I have called you children, I have called you son.
What is there to answer if I'm the only one?
Sufjan Stevens - For the widows in paradise, for the fatherless in Ypsilanti
On the first day, which was a day like any other, young Natsu Dragneel woke up with love in his heart and adventure in his veins.
Igneel was gone. Natsu wondered what he might be up to, and what great feats he had planned for today. Would he teach him some new moves when he returned? Would he bring some food? Meat, hopefully.
Natsu's little stomach growled with an appetite far ahead of his years. He had to become strong, after all. He would be a dragon just like his father.
After he had scrambled to his feet, he stretched his tired limbs, and a big yawn slipped from his mouth. He scrunched up his nose. There was still enough food left for him, but the stacks of dried meat and the occasional veggie didn't tempt him much. Fresh meat, roasted dangerously black beyond recognition by Igneel, that was his favourite.
He would wait until he returned.
Only when the sun was beginning its descent did Natsu finally grab one of the dry, stringy slabs of deer.
On the 3rd day, Natsu started to worry. Igneel had never been gone for so long. One day, sure. Two days, maybe. But three? It had never happened.
Of course, he was alright. Nobody could hurt Igneel; it was a fact to Natsu, as sure as the sun rose behind the mountain each day anew. It did so now, too. The first rays of light were already filtering through the thick branches of the forest and deeply into the spacious cave.
But then, what was he up to? What was keeping him? Why had he not returned?
An uneasy feeling settled in his stomach, and whatever he did to distract himself, he couldn't seem to shake it. Nonetheless, he decided to start his training alone, as he had done the two previous days. It just seemed to be so much less fun without his dad to give instructions and to praise him if he managed a particularly strong attack.
The weather was sweltering, and soon sweat dripped off his small body and onto the dusty ground beneath. But Natsu persisted, his feet stirring up dust as he moved arduously, following his routine like the hand of a perfectly manufactured clock.
It proved harder than usual to keep going, but he blamed it on the lack of fresh meat. Really, Igneel should hurry. When he returned, Natsu wanted to surprise him by how strong he had gotten. This time, when he challenged him, he would definitely win.
The sun shone into his eyes, merciless and bright.
At some point, he didn't know anymore if what was covering his face was sweat, or his tears.
That evening, Natsu fell asleep beside the crackling fire - a poor substitute for his father's hot scales - mumbling Igneel's name as sleep carried him away into hopeful dreams, where he woke up to his father's golden eyes and wise smile.
It remained nothing but that - dreams.
On the 7th day, Natsu still ignored all the ever-growing signs that told him otherwise, and believed with all his heart that Igneel would return soon. He just had to.
Nothing made his stomach churn more than the promise of dried meat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. He'd had it up to here. He couldn't see it anymore. He couldn't stand to think about it.
He was sick and tired.
The heat was not as bad today, but permanent nonetheless. Where the shade of the trees did not reach, the grass had turned flaxen, almost strawy. It went unnoticed by Natsu, whose mind was occupied with far more important matters.
Currently, he was sitting on the ground, clawing at the parched blades. His lip had gotten all splintered and ripped from the heat as well as his constant nervous chewing. He seemed dazed, absent even.
But his mind was awake, entrapped in impossible explanations. There had to be a reason. Igneel wouldn't just leave him, would he? He just had to wait. Be patient. Igneel always said he had to be more patient. So now, he would try. Maybe then he would come back. Was this a test?
"Hey!" Natsu scrambled to his feet, scanning the woodwork around him with new hope.
"Igneel! Are you here? You can come out now! I was patient, so the test is over! See?"
Nothing.
"…see?"
The wind rustled through the treetops, and for a moment Natsu hoped it might be the force of Igneel's mighty wing beat. But there was no familiar shade on the ground, no fiery scent in the air, no deep, throaty voice that greeted him and apologized for the delay with a chuckle.
It was quiet.
Natsu's little fists trembled.
"Igneel…?"
The following silence felt like a stab deep into his heart.
Why? Had it been him? Had he done something wrong?
It was too much. He couldn't just keep standing there; he had to move, to do something, to find him. Find Igneel. He needed Igneel.
"Igneel!"
Branches whipped past him as he ran, aimless and relentlessly, calling his name over and over, even as he stumbled over roots and scraped his skin on the bark of some particularly nasty trees. He didn't notice the blood oozing from the scratches. All he could think about was his father.
