Chapters might be a bit slower, but still at least once a week or so. Again, thanks for the support. Also if you read my other story, no, it's not dead.

Chapter 4

"Winter Worries"

My head was ringing, but I felt nothing, and thought nothing. I felt warm, I felt nothing else. I opened my eyes, there was nothing, nowhere. I was dead, every thought came out of my mouth, there was no thinking anymore.

I didn't feel scared anymore, I had accepted my death a while ago. Eventually after a few seconds, a massive text entered my vision, or was it that it was all I could see any more? This was all very confusing.

"Is this your fate?" I read off aloud to myself.

I looked back and forth and laughed, "I'm dead and you're just now asking me this? I would think that if I'm dead that pretty much solidified my fate right?"

The text rearranged, "Damage sustained: critical, Full time to heal: 4 days."

I groaned, "What is this a video game or something? Am I piloting a mecha dragon? I don't want to sit here dead for 4 more days."

It rearranged once again, "Resurrect early? Current damage levels: Severe, May be unable to continue without healing, Time to heal: 3 days, 17 hours."

I sighed, accepting that this was just how things would go now, "How long before I can continue?"

"Time to heal all critical wounds: 5 hours, Risk: high."

I shrugged, "Alright go ahead and resurrect in 5 hours."

"Confirmed, your fate has been altered."

Huh...

After becoming a dragon and wandering a forest for two days before being eaten by a pack of wolves, I really was not in the mood for questioning what was going on. After all, I was prepared for heat sensing laser wolves, and found out they were just normal ones. This was practically a given! Though I don't understand why… Does everyone in this world respawn?

"Negative." It read to me.

Is this thing like a computer, will it answer any questions? Or is it like an 8-ball or something… "Are the people in the village aware of my death?"

Nothing appeared, I guess it had a bias against which questions I asked. But frankly I didn't care, "Can you resurrect me on earth where I come from?"

"Negative."

Once again expected answer, but it didn't bother me too much. On the bright side the wait felt like it was nothing. There had been absolutely zero way to tell time, and I couldn't feel anything, honestly it was relaxing being dead.

A few minutes later text appears, "Critical wounds: healed, ressurect?"

"Yes" I said.

"Confirmed"

I noticed the text fade, as I slowly began to gain feeling back in my body. My eyes were blinded by a light blue flash, and a loud humming sound. After a few minutes it all stopped and my eyes were still blinded. I slowly tried opening them, and noticed that I felt extremely cold, my vision was mostly white and there were pine trees around me.

'This isn't where I died…' I groaned, all that progress for absolutely nothing. I just died, and was back in a worse this going to be my life now? Forever stuck in the wilds of a foreign world, always teased with civilization yet brutally murdered before reaching it? My eyes teared up, my body was extremely pained, yet my wounds had been closed, the bleeding hadn't stopped in certain places. 'I did only tell it critical wounds. Maybe not smart on my part.'

I curled in on myself, I had no hope of standing up. I only wished that I had a way to die easier, and less painfully. After all, if it revived me once it'll work again right? The idea flashed in my mind that it might not have been me that did it, and that if it did it might not work again. My mind was filled with fear, I could die still, I wasn't suddenly invincible…

I forced myself to my feet, it took almost all my effort to do so, and I noticed the snow covering the ground came up to my chest, there was no way I was walking through this. I looked around, and was clearly on a mountain top or in a cold region but not much else was obvious. Maybe if I make a sound someone will find me? The thought was silly, nobody was up here. Nevertheless I attempted it, "Help!" I yelled as loud as possible, it echoed, but was still pitiful. My voice was barely working for me.

"Help me! Somebody!" A few minutes passed and I grew colder, there was nobody.

"Please somebody help!" My tears streamed down my face and I fell back into the snow, I was so cold. Too cold… I hate this, I should've stayed on earth this is torture, I'm alone, completely confused, and scared. I feel so alone. I shut my eyes to wait for the inevitability.

I heard the crunching of snow nearby, and my ears perked up. I had no energy to stand up, so I gave one last, "Help." Though it was much quieter.

