The forest seemed at a standstill, dead quiet; save the delicate sound of dainty hoofs on the leaf littered earth. It was the sort of quiet that hung heavy with suspense and Todoroki Shouto couldn't help but glance over his shoulder every few minutes to make sure that the footsteps he heard were indeed those of his own horse. An honest part of him regretted venturing this way but his pride prevented him from turning back. Arguments with his father grew ever louder and more frequent and Todoroki needed some time alone without the shadow of his Fathers anger clouding his thoughts. In the crisp autumn air he could finally breathe again, though now his breathing grew quicker, more urgent- he was being followed.
He kicked his heels, urging his horse to move faster through the tangle of roots and trees. Reading it's riders urgency, the animal broke into a canter, clumsy staggering over rocks and under branches. The forest was thickening now, the sun becoming lost in a forbidding camouflage of shadowed leaves as the prince rode further into its centre. He took a sharp right, hoping to loose whoever.. Whatever might be pursuing him, but the there was a rough echo of voices calling behind him and unknown footsteps ghosting hideously on the air. Blindly, he urged his horse on faster, pushing his stirrups harsh into the animals side and the poor creature became disgruntled, the stress proving too much as it bucked and whinnied to have Todoroki off. The prince could feel the presence behind him getting closer as he clung to the horses neck as it tripped and clattered over loose pebbles and rabbit holes until..
Todoroki was on the floor, flat on his back and all the breath knocked out of his lungs. His mind said to run, 'get up and run!' but his body was a million miles away. So instead he just lay, helpless on the forest floor, staring as the sky disappeared above him.
Bakugou Katsuki did not claim to be a hero. Despite how many lives he technically saved and despite how many times he was hailed in his region as being a brave and nobel ruler, he would not call himself a hero. Hero's were selfless, dedicating their lives to the good of the people, even if they, inevitably, would end up hurt. No, Bakugou Katsuki was not a hero; he just fucking hated dragon traders.
And that was all that was on his mind as he scanned the forest from the sky, ridding atop his own dragon, who's wings beat the air with enough force to send trees bending back. "See anything Kiri?" He shouted loud over the deafening rush of air passed this ears. A low rumble of a growl told him no. "Damn it.. The bastards are here.. I know it.." He kept is eyes trained in the forest bellow, he'd be damned if they would escape this time.
Todoroki winced as his hair was yanked up by a calloused hand, pulling his face into a piercing blade of sunlight. He tried to shut his eyes but and unwelcome glare of a stranger was pushed against his; tiny, black eyes twinkling with malice as they looked him over. "Who is this freak show?" The voice was smoke strangled and mocking and Todoroki practically growled as he tried to struggle away from it.
"Yeah not so fast" and he was hauled back up, causing him to cry out in frustration and pain. Now he could see what had been following him and his heart pushed against his ribs, almost jolting his whole body, as he finally got a look at his captors.
Five, maybe six men, crouching yet still towering over the prince's slight frame, built like mountains and just as intimidating. Todoroki swore each and every one of them had the power to snap him clean in half. He didn't doubt that they would too. "What do ya think?" Todoroki was yanked up, suspended only by his fringe, feet barley touching the ground and pain washing through his body. He could feel six pairs of the same heartless eyes boring into him. "Well, if he don't make good labour, he'll make good dragon food." Todoroki heard their laughter like gravel as a shiver fell down his spine.
Clouds were starting to fog over the sky. The air hung, damp and cold against tho tops of the forest trees. "Shit.. We'll never see them like this!" Bakugou growled through gritted teeth. Just at that moment, he noted an out of place grey smog float upward from the forest floor and the telltale sparks of a fire in a little clearing. Bakugou leapt up to his feet with surprising balance on the dragons back, yelling, "there! There they are! Fucking dive Kiri! They won't get away this time!"
And the great beast soared down without hesitation, powerful wings beating the breath out of the air he sailed to the forest floor. His rider fell forward ungracefully and clung to the dragon's neck, the triumphant, almost manic grin never once leaving his lips. They hurtled to the ground with such ferocity that any onlooker might have expected them to crash. But there was skill in the way that Bakugou stood on the neck of his dragon, despite their speed, and drew his cutlasses that were tied around his waist. He kept his posture low, ready to jump. "These bastards don't know what's coming to them." He grinned.
Todoroki looked around the clearing in a blind panic, struggling against his captors to no avail. Tight ropes bore into his pale skin and left angry burns on his wrists. The air was stifling, warm like too many people, too close for comfort. The forest floor seemed to rumble with earthly growls and, as the prince squinted against the sunlight, he could see why. The clearing was littered with cages, jarring the elegant landscape with their harsh reflection. And inside each one of the cages, was a dragon.
Todoroki had never seen a dragon in his life, they were beautiful. Scales that glowed and flicked different flashes of colour in the sun and wings the curved in beautiful lines like abstract artwork. Eyes like fire or smoke or water, always alive, shining, moving and alert. They were the very image of royalty, power and grace, every one of them different with their own keen mind and personality. And yet, pushed into these cages, despite their growls and roars of anger, there was something else that surrounded them. A different ora. Defeated or lonely. Todoroki could see, these mighty creatures were scared.
