It didn’t take long for Jing to fall asleep close to Kinu, curled up into a ball under the warm blanket Leria had given her. After a little while of sleeping though her face went from one showing a peaceful dream to a pain and fear filled nightmare. The pain from the torture the white had put her through and the fear that had come with it as she whimpered and cried quietly in her sleep. Then finally, when the claw was stabbing into her heart she shot away, sitting up quickly and eyes wide from shock as a gasp escaped her mouth. Her one trembling hand was on her chest, and over her heart. Trying to calm down she started looking around the cave, first at Kinu then at Leria as she felt tears falling down her face.

Bast had roamed the caves impatiently, restless and troubled. He wasn’t sure what they would do next, nor if Leria and Kinu would come back with them. Finally exhaustion had claimed him, and he fell asleep some distance from Jing, sitting with his back to the wall, hands crossed and shivering faintly. The cave wasn’t that cold thanks to the water but it was still high in the mountains, and as he had fallen asleep his body temperature had lowered.

Jing looked at Bast, standing with a little trouble but finally walked over to him, blanket still wrapped around her. “B…Bast…?” She said quietly, bringing a hand to his sholder.

He gave a start, body reacting before his mind as he jumped to his feet, hand fumbling for his sword as his eyes opened and looked around. “Where… where’s the enemy!?”

Jing, who was still jumpy and easly scared after what happened, stumbled back away from Bast and tripped on her own tail, falling abck to the ground with a small yelp.

Bast was more convicned there was an enemy at the yelp, but finally his muddled mind began to work, and he blinked down at her. “Jing? Are you okay?” He lowered his sword.

Jing looked up at Bast, there were still tears in her eyes from when she had woken from the nightmare. “Y…Yes… Sorry… I shouldn’t have woken you.” She said quietly, getting to her feet and moving to go back to Kinu.

Bast frowned, moving after her and taking her hand after sheathing his sword. “Jing what’s wrong?”

Jing twitched a little as Bast grabbed her hand, “Its… nothing. I just… had a bad dream…”

Bast sighed. “Nothing eh?” After all she’d gone through the day before? He pulled her closer, hugging her.

Jing was surprised at the hug, but once she was in Bast’s arms she felt more tears come to her eyes and she moved a little to hug him back, crying into him quietly. She was trembling more now, and her legs wanted to give out from under her.

Bast sighed, sensing her weakness he sat down with her in his lap. “It… must have been horrible.” He murmured softly. “I… I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to save you sooner.”

Jing just cried more, shaking her head and trying to stay as close to him as possible.

Bast sighed faintly, holding her close, and slowly stroking her hair.

Jing continued to cry agenst Bast, and finally started to calm down after a while, still keeping close to him.

Bast just kept holding her, saying nothing to break the silence, unsure there was anything he COULD say to help her besides holding her.

Just being close to someone like this did help, and grew silent. There were still tears falling down herface, but she was much calmer. “Thank you Bast…” She said quietly.

Bast nodded, “Any time.” He said quietly.

“I’ve never had anyone… to be around with after being killed before… I always just… cried by myself.” Jing explained quietly.

Bast winced at this, and hugged her close. “I… I know how that feels.” He said, voice gruff with emotion.

Jing nodded, hugging Bast back. “Having someone… who understands helps too…”

He smiled, “Though I’m not as durable as I once was…” He sighed, shaking his head. “What a time to lose the curse too…”

“Even if you were still cursed Bast… I wouldn’t want to see you hurt…” Jing told him quietly.

Bast sighed, “I… can understand that. I felt… terrible to know you suffered like that. I… don’t want you hurt either.”

Jing nodded, hugging Bast tightly, more tears falling down her face “I…I use to get hurt like that… everyday… but to suddenly feel all of it again… I was so scared…”

Bast sighed faintly, hugging her gently. “I’m not letting you out of my sight again, you hear me?”

Jing smiled a tiny bit and nodded slowly “I…I hear you…”

“No matter what ANY god says otherwise…” He said tersely.

Jing winced, buting her face into Bast’s shirt. “I’m sorry Bast… I…I can’t belive I was tricked like that…”

Bast sighed, shaking his head. “I… guess you wanted to believe. You wanted to see Kinu…”

“But still… I should have realized… that it wasn’t Palari I was talking to…” Jing muttered.

Bast nodded faintly, looking to Kinu. “Well… Leria was there… a bit late but she was close…”

Jing didn’t say anything else at the moment, clinging to Bast

“Maybe it was him, and Taksis just overheard… or if it was a trap he sent Leria to prevent her from succeeding in her plan.” He said.

