Alyxander set to helping other soldiers around the camp with their shelters before even thinking of building his own. The wind was bitterly cold, he had to admit, even for someone who had no sense of temperature. Vampires were immune to mild weather so long as they didn't stay outside in such weather during the day. After a little bit of trying to build his own shelter, he decided it would be better to have a guard than everyone be asleep; sleep wasn't necessary for him, he just liked to feel like he was still at least partly human. The boy climbed up onto a high branch in a tree out-skirting the camp. From there he would be able to see danger coming from a while away.<br/><br/>Alyx was nervous and a bit frightened himself. The only reason he had ever been trained to fight at all was to be a soldier for Lord Draco's army. An enemy that would have been unstoppable if given the chance to be at full strength. But he had failed the test that would have allowed him to be in such a high position. Alyxander had been brutally beaten in a pit fight after refusing to harm his opponent. Past that point, his master and mistress were displeased with him and weary of what they'd taught him. Still, as a last task, to see if he had just not been ready or if he truly would never be, he was told to kill someone. A young peasant girl whom had been caught stealing a loaf of bread. Such a tiny crime, he'd thought, and an eternal punishment. The boy refused of course. He couldn't bring himself to kill an innocent victim. Yet now he was going to have to fight against the army he'd bee trained to march alongside with.<br/><br/>He could do it, he knew he could.<br/><br/>Alyx's mind thought back to Kate. He was fighting for her, for the safety of her loved ones. If he failed, she and the entire household would be in grave danger. He could not allow that to happen. But what about John? The boy already hated him, yet they were to be partnered come morning. It wasn't that Alyxander had any ill-will towards him... he was worried that Johnathan my try attacking him or make some rash, quick decision to give himself all the glory when the battle is won. However, such an action would surely cause their defeat, as well as his death. That was to be avoided. There was a secret reason that only he knew as to why he didn't trust in John. Being a pit fighter, the slightly older boy had much more experience at this. If Alyxander seemed weak, or ended up injured, his colleague would just leave him for dead; that was the way of the pits, as Alyx knew all too well from that one time before. There was no point wasting yourself for someone already doomed to lose the battle. However, Alyxander had no intention of abandoning anyone. He was going to protect his new life, his new home and family even if it cost him his last breath to do so.