[Gale POV]

I was heading to the barracks to see if the scouts had returned when I heard yelling from the gym.

"I swear it happened. I saw it with my own eyes."(voice 1)

"Don't lie. There is no way that happened."(voice 2)

"It did! The wolf was burned to a crisp by a red blur!"(voice 1)

I recognized one of the voices as Ivan, a scout. He was stationed near the Shift, wasn't he? I decided to find out what they were discussing and maybe get some information on the fox I saw. When I entered the room, I saw a 6'2 bald man with brown eyes in a green uniform talking with a 5'10 man with brown hair and eye color to match his hair in the same uniform.

"Hey, what are you guys talking about?"(Gale)

"Ivan made up a story about a blur that saved him."(Voice 2)

"I did not make it up!"(Ivan)

"Alright, enough of that. So Ivan, what happened?"(Gale)

"While we were on patrol, we got attacked by mutated wolves, and everyone else got knocked out. I had to hold the line alone, but I was covered in wounds by then and only killed two before starting to pass out. Before I fainted, a red blur came out of nowhere, and a raging fire of protection burned the last one to ash."(Ivan)

Ivan spoke in such a dramatic way that it would put some theater majors to shame. The red blur interested me.

"What did this red blur look like?"(Gale)

I asked, hoping it was the same fox from earlier.

"Wait, you don't believe him, do you?"(voice2)

"And if I do."(Gale)

I said, annoyed by the interruption.

"Nothing!"(voice2)

He yelped, realizing I was angry about something.

"I think it had two tails, but that is the only thing I could tell."(Ivan)

The fox that took Kim also had two tails. It may be the same one. I may find out more by going to the site.

"Where did this happen?"(Gale)

"I think it was next to a mall by a café in downtown."(Ivan)

Good now I have a place to start looking.

"Thanks, I have to go."(Gale)

"Ok, good luck with your quest."(Ivan)

And with that, I left the gym, heading to my office to read the reports from the scouting mission I requested.

[Kim POV]

"Well, we are lost."(Kim)

I say, looking over the forest we landed in. As it turns out, Jill has zero sense of direction, and I was passed out on our flight to the mountain. So after flying around for hours, I suggested we land and take a break. I also needed time to get my head around everything that happened, and the biggest was Jill.

I said I would find food so I had time to think about my feelings. I've been single all my life! I don't know how to deal with romantic feelings directed at me! I yell internally. It was easy to advise people because it had nothing to do with me! I rub my temples in frustration as I try to figure out how to respond to such feelings. I guess the first question is, what are my feelings on this? And the answer is I don't know! I don't dislike her, but we just met, and I don't even know what romantic love feels like. Ignoring all my internal turmoil, a little monster rabbit attacked me. But unlike before, my transformation was easy to use, and I killed it by cutting off its head. After gathering some fruit and finding clothing Jill could use in a cabin, I headed back, still trying to figure out what to do.

"Welcome back. Did everything go ok?"(Jill)

She asked with a face full of concern.

"Yes, I just thinking about stuff."(Kim)

I said, trying not to worry her.

"You look a little tired. Did you want to talk about it?"(Jill)

Jill's face got closer as she said that, which almost caused me to drop the food I had in my hands.

"I-I-I don't know how I feel!"(Kim)

I shout, suddenly feeling bad for yelling so loud.

"About what?"(Jill)

She looked directly into my eyes as she spoke.

"About you."(Kim)

I said in a voice barely audible.

"What do you mean?"(Jill)

Jill tilts her head in confusion.

"I mean, I haven't even had a girlfriend, and now you come out of nowhere and call yourself my wife."(Kim)

I looked at her face hoping I didn't hurt her feelings, but she looked more confused by my words.

"What's a girlfriend?"(Jill)

My brain stopped at her words, and I tried to figure out how she didn't know what a girlfriend was.

"A girlfriend is a female romantic partner before becoming a wife."(Kim)

I said, embarrassed.

"I thought a wife was the only female romantic partner"(Jill)

She said with her head still tilted.

"Why did you think that?"(Kim)

"Because that was the only word that seemed to fit when I learned from our connection."(Jill)

"You're saying you learn from the connection you have to me"(Kim)

"Yes, though I only know things you know about. And they are only flashes."(Jill)

Her face was full of pride when she explained. But my head was in my hands because my lack of romance led to this embarrassing situation.

"Ahem, so are you still going to call yourself my wife even though we weren't girlfriends yet?"(Kim)

I asked, still unsure of my feelings about everything.

"Do girlfriends promise their lives to each other?"(Jill)

She asked like she was trying to understand the difference.

"No, that is wives."(Kim)

"Then I'm still your wife."(Jill)

Her voice was full of conviction as she answered, which only brought me back to the original problem of my feelings about her.

"Well, I'm still unsure of how I feel"(Kim)

"Do you not like me?"(Jill)

The question made my heart race.

"No, it's not like that. I just don't know if what I feel is love."(Kim)

I say, hoping it doesn't make her sad.

"Then I just need to prove it's love!"(Jill)

She said with confidence.

"Jill, if it's that simple, I wouldn't be worried about this."(Kim)

I tried to explain.

"It is simple if you are feeling love, then you can stop worrying. I only have to prove it is."(Jill)

"And if it's not?"(Kim)

"Then I just have to have you fall for me."(Jill)

I can't win this argument, can I? I think to myself.

"No, you can't"(Jill)

"I forgot about that."(Kim)

After that, she put on the clothes I brought and made a fire. I tried to show her how to cook the meat from the rabbits I hunted earlier. While cooking, I heard her making plans to make me fall for her.