“Does it matter…? I was to weak to do anything…” Jing muttered, shaking her head.

Bast sighed, “You were kidnapped by a White Dragon, Jing… what did you expect? I wasn’t able to do much either, getting captured quickly by Aurixel and shocked into unconsciousness.”

Jing shook her head again “I expected me to be as useless… and as powerless as I always am…”

Bast sighed, “Stop that! You aren’t powerful, true. You’re the most resourceful, cunning and strong 16 year old I’ve met though.”

Jing didn’t say anything for a minute, before finally looking up at Bast, her face made it obvious she doubted what he said, and that she doubted herself completely. “Are you… do you really think that…?”

He smiled, “Sure I do! You can’t expect to win on your own… believe me, it doesn’t work. I’ve been there, done that.” He shook his head. “It’s not bad to depend on others.”

“Its one thing to depend on others… but… name what I’ve done to…to help others? All I ever seen to do now is depend on everyone… I can’t do anything at all to help back it seems…” Jing muttered, looking away again.

Bast frowned, “Jing your powers have helped us a lot!” He insisted. “Remember how you made that avalanche to stop the dracos from following us?”

Jing sighed quietly, nodding “It didn’t matter though… we were still attacked after that.”

Bast scoffed, “By Aurixel. And he was only after you and me. The refugees are safe.”

Jing just shook her head a little, sure she did one thing… still screwed up on way more things.

Bast hugged her tight. “Don’t do this to yourself, please?”

Jing felt fresh tears coming to her eyes, and didn’t move much at Bast’s hug. “I’m so stupid…” She muttered, almost to quiet to head.

Bast just hugged her close. “Jing… please?” He said, feeling his chest hurt.

Jing shook her head a little. “Bast I…” She grew quiet, closing her eyes. “I give up…” She whispered, not caring if he didn’t hear her since she was so quiet.

Bast twitched, feeling the pain grow. “Don’t… don’t say that Jing!”

“Why not…?” Jing muttered. “All I’ve done… is get in the way. I’m… useless…”

Bast was silent for a while, then pulled away a bit. “So what are you going to do?”

“I…I don’t care…” She muttered, more tears coming to her eyes and she brought her hands over her face and curling up a little. “I…I just can’t take this anymore Bast!”

Bast felt something crack within him. He sighed, hugging her once, then slowly letting go of her. “I’m sorry.” He said, standing. “I… should have realized you’re too young to take on so much responsability…”

Jing looked up at Bast through tear filled eyes. Part of her hadn’t wanted Bast to leave her… she just wanted to cry agenst him still. Her hand reactivly moved to take his, and she tried to hold on tightly trembling a little.

Bast looked at her tear-streaked face, then down at the hand gripping his tightly. “You should stay in this cave with Kinu.” He said, “You’ll be safe here.”

Jing didn’t let go of his hand. “What… What about you…?”

He shook his head. “I have to go back. I can’t abandon everyone. I want to end this madness, and save those people on the island.”

Jing blinked a couple times, obviously confused. “The… island…?”

Bast nodded, “Aurixel told me that our home has been plunged into a nightmare turned reality. It’s what changed him… and the others are still trapped in it.” He said, “I plan on defeating that Green Dragon, and freeing everyone.”

Jing was silent for a minute. Her people… everyone she had grown up with… and her own family were trapped? “But… how can you…?”

Bast shrugged, “Somehow. I’m not one to easily give up. I’ll do whatever I can to help them and fight the forces of evil.”

“But… I…I don’t want to see you hurt…” Jing said, still holding his hand tightly, as if scared that if she let go he would vanish.

Bast smiled, “You won’t. You’ll be safe in this cave, with Kinu.”

“I don’t want you hurt… p…period Bast.” Jing said, looking at Bast worried.

“Well forget it.” He said, slightly angry. “I am not going to hide away just so I’m not hurt while the whole world is covered in darkness. I’m not cowering in a corner just because I’ll get hurt!”

Jing winced as she heard Bast, letting go of him and looking at him hurt. It had felt like he had been yelling at her, calling her a coward… it felt like she had just been kicked hard in the chest.

He looked at her, seeing the hurt in her face. He turned without a word, walking towards the cave exit.

“I…I don’t want to hide… because I’m scared of getting hurt Bast. I’m scared… if being the cause of someone else being hurt.” She told him quietly, not moving. “If…If my pain wasn’t felt by Kinu… I would willingly die… over and over again to protect my friends.”

Bast looked back, stopping momentarily. “You should have thought that over when you merged with her.” He said, then turned and walked around the corner.

“I wasn’t given a choise Bast.” Jing told him as he turned the corner before looking at the ground.