Rowan got to thinking, his mind led astray by the public display he had just seen. It made him think of all the other embarrassing moments that he saw Aroura go through. As he was walking along, He felt like Aroura was going to need more help adjusting to life in this town. He almost pitied him, really. He could never set to one whole task before something caused him to stop in his tracks. As Rowan was walking home, he noticed three men off in the horizon, headed toward the town. When he tried to look closer, he noticed their weapons. He immediately set his mind into action, hiding from sight. "What are they doing here?" He watched as they walked through the town, their steady pace suggesting that they had a plan, and Rowan wanted to know just what it was. He followed them, sure in step, and totally silent to avoid being caught. All thoughts of Aroura were set aside now.

	By the time that I got out, my paws were pruny and my fur was lank from all the soap. I looked for the perfect spot, and not too far away was the perfect place. A large, smooth rock in the middle of a sunny feild. I lay down on the rock's sunwarmed surface, enjoying the sunlight on my naked form. "Mmm...this feels good." Not but a few moments after I had settled, a gruff voice spoke. "So, here is the little foxy..." I meeped and sat straight, my heart pounding as the bandits walked out of the treeline. Rowan sat in the background. he couldn't attack unless he was sure there was no more information to be gained. "Rowan...help." I whisper softly as they draw close. One smirks as he circles, so I can't get to the clothes near the pond. 

"Sunning nude, hmm? Little foxy's a big slut, ain't that right?" The wolf grinned hungrily. 

"We were just after any possessions that you had before...but now..." He looked at his two companions. 

"What do you two boys think of the idea of training this fox?" His two comrades laugh harshly.

"What you wan' us to train first? His ass or his mouth? They start to strip, but the wolf smacks them. 

"Not here, dolts. He might have friends around. And we don't like getting innterupted" He looked me in the eye. 

"So if you call out and bring your friends, we'll have to kill them...and the blood will be on your paws..." I freeze at the word blood. 

"B-blood? No blood..please!" The wolves laugh and one goes to grab me, fingering me before flipping me over his shoulder* 

"Remeber, no calling out...no struggling...or there will be oceans of blood..."

	In a flash, a blade was buried nearly to the hilt in the shoulder of the bandit carrying me, the panther behind the blade quickly drawing needles and throwing them, one hit the closer bandit's temple, the second missing the last bandit.The wolf leader yelps and then lunges forward, scoring a lucky hit. He then runs, leaving his blade buried deep in Rowan's shoulder. I land underneath the body of the wolf who was carrying me, petrified. When Rowan pulled the blade, it didn't yeild. Unlike the first one he killed, the blade in his shoulder went through, rather than sliding down through the heart. Knowing he couldn't pursue in his state, he didn't give the slightest resistance against the darkness, and he fell to the ground in a heap.

"R-rowan..rowan, please talk to me..." Warm droplets fell on his face. "Please....wake up *sobs softly*  Rowan didn't react...   "No..." I pulled on the blade, slowly pulling it out of his shoulder, barely holding onto consciousness as his hot blood ran over my paws. Rowan twitched the whole time, slowly coming to. He managed to say "Barracks....." before being lost to darkness again. I whimpered softly and nodded. "A-alright..." I struggled to pick him up, eventually managing to get him onto my back, and slowly dragged him to the barracks. 

	When I got close to the barracks, Jerry caught sight of us and rushed to our aid. The ninjas worked frantically, realizing that Rowan has lost a lot of blood. His fur even seems paler. I collapsed, eyes open, but unseeing, drenched in blood.

After hours of work, two ninjas watched his condition while Jerry came to tell me that he's not looking good. He said that Rowan was awake, but barely able to speak.

"Come see him. He managed to ask for you personally."  Jerry implored. At the sound of his name, I turned slowly, my eyes regaining a bit of their depth. "R-rowan...? me?"

"He wants to know that you're alright. He doesn't remember much about the battle." I whimpered and made my way, aided by Jerry, to his bedside. I fell to my knees. 

