Smith collapsed to the ground: hungry, dehydrated, and exhausted.

A warm bed, and some food to make him whole again would do.

He didn't know what time it was but he was sure it had to be in the afternoon based off the sounds of the wildlife. He landed against a fern that provided shade for him. If only he could see the sun of a new day, see the hopeful blue sky, and what he looked like in general. Too long he had seen himself as a tired, irritable, and just about done with everything old man who wanted to go back to the comfort of knowing was going to happen the next day. Sitting in his cell waiting for the scheduled one hour free time on the court yard. His lips were dry as his throat. His thirst had to be clenched one way or another. He heard the sounds of something moving among the foliage.

The dragon hadn't quite left him alone, it appeared.

He was still being followed.

Smith was beginning to hope that he wasn't found.

His family were better off alive rather than dead.

There was a unique type of purring coming from around him.

It was soft and low, gentle to his ears, comforting.

Smith slid himself forward until he landed on a boulder where he fell with the sun beating against him.

He had his face propped against the cool, yet warm rock feeling the temptation of rest drawing him in.

Sleek, warm fur brushed against his bare, uncovered ankles. Smith was thankful that that they had tossed away the practice of cuffing the prisoners ankles while using them to find something. Something large and furry pressed against his face. The purring was getting louder from around him. He was being surrounded by wild cats. It had been a long time since he had seen or heard a cat from around him. Now, he could feel them pressing them against him. His bony, small fingers felt on to the back of the cat feeling the very fine fur that was vibrating. He can feel the center of the cat's back then reached his hands back with a yawn.

He fell into the heavy cloud of rest, snoring away.