"Yes hello? Where are you?" I heard a feminine voice say. I heard her gasp and heard the steps approach me much quicker. I looked up to meet her face as she came upon me. It was some kind of snow leopard, yet she stood on two feet like a human. I wasn't complaining, finally someone!

I cried, and looked at her pleadingly. "Please." She nodded and shushed me, she took her satchel off quickly and rummaged through it. After a moment she pulled out a blanket.

She hovered over me with a look of concern, "Alright this might hurt, little one, but it'll make you warm okay?"

I barely nodded as she lowered it down and wrapped me. It did sting a good amount, but the warmth instantly began to spread through my body. She completely wrapped me in it and brought me up to her chest and held me there. "I'll take you to my village, don't worry."

I barely let out a, "Thank you," as she began moving once again.

After what seemed like hours she began to slow down. I couldn't see anything, but I guessed she had entered the village, as I heard many more voices around. She came upon a particular building and entered, the extra warmth immediately helping. "Please, I have a little dragon here, he needs help."

After a pause they spoke, "Of course, let me see."

She set me down on a hard surface and gently pulled away the blanket, I shivered but stayed still as I looked at the new person. It was another snow leopard, yet he had a darker gray color to his fur. He had on a white coat, almost like a regular doctor. And some gray pants that were more like draped down, like a bunch of cloths. He looked at me with pity, "Poor thing, what are you doing all the way up here?"

Not waiting for an answer he looked back up at the female, "We'll help him right away."

The doctor held his paws out and slowly offered them to me, I noticed he was asking for trust so I nodded, "It hurts, please." Wasting no time he smiled than gently picked me up.

As he carried me away the female who saved me looked at me with a smile and concern, I looked back with a smile. The doctor brought me to another room, with a lot of soft tables, he set me down gently on one and said, "I'm going to start by disinfecting your wounds, and it's probably going to hurt…" I nodded.

He brought over a bunch of supplies, and offered a towel to my mouth, "I need you to be as still as possible, bite into this for the pain." I took it into my mouth and waited.

After a few minutes and a thoroughly bitten into towel, he sighed, "Thankfully it wasn't too bad, now I'm going to wrap your wounds with bandages alright?"

I nodded and he brought the bandages out, he gently wrapped my tail with it until the whole middle half was covered. Then he wrapped my back left paw all the way up excluding my paw. He very gently wrapped my neck, and I mildly growled at the pain, he sighed, "I know little one." After a moment he nodded. "There, all wrapped up."

Afterwards he stepped back and inspected me, and other than my completely defeated look, I was much better off. I tried to move a bit, but after trying to take a step I just fell right back on to the table, I teared up again. The doctor tried to hide his amusement as he walked over, "You were very brave. I don't really think it'd be best to poke you with needles so… Are you hungry or thirsty?"

I nodded vigorously, "I haven't in… 2 days." I said slowly as I tried to think.

He looked concerned and nodded, "I'll put you in a proper bed and we can get you fixed up alright?"

The doctor held his arms out and gently picked me up, being careful of my bandages. He took me to the room across the hall which was lined with beds, it was completely empty until he set me down in one. "There you go, I'll bring back some extra blankets as well."

He began walking away and I struggled to say, "Thank… you." I smiled as he turned to me.

His smile was infectious as he nodded, "You're quite welcome."

I looked around the room, it was rather old fashioned, with no rooms of any kind. It was two walls lined with beds and heart monitors. The woman hadn't carried me down at all, she actually carried me farther up the mountain. Which I was surprised that they even had electricity up here, they had to have some kind of… magic or something. Are the only race of intelligent creatures these cat people as well? I didn't see any dragons, though I imagine I wouldn't up here anyway. They've been nice to me so far, so it's not like I'm some special talking dragon, the doctor wondered why I was so far up the mountain, and honestly I have the same question!

The sound of the door opening alerted me to the doctor's presence. I turned and he was pushing a cart, with a couple blankets on the bottom and a basket of red gems I guess? The rope enticed me the most, he had what looked like some kind of soup, a plate with a large piece of meat on it, and a glass of water. The meat was nearly completely uncooked but… I am a dragon…

After stopping in front of me with a smile he started, "I thought we were all out but I found some crystals for you!"

