Chinese Dragon: Luong Lao-Shi 4: A Dragon's Hunt

by Fudogg

The fourth and final "film" going into Lao-Shi's past.

Chinese Dragon: Luong Lao-Shi 4: A Dragon's Hunt

A/N: Film 4 of 4. Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own American Dragon or anything accept my OCs. This includes the episode "The Hunted".

March 13th 1973

Lightning flashed in the sky as rain poured down upon Manhattan. Inside a room in the Huntslair, Slaysir and Huntscommander stood with their apprentices. Slaysir's new apprentice had more muscle than Huntscommander's apprentice.

Suddenly, a metal door slid open and a female hunter with her brown hair in a long braid that went down to her rear, the end of her braid wadded into a ball the size of a fist, walked into the room, followed by a male hunter with muscles, but had several lengths of black hair in cornrows. The male and the female stopped side by side each other as another female entered. She was shorter than the other two and had her black hair in a simple pony-tail. She walked over to the other female's side and joined her as the final hunter walked inside. The hunter's chestnut-colored hair was in two braids, one that went down her back, while the other only went down to her shoulder blades. The final hunter walked over to the male hunter and joined his side.

"Now that we are all here..." Slaysir said as he clasped his hands together. "...We can begin."

"In exactly one week from now..." Huntscommander took over. "...We will be having our annual Grand Equinox Hunt. Usually, only the apprentices of the Huntsmasters are the only apprentices that are allowed to go..."

"...However..." Slaysir took over. "...Every few years, a few apprentices are allowed to go. You four were the ones selected."

"You have one week to prepare." Huntscommander finished. "Each year, all magical prisoners have been slain by one hunter or another. We don't intend for that to change this year."

"You are dismissed." Slaysir excused them.

As the four hunters turned around and spread apart, leaving the room, Slaysir turned to the side, forcing his apprentice to do the same. "You are new under my command." Slaysir said. "This will be your first opportunity to show me your worth. I hope you impress."

LINE BREAK

On the Island of Draco, it was also pouring down rain. Inside the main hall, Councilor Zkryo sat alone in his chair, a frown in his face as he leaned back in his chair, drumming his fingers against the table.

Finally, the doors opened and Councilor Andam rushed inside, his robes soaking wet. As the doors closed behind him, Andam slowed into a walk as he made his way toward the table. "I hope you have a good reason for making me go out in that weather." Andam said.

"I do." Zkryo said as he leaned forward in his chair. "It's about the Huntsclan...and Councilor Calyx."

"Councilor Calyx is dead." Andam said as he reached the table.

"I am more than well aware of that." Zkryo said as he stood up from the table. "But I was just thinking about justice. I don't think a Huntsclan soldier should get away with murdering a member of this Council."

"Neither do I." Andam said.

"Then listen to my idea." Zkryo said as he turned to the side, Andam glancing to the side as Zkryo walked around the table and made his way over to him, making Andam turn to the side. "The Grand Equinox Hunt is next week."

"What are you suggesting, Councilor?"

"Going undercover." Zkryo said.

LINE BREAK

Back at the Huntslair, the apprentice with the two braids, one shorter than the other, was walking down a hallway. Turning around a corner, the female apprentice continued walking along a hallway with doors until she came to a stop at one, turning and reaching out for the knob. However, before she could turn it, she gasped as a large hand that had the middle finger missing came down upon her hand, stopping it.

Turning her head to the side, she could see a uniformed Huntsclan soldier who wore a dragon skull helmet. The soldier laughed took his hand off of her hand and he took a step back. "#1, you startled me." The female apprentice said as she took her hand off of the door and turned to the side.

"That was kind of the point..." The soldier, #1, said as he put his hands on his hips. "...So, I heard that you were selected to participate in this year's Grand Equinox Hunt."

"You've heard correct."

"Well, then I feel the need to congratulate you, Hunts-"

"Gladiatrix." The apprentice cut him off. "My name is Gladiatrix."

"Gladiatrix." #1 said. "Congratulations, Gadiatrix. I hope you have as much luck as I did." He said as he pointed up at his dragon skull helmet. "I might have lost a finger, but I won the battle..." He said as he lowered his hand. "...And now I wear my prey upon my head."

"So, are you going this year?" Gladiatrix asked.

"Of course." #1 responded. "I hope to make a habit of going every year from now on."

"Well, then I guess I'll see you then..." Gladiatrix said as she started to turn toward her door.

"You indeed will." #1 said. "I hope you slay your first dragon." With that, he slowly turned and then walked off, allowing Gladiatrix to open her door and step inside.

"I will..." Gladiatrix said to herself.

LINE BREAK

Rain poured from outside a home in Manhattan. Staring out the window was a girl of about sixteen who had short black hair that went down to her shoulders, but had two long bangs that came down, crossed and went down to her chin.

As another crack of lightning flashed from outside, she turned around so that she was no longer staring out the window. The girl wore a Thulian Pink-colored button-up shirt and a pair of tight jeans. Over her right arm was a heavy black rain jacket while in her left hand, she held a black rain hat.

"Do I really have to go out there?" She asked in a small voice, standing in front of a tall, muscular bald man who wore a red sports jersey and a pair of jeans. "Yes." He answered in a gruff voice.

"But even with the raincoat, I could get sick..."

"Don't you dare talk back to me, girl..." The man growled dangerously as he lifted up a finger, aiming it at her face.

"I...I'm not trying to talk back to you, sir." The girl said softly. "It's just I-" However, she stopped and her eyes widened as the man in front of her clenched his hand into a fist and quickly raised it up, preparing to strike her with all his might. Whimpering, the girl squeezed her eyes shut, but before the strike could come, a woman with black, curly hair and who wore a black, buttoned up overcoat quickly walked out of the kitchen.

"Misti, please obey your father." She said, making the man lowered his fist and turn his head to the side. "She won't annoy you anymore, Richard. Just...let me talk to her in the kitchen for a few minutes."

LINE BREAK

Sitting in a chair in the kitchen, Misti wore the rain hat and allowed her mother to finish buttoning the black raincoat. "There." Her mother said as she pulled her hands away. "Look, I'm sorry if I made you feel like you were the cause of the problem. He is. You aren't, Misti."

"Why do we stay here?" Misti asked in a soft tone. "Why did you even marry him?"

"I thought he was a good man, Misti." Her mother said as she put a hand on her daughter's knee. "It wasn't until he hit you for the first time that I-"

"Hit me?" Misti asked softly. "He didn't hit me. He beat me into submission. I could barely move for about a day."

"I know, Misti." Her mother said. "But I'm powerless against him. You aren't. You can always turn into a dragon and frighten him."

"I'm not allowed to turn into a dragon. The Council forbids it."

"Just outside the house, angel." Her mother said. "Remember how good a dragon your real father was?"

"Yeah..." Misti said.

LINE BREAK

Opening the door to the house, Misti stepped onto the porch, getting soaked as she turned around to close the door. Then, she turned back around and rushed down the stairs, reaching the bottom and turning to the side, just as lightning cracked in the sky. Taking one step, she turned and looked down to stare at a tipped over trash can.

Sighing, Misti crouched down and grunted as she leaned to the side after she grabbed the can and as she started to lift it up.

Unbeknownst to her, a scooter was coming near her house, ridden by a boy with blonde hair that was pelted down by the rain. He wore a Zaffre-colored tank-top that was soaked by the rain and a pair of tight jeans.

Just as Misti straightened back up, she heard the sound of screeching tires, making the girl gasp and whirl to the side to see the kid coming to a stop on his scooter. With a startled yell, Misti jumped back.

"Whoa, whoa..." The boy said. "...I stopped. I'm not going to hit you." He said as he watched Misti pant. "Are...Are you okay?" He cocked his head to the side. "Do you need any help?" He added as he straightened his head.

"No." Misti said as firmly as she could, her stance showing just how nervous she was.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Really?" The boy asked. "You don't need any help?"

"No and I don't want your help." Misti told him. "I was just going to go inside and get warm."

"Why don't you want my help?" The boy asked curiously.

"Because I don't like you!" Misti told him quickly.

'What?" The boy asked, leaning back. "How can you not like me? You don't know me. I've never done anything to you."

"I don't like anybody." Misti said in a soft tone as she took a step forward.

The boy's eyes were wide upon hearing this, but, trying to hide his surprise, he blinked and shook his head once. "Okay, I think you have some problems that you need to come to terms with. Hope you have a nice life." Then, he turned his wheel to the side and kicked at the ground, gliding around Misti and leaving her alone in the rain.

LINE BREAK

Councilor Zkryo was sitting on his bed in her quarters in his human form, reading a book when he heard a knocking coming from his door. "Come in." He said as he closed his book, a human Councilor Andam stepped inside as he opened the door.

"I assume you told the rest of the Council about my plan." Zkryo said as he turned his head to the side.

"Yes." Andam said as he stayed in the doorway. "And they generally support the idea. There are only a few problems. For example, how are we supposed to infiltrate the clan?"

"Easily." Zkryo said. "Impersonation. We have to capture a member of the Huntsclan and find someone to impersonate them. It will be hard, but at least we have six days to do it."

"Councilor!" However, just as Zkryo finished saying this, Andam was forced to turn his head to the side when he heard the sound of Councilor Cantata's voice. Completely turning around, Andam could see Cantata standing in the hallway.

"Yes?" Andam asked.

"We just got a message from Lao-Shi." Cantata said. "He says he captured a member of the Huntsclan that was prowling around Central Park. He'd like a member of the Council to pick the slayer up before his boss returns."

LINE BREAK

Inside Canal Street Eatables, the black haired short apprentice who had her hair in a pony-tail sat in a chair in the middle of the back room, her hands bound behind her and her feet bound together as well. Her entire body was drenched, but instead of shivering, she grunted as she struggled against the ropes holding her.

"You...can't do this...to me!" She grunted as Lao-Shi, who was still in dragon form and who was still wet, and Fu Dog watched her struggle.

"Yeesh, Huntschick!" Fu said as he watched her.

"My name is not Huntschick!" The female apprentice grunted as she continued to struggle. "It's-"

However, before she could continue, both Lao-Shi and Fu Dog turned their heads to the side as they heard the sound of the bell above the door ringing. "I really hope that isn't Mr. Schneir..." Lao-Shi said as he and Fu Dog both turned around.

"Lao-Shi?" However, instead of the voice of Mr. Schneir, Lao-Shi and Fu Dog heard the sound of Andam's voice.

"In the back!" Lao-Shi called out.

Seconds later, Andam and Zkryo both turned and stepped into the room in their dragon forms, both soaking wet. As they walked further into the room, the both stared at the struggling Huntsclan apprentice.

"How did you find her?" Andam asked as he and Zkryo reached Lao-Shi, Andam turning his head to the side.

"She was in Central Park." Lao-Shi answered.

"Do you know what she was doing there?" Andam pressed as he turned his head back to normal.

"I was preparing myself!" The apprentice answered for Lao-Shi as she tried to pull her arms away. "For the Grand Equinox Hunt!" As she said this, Andam remained calm as Zkryo's eyes widened.

"Councilor Andam..." Zkryo said as he turned his head to the side. "...I think we just found our Huntsclan member..."

LINE BREAK

March 19th 1973

It was bright outside as Lao-Shi walked down the sidewalk with a plastic bag full of cooked food in his hands. However, after only another four steps, he stopped in his tracks and gasped as there was a puff of smoke right in front of his face, a messenger fairy appearing.

"Message for Luong Lao-Shi..." It said as it ripped open an envelope, causing a puff of smoke to come out and form into a screen, Councilor Andam appearing on the screen.

"Lao-Shi..." Andam said. "...You and Fu Dog are needed on the Island of Draco. Please arrive as soon as you can."

LINE BREAK

Sometime later, Lao-Shi landed on the grass on the Island of Draco, quickly getting down on all fours so that Fu Dog could jump off. "I wonder what they want." Fu said as Lao-Shi straightened up.

