I'm back! Ish... Honestly, I never intended for it to take this long for me to update, but my life circumstances are far better than they have been in years. I'll give more information at the end of the chapter. Apologies in advance for any errors. I did my best to edit it, but I'm a bit rusty.
Enjoy a long over due update!
Chapter 8:
The Moon had risen far above the skyline when Lucy woke- body sore and exhausted from physical and emotional strain beyond what she could explain. It was a moment of confusion, at first, mind slipping back to the realm of consciousness, enveloped in a comforting warmth that made her sigh softly: content. The slight rocking caused by every step the Draconis took, humming quietly as he walked., helped relax her further.
Wait- … rocking? That's when the Romni's eyes opened and Lucy felt her blissful awakening turn to that of surprise and embarrassment. Why… why am I in his arms?!
He must have felt the way she tensed, muscles flexing as he shifted her to a more comfortable position, head resting along his right bicep- "Oi, ya' awake now?" He asked, voice low and rough from barely being used for the past few hours.
In truth, what Lucy hadn't realized, was he had been desperately trying to be as quiet as possible. (A large feet for him.) From the moment they had come across those outsiders (who smelled terrible in Natsu's opinion) and until this very moment; The trek through these woods had not been kind to the blonde and even he was observant enough to see it. The moment her body had lagged as they snuck away- he'd been there to catch her. Almost worried she would pass out.
The fact she was staring at him with confusion told him all he needed to know: She didn't remember falling asleep as he held her. Somehow- the realization was disappointing for him, yet strangely endearing in a way too. In fact, the Draconis was quite satisfied in knowing she trusted him enough to nap.
Even if his arms were getting tired from holding her so long.
"Yes-" She answered after a time, wetting her lips with a swipe of her tongue, grimacing at how dry her mouth felt. Gods, she hadn't slept with it open had she? That would have been embarrassing. "- why.. Are you carrying me?"
He snorted. "'Cause you can't walk an' sleep at the same time, can you?" - but then a pause followed as he raised an eyebrow, staring curiously, "or can you?"
Heat flared across her cheeks and Lucy shook her head wildly, "Even if i could, I'd rather I didn't, thank you very much, but that's not what I meant when I asked."
"Then what did you mean?" Another few steps forward, no signs of stopping.
"Why-" She stressed after biting back a yawn, "are YOU not sleeping?"
And there it was. The biggest question roaring at the top of the Romni's mind. He'd been doing so much for her since the landslide- protecting her, keeping the ground even as she walked- even pulling back from chasing off those men. So why was he pushing himself now? Willingly carrying her as her leg throbbed- the knee swollen from overuse. "Aren't you tired?"
"Nah." A lie. Sort of. - but his grip tightened on her as a low sigh escaped him- sending out a tuft of heated air that fanned her face before the Roma lifted his gaze to stare at the stars above him- glistening through the trees. He was tired, but not so tired that he couldn't continue. It wasn't something he did all the time, but Natsu had gone many nights without sleep before while traveling, hunting- especially when he was in a rush to get somewhere.
After those strangers earlier- he certainly was in a rush. "I need t'see the old man," he supplied after a few, quiet seconds. Lucy didn't seem as impatient for information for once, possibly because exhaustion still riddled her mind. - but the mention of Makarov caused her eyes to light up in understanding, his own brow furrowing at his thoughts, "Just in case, y'know?"
In case those men came back. He hadn't liked the smell or the look of them- …. Gaze moving back down towards the blonde- a heated simmer of defense rose in him. He didn't like how the sight of them affected her either. He could still feel the way she had shivered against him…
Not again. He had told himself. If he could help it, he wasn't giving her a reason to be so afraid like that ever again. A strong urge that the Draconis didn't bother thinking too deeply about. The feeling was there and that's all there was to it. As if his body chose, on it's own, to mirror his thoughts, Natsu's arms tightened just a bit more around her, drawing Lucy closer towards his warm chest.
He didn't even notice the way it made her face, neck and ears turn a shade of pink. "Er, what are you- … Natsu, you can put me down now."
She didn't understand it at all. Why his hold only seemed that much firmer and grew more solid when she spoke. The fact he was concerned enough to keep walking even while she slept made her relent in pushing him to sleep. It was better they reach his home quick than have him rush back off after those strangers. And yet, her own self-guilt and flustered heart wanted to be released. If only to have a moment to breathe without feeling like his heat was filling up her lungs like a caress.
Lucy swallowed thickly. Oh yes, she REALLY needed to be on her own two feet.
