'What were you?' he breathed, eyes fixed on the blonde beauty before him, 'before, I mean. What were you?' He added hastily.
She quickly masked a startled expression, and narrowed her eyes on him, 'I don't know what you mean.'
But he saw. Behind those dark honey eyes, he saw the flicker of grief, pain and surprise. She turned away from him, golden hair shining with the starlight.
'I was always a monster.' She hissed.
He clutched his side, ground his teeth together and dragged himself from the ground. His other hand brushed pink bangs from his face, running through unkempt hair and over long horns. He steeled himself and spoke again,
'No. I meant before you became a vampire. You can't fool a dragon's nose, you weren't born a human.'
She froze, rigid, back still turned from him. He knew that she would hear his heart hammering in his chest, but it wasn't from fear. No, it was the anticipation.
He gripped his side tighter. Something red and sticky clung to his fingers. He could feel his vision blurring. He swayed backwards, once again leaning on the wall.
He was met by darkened honey eyes, burning red, invading his personal space. Had he the energy left, he would have startled. Her tongue wet her lips quickly. Sharpened fangs protruding her mouth. Those eyes burned a deep scarlet now, flitting between his wound and his jugular.
He swallowed, Adam's apple bobbing.
'Lucy...' he whined her name softly, feeling his consciousness slipping away.
Gentle hands held him upright. Before he fell back to the blackness, he heard her whisper,
'I'm sorry, Natsu, but I'm just so thirsty.'
1 month earlier
He had been walking through the main town, heading to the stables, a pack on his back when he was stopped.
'Natsu!'
At the sound of his name being called, the young man turned around.
'What's this I hear about you goin' off on some adventure on your own?' the owner of the voice accused; a young man with raven hair and dark blue eyes.
Natsu grinned at him, holding up his hands in mock surrender,
'Alright, Frostbite, you caught me!'
The young man was Gray Fullbuster, Natsu's best friend, and at times, his biggest rival.
'Natsu, c'mon man.' Gray protested, 'if you're not telling where you plan on going, then it can only mean that you're going beyond the borders!' he waved his arms once, as though this would help get his point across. It failed however when his hand absently drifted to tug on his shirt.
Natsu sniggered, 'Nah, I could just be runnin' away!'
Grays' scowl deepened. He had now discarded his shirt, much to his friends' amusement.
'Natsu, you know how strict the King is about not leaving our borders, and for good reason, we don't know what's out there.'
Natsu straightened up now. He was planning an adventure, that was true. He was also planning on going beyond the borders. But he hadn't told anyone because he knew they would all try to stop him. So, in the dryest tone he could muster, he replied,
'Sure, it's not like we already got a nest of dragons, an ice devil, or a she-devil living here.'
Gray, the ice devil in question, was fiddling with the buckle on his pants.
'You got me there.' he admitted, 'but I still think you're being stupid, Flamebrain.'
Natsu shot an irritable look at his friend, snorting smoke at him,
'Ice Princess.'
'Pyro jerk'
'Icicle moron'
'Idiot.' Gray said flatly, 'Look, just, whatever your planning, don't do it. People have disappeared out there. Supposedly an entire kingdom vanished when their queen went beyond the borders, remember?'
Natsu stilled at that. He'd heard the rumours, sure, but it was different hearing it from Gray. His father was part of the royal guard and up until recently had been the captain.
'Silver still investigating that?'
'Yea, both him and Erza are.' Gray shrugged, 'She told me you were sneakin' off, by the way'
At that, a shiver ran up Natsu's spine. Although the woman had been their friend from childhood, she was ferociously scary and had sent both of them to the healer on several occasions.
'Ah. Right.' If Erza suspected him, then Natsu wouldn't have much time to start his impromptu trip. In truth, he had a hunch about these disappearances, and he intended to check it out himself. That would be difficult now though.
'And what's with the pack?' Gray asked with suspicion.
Natsu put on his best grin for his friend,
'it's just fish for Happy!' Which it was. He would need his beloved feline to stay quiet for his escape. But Gray didn't need to know that. Sheepishly rubbing his hair, he added,
'I kinda took it when the cook wasn't lookin'. Happy likes the good stuff.'
Gray sighed,
'So is that why Erza thinks you're up to something? You know you shouldn't even be in the King's kitchens.'
Natsu shrugged. He was hoping his friend bought it. It wasn't that he was lying to him, no he'd been completely honest so far, he was just missing out a few details.