After some time – minutes? hours? – he sank to his knees in total exhaustion, his chest heaving and palpitating as he desperately gasped for breath. His mouth tasted weirdly metallic, and from time to time, his vision blurred. But he couldn't stop. He had to get up, and continue his search. Igneel. He had to find Igneel…
There behind the trees, it was brighter, glowing even. His knees gave way beneath him as he tried to straighten himself. No. Not now. Was that Igneel? It was so bright… like fire… he had to get there…
Natsu collapsed. He fell asleep beneath a tree whose branches hung so low they almost touched the ground, right at the edge of the forest, where the setting sun cast its golden light through the thick rows of trees. Slowly, it set, and soon the fiery red of the sky yielded to deep blue hues.
It would take him a while to get back to the cave the next morning, but Igneel's lingering scent would lead the way. Only when it would disappear completely, a few days later, would his stomach sink lower than it ever had.
But everything would be fine eventually. Right?
On the 33rd day, Natsu was angry. So, so angry.
The first thing he would do when he found Igneel, he had decided, was to punch him.
Now that even the dried meat was drawing to a close, he could no longer wait. Not that he wanted to either. Who needed Igneel anyway? Not him. He'd show the old dragon just how well he could do without him.
How dare he abandon him? He was his son.
An old cloth served him as a make-shift bag into which he had thrown the few slabs of the disgusting dry meat aswell as his only other shirt. That was all. All he possessed.
The brown linen shirt that he currently wore clung to his sweaty body as he marched off with a grim expression, leaving the cave behind. He had done enough exploring to know where he had to walk to reach the forest's edge, but when he arrived there, he suddenly became wary. Beyond the dwindling trees, their reassuring shadows disappeared, and the open landscape stretched out to the horizon.
Of course, Natsu had learned about the world of the humans from his father's many lessons, but now that he was about to take the step, to leave the forest for the first time ever, his heart sunk low. He didn't like to admit it, but he was scared. Really scared.
It was so tempting to simply turn around, go back to what he knew, what he had always known. He could look after himself for sure! Hunting couldn't be that hard, could it? He could keep living in his familiar cave, day in day out, with…
…with no one.
No. His little heart couldn't even bear the thought. He wanted his father more than he wanted anything else in life ever. Feeling so alone, so betrayed, made him scrunch up his nose in defiance.
He would leave. If Igneel came back while he was gone, he'd better be worried sick. Served him right.
And so, Natsu Dragneel crossed the boundaries between his home and the unknown world awaiting him. A small step was all it took, but the moment he left his safe haven and the sun hit his face and stung his eyes, he knew there was no going back ever.
His whole world had been turned upside down in the last days - or was it weeks? He wasn't sure. - and now he barely recognized anything about it anymore. Everything had changed.
He wished all of this had never happened. He wished Igneel had never left.
But he had.
"When I find you, I'll challenge you to a fight."
Natsu grumbled under his breath, eyes glaring at the ground as his right hand tugged at his scarf. He really meant it, too. And not a fun fight either, like they usually did. A real one.
He had gotten much stronger while Igneel had been gone, after all. Had never neglected his training. He'd beat the crap outta him. The thought made him smile grimly.
Now, with endless possibilities and the unknown going on seemingly forever in every direction, Natsu found himself absolutely clueless. What should he do? Where should he go?
There was no satisfying answer to these questions, and so he walked straight forward, always towards the horizon.
How long he walked, he did not know. He kept his eyes trained to the cloudless sky, in hopes of detecting the blazing red scales he had been looking for for so long. Frankly, he already had trouble picturing them. Only when he began to feel lightheaded, as if he himself might lift off the ground any moment now, did he stop in his tracks and unpacked his lunch.
The midday sun shone onto his pink curls. It had been a hot summer, the hottest one Natsu had yet experienced, and the strong rays of sunlight had bleached his hair slightly over the course of the season. Now they were a rosy hue, with a golden touch even, when the sun cast its light in a particular angle.
Natsu didn't know any of that, of course. The times when he had seen his own appearance were rare. Only when him and Igneel had sometimes went to the river not far from their home had he caught glimpses of his reflection in the flowing water. It was not something he cared about.
What he did care about though was water. And the fact that he had forgotten to bring any along.