"Not doing it." And she blinked, baffled at the response. Why not?! "Your still tired. I can hear it. Feel it even." Possibly by his own power- Natsu's body heat rose. Not enough to harm her, but enough to make that consuming feeling swallow her whole, eyes feeling heavy all over again. "You can go back to sleep, Lucy. Your leg needs it."
She wanted to argue. To wriggle herself free and stomp on ahead- even with the hobble. The Romni wasn't so weak that she couldn't fend for herself! And he was going to tire himself out more if this kept up! Something in his dark, onyx eyes kept her from speaking further. A worried glint in them that pierced into her eyes before moving to stare at her swollen leg. It had been healing so nicely too…
"Please." He mumbled, "Let me keep taking care of you. For now?"
Something in the way he said it, the way he almost sounded desperate, guilty even, pulled her stings and she relented. Body relaxing into his arms while sleep slowly began to pull at her once again.
Let me keep taking care of you….
She'd allow it. For now. She was far too comfortable not to.
He spent most of the night walking. It wasn't his initial intention, but for once, Natsu's mind had been lost in so many different thoughts- going through the events that occurred from the landslide and up until that point-, before he knew it- the sun had slowly begun to rise. In a way, he felt the lack of sleep was a well-deserved punishment.
Lucy may not have mentioned it, or even noticed, but the Romni was looking pale and the slightest jostle made her whimper in her sleep. It was a slow build-up, but one that he could sense from the very moment she had first fallen asleep on him. One thing right after the other..
She was getting sick. And he completely blamed himself for it. Hadn't he assured her they would find the others before the day was out? Such a lie that was. An unintentional lie, but one nonetheless. His confidence had been brimming and the Roma's need to show off and assure her had caused him to give her a false hope. They weren't lost. He had meant it when he'd said he knew these woods. - but despite all that he meant, Natsu had completely underestimated how slow they'd have to go with her and her leg.
Healed as much as Wendy could do- and yet, still not completely there. A part of him worried Lucy would never, truly, be able to use her leg properly again. A thought that gave him quite the sick feeling in his gut. Another source of guilt. They hadn't known who they'd be saving when they attacked those slavers, but the Draconis couldn't help, but feel Lucy would have been far better off if he'd just gone after her when he'd first seen her dart off into the forests that night.
Instead, he continued to fight, ripping open one of the many cages full of women, before realizing one of the men they'd attacked had gone after the runaway. Stupid, stupid!
And here she was, asleep in his arms, breathing slightly shallow, skin practically glowing from the dying moonlight- getting sick. This entire ordeal, even with the strange occurrence of the voices and golden light that had initially saved them, was taking its toll on her. Natsu couldn't help, but feel he'd failed her somehow. It was a thought that made his teeth grind. Two failures and one had happened AFTER Makarov had ordered him to keep an eye on her.
In a way, that made his failure count jump to three.
Another whimper escaped Lucy and the Roma was pulled from his thoughts, sheepishly realizing his inner thoughts had caused his hold to become a little too tight. "Sorry Lucy-" He whispered, fixing his hold- and frowning at the way the nerves in his arms tingled as he did so. Carrying her for so long really was doing a number on his arms.
"Consider it building up muscle and there's no problem, right?" He mumbled- almost as if he were speaking to her and he chuckled. How weird was it to talk to someone who couldn't talk back? He'd been doing that a lot lately. Oh well, grinning at his own weird thoughts, the Draconis allowed himself, as he turned down an old deer trail, to study Lucy's face just a bit more.
Her hair reminded him of the sun, he decided- though the pale skin fit the moon just a bit more. Stars. She made him think of stars. Perhaps it was the same for others of her bloodline. A shame the ones from her clan had been ki-
Thoughts were quickly interrupted yet again- but not by the weak girl in his arms: shouts in the distance and crazed sounds of horses, whinnying echoed through the brambles. A decent distance that some may not hear, but with ears like his… and a taste of magic ran through the air, followed by the brief echoes of a blast followed. He could put two and two together well enough- there was a skirmish happening and with dreadful clarity, the direction came from home: the direction of it.
Who was attacking so close? A low snarl escaped him and with a sudden motion, he began to run. The naive part of him wished for Lucy to continue to sleep, but even he knew that with the pace he was starting to set, she'd eventually wake.
Maybe she could accept his apology after or- his ears echoed with the sounds of another blast and the Draconis cursed. "Lucy! Lucy, wake up!" Better to warn her than have her waking in confusion again. "Lucy!"