I looked at him curiously, "Thank you?" I said awkwardly.

His eyes widened, "Do you not know what they do?"

I shook my head nervously, and he sighed leaning down to pick one up. "Dragons can absorb them, to heal, gain energy back, even to power themselves up."

I looked at it in amazement, we can just gain powerful by touching some colored rocks? That's useful. He placed one in my paw and I began turning it over in my paws, my smile turning to confusion. "I think it's broken…" I said.

The doctors face scrunched up in confusion, "No, it's something else. Usually direct contact is enough, at all ages."

My disappointed look fading as I looked back up at the food, the doctor noticed and let out a sheepish laugh, "I'm sorry, your probably hungry. I'll think about it for a while, you need to eat." He insisted, as he placed it down in front of me on a small table.

"Thank you!" I said, before unceremoniously digging in. The soup was rather good, if only because it was the first thing I've put in myself in forever. I paused as I got to the meat, but after taking a slow bite the whole thing was practically torn too shreds.

The doctor chuckled, "You baby dragons sure are… terrifying, honestly."

I looked up to him with a mouthful and most likely blood lining my face, "Are there not dragons around here?"

He shook his head, "There's only a few villages of dragons around here. None tend to come up these mountains, and none of your kind specifically are usually on this entire continent."

My kind? "What do you mean?"

He sighed, "You're really lost aren't you little one…" he started, "The only dragons around here are usually the northern types, they are quite different from your kind of dragon, but still much similar than say… us."

He sat down on the bed next to me and gently put a paw on my back, as I slowed down from eating, "Which brings me to the question, where are your parents little one?"

I froze, and the bite that I was lifting towards my mouth was dropped back onto the plate. I hadn't really thought of how to answer that, I was alone wasn't I? That's why I was going through this anyway… I looked down, than back up with a shrug, "I don't have any."

He nodded solemnly, "Have you always been alone?"

I shook my head, "No they died when I was young, it was an accident."

He looked at me quizzically, "How young? It can't have been long, why, you're barely six months old."

Cursing my slip up, and surprised by the low age number, I put on a smile and laughed, "Maybe a month or two."

He nodded, "You have quite the vocabulary for your age. Most hatchlings speak unfiltered and reactionary."

It was true, I was making no effort to hide my ability to speak. I really wasn't quite sure how to speak, I mean, I just learned I was six months old. Yeah it'd be pretty weird to hear a baby essentially speaking like they were quite a bit older...

He put his paw on my head and rubbed gently, making me lean in to the feeling. Though I realized he was essentially petting me, it felt good! "So you have no parents, than how did you get up here? You were halfway up the mountain when you were found."

Now even that I didn't know. "I just kind of… teleported I guess. I was about to die to a huge pack of wolves, and I blacked out and woke up on the mountain." I bent the truth a little, not sure how he'd react to a reviving dragon…

He merely smiled, "Either you're a powerful little guy to teleport out of danger, or someone's looking out for you hmm?"

"It doesn't feel like anyone's watching out for me, and if it was me, I left a lot to be desired…" I said disdainfully.

"I mean I've been wandering forests aimlessly, and nearly dying to wolves."

He looked down at me, "You are very young, but you're also much smarter than your age would suggest…"

I shrugged, "This world doesn't care about maturity."

He grimaced, "But you shouldn't have to care about that. You should have guardians of some kind, to protect you."

I looked away and tried to hide a few tears, "Life isn't fair."

He sighed, "You're an enigma, that's for sure."

He put a paw on my back, "Listen, that young girl who saved you is quite worried and wants to meet you. When would you feel comfortable with that?"

I nodded, "Soon as you'd like. I have nothing else to wait for."

He stood up, taking the finished food as he set the basket and blankets next to my bed. I laid down and pulled the covers up over my head. So much was happening, and I had no idea why, or what it was. I haven't gotten a good night's rest in way too long, well, since I got here. A minute passed and I heard the door open gently, and some quiet footsteps approaching my bed. I peeked out from under and the lady from earlier was staring at me, with worried purple eyes. I relaxed a bit, and smiled, "Thank you for saving me."

