CRACK!
The sound of a whip snapping violently grabbed his attention. Where was Lucy? Why did she have to resort to her whip? Were her spirits not enough protection?
A blunt punch to his ribs reminded him that he had enemies of his own to deal with. He dodged and dealt several more blows, but a nagging feeling tugged on his chest. His body moved on instinct while his mind wandered elsewhere.
A piercing scream cut through his thoughts and dragged his conscious back to reality.
"Lucy." He choked out.
Immediately, his own battle became a rush, a blur. Magic coursed through his veins as he threw fire engulfed punches. A number of bandits now lay before him, unconscious and unmoving. His narrowed pupils searched frantically for any more and, after finding none, he bolted.
How could he let this happen? He knew splitting up was a bad idea and now Lucy was going to pay for his mistake. His gut twisted at the thought; he had to move faster.
He tore through the thick forest, eyes longing to be able to match a figure to the scent that could only be Lucy's. The dense thicket only made matters worse – Lucy could be anywhere. Another feminine cry rang out and Natsu's reaction was instant.
"Lucy!" He pushed past several bushes into a small clearing where he spotted her, but the scene before him made him almost sick with rage.
Lucy's whip lay far away from her, almost as if it had been taken and abruptly thrown. Taurus was not far from the object, lying face down with an agonized look spread across his face. His axe was just out of reach and the bull didn't seem to have the energy to reach for it.
Looking up, Natsu's desperate gaze finally landed on Lucy. Relief would have flooded him if it weren't for the battle that Lucy was essentially losing. On the opposite side of the clearing, a tall, slender man had her pinned against a tree, his forearm pushing her back just under her neck and a knife positioned at her stomach.
Natsu's sudden – and rather loud – entrance had caused the man to falter for a moment. As the man turned to look over his shoulder, Lucy seized the opportunity she had been waiting for. She parried the knife-wielding hand away and promptly kneed his gut. With a satisfied "Hmph!" she quickly darted to the center of the clearing, aiming to put as much distance between them as possible; all she needed was a little time to be able to regain her magic and call forth another spirit for help. She clutched her keys. Who should she call? Loke? Aquarius? Ugh, think fast, Lucy!
Before she could act, a flash of pink was before her, standing protectively between her and the strange man.
"Natsu… you made it." She whispered almost hesitantly. He always seemed to be there when she needed him most.
"Did he hurt you?" Natsu had barely turned his head, yet she could see the severity behind the words in his narrowed eyes.
"Eh… You're gonna pay for that one you little squirt." The man now stood, still clutching his stomach. Man that brat sure can kick, he thought. His features were twisted in a pain-stricken snarl as he gathered his bearings for another attack. A swift assessment told Natsu that the man was undoubtedly the leader of these bandits. Both his demeanor and his almost assassin-like cloak told of power. Natsu didn't like the animosity in the glare he was giving Lucy.
"Try me." Natsu growled.
Before the man had time to think, Natsu surged forward. He absolutely refused to lose to someone who hurt a member of Fairy Tail – especially Lucy. Every move the man made, Natsu seemed to counter. The faint aura of magic that surrounded Natsu from before became a thick coating of crackling fire. The man, however, wore an almost sadistic smile. Natsu's face contorted at the sight, Man, this guy really is crazy.
"Impressive magic, boy. I'd be just trembling by now if I didn't have my own tricks up my sleeve!"
"Oi! Was that sarcasm?!" Natsu fumed almost comically.
Seconds later, the atmosphere shifted into dangerous territory. In a flash, the thuggish man was behind Lucy, his jagged knife pressed blunt against her throat. His other arm expertly hooked around her elbows, effectively holding her arms behind her body and leaving her defenseless. Lucy let out a small cry in shock. Oh, man, oh, man, oh, man, what now? She thought drastically, her eye twitching in both fear and annoyance.
Natsu jumped in shock, quickly turning to face Lucy and the man. He gritted his teeth and gulped hard. Adrenaline pumped through his body, he failed to keep an eye out and now Lucy was in danger – again – because of him. These thoughts tormented him; he could feel the blood pounding in his ears. His tightly clenched fists radiated fire.
"Let her go." He commanded, a deep, feral growl emitting from his chest.
An amused snort was all the man offered. "And why would I do that? Actually, I've been thinking about it, and I might just take her back to the hideout with me." An animalistic smile twisted the man's face as he tilted Lucy's head towards him with his knife, feigning deep thought.
Natsu exhaled sharply as if he had been punched. His pupils shrunk and narrowed. For a moment, he felt unsure of himself. Would he really be fast enough to save Lucy on speed and instinct alone or could he somehow distract the man well enough for him to release her? No matter what he did, there was the possibility of getting Lucy hurt and he wouldn't forgive himself for that.
Natsu stood tense, strategizing his options hastily. A head-on attack like he normally used could hurt Lucy, but if he pissed this idiot off who knows what he might do. It was so unlike him to contemplate situations in battle like this, but he never really cared about putting his own life in danger; now that Lucy's was at risk, however, the scales had tipped completely. Natsu almost considered negotiating with the man, seeing as he was out of other reliable choices that would get Lucy out of here safely.
Unfortunately, Lucy chose to act before him.
Squirming and twisting against the man, she made a futile attempt to distance herself from the knife. The man hardened his grip, snarling and hissing at Lucy's annoyingly persistent efforts. When nothing seemed to work she went limp, breathing slowly and attempting to calm herself before trying again.
"Like that would work." The man commented in a snide voice, an overconfident air begining to swirl around him.
WHACK!
In his moment of egotism, Lucy took the chance to retaliate. She snapped her head straight back, smashing into his nose and creating an audible, and doubtlessly painful, noise.
The man recoiled from Lucy in reflex. The knife wielding arm hurriedly untangled itself from her, slashing into her side in a messy struggle. Lucy squeaked, placing a hand on her side momentarily and turning it over to study her now blood soaked palm, horror dancing across her face. Her breathing soon became erratic from shock and she stumbled forward.
Natsu lurched forward, catching her from the front and leaning his forehead against hers desperately. He gripped her tight, "I've got you." His jaws clenched briefly, "He's not going to touch you again." Lucy's gaze softened from both relief and trust in her partner.
Natsu's rage peaked at the scent of Lucy's blood and the sight of man who had now taken several steps back, covering his nose and spewing awful curses towards her. He could almost feel the red scales flaking and rippling down his body. This man was going to learn a valuable lesson today – you don't mess with a dragon's claim.