Being jostled awake through his sprint had clearly left her groggy- but alert, brown eyes shooting open while she stared up at him in dismay and alarm. "- ehn., what- Natsu, what is it? What's go-go-IN-g on?" If he hadn't been in such a rush, focusing on the sounds ahead- he would have laughed at the way her voice shot up and octave when he bolted over a fallen log.
"Somethin's happening up ahead," He stated, dark eyes narrowed into a serious expression that he knew rarely crossed his features. Perhaps she noticed, perhaps not, but once the Blonde processed his words, her body stiffened and she tried to lift herself in his arms to get a look herself. "Ya' won't see it from here- but I can hear it."
"And… we're running right for it?"
"Duh."
He could FEEL the incredulous stare she was giving him, hand raising to place on his shoulder in a vain attempt to slow his steps. "We can't just- Natsu you're CARRYING me and what if it's -"
Natsu didn't even need her to finish the statement. He knew what worried her. Those men. Could it be them? Possibly. "That's th'way home." Voice slid from his throat in a low, warning growl- the magic of his kind barely hidden beneath the surface of his skin. It always tingled when he felt a fight on the horizon. Anticipation practically made the fire sing through his veins. "Whoever's fightin' could be them, but also most likely involving us too, there's no way I'm ignoring that!"
There was no arguing with him. Not for this, even though the Romni couldn't hear what it was that was making him so tense, and the way he rain made her head throb with each new step, Lucy kept herself awake- ignoring the pain in her leg and sluggish feeling that consumed her thoughts. She wasn't getting sick was she?
A thought they would have to tackle later. For now, though she senses nothing- she certainly SAW when another blast sounded off- illuminating the distance just enough for her to tell some form of magic had been cast. It caused a glow over the trees for a split second before dispersing. Something was definitely happening.
And it made her tense up. Couldn't they… catch a break? The trip back to this group's wintery home was turning out to be as exhausting as running from those slavers. Albeit with better company.
Though, with another flare lighting up the morning sky, the Romni couldn't help, but wonder- "Natsu… who… whose doing that?"
She never got the answer, so fast was the Draconis' run that he almost slipped on an incline of moss- twisting himself to slide instead. They were close- and he was focused on his objective ahead. It was clear there was concern in his gaze, though he wasn't mentioning it. Was it so strange to be attacked so close to his home, she had to wonder? More questions Lucy wouldn't get answered: one Natsu had regained his footing, she was surprised when he allowed her to slip from his arms, settling her down behind an oak tree far wider than five of her combined.
"Stay here." He said, turning back towards the sound of fighting. "I can smell 'em- someone's definitely attacking the others." The growl that thundered forth when he spoke brought a chill to Lucy's spine, but her leg, still acting up, throbbed and she stumbled- bracing her body against the trunk.
"You're not going to forget me right?" Oh she could have argued. Could have said he should bring her, that she could help. But what possible help could she give in her condition? Barely able to walk- mind hazy from exhaustion. The most she would bring to the table was a hindrance.
It was clear to her that Natsu saw that too- but her words made him tilt his head- serious expression melting to a familiar, toothy grin. "Kah! Never."
"I'm just gonna burn th'hell outta these guys and come right back!"
There was no more time for talk- at least, he didn't give it to her- taking off at full speed, Natsu left her hidden in the safety of the oak tree. It's boughs over hung low from the weight of years and leaves, colored in yellows and reds, masked her in the low-light.
A sigh escaped her- one full of emotions Lucy couldn't quite get a grip on just yet. Her body felt heavy, but the sudden anxiety that tore into her rib cage at Natsu's disappearing form was almost as deadly as any arrow that could strike her. She could trust him…. Couldn't she? They had only known each other for a short while, and it had taken her this long to even give him a chance, but- ….
The Roma couldn't deny the small fear in the back of her mind, whispering towards her inadequacies. She was weak. Couldn't use the power of her clan (wasn't even sure how to.), and had been nothing, but a hobbled woman ever since she'd been welcomed into the group of nomads.
How long until she became a mere annoyance to them? If Natsu forgot her, would those they were separated from even care? Such silly worries and yet they plagued her nonetheless- swiftly shoved aside by her own stubborn will- that or just the pounding headache that was thrumming behind her eyes. Strange how she hadn't noticed it until then. Wincing, she took her time, lowering herself to the forest floor, further masking herself in the thick brambles- and tried to breathe deeply.
Natsu wouldn't leave her. She decided. "Wouldn't be like him at all." She even said to the air. No, he said he would take care of her and long before that, had promised to keep an eye out ever since she'd come to stay with him and the others.
