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By the time we got home, Silver was asleep. Star and Wolfe landed in the front yard, careful not to leave too many gouges from their claws, and I picked up Silver in my arms. Zane had Aile in his arms; she was still asleep. We went inside and realized that there were more people than bedrooms. So we gathered around the living room to decide who would get what room. After a minute of quiet debating, we came to a conclusion. Aile would get Silver's room while Silver would take over my bed. I would sleep in my room on the floor with the sleeping bag in my closet, and my dad would get his room of course. Izzy volunteered to crash on the sofa, so that left Zane with the guest room.

We dispersed to our assigned sleeping areas and I carried Silver up the stairs past the bathroom and her room to my room and laid her down on my bed. Once I pulled the covers up to her chin, I got my sleeping bag and set it up opposite the bed then crawled inside. As I lay there, I felt Star taking off and asked, 'Where ya going this late Star?'

'Oh just out for a snack and such,' she said slyly, withholding the information that I sought. 'You'll see.'

'Goodnight Star.' I resigned myself to not knowing.

'Sleep well my friend.'

I woke to the sound of Silver whispering personal threats about "some idiot who can't think to go get his own food." When she sensed that I was awake, she replaced her scowl with a soft smile. I opened my eyes completely to find that she was sitting cross-legged on my chest. She leaned over and gave me a "good morning" kiss.

As she pulled away I spoke softly to her, "Good morning, my sweet. How are you feeling?"

She uncrossed her legs and rolled off of me, causing her skirt to twirl until she lay still beside me. She ran a hand through my hair as she replied, "Better now that you're awake."

I gave her another kiss and let my mind drift over to hers and she embraced the connection and I could feel her turmoil from what we had witnessed in the memories of Aile. 'Don't worry, love. I'm here for you. I can help. Just let me.'

She let her emotions wash over me and I held her tight as we shared our pain. Star extended her mind from where she was and gave us her sympathy. We laid there in each other's arms as our dragons comforted us, but they couldn't end the hurt.

After the feelings for the most part subsided, I mumbled quietly to Silver, "I'm sorry love, but I need to get up. My dad likes his coffee and Zane is probably tearing the kitchen apart looking for something to eat." I reluctantly slipped out of my sleeping bag and her embrace; though we let our minds stay connected to allow us to support each other.

I walked over to my closet and opened the slatted double doors. I pulled down a pair of jeans and a red shirt as I asked, "Do you think you could check on Aile? She seemed really beat up last night." She got up and left the room and I felt her walking to her room. As soon as she had closed the door behind her, I changed into the clothes I had retrieved. I decided to go make some coffee and see what we could have for breakfast. So I silently crept downstairs, managing not to wake anyone up. I slipped past Izzy on the couch and into the kitchen. To my surprise, Zane was already awake and cooking scrambled eggs and bacon on the stove in the corner of the room.

He noticed me and half turned to face me. "Morning Drake." I must have been broadcasting my confusion, for he shot me a strange look. "Is there something wrong?"

I shook my head. "No, you just didn't strike me as someone who would get up early."

He shrugged, "I'm not really, I just like cooking." He snapped his fingers like he had remembered something. "I need you to get two stools for the dining table for those of us with tails." He pointed to his alligator- like tail sticking out from beneath his long shirt. "Oh yeah, coffee is ready with mugs on the counter," he motioned to row of empty mugs, "and there's hot water and tea bags if you prefer tea."

I blinked in amazement, "Wow. You thought of everything."

He switched off the burners that he had been using. "Hey, when it comes to food I don't mess around."

Izzy chose that moment to stumble into the kitchen. He looked more or less like a zombie. I nudged Zane with my elbow. "Better watch out Ze. It seems that the living dead have taken an interest in your cooking. They've come for you," I joked.

Izzy threw a death glare in my direction. "Shut-up, I'm not a morning person. I need coffee." He shuffled over to the pot, grabbed a mug, and poured himself a cup of the caffeinated beverage. After adding a spoonful of sugar, he grasped the mug with both hands and took a slow sip. He sighed, "Ah, nothing like a nice cup of hot coffee to wake ya up."

"Agreed." My father strode into the room with a rolled up newspaper stuffed into the pocket of his khakis and got himself a cup of coffee. "And is breakfast ready Zane?"

Zane nodded in response. "Someone just needs to summon the women so we can begin the meal."

Silver stood in the doorway immediately after that was said and replied, "We don't need to be summoned, we're right here."

Zane rubbed his scaly hands together. "Ah, good. Then let us adjourn to the dining room so we can eat." He pointed to me. "On your way out grab those stools I asked you to get earlier."

I walked to the two chair height stools in the corner opposite the stove and carried them out into the dining room and set them in front of the two plates that were missing seats. The others followed me in and sat around the table. Dad was at the head of the table with Zane and Aile on his left on the stools. I sat next to Silver on his right and Izzy was at the other end. Zane had set the two large frying pans in the center of the table with a large spoon to serve the eggs and tongs to grab the bacon.