"We'll find out." Lao-Shi replied.

Then, the two of them started to walk toward the Main Hall.

LINE BREAK

Pushing open the doors, Lao-Shi and Fu Dog walked into the Main Hall, only to stop and gasp at the sight in front of them. Councilor Andam and Councilor Zkryo were standing, facing Lao-Shi and Fu Dog, both wearing Huntsclan uniforms, while Kulde and Cantata were standing behind them and to the side in their dragon forms, holding the captured apprentice, her arms shackled behind her back.

"Wh...What is this?" Lao-Shi asked as he and Fu walked further into the room.

"Do not be alarmed, Lao-Shi." Andam said with a smile on his face as he held up both of his hands.

"In less than twenty-four hours..." Zkryo spoke up. "...The Huntsclan will have their annual Grand Equinox Hunt."

"And, what does that have to do with Fu Dog and me?" Lao-Shi asked.

"We need you to impersonate this Huntsclan apprentice." Andam said as he turned to the side, pointing at the Huntsclan apprentice that Lao-Shi had captured. "Fu Dog..." Andam said as he turned back to face Lao-Shi and Fu. "...When first telling us about you, Lao-Shi mentioned that you are talented in potion making."

"Sure." Fu said.

"Can you make a shape-shifter potion?" Zkryo asked as he crossed his arms.'

"Well, I need the right ingredients." Fu said.

"We should have what you need." Cantata said as she turned her head to the side. "Councilor, can you handle the prisoner on your own?"

"I'll be fine, Councilor." Kulde answered.

Nodding once, Cantata turned her head back to normal and released the Huntsclan prisoner, and as she walked away, Kulde stepped to the side and took the prisoner's now loose arm. "Come with me, Fu Dog." Cantata said as she passed by Fu Dog and Lao-Shi, heading toward the exit.

"Go on." Lao-Shi told the shar-pei, turning his head to the side and looking down at Fu Dog, who sighed and slowly turned around and started to walk after Councilor Cantata. With Fu Dog leaving, Lao-Shi looked back up and turned his head back to normal.

"We appreciate you doing this, Lao-Shi." Andam said.

"Why, though?" Lao-Shi asked. "Why me?"

"We are doing this because last year one of our own was slain during the Grand Equinox Hunt." Zkryo said. "I want to find Councilor Calyx's killer and bring him or her to justice. I'd like to bring all of those hunters to justice."

"Lao-Shi." Andam said, taking a step toward him. "We managed to get information out of the prisoner." As Zkryo walked up to his side, Andam continued: "She told us about the Grand Equinox Hunt and how this year, five Huntsclan apprentices were chosen to participate in the hunt."

"She was one of them." Zkryo said. "Since you were the one who captured her, we thought that maybe you could finish what you started by impersonating her."

"She also told us where the Huntslair is." Andam added. "Please, Lao-Shi. We need you to do this."

LINE BREAK

"And...it's done..." Fu Dog said as he used his paws to set down a glass filled with liquid. "...One shape-shifting potion." Fu said as he looked up at Lao-Shi, who was looking down at the cup, Andam and Zkryo standing behind him.

Sighing, Lao-Shi bent over and picked up the cup, straightening back up. "Uh, just a little heads up." Fu said. "It's gonna taste pretty gnarly."

Shrugging, Lao-Shi put the glass to his lips and took the potion in one gulp. The second the potion went into his mouth, Lao-Shi's eyes widened with disgust and he dropped the cup, which shattered on the floor as Lao-Shi bent over, holding his knees as he coughed.

"Warned you." Fu said, just as a purple light engulfed Lao-Shi, and when it faded, the captured female apprentice was in Lao-Shi's place, straightening up.

"Excellent." Zkryo said as Lao-Shi took a step forward and then turned around to face the two Dragon Councilors. "Very well done..."

"Okay, Lao..." Fu said as he walked up to Lao-Shi's side, making Lao-Shi turn his head to the side and look down. "...You only have twenty-four hours until the potion wears off."

"He won't have to worry about that." Zkryo said. "The Hunt will be over well before this time tomorrow."

LINE BREAK

Councilor Kulde was in his dragon form, flying Lao-Shi and Councilors Andam and Zkryo, who were now wearing two dragon skull helmets along with their Huntsclan uniforms. "Councilor Kulde, I think you should land here." Andam said as he lowered his head. "We can take it from here."

Nodding once, Kulde dove down and landed on all fours, Lao-Shi jumping off on Kulde's left side, while Andam and Zkryo got down on Kulde's right. Straightening back up, Kulde looked down and watched as Zkryo, Andam and Lao-Shi all stood side-by-side in front of him.

"The Huntslair is only two blocks away from here." Kulde said.

"We can take it from here, Councilor." Zkryo said.

"Fu Dog, Councilor Cantata and I will be in Central Park woods before and during the Hunt." Kulde told them. "We will be looking out for the prisoners. Hopefully, we will be able to save them."

LINE BREAK

The female Huntsclan apprentice with the end of her braid in a ball was walking down the dark hall in the Huntslair. However, just as she turned a corner, she grunted as she collided as with another girl. Stumbling back, the apprentice's eyes widened as she saw that Lao-Shi, in Huntschick form was standing in front of her with Andam and Zkryo behind him.

"Where were you?" The apprentice asked. "You've been missing for days. Huntscommander and Slaysir have looked all over for you. Where were you?" She repeated as she put her hands on her hips.

"Uh..." Lao-Shi started, but before he continued, his eyes widened as he realized that even though he was using a girl's body, he still kept his regular voice. Quickly trying to hide it, Lao-Shi brought a hand to his mouth area and coughed. When he spoke again, he used a fake female voice: "...Uh, just around. I've gone out practicing in Central Park often. I didn't know that I alarmed...uh...Slaysir and Huntscommander."

"Well, they were." The apprentice said. "I'm certain that they won't be happy when they find out that you were just doing whatever you felt like."

LINE BREAK

In her quarters, Gladiatrix sat down on her knees as she reached under the bed and pulled out a rectangular wooden box, which she set down on her knees, releasing the bottom of the box. Then, she grabbed the lid and gently pulled it off, setting it down to her side. Then, she reached inside, pulling out a tape recorder with a string attached so she could wear it behind her neck.

From behind, the door to Gladiatrix's room slowly opened with a creak, #1 stepping into the room. "Gladiatrix." He said, watching Gladiatrix stand up and turn to the side as she reached up, starting to put the string around her neck.

"What are you doing?" #1 asked.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Gladiatrix retorted as she finished putting her tape recorder around her neck. "I'm making sure I have my tape recorder. My lucky tape recorder." She added as she turned to face him.

"You can't bring that with you." #1 told her.

"Why not?" Gladiatrix asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Because it's not part of the standard uniform." #1 told her.

"So? Whenever I go out hunting with other masters, I always bring it. They never say anything." As she said this, Gladiatrix removed her hands from her hips, extending her arms out.

"Well, they should." #1 told her as he turned to the side, turning his head to the side to keep his eyes on Gladiatrix. "As Huntscommander and Slaysir will..."

LINE BREAK

Huntscommander and Slaysir were both standing on their own personal stands, each of them clutching their staffs while their apprentices stood below them and at their sides. In-between the two Huntsmasters was a rack containing six huntstaffs.

In a row, all of the other apprentices walked into the room, all walking toward the two Huntsmasters: Gladiatrix, the male apprentice, the female apprentice with the ball in her braid and finally, Lao-Shi. Together, they all reached the two Huntsmasters and stopped in front of them.

"Tonight..." Slaysir spoke up. "...Each of you has a chance to fulfill your destiny."

"The Grand Equinox Hunt!" Huntscommander added. "Usually, each of you do not use staffs on the battlefield, but this time will be an exception. When we call your name, step forward and claim a staff."

"Hunterboy." Slaysir said, causing the male apprentice in-between Gladiatrix and the other female apprentice to walk up to the rack, reaching out and grabbing a staff.

"Hunts-" Huntscommander started, but Gladiatrix cut him off.

"Gladiatrix." She told him before she started to walk over to the rack. As she walked, her walk was made a little more difficult by the bulge in the side of her boot.

"Hunteress." Slaysir said, causing the female apprentice with the ball in her braid to start walking toward the rack.

"And now you, Huntsette." Huntscommander finished, making Lao-Shi blink in surprise. However, he quickly managed to overcome the surprise and start to walk toward the rack as Hunteress and Gladiatrix both returned with their staffs. As Lao-Shi quickly reached the rack, he reached out and grabbed one of the three staffs left. Then, holding it in both hands, he turned and walked away.

"And now you..." Slaysir said as he turned his head to the side, looking down on his apprentice.

"You too..." Huntscommander said, also looking to the side, down at his apprentice.

"And now..." As Lao-Shi reached the re-formed row that he had been standing in, turning around, he could hear Slaysir's voice as he spoke up again. "...We assemble our prey for our Hunt."

LINE BREAK

At Misti's house later that night, her step-father was sitting on the couch watching a television program while Misti sat at the table at his feet, hunched over while doing math homework. Hearing the scratching of the pencil against the paper, Misti's step-father turned his head to the side, just as his wife exited the kitchen carrying a cup of something to drink.

"What are you doing, girl?" He asked his daughter, making Misti slowly look up, turning her head to the side.

"Um, my math homework..."

"Well, do it somewhere else." Her step-father said as Misti's mother sat down next to him.

"But..." Misti started, but before she could finish, her step-father got off of the couch, quickly turned to the side and slapped Misti right across the face, making her grunt as she jerked her head to the side. Turning her head back to normal, she looked up at her step-father briefly before she quickly got up on her feet, turned around and ran, running around the couch, making her mother turn her head to the side, just in time to see Misti pull open the front door and run outside.

"Misti!" Her mother called, her eyes widening. However, Misti ignored her as she ran down the stairs, turning as her mother exited the house and turned facing her, just in time to see her daughter engulfing in a bright light. "Misti, no! You can't!" Her mother shouted.

Seconds later, the light faded, and Misti stood in a Thulian Pink dragon form, faded but still visible bruises on her belly area. Flapping her wings, Misti took off into the air.

LINE BREAK

Exiting a large apartment building on his scooter, the boy wearing Zaffre-colored tank-top turned and started to ride his scooter down the sidewalk. The boy continued riding until he reached the end of the corner, making him turn and start going down the sidewalk again.

As the boy continued to ride, he glanced up, only to see Hunteress running along the edge of a building. Gasping, the boy screeched to a halt, his eyes widening. "The Huntsclan..." He whispered. Looking back down, the boy got off his scooter and started to walk it to the end of the building. Then, he turned and walked it into the alley in-between buildings.

Setting his scooter against the wall, the boy turned to the side and took a step. Dragon...up..." He said, grinning as he pounded his fist into his palm, a bright light engulfing him. As soon as the light faded, he flew up into the air.

Up on top of the building, Hunteress reached the side of the building as she clutched her staff, looking down on the street. "Hey, slayer..." The boy said as he landed on the opposite side of the roof in a Zaffre-colored dragon form, making Hunteress spin around.

"Dragon..." Hunteress said as she held her staff up, grunting as she charged toward the boy. Grinning, the boy flapped his wings and flew into the air just as Hunteress reached him, the boy flying over to the other side of the building.

Growling, Hunteress turned around. "Are we actually going to fight, or do you just want to play games?" She asked, watching as the Zaffre-colored dragon landed and turned around to face her.

"I didn't know that you knew what a game was." He told her sternly, crossing his scaly arms.

"But I do, dragon." Hunteress said, a hint of pleasure in her tone. "Just turn around and you'll find out."

"Huh?" Rather surprised, the Zaffre-colored dragon lowered his arms and turned around, only to grunt as he was met with a boot to the face, throwing him onto his back as Hunterboy flipped up onto the roof, landing on his feet at the feet of the Zaffre-colored dragon.

