Ryker looked back towards Eke when he came back and said what he did.

He stepped away from the food and made his way over.

Once he was close enough, he placed his hands on Eke's shoulders.

"....Eke..." he said.

"You're going through a lot. I understand." he told him.

"But all right. Give me 5 minutes to get things ready."

"Eke!?" Ryker exclaimed.

"Eke, what was that? What happened?" he asked, his concern more than evident.

"It felt like you almost collapsed." he said.

"...Eke?" he then asked.

"Eke, can you hear me? Or make out what I'm saying?" he asked further.

".....that.... might be a big deal..." Ryker commented.

"It might be your body trying to tell you something." he said.

"Eke, you might need more than a shrink if this goes on."' he continued.

"You may need a doctor at this rate." he said.

"...Eke, I'm worried about you." he then admitted quietly.

Ryker had followed Eke out of concern, but picked up the pace when the fight had started. And when he got close, he saw the other dragon on the ground, bleeding.

"What the HELL!?" he exclaimed, rushing towards the downed dragon.

"Oh my god!" he exclaimed further, as he pressed his hand against the wound. As he did so, dark energy started to glow around the hand.

"Eke, I can stop the blood flow, but you need to call an ambulance!" he told Eke.

"NOW!"

Eke continued to hear scuffling, hustling, and bustling outside, before the sirens stopped, and the lights dissipated. There was silence for another moment, before he heard footsteps coming towards him.

"Eke?" Ryker said, knocking on the door.

"He'll be fine." he told him.

"It just bled a lot. But you didn't hit anywhere major or vital." he assured him.

"But you're going to need to give a small statement as to what happened."

"Eke!" Ryker called in.

"......." there was then silence, before he heard some more talking.

"Please. You have to understand that he didn't mean it. Literally." he said to... someone.

"He's been under a lot of stress, he hasn't been eating properly, and we're both pretty sure he has some undiagnosed mental issues... that's what he was leaving to do. Find a doctor that can help with that." he said further.

"Hmmm." another, deeper male voice responded.

"I understand, but a statement WILL be needed very soon." he said.

As Eke ran, he passed Ryker and an officer.

"Eke! Wait!" Ryker called out.

"STOP!" the officer ordered as he started to give chase.

"Stop where you are!" he demanded as he followed, signaling to other officers.

"Do not make this worse for yourself!"

"HALT!" the officer yelled... but it was too late.

Eke was soaring into the sky.

The officer was getting smaller and smaller as he rose into the air.

And so was Ryker.

Ryker, who was just standing there, watching Eke flee.

There was nothing he could do for him... it seemed Eke didn't want to listen to anyone now...

As he sat there, sobbing, he heard something.

Something in the distance, but it was still fairly close.

A howl. A wolf's howl.

Eke was in the woods now, and this was a hunting ground for the lupines.

And who knew when they would come after him...

Ryker didn't answer.

He wasn't there.

And the howling continued... but it was starting to get a little louder.

And now Eke was hearing rustling sounds all around him.

They seemed to be coming from everywhere.