Author's Note: Hello everyone! Next week is spring break and things are calming down a bit, so I plan on writing a lot next week. I have the next few chapters outlined, so hopefully I will be able to have more frequent updates after next week!
In this chapter, I decided to do something new and switch perspective/focus from Lucy to Grace for a short section of this chapter. Please let me know if you like or don't like the perspective shift. I just thought it would fit better with the plot! I hope you enjoy the chapter (:
April 3rd
Lucy followed after Wendy, the pair twirling through the meadow. Lupines and other wildflowers danced in the breeze, brightening their path. Lucy was grateful for the moment of peace. It was vastly different from the daunting forest they had ventured through earlier that morning. The sun was radiant above them, warming the group. Spring was finally approaching and Lucy was going to bask in the warm sun every chance she got.
"Lucy! Look at this! It's Calendula!" The small dragon slayer knelt down next to a beautiful, golden flower. She gently lifted the petals, smiling up at Lucy's curiosity. "The flowers can be used in topical ointments and in teas or salads! It's perfect for rashes, burns, or stomach issues." She explained as Lucy helped her gather a few of them for safe keeping in her backpack. "Oh, and this plant is Motherwort! It's perfect to use in teas for headaches and muscle sprains! That could come in handy later, but don't grab too much. It's very short lived!" She gestured to a thin plant that resembled lavender in Lucy's eyes.
"How do you know all of this Wendy?" Lucy wondered aloud while Wendy gently picked a few to hand to her.
"When we first went into hiding, I wanted to help people. I couldn't wander around as some faith healer though, it'd be too obvious. Not many people have healing magic and it was banned anyway. I tried working at hospitals, but I don't have any credentials and I look way too young for any job there. So, I found myself at a small clinic in a tiny village. The healer there helped people with minor injuries for free during the weekends and at night. Rosalina, she took me in, gave me food and shelter. In return, I learned how to identify medicinal herbs and would go out collecting them everyday. She eventually taught me how to treat people and we worked together for a few years before Natsu found me again. When this is all over, I'm going back there." Tears glistened in Wendy's eyes as she shook her head with a smile.
"Wendy…" Lucy was at a loss for words and Wendy wiped her tears away and smiled.
"Come on. I want to pick some regular flowers too." She gestured for Lucy to follow her back into the center of the meadow. Together, they picked various flowers, weaving them together into crowns. Wendy placed a crown of sunflowers and pink lupines on Lucy's head and Lucy gave her the one made of white lupines and lilies in return. Lucy had one crown left in her hands and a smirk touched her lips. She whispered softly to Wendy before slipping into the forest, out of view. Everyone else was too busy listening to Gajeel and Grace bicker anyway. She could use that to her advantage.
"We need to be more efficient when it comes to traveling. The quickest way would be to cut northeast and take cover in the towns. We can pass through without bringing attention to ourselves and still get to the mansion quicker. Plus, we can gather more supplies in one of the overpopulated cities. They have travelers all the time." Grace explained logically, her eyes narrowed at Gajeel, who puffed his cheeks and rolled his eyes.
"You're deranged! All we need is a rumor to spread about wandering travelers and we will be toast because they'll investigate us! The safest and smartest way is through the forest and up the mountains. We can follow the mountain range all the way to the mansion and still stay as far from people as possible!" He snapped, arms crossing over his chest. Grace pouted, her hands on her hips as she countered his argument.
"That'll take weeks! The twins will probably send others to hunt us down by then! We need to move quickly. They won't expect us to cross through towns. Think strategically!" She retorted and he stepped forward, fists clenched.
"I am thinking strategically! Who has more experience with this shit? Who is actually screwed if anyone finds us? Me, Wendy, and Natsu! That's who! You chose to join us. We didn't ask for your help, so your opinion doesn't matter." He growled and Natsu's fists clenched, his eyes darkening. The pair had been arguing for half the morning and Natsu had stayed quiet the entire time.
"ENOUGH." He shouted, his voice echoing through the meadow and off the trees surrounding them. Lucy froze, her heart pounding as her hands stopped above his head. She had managed to hop onto a tree stump directly behind him during the argument. The crown slipped through her fingers, settling onto his pink spikes. Her eyes widened as his body tensed and she tumbled forward, her foot slipping out from under her. Her arms wrapped around his neck, legs swinging around his waist to keep herself from hitting the ground. Her chin smacked onto his shoulder and his eyes glanced down to focus on her. He hadn't moved, except to slip his hands under her thighs to keep her steady.