"Rowan..." I leaned down and snuggled across his chest. "Rowan." 

"Agh!" He tensed and grunted in pain. Jerry gently pulled me up.

"Mind the wound now." I whimpered and struggled against him.

"No, please! I need to help!" Jerry was amused by his fervor. He held in a laugh.

"Calm down, you're not helping by laying your head on him!" he said with a smile. I wiggled free and made my way to the nearest sink. I found a clean rag, soaked it in cold water and rang it out a bit, leaving it dripping. I brought it back and carefully placed it on Rowan's forehead, and gently stroked through his chest fur. Then Rowan finally looked at me.

"Aroura.... good..... Thank you." 

"Rowan... I'm so sorry." I said as I tended to him. Jerry left the room at this point, closing the door quietly.

"You can't have.... known they would attack. Be thankful I found them first." he tried to keep his usual tone, but the pain caused him to lose the commanding aura in his voice.

"Oh, Rowan..." I started to cry, and buried my head in his untouched shoulder, inhaling his warm scent. it's heavyness comforted me. The panther wrapped one arm around me and closed his eyes, giving thanks for his own life. After a few moments, he asked, 

"How did you do it?" 

"D-do what?"

"You brought me here... I can't understand how you.... got past the fear."

"I don't know.... All I coud think of was how to get you to safety. I...I couldn't see anything... smell anything... it was like there was nothing but you." I moved forward a little, feeling his breath on my face.

	Rowan was interested by this, and as he looked at me, he noticed the emotion in my eyes. The sheer blank confusion mixed with pure need. He hardly even noticed how close I was. I couldn't stop myself from doing what came next. My eyes filled with the sight of him, I leaned forward until our lips met in a soft, passionate kiss. For a moment Rowan simply let it happen, still captured by my eyes. In an instant, he felt the world around him come back, and his eyes went wide when he saw that we were kissing, but he didn't even do so much as move his arm away. He let me keep on, not helping or hindering me.

	A few moments later, I slowly broke the kiss. As I looked at him, I licked my lips... and then I froze, as reality came crashing in. My hand flew to my mouth as a hot blush filled my cheeks.

"Oh, gods! Rowan, I'm... I'm so sorry! I.. I don't know what..." 

	As I rose, his arm drifted down to mine. When my embarrassment became plain, he gripped me tightly. "No... It's ok."

"Ow... Rowan, it- it hurts." He let go.

"Sorry. But don't be -ngh- sorry yourself."

"W-what do you mean?" I whimpered softly and rubbed my arm.

"You know." he said simply.

"...More importantly, stay still. I don't want your wounds to get worse."

"It's only my shoulder. As long as I don't pull anything, moving my other arm should be fine." I blushed again and moved to his side.

"Still, doctor's orders. Stay still. I'll get you what you need. Are you thirsty? hungry? need a blanket?" Rowan's eyes began to droop a bit.

"A cover would be good."

	I looked around and spotted a cupboard. I open it and get out a blanket. "Is this one too thick?"

"Just a sheet will do." he said quietly as his eyes closed. 

	His breathing slowed, made noticable by how his chest moved slower. I nodded and pulled out a sheet. I carried it over and spread it over him, busying myself by tucking it around him. I got on the bed to tuck in the other side and found myself face to face with him again. My body seemed to grow weaker as his scent wafted over me my form trembling with the effort to not collapse on him. "S-sorry...." Rowan had fallen asleep while I worked. Slow audible breaths came from his nose. I whimpered softly as my muscles, indeed, my very bones seemed to give way. I slowly fell on top of him, feeling his warmth with all of myself. I murred and snuggled against his chest, my head under his chin as exhaustion washed over me. With hardly a sound, I slipped into a deep sleep.

	Jerry came back sometime in the night to check on Rowan, and when he found me there, he was slightly shocked. He took the time to study Rowan, noticing the steady rise and fall of his chest. Satisfied, Jerry left without a word.