I wake up with a start, which has started to become apart of my daily morning routine. The nightmare of torture by the person who loathes you is one thing. The reality of it actually happening being probable is another. The sound of his triumphant laughter rings in my ears making me shudder. The look of unfair pleasure on his face plays in my mind. Even from miles afar the bastard could still ruin my day. But the peaceful rays of light still shone through the forest trees and life hopefully will still go on. I stretch and yawn in my hammock and I don't want to stand up. Just one day off, I think. Just one day to rest and not worry about being found. Just one day to give me time to think and plan a strategy. But I know it is something I cannot risk. Even if it's a small distance, I must always be moving forward, staying at a different location each night until I find just the right place to hide. But until then I only way to hide is to always be somewhere else.

I finally bring myself to get up, standing the weight of I problems now feel heavier. When I stood I felt something slide off my stomach and heard the sound of something hitting the ground. I look down to see a folded paper at my feet. I squat down and cautiously pick the paper up and I unfold it. It read:

"I assume this you have received this message Nico. Surprised? This game is getting old you know, and I think we both know who's going to win. I bet you thought you were being sooo clever, you and your dragon. But soon you're not going to be the only one who can fly anymore, or better yet be able to fly anymore. Don't underestimate what I know. I have people everywhere. I don't care what the law says; I won't forget what you did, not until you pay for every last bit of it. So go ahead keep running, but I'll warn you now, it won't do you any good. None at all."

*How dare he have the nerve?* I think at first with rage, but then a more important question came to mind, *How did this letter get to me?* however it did the bottom line was this: He sent someone to go looking for me, and at the least I had 3 days until my location got back to him. A chill went down my spine as I accepted the thought. Thoughts raced through my mind trying to come up with a plan. Going to the west would be too obvious; that's where Percy is. Oh Percy. I missed the kid... But I had to focus on what was important. In the north… And then it hit me. I knew exactly where we would go. I crumpled up the letter and chucked it into the lake. I took down my hammock and put it in my sack, then I spread out and hid the burnt fire wood getting rid of any evidence that camp was made here. "Guess we're heading up north girl," I murmured to Chira. She groans in response not moving in her resting position. "Look I know your tired but we have to go," My voice is sterner this time. She gives me a dirty look but in the end she stretches out her dark purple wings and leans her back down for me to get on. I got myself situated on her saddle and gave Chira a little kick in the side. She makes a running start on the lake's dock and then takes off. I swear I can hear the dock collapse and splash into the water behind us. A foolish grin comes across my mouth.

Flying is the greatest thing in the world to me. The sky's domain seems endless and less crowded. Free of the cruelties of man as you soar above them. And flying on a dragon? Makes all the difference in the world. Flying on a dragon running away from someone who's out to kill you? Well good luck catching me first.

We go above beyond the lake and what feels like a never-ending forest. Looking down it looks unforgiving, a maze I that makes me happy to not be traveling on land. I shiver a bit at the sight of a few giants and wyverns lurking about and the horrid screams that could be heard from up here. I will Chira to go further up into the clouds so I don't have to look at the gruesome sight below… or so it can't see us. About two hours later we are above the Qurock Mountains and I take in the beauty of it. Rivers flow in the mountains making a breathtaking waterfall on mountain cliffs. I want so badly to stop there and explore the mountains but I know I have to get way beyond the other side of them. *Don't underestimate what Perdix knows, my ass. He'll never find me, and if we wants to find me he can get up and actually do something himself* I think triumphantly. It takes over an hour until we're officially on the other side of the mountains and I feel a significant drop in the temperature. We are above Trelldearum, the underground kingdom of the north.

Willing the dragon to go down, a new problem comes across my mind. Dragons *hate* going underground. *Damn* I cursed to my self, *She'll never agree to going down... But how on earth can I leave her up here?* I push the thought aside… We'll deal with it when we get there… if we get there.