"I'm sorry." She squeaked as he studied her. Roaring laughter escaped Gajeel's lips as he hunched over. The tension dissipated as Grace knelt over, laughing along with Gajeel and Wendy.
"You look beautiful Boss." He howled, pushing onto a tree with his arm to hold himself up. Natsu sighed, dropping Lucy gently to the ground. She steadied herself on her feet. He looked up, fingertips gently brushing the flowers on his head. A soft smile touched his lips before he fixed a narrowed glare on Gajeel and Grace.
"Get over yourselves, both of you. Swallow your pride and compromise. We are going to follow the mountains to the northwest and then hook around to Weliks. Then we will make our way through the most populated cities northeast until we reach the mansion. They will be less likely to notice us since hundreds of travelers go through the northern towns." His tone was firm as he growled. Gajeel's grin was replaced with a scowl and Grace's mouth hung open.
"Natsu, come on. That's ridi-" Gajeel's jaw snapped shut the moment Natsu fixed his glare directly on him. He gulped before crossing his arms over his chest and turning away. "Whatever Boss." He huffed and Natsu moved his glare to Grace.
"Sounds good to me! I'll find some edible plants to take with us! Come on Wendy." She snatched the smallest dragon slayer's hand and pulled her into the woods. Gajeel dropped down, crossing his legs and leaning his back against the trunk of an oak tree. He shut his eyes, a scowl stuck on his facial features. Natsu's fingers tangled with Lucy's, causing her eyes to widen as he pulled her across the meadow and into the forest.
"I'm sorry about that." He spoke softly, handing her a beautiful cluster of baby blue flowers. Her eyes were perfectly round orbs as she studied them. Her fingers gently lifted the petals and she smiled softly.
"You have nothing to apologize for. The two of them were going to keep arguing if you didn't step in. Someone has to take charge to keep things in order. It makes sense that the leader of the dragon slayers would still be in charge of our group." Her smile widened as she reassured him. "Thank-you for the flowers. They are lovely. I didn't see these in the meadow though. Where'd you find them?"
"Back by the creek. Thank-you for the flowers as well. I think I'll keep them there for a bit." He mused, a playful glint in his eyes. Lucy tilted her head down, a shy smile on her lips as she dug her toe into the ground. She startled when his face ducked down, his lips brushing against her cheek. "Really, thank-you Luce." His warm breath danced on her skin as he spoke, lips still brushing her cheek.
"Natsu…" She turned her face towards him, leaning closer into his space. He placed his hands on her shoulders, holding her just out of reach. He met her gaze, his stare pleading as if he was begging her to understand. She nodded, her eyes glancing at the ground as she stepped away from him. Before she could continue the conversation, he pulled her back through the meadow. Her rosy cheeks couldn't be avoided and warmth swirled through her veins as she followed the dragon slayer.
"Let's go." He stated simply and everyone fell into step behind him. He held Lucy's hand tightly as they ventured through the forest. Wendy walked with Grace, chatting cheerfully about how to make the perfect burn salve. Gajeel followed from behind, covering their tracks. After a few hours, they reached a jagged wall of stone. Lucy squealed as Natsu swept her legs out from under her. He held her close, a smirk on his lips. Fire surrounded his feet and he used the energy below him to catapult them up and over the cliff.
"Cheater!" Gajeel shouted from the bottom as he hauled himself up the side of the mountain. Grace was right beside him, sucking air into her lungs as she climbed. Sweat was beading on her brow, but she had a determined glint in her eyes. Wendy flew up beside them, using wind to guide her way up. "Not you too Wendy!" He cried as she giggled, dropping down beside Natsu.
"Sorry Gajeel! I can't carry anyone with me." She frowned apologetically. Gajeel hauled himself up, dropping onto solid ground with a scowl. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, grumbling under his breath as he shoved himself to his feet. Lucy pushed by him, nearly throwing herself over the edge. Natsu jolted forward as Lucy dropped her arms over the cliff. Grace's foot slipped out from under her and Lucy was there to catch her hands. Grace gasped, her arms scraping against the rock.
