I had arrived at the forgotten bridge before anyone else, they all most probably had errands and stuff they needed to finish first. I knew this mission was important, but I wasn’t going to rush as it would take a few days to reach the location as it was halfway between Cathopia and the Avem Empire.

Ibiki was the first to show up, which to be honest wasn’t much of a surprise, Rex, Finn and Edge soon followed after. Lin and Kiba were much later, coming running.

“Sorry,” panted Kiba.

“At least you made it,” I responded.

“Where have you been!” Edge raised his voice. “I haven’t seen you in two days, father was getting worried.”

“More like you,” commented Lin, huffing, and turning her head to show off her new earpiece hanging from her right ear. It was Kiba’s betrothal gift, a simple design of pure silver with our clan’s symbol on it.

“You said yes to him,” he snarled.

“Like I said earlier, welcome to the family.” I laughed.

Kiba came closer to me. “I want to say thank you again for letting everyone have some time off.”

He was talking about Lin and himself but included the others. “I told you no need for thanks.” I glanced at Lin, staring at her betrothal gift, they so deeply loved one another.

“Have you?” he asked. I shook my head knowing exactly what he meant. “You said you would.”

“I promise I’ll do it as soon as we come back.” I looked right at him.

“Good.”

“You wouldn’t have cut our vacation time short without a reason, what’s happened?” asked Ibiki moving the subject back to more important stuff.

“King Alton has given us a mission, to check on a convoy of high council members coming from the Avem Empire,” I informed.

“Are you sure about accepted it from him?” questioned Edge.

“I see no problem with it,” I replied.

“We’re setting out now, so let’s move,” I mentioned. “We are not coming back until we find where the convoy is.” Luckily, they had already come prepared with everything they needed for the mission, always prepared which made my job a lot easier.

“Fang,” I heard my name being called by Tigra as she ran towards us.

“Tigra,” I was surprised to see her, but then remembered we were meant to meet up later and I had forgotten to tell her we were about to head out. “Something the matter?”

“It would seem you almost left without telling me you were leaving,” she was cross, but then smiled, and I felt my heart flutter. I gazed at my betrothal gift, the one she didn’t even know the true meaning of. “Good luck.”

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

“Thanks, I guess,” I smiled back.

“And um…” she began.

“What is it?” I questioned, thinking it was important.

“Just promise me you’ll come back safe and sound,” she answered.

I gave her a weird look, what the heck had brought this on. “I promise, but seriously you have nothing to worry about, it’s a simple search mission.”

“I know,” she looked at the ground as if she had said something silly.

“I promise, I’ll come back,” I repeated.

“See you soon,” she waved.

“I’ll be back in just over a week,” I informed. “I’ll see you later.” I glanced around at my unit, who were all looking at me. I was always getting those looks when I interacted with Tigra. “Move out.” I moved first, glancing back at Tigra as my unit followed without a word.

We left Cathopia and headed east, it would take quite some time to reach the location where the convoy was said to reach halfway. Away from Cathopia we all took a more relaxed state. I glanced down at Raziel.

“Something bothering you master?” he asked.

“What the heck brought that on, with Tigra?” I wondered.

“I am uncertain,” he looked up at me. “Females have always been strange creatures.”

“Did you see him blush,” I heard Edge, who was always the one to start it. I glanced back.

“Yeah, noticed,” grinned Finn.

“Has he not asked her out yet,” asked Rex, who had been increasingly joining in.

“Hey,” I let out a cry, glancing at Ibiki who smirked as everyone laughed.

“Fang where is it that we are going?” questioned Ibiki as the others continued messing with me. I put my hand in my pouch and pulled out a map, which I handed to him. He opened it up and nodded. “I see.”

Along the way we had a good laugh. I thought that we might come across some trouble on the way, considering how much contact we’d had with those who served the darkness, but I had sensed nothing and not seen any vision of impending attacks, nothing within my dreams either, which made me relax a little bit more, but I still couldn’t drop my guard completely, anything could happen out here.

We were a day away from the site and taking a rest. Everyone was in high spirits, chatting away as I handed out something I had made yesterday, so I wouldn’t have to bother cooking every day, it sometimes got tiring considering everyone would argue on what they wanted me to cook.

“We’ll reach the site in two days, so make sure you have your heads on,” I said.

“We will,” responded Lin.

“Still can’t believe you said yes to him,” snorted Edge, still not happy his sister fell in love with Kiba.

“Well, I did.” Lin hooked her arms around Kiba’s. “He is a lot more reliable than you.” She stuck her tongue out. Edge snarled at her, and Lin hissed back, then she quickly kissed Kiba on the cheek, rubbing it in her brothers face even more.

“Enough.” I shook my head. “We’re all family now.”

Edge stared at me. “Oh.” I mentioned it the other day, obviously it hadn’t sunken in yet. When Lin and Kiba were married, then his clan would be closely connected to ours. “Still, I do not approve.”

“Your dad did,” commented Kiba, then winced as if something bad was about to happen.

“I remember all those stupid offerings to your clan’s betrothal gift,” huffed Edge, remembering he had carried a lot of them.

“Your dad’s words were. ‘My daughter will become part of such an ancient clan. I give you, my permission.” Kiba even tried changing his voice to imitate their father, which made Lin laugh. “You going to tell him Lin.”

Lin quickly glanced at him nervously. “No.”

“Settle down, not this domestic stuff while we’re out on a mission,” commented Ibiki. “Save it for when we get home.”

“Ibiki’s right,” I agreed, Rex and Finn nodded too, agreeing. Them always arguing about this was sometimes annoying, why do it on mission, maybe to make more of a scene, Edge did like the attention of which his sister seemed to get more of.