Destiny chronicles nine: When Wolves Howl.
By Mouse.

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." -St. John 15:13.

Battlegrounds near the Great Barrier.

The two combatants faced off against each other against a stark background. Asteroids whirled around them, stars flickered behind them and everything was still. It was like the whole universe was holding its breath. The two men were standing about twenty metres apart. One was dressed in the outfit of a blue ninjetti, with the emblem of a wolf on its chest. He was about twenty-five years old with shoulder length blond hair. His clear blue eyes were full of pain and determination. Over the last nine months he had seen five of his friends, and his wife, fall to the evil doings off his opponent and he was determined to avenge them.

His opponent looked the same age, but in fact was older than time itself. He was roughly the same height and had brown hair and dark eyes. His eyes had seen and done a lot, and he was evil incarnate. He had escaped from his prison of behind the great barrier and had begun attacking the Power Rangers. He had killed six of them and totally destroyed the planet Triforia. He knew that he was evil, and after meeting and speaking with one of the pink rangers, had began to doubt his motives for the first time in a millennia. But still, he was determined that he would prevail.

Nodding to each other they both began incantations. A ball of bright blue energy formed in front of the blue ranger, and a ball of pure darkness in front of Dathan. Without further ado, the balls of energy flew out towards each other and the battle had begun.

* * *

Phaedos.

"Where is he Dulcea?"

"He asked that I did not tell you. I gave him my word. I will not break it." Jason paced up and down in front of her, clearly angry. The angriest anyone had ever seen him. Zhane stepped forward and stopped him pacing.

"I'm sure he thinks he's doing the right thing. Think about it Jason. Over the last couple of days we've lost three rangers. I've gotten to know Bill pretty well and I think I know what he's doing. He's not prepared to loose anyone else, he's trying to save us all."

"By killing himself in the process! No! I won't accept that!" Zhane sighed and looked over at Trini. She nodded and came over to take his place with Jason. She turned him to face her and spoke softly to him.

"Jason. We can do nothing at the moment. Bill is doing what he thinks is right. You want to help him, we all do. This isn't just his fight; it's everyone's. But this isn't helping us, we have to think and try and figure out where he's gone. You know it's wrong to ask Dulcea to break her word." He bowed his head and sighed. When he spoke his voice was thick with suppressed grief and worry.

"I can't let him face this alone. He's lost his wife, and his friends. He doesn't have to go through this alone." Adam stepped forward and looked at his leader.

"Jason, you know Bill, if he's hurting or upset, trying to get him to talk about it is like trying to get blood from a stone. He just wont says anything until he's ready. But one thing is certain, were going to make sure that he realises he's not alone, in any of this." Jason wordlessly put his hand on Adam's shoulder and nodded. He took a deep breath and looked at the assembled rangers.

"Okay. Let's get ready to break camp. I want us ready to go within the hour." The remaining rangers nodded and moved off. Jason followed Trini into the cave they were using as a medical bay. Leo was sitting watching Andros and Kim, both of them still unconscious. Carlos had woken earlier and she had let him leave, with the proviso that he takes it easy for a couple of days. He was on crutches as well for his broken ankle. Trini checked the monitors and looked over at Leo.

"Any change?"

"Andros started stirring a couple of minutes ago. I think he might be coming out of it."

"I hope so. We need everyone we can get at the moment." Trini moved over to examine him and Jason went over to look at Kim. She had been knocked unconscious and had suffered a broken ankle in the explosion that had killed her husband Tommy and Cassie, another pink ranger. Trini, the team's doctor, had said the longer she's asleep, the better she will heal. She looked over at the two red rangers.

"Looks like Andros is waking up. Leo, can you get Zhane and Karone for me please?"

"Sure." He grabbed his crutches and started to leave the cave and was almost knocked over by Zhane and Karone coming into the cave. Karone reached his side first.

"He's waking isn't he?"

"How did you know? He's only just started stirring."

"I can feel him again, in here." She touched her head. She picked up his hand and stroked his hair lovingly. The Red Astro ranger had been in a coma for almost two months since taking a blast meant for Karone. Trini had been really worried about him and so had his sister and his best friend. He slowly opened his eyes and smiled at his sister.

"Hi Karone."

"Oh Andros, you're going to be okay." She started shedding tears and Zhane came and stood behind her, looking down at his friend. He rested his hands on her shoulder to comfort her.

"Hey my friend, glad to have you back with us."

"Glad to be back. How long have I been out?"

