The shadows were thick onboard Folken's floating fortress. The monstrous construct had been completed on a basic level no more than a month earlier and still lay covered in the darkness of imperfection. Whole decks were without light, others were barred off - still being worked on. It was to deep in the depths of one of the former that the small group made there way to. There were four of them altogether, three soldiers and one dog faced beastman. That last, Jajuka to the few that knew him, was a mere thirteen years old - no more than a child in his own right but treated with the caution given to anyone whose loyalties had not been fully understood. The fact that Folken obviously trusted the creature well enough was beside the point. He was a virtual unknown to the soldiers and all they wished was to do their best. It was bad enough that they were being asked to essentially endanger something that their commander had sought for nearly a year. By keeping a close watch en route, there was a slim chance that they could redeem themselves over any mishaps that might occur.

Even that was a faint hope, however. Folken was merciless with any who gave him a cause.

So it was that among them Jajuka was the only one to truly not give a care. He padded along willingly, not giving his entourage the benefit of even a glance. For only thirteen years, he had the experience of someone much older and used it as often as possible to his advantage. Acting his age had never gotten him anywhere. Indeed, it was the exact opposite that had gotten him this position. Several years had passed since he'd been removed from his clan to assist unwillingly in the building of the Black Dragon Clan's budding empire and in that time he had been the one to show the most initiative among his brethren. He'd had no plan in mind at the time, only a vague hope that he was indeed going somewhere. It was that hope that had eventually brought him to the attention of one who he'd never expected - Sora, Lord Folken's captive advisor. She'd been the one to bring him here, to bring him to Folken's attention with promises of loyalty and importance to their future.

The truth was not far off from that, of course, but not quite. Either way, it was working to the boy's advantage. He intended to keep it that way.

The next turn took the troop to a dead end, occupied by a single door, barely visible in the light of the portable lamp. Silently, Jajuka went over the information he was to relay once inside. It was all simple enough, but with so much counting on his actions, he had to say and do everything to perfection.

"All right," one of the soldiers spoke up, reaching forward to unlock the door as he did, "This is it. Do what you have to and get out. I'm tired of watching you."

Jajuka nodded, letting out a quiet growl of acknowledgement and slipping past. The door opened easily, closing behind him with the softest of clicks. Very abruptly, he was alone. For a long moment he simply stood there, enjoying the peace and the darkness before his senses adapted and told him otherwise. Just beyond the shadows, a single lamp glowed icy blue, casting weird light across the still figure of the room's one lone occupant. A little further inside those shadows was a whisper of sound. Faint breathing and the distant steady hum of a machine. Jajuka took it all in, pondering it, before entering. He didn't have long to complete his mission, but there was no sense in wasting time being startled.

A few paces in told him all he needed to know. By then he'd fully adjusted to the dark and saw with the perfect clarity of a creature naturally adapted to darkness. The room was essentially empty: the walls bare and the floor glowing with the reflective glint of newness. The only obscurities were those shapes in the direct center. A single chair, swathed in the light of the lamp, occupied by a tiny human figure. Even from a distance and in that darkness the boy looked strange. He was slumped like a rag doll, his head resting unnaturally on one shoulder. As Jajuka moved closer, he could see precisely why. A bandage on the boy's arm held two long thin tubes in place. It was a configuration he'd seen before - used on the more violent workers. One tube carried periodic doses of a tranquilizer, the other held enough nutrients to keep the victim living on their own so that they could be left isolated. It was a cruel treatment for one so young, no matter what the alternative.

Two more steps carried the beastman to the side of the boy's chair. He held his breath, gazing down with a mixture of pity and resolve. The cloudy scarlet eyes remained fixed on something in the distant shadows as if he were sleeping with his eyes open. Or dead. The only sign that the latter was not the case were the faint whispers of breath, but even those were so nearly inaudible it was hard to believe they weren't a trick of the imagination.

"Hello, Dilandau," The words slipped out as a series of rough growls, the language of the wolves. It brought a brief flicker of life to the child's eyes that died just as quickly. The barest of whimpers leaked into the silence, seeming to almost float above it.