Adjusting the setting of her staff, Hunteress walked over to the Zaffre-colored dragon and stopped at his head. "Good night, dragon." She said as she aimed the blade of her staff down at him. The Zaffre-colored dragon's eyes widened, but before he could do anything, Hunteress fired, making the dragon's world go dark.

LINE BREAK

Panting, Misti continued to flap her wings as she flew through the air, passing by the Empire State Building. However, as she continued flying, she gasped and forced herself to come to a stop when a blast of green plasma whizzed past her face.

Breathing heavily, Misti turned her head to the side and looked down to see Gladiatrix standing on a rooftop with Huntscommander's apprentice at her side, the apprentice holding his staff in both hands while Gladiatrix lowered hers. "A dragon!" Misti could hear her say. "My lucky day! Come on!" She finished, turning her head to the side.

Her eyes wide with terror, Misti turned her head back to normal and quickly started to fly away. "Please, no." She begged. "No, no, no! Please, no!" However, even as she verbally begged, both Gladiatrix and Huntscommander's apprentice started to chase her on each side of her on hover-boards. Quickly, the two hunters started to gain up on the fleeing dragon.

As soon as she had gotten close enough to Misti, Gladiatrix grunted as she launched herself off of her hover-board and flipped in the air before she grunted, landing on Misti's back. Misti could only grunt as the new weight made her start to plummet.

As she fell, the frightened Misti tried to flap her wings, however, she continued to descend. With a grunt, Misti plowed into the cement.

Up in the air, Huntscommander's apprentice held Gladiatrix's staff as he flew down and parked right behind Misti, Gladiatrix jumping off the side of her back before she turned to face him. "You got it..." Huntscommander's apprentice said.

"Of course I did." Gladiatrix said.

LINE BREAK

Groaning, the Zaffre-colored dragon slowly opened his eyes, finding himself sitting against a steel wall in a boxed-up holding cell. Staring out, he could a very skinny, almost twig-like woman with long straight red hair who wore a green T-shirt and red gym shorts, both of them made to fit her stick-like figure. Next to her sat a large black wolfhound that was sitting upright, his paws on his knees. Both were staring at him with wide eyes.

"Are you okay?" The stick-like girl asked.

"Yeah..." The Zaffre-colored dragon said as he reached up and put his claws to his snout. "...Man, I had this weird dream that I was attacked by two members of the Huntsclan."

"That wasn't a dream, you dolt!" A rough voice said, making the Zaffre-colored lower his hands and turn his head slightly in the direction of the voice. Sitting in the corner was a large, angry creature that looked kind of like a bear, only it had sharp horns on its head.

"That's Rossendo." The stick-like girl said, making the Zaffre-colored dragon turn his head back to normal. "He's a bugbear. My name's Mimi."

"And you are?"

"A Mimi." Mimi replied, giving a small smile. "My parents weren't very bright or creative. Our family dog was named Dog by my mother."

"I'm Micah." The upright wolfhound said. "And I'm a Gaueko."

"Who are you?" Mimi asked.

"My name's Drake Fire." The Zaffre-colored dragon said, before glancing down and seeing that there was a manacle and chair around his right ankle. Turning his head to the side, Drake could see that the chain traveled to his side, where there was another manacle around the ankle of a female Thulian Pink dragon who was lying on her back, unconscious.

Looking up at Micah and Mimi, Drake could see that they also had the manacles around their ankles, the chain traveled over to Rossendo, who also had a manacle around his ankle.

"I don't get it..." Drake said. "...Why didn't the Huntsclan just kill us?"

"We don't know." Micah said.

"Well, I'll tell you one thing that you do know." Drake said as he pointed at the two. "We have to think of plan to escape. Because if we don't, we will be slain."

"But how can we get out of here?" Mimi asked. "We already had Rossendo try and break the shackles. He couldn't."

Before Drake could respond, he was forced to turn his head to the side when he heard the Thulian Pink dragon groan, starting to come to. Groaning again as she slowly opened her eyes, only to see Drake hovering over her.

Yelling in surprise, Misti sat up and scrambled back. "Who are you?!" She demanded. "Get away from me! Don't hurt me!"

"Geez, girl..." Drake said as he rolled his eyes. "...You don't have to be so freaked out. I mean, you act just like that girl I-" However, Drake stopped speaking as he continued to stare at the Thulian Pink dragon, staring into her eyes. Then, he gasped. "It's YOU!" He declared.

"You two know each other?" Mimi asked as she turned her head to the side.

"Yeah." Drake said in an annoyed tone as he turned his head to the side. "I did nothing to this chick and she tells me that she doesn't like me, even though she doesn't even know who I am."

"I'm-I'm sorry about that." Misti said softly. "I di...didn't mean-"

"Whatever." Drake told her as he turned his head back to normal to look at her. "Listen to me, whatever your name is..."

"Misti."

"...Right..." Drake replied. "...Look, we've all been captured by the Huntsclan. We don't know why they haven't just killed us. I need to think of an escape plan. Now that you're awake, you can help."

"But, wh-why me?" Misti asked.

"Because you're a dragon." Drake narrowed his eyes. "Dragons are the protectors of the Magical World. It's your job."

"But...But...But...I don't think...I don't think I can..." Misti managed with wide eyes. Just as she finished saying this, the holding cell they were in jolted, making Micah, Mimi, Drake and Misti all grunt as the jolted to the side.

"What was that?" Drake asked as he pushed himself away from the wall he was now forced against.

"We've stopped moving..." Rossendo growled as he turned his head to the side.

"Then that means that the Huntsclan has us right where they want us..." Mimi said with worry-filled eyes.

"No, no..." Drake said as he turned himself to the side so that he could face Mimi, Micah and Rossendo. Holding up his clawed hands, he said. "...We can't panic. It's all going to be okay."

LINE BREAK

In front of a raging bonfire, Rossendo, Mimi, Drake, a terrified Misti, and Micah all were forced against five wooden stakes, their arms pulled behind their backs as a length of chains was wrapped around their upper bodies a few times, all of the prisoners watching as Slaysir and Huntscommander walked up to the flames on the other side of the fire, their apprentices at their sides while dozens of other hunters were behind them.

"The Grand Equinox Hunt..." Slaysir began. "...For thousands of years, our order has lived by one simple code: the way of the hunt."

"Tomorrow, at dawn..." Huntscommander took over. "...Each of these creatures will be released and given a ten minute head start. Then, we shall track them down and bag them as our trophies."

As this happened, Lao-Shi stood alongside, Hunterss, Gladiatrix and Hunterboy, his eyes wide. "For now..." Slaysir said as he and Huntscommander turned around. "...We must be well rested for tomorrow's hunt."

"We meet back out here at dawn." Huntscommander finished.

LINE BREAK

With his eyes still wide, Lao-Shi stepped into his tent that he shared with Councilors Andam and Zkryo, finding them seated on their sleeping bags, a third one rolled out in-between theirs. "Well, Lao-Shi?" Andam asked as Lao-Shi took another step into the tent.

"Well, what?"

"The prisoners?" Andam asked. "Who are they?"

"And do you think there will be any way of defeating all of the Huntsclan soldiers?" Zkryo asked. "We need to know this, Lao-Shi."

"I don't know." Lao-Shi shrugged. "I doubt you can defeat all of these hunters."

"Well, we'll have to." Zkryo narrowed his eyes. "One of these hunters murdered Councilor Calyx last year."

"How do you know that that hunter is here?" Lao-Shi asked.

"He has to be!" Zkryo nearly spat. "Did you see how many hunters there were during the ride here?"

"That had to be nearly the entire New York branch of Huntsclan Masters." Andam stated.

"I hope you know what you're doing." Lao-Shi told them before he slowly lowered himself into a sitting position. "As for the prisoners..." He added as he crossed his arms. "...There were two dragons. One was male and the other was female. The male had about the same color scales as me. The female dragon had bruises."

"Bruises?" Andam asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That's what I said." Lao-Shi nodded, lowering his arms.

"That sounds like Dragon Rivera." Zkryo said as he turned his head to the side, Andam doing the same. "What color was she, Lao-Shi?" Zkryo added as he turned his head back to normal. "Was she a pink-ish color?"

"Uh, yeah." Lao-Shi answered. "I think so."

"That is Dragon Rivera." Zkryo said as he turned his head back to the side, staring into Andam's eyes.

"But we told her not to go into dragon form in public." Andam said. "Not with those bruises."

"Looks like she disobeyed us." Zkryo replied.

LINE BREAK

Outside, #1 made his way to a tent. Reaching it, he pushed through the flaps and stepped inside, where he saw Hunterboy fast asleep on his side on a sleeping bag, while Gladiatrix was lying on her back, using her arms as a pillow.

"Good evening, Gladiatrix." #1 said as he crossed his arms, watching as Gladiatrix sat up, holding herself with her arms.

"#1, what a pleasant surprise." She said.

LINE BREAK

Back inside Lao-Shi's tent, Lao-Shi was laying on his stomach, while Andam lied on his back, Zkryo lying on his side. All three of them were asleep. However, as the other two slept, Zkryo slowly opened his eyes, watching his two companions.

Slowly, Zkryo pushed himself up from his side. Grunting, he slowly got up on his feet. Then, he turned to the side and started to exit the tent. "The prisoners need more than just a ten minute head start." He said to himself after exiting the tent.

LINE BREAK

At the stakes of the prisoners, Rossendo, Micah and Mimi had all fallen asleep, and while Misti had her head lowered, her body shook against the chains holding her as she silently cried. Drake, on the other hand, kept his eyes on Hunteress, who had her back to them as she slept while keeping guard, the key to the chains on her belt.

Slowly, Drake extended his tail, trying to reach Hunteress' back. However, the tail did not reach anywhere near far enough. Gritting his teeth, Drake grunted as he tried to inch his tail further. However, this failed.

Sighing as he lowered his head in defeat, Drake slowly pulled his tail back. However, Drake was forced to look back up and turn his head to the side when he heard a whimper coming from Misti. "Hey..." He said gently, making Misti open her eyes, look up and turn her head to the side to look at him, tears running from her eyes. "...It's going to be okay." He told her. "We'll make it through this."

"No we won't." Misti told him tearfully. "They're...They're going to slay us."

"But maybe if we form a plan, we can make it out of here." Drake suggested. "They'll let us go in a few hours."

"Well, if you have one..." Misti sniffed. "...I'd love to hear it."

"That's the problem." Drake told her. "I need your help."

"I can't..." Misti choked out as she turned her head back to normal.

"What?!" Drake demanded, his eyes widening. "What in the world is wrong with you? What is your problem?"

"Hush, Dragon Fire." Came the voice of Councilor Zkryo. His eyes widening, Drake turned his head back to normal to see Councilor Zkryo reaching the sleeping Hunteress' feet. "Don't let your guard hear you. She'll wake up."

"Councilor Zkryo, what are you doing here?" Drake couldn't help but smile with relief as Misti sniffled.

"Is that the key to your chains?" Zkryo asked as he pointed down at the key on Hunteress' belt, completely ignoring Drake's question.

"I think so." Drake told him, who then watched as Zkryo turned to the side and crouched down, slowly unhooking the key from Hunteress' belt. Standing back up, Zkryo turned back to face the prisoners.

"At dawn, two more Councilors are going to arrive in the woods..." Zkryo said as he walked toward Drake. "...After I release you, you all need to either stay hidden or keep moving. Whatever you do, though..." As he continued, he reached Drake. "...Don't let the hunters see you once the Hunt begins."

"But what about you?" Drake asked, turning his head to the side as Zkryo walked passed his side, going around the back of his chains.

"Forget about me." Zkryo told him as he took hold of the lock to the chains that bound Drake, putting the key in it. "We're here for a reason." Then, with a turn of the key, the lock clicked and the chains fell away.

"What reason is that?" Drake asked, keeping his head turned to the side.

