Dragon Tales Part Three

****Set during Natsu and Lucy's reunion****

The air seemed to invigorate him as he raced through the thick trees. "Kia!" he called out stepping in another puddle as he stumbled around a fallen tree. "Kianna!" he cried out again as a somewhat timid voice responded.

"Erik!" she called out as the poison dragon slayer raced towards where her voice came from finding her stuck in a patch of bushes. "Why are we on the isle?" she asked as her mate helped her detangle herself from the prickly branched.

"I don't know," Cobra grumbled as he looked up and voiced the terrifying thought in his head. "Where is Damian?"

"Oh there you two are!" a voice called out as woman moved out of the fog.

"Who are you?" Erik growled as he looked the strange woman up and down.

"You both weren't at the guild…" she spoke stepping forward a bowl in her hands. Bending down she plucked several berries off the bush that had kept his mate still. "I'm Penna the poison dragon," she smiled brightly standing back up.

"Where's my son," Erik growled throwing his mate behind him.

"The Hatchling? He's back at my hoard," the odd woman shrugged tucking her brightly colored hair behind her ear.

"You left him alone?!" Kianna asked in confusion as she watched the woman search for something.

"First off he's not alone, Koa is with him, and he was starving so I am making him something to eat," she spoke happily as she set a bowl down before crouching down. Stalking up to a tree she leapt forward snatching a single brightly colored frog in her hands.

"Who's Koa?" Kianna questioned as she watched the woman pull the slime off of the frog and toss it into the bowl letting the frog hop off into several puddles far away from them.

"My mamba!" she gleamed as she began walking back the way she came.

"Wait, you left my infant son with one of the most dangerous snakes in the world!" Kianna screeched in horror as she followed the strange woman.

"The worst thing Koa will do is bite him," Penna shrugged as she continued forward occasionally pulling berries off of the bushed as they went.

"Oh is that all?!" Erik barked sarcasm dripping in his voice.

"Listen here you little shit head!" Penna growled deeply as she tackled Cobra to the ground leaving the strange concoction in Kianna's hands. "That hatchling is my legacy I wouldn't let anything hurt him. Koa's bite will do nothing but make him stronger and your son will bite him back if it happens after that Koa will protect him like he's his own," she hissed as she held down the struggling dragon slayer.

"Well then could you please take us to him?" Kianna asked as she watched her mate struggle against Penna's strong hold.

"Sure and on the way I'll give you the recipe for my best pick me up mash!" the poison dragon smiled as she wrapped an arm around Kianna's shoulder as she continued talking, "So this has hemlock root, nightlock berries, Poison frog slime and when we get home we add the secret ingredient," she said happily dragging the woman off leaving the dragon slayer to get himself up and follow after them.

As they made their way around the swamp the two women arrived at the open cave. Large wholes sat at the top allowing water and sunlight to flow down on the many plants and vegetation that grew here. Off to the side large barrels sat each filled with liquids of unknown origins. While tucked further into the cave were gold, crystals, gems, and oddly enough various pelts of many animals.

But what drew Kianna's eyes was her son who was sitting in the middle of a curled up large snake his fangs sunken in to the flesh just behind the snakes neck as said snake bite her son's wrist. But before she could freak out at the sight a loud shout filled the cave.

"Koa!" Penna screeched as the snake retreated hissing lightly almost seeming sorry about what had happened.

Walking forward Cobra hissed in concern as his son giggled in delight thick green smoke escaping his mouth and nose as he exhaled.

"See no harm done," Penna cooed covering the bowl with cloth as she coaxed the snake to bite the edge of the bowl. Koa following though as he looked up at the dragon made human before slithering off further into the cave.

"Penna I have a question," Kianna said as she watched the woman begin to mash up the odd mixture adding some belladonna as she did so.

"Yes?" she asked as she poured the mush into what looked like a bottle and walked over to a pool of water and filled the glass the rest of the way.

"What is in the barrels? When Erik and I were here for the mating he tried some of the liquid and said that it gave him great energy," Kianna spoke taking her son in her arms.

"It's my own brews. Poison mixtures made from my garden. You see some times it is hard to find what you need as a poison dragon to recharge yourself. Snakes are useful but some don't work as well as others, frogs are hard to catch, and Spiders are disgusting. I mean if you're desperate you can try but let me tell you they barely do anything," she huffed as she took a stick and stirred the water and paste in the cup. "So I brew my own poison, here," she said handing Kianna two books as she handed Cobra the glass. "Drink!" she ordered.

Doing as he was told Erik downed half of the glass before he felt himself become fully recharged. More so than he had been in several weeks. Turning he watched as she rooted thought their diaper bag. Tossing everything around until she found an empty bottle taking the rest of the glass she poured the contents in to the bottle and topped it off with one of the brews in the barrels. Handing the bottle to Damian she turned around as she felt magic swirl around her.

"I have to go," she whispered tears streaking down her face. "Those books, one will tell you all you need to know about raising a dragon, the right way, the way I would have had I been given the chance," she whispered softly her eyes glazing over as if remembering something painful from the past. A few moments later she shook her head to clear the thoughts before speaking, "and the other is my recipes for brews. I am almost out of nightlock so ask Brux's son for the plants that he found for me. Oh and a word of caution… Never mix wisteria pods with frog slime…. Doesn't end well," she said as Kianna laughed lightly watching a she diapered in to a puff of smoke and gold dust.