I woke at an unknown time later, groggy and with a pounding head and aching back. I slowly opened my eyes, only to find myself unable to see, and I began to panic until I saw something move in the darkness, which did nothing to help my fear, only transfer it from being blind to now being terrified of the unknown.

I was about to get up, when the strangest thing occurred; the ground moved beneath me, but yet nothing rumbled and shook. I was puzzled, as now I was completely lost as I placed my hand down to feel a smooth surface, but my jaw dropped as i realized how hot it was, and that I could feel a heartbeat. I was on something living!

I slowly tried to get up , but felt something snake around my waist as I yelped, trying to push it off of him, before hearing as well as feeling a voice from behind him.

"Do not move little one, you are hurt and need care. Now lie down and rest." I heard as I gulped, and quickly lay down, closing my eyes but couldn't sleep, as I trembled at the fact that I was laying on a beast that could gulp him down with no issue.

"Sleep little one, sleep..." He whispered, as I felt his maw press against my head, which surprisingly calmed me, as I closed my eyes for real, and slowly fell asleep.

The next morning I felt my bed slowly stir below me, as he gripped tightly, but found myself unable to grab anything on the smooth surface, as my eyes shot open, looking where I had been trying to find with horror I had slept on the belly of the beast all night. But not any beast, but the one whom had spared me in the bus, and now smugly looked down at me.

"Oh I am in deep shit." I said in a voice hardly above a whisper, as I tried to slowly slide off, before I was grabbed by a massive paw.

"No no, you aren't going anywhere" He rumbled, as he placed me onto his belly once more.

"I um, you see, uh..." I stuttered as I froze, gulping hard.

"Say not a thing." He rumbled. "I owe you little human, for what you did." He said, and to my massive shock  brought his massive maw down, and nuzzled me. Of course being the cool collective person I am I passed out cold.

I woke again. Still on his belly, as I slowly stirred, to look up and find  him sleeping deeply. I quickly slid off of him, as I snuck out of the tent he had me in, the size of a circus top I swear. Bright sunlight cast down on me as I squinted, my eyes are adjusting to the harsh and now chilly weather.

Judging by the sun, it was about 3 ish, at least my guess, as he shivered slightly, finding myself in just a pair of ACU bottoms and a tan t-shirt, my pair of boots having red spots on them. Shaking my head, I watched a few humans walk by, and i decided to join in with them, as I reached up to fix my hair to look normal, and found I had gauze wrapped around my head. I quickly yanked it off, tousling my hair as I joined in.

“Who are you?" An older man asked, as he looked about 40 ish, wearing the navy camo, and standing about 6'2 with an unshaven beard.

“I was just told to join you three." I explained, looking to the other two who wore air force uniforms.

“Oh yeah?" One of the air force guys said, as he turned around, and I saw his rank was captain, and I gulped a bit, being a lowly specialist. “What was your unit?" He asked, as he crossed his arms, stopping as the other two followed suit.

“2nd ID, mech infantry. Yours sir?" I fired back, as I looked at him with steel blue eyes, as we were the same height.

He grinned. “Infantry, figures you trying to hide the injury." He said, as he extended his hand. “86th apache group." He said.

I shook his hand, as the other was from the same unit, and the navy man declined to say. “Where are we headed?" I asked curiously.

“We are headed out on a foot patrol with a few of the walkers." The captain said, as he started to walk over to a large building. “You wanna tag along?"

“Oh god please." I said, as they looked at me funny. 'I miss seeing combat." I admitted to cover it up, as an escape plan started to formulate in my mind.

They laughed, shaking their heads. “Figures." They laughed, as they motioned me to follow.

After an hours briefing, we finally got issued our gear; body armor, knee pads, weapons, helmets, and a few other things. I kept my head low around the dragons, and the others chuckled, as they thought it was funny.

“The worst thing they are going to do is put you back in the infirmary." The captain teased, and I smiled, shaking my head, keeping my mouth shut. They left me alone, as we all mounted up into the squad vehicles from before. I plopped in the back of one, keeping my helmet low over my eyes as a large red dragon plopped in the drivers seat.

As we were about to take off, our vehicle having only me and the other dragon in the driver seat, the left side door flung open, as a massive green drake dressed head to toe in a heavy armor plopped down beside me, a machine gun of some sort with him as the entire vehicle rocked. “Goddamn these things are small." H grumbled, as I couldn't help but laugh at the sheer fact that my booted feet didn't reach the floor.

He reached forward, patting the driver on the shoulder as he grunted back. “Hey Brinks." He said, as I gulped, and turned to look out the window. I knew the other dragon well, I just prayed he did not remember me. I quickly pulled up my mask to hide my face, as I gripped my M4 tighter. It was Cordatus mate.

I had managed to stay out of the conversation as the two dragons babbled back and forth, as I continued to gaze out of the tinted windows. I watched tree after tree roll past me, as the beauty of the Pennsylvanian landscape never ceased to amaze me.

“What's your name?" I heard asked, and thought it was a strange question for them to be asking each other as they had been chatting away the whole time. Then I realized; it was for me.

“Um, Geier." I said quickly, my mother's maiden name, as I scratched at the back of my hand, looking in their direction, my blue eyes looking between the two, as we slowed to a stop.

“Decent name." The green dragon rumbled, smiling as he offered a massive paw. “Names Brisk." He said, as I smiled behind the mask, and shook his hand. The other dragon reached back, and offered his hand as I let go of Brink's. “Names Mills."

I shook his paw, right before the world exploded.

I remember feeling weightless, before reality, and the scout vehicle came crashing down in a crumpled mess. Smoke poured out of the engine as I crawled back, the door behind me already having swung open. I felt the paw clutched in my hand, as I coughed. “I will get you out!" I yelled, as I yanked, and found it easier than I thought possible to pull him with me.

I lay on the gravel side, looking for cover, as i called over my shoulder, “I got you big guy." Before coughing  bit from the smoke as shots rained down on us. I finally spotted cover behind another brewing scout vehicle. I pulled him again, finding him light, as I turned to look back to him.

I had been carrying only his severed arm, as his blood stained my boots and pant legs. I scrambled back as I let the arm go, before yanking my mask down, vomiting as shots continued to rain down onto the vehicles. And you want to know the sad part?