A few big details.
He decided his chances of slipping away smoothly would be better if he left in the night. He turned back towards the stables,
'I'm heading to the barn now to feed him before I get caught.' he jabbed a thumb in the direction he was going, 'you stalking me there too, stripper?'
At the insult, Gray glanced at himself and swore under his breath. He was only wearing his undergarments, having shed his clothes during their conversation. Muttering to himself, he began to gather his clothes, shaking his head,
'Nah, I'll catch up to you later. Stupid habit..'
Natsu smirked, giving a brief wave as he strode away. He heard Gray shout after him once more,
'Don't do anything stupid!'
He waved behind himself, a shadow cast on his back.
Happy purred with delight when Natsu walked into the barn, rubbing himself on his masters' legs and meowing for attention. Natsu grinned and pet the blue feline on the head,
'Hey, buddy.'
He stopped by the cats' bowl, crouching down beside it, slinging his pack from his shoulder. He would need some fish to placate the cat later in the night, so pulled the smallest portion from his pack. Happy meowed louder, pouncing on the bowl.
Natsu chuckled, pet the feline again and straightened up. The barn was normally a pleasant hub of activity, being managed by the She-devil's popular and polite younger sister, another shapeshifter. However, in the quiet afternoon light, the barn was empty, save for the horses (including a unicorn and a couple pegasi) and Happy. Natsu knew which stall he looking for, clucking his tongue softly as he approached.
He was answered with a whinny and saw the head appear over the door.
'Hey boy..' He reached out to pet his horse, rubbing the large face.
The wooden nameplate on the door was carved with 'Atlas Flame', and there hadn't been a horse as well suited to his name as this one.
Flame was a large chestnut stallion, fire occasionally flicking among the long strands of his mane and standing over 17 hands high. His coat shone as bright and bold as any of Natsu's fire. He had once belonged to Natsu's Father, Igneel, but had been gifted to him when it was decided the spirited stallion suited him well. Flame usually didn't take kindly to anyone other than Igneel even approaching him, as strong-willed as he was. Yet Natsu with his care-free attitude had struck up a good bond with the horse, surprising everyone who knew the stallion.
'We've got a late ride out this time boy. I'm not sure when we'll be back.' Natsu spoke quietly, afraid of being caught in his plans, but took comfort in his sharpened senses telling him he was alone.
Flame snorted and nuzzled his shoulder. Natsu chuckled,
'I'll be sure to bring extra carrots.' He promised.
He unlatched the door and walked inside. He had wanted to check that Atlas Flame was still fit for the journey ahead. He ran his hands down the stallions' legs, checking the hooves, and then felt along his back.
Flame seemed to watch with amusement. Natsu was satisfied, patting him again, and reached the door. Flame snorted and returned to eating hay as Natsu left.
His next destination was the tack room, to do a quick once-over of his equipment.
Once he was done, Happy sat by the barn entrance, as though waiting for him, the sun beginning to set in the sky behind him.
'You coming back with me today buddy?'
In response, white wings sprouted from the cats' back.
He grinned again. Despite being Draconic, Natsu couldn't sprout his wings without feeling furious and subsequently setting fire to everything in his immediate vicinity. His horns were a different story. He just forgot to "put them away".
'You giving me a lift or just going to the roof?'
The answer to his question, it turned out, was the latter.
Natsu laughed and set off running for home in the dusk.
He had wanted to visit his Father before he left, He really had. But he knew that he wouldn't be able to leave easily. He knew they would be worried. He knew that they would come here to look for him, in his rustic home.
His house was on the same land as his fathers. It wouldn't be long before someone came to look for him. So, he hastily scribbled a note, explaining he would be back soon, he had a lead, and not to worry.
He left the note in his house, in plain sight, so it would be easy to find when they came looking. Then, he slipped out under cover of darkness to the stables, bade Happy farewell with a pile of fish, tacked up Atlas Flame and rode off into the night.
In the dead of the night, there was chaos.
The bells tolled, ringing out the alarm.
The titania, Erza Scarlet, rallied the royal guard.
A white-winged, blue-furred cat meowed and took off to the skies in the direction of his master.
Gray cursed from his house, muttering under his breath,
'That damned idiot!'
He watched knights running the streets, calling the urgent announcement,
'King Igneel's son is missing! Prince Natsu is gone!'