Either way, he wouldn't have had anything to carry it with him, now, would he?
The only thing to do was go find some water. A river, or a lake. When he turned his head and sniffed the dry air, he found that the likelihood of finding anything anytime soon was rather slim.
His throat felt uncomfortably dry from the salty meat, and he became painfully aware of his thirst and the starchy feeling of his tongue as it seemed to stick to his palate.
He wanted to drink now.
There was nothing left to do but walk.
He felt the tears afloat in his eyes, threatening to escape. But the thought of losing any more water scared him, and so he did his best to keep them in.
"Igneel?"
His voice was croaky, so much he barely recognized it. It had been a while since he had called out his father's name. It almost felt foreign now, rolling off his dry lips in a desperate whimper.
He wanted to punch something, or at least stomp his foot onto the ground, but he felt drained. Anger bubbled up inside him again; anger at his father, at the world, at everything.
He had no idea how long he walked.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the landscape slowly began to change, and the ground began to slope downhill lazily, giving way to a valley. And there, all the way down: water at last.
And houses. He'd never seen a house except for the drawings in these books Igneel had brought for him, from time to time. It didn't look too different. Red rooftops, doors, windows with – what had they been called? – sills? It was a village. That meant… humans.
That meant food.
And water. First of all, he needed water.
On weak knees, he made his way towards the river that so temptingly shimmered and glistened in the sunlight.
On the 50th day, Natsu was not particularly fond of villages anymore.
No matter where he arrived, it was always the same. He would tell them about his father, about how he had suddenly disappeared, but still had to be somewhere, because dragons are not that hard to be spotted, so had they seen him? Did they have any clues as to where Igneel could be? It didn't matter though, he would find him for sure!
And the response was always the same.
They laughed at him.
Most did it out loud, right at his face, while others covered their mouths to be more secretive. Some simply smiled down at him with that crippling pity he had come to hate so much. But they all laughed. And nobody believed him.
It was no different today.
"I'm looking for my father. He's a dragon, you know!"
The moment the words had left his lips, silence had fallen. And now, the tall man with the incredibly big belly loomed over him, eyeing him quietly. Then, he broke into roaring laughter, slapping his meaty hands onto his stomach, and soon others joined in.
Natsu instinctively stepped backwards, a snarl ready on his lips.
It broke him every single time.
"A dragon? Haha, are y-"
"Shut up!"
That poor boy…
Do you think he went mad?
Did his parents leave him? Did they die?
Look at him. So feral…
What happened to the poor soul?
He couldn't hear it anymore. Couldn't hear any of it.
"I'm not crazy! It's all true!"
The silence that followed his aggravated shouting was pitiful more than anything else, and his loud breathing ripped through the stillness like a herd of trampling bulls. He scanned the faces staring at him, searched for truth, for understanding, for something.
He was answered with nothing.
For a moment, he just stood there, trembling with rage.
"Boy… Natsu, was it? How about-"
"No! Leave me alone!"
And then he ran. He grabbed the small bag with bread they had given him when he had arrived, starving, and he ran as fast as his feet could carry him.
Out of the village. Away from the people.
Natsu didn't understand why Igneel had seemed so fond of humans.
To him, they all were horrible.
On the 101st day, the only thing Natsu could feel anymore was pain. All the time, everyday, this incredible, all-consuming pain and sadness threatened to break him into a million pieces.
It had been a few days since he had come across any kind of civilization. In these wastelands, the only living beings he tended to encounter were harmless wildlife, and from time to time, even more ferocious animals. Nothing he couldn't handle though. At least that was something Igneel had taught him. His lips pressed into a thin line as bitterness washed through him.
It was something he enjoyed; something he clung to: training.
Aside from his dirty and worn scarf, his flames were the one thing that made him feel closest to his lost father. When he trained his body, he could almost hear Igneel pushing him on, correcting him, roaring with laughter.
It only made him train harder, made him push himself to the brink of exhaustion.
Crying himself to sleep had become a habit, though it tended to happen less now. He thought that maybe there were no tears left inside him anymore. Could one run out of tears to shed? Was that possible? He thought it was. Because it was happening to him.
When he caught sight of some rooftops in the distance, his heart automatically sped up. They were stone, just like the mountains and rubble all around, and his feet carried him faster now. His stomach growled loudly at him. But his hope was cautious, overshadowed, as if it knew it would be disappointed, like all the times before.