Once the food was served, everyone thanked Zane for cooking and dug in.

After a few bites, Dad addressed Aile. "I don't believe I caught your name, young lady. Would you care to enlighten me?"

She swallowed her mouthful of eggs and answered, "They told me that my name was Aile." She didn't sound too open about the subject, but she looked to Silver and me in acknowledgement.

We finished the meal quietly save for a few comments on the food then settled down around the living room after cleaning up the table.

I folded my hands behind my head and leaned back on the couch. "So, does anyone have any idea what we should do today?" I asked.

Aile spoke up. "I would kinda like to see the town. I haven't been able to go sightseeing in a while."

Before any of us could even breathe, Zane jumped up and grabbed her hand. "I'll take ya on the grand tour!" and with that he ran out the door, half dragging her behind her.

We sat there silently absorbing what had just transpired. I blinked a few times, and then said, "Any other suggestions?"

We decided to relax and talk for now, enjoying our individual cups of coffee. Silver set her mug down and folded her hands. "What exactly is your job's title? It seems like a confusing job." She asked my father.

He took a sip from his mug and answered. "Well, technically I'm a scientist, but that covers a large area of expertise. I work more in the field of combining technology, elements, and biology. So I guess it doesn't have a name for itself."

I rubbed my chin. "Well wouldn't that mean-" I was interrupted by the doorbell chiming. "I'll get it." I got up, leaving Silver alone on the couch, and walked around it. I strode down the hallway next to the stairs to the door.

When I opened the door, I was greeted by one of my good friends, Gene Stryker. Gene is a wolf with midnight black fur, contrasted by a blood red scarf and bright green eyes. His right arm was mechanical right down to his retractable claws, a tribute to some horrific wound. He pulled his hands out of the pockets of his black pants and smiled, his teeth shining as bright as his metal arm. When he spoke, a British accent suffused his speech. "G'morning Drake. Didn't spect ta see you 'ere. Thought you'd gone campin' or some such thing," he said.

I remembered that I hadn't gotten a chance to introduce him to Silver, since I hadn't seen him for almost a year. "Gene old friend, come in. There's someone I'd like you to meet." I motioned him inside. "I should warn you though; she's pretty feisty with newcomers."

Gene grinned and jabbed me with his elbow. "She?" I nodded, which only made him grin more.

After closing the door, I led him back into the living room where I proceeded to try and introduce him. "I'd like you to meet-"

Izzy turned and interrupted me. "Gene? Is that you?"

Gene put his hands behind his head. "O'course it's me, Kraten. What a surprise to find you 'ere."

Then Silver turned around, only to recoil at the sight of the wolf. Anger, happiness, resentment and a mix of other emotions suddenly rebounded across our still open mental link. "You!"

Gene looked slightly puzzled. "I'm terribly sorry miss, do I know you?"

She vaulted over the back of the sofa, grabbed his scarf, and pinned him against the wall in one fluid movement. "Now do you remember?" she inquired.

Gene scratched his cheek with his metal hand. "You're the lass who bushwhacked me in the forest when I was working for the Resistance looking for Bane. Silver, correct?"

Silver let go of his scarf and smiled as she hugged him. "It's good to see you again, Gene."

If he didn't have fur, I'm sure we would've seen him blush. "Yes well, ahem, it's good to see you too Silver," he coughed.

I grinned and noted, "Well, it seems introductions were not needed after all." I grabbed a chair from the kitchen and invited Gene to have a seat as Silver and I took ours. I was curious to hear the reason for his visit so I asked, "So what brings you here this morning?"

He sat down and crossed his arms. "Well aside from my usual nosiness, I 'ad a few questions for the doc. But I also 'eard that he 'ad something for me. "

My dad jumped out of his lounge chair. "That's right!" he walked up the stairs and called back, "Be right back."

Silver turned to look at me and raised an eyebrow in question. I shrugged in response and looked to Izzy for an explanation. He simply shook his head. Suddenly he cringed and slapped a hand to his ear. Then he got up and said to us, "The doc needs my help," and left the room. The rest of us went silent and we faintly heard Izzy exclaim, "Bringing your work home with ya enough?!"

Then my dad yelled back, "Just shut-up and carry it!" Silver giggled.

After hearing a few crashes followed by shouts of dismay from Dad, they reappeared at the top of the steps. Izzy was carrying a smooth metal arm, while Dad had a box of what I assumed were miscellaneous screws, nuts, and bolts. Gene's eyes widened when he saw the arm.

Dad trudged down the stairs and set the box on the carpet in front of the wolf and pulled out a pair of glasses from his pocket. He grabbed some of his custom tools from the box and said with a wink to Gene, "Hold still. I wouldn't want to accidentally take your arm off," then began to disassemble his metal shoulder. Once he had pulled out the last bolt, he had Izzy bring over the new arm. Dad detached the old arm and handed it to his assistant as he grabbed the replacement. He held it so it was barely touching the metal socket and spoke sternly to Gene. "This is going to hurt. A lot. Are you ready?" After getting a curt nod, he pushed the arm into the socket.