"I got you! Don't look down, okay? Focus on me." Lucy assured her as Grace nodded, locking her gaze on Lucy's face. The celestial wizard pulled Grace up and over the ledge, breathing heavily as Grace dropped down beside her. The dragon slayers were all watching them carefully and Lucy smiled at Grace. The other wizard threw her arms around the blonde.
"Thank-you Lucy." She huffed, holding on tightly.
"We're a team now. We have to look out for each other." She smiled and Grace wiped the sweat from her brow. "You know, my feet are a bit sore, why don't we let Horologium carry us for a bit?" She smiled brightly and Grace nodded. Lucy summoned her trusty clock spirit and Natsu grabbed her wrist. She glanced over her shoulder, meeting his concerned eyes with a smile on her face. "Don't worry. I'm fine and Horologium doesn't require a lot of magic to summon him." She assured him, letting Grace step in first before squishing next to her.
"'Keep going' she says." Horologium spoke for Lucy and Natsu paused a moment before nodding, leading the group through the mountains. Lucy and Grace were munching on some wild berries while the group maneuvered around thickets growing tall near the top of the mountain. The group halted to a stop and Lucy's eyes widened at the abrupt motion. Natsu's nose twitched, eyes narrowing as he glanced around them. The three dragon slayers jumped to stand back to back. Fire manifested on Natsu's hand and he swung his arm, the fire forming a crackling circle around them. Gajeel's arms were iron instantly and the wind picked up around Wendy, her hair whipping around wildly. Horologium vanished, sending Lucy and Grace tumbling out and sprawling onto the ground. Lucy blinked rapidly, trying to clear the dirt from her eyes. The smoke from the surrounding fire wasn't helping and she couldn't see very well. A scream escaped her lips as a large, ghastly creature dug its claws into her arms, holding her body to the rock.
"Lucy!" Natsu shouted and Lucy yanked her head back as the creature snapped its jaws at her face. Its body was a deep red, covered in spiky scales and a layer of slime. Its eyes were bottomless pits and Lucy couldn't tell where it was looking as it snapped relentlessly, its saliva pooling on her chest. Before anyone else could react, Grace rammed into the creature, knocking it off of Lucy. Its claws tore through her flesh as it fell and she cried out. Grace caught the creature off guard and slammed her diamond dagger through its chest, right where its heart should be. The creature screeched, black ooze escaping the wound as it kicked against her before stilling. A strong odor assaulted their noses and Grace yanked her dagger free, eyes trained on the bloody, black mess. She turned swiftly, placing her hands on her knees as she vomited on the ground, tears in her eyes. Lucy pushed herself to her feet, ignoring the blood spiraling down her arms and the saliva running down her center as she coughed roughly.
"You all will perishhhhh." A voice hissed as multiple creatures launched themselves through the fire, not caring that their flesh was burning.
"Focus on yourself, Natsu." She shouted, freeing a key from her pouch and placing it against her chest. "Open, gate of the archer! Sagittarius!" Light enveloped her as her outfit shifted and a bow formed in her hands. Sagittarius stood beside her, bow raised and arrow ready.
"Hello m'lady." He greeted her, a smile on his lips.
"Hit those things in the heart Sagittarius!" She insisted and he nodded sternly, standing tall beside her.
"Wendy!" Gajeel shouted and Wendy nodded, using wind to propel the creatures into Gajeel's iron grasp. He effortlessly smashed the creatures' heads in and the two slayers fought well together. Grace pushed herself up, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand before freeing a second dagger from her belt. She deflected the creature's claws with the first dagger and slammed forward with the second, hitting the heart each time she fought a new creature. Lucy let another arrow fly before jolting forward and smacking a creature with her bow. She caught another creature's claws, kicking them in the center before swiftly freeing an arrow and slamming it in the center of the creature's chest. She took a moment to steal a glance at Natsu who was carving through creatures, ripping their hearts out with fire-coated talons. A smirk was on his lips, an excited glint in his eyes as he launched himself in and out of the circle of fire. The bodies of the creatures piled up and the assault seemed endless. Natsu was suddenly beside her, slamming his hand through the scales and skin of the creature. His hand clenched and he yanked his arm out, the heart of the creature in his palm. He kicked the creature away, throwing the heart somewhere else. As he attacked another, one creature snuck up behind him, jaw unhinged. Lucy sprinted forward, slamming an arrow into its eye. It shrieked, bucking backwards as Natsu spun and clawed through its center. Claws dug into Lucy's back and she coughed out blood as her body was flung backwards. She flailed, her body tumbling down and off the edge of the mountain. She screamed, her arms frantically waving in front of her, trying to grab onto anything or anyone.
