Chapter 2: Tag Alongs
Kale walked down the street, two-fingers holding the pack over his shoulder as he dug his other hand into his jean pocket. His black jacket swayed behind him, nearly hitting the ground, and his red muscle shirt revealed a well-sculpted chest.
I'm ready to get out of this dump... maybe I'll visit North City, or Mount Paoz... a farming life wouldn't be so bad… then again, life as a fighter could pay well if I'm good… and I know I'm good…
As he walked on, he passed a super-store type grocery store. With only a slight thrust of his hand, he grabbed three apples without notice. He knew stealing was wrong, but he needed food, and this store branch wouldn't go under from losing three pieces of fruit.
The city began to fade and turned to miles of endless road. Before him was nothing but horizon and hope, behind him the place he hated.
He walked until dark. He decided to go to Mount Paoz, so he made way toward the woods, then he made camp.
I wonder if there are really demons in these mountains?
As Kale sat by his fire, he heard a rustle in the bushes behind him. His senses sharp, even in the dark, he stopped what he was doing and made his way toward the source of the noise.
He came to the bushes and heard whimpering. He moved the branches to see the small figure of a little girl, sitting and crying.
"Megan? What are you doing out here?" he asked, shocked.
"I couldn't stay there anymore, I don't like it. I only stayed there because of you. Everyday I thought, I'll run away... but who will play with Kale? So I followed you." she explained.
"I have to take you back in the morning-"
"No! I don't wanna go back! I don't wanna!" she cried.
I don't want to go back, either.
"Then I'll take you to the next town." He replied.
"I wanna stay with you!"
"You can't!" Kale snapped.
"Why?" Megan whined.
"Because... because little girls don't need to go where I'm going." He said, "It's scary alone out in the world, but a kid like you couldn't understand."
"But I wanna stay with you, Kale!"
"This is not a game, Megan. Besides, it's way past your bedtime, go to sleep. We'll talk about this in the morning." Kale said, heading back to the other side of the fire. She sniffed a few times as she came closer to the fire now too. Kale looked up to the stars and moonless sky.
I wonder if earth really did have a moon once…
He turned to see if Megan was sleeping, and when he looked he knew it to be so. Her breathing was rhythmical and her eyes were closed.
Kale gently moved her over and took out his sleeping bag, and covered her with it. He really didn't need it anyway as he leaned against the tree directly behind him.
XxX
That morning Megan only complained as they walked toward the road again. She wanted to stay with Kale no matter what.
"But I don't want to go to another orphanage. I wanna stay with you!"
"Megan, I can't keep a kid right now."
She didn't answer as they walked on, north to North City, where else. Kale's stomach growled, and Megan giggled. But then her stomach growled as well. Kale hid his smirk from the child.
"I'm hungry." She whined.
"Well I don't have any food. That's one reason why I can't keep a kid."
"Maybe a dragon will hear our bellies, and he'll come to fight you because he thinks you're growling at him, and then you'll fight, and you'll win! Then we can eat the dragon because he's made of cheese... and candy, ...and chocolate-"
"You have quite an imagination, kid. I use to, when I was your age."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I use to think my tail was special. But it isn't, it only feels weird when someone pulls it."
"Like this?" Megan squeezed his tail.
The pain raced through his spine, making his knees give out. Kale fell to the ground as it traveled through his body, paralyzing him. He lost his breath for a moment.
"Why, you little-" he stopped, seeing her eyes tear up, "Just, don't do that, okay?" he said more softly. He was a bit use to little kids, but only a little bit. He liked it better alone, that way he didn't have to care.
"O-okay." Megan said, scared. She had made her idol very angry.
Kale climbed to his feet and shook his head. He could never get over that odd, draining feeling. He hated it, and wondered if anyone else that had a tail, if at all, ever felt that as well.
"Uh, Kale..."
"What now?" he growled.
"I think my story is coming true!" Megan's eyes were wide as she pointed to the sky. There, high above them, a winged creature circled them.
That isn't a bird...
It came down, swooping at them.
"Get down!" Kale threw himself over Megan, protecting her as the beast's claws dug into his back, creating long gashes that cut through his jacket, shirt, and skin. Kale couldn't hold back his moan from the pain.
"Kale!" Megan screamed.
Through the pain, Kale picked up Megan and ran off the road, putting the scared little girl and his bag by a tree.
"Stay here and don't move until I tell you to." Kale ran back out to face the creature, his blood dripping down his legs.
The, well, dragon was as longer than a pick-up truck, and its yellow belly was all Kale could see as it circled again. Its long tail and large head gave it away for sure. Its wingspan had to be at least 11-ft wide.
"What in HFIL? I thought dragons were extinct?"
It roared and came down again. Its upper side was light purple, and its wings flapped as it attempted to gain speed.
Kale jumped into the air and over the dragon. Its blue eyes shined, and so did something else. It that split-second of zero gravity above the dragon, Kale saw a necklace around its neck.
It's someone's pet?
Kale landed and turned quickly as the dragon landed. It looked at him and sniffed the air. In that split second in stopped acting so ferocious and became calm. Its expression completely changed.
"What the HFIL? Is it smiling at me?" Kale asked aloud, panting.
The dragon shook its head so the necklace fell off. It picked it up in its mouth and walked toward Kale.
"Kale!" Megan cried, terrified. Kale stood defensively, ready to attack if the dragon attacked. But the dragon just dropped the jewelry on the ground before Kale and backed off submissively, sitting down much like a dog, cocking its head at Kale.
Kale looked down, then back at the dragon. It didn't move, just watched. Kale picked up the necklace and looked it over. There was a name on it, Icarus. there as also a note tied to the necklace.
"You Icarus?" the dragon nodded, "Well, Icarus, are you my servant now or something?" Kale asked. Icarus nodded again.
"Kale?"
"Come here, Megan, it's okay. He's a nice dragon." Kale said, walking and patting Icarus on his head to prove it. The dragon purred as Kale pet it. He put the necklace back around the dragon's neck.
Megan went to walk over, but stopped to pick up Kale's bag. She pulled, but couldn't budge it. Kale smirked, walked over and easily lifted it himself. Then he sat down against the tree, and Icarus lay down in the grass. Icarus and Megan began to play. For such a large creature, he seemed to know how to deal with little kids. He was quite tame.
"Kale, are you okay?" Megan asked. Kale was nearly asleep leaning against the tree.
"I'll heal fast. After lunch we'll be on the road again. Go play with your dragon for a bit."
"Okay."
Kale looked at the note in his hand. It was addressed to him.