He would find out what was happening. And he would be just fine.
She was sure of it.
Lucy's own, mental assurance, unfortunately, wasn't heard by Natsu- who had wasted no time in approaching his target- snarl practically pulling from his throat as he arrived on the scene. It was one of the many small, hidden paths that lead straight home (A particular road he had been in the process of finding, in fact)- the fact it was accosted by men who smelled worse than the landslide that had struck he and Lucy down, merely tempered his ire.
Someone was trying to find his home. SOMEONE was attacking members of his family.
Many of those someones were going to meet fire the moment he laid his eyes on them. Though, the skirmish looked small, now that he'd come across it. Only a few men were there- and not a single one resembled the strangers he had seen the day before. But they sure as hell smelled similar. From the same group? Separated into smaller ones perhaps?
The way he saw the shadows move was enough to raise his defenses- creeping from the tree lines like tendrils, forming shapes and striking at random. This was certainly one of the many sources he had heard- and those they struck-
"You will LEAVE our forest NOW, scum!" Ah- so it wasn't just his group that were close to home, it seemed one of the others that had been travelling was returning as well! A Shock of bright red hair as many swords struck through the shadows, weaved through the battle and a grin pulled at Natsu's face.
He was honestly disappointed Lucy wasn't with him. He'd been dying to introduce her. - but now wasn't the time to think of that. The woman fought like a terrifying beast, as did the others of his ragtag family- the fire that sang in his blood practically leaped from his bronze skin and a gleeful, mad grin crossed the Draconis' face.
"I'll send 'em out-!" He growled, fire unleashing from his palms, striking out into the gray. "With burning skin as a parting gift!"
The headache just wouldn't go away and time was passing slowly. Or far too quickly. What was once a low sunrise had slowly turned to full morning. The tree shaded Lucy's eyes well enough- but with every throb in her head, coupled with the pain in her knee, the Romni had hoped to sleep more as she waited. She just couldn't bring herself to do it. With each passing second, the throbbing seemed to intensify and she whimpered.
"... Natsu… are you alright?" Why didn't she argue and ask to stay with him?! Another whine and her eyes clenched shut. The curiosity and worry was beginning to eat at her.
What was taking him so long?
"- ah?" Another painful throb, yet when her eyes opened, it wasn't the thick forest that she saw, but rather a hazy, blurred vision of battle. A man with strange marks on his face, controlling floating objects that shot a beam out into another group of fighters.. A woman whose hair resembled fire as she cut through the enemy and… others.. Harder to visualize in the background, standing firm and fighting tendrils of shadow…
She didn't know these people, and yet… how was she seeing them? Lucy blinked her eyes, but rather than rid herself of the sight- it only became clearer. "What… what's happening?"
It wasn't as if she were watching a play from the sidelines, observing a battle- but rather as if she were part of it. Blood pumped in ears that weren't hers, magic surged through her body that didn't belong to her. Teeth were… sharp? And fire- oh the fire that blasted before her with each step and breath taken was like a release of energy she had been holding for days, boiling and begging to be expelled.
Like falling- she blinked once more and found herself, gasping into her body as sweat rolled down her face. It was hot. Too hot. Far too hot.
"Who was… did I-?" She couldn't understand it. Couldn't begin to make sense of it- the roaring in her own head, the exhaustion that just wouldn't escape, weighed Lucy down and the strange visuals slowly began to disperse, but not completely. In a dizzying effect- she could just make out her own environment, while the visual battle still echoed all around her. "I think I'm going to be sick-"
Can you hear us yet?
Don't worry…. It's only a mirror…
Lucy?
For a moment- Natsu thought he heard Lucy speaking, but that was crazy- and he certainly had no time to reply. Not when his fire was engulfing his entire body as he raged through the others. He still didn't have any answers- but the one controlling the shadows seemed to stick to them, hiding just beyond the reach of any one who could stop him.
It was irritating. And the more it irritated him, the more his fire grew in size- illuminating the area. By then, the others he'd come to aid had become well aware of his joining them- shouting slight, exhausted greetings in the process. Like him, however- they focused on the fight.
Talking and catching up would come later.
Fire bursting from the Draconis' heels- he strove to circle about the fight- taking out anyone that registered as 'foe' in his senses. He was intending to find the man orchestrating the attack- a few blasts of magic had found him a few times, but nothing had yet to stick. Natsu planned to change that. But with a grimace, he found his attention taken by one of the many shadows, bouncing from the very one his body created, slamming into his jaw.