"Luce!" That voice. Natsu would come to get her, that much she knew. Her body stopped free-falling, branches snapping around her as she landed in various bushes. Her bones ached, sharp pain shooting through her nerves from the various wounds in her arms and back. She was breathing heavily, her vision spinning. Her star dress had dissipated and she knew Sagittarius returned to the spirit world. Her body was sticky with her own blood, black ooze, sweat, and saliva. She had to shove that thought to the back of her mind to keep herself from vomiting. She tried to steady her gaze as a figure launched itself off the mountain.
Natsu landed beside her, eyes wild as he gently pulled her into his arms. He whispered apologies into her hair before catapulting them back up to the fight, fire covering his entire body. The embers danced on her skin, but Lucy didn't feel a thing as he gently placed her by Grace, who was on the defensive, but not currently fighting anything. His eyes burned with fury, fire expanding to surround him in a deadly aura. A roar escaped his lips and the talons on his fingers grew longer and sharper. His body vanished and Lucy couldn't keep up with his movements as he slayed every last creature, ripping them to shreds. Even Gajeel and Wendy stopped, eyes wide as they watched their leader decimate every single creature by himself. When the last one fell, Natsu stood in the center of the bodies. He was breathing heavily, body hunched as black ooze dripped from his talons. His lips were still fixed in a snarl, like he would snap at any second. Lucy pushed herself to her feet, stumbling towards him before falling forward. Her legs had given out under her, but she caught herself on Natsu's arms.
"Shhh..it's okay now. We are all safe." She spoke softly, gently kissing his nose before shutting her eyes, her fingers relaxing as they let her body slip through his arms.
"Luce." Natsu's talons retracted and he dropped down to his knees, catching Lucy before she could hit the ground. Everyone breathed a bit easier the moment Natsu spoke.
"Lucy. I can heal you in a moment." Wendy assured her softly and Lucy shook her head, curling against Natsu. He had fallen back, kicking his legs out in front of him. She snuggled closer, pressing her body to his and tucking her head under his chin. They both needed the contact in that moment.
"Conserve your energy Wendy. If you just close my wounds a bit so they stop bleeding, I'll be okay. I really just want to wash this stuff off of me." It took a while, but all the words came out clearly and Natsu held her tighter. He pushed them both up and stepped away from Wendy.
"There's a river not too far from here. We will be back." With that, Natsu launched them from the mountain, landing near the bushes Lucy found herself in earlier. He walked a few steps away until they could both could hear the rushing water. He placed Lucy gently in the water and washed his hands off before tearing a piece of his pant leg off. He ran it through the water before gently scrubbing Lucy's skin. He was careful around her wounds and bruises, but made sure all the ooze was off her. He rinsed her hair as well, gently tying it into a bun on the top of her head. When he was done, he pulled her back into his arms and shut his eyes. Gentle embers twirled over Lucy's skin and clothes, warming her body as they evaporated the water. Before she could speak, he catapulted them back to where the others were.
"Natsu…" Lucy started, but he cut her off. Her vision was fading and she was slipping from consciousness.
"Wendy, take good care of her. I'll be back." He turned away, noticing that Grace and Gajeel were gone. Wendy nodded and just like that, Natsu was gone. The sky dragon slayer got to work, pulling Lucy's wounds closed before finding bandages from her bag. The world went dark around her.
Grace
Grace crouched down behind the edge of the cliff, eyes trained on the two dragon slayers. They were standing in the river, unmoving every time the current smacked into them. If it was Grace standing in that river, she'd be long gone by now, pulled under by the relentless water. That didn't matter though. What mattered was finding out what those creatures were and what the hell happened to Natsu. Even if she had to extract the information herself, she would figure it out.
"Yah gonna tell me what the hell those things were Salamander?" Gajeel grumbled, stretching his arms after washing the ooze from his legs. Natsu's eyes were trained on the water as he spoke.
"Mindless, demonic beings courtesy of Zeref. He called them Buracktors when we were kids. There's thousands of them in Hell, so who knows how many crawled their way to the surface. We will have to keep a better eye on our surroundings now that Zeref's followers know where we are." Natsu muttered and Gajeel scowled.
