The sun had started to rise. To Black Talon's annoyance, a lot of the journey had involved passionate conversations between Sharp Claw and Fern Foot. He just wanted silence, just for a bit, but it never came.

Guess that's what happens when you haven't talked to someone in a long time, He thought, sneaking a glance at Fern Foot when he wasn't looking. That was how it was for most raptors, though Black Talon almost became used to a lack of communication- he was once a rogue, after all.

And I still am, He thought grimly. That doesn't matter though. Being a rogue is not hell- being isolated is. Frankly, I'm probably going to remain a rogue for the rest of my life, and I do not take issue with that. I just don't want to feel alone anymore, that's all. Is that so much to ask for?

Black Talon looked up at the sky. Despite everything, it was still as blue as ever, with wisps of fluffy clouds splattered here and there. It was as if there was nothing wrong in the world, no change or increase in suffering. No virus.

He could still hear the other two blabbering on, not too loudly of course, but loud enough for him to hear.

'... and I don't know how, but I managed to survive that,' Sharp Claw stated proudly, lifting his head up high.

'Wow, that's impressive!' Fern Foot said with a grin.

Black Talon heard rustles near him. He jumped, and looked around anxiously, only to see it was Leafie trudging up to him. Leafie cooed at Black Talon (though he could not tell what was going through the Pachycephalosaurus's mind) and carried on moving, confidently marching fearlessly.

'Well, I told you all the things I experienced! What about you?' Sharp Claw nudged Fern Foot.

'Me? Many things have happened to me, I don't really know where to start.'

Black Talon listened closely- if what Fern Foot was going to say was the truth, he could find out more about the newcomer.

'The beginning? Please? I'm really interested!'

'Oh, all right. It happened when our entire pack had gone hunting. You see, most packs send out small teams to take turns and hunt for food, but we were an exception. There was a herd of Triceratops, and we all wanted a taste of their flesh. We figured that if we all worked together, we could bring one down. See, the carcass could last us months, and it would have made things easier for us. I was with my mate, and we were stalking this big old bull Triceratops- our pack had chosen to hunt him. We were creeping up on him, hiding among the plants, when suddenly it seemed some members of the Triceratops herd had been spooked by something.'

'Was it a viral?'

'Yes. It was a pack of viral rodents. They had bitten one of the Triceratops. That one became a viral, then bit another, and another, and so on. Our alpha instantly called off the hunt, and ordered us to retreat. My mate- Brawl Scale- and I, we tried to escape. But, as we were running, one of those viral rodents managed to bite down onto her foot. I managed to slaughter the thing, but then she became one of them. She became one of those monsters. When I looked into her eyes, I could see the mindless hatred consume her mind. She attacked me... and I... I...'

'You don't have to tell me anymore,' Sharp Claw patted Fern Foot's shoulder. 'I understand how hard it must have been. But, either way, she loved you, didn't she?'

'... Yes. She did. She was pregnant at the time. With about six or seven eggs, or so she told me. She would have laid them in a week or so if it hadn't been for the attack. But that's all in the past, and I cannot change that fact. I will never ever forget her, but now, I have all of you to talk to!' Fern Foot smiled kindly. 'Your non-raptor friends all seem quite interesting! Even if we can't really talk, I rather like them, even your little rodent on your back.'

Black Talon heard the two laugh good-heartedly. He wished he was still able to do the same.

Suddenly, he heard a loud thump, while something rather heavy crashed against the ground. Everyone turned, and saw Midnight laying on the forest floor. Her eyes were half shut, her legs splayed out in every direction.

'Midnight!' Sharp Claw cawed, and instantly ran to her. 'Are you all right?'

'She's just exhausted,' Fern Foot said, observing the scene. 'We should rest.'

Sharp Claw nudged Midnight over and over again, desperately. 'Come on! On your feet! You need to get up!'

The young Triceratops merely groaned softly.

'We keep moving. We're wasting our time,' Black Talon said.

'NO! I'm not leaving her!' Sharp Claw snarled angrily. Leafie, who was up ahead, trotted to the young raptor, bleating with concern.

'I am certainly not leaving a juvenile like him alone in this place either. I for one am going to stay by him, and you should too!' Fern Foot said.

'Hmph. Suit yourself,' Black Talon said darkly, then turned to leave. He walked away, simple as that, not caring for the shocked silence of the other two raptors.

They have done nothing to rid me of my loneliness. They have done nothing but get on my nerves, talking senselessly. I am not going to waste time because one of them is too weak to keep going!

Narrowing his eyes, he looked onwards. He'd get to the canyon, with or without the insane group of frustrating, crazy vertebrates.

I wish my old pack was still here. They weren't nearly as feather-rippingly aggravating.

A part of him almost felt a bit guilty for his actions. While it was not the case, he had certainly felt abandoned by his friends when they became virals. He knew the pain.

