Chapter 10

They followed the tracks all the way to the cove. Jim looked at Nate with a concerned look.

"I doubt they'll find anything." Nate reassured him

"Bandits have been known to go here after dark." Jim mentioned

"However, they usually run out screaming after they find out what's there."

"I know. I just hope the girls didn't go in there."

"Well let's find out."

Nate readied an arrow and Jim had his sword at the ready. They slowly approached the back of the cave and entered the cove. Nate crouched down and pointed to a camp fire. They hear voices coming from near it.

"Found these two sneaking around boss." Said a man in a deep voice

"Let us go." Jennifer squealed

Jim stared sternly at Nate. "Follow my lead." Nate whispered

Nate stood up and saw three men with the girls. Nate motioned for Jim to get close enough to strike down one of them; Nate could deal with the other two.

Jim crouch walked to where he could lunge and kill one of the bandits. When Jim was in position, Nate stood up and fired an arrow. It hit the bandit holding the girls straight in the heart. Jim lunged and ran his sword straight through another's chest. Nate fired another arrow and hit the last bandit in the back of the head.

"What happened to you guys?" Jim asked running over to cut the ropes

"We were walking in the forest and got ambushed." Heather lied

"Are you certain you weren't looking for a dragon?" Nate questioned

"What? Of course not." Heather responded

Jim took Jennifer back home while Nate and Heather spent some time in the cove. They were cleaning up the bodies of the bandits. Once they cleaned them up and hid them deep in the forest. The couple laid down next to the lake. Shortly after Nate was asleep and sleeping on his side, Heather sat up and looked around. Shortly after she stood up and turned around. She saw the black dragon sitting down and staring at her.

"Hello there." Heather said reaching out her hand to pet it

The dragon produced a low growl and this startled Heather. She fell over and landed on top of Nate. He woke up and coughed.

"Heather, what's wrong?"

"I just saw your dragon."

Nate sat up and saw the dragon staring at them. His big green eyes staring at them intently.

"Heather, this isn't what it looks like." He stood and walked over to the dragon

"What do you mean? Of course it is." She said standing up

"Well what does it look like I did?"

"You trained this dragon and you've been flying it at night over the town."

"Ok, so you got it exactly right."

"See I'm smarter than I let on."

"That's why you're so special," Nate said pulling her into a kiss "To me."

She blushed and stared back at the dragon.

"What's its name?" She asked

"I call it shadow."

"Wait, I had a dream where I met shadow and we went on a flight."

"Yup"

"So it wasn't a dream?"

"Yeah about that…."

"Go on."

"I may or may not have accidentally fallen into some flowers that help people fall asleep when breathed in. When you rested your head on my shoulder you breathed it in and you fell asleep. I then took you back to your house and put you in bed."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because if I did then everyone would want to meet Shadow and my father will want it dead."

"So who all knew about Shadow?" She asked walking over and petting his head

"Jack, Jim, and Felix."

"Why not Jennifer or Emilia?"

"I didn't quite know how they would react, that and Jack, Felix, and Jim were with me when I met him."

"Well I approve of him."

"Glad to know."

She smiled before wrapping Nate in her arms.

"I'm glad this was all true." She said

Nate couldn't help but smile as he hugged her back.