After a moment I began to look at my bedsheets nervously. She wasn't doing anything as much as she stared at me, and it made me feel like an alien. Which I was, but that's a different point. A few seconds later I hear her shuffle and looked up to her gently approaching me, "Of… course." She put on a small smile, but the hint of hesitation caused me to be weary.

Once she was closer she kneeled over and pulled me into a rather surprising hug. I was confused for a few minutes as she gently held me against her body, the warmth overtaking my senses. Until the thought came to me, 'She wasn't staring, she was trying not to cry… '

She pulled back and gently ran her fingers over my new wrappings, being sure to ease off if I seemed uncomfortable. "My my little one, you've been through quite the adventure it would seem." She said with amusement.

Ignoring the rather intrusiveness of her actions, I laughed a bit, "An adventure in the underworld yes."

She looked at me with a slightly raised eyebrow, before silence fell over us again. I looked at her curiously, "So… What's your name?"

Her eyes widened and she lowered me to the bed before bowing, "I forgot my manners! So sorry, my name is Renallia"

"I'm Gale," I replied.

She sat down on my bed, she reached a paw out and I allowed her to start scratching a spot right behind my ears. I almost instantly melted, the feeling was absolutely wonderful. After a minute I was basically incapacitated on my bed, she laughed, "You aren't terribly different from northern dragons, it would seem."

She stopped, awarding me time to function, yet I was mildly disappointed. I looked up to her, "Do you have any world maps around here? Maybe a couple of books on the history as well?"

She nodded, "I do, but they're all at my home on the other side of town."

I nodded with a sigh, and the doors opened for the doctor once again. He smiled at us, as he carried an odd device. "We might be able to figure it out with this." He said.

I looked at him oddly, "Figure what out?"

"Why the crystals aren't reacting to your presence!" He replied.

The device was rather odd looking. It was just a little handheld device with a large sensor made of crystal at the top. He pointed it at me and turned the thing on, "Don't worry, you won't feel it."

Regardless of what he said I still made a bit of a yelp, as a beam of energy shot towards me. It hit and I really did feel nothing, maybe a bit drowsy but that might've just been me being sleepy. It covered my whole body with a light energy field and after a few seconds his device stopped and made a beeping sound. He read it for a few seconds and scratched his head, "What is it?" Renallia asked.

He looked up than back down with a huff, "Well according to this device he has absolutely zero magic power."

I tilted my head, "Huh?"

"Every dragon has magic power. It starts off small when your younger but the more you use it the better it gets. Hatchlings usually have more than any other race does, yet you have none…"

I sighed, "So I'm just defective…"

Renallia placed her paw on my head and rubbed gently, "I don't think that's the case. If anything you're quite special for having none."

"Yeah I'm the most useless dragon, what a power." Renallia sighed and the doctor held his paw up.

"Now just wait a minute. I'm rather certain it's not that you lack any magic power, but more that it's been sealed away." He smiled.

"Why do you think that?" I asked.

He showed me the device as he pointed it towards himself, "When a being with no magical power is detected, it does nothing. However," He repositioned it towards myself, "When it points to you it says you are a magical being."

With not much else to go off of I sighed, "Alright but how would I remove this."

He shrugged, "I'm not really sure, but I know who would be sure."

"Really, who?"

"The Guardians. They would know how to help you more than anyone else, baring the purple dragon himself!"

He was saying a lot of things that didn't make much sense to me, but I was becoming excited. "Cool, where are they?"

"A full continent away." He said.

I slumped in the bed, and nearly let myself fall, if Renallia hadn't put a paw up to catch me. "Gale, you need to be with the rest of your kind. It's much too cold in this region for dragons like you." Renallia said.

I nodded, "Yeah but how do I get there, I can't even fly."

The doctor thought for a moment, "We are at least a few days out from the ocean, from the bottom of our mountain to the ocean I'd say a solid three or four days with good weather. To cross the ocean, you'd need to try and get a ride on a boat at the port town of Oransa. From the shore of the Dragon Isles you'd be another week or so from the city of Warfang."