"Avenging Councilor Calyx." Zkryo answered as he reached Miti's stake. As Zkryo unlocked her chains, making them fall to the ground, Misti sniffled.

LINE BREAK

"So, I just wanted to say good luck in the hunt tomorrow." #1 told Gladiatrix, who was now standing up.

"I've got all the luck I need..." There was a hint of smugness and satisfaction in Gladiatrix's tone as she put her hands on her hips. "...In fact, I'd like to go look over the prisoners now."

"Why?" #1 asked.

"To decide which one I want as my trophy..." Gladiatrix said as she narrowed her eyes.

LINE BREAK

Rossendo, Micah, Drake, Misti and Mimi were now all unchained and were all now facing Zkryo, although they still had the shackles around their ankles. "As I told Dragons Rivera and Fire..." Zkryo said. "...I want you to all have more of a head start. I want you to be able to make it out of here alive. I want you all to be able to find Councilor Kulde and Councilor Cantata."

"Do you know where they will be?" Micah asked.

"From my understanding, they will be wandering around the woods." Zkryo said.

"Just like the Huntsclan will be..." Misti said in a worried tone, her tear-filled eyes wide.

"Don't think about them." Zkryo told her. "Right now, you five need to go. The more time you have to get away from the campsite, the better..."

Meanwhile, Gladiatrix exited her tent carrying the staff that she had been given for the hunt. Walking around another tent, she came into full view of the stakes were the prisoners were held, only to see one hunter with his back to her, five vacant stakes. Her eyes widening, Gladiatrix gasped.

"What is this?!" Zkryo's eyes widened as he heard the sound of Gladiatrix's voice. Whirling around, Zkryo could see the young huntress just a couple inches from him, clutching her staff in both hands with narrowed eyes. "You let them go..." She growled.

"Yes..." Zkryo said as he narrowed his eyes. Right after saying this, a bright light engulfed him, when it faded, he was in his dragon form.

"Dragon!" Gladiatrix spat as she pointed her staff at him, the blade of the staff starting to glow green. His eyes still narrowed, Zkryo flapped his wings and flew into the air as a green glowing blast of plasma whizzed right by where her had just been standing.

In the air, Zkryo opened his mouth and blew out a fireball, making Gladiatrix grunt as she jumped to the left, the fireball hitting the grass. Taking aim, Gladiatrix fired a green rope up at Zkryo, who avoided it by swooping down and lashing out with his tail, making Gladiatrix grunt as she jumped up, missing his tail.

As soon as she landed, Gladiatrix grunted as she jumped up again, kicking Zkryo in the chest, making the Dragon Councilor grunt as he was thrown back, grunting again as he landed on his back.

As quickly as he could, Zkryo sat up, but Gladiatrix quickly brought her staff above her head and circled the staff before bringing it back down, the green rope going over to Zkryo like a whip and making him flinch as the end of the rope wrapped around his left ear before he could do anything.

"End of the line, dragon..." Gladiatrix narrowed her eyes. Then, she pressed a button, causing the rope to start to glow a bright green color, quickly traveling over to Zkryo. As the deadly plasma neared his sensitive ear, Zkryo calmly and quickly closed his eyes.

LINE BREAK

Away from the camp, in the woods, the sound of a clinking chain could be heard as Rossendo lead the way. Rossendo was trying to go as fast as he could, but from behind, Micah, the terrified Misti, Drake and Mimi were all trying to stay close to one another.

Growling, Rossendo turned his head to the side. "Would you hurry it up?" He growled.

"Being impatient won't solve anything, Rossendo." Drake tried to tell him as they kept moving. "What we need to do is stay calm. We're going to be in danger no matter what we do until we find the two other members of the Dragon Council."

Scoffing, Rossendo turned his head back to normal and the prisoners continued on.

LINE BREAK

Passing through a brush, the five prisoners all stopped side-by side one another as they stared at a cave that was a few feet away. "We should spend the night in there." Drake said. "We can get some rest. That way, we can reserve our strength and be hidden. Come on."

Drake then started to walk toward the cave, Micah and Mimi quickly starting to follow him, then Rossendo, and then finally, the still frightened Misti.

LINE BREAK

Inside the cave, Misti had her scaly arms around her belly, hugging herself, sitting and facing Drake, Micah and Misti, while Rossendo was as far to the right as his shackle would take him, grunting as he brought a rock down on the chain keeping his shackle attached to the other shackles.

"Micah, Mimi..." Drake said, turning his head in both directions to look at the two as he said their names. Then, he turned his head back to normal so that he could look at Misti as he continued: "...Both of you should get some rest. We'll leave here in the morning and start to look for those two Councilors."

"But what about you?" Mimi asked as Micah slowly reached out with a paw and placed it on his scaly shoulder.

"I don't want you two to worry about me." Drake said. "Just worry about yourselves. Get some sleep. I need to talk to, uh..." However, he soon faltered, just staring at Misti, whose tear-filled eyes widened.

"Misti..." She managed in a small voice.

"Misti." Drake finished. "I need to talk with Misti."

"Okay, Drake..." Mimi said as Micah slowly pulled his paw off of Drake's shoulder. Drake then turned his head in both direction, watching as both Micah and Mimi lied down on their sides. Sighing, Drake then looked back at Misti, who stared back with wide eyes as Drake Scooted closer to her.

"What?" Misti asked in a soft, frightened voice.

"I told you before." Drake said in a near whisper. "We have to think of a plan. Rossendo, Micah and Mimi are all counting on us to get them out of here alive."

"I-I can't..." Misti shook her head once.

"Don't give me that." Drake narrowed his eyes as he pointed a claw at her. "All I've ever heard coming out of your mouth is 'I can't' and things that make me think that you have no confidence in yourself. You're a dragon! It's our job to protect these creatures!"

"I don't have any confidence." Misti told him, the tone of her voice rising slightly. "And how can I? I don't know how to protect anyone. I can't even protect myself."

"What do you mean by that?" Drake asked, only to have his eyes widen when he watched Misti slowly pull her arms away, revealing her bruises. "How'd you get those?"

"My step-father."

"He abuses you?"

"He told me to do something for him when I couldn't do it..." Misti said softly, more tears forming in her eyes. "...I told him that, so he-"

"He hit you..."

"Several times." Misti sniffled. "He didn't stop hitting me until I was on the floor."

"That's why you have no self-confidence?" Drake asked, raising an eyebrow.

"How can I?"

Drake was silent for a few seconds, lost in thought. After about ten seconds of thought, where the only movement coming from him was the moving of his chest and belly, his eyes widened and he smiled.

"I understand now." He said. "You're lost in life, but now is your chance, Misti. Your confidence was destroyed by your step-father, but if you can do this-if you can lead magical creatures to safety, then you can stand up those that would silence you. You're not alone, Misti." He said as he extended his arm, holding out his clawed hand. "Work with me. We can do this. This is your chance to prove to yourself that you're not helpless..."

LINE BREAK

As dawn arrived, the sound of flapping could be heard above the trees in the wooded area of Central Park. Riding on Councilor Cantata's back as she flew alongside Councilor Kulde, Fu Dog looked down at Cantata.

"Are you sure that Chang and Zoila will be able to look over the Island of Draco?" The shar-pei asked.

"Of course they will." Cantata told him.

Moments later, a rustling came from the tree branches above. Then, both Kulde and Cantata landed on the grass, Fu Dog hopping off of Cantata's back.

"Come on..." Kulde said as he quickly started to walk. "...The Hunt has probably already begun..."

LINE BREAK

Gladiatrix and a worried looking Hunteress (her eyes wide with worry and one of her hands reached over so she could clutch her opposite arm) were standing in front of the vacant stakes, right beside Zkryo's unmoving body, both watching as Slaysir, Huntscommander, their apprentices and #1 all walked up, all carrying staffs, only to stop when they noticed the sight before them.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Huntscommander demanded as he slammed the butt of his staff onto the grass in his anger.

"Who is that dragon?!" Slaysir demanded as he pointed at Zkryo.

"He was posing as a Huntsclan soldier, my masters." Gladiatrix said respectfully as she put her arms behind her back. "He freed the prisoners. Luckily, I was just coming out here to select which one I wanted as my trophy."

"And it looks like you've slain your first dragon, Gladiatrix." #1 said, making both Huntscommander and Slaysir widen their eyes.

"My masters..." Hunteress said as she removed her hand from her arm. "...You don't know how sorry I am. I...I should have heard the dragon coming..."

Narrowing his eyes, Slaysir quickly left the side of his apprentice and walked over to Hunteress. As soon as he reached her, the intimidated apprentice took a step back. "Have no fear, Hunteress..." Slaysir growled as he put the blade of his staff to her chin. "...You have a chance to redeem yourself in my eyes..."

Meanwhile, Lao-Shi and Andam both exited their tent, both holding their staffs. "Did Councilor Zkryo wake up before us?" Lao-Shi asked, turning his head to the side.

"I guess we'll find out." Andam said.

LINE BREAK

A short time later, both Lao-Shi and Andam pushed through a row of hunters and stopped in the middle of another row, Lao-Shi stopping next to Hunterboy, Andam's eyes widening as they saw Slaysir and Huntscommander standing beside the motionless body of Councilor Zkryo, in his dragon form.

"We had an impostor in our midst!" Slaysir said, loud enough for all to hear. "Fortunately, one of the apprentices managed to slay the impostor."

"Unfortunately..." Huntscommander added. "...The dragon impostor managed to free the prisoners, meaning our prey had more of head start than we planned."

"The hunt still goes on, though." Slaysir said. "It just means that we have more of a challenge."

"LET THE HUNT BEGIN!" They both shouted, lifting their arms and staffs into the air.

While all of the other hunters started to walk apart, preparing for the Hunt, both Lao-Shi and Andam stayed frozen in place. Then, Andam quickly turned around and started to walk away, making Lao-Shi slowly turn around, watching Andam as he walked back toward their tent.

"And where do you think you're going?" The sound of #1's voice made Lao-Shi jump in surprise as #1 walked up to his side, Andam stopping in his tracks. "Soldier, we're heading out." #1 said. "It's time to go hunting. Where are you going?"

"Back to my tent." Andam said quickly as he turned his head to the side. "I forgot something important."

"Now what could you have forgotten?" #1 asked quizzically. "You have your staff. What more could you need?"

"A dagger." Andam said in response. "I want to have it in case one of those beasts manages to take away my staff. And I want you to come with me, uh-"

"Huntsette." Lao-Shi responded in a fake girl voice.

Nodding once, Andam waited for a response from #1. #1 stared at Andam for a few seconds, his eyes narrowing in skepticism. However, he soon nodded once. "Very well." #1 said. "Just make it quick. We'll be in the woods hunting down the prisoners."

"We'll be fast." Andam said as he turned his head back to normal. Then, he quickly started to walk away, Lao-Shi starting to follow.

LINE BREAK

Andam quickly stepped into the tent and took another three steps before he turned around, watching as Lao-Shi walked inside. "Lao-Shi, Councilor Zkryo is dead."

"I know." Lao-Shi said. "I believe I just saw his body."

"Councilor Zkryo jeopardized this entire plan." Andam said, almost reaching the point of ranting. "The prisoners weren't supposed to be released until dawn. Now, it will be too risky to try to take down the hunters, much less find the one who killed Councilor Calyx."

"What are you suggesting?" Lao-Shi asked.

Sighing, Andam lowered his head. "I'm suggesting..." He said, lifting up his head before he continued: "...That we get the hell out of here. This charade is through."

"Why?" Lao-Shi asked. "It's not like we're suspected of being dragons. Besides, we can't leave the prisoners to die. Councilor Cantata and Councilor Kulde and Fu Dog are all out there trying to help. I think it would be foolish to quit, sir."

Andam stared at Lao-Shi for a few seconds before he finally spoke again: "Are you sure, Lao-Shi?" He asked.