But then a sound ripped through the air. Kind of familiar, but not really. Still, Natsu's mind had went blank when it reached his ears, and suddenly he was running.
"Igneel? Wait! Igneel! It's me!"
His voice cracked as he called out, but his little feet carried him along, spurred on by the roar that had echoed off the mountain. When he passed the first houses, he didn't slow down, just ran straight onwards, desperately holding on to the sound which had long faded by now.
Something was wrong. He had felt it even before he set foot into the village, but now it became even more clear. It was too quite. There was no one in the streets. There was no one here at all.
The pang of disappointment didn't hit him as hard as he wanted it to. He could barely feel anything anymore.
A ghost town.
In the end, it didn't feel much different than the towns before, the ones full of life and people. The rejection was the same. The feeling of emptiness and not-belonging was the same. Whether there were humans or not, was there really a difference?
In the end, he would always leave.
But then what had that sound been?
Slowly, his beating heart calmed down in his chest, and as he tried to ignore the burning pain in his lungs, he looked around. These buildings were different from the ones he had seen in the villages he encountered until now, but he didn't care much about it. Igneel was not here.
He knew it, as certainly as he had heard the roar that had sounded so foreign to his ears. Whoever had been here, it had not been his father. The air smelled disgusting. Natsu wanted to get away as fast as possible.
The sun was setting by now, and he did not wish to stay in the mountains overnight. As brave as he was, he was still a little boy, and the darkness scared him even with his flames to keep it at bay. And there were things here at night, beasts that even he could not fight when he was so tired, and they were so many. Not that he'd ever admit that out loud. It would be best to leave, and soon.
A shiver ran down his spine.
Someone was here. Something. And if he was very, very unlucky, it was the thing he had heard not long ago.
The sun was almost gone now, and fear gripped Natsu as if it was one of the long, dark shadows on the ground, creeping towards him ever so slowly. He fought against it, tried to convince himself that he was not scared; that he was, in fact, looking forward to a fight, that there was nothing to be scared of.
Involuntarily, he took a step backwards.
A low snarl resounded in one of the small alleyways. It was close. Too close. He couldn't get away.
Natsu could smell the beast, and he knew with crippling certainty that it had noticed him too.
There was no time to run. He didn't want to run, either.
No, he would fight. There was nothing he had left to lose anyway. He bent his knees, stepping into his fighting stance. Just like Igneel had taught him. Just like he did every single day.
And then it leapt out of the shadows and into the last rays of sunlight.
Natsu had to be quick. In the dark, he would be at a disadvantage.
His mind was racing, trying to remember the many strategies he had been taught.
The thing was running straight at him, all teeth and claws and dark fur. It was bigger than a wolf, and seemed to be alone, Natsu realized with relief, but it looked damn well strong enough on its own.
It had to be hungry, just like him.
Sidestep! his mind screamed at him, and in the last moment, he followed its command. It was as if he wasn't even acting consciously. His body was taking over, survival instinct kicking in. He had been tired before, but now his mind was sharp, and his movements quick.
His little victory didn't last long. He might have dodged the attack, but behind him, the animal was already turning around mid-air, and it came to a stop with its pointy claws dragging along the ground. Natsu whirled around just when it pounced again.
He didn't want to kill it. He really didn't. But he also didn't want to lose. He'd have to give it his all.
Flames emerged from his clenched fists, and with gritted teeth, he pounced off the ground, much like his enemy. They clashed in the air, and he hit its jaw with his best Fire Dragon's Iron Fist! He could manage in his state.
And he hit.
But he was not the only one who had managed to deal a blow.
As they both hit the ground, stars danced in his vision. Faintly he realized that something was hurting, but he didn't have time to further look into it. He scrambled to his knees, eyes scanning the ground spreading out before him.
He found the animal doing the same. And then their eyes locked, and Natsu knew he had won.
It ran away with its tail tugged between its legs, scared of the fire dancing on the ground. With a shaky breath, Natsu sat upright, and puffy little clouds formed in the cold air as his chest heaved.
But he did not feel safe.
Slowly, he stood up, ignoring the stabbing pain in his side and the blood that had stained his hands when he had pressed it onto his shirt, right where the pain came from. And then he ran.