We approach the ground and are on the outside of a large hillside. *Now if I remember how to do this correctly...* Taking a few paces back from the slope I looked at from several different angles. *Where is it?*

"What would you be doing there sir?" the sound of another's voice startled me.

I turn to face the man to see what appeared to be a guard, the symbol on his uniform seemed familiar… "I'm looking for the Kingdom of Trelldearum, perhaps you know where I would find it?"

"Kingdom of Trell-what? I can assure you there's no such thing." I knew he was bluffing. Why was that uniform so freaking familiar?

"Where are you from?" I inquire.

"That's- none of your business," he says looking me up and down. How could I be so stupid! I remember now that his symbol is Trelldearus.

"Listen, you can trust me, I know you're bluffing and I know the kingdom exists. So *please, can you give me directions?"

The guard scowls at me, "I don't think so."

I have no other choice. Perdix finding me would be the end of me. I will not stand down and let him win. He doesn't deserve the satisfaction... and neither does this guard. I get out my dagger and threaten it at his neck, "Now you are going to tell me where that entrance is, or. Else."

"Nev-er," the guard spits. I press my dagger harder to his neck.

"I-i-it's tha-at a way," the man choked pointing his meaty finger in the direction over the hill.

"Thank you," I let him go and he scampered off into the woods behind me.

I walked Chira up and over the hill so were on the other side. I took a look at the hill in several different ways like I did with the other side and still nothing. I did this with several other near by hills. At the fifth hill I finally saw it. At the right angle I could see the Trelldearum symbol made out of a crevice in the hill. I walked up to the hill and stuck my hand in the crack. "I come to the a place... where most things hide? I offer my peace for uh- your acceptance in letting me... hide here too." I say, but even Chira gives me a funny look. I can't remember how to get in here... but dusk was breaking and soon it would be too dark for me to do anything, so Chira and I find an isolated small group of tees not far from the rolling hills. I set up my hammock and the two of us rest after a long day. Dosing off soon I find myself in a dream.

It was of the night that started it all. I waited until it had to have been at least midnight, the village did not make the slightest noise except for the gentle conversations between crickets. I crept up to their gates at the back of their palace where the guards had dozed off. "Who-who," I called out our signal. "Who-who, who-who," imitating the owls call. Seconds later she slipped out of their home looking as lovely as ever, her long flowing beautiful dark brown hair, her soft flawless white skin. She where's an elegant silk nightgown. It's light blue color that compliments her eyes. She grins at my presence. We run to each other until we are in each other's embraces. And then we kissed, and it felt so right and yet so forbidden. He didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve to even be in the presence of her. She could do so much better! I could take care of her ten times better than that cold hearted knave could even dream of. I offer escape to her every time... But she says that she's too afraid he would do and that he would kill me. Of course he's a noble, the richest man in the village, probably richest of all the nearby villages, he has the power and wealth to... Well do whatever he wants, there's no point in trying to go up against him, his authority always rules. But anyways back to Quin. Our kisses became hungrier and full of want; I didn't want this moment to end. We could hear the sound of feet walking, but being so caught up into the moment we didn't pay attention. "Get your filthy hands off her!" a voice boomed. I wake up with a start.

Another beautiful sunny day and our adventure continues. I'm getting in the habit of tearing down camp night after night and having no permanent home, at first it made me feel more alone than ever but now it feels natural… although it would be nice to stay in a place longer than half a day. For once Chira is already up without me asking. She must have waked from the noise of me tearing down our little camp. When I was all packed I rode Chira on land to the entrance we found yesterday, I had made myself memorize every detail of the hillside so we wouldn't have to repeat yesterday's trying one hill after another. I walked up to the crevice and thought long and hard trying to remember how on earth do I get into the kingdom. The sound of voices interrupts my thought and concentration.