"Two months." He blinked slightly and then swallowed.

"Two months?" They both nodded. He went silent for a moment and then his eyes sought out those of his beset friend. "Now I know how you felt all this time." Zhane just nodded and Trini came over.

"Okay, he needs his rest. I want all of you out of here. You can come back later." They just nodded and smiling at Andros they left him alone. Leo followed them out and Jason moved over to Andros. The two red rangers looked at each other for a moment. Andros broke the silence.

"How many?"

"Four." If Jason was surprised that Andros was asking the question he didn't let it show. In the short time he knew the Astro Ranger he had come to respect him and his various talents.

"Who?" He seemed to be stealing himself for the news. Jason took a deep breath and spoke quietly, pain filling his voice.

"T'Risa we lost to the Great Barrier. TJ was pushed off a cliff last week saving Kim. Tommy and Cassie we lost yesterday in an explosion fighting Rocknies on Vega Nine." He closed his eyes as he heard the news about his fellow team members.

"Did any off them suffer?"

"No. It was quick, for all of them."

"Good. I'm glad. No one deserves to suffer. How's everyone else?"

"Well, Kim's unconscious, she was injured in the blast that killed Tommy and Cassie. Carlos has a couple of broken ribs and a broken ankle. Leo's got a broken leg. Basically everyone's okay." Andros looked at the ranger's leader.

"There's something else, something you're not telling me." Jason sighed and sat down beside his fellow ranger. Trini moved away to give them some privacy.

"Last week Dulcea successfully finished translating the prophecy. Basically it foretold the death of two black, two red, one blue, one pink and one yellow ranger. The only one we haven't lost is a yellow ranger. Everyone was a bit freaked by it but everyone was adamant to stay and fight." He bowed his head in grief. He continued on, pain filling every word, baring his soul to a fellow red ranger and former leader. "This is all my fault. If I had been a better leader they wouldn't have been killed." Andros reached out his hand and placed it on Jason's shoulder. When he spoke his voice was grief filled and tired.

"Jason, none of this is your fault. If they were fated to die, then they fulfilled the purpose for what they were born for. Their deaths had honour and meaning. You mustn't forget that." His hands dropped down the effort of speaking tiring him. Trini moved over and looked down at him.

"That's enough for now, Andros needs his rest." Jason smiled at his wife and stood up. He looked down at Andros.

"You get better. We need you." Andros just nodded and closed his eyes. Jason left the cave and approached the assembled rangers. They had gathered to hear the good news about Andros waking. He looked over them and made a decision, his heart wrenching as he made it.

"We're going to wait until morning before we leave. Give Andros time to rest, I'm sure we all want him to come with us." Smiling faces greeted his words and a couple of the girls went off to get some food together for their evening meal. Jason walked over to the edge of the temple and looked out over the jungle, drawing strength from the peace it made him feel. Silently he murmured a prayer for his friend.

* * *

Battlegrounds near the Great Barrier.

Energy flew everywhere. Blue and black combined flew in many different directions. The two combatants weren't giving an inch in their battle. Neither of them was prepared to quit, they had argued to the terms and both were quieting prepared to die if it came to that. By some unspoken agreement they both stepped away from one another and stopped fighting. Both were breathing heavily and both were a little bit singed around the edges. Dathan sat down and Bill followed suit, sitting not to far away from his opponent.

"This is harder than it looks."

"I know. It's been a long time since I had an opponent as worthy as yourself Blue Mage."

"Thanks, I think." The settled into silence for a few minutes and then Dathan waved his hand and a decanter and two glasses appeared. He reached out and poured them both a drink.

"I don't know about you, but I'm thirsty." He held out a glass to Bill. He looked at it and then shrugging he accepted it.

"Thank you. I am thirsty, this is hard work." Dathan laughed and then sipped his drink.

"I know. It's not the easiest thing I've ever attempted." Bill looked at him and then laughed as well. Now he knew how Kat felt at the unreality of the situation he found himself in. The Dathan that killed his friends and the Dathan he was sitting next to was completely different. Maybe it was Kat's influence. His curiosity getting the best of him, he decided to ask.

"Dathan, can I ask why your doing this? Why you're trying to take over the Universe?" Dathan sighed and looked out at the stars.

"I don't know any more Mage, I really don't." He sat there silent for a moment and then began speaking again. When he spoke his tone was one of infinite regret and sadness.

"I suppose Kathryn told you some of what I told her?"

"Only that she believed you were a good person underneath everything and you had suffered some sort of tragedy that put you on this path."