Gene winced and let out a small yelp of pain as the neurological connection was made. Then after he pain faded, he bent his fingers and elbow to test that the nerve pathways were working properly. When he rolled his shoulder, however, he looked up, surprised. "It responds so much better and the joints are really smooth. Wot is this made of?"

Dad smiled. "So you like it then. I used sartolin for the 'nerves' and an experimental metal called magnore for the arm itself. Sartolin is extremely sensitive to anything biological and electric while magnore has an incredibly strong magnetic attraction to itself, but nothing else. That's what keeps the joints together. Magnore is very durable but also light. It's the only metal that I have found yet that almost parallels dragons' scales and fangs." I opened my mouth to voice an argument, but he quickly added, "Not quite a perfect match, mind you, but close." That quelled my disagreement for the moment.

'Drake, come upstairs to your room.' Staréth's voice intruded on my thoughts.

I excused myself and navigated through the maze of parts out of the room. I walked up the stairs and turned into my bedroom. 'Ok, I'm here. Did you get back yet?'

She answered my question by appearing just outside my window. 'Yes. Now come out onto your roof. I have something that belongs to you.'

I opened my window and climbed out onto the roof. On it was my .44 as well as Silver's katana and ninja tools' pouch sitting in front of Star's head. I ran to her and threw my arms around her snout. As I leaned against her and opened my mind to hers, I felt a sense of regret emanating from her. I asked, 'What's wrong Star?'

'I couldn't be here to help you when you were hurting.'

I rubbed her smooth cheek. 'That's okay, I'm feeling better now.'

'That's not all though.' She lowered her head in shame. 'I accidentally broke your hunting knife when I tried to get it.'

I looked back at the line of weapons and noticed that my ten inch blade was missing from them. 'Are you hurt?'

'No I'm fine.' I sensed her brighten up a bit. 'But I-I made you something.' She lifted her foreleg up and revealed a thirty inch fang with a long chain attached to what looked like a hilt carved from the base of the fang. The outside curved edge slanted down to a point. Over all, it looked like a master craftsman had created a sword from the oversized tooth. I picked it off her claw and held it with the hilt in one hand and the chain in the other and stared at it in awe. 'You made this? How? With what?'

She began to hum with satisfaction. I saved one of my fangs from when I was young. I shaped it over the years with my flame and my talons. It pleases you?'

I sent my gratification over our bond as I swung it over my head experimentally. 'It's amazing! It's balanced perfectly despite how light it is. I don't know what to say. Thank you.'

She closed her eyes and hummed even louder. 'You're very welcome my friend. It makes me glad to see you so pleased.'

I patted her nose as I carried the sword to the window and carefully set it on my desk. Then I took my .44 and holster along with Silver's things inside.

'Drake, am I allowed to come upstairs?' Silver must have sensed my emotions. 'I can't understand what they're saying anymore. They started on technology and sciences as well as advances made in either field. It's nonsense to me.'

I grinned as I pictured Dad and Izzy in an intense discussion with Gene throwing in the occasional comment. All the while, poor Silver was sit ting on the sidelines, lost and confused. 'Yes, you can come up. We might be able to have some time alone.'

She ran up the hardwood stairs and into my room. She closed the door as soon as she entered then wrapped her arms around me.

After she released me, I decided to voice a question of mine about our power that we shared. "Silvie, I've got something to ask you. This power that you and I have; what is it?"

She sat on the windowsill and replied, "It is called the Third Power. You see, there are three powers given by the Highest to every creature when He creates them. The First Power is the gift of life. The Second Power is that of instinct and thought. The Third Power is the supernatural ability to manipulate all kinds of energy and matter. Only some realize this and are able to use it." She stopped and cocked her head. "Someone's coming down the street."

I looked out the window and saw an unmarked red van rolling up to the curb about two blacks away. The doors opened and nine people matching what we had seen in Aile's memories hopped out and stole across the sidewalk towards my house. I grabbed Silver and my .44's holster at the same time. "Get down!" I hissed. The people were now only one block away and had pulled out the sticks that they had used on Aile and her companion. I recognized these as shock rods. "Go downstairs and warn the others."

She nodded and ran to the door. Then she turned and asked, "What are you going to do?"

I used my power to create cushions of air beneath my feet, allowing me to hover above the ground then jumped out the window onto the roof. "I'm gonna see how they like being ambushed," I answered and grabbed the fang sword, wrapping the chain around my forearm. I leaned forward and glided silently to the front of the roof. I belted on my holster and readied myself to jump. As soon as they reached the front door, I put a hand on the wall beside me and launched off of my perch behind the strangers.