"So I told him-" I stopped listening to hide in a bush... But then when I saw the two people started approach the slope I realized I forgot something... What about Chira? But the dragon saw the problem before it arose. She flew up into the sky where I knew she would hover around the area. "What the-" the female of the two says at the glimpse of Chira's tail as she shoots into the air. The two stare up into the sky in confusion but then decide to let it go. The woman had a bow and stash of arrows strapped to her back her companion held a dead doe in his arms. I examined them as the girl stuck her hand into the crevice, not wanting to miss a second of the procedure. "I understand this is the kingdom of the hidden. Please accept my offering," she says as her companion places the deer at the hill base, "so that I may be hidden too." The couple took several steps back. The doe disappeared, and the ground shook as the crevice got wider making a large opening. Stepping though the opening the couple disappeared as they went underground and the two sides of the hill closed until it was one piece with just a thin long crack. Stepping out of the bush I whistled long and loud and second later Chira landed right next to me. Looks like I have some hunting to do. "C'mon girl, let's take to the skies."

With my bow and arrow at the ready we gracefully soar. I am hoping to find an eagle or any large bird... I assume I'll need a good size offering. After some flying around I see a good sized eagle in the distance. I get Chira to gain speed on it and when we get close enough I make my shot. The bloody bird dodged it in less than a second before it would have been fresh

kill. This happens with two other birds too, and fourth time around I am not letting it escape. My eyes catch the tip of a wing, and so Chira and I follow after it. Once I see what it was I could not believe my eyes. We were chasing a gryphon. I knew how dangerous the the half lion half eagle creatures were so I made Chira keep our distance. I aimed at the creature and prayed for the kill as I let the arrow go. A straight clean shot through the heart. My dragon dives down to catch my catch before it hits the ground, but right before she did something makes Chira halt and screech in what sounds like agonizing pain. Turning my head to see what is the matter, terror waves over me to see a menacing wyvern sinking it's teeth into my Chira's tail. Chira lashes her tail shaking the beast off only so they can fight each other face to face. I hold tight to her rein with one hand as I pull out an arrow with the other, I nearly drop it as I am shaken as Chira gives the wyvern a swift claw in the face. Before the wyvern retaliated I got my bow and arrow ready and shot at it. The arrow bounced right off the thing as if it's skin was made of steel. I'd forgotten how tough the flying reptile skin was, my weapons were useless unless I had a clear shot to the heart. Otherwise the only thing than can truly hurt it is dragon and wyverns themselves. Panic went through my veins as I saw the thing fling it's spiked tail towards us. Wyvern tail tips are very venomous. Trying to dodge it the blow it only hit her in the foot, Chira shrieked in pain bellowing a fire ball in response. I could sense that the fire had done some damage, the wyvern losing some energy. But it wasn't the only one, Chira only had so much time before we had to take care of the poison in her foot, or it would spread. The devilish creature went for her stomach, Chira blocked it and made a break for it's neck. Dodging the her attack Chira instead bit the wyvern's stomach. *What a terrible attempt to block* I thought. The wyvern wailed in pain, taking advantage of the creature's low moment Chira started to dive to it's neck once more, but before she did so something stopped her. She shrieked and then we started falling. *Oh no! The poisons gotten to her.* We start to plummet making my heart beat ten times faster as the ground became unsafely close. But then Chira gains enough strength to flap her wings for a safe landing. It comes to my attention that the wyvern hadn't been following, probably because letting the opponent go to suffer was a better win. I see that we are landing in the wretched forest we past earlier just outside the Qurock Mountains. We landed with a thump, both luckily alive.