"That's right. My wife was killed just minutes after we were married. We were at war with our sister planet. I was a Mage trained for the defence of my planet and she was a Healer." He bowed his head in remembrance for a moment.

"That's why you won't hurt a Healer! That's why you let Trini go!"

"Yes. Over all the years and all the things I have done, I have never deliberately hurt a Healer." Bill decided not to bring up the fact that upon destroying Triforia, he had destroyed all their Healers, but somehow he got the impression that Dathan knew that fact anyway. He listened intently as Dathan continued.

"In my quest for revenge, I suppose I went a little mad. After destroying our sister planet I was asked to leave our home, the elders saying I was too powerful to be trusted. They were right but at the time I didn't see that. Anyway I left and began work as a mercenary. Soon I was working for anyone that had enough money to pay me and I lived the life of a vagabond. It was a good life, in it's own limited way, but it wasn't enough. Eventually I came into Dark Spectre's employ, and things went down hill from there. I assume Dulcea and Dimitria have told you the rest?"

"Yes. They mentioned the Accords and your being sent behind the barrier. That wasn't an easy thing to agree to doing."

"I know. But at the time, I was sick of all the fighting and lying, so I thought a rest would do me good. For the first couple of years it was good, but after a few eons when Dark Spectre didn't keep his word and release me I started to get a little angry." Bill laughed slightly at his words. He had heard what Dark Spectre was like direct from Karone recently. They had spent a quiet night together watching Andros after he had been injured. She had told the Blue Mage all about him, trying to push away her fears.

"You expected him to keep his word?" Dathan laughed along with him.

"Not really. I think some part of me was hoping he wouldn't. The rest you know."

"But I still don't know why?"

"I don't know Mage. Maybe because it's that I don't know anything else. I have been plotting revenge and the take over of the universe since I can remember. I just don't know what to do with myself any more." The two enemies sat there in silence, side by side, trying to decide the fate of the universe. Suddenly Bill spoke, wanting to try and understand the person sitting next to him.

"What was she like?" Startled Dathan looked at the young man next to him and saw himself, all those many years ago. He looked away from the pain he saw in Bill's eyes and began speaking.

"She was the most beautiful person I had ever meet. Not only in physical beauty, but her soul was pure and lovely as well. The first time I saw her I blurted out that I was going to marry her. She laughed at me." He smiled slightly at the memory. "Anyway, after hanging around the Seminary were she was doing her training for months, she finally agreed to go out with me for dinner. We never looked back after that. We decided to be married once we both had completed our training. She was a Mage, like us both, but she was a Healer, where as we are both warriors. She turned my world upside down and inside out and I didn't regret a moment of it. She didn't approve of killing, of any killing for any reason, and therefore I didn't as well. I turned my talents to the defence of our planet, not joining in with our warriors attacking our sister planet. Oh my friend, she was my life. The smallest look from her was all I needed to be complete. I would sit for hours upon end, watching her reading, studying or working. I loved the way the sun would glint off her golden hair, the way her eyes sparkled when she laughed and how her body felt against mine at night. I can still feel it all." He bowed his head, remembered grief filling his soul and tears streaming down his eyes. He didn't look up as Bill spoke.

"I only meet T'Risa two years ago, on Eltare. There was just something about her that drew me to her immediately. She could read me like no one has ever done before. She knew my moods, my feelings, knew when I was feeling down and missing my friends and family. Knew when my studies were getting to hard and when I needed a break. She's the only person I've meet that could bully me around and not mind it. I'll never forget the day we discovered our love for one another. She was my teacher in the art of defensive magic. We were experimenting on combining magic and certain substances. The explosion blew out half the building to say the least. Luckily we were the only ones in it at the time. Anyway we were trapped inside for almost a day before they could dig us out. She was hurt badly and I just told her how I felt. Plain and simple. It was the hardest thing I'd ever done but I wasn't going to risk loosing her and her not knowing how I felt about her. We were married two months later, and," he paused, remembered pain marring his memories. Dathan put his hand on the young man's shoulder.

"And?"

"I was the happiest person in the universe when she told me about them. It was something that I'd never been expecting."

"Them?"

"Our children. Twins. A rarity on Eltare. T'Risa thought she couldn't have children due to an illness she had when she was a child. But she had the most beautiful children I have ever seen. A boy and a girl." He smiled at the memories.

"What are there names?"