But this? This was different. They were not his friends, not even close. This was not abandonment in any sense of the word- he had warned them, hadn't he? He was not one to wait for idiots like them. He was a rogue, and was not planning to replace his old pack like most raptors would. Yes, he had been in other packs previously, but it wasn't the same, not even close. His last pack was filled to the brim with warmth, warmth he had never known previously. He was nothing like other raptors, they had not experienced what he had experienced, so there was no way they would understand why he can't just 'let it go'. Other raptors would—

A tweet. It echoed through the forest eerily, ringing in Black Talon's ears. He knew that sound. He had heard it before. And the last time he did, it had been...

... On that day...

He shuddered.

No... NO... The blood... The blood... No... I can't... Somethings going to happen, isn't it? It always does. Just when I think I'm safe, I... Life is just laughing at my misery, isn't it? Laughing at my terror. It wants me to suffer and die, doesn't it? Well, I won't... If I go back, then my chances of survival might increase since I'm surrounded by other beings which the virals could pick off. Will that make Life happy? Will that stop it from tormenting me?

He growled softly, hoping Life would hear it.

Then, he turned back, angrily stomping to where he had come from. The wind whistled carelessly, ruffling the raptors feathers as he snorted in annoyance. He could see them now, hidden by some trees- Sharp Claw still urging Midnight to get up, Leafie trying to help, Fuzzy watching with concern, and Fern Foot trying to comfort the upset juvenile. It looked very ridiculous to him.

'She just needs water,' He walked in on the scene. Sharp Claw looked up at him with wide, shocked eyes.

'You came back!'

'Fern Foot and I will go and bring some back for her. Stay here. Cover yourselves with mud and leaves, it will be hard for another creature to find you,' Black Talon ignored Sharp Claw's happy chirps.

'I knew you weren't all that bad! Believed in you, see. Now let's go,' Fern Foot smiled.

Black Talon nodded at him, and the two set off. They could both smell the faint scent of a cool stream- somehow, they would have to get water from it to Midnight. The forest trees loomed over them, like they were observing them carefully. Fern Foot had always liked trees- they provided him company, in a way. He looked around, almost carelessly, as if there was no virus anywhere. It was more like he was watching the beauty of the world around him rather than keeping out a wary eye, like the dark raptor next to him was.

Fern Foot did not really know what to think of Black Talon. He was very... different from other raptors. He was cold and acted quite arrogant, though Fern Foot felt like there was a bit more to him than that. It was a gut feeling, not supported by much evidence, but his instincts were very strong. He felt that, maybe, it was all just an act, concealing a deep fear or vulnerability.

Even if Black Talon was rather flawed, Fern Foot did not dislike him, not at all. In fact, his respect for him grew upon his return. Fern Foot was one to believe that there was something good in all living beings, and Black Talon was not an exception.

'So, you lost someone special to you, from what I heard back there,' Black Talon said.

Fern Foot looked at his ally. The raptor looked like he was trying to control something deep inside of him, though he was not doing a very good job of it. Fern Foot could see subtle movements signifying certain things- a slight tremble, wide, hard eyes, ruffled feathers.

He must be trying to talk to me to get his mind off something deeply troubling... Fern Foot thought, scanning the small raptor with curiosity.

'Yes, I did,' He said.

For a moment- just a small moment- Fern Foot heard Black Talon's breath shudder. It was a quiet, almost unnoticeable sound, but it was there.

Something really is troubling him...

'Do you... do you ever find yourself missing them?' He asked another question.

'Of course. Why are you asking me this?'

Black Talon remained silent.

'Have you lost someone too?'

Black Talon remained silent. I have lost a few.

Of course he has... Fern Foot thought sympathetically, as a surge of empathy filled up his chest.

'Do you want to talk about it to me?'

Black Talon sighed. 'It's difficult to explain... I used to be in a pack, and some of them were very special to me. I had them, they had me, but...'

Why am I telling him this? I don't think I can trust him. Can't trust anyone. Black Talon instantly stopped before he allowed himself to lose his composure.

Fern Foot looked at him, his eyes looking somewhat sad almost. Black Talon mentally called himself an idiot for allowing himself to vent out to someone else. How could he do something so impulsive, so stupid? Had the years of keeping everything inside not been enough?

Was he reaching his breaking point?

'Well, Black Talon, I know it's hard. But eventually, you'll have to let go.'

Black Talon shook his head, irritated. You don't know what I've been through. You don't know anything. Your advice is easier said than done.

'I'm sure you'll be able to do it. You're strong, I can sense it.'

That's a lie. I am weak. Physically, maybe I am strong, but not emotionally. I just want it all to stop.

'Right now, you are in a pretty bad position, but so is everyone else. We're all stressed, afraid, anxious. We're all in the same situation.'

No, we're not. You don't know half the story. You don't know the kind of thoughts I have, the self-hatred, the wish to not be alive. You have no right to say such a thing, unless you have experienced the kind of thoughts that I have.

'Don't say that to me... you know nothing.'

Fern Foot's eyes widened a bit. He was only trying to comfort the small raptor, but it seemed to be backfiring.