The forest is dank and dim, it gives me the most terrible of vibes. "Look girl, I'm going to try to temporarily fix your wound, and then we need to get out of here." I'll have to risk stopping in the mountains and find a real healer then I'll hunt for a offering by foot and then we'll get back to Trelldearum. "Let me see your foot girl." And so she does as told and I wish I had said nothing at all. Purple ick (The blood of dragons) leaked unmercifully from her left hind leg, making a hideous large puddle on the forest floor. I pulled out a blanket from my sack, I won't be needing it with spring progressing soon. Balling the blanket up I press it up to the wound to absorb the blood, Chira whimpered a little. "Shhh," I said softly, "It'll be okay." Leaving the blanket on the wound I look at the rest of her body to see how much damage the poison has done, 3/4 of her of leg had turned a rotting green. *I have to find someone who can help this permanently before it spreads much further* It takes all the strength in me not to panic, any rash movements out of fear, and I can risk us a lot. After giving it sometime I remove the blanket relieved to see the bleeding has started to stop, unrelieved to see the true gruesome detail of the wound. Dragon skin is thick... *very* thick, so seeing a whole chunk of it gone isn't a good sign, or sight for that matter. Before I clean up more of the wound I pull out a small empty glass potions bottle and scrape it up against Chira's flesh. Although she shrieks in pain I need a sample of the wyverns poison; its extemly flammable and I never know when I might need it... I could also use it to poison a certain person, but I want to kill him myself, fair and square. Then I get out my water carrier, unscrew the cap and pour it gently over the damage. It cleans the wound clearing it of some dirt and dried blood. Chira whimpers again for the water sizzles as mixes with the poison that has infected her flesh. With the other side of the blanket that is dry I wrap and tie it around the wound. It would have to do for now. "Think you're up for fly-" I stop as I realize the poor thing has dozed off. *I suppose I can let her nap for a while* I think although the thought of being alone in this forest gives me the most unforgiving chill to my bones. *Just calm down* I try to convince myself, *It won't do anyone any good if I am in a panicked state* but the scared side of me doesn't buy it. I try to shut down my thoughts for a moment and just listen to what's around me and after enough concentration I finally hear the faint sound of rushing water just west of me. *Perfect* I think, *I can just follow the setting sun.* I also figure it is okay to let Chira be for a while considering that few would actually even try to mess with a dragon, and the wyverns I saw on the way to Trelldearum were on the opposite side of the forest furthest from the mountains.

So the whole following the setting sun idea is not as easy as I have hoped. The trees are so tall, blocking most of the view of the sky. Their height also contributes to the forest's darkness because they cast such long shadows, but luckily I can still see a glow (that was very faint) of the sun to help me find my way.

Going on my way it is eerily quiet, I walk slowly and constantly turn my head over my shoulder to be sure nothing was following me. In the distance I hear a blood-curdling scream and nearly jump out of my skin, I keep going although I notice that I have goose bumps everywhere and I am starting to shake a little out of fear. Eventually I reach the river. Thank the heavens it's not too far from where we stopped. I get out my water carrier and refill it and then cup my hands to get water and splash it in my face. I rubbed my face and cleaned off all the dirt. Looking down at my clothes I could faintly see that they were covered in dragon's blood I strip down shirt and pants leaving me in my trousers and undershirt. I take the clothes to the river and rinse them thoroughly until I figure they are clean enough. After ringing out the water from them I put the damp clothes on, for I can't ball them up and put them my bag because they'll get mold all over the place. I don't dare think about hanging them up on a line because waiting for them to dry would mean having to set up camp here, which is the last thing I'll ever consider for what to do tonight. Realizing that it will be dark when I get back to Chira, I look around and luckily find a couple pieces of flint. Then I pulled of a thick branch of the nearest tree and wrapped one end of it in an extra shirt of mine. *I knew it was best for me to collect it's poison* I think as I pour the vile stuff over the shirt wrapped end of the wood. After a few clicks of flint over the wood the sparks touch the flammable poison-covered wood and the wrapped fabric becomes a blaze. I now have a torch.

The walk back to Chira doesn't take to long in reality, but being full of fear to this blasted forest makes it feel like a never ending nightmare. In the far distance I could see the faint glow of untamed fires. I hear more horrid screams of women in the distance and the scratches and screeches of creatures in the trees above me. Just as the eeriness is too much for me, an enormous flood of relief floods over me to see that Chira has wakened from her nap sitting up straight waiting for me and unharmed by the forest. I want to get out of here, and I want to do it soon. Night was upon us and I was as scared as ever of this place. I'm about to ask the dragon if she's well enough to fly into the mountains when voice stops me.