back in his mouth and leveled his head, a serious expression on his face. "...everything but us." He said.

Ami leaned over and nuzzled him.

Nick smiled and dug his nose into her neck.

"I hope nothing ever happens to you." Ami said.

Nick pulled his head back. "You shouldn't talk like that Ami." He said. "Nothing is going to happen to me or you." He smiled. "We're like two shooting stars that no one can stop."

Ami smiled and sighed. "Nick, that's awfully romantic sounding, but we have to be realistic here. There's a war going on, and we're both soldiers..." Ami stopped there, unable, or more likely unwilling to finish that thought.

Nick smiled. "Ami, Aniu could take me home tomorrow and I'd be the happiest wolf to ever have lived."  

"Shhh!" Ami cried. "...don't say such a thing Nick." She buried her nose in his shoulder. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you." Ami turned her head to the side and laid it on her shoulder.

Nick smiled and laid his head on top of hers. He was surprised to feel her shaking beneath him. "I'm sorry Ami, just trying to be realistic."

Ami pulled her head up and kissed him. "Then forget being realistic." She said. Ami laid her head back on his shoulder and wrapped her paw around his back, pulling him close as if she were afraid something might try to take him from her. She sighed. "Nick, it probably wouldn't surprise you to know that there have been others that were... interested in me." She said. "...but none of them were ever like you." She paused and shifted her eyes back and upward to look at him. "I love you Nick."

Nick smiled. "I love you too Ami." He said. He sat up and yawned.

Ami laid back a bit and smiled. "Well this has been really nice." She said. "...but it's getting late and we have a patrol tomorrow. I should probably let you get some

sleep."

Nick smiled and laid his head on her shoulder. "You're right, I am kind of tired, but I might just stay right here."

Ami smiled. "...much as I'd like that I don't think it would be a good idea Nick." She said.

Nick scooted closer to her and closed his eyes.

Ami liked having him close, so she decided she'd wait a moment to bring reality to the situation. She began to think about she and Nick and lifted her head, thinking about their future. As she was pondering this she realized that she liked his body close to her. It made her feel warm, secure...

"...and safe." She thought.

...but she knew that feeling of safety was an illusion. Not so much because of the enemy outside...

"...but those inside." She thought.

Finally she sighed. "Nick, come on, you should go to your chambers." She waited for a moment, but there was no response. She looked down. "Come on Nick, Timbre..."

She stopped mid-sentence.

Nick's eyes were closed and his breathing was slower. He'd fallen asleep on her shoulder. Ami knew that she should wake him, should get him out of her chambers, but instead she smiled and laid her head on top of his, snuggling in close. Ami brought her muzzle close to his ear. "Timbre doesn't matter." She whispered quietly. "...only us."

She closed her eyes and soon she too was sound asleep.

 

Ami awoke the next morning, her head still nuzzled closely to Nick's. She could feel his warm breath on her neck. Ami smiled an snuggled closer, wanting to close her eyes and get back to sleep. She'd slept better last night than she had in a long time. In fact, as long as Nick was there beside her she never wanted to leave her chambers.

"...but we have a job to do." She thought. Ami raised her head and watched him for a moment. He looked so content lying there on her shoulder that she didn't want to wake him. "...but I must." She thought. Ami leaned down and licked his cheek gently a few times.

Nick's eyes fluttered open and he yawned, then looked at her. "...thought you said this wasn't a very good idea?" He asked.

Ami smiled and nuzzled him. "I changed my mind." She said.

Nick nuzzled her back. "I'm glad you did." He said.

Ami stood up. "Well, ready for that patrol?"

Nick stood up and yawned again. "I suppose." He said.

Ami laughed. "Come on sleepy head; you can help me assemble the unit. Achak will be back soon and I'm sure he's ready to be relieved."

Nick nodded. "Probly so, it's a long night on patrol."

Ami nodded back at him. "Well, come on, we better be getting down there." She stepped toward the exit to her chambers and looked around, then she looked back at him. "Come on, it's safe." She smiled. "...sentry must be on the other side of the cave."

Nick joined her outside the chambers and together the two set off to wake the rest of their unit.

 

Ami stood in front of her assembled unit. "Alright, as soon as Achak gets back we're heading out." She said. "Make sure the wolf net to you is your buddy and stick close to them. Things could get nasty while we're out there." She turned and looked at Nick. "Nick, you're my executive officer, stick close. If I fall you're in charge."