I sighed, this was starting to sound like a video game or something. I nodded eventually, "So when can I start?"

The doctor looked down at me, "I'd give yourself at least a few days to heal. And after that you're free, but you'd need help getting around, as there is no chance you make it there by yourself."

I nodded, and Renallia smiled, "Doctor. Do you think I'd be able to bring Gale with me back to my home? He wants to read some books, and you know I can take care of him with the right supplies." I looked up at her in surprise and she smiled down at me and winked.

The doctor put a paw to his chin, "Well… It's very cold, it might be warmer in your house. And you did train for medical help under me…" he looked up and nodded, "Go ahead!"

Me and Renallia smiled at eachother as the doctor continued, "But you absolutely have to-"

"Redress his wounds before and after bed every day."

He paused, "Yes, and don't forget about-"

"Cleaning the wounds every day, keep him well rested, fed, warm, and keep an eye on his temperature. You've taught me this all before."

He paused and smiled wide, "Of course, I taught you well! Well when ever you decide to, you may leave. But let me make a basket of supplies for you."

Renallia rolled her eyes, than looked back down towards me. "Sorry about not asking for your opinion first, but… I'm rather sure you'd be happier in a bit more of a cozy place than this prison."

"I heard that!" The doctor said on his way out.

I laughed, "Thank you, for everything you've done. You don't have to do this at all."

She used her paw to lift one of my front paws, "I don't have to. But I always help people, and you're no exception."

I shook my head, "But you're still helping me… I'm so helpless it's a joke."

"Confidence," I looked up at her in confusion and she continued, "You may not be able to fight. But your heart is strong, you survived out there by yourself, that's not helpless. You're smarter, and braver than you give yourself credit."

I began tearing up, I tried to discreetly wipe them away but she used her other paw to lift my head. "Hey… I'll be with you now, alright?"

A few minutes of her gently rubbing my head, as I started falling asleep, "Are you ready to go?" She asked.

I looked up sleepily and nodded, she carefully picked me up from underneath with a blanket, I winced a few times and she apologized. Then she wrapped the rest of the blanket around me until I looked like a little dragon burrito. I laughed at the thought and she looked at me with a raised brow, than shook her head.

She made her way out of the room and up to the front desk, where she dinged the bell. "Teran, we're heading out!"

He came rushing out of the back rooms, "Wait, wait!" He huffed as he dropped a large basket on the counter.

Renallia gave one look at it and sighed, "I'm not carrying that, I have all this stuff at home anyway…"

He crossed his arms, "You're still taking it in case of misjudgment."

She grabbed hold of it, "Fine, we're off then!"

As we left I shouted, "Thank you, Teran!"

I could see him nod than wink at me as we walked out of the front door, and back into the cold. I shivered and looked around, it was a nice town. It was mostly log cabins for houses, every chimney spouting various amounts of smoke. Some buildings were made of brick, such as the hospital. There were a lot of pens for animals, some which I recognized and others I didn't. There were a surprising amount of people out and about, and basically every one I could see was a snow leopard person. There were a few others but I realized they were just children…

Renallia noticed my curiosity, and began to talk about which buildings were what. I listened eagerly as we weaved are way through a few crowds. Some people who saw me looked infinitely confused, which amused me. A couple of them cooed at my passing, making me blush heavily as Renallia laughed at my expense.

"We're here," She said as we approached a smaller cabin on the far side of town.

She walked in, setting her things down as she set me down on a large couch. She went to a closet nearby and grabbed more blankets, then came back over and opens them all over me. The warmth becoming better she walked over to her fireplace and began starting one. I wouldn't want a fireplace in a log cabin but, hey, everyone here does it fine. The fire started Renallia walked over to me and knelt down, "You warm enough now?" Her face was full of worry.

I smiled, "Yes it's really warm now, thank you Renallia."

She layed a paw on my cheek, "You can just call me Rena, alright?"

I tilted my head, "You sure?"

She nodded, "At least, that's what my friends and family do. If it makes you uncomfortable I-"

I was slowly drifting to sleep at this point, yet I laughed, "Thank you, for everything, Rena."