has been whispering about Dekim and his onslaught on Sanq. We are also aware of the city's violet-eyed prince who will one day come to help us all."

His cobalt eyes widening and blinking, the knight held Duo just a little closer against his chest. "You take good care of him," the braided woman implored with a sad smile. "I will be traveling along with my fellow healers to wherever we can offer our services to the best use in this dark time for our world. So, safe journey until we meet again."

Straightening himself, Heero nodded firmly, "You as well." Sally bowed at the waist and waved her guests off as they turned to leave.

Outside, the rider climbed back into his saddle and secured the baby back into his own harness. Appraising the cooing child, he grinned, "You are a lot stronger than you seem, Duo. Be sure to not lose that."

Gripping the hand hold of his saddle, Heero looked up to the east just as the sun was beginning to rise in the distance. "Back on course for the portal, Wing," he called to his steed. With a quiet snort, the white-and-silver dragon spread his wings and took them to the skies once again.

(End Flashback)

*  *  *  *  *  *

Gasping sharply, Duo woke with a start. The first thing to hit was the pain in his right shoulder that had him biting his lip to fight back a cry that wanted to escape. Blinking his wide violet eyes to regain his vision's focus, he found himself bare-chested, covered by blankets and laying on the floor of the cave they had taken for shelter.

Flashes from the earlier attack flooded his mind to explain the pain in his shoulder. A quick glance over revealed that the stitched wound had been wrapped in lines of white gauze that protected the upper arm to the base of his neck.

The next thing to hit the prince was that two strong arms were pulling him close against a firm chest. His heart racing when he recognized the blue tunic covering that chest, he slowly looked up from the shoulder that his head was nestled on. Tired cobalt eyes watched and a small smile tugged Heero's lips as he whispered, "Hey."

"H-hey," Duo replied in kind as his cheeks burned. No sooner had the greeting left him had the heads of Scythe and Wing appear just above him. Their rivalry forgotten for the moment, they leaned in to take turns at fussing over the injured rider by carefully nuzzling him.

Snickering, Maxwell reached up to pat their muzzles and told them quietly, "I'm okay, you two. Get some sleep now." After receiving an equal amount of attention, the steeds pulled back to coil their necks back around their bodies to make tight cocoons of themselves along with their fellow dragons.

With a sigh, the braided teenager looked around to find that the other couples were already curled up with their partners and sleeping soundly around the fire pit. "Even with the fire, it was too cold in here for you to sleep alone," Heero informed in almost a rush of an explanation to their being knotted around each other.

Raising his head again, Duo almost laughed at seeing the normally stoic Captain actually struggling to keep from blushing. "This was the only solution to that," he shrugged.

"This is fine," Duo quickly reassured. Mentally wincing at just how quick that response was, he grinned, "Thanks." Easing at that, the knight smiled back and his shoulders relaxed as it became more apparent just how tired he was from his vigil. "You should get some sleep," the prince suggested.

His chest rumbling with a chuckle, Heero met his gaze again and retorted lightly, "As should you. You will need to regain your strength after the blood loss you suffered." When he received a mild glare, he smirked, "Alright, I promise that I will take care of myself and rest as well."

Pleased with that, Duo smiled and nodded firmly, "Good." Fatigue setting back in, he held it off long enough to begin, "About our talk earlier..." The Captain frowned and tilted his head to have him go on. Biting his lip, the braided prince stated, "I really appreciate your opening up like that... And we're still cool? Right?"

In his chest, it almost felt as though his heart performed a back flip when Heero's mouth curled up into one of the warmest smiles he'd ever worn at the phrase that he had only recently become accustomed to.

"Yea," the knight answered in little more than a breath. Pulling his charge closer against him, he repeated, "We're still cool."

Unable to keep the grin that was hurting his face away, Duo carefully draped his injured arm over Heero's waist and drifted off again. Once the prince's breath even out, the Captain slowly reached up to run his fingers through the long bangs shielding his closed eyes.

A tiny smile on his lips, Heero sighed and rested a cheek against the top of his charge's head. His own eyes closing, he finally answered the beckon of sleep.

TBC...

[1] Thanks again to ShenLong for coming up with a winged tiger for a demon that I could warp and twist into something I could use here! *hugs*

 

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