"We called the son Jason Thomas and our daughter Mary Hope. They are just over a year old now." He stopped speaking, unable to continue and Dathan knew why. He was responsible for those children growing up without a mother. When he spoke, his voice was full of regret.

"Children was something I never got to have, my friend, you are blessed."

"It will be hard for them, growing up without their mother, but I had to do the same. My mother was killed when I was young, at least I have my memories of her." The silence stretched between them, becoming more uncomfortable as time went along. Finally Dathan spoke, breaking the silence.

"If there is one thing I regret the most, it is what has happened to you. No one deserves the pain you are feeling at moment and I have felt."

"Thank you Dathan. You didn't have to say that, but I'm glad you did."

"You are a unique person Blue Mage. You are the only human, ever, to be given the powers of the Wolf and being a Blue Mage as well, is not the easiest combination to hold." Bill dried his eyes and spoke wryly.

"Tell me about it. My studies for the last five years have all been about magic and learning to bring my spirit and soul into harmony with my heart and magic. And then seven months ago my Wolf Spirit was re-joined with me."

"That's the hard thing about being a Mage, the constant study."

"That's the one thing I have a handle on, studying. I was one of the best students at the schools I attended and have a fairly large IQ rating. But still, something's I don't understand."

"And you don't like not understanding things?"

"Exactly. Sometimes my curiosity gets the better of me, but most times it comes in handy." Dathan laughed, joining in the verbal sparring the two of them were enjoying. Suddenly he realised that he really liked the young Mage, and he didn't know what he was going to do.

* * *

Phaedos.

The next morning the remaining rangers assembled. Andros was helped out of the medical cave by Zhane and Karone, still pretty weak but feeling a lot better. Jason had gathered them all together to discuss what they were planning to do. Bill's disappearance weighed heavily on his mind all evening and he was still unsure of their next move. He watched as Leo, Carlos and Andros all sat together, Trini wanting to keep an eye on all of them. Sighing he glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw Dulcea and Dimitria standing either side of him, lending him their support.

"Am I doing the right thing by going to look for him?" Dulcea looked at him and smiled slightly.

"That is for you to decide young Lion. But your heart is full of worry and concern for the Young Wolf, which is to be expected. But this alone you must decide. Know this though Jason, out of all the animal spirit's the Lion leads, and only chooses those who have the courage and strength to lead. Out of all the warriors we have trained and seen, you are the most natural leader we have ever come across. You will do the right thing."

"I hope so. I truly hope so." He sighed and stepped forward to address his companions.

"You all know why we are here. I want to go after Bill, but I have no idea where we should start looking. Most of you have had experience in space, and the rest of us know Bill fairly well. I want some suggestions on what we should do." Everyone was silent while they thought it over. Jason sat down next to Trini on a log near the fire. His mind was racing with thoughts and emotions, he was trying his hardest to control them and Trini seemed to sense this. She put her hands in his and he felt all his cares fade away in the warmth of her love. He looked into her deep, dark eyes and smiled at her. She spoke then, in the same soft, loving tone she always used when he was upset.

"Jason. You can't take responsibility for this, or any other actions that Bill has taken. It's his choice, not yours. He chose to disappear for over two months. He chose to join us in this battle. We all make choices Jason, for some reason known only to himself, he's chosen to go off and face Dathan alone."

"I don't want him to think that facing Dathan alone was his only choice."

"Jason, his only other choice was for us to go with him and you remember the prophecy. If we went with him, one of us would have died. He doesn't want that any more than we do. But for some reason he thinks he can circumvent the prophecy. None of us want to die, but it that's our fate, then so be it. I can accept that. What I can't accept is someone taking that choice away from me. If I'm to loose my life in this fight, fine. I can accept that. Why can't he?" Everyone stayed silent during Maya's outburst. The young woman had been one of the most quietest of the rangers, spending most of her time with Mike, the former Magna Defender and now a Black Ranger. Everyone looked at her, sitting there in stunned silence. She looked at all the faces surrounding her and stood and moved into the middle of the group.

"My people believe strongly in the traditions of prophecy and choices. It goes against everything I was raised to believe to have that choice taken away from me. If I'm the one fated to die, then I accept that. My beliefs accept that. Why can't Bill?" Jason was at a loss for words and looked over at Leo and Mike, they were as stunned as he was. In all the time they had known the yellow Minorian Ranger, she had never done anything like that. Mike went to get up to say something but was stopped by Kendrix. The Pink Ranger got up and walked over to her best friend. Putting her hand on her shoulder she spoke gently.