"I'm risking my neck doing this for the Council." Lao-Shi said as he narrowed his eyes. "I'm not giving up."

LINE BREAK

Back inside the cave, Drake was lying on his back in-between Micah and Mimi. Misti was leaning against the cave wall with her lead lowered, as was Rossendo. However, with the sound of a horn blowing, Drake's eyes snapped open and he quickly sat up, turning his head to the side, seeing just how bright it was outside.

"Oh no..." Drake said as his eyes widened. "...Guys..." He said as he turned his head back to normal, putting his claws down on Micah's body and Mimi's body, starting to shake them while he used his tail to go over to Misti and shake her by her shoulder until she moaned, slowly lifting up her head.

"What?" She moaned as Micah and Mimi both pushed themselves up.

"We overslept." Drake told her, his eyes filled with worry.

"Do you think the Hunt has started?" Micah asked as he turned his head to the side.

"Most likely..." Drake said.

Outside the cave, Slaysir and Huntscommander, with both of their apprentices their sides, with Hunterboy, Gladiatrix and Hunteress behind them, with three more Huntsclan soldiers behind them, all walked up to the cave.

Both Slaysir and Huntscommander stared at the cave, their eyes narrowing. Then, Slaysir turned to face Hunterboy. "Hunterboy." He said.

"Yes, sir?" Hunterboy asked, turning slightly so he could look at Slaysir.

"I want you to go into that cave." Slaysir said. "Our prey might be hiding in there."

"And if they aren't, sir?" Hunterboy asked.

"The rest of us will carry on." Slaysir said. "And we'll all split up to cover more ground. We won't let any of these prisoners escape with their lives." He declared.

Inside the cave, Drake, Mimi, Micah and a frightened Misti were all huddled together, while Rossendo was standing behind them. "Do you think we're safe in here?" Mimi asked, turning her head to the side to look at Drake.

"No." Drake answered.

"Shh!" Micah suddenly put one of his paws to his lips. "I hear footsteps." He said in a hushed tone, making Mimi turn her head back to normal.

Sure enough, the five prisoners heard footsteps coming toward them, Hunterboy soon appearing with both of his hands, the blade pointed right at the prisoners. At first, Hunerboy's eyes widened in surprise, but then he narrowed his eyes.

"Dragons..." He growled as he took the proper stance, the blade of his staff starting to glow.

Micah, Drake, Mimi and Misti all gasped, running apart, Drake and Micah running one way while Mimi and Misti all ran in the other direction, causing their chain to rise up into the air as it snagged, the beam of plasma hitting the chain and blasting it to pieces, making Hunterboy gasp as his eyes widened.

At the wall, Micah gasped in surprise as Drake quickly grabbed his sides, lifting him up into the air with a flap of his wings. "Misti, grab Mimi! We've got to get out of here!" He shouted. "You too, Rossendo!" He added as he turned his head back to normal, flying Micah out of the cave with another flap of his wings.

Her eyes wide, Misti reached out and quickly grabbed Mimi, who was now standing right in front of her, making Mimi yelp in surprise as the panicking Misti jumped into the air, flapping her wings as she flew outside, Hunterboy growling as he watched her flee with his head turned to the side.

However, Hunterboy then turned his head back to normal to look at the growling Rossendo. "You're mine..." Hunterboy said as he lifted his staff above his head, starting to twirl it. However, Hunterboy then grunted as Rossendo's large hand slammed into his side, throwing him to the side, Hunterboy grunting as he back collided with the wall of the cave.

"Out of my way..." Rossendo growled as he watched Hunterboy slide down into a sitting position. Satisfied, Rossendo turned his head back to normal and started to walk toward the cave exit.

Growling, Hunterboy quickly pushed himself up and ran to the center of the cave, then coming to a stop and turning to the side. Holding his staff, Hunterboy bent his knees and grunted as he jumped, flying through the air and flipping over Rossendo, landing on the ground and facing the Bugbear as he aimed his staff at the creature. Then, he fired.

The blast hit Rossendo and made the Bugbear grunt as he flew back, hitting the wall with another grunt, sliding down into a sitting position. As Rossendo groaned, Hunterboy once again lifted his staff above his head and started to twirl it, the staff morphing into a bow and glowing arrow. Hunterboy then brought the bow and arrow down and quickly fired the arrow, which whizzed over to the Bugbear.

Outside the cave, both Drake and Misti touched down on the ground, setting down both Micah and Misti, respectively. "Misti." Drake said, turning his head to the side, making the wide-eyed Misti turn her head to the side as well as Misti and Micah took a few steps away. "Was that really so hard?"

"I don't see any hunters around." Micah said as he turned around.

"Me neither." Mimi added, turning around as well, making both Misti and Drake turn their heads back to normal.

"Good." Drake said, smiling hopefully. "That means that we are safe for now?"

"But what are we going to do, Drake?" Mimi asked, holding up her hands. "The Hunt has started. There are probably hunters all over the place."

"Are we going to look for a new place to hide?" Micah asked.

"I...I...I think that sounds good, Drake..." Misti said softly as she slowly turned her head to the side.

"Listen to me, guys." Drake said calmly as he put his clawed hands on his hips. "Yes, we'll find a place to hide. But we're not going to hide, per say. We're actually going to keep hidden until we can come up with a plan."

"You've been talking about a plan since the moment we all met!" Micah said in an uncharacteristically annoyed tone as he crossed his arms. "You have nothing to show for all your talk!"

"I don't have anything because I need Misti's help." Drake said calmly. "I'm not the only one responsible for you gu-Wait, where's Rossendo?" He immediately asked, whirling around to look back into the cave.

Back inside the cave, a glowing arrow was imbedded in Rossendo's stomach. As he put his hand around the arrow, the Bugbear hissed in pain as he looked down, Hunterboy growling in annoyance as he slowly walked toward his catch, his staff in his hand.

"You're still alive?!" Hunterboy growled as he stopped in front of the Bugbear. "Well, we'll just have to fix tha-ughh!"

However, before Hunterboy could do anything, Rossendo kicked the Huntsclan apprentice with his foot, pushing Hunterboy back, making him fall over onto his face and the flip over, landing in a squatted position on his feet.

Growling with anger, Hunterboy raised his staff and started to twirl it, the staff morphing into the bow again, complete with a glowing green arrow. Grunting, Hunterboy quickly aimed the bow and fired the arrow, which whizzed over toward Rossendo's head.

Quickly looking up, the wounded Bugbear's eyes widened and he instinctively brought up his hand to block the blow to his face, the arrow going into his hand.

From outside the cave, Drake's eyes widened as he heard a pained roar coming from Rossendo. "Rossendo!" Drake nearly shouted. He quickly started to walk toward the entrance of the cave, only to be stopped by...

"Drake, no!" Misti said in a panicked voice, stepping forward and putting her claws on his shoulder. "We can't help him."

"She's right." Micah nodded. "Going back in there is like committing suicide."

Back in the cave, Rossendo had a pained expression on his face as he stared at the side of his hand, seeing that the glowing green arrow had gone through the back of his hand.

"It's over, beast..." Hunterboy said as he took aim with another arrow.

Hearing Hunterboy's voice, Rossendo lowered his hand and stared at the apprentice. Accepting his fate, but not wanting to give Hunterboy the pleasure of a satisfying slay, Rossendo narrowed his eyes and growled, Hunterboy firing the arrow.

LINE BREAK

Sometime later, both Lao-Shi and Andam walked through the brush, stopping as they spotted the cave. "What now, Councilor?" Lao-Shi asked as he turned his head to the side, only to have Andam reach out with his arm and point at the entrance of the cave.

"Look." Andam said.

Turning his head back to normal, Lao-Shi could see Hunterboy slowly walking out of the cave, holding onto his staff. "Come on." Andam said as he started to walk toward Hunterboy, Lao-Shi quickly starting to follow.

"Apprentice..." Andam said as he reached Hunterboy, Lao-Shi reaching his side a few seconds later. "...Where is the rest of the Clan?"

"We split up." Hunterboy said. "The Hunt has begun. I've already slain one of the creatures."

"Wh...Which one of them?" Lao-Shi asked in a girly voice.

"The Bugbear." Hunterboy said. "It took me eleven arrows to finish him off, and that's not counting the one that went into his hand."

LINE BREAK

Sitting on a log in the middle of the woods, Misti grunted as she used her claws to break her shackle in two. Groaning as she slowly sat back up, she was sitting in-between Mimi, who was on her right, and Micah, who was on her left.

Slowly, Mimi scooted herself a couple inches to the side as Misti slowly stood up, turning to the side. Slowly herself, Mimi brought her foot with the shackle around it off of the grass and turned herself, placing it on the log.

While Mimi did this, Misti had her head turned to the side, watching Drake, whose back was to them, keeping guard. As he held his claws up, prepared for a fight, the Zaffre-colored dragon looked in all directions.

"Misti?" The sound of Mimi's voice made Misti turned her head back to normal.

"Sorry." Misti said as she straddled herself over the log, reaching down to the shackle that was around Mimi's ankle. Grunting, Misti pulled with her claws, breaking the shackle in two, allowing Mimi to pull her ankle back as Misti pulled the two pieces of broken shackle away.

"Thanks, Misti." Mimi gave Misti a grateful smile as she looked back up at Misti.

Meanwhile, Drake sighed as he turned around to face his fellow prisoners. "Okay." He said. "I don't see any hunters. I think we're okay for now." Then, he started to walk over to Misti, Mimi and Micah, just as Misti was sitting down to take off Micah's ankle shackle.

"So, Drake..." Micah said as he turned his head to the side to look at Drake, who stopped a few inches in front of him. "...Come up with a plan yet?"

"I told you, Micah." Drake said as he put his clawed hands on his hips. "I need Misti's help."

"Well, here she is." Micah said as Misti grunted, trying to pull at the shackle as he breathes became heavier. "Plan away."

However, instead of responding to Micah, Drake's eyes widened as he saw Misti stop pulling at Micah's shackle, instead focusing on her breathing. "Misti, please just hurry!" Micah said with a hint of annoyance in his tone as he turned his head back to normal, causing Misti to squeeze her eyes shut as she released a small whimper.

"Okay, okay, Micah..." Drake said calmly as he lifted up his clawed hands. "...You're stressing her out."

"I think we're all a little stressed out here, Drake." Micah said rather rudely as he turned his head to the side. "Rossendo was just killed. Anyone of us could be next."

This sentence only caused tears to form in Misti's eyes as she opened her eyes, a frightened gasp coming from her mouth.

"We're all scared, Drake." Micah continued. "We're all stressed out. But we're not acting like Misti over here. You keep talking about a plan, but the fact of the matter is that you need to think it up, Drake, because Misti's too scared to help you."

Hearing this said about her, Misti slowly looked up at Micah, tears starting to roll down her cheeks.

"She's going to work on it." Drake said calmly as he crossed his scaly arms. "It's her job as a dragon to protect you and Mimi, as it is my job."

"Yeah, well I'll believe it when I see her do something..." Micah said as he narrowed his eyes.

"She got me safely out of the cave..." Mimi volunteered quietly.

"Okay, just stop!" Drake raised his voice slightly. "Micah, you're just getting stressed out. Deep down, we're all equally afraid as the other." As he lowered his claws, he continued. "But don't talk like that to Misti. If you understood her, you wouldn't be saying these things. I believe in her, Micah. You should too."

As he listened to Drake say this, Micah's expression softened and finally, he sighed before he turned his head back to normal to look at the tearful Misti. "I'm sorry..." He said with another sigh. "...I just...don't want to die here."

"We're not going to..." Drake said softly. "...Because we're going to come up with a plan right n-"

However, before he could finish his sentence, his eyes widened as he heard a twig snap; out of the bushes stepped Hunteress, who was holding her staff. Stopping in her tracks, her eyes widened as she saw the prisoners.