Finally, with a soft sigh, Jajuka dropped to a crouch. He forced Dilandau to meet his gaze, but took his time to study him before saying anything. Folken wanted the boy as one of his soldiers. All Jajuka himself knew was that the child had been abandoned to the wilds when he was just a baby. He'd been born unwanted. An accident. A dangerous accident. Somewhere deep down, he carried the powers of a member of the Dragon Clan. Only two others - Folken and his younger brother Van - carried that blood at the current time, the rest had been slain years before. It was enough to make poor Dilandau a perfect target for Folken's whims. Even if he was a mere half-caste, his blood diluted, his powers weakened, he was still strong. That was the only thing that could explain him still being alive.

"Poor boy." One of Jajuka's heavy paws rested lightly on the freshly cleaned silver hair, "You should have died before you were old enough to understand this world. It might just have been easier for you."

Dilandau lifted his head at those words, moving painfully slowly. Everything seemed to be a struggle for him. It was a wonder he hadn't died already, just from the drugs. Certainly they kept him from breaking free and attacking the guards, but at the same time it had the dangerous prospect of possibly putting him into a sleep he wouldn't wake up from. Briefly, the beast wondered why Folken would take such a chance with something he deemed so important.

The answer was simple of course. It's his way. If this child can't stand up to the drugs, he won't survive battle. Of course. He smiled softly, I pray he lives. He even looks like a young warrior... Skin as white as terror, hair like steel, eyes the color of blood... An albino - flawed but poetic. It would be more than simply a shame if he died. It would be a tragedy. Especially after what Sora had revealed about this one. There was more to him than even Folken knew. "Dilandau, look at me. Yes, Dilandau. That is your name. You must answer to it. Please. Look at me."

Slowly, the eyes turned up, meeting the inhuman gold of Jajuka's own. There was recognition in that meeting, a connection that meant much to the beastman. The boy was listening.

"Dilandau, do you know why you're here?"

Several heartbeats passed as the youngster struggled with words, trying to force them out of his throat. It came in a breath, soft and weak. "...No..."

"You're here because you are needed here. Understand me. You're not like me, like those you lived with. You are human. Your name is Dilandau Albatou and you've been found. Years ago you were lost, brought up by my kind, but now you're found. Do you understand?"

For a moment, emotion clung to Dilandau's features. He started to try and push away, but the action tired him and he was forced to settle again. Finally, in one sad little motion, he nodded. His eyes half closed as his head drooped. For a moment Jajuka feared he was about to lose the little one. A quick, gentle swipe of his paw under the boy's chin brought his head up again and he focused, eyes filled with fear. "Shh. Don't worry. I'm here to help you, Dilandau. I'll be here as often as I can but you must cooperate. You must. Your life, my life, all our lives could depend on this."

"...What... can... I..."

"For now, just listen. You will be trained, Dilandau. You are something truly special, and you are important. That will take time. Right now, your job is to become what you are. Human. You are not a wolf, you cannot act like one. If you do, you will be punished. Shh. Be still and trust me. This is for the best."

"...But..."

"No. There is no question. You can't go back, this is your life now. I need you to believe me that it won't be a bad thing. You will be strong, powerful, better than you could ever have been as a wolf, but you have to cooperate with all of us. Can you?"

"...I...can..."

In the darkness, those faint words sounded beautiful. Jajuka grinned despite himself, a strange thing on a creature so obviously not designed for it, and rose to his feet. "Thank you, Dilandau. Now be strong. I'll return tomorrow. You've done well so far and I pray you keep it up. We need you." With that he turned for the door, already composing what he would report to the waiting Sora before he gave his words to Folken.

"... Wait..."

The tiny voice stalled him in his tracks just moments before his paw struck the door. Uncertain, he turned back, gazing questioningly to the deathly still little shadow.

"..Your... name...?"

A soft smile crossed Jajuka's frightening features. Of course. The one thing he'd forgotten. "My name is Jajuka."

"Jajuka..." A faint flicker of laughter rippled through the air, sounding much too human. "Jajuka...thank you..."

"You're welcome, child. I thank you as well. Sleep now if you can. I'll be back."

Two more steps echoed softly and then the final click of the door before the air fell silent again. In the darkness, Dilandau continued to stare at the doorway, the faintest shadow of sadness on his face. A tear slipped loose, falling on the strangely heavy clothing they had forced him to wear and leaving a single dark stain. It would fade in time, as would the pain and fear still twisting in his mind.

With the last of his energy, he forced a smile, pondering as best he could the words that had been spoken to him. A new life... it was surreal.

He slowly closed his eyes, feeling a faint tingle as another dose of the drug trickled into his arm.

"...Jajuka..."