"Maya, Bill's human like the rest of us. He has suffered a lot and is trying to spare us as much as possible. He didn't want to see anyone die, none of us did. He's trying to protect the rest of us, trying to protect you."

"But I don't want that decision taken away from me Kendrix. I want to do my part!"

"I know you do Maya, more than you think. But Maya, if he succeeds in what he's trying to do, then this will all be over, we can go home. Trust me Maya, going home is just about the only thing that's keeping most of us going at the moment." Maya bowed her head and looked down at her feet.

"I know. I want to go home as well. I'm sorry everyone for my outburst. I didn't mean any harm by it. I was just concerned about everything I suppose." Kendrix hugged her hard and led her back over to where Mike was sitting. He stood and put his arms around Maya and they sat down together, Mike murmuring reassurances to her. Dulcea stepped forward.

"How many of you feel that way? That the Wolf Mage has taken the choice out of your hands." The rangers looked around at one another and then a few of them stepped forward. Justin was first.

"I don't know him that well, and I have spent a good half of the time in this war healing, but he saved my life. I owe him and he's not giving my the chance to repay him." Kai spoke next, standing next to his fellow Blue Ranger.

"I am not prepared to just abandon anyone here, and I want to be able to choose my destiny. That's what this is all about isn't it? Everyone choosing their destiny?" Silence descended over the group and then Karone spoke up.

"Some of us haven't had the ability to choose our life's path like most of you. To have this choice taken away from us, it's not right. I want to be able to fight in this battle. I want to be able to know, deep down in my heart, yes I have followed my destiny. Even though the prophecy stated what colour rangers would die, that doesn't mean that they will now does it?" Rocky jumped to his feet.

"Hang on Karone, everything that dammed prophecy has said has come true. It told about Trey's death, and the others. It told us that Bill was going to mourn for an awful long time. It told us that the final battle is going to be on the eve of the new millennium. In case none of you have noticed, it's only September and the new millennium isn't for another three and a half months. Has it occurred to any of you that he's trying to circumvent the prophecy?" It was the day for stunned silences, as it hadn't occurred to any of the others. If it had, they hadn't realised it yet. Carlos looked over at Dulcea.

"What happens if the prophecy is circumvented?" Dulcea shuddered and looked at Dimitria. The Inquitian moved beside her friend.

"Chaos. Total, utter, complete chaos that the Universe will never recover from."

* * *

Asteroids near the Great Barrier.

The two combatants had rested themselves well. They had talked about inconsequential things until both of them felt ready to continue their battle. Bill turned to Dathan.

"Tell me something I'm curious about. Did your copy of the prophecy suddenly translate itself a few days ago?"

"Yes it did. It foretold of our final battle on the eve of the new millennium, and what colour rangers would fall. I always wondered about that though."

"Wondered what?" "Why it specified what colour ranger's would fall." They fell silent for a moment.

"I don't know. Maybe only the prophet who wrote the prophecy does. Maybe even the universe doesn't know why. I don't know." He sighed and Dathan flashed him a wry grin.

"Frustrating as hell ain't it?"

"Yep." They both laughed, for a moment forgetting they were enemies and by all rights were supposed to be fighting one another. The laughter died away and abruptly Dathan stood.

"I'm sorry Blue Mage. But I can't do this now. I can't sit here and destroy you."

"Well, try to destroy me."

"Exactly. I'm not sure what my destiny holds, or yours. But when we do meet again, I have the feeling it will be for the last time. Goodbye my friend." Bill leapt to his feet but he was to late, Dathan had disappeared.

"Dam." With a wave of his hand a blue ball of engergy flew out and destroyed an unoffending rocky outcropping.

"Does that make you feel any better?" He whirled at the sound of the voice, his face going pale.

"Not really. But it helps somewhat. What are you doing here T'Risa? I thought you were in the barrier?" The shade of his wife moved over and sat down, beckoning him to sit as well. She smiled at him and his heart leapt once more.

"I am a part of the Barrier my William, but I am still mostly here in spirit. I thought you would know that Wolves mate for life. No matter what, some part of me will always look out of you, and look after you. For awhile at least."

"Why for awhile? Can't you stay like this for longer?" She shook her head.

"No my love, I can't. The energy required for me to appear to you like this is more than I can spare really. I can only stay for a few minutes before the Barrier will drag me back. My essence I suppose you could say, is the only thing that is holding the Barrier together at the moment. Once the battle between you and Dathan is over on the Eve of the Millennium then maybe my soul can rest."