Losing his balance, the Roma saw stars, regaining himself just a moment later- dark eyes glinting as he dodged another strike. "Dammit- come out and fight me ya'bastard!"
She practically felt the strike of the shadow in her own jaw, gasping and turning herself to retch into the bushes beside her. It was disgusting- and the smell alone made her stomach churn again, but she hardly had the strength to find any answers. Instead, the blonde huffed- pushing herself away and slowly sliding out of the shadows of the tree.
She couldn't hide there any longer. Not like this. Not when Natsu was hurt. It was Natsu she was seeing through, wasn't it? She heard him speak from her mouth (or not her mouth-) felt the fire in his blood and the pain of the strike that didn't hit her. So strange, so sickening so-
'What do I do now…'
Let us help you.
A pause and the visuals finally ceased. In fact, everything seemed to stop. The wind, the sounds of birds and crickets- even the sound of her own breathing. Everything, just stopped while the voice spoke inside her head, familiar and foreign all at once. She knew this voice. … from right before the landslide… knew it and… Somehow felt comforted, as if a hand had landed on her shoulder to provide support. "I don't understand-... who are you?"
Finally… she hears us… for now.
Answers will come later. Will you let us help?
Another stab to the temple and she hissed. Were these voices the cause of her headache? "And how am I supposed to do that? When any time I hear you I feel like my skull is about to burst?!"
Just give in. We won't hurt you.
We can help.
We WILL help- if you will listen.
"Just- stop.. Get out of my head, it hurts!" She cried- why was all this happening now. A part of her felt it was too fast. Whatever it was. She had to- she felt the strike of another shadow hitting Natsu and her eyes, sealed shut from pain, shot open- golden light suffusing them until not even the pupil could be seen.
"Help me help him!" She frantically whispered.
Of course. - They responded responded. It was only a matter of moments, as if they had all fallen quiet just enough to consider their options before she felt a sudden pressure within her mind. And in that exact moment- Lucy's conscious knew no more.
The skirmish was harder than one might think- even with the small group mostly taken care of- there were still the shadows to deal with. And Natsu noticed that they didn't seem to altogether be trying. What had been the point of this battle?
A few more strikes from the shadows and his flames licked across his body like a beacon- disintegrating the darker magic as it touched him. He was getting irritated. Somewhere, off in the distance, he heard some of the others chase off the remaining , hopefully capturing one or two for questioning. He certainly wanted to know what had lead up to this point. What did these men want? Why were they travelling so close to him?
Why did their friends scare Lucy?
Who w e r e they?
So many questions, but he didn't attend to a single one of them. Far more interested in catching his mark- the one in the shadows. The disintegrated remains of magic his fire had dealt with had given him the opening he needed to jump through the underbrush, nose working to scent out the perpetrator. Like a bloodhound he searched and the moment his dark eyes landed on the figure concealing himself- the Draconis pounced.
Unfortunately, the man had been prepared for such an event- though unexpected- the power his blood controlled lashed out, more shadows appearing to grip the joints of the roma's arms and legs. With a shout of surprise, they both tumbled out into the open: flaming arms pinning one- dark shadows circling about the other: entrapping them both.
"Surprised you managed to actually FIND me- stupid fly!" He spat, wincing from the flames that managed to break through his defenses- but Natsu grimaced, feeling the telltale tendrils wrapping about his throat, tightening their hold like a python. "We gonna see if burning or choking goes the quickest then?"
Instinct told him to rise, to back away- or to increase the input of his flames. Unfortunately, killing had never been something Natsu truly enjoyed doing. (The charred corpse of a slaver flashed before his mind- but he ignored that. Not enjoyable: but necessary was that one.) Growling, he refused to relinquish his grip- hoping, instead, to distract the man with flames enough to make the dark tendrils cease.
The two of them match in stubborn pride and haziness spread across Natsu's eyes from the lack of oxygen, coughing and desperately trying to suck in air- it seemed the distraction came from him instead- fire receding- mirroring the suffocation he was feeling.
Let go. Dammit, Let go! He thought in his mind- or was it really his thoughts? Arms quivered and in a tangle of limbs, the man beneath him knocked him over- gripping shadows enveloping his body as he cackled. "Hah! Looks like choking wins then!"
Frustration filled him as instincts screamed through the chilling darkness that covered his mind, but just as he was about to let loose (or pass out) - a loud humming, enough to make the air shake- cut through the area and light, shot like a beam struck into the man, throwing him back into the nearest tree- head cracking against the bark. With a groan, the shadows slithered back, disappearing in the light as the man fell to the forest floor.
