Chapter VI

Shadow's ears folded back. He snarled silently. Kiriha stayed as still as a statue, as did Demos and Lucius. The Dragon stared at them for about half a minute, then turned away. Everyone let out a silent sigh of relief. Kiriha signalled Shadow to go around the clearing, so they could approach the Dragon from two directions. She then crawled to the very edge of the foliage. She strained her eyes to look at the creature's shoulder. She leaned forward, snapping a small twig under her elbow. The beast turned around again, and she saw that it was branded with the Mark. She also saw that it's eyes were not crimson, but black. She also saw that it's scales were a dark grey colour. The creature saw her, and lifted it's head up to the sky and roared. It's eyes flickered to a dark red colour. Kiriha thumped her fist on the ground.

'Damn it!' She got up and ran towards it. The dragon reared up, and an arrow was shot into it's wing limb. Kiriha looked back, and saw that Lucius had remembered to bring his trusty bow and quiver full of arrows. The Dragon screeched and fell onto it's stomach. It ripped the arrow out of it's wing limb with it's teeth, and ran towards the forest. Lucius and Demos split up and went around the clearing. The Dragon had charged straight through where they were standing. It stopped and looked around. Shadow seized it's leg, and it shook him off as though her were a fly. Shadow landed on all fours by a tree. Kiriha jumped onto the Dragon's back and stabbed her knife into the rock hard scales. The Dragon simply looked at her, then took off into the air. Lucius looked up and saw the great beast flying away with his girlfriend attached to it's back.

'Kiriha!' he screamed. He looked around frantically, wondering what to do. Rope. He needed a rope. Of course! He still had the one that was used for Shadow. It wasn't very long, but it would do. He attatched it to one of his arrows, and aimed. The Dragon was to high.
'Kiriha! Make it fly lower!' he shouted to her. Kiriha faintly heard him, and, leaning on the knife, sent it plunging into the beasts spine. The Dragon roared as it's warm blood ran out of the wound, and it's weakness made him soar lower. Kiriha looked down and saw Lucius aim again at the Dragon.
'Come on…' said Lucius through gritted teeth, and let his arrow fly. The arrow skimmed past the Dragon's leg, and Lucius had to use the rope to haul it back for another try. Demos emerged from the trees and saw the winged creature fly over the clearing. He saw Kiriha. He saw Lucius shoot his arrow. He saw it shoot through the Dragon's leg, and the Dragon roar in pain. Lucius tied the rope to the tree, and the beast reached the maximum length of the rope and plunged to the ground in the forest clearing.
'Kiriha!' Lucius yelled. The Dragon squirmed on the ground, crying as blood gushed out of the wound in it's leg. Lucius ran towards it, but was stopped by Demos.

'Wait!' he commanded. 'I may not know much about them, but he looks like he could still take someone's head off.'
Lucius struggled furiously.
'My girlfriend's in there!' he said harshly. He looked at the Dragon. It groaned and lay still as it grew weaker. Demos released his grip and Lucius sprinted towards the fallen creature. He found Kiriha coughing for breath next to the Dragon's wing, accompanied by Shadow. He whined at the sight of his friend being hurt. Lucius knelt down next to her and cradled her until she caught her breath. She smiled.

'We did it.' she wheezed. Lucius hugged her. Kiriha then scrambled to her feet.
'There's the Mark…' she whispered. She knew that the Dragon was keeping a close eye on her actions. She crept towards it, and it showed it's gleaming fangs and started to growl at her.

'Be careful…' said Lucius. Kiriha stood still and hummed a sort of lullaby. The Dragon's eyes closed slowly, and it rested it's head on the ground. Kiriha touched the Dragon's shoulder, and it didn't move. She felt where the Mark was, and it was heavily scarred. Reluctantly she drew her knife. She started to tremble. She may not faint at the sight of blood, but the thought of cutting into this poor creature's skin to cut out a scar made her feel scared. Lucius pulled her back.

'You don't have to do it this way.' he said. Kiriha looked at him.

'Then…how?' she asked. Lucius drew out an arrow that was tipped with poison.

'Draw around the outside of the Mark, the poison will seep through and draw out the darkness that is in the Mark. Then the Dragon will be free.' Kiriha nodded, and took the arrow. She then drew around the Mark with the greatest care. When she was done, she took a step back and let the poison do it's work. The Mark slowly disappeared, and the Dragon woke up. It craned it's neck and looked straight at Kiriha. She felt as though it was reading her thoughts. Lucius and Demos could feel it too.

Were you the one who released Her control over me? Kiriha was shocked. It talked to her telepathically. She nodded. The Dragon attempted to get up, but the arrow was still stuck firm in it's leg, and it moaned. Kiriha rushed to it's leg, and pulled out the arrow. She bandaged it with stripped bark which she collected from a nearby birch, and tied it tight. The pressure would stop it from bleeding, and make it heal faster. he Dragon stood up.
My name is Aurala. Since you rescued me, I have to repay you. Kiriha looked back at Lucius and Demos. Their faces were blank. She looked back at Aurala. She seemed pretty determined to repay them.

'Well…you could help us free the other Dragons from Her.' Aurala turned away and looked at the sky.
And exactly how many Dragons are there out there?

'A lot.' answered Lucius. Aurala turned her head, and nodded.
Very well. I will help you, but only with one Dragon. Kiriha thought that this was a bit strict, but she didn't want to protest aganst a powerful Dragon like Aurala. Aurala turned around and offered them a ride to wherever they were going to search for the next Dragon. She didn't fly as she was too weak, but she galloped through the forest as fast as Shadow, and could go even faster. Kiriha had to wrap her arms around Lucius for fear of falling off, and he held on to Aurala's neck. Demos was sat on the dip of Aurala's back, so he was balanced enough to have his hands free. The wind whipped swiftly past them, as did the forest, all in a blur that seemed to last only a few minutes. Kiriha lay her head on her boyfriend's back. He was so warm, and she loved it when he was warm…