The howling continued to grow louder, but still, that was all he heard.

Until he heard something else, in the distance.

"...ke!" he faintly heard.

"....eeke!" it grew louder.

"EKE!" it was Ryker's voice.

"Eeeeke!" he called out further, almost drowned out by multiple howls now.

"EKE!" Ryker called back, his voice getting closer now.

After a bit, Eke looked down, and saw Ryker walking on the forest floor.

"Eke!?" he called out, as there was another howl.

"Oh, not again." he growled.

"MORE wolves!?" he asked.

"Damn it all, EKE!" he then called out again.

Ryker froze where he was... and looked straight up.

"......." he was silent, before looking around and sighing.

"Eke, come down!" he told him.

"There's wolves here!" he said.

"And it's starting to get dark!" he then added.

"Ah, SHIT!" Ryker cursed, as he saw Eke fall.

"Crap, crap, CRAP!" he exclaimed as he got under Eke and tried to catch him as best he could... which ended up with both of them in a heap on the ground.

"...least I cushioned his fall." he mumbled.

He then lifted Eke up onto his back, used his arms under his legs for support, and started to hike on out of the forest.

"Eke, you're... a mess." he commented.

"...but I still love you." he then added quietly.

"It's natural to be scared." Ryker responded.

"And you won't go to jail." he then assured him.

"All this does is force you to get a shrink." he told him further.

"See, this little stunt has convinced them that a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation is needed." he then explained.

"Meaning you can't put it off now, no matter how hard you try." he added with a smirk and a chuckle.

"You're going to get the help you need." Ryker told him.

"Help that you've probably needed for a very long time." he went on.

"I'm sorry I didn't see it before." he then sighed.

"It got THIS bad... right under my nose." he lamented.

"I'm sorry I failed you in that regard, Eke."

Ryker just sighed.

"They were very insistent upon it." he told him.

"So... I'm sorry. But this is happening now." he said.

"But... they'll make sure you get the help you desperately need." he then assured Eke.

"They'd better, anyway." he continued, but in a lower tone.

"If I hear of mistreatment or abuse, they'll answer to US." he snarled.

Ryker was... torn now.

Seeing Eke like this was tearing him apart, and his other side was threatening to bust loose and destroy them all... but he was somehow managing to keep him down.

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

"I'll come visit! I promise!" he declared.

"Please! Just endure this for now!" he pleaded.

"I swear! I wouldn't let them do this if it wasn't for your own good!" he then said. "Please believe that!"

Ryker, on the other hand, kept trying, day after day, to see him.

However, they were refusing to let him see Eke.

He kept being told that Eke was in a delicate state right now, and they were testing for 'X-factors' that might be contributing to his behaviour.

Ryker know what that meant.

He knew they were checking to see if Eke's problems were HIS fault.

But he wondered why they were so adamant about it... why were they being separated like they were...?

After the orderly had told Eke he had a visitor, they revealed who it was, letting them step into view.

"Oh my god!" Ryker said upon seeing him.

"What the...?" he muttered, before shaking his head.

"Thank you." he then told the orderly, clearing his throat a little.

"Eke, they're finally letting me see you!" he then said to Eke.