Only when the dusty ground gave way to soft earth did he decide he had come far enough. Running had become impossible even when the mountains had still loomed over him in the distance, and so he had walked, fueled only by fear and willpower, until he felt like he was finally out of danger. As the adrenaline subsided in his veins, it gave way to a feeling of exhaustion, so heavy that he felt he had to go to sleep, right here, right now. He could not take a single step further.
It was so dark he couldn't even see where he was, and he had totally exhausted his magic power, too. It didn't matter. All that mattered was sleep.
He sank to his knees, and his upper body toppled over by itself. In the last moment, he supported himself with both hands, bloody palms pressing into the ground. And so he stayed. His body felt like it had turned to stone, and he could not even bring himself to lie down fully.
It hurt. Everything hurt.
The blood had dried, but the pain in his side was still there, and it had stabbed him like a thousand sharp needles when he had fallen. Now his muscles were tight, petrified, and pain shot through every fiber of his being.
As his body gave in, he collapsed onto the ground, concentrating on his breathing only.
In. Out. In. Out.
He didn't want to die.
He still had to find Igneel.
Out of the many, never-ending, merciless questions that lingered in his mind at all times and threatened to tear up his soul, one always seemed to resurface.
Why?
"Why did you leave me?"
It was barely more than a whisper, but to Natsu, it was all he could hear. All he had heard for days and weeks on end. When the first teardrop landed on his fist, he dug it deeper into the ground, clawing at the remnants of what had once been fresh, green grass.
It was wilted now, and drained of its life.
He wept quietly on the ground, wept until not a single tear was left inside him and his whole body ached more than it had ever before in his short life.
On that day, he swore to himself he'd never cry again. Not until he found Igneel.
On the 134th day, nothing happened. Just like the days before. And the days that were sure to come.
On the 160th day, it snowed. Delicate, unique crystals that fell softly to cover the scraggy landscape under a blanket of ice and silence.
Natsu welcomed the cold: it was a reason to use magic.
His flames were all he had left of his father.
On the 171st day, he sat on a hillside, indifferent to the cold snow gnawing at his extremities. The sound of laughter drifted up to him as, down below, some children played in the high snow. From where he was, they looked like nothing more than tiny dots. Still, he could smell the scent of cinnamon and oranges, of warm houses and delicious food being prepared in big stoves.
The little village at the foot of the hill was lit brightly on this particularly festive day. Natsu didn't quite understand the reason, but he had heard murmurs and excited children going on and on about the presents they would be receiving. Somehow, everything and everybody seemed happy.
Everybody except for him.
He tugged the scarf tighter across his face, so that it covered even his nose, in hopes of drowning out the smells of joy and happiness. He didn't want them.
Faint, crunching footsteps ripped him out of his apathy.
He turned his head to find a group of young children walking in his direction. There were four, and the two smaller ones seemed to be chasing the others with snowballs in their hands, ready to aim whenever they got close enough. Their laughter rang in his ears, and something inside him felt like it cracked.
They saw him though, as he sat there all by himself, and soon their voices died down as the smallest one tugged at a girl's sleeve, pointing in his direction.
"Hey, you! Uh…are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
It sounded rougher than he had intended it to, and it felt wrong even to his own ears.
The tiny child shrunk back, as if his words had hurt her. Immediately, the taller girl put a hand on her shoulder, brushing away the blonde locks that peeked out from under the green cap and matching scarf as she regarded Natsu with a stern, almost hostile expression.
"What's with you?! Yui was only trying to be nice."
Natsu's face fell. Since when had he become so mean? So unaccustomed to talking normally with someone?
He'd hurt the little girl; it was visible in her eyes. Now, after Natsu had remained in shocked silence, the only boy of the little group spoke up.
"Why are you out here all on your own anyway? I've never seen you before."
They all nodded in agreement.
"I – I'm… always alone. I'm looking for my dad."
The four seemed startled that he had finally spoken, as if they had expected him to vanish at any moment, like a ghost.
The green haired girl, who had not spoken at all so far, nervously tugged at her mittens, unable to look him in the eyes as she spoke quietly.
"Did you lose him? I don't have a dad either."
"I didn't lo- well, maybe I did. Dunno. He's gone. Sorry 'bout your dad. But mine's not like yours, you know. He's a dragon!"
"A dragon?"