Nick started to say something and then stopped and nodded. "Yes ma'am." He said.

Ami turned around and saw Achak walking up to her. His unit stood at the entrance to the cave.

"Ami, I wonder if I might have a word with you." He said.

Ami nodded. "Sure Achak." She said. She turned back to the group. "Nick, take charge of the unit and make sure they are ready to depart. I'll be back shortly."

"Yes Ma'am." Nick said.

Ami turned and followed Achak to a room off the main chamber, then she stopped. "Anything out there last night?" She asked.

Achak shook his head. "...not that we could see." He said. "Looks like a lot of tracks headed away from here. I'm going to report it to the Alpha."

Ami nodded. "So, what did you want to talk about?" She asked.

Achak sighed. "Well Ami, I understand that Timbre caught you in a rather disreputable position yesterday."

Ami shook her head. "No, as I told Timbre, we were only training. Nick asked for some help and I was showing him some techniques."

Achak shook his head and looked at her.

Ami sighed.

"...come on Ami, admit it." Achak said.

Ami looked away for a moment and then looked back at him. "Okay, so maybe we were just wrestling for the fun of it, that's not a crime is it?"

"No," Achak said. "...no its not, but engaging in familiar realtions with a subordinate is, and you know that."

Ami sighed and looked at the ground. "...I... I know." She said.

"What are you thinking Ami?" He asked. "How long did it take you to make Lieutenant, how hard did you have to work?"

"...pretty hard." Ami said.

"...and if Dash finds out about this then you could lose it all. It it worth it?"

Ami looked up at him and nodded. "Yes it is." She said. "I love Nick."

Achak shook his head. "If you really loved him you wouldn't put him in the position you have now." He said.

"What position?" Ami asked, her voice rising a bit. "I've done nothing to force anything on him. He came to me."

Achak nodded. "That may be true Lieutenant, but you are the ranking officer. You are the one in charge. It's your duty to stand up and tell him why you two cannot be together."

Ami shook her head. "...when I'm off duty there is no rank between Nick and I Achak."

The large wolf shook his head. "Ami, the rules are made for a reason. You have to know that. You have to. What if your relationship with Nick causes you not make the right decision sometime and that gets someone in your unit killed?"

"That won't happen." Ami said. "I won't let it."

Achak shook his head. "You say that now, but can you really order him into a situation that he may not come out of alive? hm? What if that one sacrifice saved the team enough time to return back from their patrol before the enemy caught up with them, and Nick was the best one for the job? ....could you still send him?"

Ami's lower lip trembled and she started to speak, then stopped and looked away from him.

"...that's what I thought Ami." He said. "You have to be a soldier first, even though your heart wants to lead you astray. You've got to reign it in with this..." He tapped her in the side of the head fairly hard with his paw. "...to overcome that." He placed his paw on her chest and pushed her backward a bit. "There is no room in war for emotion Ami." Achak said. "...emotion gets others killed."

Ami hung her head. "...so, are you going to tell Dash?"

Achak shook his head. "No, I was specifically told not to. So I won't. Besides, I think you should be able to make the decision on your own. From what I've seen you're a good Lieutenant. You shouldn't throw it away."

Ami shook her head and turned around. She looked out the chamber entrance and saw Nick standing in front of her unit. She knew in her heart that Achak was right.

Then she spun around. "Say Achak, weren't you with a red and white dog when you came here?" She spat the words at him.

"...she's a wolf/dog." He said. "...and yes, her name is Kiona."

Ami smiled. "I can tell by your defense of her that you care for her." She said. "...mate?"

Achak didn't answer.

Ami nodded. "...thought so." She said. "Look Achak, how would you like it if someone just up and told you that you couldn't be with your pretty little wolf/dog anymore, would you be a good little soldier and follow orders?"

Achak felt fire ignite behind his eyes. He idly scraped his paws against the ground and remained silent.

Ami shook her head. "...I didn't think so." She said. "...look Achak, the Talbourne has no ***** right to tell me with who and why I can fall in love. It's none of their concern. I'm not going to let it affect my leadership, or my unit's efficency. ...back off."

Achak shook his head. "You're making a mistake Ami." He said. "...but I suppose you're just going to have to learn the hard way."

Ami scoffed. "...and

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