Out cold.
Surprise covered Natsu's expression even as he rolled over to his hands and knees, coughing and sucking in air as desperately as a fish out of water. Air filled his lungs and relief washed over him, but where had that light come from? The Yellowish hue, the feel of it- hot, but far different than fire.
"Who are you?! Stay back, stranger!" the woman with her swords brandished, Natsu had been glad to see her originally, but now, her countenance towards whoever just saved his life irritated him. Casting his gaze up- he held out a hand, but felt all his strength leave him in a singular moment.
Lucy stood before them- body shining in an ethereal glow- eyes open, but glowing gold- how she walked, the wound on her knee seemed to not exist, hair cascading through the air as if gravity didn't exist. In a way, he almost didn't recognize her, but the scent…
"Erza! Stop!" Calling to the red haired woman, he hoped it was enough to stop the others- pushing himself to his feet to advance upon the Celestial Romni. "She's a friend!" that word alone gave the other group small pause, weapons lowering as relief covered them. The battle had ended as quick as it had begun, but all eyes turned towards the beauty standing at the edge of the road.
The Draconis felt as if all the air had been taken from his again. In the strangest of senses- he felt as if he knew this. Like an old, long lost friend- his eyes stung at the sight, but he stepped forward with a grin, trying to hide the concern that gripped him. "Oi- Lucy? Ya' were supposed to wait for me, remember? Glad you didn't though, that was a nice save!"
Yet, how had she done it? How was she walking? What.. was this magic? He took another step towards her before the golden eyes blinked and she finally turned to face him.
'We've done as asked- you should be safe now.' Words echoed from an unmoving mouth, caressed the air and minds of everyone who could witness it, but they were not Lucy's. A soft, relieved smile pulled across the girl's face while the glow finally began to dampen, brown hue resurfacing in her irises. 'Don't let her burn out, Draconis.'
And though it was the name of his tribe, Natsu had the weirdest feeling the voice meant it as something entirely different. The light died, gravity seemed to pull at her body once again and she stumbled a few steps forward, appearance regaining itself as confusion clouded her gaze. Standing lasted for only a second, before Lucy sighed, falling forward towards the Earth- Natsu's feet moved before he could think of it.
She fell into his arms, weightless- but her hands moved to grip him as she did, pushing herself from him just enough to angle her head from him- dispelling the contents of her stomach for the second time that morning. "Oi- Oi, Lucy? Are you all right?"
Of course, she had no time to answer him, and he waited patiently, scrunching his nose from the smell while a warm, bruised hand moved to pat her shoulders. She looked normal, but she smelled terrible. The fever he had sensed overnight had definitely taken its toll on her.
Finally, Lucy found her barings- drawing in breath while her fingers clung to Natsu like a lifeline. Wide, terrified eyes met his and her lip trembled. "I...I don't know… how did I get here?" The draconis wasn't sure how to respond- eyebrows raising.
"Ya'... don't remember what you just did?"
His words only gave her a deeper concern, mouth pulling into a weak frown. "Natsu- I was at the tree, wasn't I? Did you come back then? Is the fight over?"
No memory, but the boy had no chance to explain to her as the tired blonde fell back into him- not asleep or unconscious, but clearly unable to keep her focus. Her skin burned like a brand, her body shivered and he quickly lifted her- grumbling under his breath.
"I suppose you have an explanation for this, Natsu?" came the voice of Erza- her red locks back in place as she carried the prone figure of the shadow attack over her shoulder. Natsu hadn't seen when she had claimed the body Lucy had knocked out, but her gaze was stern enough to make his stomach freeze. She had been leading one of the other groups that had left home that year and it was apparent she had no love for the way they had met once again.
"Who IS this woman?"
Well, shit.
Note: I tried to make this chapter far longer than previous ones. Consider it a small apology for the long Hiatus. I've said time and time again, that no matter what happens, I do plan on finishing this. That wasn't a lie. Unfortunately, my life wasn't in the best of place for years. (Mental health, physical health- and emotional abuse issues. I wont go into the full details.)
I'm in a far better place now- working a new job and trying to move into a place all on my own. My inspiration has finally returned to me in full throttle- so I hope to give you more chapters very soon!
A big thank you to all those who stayed with me and have been waiting for this update for so very long. You all are amazing! And every review/follow/favorite I received on this through the years has served to remind me that updating this is well more than worth it. I hope this chapter found you well!