"So you lost control over some mindless, grunts? That's not like you Boss. Are you out of practice or something? That wasn't even half your power and yet, I thought I was going to need Wendy to sedate you." Gajeel ignored Natsu's warning, focusing on his friend's state of mind instead.
"It's been a while since I have used my magic. It's been boiling under my skin for years Gajeel and I have always been reckless. It shouldn't be all that surprising." Natsu retorted, a frown on his lips.
"It's been a while for all of us Natsu. You usually save your idiotic recklessness for the big bads, so yeah, call me surprised." Gajeel spat and Natsu sighed, turning his head away to focus on the surrounding forest. "It's bunny girl, isn't it? She's getting to you."
"Lucy has nothin-" Natsu began to argue, but Gajeel cut him off.
"Save it. You either need to trust that she is strong and can handle herself or send her packing. You can't be losing control every time she gets a scratch." The iron dragon slayer paused, dunking his head under the water to wash the residual ooze from his overgrown hair. Grace ducked down as Natsu's eyes scanned their surroundings. She shouldn't be eavesdropping, but she was never one to control her curiosity.
"What if it was Levy?" Natsu countered the moment Gajeel took a breath.
"Shrimp would've treated that entire battle like a puzzle. She would have defended herself, but mostly worked to fuel our magic with her solid script spells. I would worry, but I would also trust that she could handle herself." He scoffed, arms crossing over his chest.
"You're stronger than I am." Natsu's fists clenched and his shoulders curled forward.
"Nah, I just have more practice with my emotions." The moment Natsu tried to protest, Gajeel cut him off. "Yeah, yeah. You'll get there. Calm down." With that, he turned away, stepping out of the river.
"Metal face! Do you think Rogue and Sting will betray us?" He called out and Gajeel spun to meet Natsu's gaze.
"Well, I did. So, yeah, probably. They always disliked you more than I did." The pure shock from that statement startled Grace and she gasped, nearly blowing her cover. What the hell kind of team is the group of dragon slayers? What did she get herself into? Does Lucy know how messed up they are? "Though, I think Laxus was the one Cobra was betting on next."
"Nah, Laxus already screwed us over. He made up for it by bringing us to Gramps and Fairy Tail. Come to think of it, you never apologized for stabbing me through my stomach." Natsu narrowed his gaze at Gajeel and the iron dragon slayer laughed.
"And you never stopped calling me metal face. So, we are even." He pointed at Natsu, amusement clear on his features.
"That's not even close to the same!" Natsu's jaw dropped and Gajeel smirked.
"If that wound would've killed you without Wendy's help, you didn't deserve to be our leader. I joined the dark guild to prove a point." He admitted, pausing from his walk into the forest.
"To prove a point?"
"You're the rightful leader of the dragon slayers, willing to eliminate one of your own to protect the world and the rest of the group. Sting and Rogue were questioning your leadership. While I had my own motives, that pushed me to do it." Gajeel admitted and Natsu ran his hand down his face.
"You betrayed us to help me?"
"Don't forget I had my own personal gains too boss. You're in charge of a group of demons. We all have dark secrets." He chuckled, turning away and wandering into the forest.
"Gajeel!" Natsu called out, bewildered by his friend's confession.
"I'm staying loyal till I die Boss! No need to keep talking about this. Go check on your girlfriend. She's probably worried about you." He called over his shoulder and disappeared into the overgrown shrubbery and low-hanging branches of trees. Natsu's bewilderment shifted into a smirk before he catapulted himself back to where Lucy and Wendy were. Grace scanned her surroundings before stepping out into the open. She knelt on the edge of the river, dipping her daggers in the current. She used a cloth from Lucy's backpack and methodically washed the ooze from the blades. She dry-heaved, struggling to contain her disgust and discomfort.
"Throwing up when you see blood. Nice." A man hissed from behind her and she startled. The dagger slipped through her fingers, easily being swallowed by the roaring current. She cursed softly, her heart thundering in her chest as her shoulders tensed. "Hey, don't fret. You still kicked some ass up there without magic. I'm impressed. You're Grace, right?" The man was stepping closer, Grace could feel it. She snapped into action, not wanting to end up swallowed by the water like her dagger.