Flaring his wings, Drake flew into the air as Micah, Misti and Mimi all stood up and turned to face Hunteress, who was twirling her staff above her head, the staff starting to morph, just as a scowling Drake landed in front of his three fellow prisoners.

"Stand down." He told the Huntsclan apprentice, just as Hunterss aimed her bow and glowing green arrow at him. "You're outnumbered."

"But I have an arrow trained at your heart." Hunteress told him. "You try to attack, I fire."

From behind, Misti swallowed hard and then took a deep breath before she stepped away from Micah and Mimi, slowly walking up to Drake, who smiled as Misti slowly lifted up her claws, preparing to fight.

"B...Bu...But wh...which o...one will you sh...shoot?" She asked with a shaking voice.

Staring at the two dragons who opposed her, Hunteress' eyes widened in disbelief, slowly starting to lower her bow and arrow.

While Hunteress seemed to be caught, Misti swallowed hard again, her body trembling. "You're doing great..." Drake said with a smile as he glanced at her. However, as he returned his attention back to Hunteress and stared into her eyes, his smile slowly started to fade with realization. He could tell by the look in the apprentice's eyes that she was aware of the fear that Misti felt. She was just toying with her prey.

"I've decided..." Hunteress' eyes narrowed as she quickly lifted up her bow and arrow again, aiming at Misti. "...How about you, brave one?"

At that moment, Misti's facade crumbled completely. Her eyes wide, she lowered her arms and yelled with fright as she quickly turned, jumping into the air and flying away with a flap of her wings.

"Misti!" Drake shouted as he turned around, starting to run after her as both Micah and Mimi turned and started to run as well, Micah and Mimi jumping over the log as Drake ran from behind them. Then, Drake jumped over the log, continuing to run.

"No you don't..." Hunteress growled as she took off in a run, eventually jumping up and flying over to the log before landing on it and taking aim again, seeing Drake running behind the other two creatures still.

"Gotcha..." Hunteress said. Then, she fired.

However, at that moment, Drake reached Mimi and grabbed her by the shoulders, flapping his wings and flying into the air with Mimi, making the arrow whiz into the calf of Micah, making him roar with pain as he fell to the grass.

"No!" Hunteress shouted as she stamped her foot. "Wasted!"

As they started to fly away, both Drake and Mimi turned their heads to the side to see if Micah was lying on his belly on the grass. "Micah!" They both shouted in unison, Drake stopping, his feet lowering so that they were facing the ground.

"Drake, we need to help him." Mimi said, turning her head back to normal and looking up.

"I know..." Drake acknowledged as he turned to the side, Mimi looking back down and turning her head to the side again.

However, at that moment, a glowing green arrow whizzed through the air and planted itself into Mimi, just under her shoulder-blade, making her cry out in pain, Slaysir stepping into view from the direction that Drake and Mimi were going in, lowering his bow and arrow. Looking up, he watched as Drake flew passed him from above, Mimi in his claws.

Then, he looked back down to see Hunteress running toward him. "What do you think you're doing?" Slaysir asked sternly as he walked toward the apprentice, making Hunteress slowly come to a stop.

"Going after the dragon." She answered.

"You have hit your prey." Slaysir said, pointing to where Micah was lying from behind her. "Finish him." Slaysir said, his eyes narrowing.

With a growl, Hunteress turned around and started to walk over to her prey, Micah groaning as he slowly lifted his head up. Finally, Hunteress reached Micah and turned to the side, aiming down with her bow and arrow. Then, she fired, the arrow causing a sickening thud as it made contact with Micah.

With the glowing green arrow in the back of Micah's neck, Hunteress turned back and started to walk back toward Slaysir, who held his staff with one hand, while putting his other hand on his hip. "Well..." He said as Hunteress stopped in front of him. "...You may not have earned your helmet, but you've redeemed yourself in my eyes." As Slaysir said this, he narrowed his eyes.

LINE BREAK

Misti was sitting against a rocky wall in the woods, her scaly arms wrapped around her legs, her legs pressed against her belly as tears rolled down her cheeks. Ahead of her, she could hear the sound of flapping wings, and she could see Drake flying toward her.

Sniffling, Misti removed her arms from her legs and she scooted her legs forward as she watched Drake land a foot away from her, holding a moaning Mimi in his claws. "Drake, I'm...I'm sorry..." Misti said tearfully as Drake walked toward her.

"What's done is done." Drake said as he walked Mimi over to the wall. As soon as he reached the wall, he set down the whimpering Mimi in a sitting position right next to Misti, who turned her head to the side, seeing the arrow in Mimi's body.

"She's hurt?"

"And they got Micah..." Drake said as he knelt down in front of Mimi. "...Okay, let's take a look at that..." Drake said softly as he slowly reached out with his claws, setting it down on Mimi's shoulder, making Mimi clench her teeth and hiss in pain.

"It's deep." Drake said. "Real deep."

"I...It feels li...like it's actually gone all the way through my sh...shoulder..." Mimi managed. "...An...And it's actually in my c...chest."

Meanwhile, Misti had her eyes squeezed shut and she was looking down, sobs shaking her body as she clenched her claws. "What's wrong?" Drake asked, making Misti slowly open her tear-filled eyes. Looking up, she turned her head to the side to see that Drake was looking at her. "You okay?" He asked.

"It's...It's my fault, Drake." Misti said as more tears rolled down her cheeks. "Micah is dead because of me. He was right."

Sighing, Drake turned his head to look at Mimi, who was breathing heavily and her eyes were starting to droop. "Mimi, I'm going to go get some water for us." Drake said softly.

"O...Okay..." Mimi replied quietly.

"Misti's going to come with me." Drake added. "We'll be back as soon as we can, okay?"

LINE BREAK

Fu Dog's eyes were wide, and his body was trembling slightly as he slowly walked, falling behind Kulde and Cantata, who were walking faster than he was.

However, Cantata and Kulde both soon came to a quick halt and they both slowly turned around. "Try to keep up, Fu Dog." Cantata said.

"Sorry..." Fu said. "...It's just...what if we run into hunters?"

"I'm hoping that we do." Cantata told him.

LINE BREAK

Misti was walking by Drake's side in the woods, Drake looking in both directions quickly before he returned to staring out at what was in front of him while Misti fidgeted nervously. "About Micah..." Drake then said, making Misti turn her head to the side. "...It isn't your fault any more than it is mine."

"But I failed..."

"At least you tried." Drake told her. Then, he sighed. "Unless we are able to escape and we're able to get her to a doctor, I don't think Mimi is going to make it. The arrow is in really deep."

Turning her head back to normal, Misti's eyes were wide with fear. "We're going to die, aren't we, Drake?"

"Hey." Drake said as he stopped in his tracks and allowed Misti to take one more step before he reached out and put a clawed hand on her shoulder, making her stop. "Don't you talk like that, Misti." Drake told her as she slowly turned around to face him.

"But it's true, isn't it?" Misti asked, her eyes still wide and her voice sounding like she was choking. "Rossendo and Micah are both dead. Mimi's going to die, too."

"You don't know that." Drake said, even though his tone hinted at the fact that he believed what Misti was saying to be true.

"We're stranded here!" Misti's tone rose in her panic. "There's no doctor for us to get her to! All that's out here is an endless forest for us to just wander around until we are found and slain. I failed as a dragon. I told you that I couldn't do it."

However, Misti then gasped as Drake unexpectedly reached out and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her. "At least you tried." Drake said softly as he put his chin on her shoulder. "You tried your best. You gave it your all and I'm proud of you." Then, he sighed. "Yes, Misti." He said. "We are probably going to die, Misti. But, we still can't give up. We've got to keep going."

LINE BREAK

Mimi was still sitting against the wall that she had been left sitting against. As she breathed heavily, she glanced up at the sky as she heard chirping, seeing birds flying in the sky.

Glancing down, Mimi stared out in front of her, moaning in pain as she waited for Drake and Misti to return.

LINE BREAK

Drake and Mimi continued to walk in the woods together, both of them with worried expressions on their faces. However, when they both heard a twig snapping, they both gasped and spun around, only to see nothing in front of them.

"Drake..." Misti's eyes widened as she slowly turned her head to the side. "...I...I'm scared."

"Don't be." Drake said softly. "There's nothing there."

"Then what caused the noise?" Misti asked in a scared voice as she slowly turned her head back to normal.

"It might have been a rabbit or something..." Drake suggested.

Little did the two dragons know that right behind them, both Slaysir's apprentice and Huntscommander's apprentice walked into view, their staffs in their hands, both of them stopping behind Drake and Misti.

"Come on." Drake said as he slowly started to turn back around. "We need to find that water for Mi-" However, he stopped talking abruptly and his eyes widened as he saw Slaysir's apprentice and Huntscommander's apprentice standing before him. Taking a deep breath, Misti slowly turned back around, only to gasp with fear as she saw the apprentices.

"Misti, just relax." Drake told her calmly. "If we work together, we can take them!" He tried to encourage her as he turned his head to the side, only to have his eyes widen as he realized that the wide-eyed, terrified Misti was slowly stepping backwards, shaking her head slowly.

"Misti, don't run!" Drake pleaded as he turned to the side to face her.

"I'm sorry, Drake." Misti said as firmly as she could. "Thank you for sticking up for me, but you were wrong." Then, she quickly turned and started to run, panting with each step that she took.

"I got her..." Slaysir's apprentice growled as he narrowed his eyes. Then, he grunted as he started to run after Misti, while Drake turned himself back to the side, turning his head so he could see Slaysir's apprentice running. Grunting, Drake turned his head back to normal and lashed out with his tail, only to have Slaysir's apprentice jump up and back-flip over Drake's tail. As Slaysir's apprentice flipped, he swing the blade of his staff down and sliced through more than half of Drake's tail, making it fall to the grass, completely severed.

As Drake roared in pain, stumbling back, Slaysir's apprentice grunted as he landed on his feet, immediately resuming his chase while Huntscommander's apprentice took aim with his staff, firing a blast of green plasma.

Quickly turning his head to the side as tears of pain ran down his cheeks, Drake grunted as he jumped to the side, the plasma whizzing by. As Drake landed back on the grass, he arched his back and groaned in pain while Huntscommander's apprentice growled as he charged, jumping into the air, flipping and landing right beside Drake's back.

Quickly turning to the side, Huntscommander's grunted as he lunged forward with the blade of his staff, sticking it into Drake's back, making Drake roar in pain again before he spun to the side, holding out his arm so that it hit Huntscommander's apprentice, making him grunt as he was thrown off of his feet, landing on his back on the grass as the moaning Drake slowly turned and then slowly started to limp in the direction in which Misti had run off in, the Huntsclan staff still in his back. As Drake limped by him, Huntscommander's apprentice turned his head to the side.

LINE BREAK

Misti was whimpering in fear as she continued to run. Passing through a decent-sized space in-between two bushes, she stopped in her tracks and gasped as she saw that she had reached a dead end; she was right in front of the end of a cliff.

"Nowhere to run, dragon!" The sound of Slaysir's apprentice's voice made Misti gasp and turn around to see Slaysir's apprentice lift his staff in the air above his head and start to twirl it, the staff starting to morph.

"No, please..." Misti begged as she held up her claws, taking a step back, as if she was surrendering. "...I'll do anything. Please...Please don't slay me." However, Slaysir's apprentice failed to listen to her as he brought down his weapon, which had morphed into a sword.

"Please!" Misti tried again before she turned and started to run away. Unfazed by this, Slaysir's apprentice grunted as he threw his sword, which twirled as it flew toward Misti.

With a sickening thud, Misti came to a screeching halt and her eyes widened as a gasp escaped her mouth, Slaysir's apprentice's now bloodied sword hitting the ground with a clang right in front of Misti; Misti's severed left ear ran down her arm before it hit the ground right at the side of her foot.

