When everything changed
By Dragon & Wolf

PART 1
“Gunnery Sergeant Lorkos Davy. I am here for Lovianne.” The 5’11” uniform wearing man said to the receptionist of this special facility. The woman motioned to the adjacent room which had a big sign on it ‘waiting room’. At least the paperwork seemed to have arrived ahead of time and everything was cleared.

The man nodded and walked over to the room, being the only visitor apparently. He took a random seat and leaned back, closing his green eyes and running a hand through his jet black hair.


“You have to prom~! Promise, Lorkos!” The anthropomorphic male cat in his arms coughed a spray of blood against the chest of the human. “Jack… I...” Lorkos didn’t know what to do. Despite the bandage the bleeding wouldn’t stop, the bullet having most likely scraped the heart or at least an artery.

“She already lost her mother, Lorkos… You are like a brother to me…” Jack said, a hand of his reaching for his friend’s cheek, the other applying pressure still to his chest. He struggled with breathing and both knew that even with a combat medic here there would be little hope for his survival.

“I promise, Jack… I will look after her.” Lorkos forced a smile on his lips, fighting his tears. Sadness struck both of them, each of them would lose a brother today and even though everyday on the battlefield they knew this was a very possible scenario.

Yet it actually happening was of an entire different caliber. Jack was in a pain that no words could describe, despite the numbness that started to fill his body. Although he finally was ready to let go, thanks to the promise that Lorkos made.

Jack knew that his comrade and close friend would keep it, as his eyes felt heavier and heavier until they closed and his arms slumped down to the ground. Ten years of servicing together, ten years of looking out for each other all those drinks, jokes and stories shared simply gone in a matter of moments.


“Mr. Davy?” A female voice interrupted the memories of the soldier and he shook his head, jumping out of the seat and looking her straight in the face. “Pardon me, what?”

“Lovianne. She is ready to see you, room number 165. We were told you would deliver… The news to her, so nobody told her yet. Be gentle with her, okay?” The caretaker asked of him, handing over a visitor pass which he clipped to the left side of his uniform, under his medals.

“Of course. Thank you.” The soldier said with a melancholic tone. How would he explain a seven year old girl that her father was gone? Just two years after her mother died? That a man who she had never see before was supposed to take care of her now? And a human at that.

He thought about nothing but that during his trot through the facility, making for her room. Once he found it he didn’t step in right away, but instead rested his head against the doorframe, one hand on the handle, the other against the wall. He was good at following orders, not at telling little girls they will never see that smile on their father’s face again.


One deep breath for courage and relaxation later he pressed the door handle down and walked in. The girl shot her head towards the door and smiled widely, only to get disappointed by the sight. “When I heard a soldier was coming to see me, I hoped it would be daddy!” She complained with a pout, her grey-green eyes losing a bit of the initial glow.

“You must be Lovianne. You look just like your dad described you.” Jack said, forcing a smile on his lips as he closed the door behind himself and then took a seat next to her. The young girl was sitting on a small table, drawing something.

“Yup that’s me. You know my dad? He is super brave, you know? He is a soldier, like you.” The girl completely focused on her drawing, even though Lorkos was in arm’s reach. He figured she really had not the slightest idea and hearing her talk of Jack in such high and happy tones, it sank his heart further.

“Yeah… Jack was a very good friend of mine… We worked together for ten years. So I kind of knew him longer than you do.” He said with a small laugh, trying to ease the tension.

“Wow! Ten years?! I am only seven, you know? So where is dad, is he getting ice cream perhaps?” Lovianne looked Jack straight in the face, her eyes glowing like little stars in her eye sockets.

“About Jack. I mean your dad…” He put a hand on her shoulder and took a deep breath, tears already building up, which scared the little girl a bit, but she just froze as the next words would change her life forever. “Your dad is not coming home. He is in a better place now, you see… He… He died as a soldier… As a hero.” Lorkos gulped, already seeing the mixed feelings in the little girl building up.

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Part 2

First part of a story i commission to  DragonAndWolf some month ago via their Patreon ( Original Post )
The artwork was done by  Ashes Drawn thanks to his patreon .

Lorkos, Lovianne and Jack ©me