Tainui fumbled nervously with his backpack, drew out another datapad and studied it for a few moments before handing it to the warrior with obvious reluctance.

"This is kinda hard for me. There's something I've gotta do shortly and there is a chance...Well, if I don't come back I want you to give that to Two-Talon for me."

"Not come back?" Hunts-In-Grass' eyes widened with alarm and he quickly lurched to his feet again, stepping closer to Tainui as if to prevent him from running away. "What exactly are you planning to achieve?"

After spending a couple of minutes bringing him up to speed on the Taniwha project, Tainui was grabbed roughly by the warrior and held in a vice-like grip, the talons digging painfully into his skin. "Hrrr, that course of action is madness! This one cannot permit this!"

"Goddammit, Hunts! As a warrior, I would've expected you of all people would understand," Tainui growled at him, desperate to prevent the waver in his voice from choking him up. "I'm not doing this 'cause I want to, I'm doing it 'cause I have to. Don't you get it?" he pleaded. Reaching up he rested a hand on the warrior's chest and dropped his voice to little more than a whisper. "I failed in my promise to protect Andrej. But I'm not gonna fail in protecting you two."

Hunts-In-Grass recoiled as if stung, releasing him from his grasp. The problem was that he did understand what was driving the small, brave human. And if their situations were reversed he would be doing exactly the same thing. However, Tainui had already sacrificed so much and it struck the warrior as being wrong for him to be expected to give up the last, most precious gift he had to offer: His life. Even if it was being offered freely...

"And you do this without coercion, hrrr?"

"Yeah. I volunteered. You guys will have your hands full and are needed here. There isn't a lot more that I can do -"

"This one believes you have already contributed enough. The Original Home fleet is hurting because of the innovations you provided for us."

Tainui shook his head. "You know as well as I do that it ain't enough. Please! Just promise me that you'll give that bloody datapad to him if anything happens to me, alright?"

"What is preventing you from communicating this to him yourself, hrrr?"

Tainui avoided meeting his friend's eyes and turned to fumble with the zip on his backpack, irritated with himself for showing weakness in front of the warrior. "I dunno if I can, bro," he muttered quietly, knowing full well the warrior would have no difficulty in hearing him. "I dunno if I'm brave enough to do that with what I'm about to do. He might try to talk me out of it. And... and I'm scared he would succeed."

Hunts-In-Grass glared at the datapad as if it might explode in his hands and sighed, realizing the human was right about Two-Talon's likely reaction. While he didn't like it, as a warrior he respected Tainui's decision.

"Hrrr...Very well. If this one survives the approaching battle then he will deliver your message. Be certain you do return so this one is not forced to perform this onerous task, however! You know this one does not desire to lose you also."

"Heh - I'd miss you too ya daft, emo bugger. You guys are my family now; a scary, demonic, alien-lizard family, but still family." He laughed, trying to dispel the serious mood that had overtaken them both. "Don't worry your little lizard head about it. I have no intention of dying out there anytime soon."

Pocketing the datapad, Hunts-In-Grass stood up and pulled Tainui into a tight four-armed embrace, crushing the human against his chest. "There will be dire consequences if you break that promise, little-one. Stay safe and may the Revered Ancestor's guide you, strange, silly little human."

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Scene from my first novel - The Cold Wind - illustrated by the talented 343GuiltySpark from DA: http://343guiltyspark.deviantart.com/