Delphins are, in general, very tolerant creatures... However they have their limits. Nytehawk was streatched to her's. It had been months since he captured her again. Between Janus showing her off at all the parties he held and attended, she rarely slept. When she did sleep, it was never fully. The constant wondering of where he was kept her slightly awake. Then there were also the nights in his cold embrace... The sleep deprivation was beginning to affect her. She rarely ate anymore and her already slim figure became even slimmer. Once bright aqua eyes no longer glimmered with life and her once boundless energy was nearly gone. Still, she tried to keep herself occupied, mostly through dance. A now half-hearted attempt to keep her fading strength up.

She began her streatching early one morning when the thought Janus was asleep. Unfortunaetly, he wasn't. He had been watching her human figure for the past half hour. He crept up behind her slipping his arms around her waist. She inhaled sharply and froze at his touch.

"Calm..." he whispered, pulling her closer to him. "Breathe..." he added, noticing she had been holding her breath. He turned her around so she was now facing him. An attempt by her to pull away from him only resulted in him pulling her closer. She leaned away from him, but he refused to let go of her. "Don't fight me, Nytehawk." To weak to fight him any longer, she dropped her head in defeat, allowing him to embrace her. A single tear roled down her cheek, going unoticed by him as it evaporated on her jaw.

*********

"When a delphin spends their as a life as a slave, they can never truly be free. Especially slaves like Nytehawk."

Hunter listened intently to the grey-furred female sitting across from him. "Why?"

"She was born into slavery. She's a 'trophy' to them. A status symbol. I wasn't born into that life. I was captured as a child. Sadly, slavery is really the earliest memory she has. Janus has probally been treating her as if she's never been gone. And she won't be able to fight him forever. A rebuilt spirit is fragile. She may appear strong, but she'll only be able to take so much."

"And what if she's given up?"

"Then Janus has won. He's accomplished what he set out to do. He's reclaimed her and probally never had to use any sort of force. As I said she's a prize slave. If he was to use something like that thrice-damned halter they often used me, it would decrease her value. Scars on the face are a real quick way to decrease a slave's value." She looked away, disgusted at her memories.

Hunter leaned back and looked toward the window, watching as a light rain fell and small rivulets of rain water streaked the outside of the glass. They had been waiting for Janus to come to them, or at least let his presence be known, but it now appeared that wasn't to be. Sophie had been checkingaround, listening for any clues as to Janus's whereabouts. No one was talking. She could find out nothing more than he was frequenting many parties, accompained by his prize. None of her sources would reveal any of the locations though.

He stood an walked to the window and loked down at Nyte's balcony, her 'perch.' This would have been perfect weather for her to sit and think. He rested his head against the cool glass, sighing quietly.

Sophie watched him. She could see the pain in him. She realised there was only one option left for them. "There is one card we haven't played..." she began.

"What?" he replied, confused.

"Jerome. Her guardian."

"Guardian?"

"Yeah. Appointed to her at birth, but unable to do much to help her as he was a slave himself. His attempts to protect her usually ended up with him being beaten. He did help her escape, but she hasn't seen him since."

"Any idea where he is?"

"No. And it could be months before we found him."

Hunter frowned. "So unless we get a break and find something out, he's her last chance, right?"

Sophie nodded. "And I know you'd like to know how he'd be able to find her. As a guardian, he was trained to be more sensive to her. He's like a bloodhound."

Hunter inwardly smiled. They might just have a chance if they can find this guy. '...If...' he thought to himself, 'that's the operative word there...'

"It'll be like looking for a needle in a haystack without him," Sophie comented.

Hunter nodded in agreement. "But we'll need a bloodhound of our own to find him."

"Maybe...but if he's kept his training up, he'll be able to sense that she needs him," the blond-maned female responded, thinking over the options.


Elsewhere, miles from the nearest sign of civilization, a glimmer of gold comes to life, forming great, feathered wings. He has been called for and duty says that he reply. With a flash of silver moonlight on his long, golden horn and his gold hooves sparking against rocks in the ground the guardian took off toward the call.