Natsu wondered where Gray was and why he had been gone for so long. When it started to get dark he decided to go look for his brother. He was beginning to worry about him because it wasn't like Gray to wander off and stay away for so long.
"It is peculiar for him to be gone for such a long time." Panther Lily.
"Yeah it's not unusual for you Natsu but for Gray definitely." Happy said.
"You don't think something's happen to him do you?" Natsu asked.
"I don't know."
"I better go find him."
Natsu began searching the ground for Gray's tracks. He spotted some by some tall grass. He had just dropped down to sniff them when suddenly a net was thrown on top of him and he found himself being restrained by a group of men. Men being led by Jude.
"That's it men! Don't let him get away!" Jude ordered.
Surprised and angry, Natsu started to fight back by snarling and biting at them. He successfully managed to throw two men off of him but four more only came back to hold him down. They dragged him across the river and to the village. All the villagers gathered around to see him. Once they were in the village square they cut him loose from the net. Natsu immediately tried to escape but the men held his arms and legs, allowing the chief to study his face.
"Who are you young man?" He asked him but Natsu could not answer. "Answer me! I command you!"
Still he didn't answer.
"How dare you ignore your chief."
He raised his hand to strike him but when he brought it to his face Natsu bit it.
"Ahh! You wretched man! You shall be punished!"
"Father stop it!"
Lucy came running through the crowd and stepped between Jude and Natsu.
"You said that you wouldn't hurt him! You said that you were only going to talk to him!" She said.
"Well apparently he considers himself to superior to speak to his chief."
"Father he doesn't understand. He doesn't speak our language. I don't think he's ever lived around here."
"He hasn't." One man spoke up. He was middle aged, tall and muscular man with shoulder-length orange hair and a stubbly beard. He was Gildarts, a man who served as a jungle guide to the people of Alvarez. "I recognize the scars on his arms and legs and the points on his bones. They are from living in the jungle, he is a wild boy."
"Are you certain Gildarts?" A woman asked.
"Positive. This boy has been raised by animals and is ignorant of the ways of man. We must be kind to him, release him!"
"Release him? Are you mad?" Jude said. "If what you say is true then he is dangerous. Look! He has the evil eye!"
"Nonsense! I see no evil in this boy's eyes. All I see is confusion and fear. He needs help."
"He needs to be locked in a cage."
"He's not dangerous Father." Lucy objected.
"Go home Lucy!" He commanded his daughter.
"Not until you let him go. Father he's done nothing wrong, he saved my life."
"This boy saved the life of your daughter and you repay him by treating him this way." Gildarts said. "You have a funny way of showing honor and gratitude. Let's not forget our tradition says that if someone does you a service chief you must repay them."
The other villagers nodded in agreement. Jude glard at Natsu then back at Gildarts.
"Very well Gildarts, you are right. But I can't just let some savage man run loose in my village."
"Then turn him over to my care. I shall shelter him in my home and try to teach him our ways."
"As you wish."
Natsu was released. He tried to run but Gildarts grabbed him. Natsu was amazed by how strong the bearded man was. He had the strength of a bear. He fought to break free and he snarled at him but dropped his angry demeanor as soon as he felt Lucy's hand gently touch his shoulder.
"It's okay Natsu." She told him with a smile. "Gildarts only wants to help you. He won't harm you. Here I'll go with you to Gildarts home."
"You will do no such thing Lucy." Jude said.
"Father please. He's scared and confused but he trusts me. Let me go with him so he knows that he's safe."
"I'll make sure that this man does her no harm." Gildarts said.
"He won't hurt me. Please Father."
"Very well Lucy but return home as soon as possible."
"Yes sir."
Natsu did not trust any of these men but he did trust Lucy so when she placed his hand in Gildarts's hand he realized that she was trying to tell him that this orange haired man could be trusted so he went with him. The three of them went to a small house built from tree wood and red clay.
"I'll make a bed for him, you get him settled." Gildarts told Lucy. "Also give him this."
He handed her a cup of hot liquid.
"What's this?" She asked.
"It's broth I mixed it with some herbs that should make him sleep. He needs rest and I have a feeling that he won't sleep easily tonight."
"Okay."
Lucy led Natsu over to a chair and sat him in it.
"I'm sorry for what my father and his men did to you. I don't know why he went after you but if I had known that he was going to bring you here against your will I would have never have told them how to find you."
Natsu smiled at her, she smiled back.
"I have to go home now but I'll see you again when I can."
She started to leave but he grabbed her hand.
"Don't worry I'll come back."
She gave him the cup of broth. Natsu sniffed it then started to drink it. It wasn't long before the herbs started to kick in and he began to feel sleepy. He eventually fell asleep in the chair. Later Gildarts came in and placed his body in the extra bed he had made up.
"Thank you so much for taking him in Gildarts." Lucy said. "This means a lot to me."
"It's no trouble at all. I've been pretty lonely since my daughter moved out and got married. In a way his spirit reminds me of her. There's a lot of fight in this one. I still can't believe that he actually bit the chief."
"He is very wild but I feel like that there's a more gentle side to him. I mean he saved my life and he hasn't done anything to hurt me. I can't believe what my father did to him. I do love him but I really don't understand his methods."
"You're not the only one."
"Will you be okay with him tommorow morning? I could come back."
"I can handle him. Trust me if I can wrestle a dragon then I can definitely keep him under control."
"Alright."
She gave Natsu's sleeping form one last glance before leaving Gildarts's house and returning home. She hoped that tomorrow would be a better day for Natsu.