"Misti!" Meanwhile, Drake, who had ran in after Misti, slowly limped in-between the two bushes before it became too much for him; with a grunt, Drake collapsed on his knees as he watched Misti fall to her lift side, hitting the ground with a thud.

"Misti..." Drake moaned with sadness, making Slaysir's apprentice turn around to face him.

"Dragon..." He acknowledged, just as Huntscommander's apprentice jogged up to Drake, stopping right behind his prey.

"This one's mine." Huntscommander's apprentice said with narrowed eyes. Then, he reached down and grabbed the handle to the staff that was sticking out of Drake's back. Completely accepting his fate, Drake sighed and closed his eyes, just as he screamed in pain as green plasma hit his back, some of it rolling off of his back. The attack blasted him off of his knees and sent him careening forward until he hit the ground with a thud on his stomach, no blood coming from the stab wound on his back. Instead, the wound glowed from the lethal plasma that had been shot directly into his body.

LINE BREAK

Meanwhile, Mimi was still sitting where she had been left. The only difference was that her head was lowered. As Lao-Shi and Councilor Andam approached the area, Mimi still did not lift up her head. "Lao-Shi, look!" Andam said as he and Lao-Shi stopped a few feet away from Mimi. "It's one of the prisoners!"

Then, the two of them started to run toward Mimi, and as soon as they reached her, they both knelt down, Andam reaching out and grabbing Mimi's chin, lifting her head up so that they could see that Mimi's eyes were open and lifeless.

"She's dead..." Lao-Shi said, his eyes widening.

"Did you two slay her?" The sound of Huntscommander's voice made both Andam and Lao-Shi turn their heads to the side to see Huntscommander walking into view, his staff in hand.

Letting go of Mimi's chin, letting her head drop, both Andam and Lao-Shi slowly stood up and turned so they were facing one of the two Huntsclan leaders.

"Yes, sir." Andam said. "Huntsette got her."

"Very good." Huntscommander said, only to have his eyes widen as he, Lao-Shi and Andam all heard the sound of a horn being blown. "Aw, very good..." Huntscommander said as he turned around and started to walk away. "...The Hunt is over. Both of you take her body and bring it back to camp."

LINE BREAK

Back at the camp, the bodies of Rossendo, Micah, Drake, Misti and Councilor Zkryo were all laid out on their backs. #1, Hunteress, Hunterboy, Slaysir's apprentice and Huntscommander's apprentice were all staring at the bodies.

Stepping out of the woods, Gladiatrix had her staff in her hand and a disappointed look in her eyes, walking over toward the slain prisoners as more hunters exited the forest. Turning away from the victorious apprentices, #1 started to make his way toward Gladiatrix, the two of them stopping once they reached one another

"I didn't catch any of them..." Gladiatrix grumbled.

"Then consider yourself lucky that you found the imposter and killed him." #1 told her as he put his hands on his hips.

"If I had luck on my side..." Gladiatrix narrowed her eyes. "...Then I would have slain one of those two dragons."

Meanwhile, Huntscommander walked out of the woods, followed by Andam and Lao-Shi five seconds later, Andam holding Mimi's body by her ankles and Lao-Shi holding her body by the shoulders. As the two of them slowly started to make their ways toward the rest of the slain creatures, Lao-Shi's eyes widened.

"They're all dead." Lao-Shi whispered.

"Are you really surprised, Lao-Shi?" Andam asked quietly.

The two finally reached the rest of the bodies, where Gladiatrix and Hunteress were both standing, facing the dead magical creatures, both with their arms crossed. "At least you managed to slay your first dragon..." Hunteress said as she glanced over to Gladiatrix.

"Maybe, but I failed where it really mattered." Gladiatrix growled as Andam and Lao-Shi both turned and crouched down, setting Mimi's body drown right beside Rossendo's. Then, they both slowly rose.

Growling in frustration, Gladiatrix turned to the side, away from Hunteress, only to see both Andam and Lao-Shi gazing at the bodies. When Gladiatrix saw the sympathy in Lao-Shi's eyes, her eyes at first widened, but then, they narrowed.

LINE BREAK

"This year's Hunt..." Slaysir said out loud as he stood next to his apprentice, Huntscommander, Huntscommander's apprentice, Hunteress and Hunterboy, and in front of all the other soldiers. "...Was fast, but at least it was successful..."

Unbeknownst to all of the hunters, Gladiatrix was walking away from the crowd, her eyes narrowed.

LINE BREAK

Inside their tent, both Lao-Shi and Councilor Andam were seated on their respective sleeping bags. Sighing, Lao-Shi lowered his head. "You were right..." He said, completely unaware that Gladatrix had just arrived just outside her tent, her eyes widening.

"Who is that?" She asked. Quickly, Gladiatrix knelt down and reached into her boot, pulling out her tape recorder with a grunt as Andam spoke:

"Right about what, Lao-Shi?"

"We should have just given up after Councilor Zkryo was killed." Lao-Shi said, Gladiatrix activating her tape recorder just as Lao-Shi said started to say Zkryo's name. "We couldn't save any of the prisoners, let alone uncover who killed Councilor Calyx during last year's hunt."

As Lao-Shi finished saying this, Gladiatrix's eyes widened and she gasped.

Inside the tent, Lao-Shi lifted up his head to look at Andam. "How much longer until this shape-shifting potion wears off?" He asked.

"In about an hour or less, perhaps." Andam shrugged. "I wasn't aware that their Hunts lasted this long."

"We should get out of here." Lao-Shi said.

"I think that will be hard with the Hunt over." Andam said. "Now all of the hunters are back around the camp. We will need to be careful and we might need to simply wait for the right time to get away. Be patient, Lao-Shi."

"Well, if what you say is true, Councilor..." Lao-Shi said. "...I can't be patient, because my cover could be blown in an hour or less. I don't want to return to dragon form here in front of a huge squad of Huntsclan."

Outside, Gladiatrix had her eyes narrowed as she clicked off her tape recorder, stopping the recording. Then, the apprentice stood back up and turned around, jogging away from the tent and turning around another, only to stop in her tracks as she saw #1, Slaysir and Huntscommander all walking toward her.

"My masters!" Gladiatrix called as she started to quickly walk over to them, stopping in front of them as soon as she was close enough.

"Gladiatrix, we've been looking for you." #1 said.

"Our apprentices, Hunteress and Hunterboy are busy working on their kills." Slaysir said as he put his hands on his hips. "You need to start working on your helmet."

"My masters, I think that there is something far more important than that..." Gladiatrix said as she held up her tape recorder.

"What is that?" Slaysir asked.

"My tape recorder." Gladiatrix said.

"You weren't supposed to bring that here!" #1 scorned her with an unnaturally angry tone, pointing at her. "I told you to leave it back at the Huntslair!"

"You disobeyed a superior soldier?" Huntscommander asked with a growl as he narrowed his eyes.

"My masters, please." Gladiatrix tried to tell them. "Just listen to my recording."

"And why should we tolerate your insolence?" Huntscommander demanded as he crossed his arms.

"Because that dragon I killed was not the only imposter." Gladiatrix replied. "There are two more. Listen." Then, she pressed a button that started to play the recording:

"Councilor Zkryo was killed." Came Lao-Shi's voice. "We couldn't save any of the prisoners, let alone uncover who killed Councilor Calyx during last year's hunt. How much longer until this shape-shifting potion wears off?"

"In about an hour or less, perhaps." Came Andam's voice. "I wasn't aware that their Hunts lasted this long."

"We should get out of here."

"I think that will be hard with the Hunt over. Now all of the hunters are back around the camp. We will need to be careful and we might need to simply wait for the right time to get away. Be patient, Lao-Shi."

"Well, if what you say is true, Councilor, I can't be patient, because my cover could be blown in an hour or less. I don't want to return to dragon form here in front of a huge squad of Huntsclan."

With the recording over, Gladiatrix turned off the tape and then lowered it. "Huntsette is not who she seems." Gladiatrix said.

"Huntsette is not even a she..." Slaysir growled as he narrowed his eyes.

"Well..." Huntscommander raised an eyebrow. "...I guess we can forgive you disobedience this once. That is, if you help us destroy these two imposters." Then, he narrowed his eyes.

LINE BREAK

Sometime later, Andam exited the tent, followed by Lao-Shi. The two of them turned to the side and started to walk away, but after only one step, they both saw Huntscommander walking around the back of another tent and walking toward them. "Aw, there you are, Huntsette." He said.

"Y...Yes?" Lao-Shi said in a girly voice.

"You have claimed your prey, but you have yet to claim your trophy." Huntscommander said as he walked up to the two imposters. "Does that make sense?"

"Not at all." Lao-Shi replied.

"Well, that's okay..." Huntscommander replied. "...I wouldn't expect you to understand anything about the Clan...dragon..."

Immediately, both Lao-Shi and Andam widened their eyes and they gasped. "I...I don't know what you're talking about!" Andam quickly tried to hide his shock, even though his reaction had already been a dead giveaway. "Sir, I'm honestly hurt."

"Don't pretend..." Came the voice of #1, both Lao-Shi and Andam turning around to see that #1 and Slaysir were both standing before them, their bows aimed at them, ready to fire the glowing green arrows. "...We know about your identities."

As he said this, Gladiatrix walked up to his side and held up the tape recorder, playing the recording, Lao-Shi's actual voice coming from it: "Well, if what you say is true, Councilor, I can't be patient, because my cover could be blown in an hour or less. I don't want to return to dragon form here in front of a huge squad of Huntsclan."

LINE BREAK

In the woods of Central Park, Huntscommander and Gladiatrix were both holding Huntsclan staffs and were leading the way while both Lao-Shi and Andam were being held prisoner, being forced to walk forward by Slaysir and #1 from behind, who were holding their bows and arrows at their backs.

"What are we going to d-?" Lao-Shi asked as he glanced over toward Andam, but his eyes widened before he could finish as he heard the sound of Slaysir's voice from behind him:

"Quiet!"

Finally, Huntscommander and Gladiatrix passed through a brush and they stepped into an open area with no bushes, just trees that surrounded them in a circle. "This seems to be a good place..." Huntscommander said as he and Gladiatrix turned around to face their prisoners.

"So, now you're going to kill us just like you killed Councilor Zkryo, right?" Andam asked knowingly.

"Well, I'll give you that you're smart for a reptile..." #1 said. "...Go into your dragon form. I want you to be in your dragon form when I kill you."

"You too..." Lao-Shi could hear Slaysir saying from behind him.

"I can't..." Lao-Shi said as he turned his head to the side, Andam transforming into his dragon form.

"What do you mean you can't?!" Slaysir spat, narrowing his eyes.

"He really can't." Andam said as he turned his head to the side. "The reason he looks like Huntsette is because-"

"Quiet." #1 said as he walked around Andam's side, making Andam turn his head back to normal as #1 reached the front of his body and turned around, still keeping his arrow trained on him. "You don't have the right to talk, so just shut up."

After #1 said this, Andam resorted to just staring at the full-fledged Huntsclan member that was going to slay him, but as he continued to stare, the dragon skull helmet atop his head. In Andam's mind's eye, the helmet started to morph into a dragon's head: the open-mouthed head of Councilor Calyx; as if he were still alive in the mind's eye of Andam, Calyx then closed his mouth.

Gasping, Andam's eyes widened. "YOU!" He hissed, making Lao-Shi turn his head to the side. "It was YOU that murdered Councilor Calyx!"

"How can you tell?" Lao-Shi asked quietly.

"That's Calyx's skull..." Andam said, narrowing his eyes. "...I can tell by the shape. He's the one we came here for..."

"I don't know any Councilor Calyx..." #1 seemed confused as he took a step back. "...But yes, I did slay the only dragon that was participating in the Hunt last year."