Natu's lips pulled into a tight line as he prepared for the answer he would receive. At this point, he had steeled himself against it so much, it barely hurt him anymore. They all had no idea.
"Cool!"
What? The question reflected in his big eyes as he stared at the group, whose members were all looking at him with open mouths and sparkling eyes. They… believed him?
"That's so cool!"
"Man, I wish my dad was a dragon, too."
Something stirred in Natsu's heart; something he hadn't felt in a long, long time. Joy.
Maybe not all humans were so bad.
Eagerly, he told them more about his father, about their adventures and how much fun they had had. They soaked it all up, listening with wide eyes. Especially with the small girl, Yui, he had found a great listener. She gaped at him with eyes so big he could see himself reflected from where he sat.
And when he showed them his fire magic, they all went wild.
"Woaahh!"
"Cool, isn't it?"
He put his hands on his hips proudly as he stood before them, and a triumphant smile blazed on his face. It almost felt unnatural, as if his muscles had unlearned the motion from all the neglect.
But as the fire vanished, the murking darkness all around them became all the more obvious. The sun had long set, now that the days were shorter than ever. Yui tugged at her older sister's sleeve again.
"Nee-san, I'm scared. Can we go home? Mommy said we shouldn't stay out too late."
"Oh! You're right! And daddy will scold us if we miss dinner!"
"My mom too!"
An atmosphere of departure settled in, but they stood there hesitantly, unsure of what to do about their new friend. Little white puffs ghosted through the air every time one of them exhaled.
"Uh… do you wanna come home with us?"
The question hit, and it hit hard.
Home?
His home was Igneel.
To not strive for his retrieval, it felt like betrayal even now. It had become his life's purpose.
"No."
"Oh… okay, then."
"But… where will you sleep? It's so cold…" Yui seemed to shiver at the mere thought.
"It's alright!" He managed another grin, but it felt wrong again, fake. "I'm never cold. I'll just stay somewhere around here. Maybe… maybe you can come back tomorrow."
He had fallen into a low murmur when he spoke his last words. What had he been thinking? He couldn't stay here for much longer. He'd have to continue his search.
"We will."
They all smiled at him, and the crack he had felt inside of him earlier threatened to tear him into two at this very moment. It was as if the mere thought of happiness scared something deep inside him, and it clawed at him now, dragging him down, and deeper down still.
You're not allowed to be happy without Igneel. What kind of son are you?
"Yeah… dunno if I'll still be here though."
"Oh."
"Okay… bye, Natsu."
"We'll look for you tomorrow, for sure! And we'll bring some leftovers!"
And just like that, his little moment of fluky happiness was over.
He watched as his new friends became smaller the further down they went, the further from his reach - and out of his life. When his ears could no longer catch the sound of their boots digging into the snow, he closed his eyes and furrowed his brows.
Why did he feel so damn sad? Why?
He was only allowed to feel that way about Igneel.
Don't cry. Don't cry! You swore it!
And then, for the first time since that damned day, hot tears started falling from his eyes. They dripped down his cheeks, staining his shirt where they hit. His lips trembled as he tried to hold them back, but to no avail.
He didn't want to be alone.
Natsu didn't realize it consciously, but deep inside he knew he could not go on like this. He was at his breaking point.
Now he either had to give up, or…
Or what?
What was there left to do?
He could search forever, but what if he never found him? What if Igneel really was gone for good?
The sudden thought scared him senseless. He had never even dared to consider the possibility, but now that the question had appeared, it was impossible to get rid of it.
So he pushed it back, far back into a deep corner of his mind, where it would stay, locked away.
He would always look for Igneel. And if it was all he did for the rest of his life.
But… the taste of something new, the glimpse of even the possibility of a different life, it had awoken something in him. Couldn't he… couldn't he be happy? Even while Igneel was gone?
He at least had to try.
Wouldn't Igneel… want that too?
He wanted to believe it with all his heart. Igneel would want for him to be happy, wouldn't he?
Still, he would never give up his search. Never. He vowed it to himself as he stood there alone in the snow, a little figure amidst a sea of white; he swore that he would find his father. One day.
"I will find you, Igneel. I will definitely find you! Just… wait for me. Please."
A new fire had inflamed in his heart, building and spreading its warmth through his frozen limbs.
With a deep breath, Natsu started making his way downhill, and towards the village.