He suddenly whipped round his head to follow a commotion emanating from the trees on the other side of the clearing, a young man's voice called out, "let go of me! Where is my Master? Let me back to my Master!" He came into view just after the echoes of his cries had reached Todoroki's ears. The new prisoner was surrounded my men and his hand and feet bound with thick chains. His hair stuck up at uncontrollable angles and was tinted a light purple and his eyes were drawn wide- though he looked as though he hadn't slept for days. He pushed weakly against the men that surrounded him, only earning himself a harsh kick in the small of his back that lurched him forward. "Where is my Master?" He cried out again and Todoroki recognised the pitiful tone of his voice; that same mixture of anger, desperation and fear. The men did not reply, only shoving him into an open cage before binding the lock tight. "He's not your master no more, you answer to us now" one man now dared to jeer behind the safety of the bars. A sudden ear splitting bellow swallowed the air as the young man's body seemed to grow and morph, twisted in unnatural ways, smothered by scales and teeth until they formed the body of an elegant, violet dragon. He thrashed his wings and bared his claws but the chains fell tight around him. Still, there was desperation in his movements. He had to be free, he had to be.
The Prince's eyes were snapped away from this sight by two pares of hands yanking around his own restraints.
"Unhand me!" Todoroki growled as he struggled against the ropes. The men around him just laughed, shoving him against the tree he was how shackled to. "Who does this princess this he is huh?" One sneered, running a dirt blackened finger over Todoroki's cheek. The prince tried to jerk his head away but the awkward position of his arms around the tree caused him to flinch in pain and forced him to stay put.
"Dunno but he's fucking loaded!" Without warning, hands were slithering towards him, left, right and centre, yanking of his rings, his bracelets, his necklaces. Todoroki's eyes widened as he realised what was happening, family keepsakes disappeared before his eyes.
"Give those back!" He tried to sound intimidating but his voice came out as a child's whine.
"Shut it freak show." A foot slammed against the tree, centimetres away from his face,"I'm getting pretty tiered of you. In case you hadn't noticed, you ain't in a position to be complaining so if another word passes those lips, I'm gonna-"
Todoroki never did find out what he was going to do as the cold metal tip of a cutlass pushed against the man's neck. Bakugou's eyes were alive with flame, the eyes of a madman, and he pressed the sword just a little harder into the brut's skin. "Make one move and I'll run you through, ya hear me?" Bakugou snarled. His voice was thick with loathing and distain, there was no doubt that he would remain true to his word. The man growled in frustration as he clenched fists and lowered his stance ever so slightly, he didn't seem as though he planned to go down without a fight. The other men closed around Bakugou, forgetting their prisoner completely. Any menace they may have had, however, was diminished by the towering form of Kirishima who's bared teeth alone were each half the size of a full grown adult. His pupils were drawn to slits as he prepared to lay himself down to defend his master.
Todoroki wasn't prepared for what followed.
The man who previously towered over him turned on his heel and was met, almost instantaneously with the unforgiving blade deep in his neck. He sputtered a moment, swaying gently, stumbling, eyes dazed, before crashing to the ground in a heap. The moment of silence was sickening as the Prince's stomach dropped like a stone through pure dread. There was blood on his face and it was not his own. He dared glance up the wielder, who did not even spare a look at his victim, just glared, with cold contempt, towards the others around him. His eyes seemed to be challenging them, daring them to step closer.
They did.
Clashes of metal jarred against the air with the booming roar of a dragons battle cry. Bodies thrown across clearing, flashes of light cut through skin and sickening cracks and cries radiated though the trees. Despite this, Todoroki swore he heard the words, "do not kill them" leak out through the chaos though it was hard to tell. Men practically piled upon Bakugou in an attempt to restrain him but they were kept away with the skill of a knight and the finesse of a savage. The fiery blonde growled and bared his teeth as he fought, the furs of his cape battle stained with blood. All Todoroki could do was sit there helplessly as this unlikely saviour and his majestic companion fought viciously against his captures. He wanted to help, shout, move, damn it, just do something! But his body remained limp and helpless. He shut his eyes in a vain attempt to regain some strength but he opened his eyes to find the dragon-selling thugs, around twenty in all, shoved into one of their own cages and guarded by a very proud, almost smiling, red dragon.
"Good job Kiri, keep the bastards in there." A friendly rumble, just shy of a purr, shook through the ground as the dragon sat up straight and didn't take its eyes off the cage. Meanwhile, Bakugou knelt down in front of Todoroki, pride radiating from his shameless smirk, "need a little help there?" The young prince didn't reply at first, only scowled at the ground as the last trickles of blood leaked into the earth. Bakugou followed his eyes and, for a moment, he faltered; his smile was replaced with a grimace and his brows knitted together, but he pulled himself together before the prince could see. "Yeah.." Todoroki mumbled, "thanks." The sharp blade cut through his binds like it cut through the air and Todoroki slumped to the grass without the support of the ropes around him.
"Oi! Can you stand?" The voice was loud but so far away, fading into mist in his ears. Mist fading into the sky. All caving in, caving in to white.
Bakugou waved his hand in front of the Royal's face, "Oi! Wake up, I'm not lugging your ass home!" He sighed, "he's out cold, fucking ungrateful." He shook his head and hauled Todoroki over his shoulder, "Right everyone!" The blonde called out to all the captured dragons as he walked around, unlocking their cages. Many had since returned to human form, finally relaxed and safe. "Kirishima and I are gonna get you lot over to the breeding ground and have you registered, alright? You can find your real Masters from their, got it?" There was a general buzz of agreement throughout the crowd and even a little excitement from the younger ones of the group. Suddenly a young man pushed through the crowd, uncontrollable hair and dark rings from lack of sleep highlighted the stress that still pulsed in his veins. "I need to find my Master!" He yelled, approaching Bakugou, looking weak, unsteady, separation anxiety hitting him hard. The blonde smiled, looking strangely soft for a moment, "we'll find them, don't worry, you'll be back home soon."