'I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you like that,' He said, choosing his words carefully.

They just so happened to be the exact words Fleet Claw had once used for Black Talon.

Black Talon stayed silent. His soul was burning, but he did not react- he was not currently at the irrational level where anything could set him off. He was able to realise Fern Foot was not purposefully trying to make him uncomfortable- something he would not have understood if he was trapped in one of his more emotional states, so Fern Foot had been lucky that Black Talon was not in one of his 'moods'.

'Here we are,' Fern Foot announced. In front of them was a small stream of ice blue water. Moss grew around its edges, and tiny little fish occasionally passed through, off on a journey of their own.

'We should take some of the moss- it must have absorbed some of the water, so it'll be good for Midnight.'

'First, I'm taking a drink...' Black Talon mumbled, lowering himself and lapping up some of the water. It was cool and refreshing, filling him up with pleasure. When he rose back up, he saw Fern Foot with large clumps of moss dripping with water sitting on his jaws.

'Well?' He said with a full mouth.

Black Talon lowered himself again and ripped off large pieces of the green from the surrounding rocks. They were damp, and tasted rather bitter in his mouth, but he forced himself not to gag.

'Let's go,' He tried not to choke as he said that. And so, the two turned, and began to head back.

Fern Foot seemed far too friendly to be the honest, pure creature he presented himself to be- at least, that was how Black Talon felt about him.

With little warning, The Thoughts suddenly came.

I hate myself I am pathetic I am worthless I am useless I am a burden I make everything worse I am being ripped apart they all abandoned me they never cared no one cares I can't trust anyone anymore I'm being ripped apart I'm being punished Life is punishing me what's the point why me why does this all have to happen to me when will it end when will it end why—

'Have you ever hated anyone, Fern Foot?' Black Talon blurted, almost out of the blue. He couldn't allow The Thoughts to overtake him, to scream their words of hatred. He had to distract himself.

Fern Foot giggled, taken by surprise. 'Not really. Some are unpleasant, but I don't hate them. I don't even dislike them. They're just themselves, and I'm me. Have you ever hated someone?'

In normal circumstances, Black Talon probably would not have replied. But he had to talk. He had to keep this going. If he didn't, The Thoughts would scald him like the lava from an erupting volcano.

'Many. There was even one I hated in my last pack. His name was Bark Scale. When I joined, he didn't seem to like me very much. I for one, hated his aura. He was also a bit of a sadist- and I can't stand sadists. I remember how once, he was torturing this little fish for nothing more than fun... poor thing was gasping, writhing around and in so much pain. He was just stabbing at it with his claws, laughing, and I couldn't just watch. I quickly shoved the fish away from him and into the stream, and attacked him. I came close to ripping out his arms for his actions. My three frie— '

Black Talon stopped for a moment.

'... Allies came and stopped me. They had to explain that, in a pack, we didn't attack each other like that, even when we disagreed with what the other was doing. I just told them I didn't care one bit, and went back to trying to attack Bark Scale, while they tried holding me back. Then the old alpha, Quick Blade, comes along, and he's quite angry. In fact, he's really angry. He nearly threw me out of the pack, though luckily, my fr... allies came to my defence and convinced him not to do so. I still despised Bark Scale, though, for as long as I was in the pack.'

Fern Foot looked as if he hadn't fully understood what Black Talon was saying, though the dark raptor did not care. He had to talk, it was the one way to distract him.

'That was interesting, Black Talon,' Fern Foot nodded, a bit surprised by how long the detached raptor had kept talking for.

Almost instantly, Black Talon regretted everything he had said. Yet again, he had impulsively spewed out his thoughts and feelings to someone he barely knew. How pathetic.

'You're back!' Sharp Claw quickly bounced up while the two adult raptors strode in. He was covered in mud and flora, and seemed to have helped smother the others in it as well. 'I did as you told me,' He grinned, as if he expected Black Talon to be proud of him. 'Nothing even came close to finding us!'

'Well done,' Fern Foot nodded in approval, dropping the ball of moss in front of Midnight. Black Talon remained silent, and carefully, placed his moss near the young Triceratops' beak. Weakly, she leaned forwards and took one in her mouth, sucking on it.

'Thank you so much!' Sharp Claw smiled, as Midnight feebly arose onto her four legs. She looked up at Fern Foot, then her gaze trailed over to Black Talon. She looked him directly in the eye. He shuddered, but did not look away.

'She's saying thank you! I think she trusts you more now,' Sharp Claw's yellow eyes twinkled like the rising sun.

Black Talon stared at her, almost touched, but not quite. He didn't like the way she looked at him. It made him feel very uncomfortable, those eyes reminded him of the way his friends used to look at him before they went viral.

'We should keep moving,' He ordered, with a snort. 'I can smell virals nearby.'

'I do too, we should definitely go,' Fern Foot confirmed.

Perfect timing, Black Talon thought. I have no idea how much more of this I can take.