"But I don't want you to leave Tee, I want you to stay with me for the rest of my life. I want us to be together."

"I know my love, and that was my wish as well. But the universe needs us both to be strong."

"I know Tee, I know. It's just hard. I suppose you know what's happened to the others?"

"Yes. And I know what you were attempting to do my William. But it was the wrong thing to try. You don't know how lucky you were when Dathan decided to stop this fight. If you had continued on with this course of action, and had defeated him, then the universe would have been destroyed. The chaos would have been so bad, that the universe would never have recovered from it." He stared at her in horror, the knowledge of what might have happened washing him over him making him shake in fear of what might have been.

"Oh my god. What did I do?"

"Nothing my love. The pair of you stopped yourselves before any damage was done to the universe." He looked down at his hands, his thoughts racing over what he had almost done. It was then that her words registered.

"Have I done some damage somewhere else that I don't know about?"

"Your friends, especially Jason, are so concerned for you but don't know where to look for you, are beginning to show the signs of strain. The loss of your three companions over the last two weeks has brought things to a head my love. You have to go to Phaedos and make them see you were trying to do the right thing. Open up to them my love, it is the only way that they will see the truth. That you and Dathan are just following your destiny. Will you do this for me my love?" He thought it over for a moment and then looked at the shade of his dead wife.

"I have closed myself off from them, haven't I?" She just looked at him, raising one eyebrow. He flashed a quick grin at her and stood. "Okay Tee, you win. I'll let them know what's going on."

"Good. I love it when I win. When you return to Phaedos, you may face some unpleasant tasks my love, but take heart in the knowledge it is for the greater good."

"Will I see you again?"

"Maybe, who knows. Remember though we are mated for life my love, I will always be with you, in one form or another. Take care of the children for me, and tell them that I love them, always."

"I will Tee. I love you." Her shade started fading, but this time he found that he wasn't full of despair and grief but just of infinite sadness and emptiness. One day they would be together again, he just had to wait.

"I love you my William." She faded away and he took a deep breath. He looked down and saw that his ninjetti uniform was dirty and singed. With a thought it was clean and new again. Sighing, he knew he would have to face his friends. Taking a deep breath he concentrated and was soon gone in a flash of blue energy.

He arrived back on Phaedos and hid in the shadows for a moment. He knew the Dulcea would sense him there, but he wanted to get the gist of what was going on first, as he could see the others gathered together talking. He listened at Rocky's outburst and then Dimitria's calm assessment of what would happen if they fought. He decided that he had put them through enough and walked into the clearing.

"You don't have to worry about the universe ending. I'm back." Everyone looked at him to see what was going on and who had spoken. Quite a few of them jumped up smiling at the Blue Ranger. Jason beats all of the others to him by a hare.

"Bill! I'm so glad your all right! I have been so worried about you it's not funny." He looked at his oldest friend and could see the pain and worry in his eyes and winced at what he had inadvertently done to his oldest friend. He clasped him by the arms and smiled at him.

"I'm so sorry Jason. I wasn't thinking too clearly, I was just acting on impulse. Something I've never done before. I just wanted to stop the dying."

"I know Bill, I know. But you could have told me." The hurt was evident in his voice and Bill winced again at the pain he had caused.

"I'm sorry Jason, more than you can know. But I certainly have some things to tell you guys." Jason nodded and moved back slightly. Bill was then surrounded by his friends and for a few minutes let himself feel the joy that there were extruding that he was back safe. He saw Andros sitting next to Carlos and Leo and smiled. He genuinely liked the former Astro ranger and was pleased to finally see him awake. He saw Dulcea walking towards him and the others sensed it and moved out of the way. He bowed his head to her.

"Dulcea. Thank you for keeping your word."

"I could do no less for you Young Wolf." She smiled and he knew then that she understood he had to do something. He turned to look at his friends and Adam came up to him smiling.

"It's about time you got back. It's your turn to cook lunch!" They all laughed and moved into the clearing, gathering around in-groups and just enjoying the fact that he was back. Jason hung back slightly and Trini came over to him.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, I am. Now I know he's safe. Now we can plan our next move properly." She smiled at her husband and they both looked up as Rocky yelled out.

"Hey, if you don't get over here you're going to miss his cooking!" Laughing they moved to join their friends.

End chapter ten.

In chapter ten the Rangers plan for the last final battle while they lick their wounds. And Dathan makes a decision about what he wants, finally.

or.