Oragonking- He does a little. Him and Kita have their suspicions of war amongst the tribes but they are not certain. He knows all the types of dragons and their abilities but what he doesn't know is that no one can understand scavengers or that they call them scavengers.

~~~~~Chapter 5~~~~~

They were walking when the sun was barely coming up on the horizon. Soft orange strokes of light grazed the east side of the sky. At this hour the stars could not be seen. It reminded him of Mirage's eyes. He was more than troubled by her, he was lost. This feeling was different from the kind he had with Kita. Perhaps this was temporary.

He felt something shift on his shoulders. He remembered that Kita was curled up and Gabe was snuggled in the cart trying to get a few more extra hours of sleep. He focused his mind on them.

A sudden question came to his mind.

Why?

Why protect Kita?

He immediately shook off the thought. She had raised him. She trusts him with her life. She was important to him. An enormous stab of guilt filled his mind and tore his heart for even thinking of that question.

Before last night, his mind was always clear. Protect Kita, make her happy, and travel. That was his mindset for his entire life. But last night happened, and he was a little confused to say the least.

Voices from nearby tore through the silence of the morning and snapped Royan into alertness.

Him and Epona walked a little further until he saw a SkyWing with smoke billowing from her nostrils and lots of jewelry. She was looking down on a MudWing with a worried expression while a deep blue SeaWing was holding a sword behind the SkyWing and readying to stab the her in the tail.

Royan stayed hidden while the SeaWing stabbed the glittery SkyWing. A painful roar tore through the crisp morning air.

Gabe and Kita were still asleep and Epona was spooked. They trotted along as quietly as they could while the SkyWing struggled.

What just happened? he thought.

Time skip

It was midafternoon by the time Gabriel announced they would be approaching the village soon.

His heart pounded with anticipation. Were they ready for him? Gabe has told them that this village has a fortified wall with a huge ballista.

A shudder flowed through his wings, but not from the mention of the ballista; it was from something else. It felt like the scales on his back had moved away from each other and a cool breeze seeped through and pierced the delicate skin underneath.

"What's wrong, Royan?" Kita asked.

"Feels like I'm being watched", he replied.

"Ah, I get that all the time", she said, "Don't worry. You're probably just anxious about going to the village."

"Maybe."

He hadn't told them about what happened early that morning or the night before. He didn't feel the need to but he and Kita had promised to keep no secrets between them. He then began to feel guilty.

"So", he started, "early this morning when you were still asleep, I saw a few dragons. A MudWing, a SeaWing, and very glittery SkyWing."

"Haven't seen a SeaWing with a SkyWing or MudWing that wasn't attacking", Gabe said.

"She attacked the SkyWing and then flew off with the MudWing", Royan replied.

"The MudWing and SeaWing were together?" Kita asked.

"I think so", he said.

"Weird. I've noticed hostility between the SeaWings with the MudWings and SkyWings for at least 15 years", said Gabe, "Pretty sure there's a war."

"If it is", Royan said, "I don't ever want to be a part of it."

He was about to tell them about Mirage when Gabe spoke up.

"Royan", Gabe said, "it's best if you wait here for now so I can tell the village you're coming."

Up ahead, the path swerved to the right onto an incline right up the side of a cliff face. Gabe trotted ahead on Epona, posting up and down with the rhythm of her trot.

Every second that passed his heart seemed to beat faster. He couldn't keep his wings from shuddering.

After a few minutes he heard Epona's thundering hoof beats coming down the path. She emerged with Gabe. He waved to him to come. Royan took a deep breath and started forward. The cart pulled back on him as he went up the slope. The wall of the village came into view.

It was much taller than him. A large wooden door blocked the entrance. On top of the wall stood fierce-looking archers glaring down at him.

The door opened and he stepped through. Inside the wall wasn't quite what he was expecting.

There several levels of buildings that seemed to be embedded in the cliff face. The higher levels were connected with walk ways, ladders, and stairs. Several doors lead into the wall itself where he assumed supplies would be stored, as ladders were used to get on top of the wall.

Many people stopped what they were doing to look at him with bewilderment. Children would look at him with excitement but were stopped by their fearful parents. The entire village seemed silent except for a few fearful murmurs here and there.

Pull yourself together, Royan! You're not a fearful dragon! You are powerful! Kita survived all these years because of you! he scolded himself.

"It's okay everyone!" Gabe called out as he dismounted, "He's friendly!"

Kita unlatched him but he stayed where he was as to not frighten anyone. He felt he was as anxious as everyone.

"Go ahead", Kita said to him, "introduce yourself."

"They're scared of me", he whispered to her, "they're not ready."

"Fine. I'll do it", she said, "Everyone, meet Royan. Don't worry, he's more scared than you are."

He heard yelp of fear and saw a child yank away from his mother's grasp and jogged up to him. He reached up with his short arms and said, "'ragon!"

Royan hesitantly lowerd his head and let the child pet him.

"Jack, get back here right now!" his mother called to him.

Jack started poking around in his mouth and nostrils. Royan chuckled knowing that Jack was comfortable around him.

A few more older kids walked up and started to gently pet him on his neck. Some soldiers eventually gathered the crates from the cart and set them by them wall. His anxiety melted away as more and more people gathered the courage to walk closer to him. Curious murmurs sprang amongst the kids.

"He's pretty!"

"Look at the size of his wings!"

"Does he breathe fire?"

"Why is his tail bruised?"

"I wonder if he can understand us?"

"I can understand you", Royan said, "Why wouldn't I?"

Surprised gasps sounded through the group.

"So cool!"

"How fast can you fly?"

"How hot is your fire?"

A strong, tall woman started pushing her way through the crowd and forced them to step back. She pointed a spear at him and he jumped back.

"Let's get one thing straight, dragon", she said fiercely, "we will tolerate you because we trust Gaberiel, but I don't trust you. Understood?"

"He's fine!" Kita jumped in, "I trust him with my life! I raised him!"

"Doesn't mean he isn't planning to eat you", she said.

"Eat?" Royan said surprised, "I wouldn't 'eat' anyone! Why would I do that?

"You're a dragon! It's what you do!"

"Definitely NOT me", he said. He knew this would happen. He should've expected it.

"General", Gabe said, "I assure you that Royan is as gentle as Epona and even more caring and loyal. And since he's here, maybe he would help defend the village from other dragons. If he's willing too."

"Yeah", he said, "I'll do it. I promise I won't be any trouble. I'll help with anything you need me to."

"Fine", the general said, "but I'm watching you." And with that she walked off.

The kids gathered around him again and started grabbing his talons and inspecting him closely as if he were a foreign object.

One shy girl walked to him quietly and lifted a wood carving of a dragon.

Some people may be sceptical about him, but at least some weren't afraid. He thought that everything would be fine and he would stay a while.