"Who are you?" She blurted, as she shoved herself to her feet, dagger raised as her hand shook. The man stepped out from the shadows of the trees, a snake wrapped around him lovingly. He was an odd character with a smirk plastered on his lips. She could read his past. It wouldn't be a challenge for her and then she could decide to call for Gajeel, who couldn't have wandered far. She could scream for Natsu or Wendy, though they were preoccupied with Lucy.
"Don't look into my head. It'll ruin the surprise." He smirked, scratching the top of the snake's head. "I'm just checking up on some old friends. I'm taking shelter in a nearby town and I heard the battle. The demons are pissed at the dragon slayers, so traveling with them is dangerous. Stay sharp." He added the warning, catching Grace off guard.
"Why should I trust you?" She challenged, biting her tongue to keep herself from insulting him. She wanted nothing more than to call him a freaky forest man or a slimy snake charmer. Neither were good insults, but they were fitting. An amused glint sparked in the man's eye as he smirked again. Her heart stopped before rapidly beating again. Why was he grinning like that?
"You shouldn't. You shouldn't trust any demon and yet here you are, traveling with three of the most powerful demons in the world, the ones wanted for the most heinous crimes. While the celestial wizard has blind faith in Natsu, you're different. You're an enigma, Grace Princess of Dershire. Don't get yourself killed before we can meet again." With that, he vanished and Grace was left bewildered, her secret known by a stranger and one of her prized daggers missing. She fell to her knees, placing her head in her hands. If the slayers knew who she was, they wouldn't hesitate to kill her. She needed to find out who that man was before he ruined everything.
Lucy
A gasp escaped Lucy's lips as she startled into consciousness. Her heart thudded against her chest rapidly, threatening to burst through her rib cage. Her arms and back burned subtly and she flinched, shifting uncomfortably. She attempted to turn and a shriek escaped her lips, pain shooting through her back. Her eyes snapped open, settling on Wendy who swiftly knelt beside her. Lucy felt her wounds pulling shut as Wendy's hands glowed.
"Stop, please." She sucked down some air. "I'm fine." Though it looked like Wendy didn't believe her, the smaller dragon slayer stopped and pushed herself to her feet. Gentle fingers ran through Lucy's hair and she looked up to see Natsu's concerned gaze. "Natsu." She whispered, curling her body towards him. It was then that she realized her body was curled up in his arms, his legs pushed out in front of him while his back was pressed against a wall of stone.
"We need to keep moving and find shelter that we can secure before nightfall." Gajeel grumbled, hauling himself over the ledge. Wendy nodded, frowning slightly as her eyes fell on Lucy. Grace had hauled herself over the edge a few moments after Gajeel, breathing heavily as sweat pooled on her forehead and dripped down her face.
"You guys go on ahead of us. I'm going to stay here with Lucy for a bit and then we will catch up." Natsu insisted, his hand still tangled in her blonde locks.
"Do you really think it's a smart idea to split up at this point?" Wendy's eyes were wide and Natsu nodded.
"Nobody should go anywhere alone, but we are all strong wizards. We will be fine in smaller groups for now. It won't be long, I promise. If I start losing your scent, we will move." Natsu assured them and Gajeel met Wendy's worried gaze. They nodded, having a form of silent communication between the two. Grace watched the interaction carefully, a look of distrust on her face. Lucy decided to bring that up later, making a mental note for herself. As the others disappeared from sight, Lucy curled closer to Natsu.
"I really am okay Natsu. We can go with them." She insisted, but he met her gaze with a frown on his lips.
"Just rest a while, okay?" His tone was pleading and she nodded. Her eyes fluttered shut and she let her body relax. In Natsu's arms, she was able to drift off to sleep easily. It seemed like a few minutes passed before she was startled awake again. Natsu was attempting to stand with Lucy in his arms. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. They are getting a bit too far and I won't be able to track them for much longer. Are you feeling any better?"
"My back is still sore, but I am feeling a lot better. I can have Horologium carry me for a while." She insisted, but he held on tighter.
"If this position hurts your wounds, you can climb on my back instead. I would rather you save your magic." He offered and she thought over his words for a moment, noticing that both of their bags were gone. Eventually, she agreed and he placed her gently on her feet. She was unsteady, her legs weak from the blood loss. He helped her lift her thighs, wrapping her legs around his center while her arms wrapped around his neck. She pressed against his back as his hands dropped down to support her legs. She tucked her face over his shoulder and shut her eyes, trusting the fire dragon slayer with her life. He continued up the mountain in silence, following after their friends until the sun set.
