Several days passed. They were all the same to Tara. They would wake, stopping a few times throughout the day, and fall, exhausted, before a roaring fire at night, and repeat. Even Natsu seemed to be lagging, lacking his usual, infectious energy.

"AHHHHH!" She jumped as Natsu spewed flames into the bright blue sky. "I can't take this anymore! When are we going to get there!?"

He keeled over as Erza clubbed in the back of the head with her arm. "Are you crazy!? You told everything in this forest where we are!"

He popped up, a raging ball of fire. "So? We can take whatever comes our way! Why are you so scared?!"

"She's right, Flame-for-brains." Gray said, sweat running down his bare chest. "There are things in this forest that eat magic power. We don't want to tangle with them."

Natsu glared at the ice wizard. "You really believe those old stories? Those were made to scare kids before bed so they wouldn't wet the bed."

Lucy deadpanned. "I don't really think that's true, Natsu, but I think it's better to be safe than sorry."

"Speak for yourself." Happy said, perched on one of Tara's horns like a parrot. "Unlike you, Natsu can take care of himself. He doesn't need anyone to save him."

"You better watch it, cat, or you're gonna get hurt."

"Natsu, save me!"

"Enough!" Erza yelled, and everyone quieted down. "Natsu, we still have a ways to go, so you better get used to the walking."

Natsu whined, "Isn't there a faster way?"

Erza grinned. "Not unless you wanted to take-a cart?"

Natsu turned green and squeaked, "No thank you."

"Then the sooner we continue, the faster we will get there."

The group continued walking, Happy flying above Natsu's head as the dragon slayer said something to Lucy, which caused her to burst out laughing.

Then she felt it.

She froze, and the wizards continued on. No, not here. Not now. She prayed to every god in existence that the feeling would pass. The thread of darkness wrapped around her heart in a tightening squeeze. She couldn't breath. She was about to pass out. She needed to RUN!

"Tara, what's wrong?" Natsu's voice pierced the fog in her brain, but she dared not look up. She couldn't let him see- wouldn't let him see. Her eyes would give her away.

She tried to roar a warning, but the coil was now wrapped around her neck like a noose. Her body shook as she tried to fight it off. But she knew it was a losing battle. As darkness enveloped her mind her only thought was that she had now lost the only friends she had ever made in her life.

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"Tara, what's wrong?" Natsu asked, worry clawing at his heart. Everyone stopped and turned to look at the young dragon. His friend look well; her scales looked bleached, and her breath was labored. His sensitive hearing picked up the racing of her heart.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

"Tara!" he shouted as she collapsed, shaking. He sprinted to her side, the rest of the group in tow. "Tara?" he asked, touching her snout. The dragon gave no response.

"Natus, is she okay?" Happy asked from Lucy's arms, their argument forgotten.

"I don't-"

He jumped back as Tara's jaws missed his hand by an inch. She lurched to her feet, swaying.

"Tara, what's the matter with you? You almost bit my hand off!" The dragon's eyes finally raised to his, and he couldn't stop a gasp of horror. The eyes that stared back at him- the eyes he had grown fond off- showed no hint of understanding or compassion. The human-like spark was gone, replaced with animal hunger and insatiable rage.

"Scatter!" he yelled as Tara pounced on him like a leopard. Natsu rolled to his right and avoided the attack, and out of the corner of his eye he saw his friends gearing for battle.

"Open, Gate of the Lion, Leo!" Lucy shouted The spirit popped into existence, but before he could speak Lucy ordered, "Help Natsu take out Tara. Just please don't hurt her."

"Got it."

Natsu expelled his flames in a forceful attack. "Fire Dragon Roar!" The flames curled like a living flame, wrapping themselves around Tara until she was obscured from view.

"Natsu!" Lucy yelled. "Did you hurt her?"

Tara jumped out of the flames, bellowing in rage. "See, she's fine!" Natsu answered. Tara growled, her attention know on Leo, he stood in front of Lucy.

"Come on! Is that all you got," the spirit taunted. Tara leaned back on her hind legs until she towered above them all, like a vengeful god. Her small wings expanded to their full extent; their tips touched the trees on either side of the road. Powerful muscles tensed, and her wings pushed a gust of wind in a dynamic show of strength. The group braced themselves as best they could, bust as the attack continued Natsu felt his grip begin to slip.

"Requip!" Natsu glanced up as Erza flew over his head in her Heaven's Wheel Armor, a flock of swords following in her wake. Despite Tara's wind, Erza shot above the dragon's head. "Trinity Sword!" The blue energy wave from Erza's sword cut into Tara's back, and she toppled to the ground, bellowing in pain.

"Regulus!" Leo launched himself at Tara, managing to get a few hits in before a bloodied claw nearly decapitated him.

Tara struggled to rise. "Ice Make: Cage!" Gray thrust out a fist and bars of ice formed around Tara. She gave an energetic kick, but the ice held firm. She roared in frustration, slamming herself against the bars, but Gray's magic was too strong.

"Good job, Gray!" Lucy said, patting the ice wizard on the shoulder.

Gray grinned. "There's no way she's getting out of that."

Just then Tara, who had quieted, cried out, and charged the bars again, this time with her horns lowered like a charging ram. With little effort she plowed a hole through the bars, and, weakened by the dragon's charge, they dissolved into the air.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"

The got into their fighting stances as Tara prepared to once again charge. Suddenly, exhausted, Tara fell to her knees, her breath coming in ragged gasps. And when she met Natsu's eyes, he saw that they again were soft and human-like.

Tara was back.