"Enough!" Slaysir said as he walked around Lao-Shi and rejoined Gladiatrix and Huntscommander. "I say it's time for the execution." He said as he turned around to face Andam and Lao-Shi. Then, he aimed his bow and arrow just as Huntscommander and Gladiatrix aimed at them with their cocked staffs, #1 slowly backing away from Andam. "On three." Slaysir said. One. Tw-"

However, before Slaysir could get to three, there came snap of a twig from their sides, Kulde, Fu Dog and Cantata stepping into the clearing. "Councilor!" Both Cantata and Kulde shouted, while Fu Dog shouted: "Lao!"

This made everyone turn their heads to the side in the direction of the two dragons and the dog. Quickly turning his head back to normal, Andam took advantage of #1's distraction and grunted as he swiped with his claws, hitting the bow and arrow and making it fly out of #1's hands, reverting back to staff form as it flew through the air, finally hitting the grass. Quickly turning to the side, #1 ran after his staff just as Andam came down with his claws, which would have sliced through #1 if he hadn't moved.

Turning his head to the side, Andam could see #1 picking up his staff, then standing back up and then running through two trees and out of sight. "No you don't..." Andam said as he turned to the side. Then, he started to run after Calyx's fleeing murderer.

Meanwhile, Huntscommander lifted his staff above his head and started to twirl it as Councilor Kulde landed in front of him, Huntscommander's staff starting to morph into a glowing green spear. "Prepare to be slain..." He said before he charged.

Meanwhile, Slaysir took aim with one eye closed as Councilor Cantata landed in front of him. Then, he chuckled evilly as he fired. However, Cantata easily flapped her wings and flew into the air, making the arrow whiz away as she flapped her wings again and flew over to Slaysir, stopping just in front of him and lashing out with her tail, hitting Slaysir directly in the chest, making him grunt as he was thrown off of his feet.

Meanwhile, as she held the blade of her staff all of the way out, Gladiatrix shrieked as she charged toward Lao-Shi, swiping at him with her staff as soon as she reached him, only to have Lao-Shi grunt as he jumped into the air, dodging the swipe and flipping back, landing on his feet with a grunt.

"You make this too easy, dragon!" Huntscommander said as he continued to swipe at Kulde, who only grunted as he took a step back. "Why don't you fight back?" Huntscommander narrowed his eyes as he held his spear, ready to attack. "Because if you're not going to, just let it end quickly." Then, he grunted as he lunged forward, Kulde once again grunting as he jumped back, reaching down and grabbing the middle of the spear handle, right next to Huntscommander's hand. His eyes narrowing, Huntscommander grunted as he tried to pull his spear away. "Let...go...beast!" Huntscommander commanded as he gave another pull.

However, what Huntscommander did not expect was that Fu Dog, with his eyes narrowed, was behind him. Taking a deep breath, the shar-pei started to gallop toward one of the two Huntsclan leader. Then, he grunted as he leapt off of the ground, making Huntscommander scream in pain as a munching sound was made.

"You want me to fight back..." Kulde narrowed his eyes. "...Fine, I will." Then, he yanked the spear out of Huntscommander's hands, making Huntscommander grunt as he was whirled around by the unsuspected action. "You lose." Kulde said darkly. Then, he grunted as he thrust the spear forward, the spearhead going into Huntscommander's back, and then coming out of his chest, making him scream in pain again.

As Fu Dog released his mouth around Huntscommander's leg, dropping onto all four paws as Huntscommander grunted as he took a slow step forward, then fell forward, only to catch himself with his knees and his hands.

Meanwhile, Gladiatrix had narrowed eyes as she fired her staff, green plasma soaring over to Lao-Shi, only to have Lao-Shi grunt and jump into the air, making the plasma miss him as he landed back down on the ground. However, once Lao-Shi hit the ground, his eyes widened as he legs started to tremble. Then, his legs were both consumed by bright, swirling purple lights, and when they faded, Lao-Shi had his legs, but the rest of him was Huntsette's body. Blinking in confusion, Gladiatrix slowly lowered her weapon.

Then, the rest of Lao-Shi's body was engulfed by a purple, swirling light, even his arms. As soon as the light faded, Lao-Shi was back in his regular human form.

"It will be easier to kill you now!" Gladiatrix narrowed her eyes. With a grunt, she then started to run toward Lao-Shi. As soon as she had gotten enough speed, Gladiatrix grunted as she jumped, flipping forward and using her hands to launch herself into the air.

Looking up into the air, Lao-Shi watched with wide eyes as Gladiatrix screamed with victory, coming down, holding her staff high above her head. However, Lao-Shi's blue tail then came up and wrapped around her waist, making her grunt as she stopped coming down.

Narrowing his eyes as he smiled victoriously, Lao-Shi used his tail to flick the apprentice away, making her scream with fear as she twirled through the air. Finally, Gladiatrix came to a halt as she flew into a sharp branch of the tree at the opposite end of the clearing, the branch going into her back and coming out of her chest, making Gladiatrix cry out in pain, her staff slipping from her hand and falling to the ground, where it hit just as Councilor Cantata jumped back, noticing the staff right beside her foot.

"Huh?" She asked, then she looked up to see Gladiatrix's lifeless body dangling from up in the tree. In front of Cantata, Slaysir closed one eye and fired an arrow, which glazed Cantata's shoulder, making her roar in pain as she looked back down, falling to her knees.

His eyes shining, Slaysir lowered his bow and arrow and started to walk over to Cantata, who took a deep breath as she reached over to her now bleeding shoulder with her opposite clawed hand and applied pressure. Then, Slaysir reached the Dragon Councilor and once again took aim.

"Any last words, dragon?" Slaysir asked braggingly.

As she stared at the glowing green arrow in front of her face, Cantata quickly glanced over to the side to see Gladiatrix's dropped staff. "Yeah..." She smiled as she returned her gaze to him, quickly reaching out and grabbing the staff. With a grunt, she forced her arm forward, the blade of the staff going into Slaysir's face and the tip of the blade coming out the back of his dragon skull helmet.

"...I hope you pay eternally for all the innocent magical creatures you've slain." Cantata said.

Then, Slaysir's bow and arrow slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground. Bringing up his hands to his impaled face, Slaysir gargled as he took a step back. Then, he fell back into the ground with a thud, dead.

LINE BREAK

Pushing through low branches of two trees, #1 one ran out of the forest, only to find that he was now at a roaring river, at the end of the water was a dip, a waterfall.

A rustling came from the low branches again, and Councilor Andam flew out of the woods, landing on his feet, only to see that #1 was standing with his back to the edge, an arrow trained on him. "Take one step closer and I will shoot you." #1 warned.

Growling, Andam narrowed his eyes. "What happened?" He demanded.

"What do you mean?" #1 demanded in an annoyed tone.

"What happened when you killed my fellow Councilor?" Andam elaborated.

"Oh, he put up a good fight..." #1 said. "...A really good fight. He even took away one of my fingers. Although I admit that I was worried I would lose the battle and my life, I ultimately won. I fulfilled my destiny."

"You're not going to get away with this..." Andam said softly. "...Even if you slay me, there are three other dragons back in the woods fighting your fellow slayers."

"Oh, I know that you're just going to try to talk to me until your fellow scum creatures arrive to help defeat me." #1 told him. "Which is why I'm going to slay you and get out of here." Then, he chuckled. "Isn't it ironic? You came here for revenge because your fellow Dragon Councilor was slain during last years' Hunt. In the end, who is the one to put you down for good? The one you were looking for. The one who killed your so-named Councilor Calyx."

Then, he fired, the glowing green arrow whizzing toward Councilor Andam. However, Andam quickly jumped into the air and flipped over the arrow. As soon as he landed on his feet, he started to run toward #1, whose eyes widened.

Taking a step back, #1 found that there was no ground to step on. Starting to fall back, #1 gasped in shock and dropped his weapon, but before he could go over, he grunted as he was stopped, Councilor Andam having reached out and grabbed him by the cloth of his uniform.

"I'm not letting you go over..." Andam said. "...I want to see you sitting in a prison cell, waiting to be tried for your crimes."

"Shame..." #1 said, completely unfazed. "...I'm not going to be the prisoner of some filthy scum creature." Then, with a grunt, he tried to punch at Andam's left ear, but Andam quickly released him, causing #1 to go over the ledge, falling back-first into the raging and fast moving waters.

Turning his head to the side as he watched the water quickly run over to the waterfall, Andam sighed.

LINE BREAK

With a grunt with each slow step that he took, Huntscommander, with his spear still sticking out of his chest, his uniform soaked with his blood, made a return to the Huntsclan camp.

LINE BREAK

Huntscommander's apprentice and Slaysir's apprentice were both sitting in the same tent, inspecting their newly crafted dragon skulls.

However, both apprentices were forced to turn their heads toward the entrance as Huntscommander slowly walked in, struggling for breath. "Master!" Huntscommander's apprentice's eyes widened as he saw his master collapse on his knees.

"Master, what happened?"

Instead of answering, Huntscommander just groaned in pain before he fell sideways onto the ground, never again to get back up.

LINE BREAK

Night had fallen and had found Andam, Kulde and Cantata, with a bandage around her shoulder, standing in their dragon forms on the porch of the Rivera residence. The door to the house opened, and Misti's mother slowly stepped outside, closing the door behind her.

"Good." She said. "Councilors Chang and Zoila must have told you all about my call. My daughter is missing."

"She's dead, Mrs. Rivera." Andam said softly.

It took Misti's mother a few seconds to respond, but when she did, her eyes started to widen and her voice cracked: "Wh...What?"

"Your daughter was captured for the Huntsclan's Grand Equinox Hunt." Andam explained sadly, while Cantata and Kulde both kept silent. "None of the prisoners made it out alive."

Inside the house, Misti's step-father was sitting on the couch, pulling a beer bottle away from his mouth. He didn't even bother to turn his head to the side as he heard the front door close. It wasn't until his sniffling wife returned to the couch and plopped down, burying her face in her hands as she released a pained sob that he turned his head to the side.

"Take it somewhere else." He told her.

"I'm sorry if you don't care that Misti is DEAD!" His wife shouted at him as she lifted her head up and turned it to the side, showing him her tear-soaked face. "And it's all YOUR fault!"

"How is it my fault?" He asked as if the news that his step-daughter was dead did not mean anything to him.

"She..." Misti's mother started, but then she stopped herself, her eyes narrowing as she sniffled. "...She killed herself. That was the police. They found her body. Maybe if you had been nicer to her, she'd still be alive."

Then, with another sniffle, she turned her head back to normal, got off of the couch and walked away, leaving her husband to slowly turn his head back to normal, a look of confusion on his face.

LINE BREAK

Back at the Huntslair, Huntscommander's apprentice and Slaysir's apprentice were both now wearing different uniforms with capes and wore their dragon skull helmets upon their heads, standing on their boxes.

"You are now the two Huntsmasters..." A Huntsclan soldier told them as he knelt on one knee, staring at the two of them. "...While I am terribly sorry for the losses of your masters, I congratulate the both of you. Now, you will both need to find an apprentice..."

BLACKOUT; END

A/N: I know this seems like a sequel hook, but it's not. This is the end of the Chinese Dragon: Luong Lao-Shi films. Besides, we already know who one of the apprentices is eventually going to be: The Huntsman. As for the end scene with Misti's parents, I have a feeling I'm going to be asked why she told her husband that Misti killed herself. It was more or less a kind of revenge. She probably hoped that it would make him feel like the monster he is. In a sense, she's also absolutely right, though. If he had been nicer to Misti, she wouldn't have run away, wouldn't have gotten captured and therefore, would have lived.

Also, yes. The Hunt the year earlier where #1 killed Calyx was another one of the hunts where apprentices other than the two of the Huntsclean leaders' were allowed to go. There isn't really a pattern when it comes to those Hunts. If you're curious, the Hunts from 1900 to 1973 where other apprentices were allowed to participate are: 1901, 1906, 1911, 1914, 1919, 1921, 1924, 1928, 1932, 1933, 1936, 1946, 1947, 1953, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1972, and (of course) 1973.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed. Please review.