Love That is Hunted

Chapter Two

By KellyQ

Dragoon moved around trees the branches swayed behind him. Some of the animals moved out of his way, as his movements caused the whole area to shake. The blue dragon was trying to get away from the hunters. Turning swiftly, Dragoon was about to use his storm attack, when he felt something sharp driven into his chest.

Dragoon let out a painful roar, as his body was thrown back. He landed right into a river with a large splash. At that exact moment, his body shimmered, and changed into what looked like a twelve-year-old boy. He floated down the river, the arrow still stuck in his chest. Some of the birds hovered as the waves carried him downstream.

"Did you see that," Ian said excitedly. "We finally got the spirit of the forest!"

"Are you sure that's the right one," Tala asked. He shook his head. "You know that the spirit can change ..."

"Yes I know," Ian sighed in annoyance. "And I know it was the spirit."

"Well then. Let's go."

"This way. I saw it fall into the river."

Kai, Rei, Kenny, and Max came to the river. Kai didn't want to stop and rest, but Rei talked him into it. After standing for a few moments, Kai walked to the rim of the lake. He took his water carrier and started to refill it when he noticed something in the water.

Pulling his water pitcher out, he stared at what like blood that shimmered like glitter. His eyes followed it to a figure floating in the water. Kai took off running into the water. He could see that it was a boy about 12 years of age, midnight hair, and a chubby like face. He was wearing a white shirt, and light blue fluffy pants. Moving closer, Kai winced when he saw an arrow in the boy's chest.

"What do you see, Kai?" Max called out.

Rei tried to look over Kai's shoulder from shore in hopes of seeing what Kai was looking at. As he did, Rei's cat like eyes looked at the trail of glider. Rei bent down to lap up the glider with his finger, and ran it through his fingers.

"What is it?" Max asked, walking up see his friend's eyes cloud over.

Rei was about to say something, when movement in front of him caused him to look up to see Kai carrying the unconscious wounded boy out of the water. He laid him on the soft grass. Everyone gasped - not because of the arrow in the boys chest - the ground around the boy turned gray, and the grass started to blacken and wither.

"We have to get it out of him right away!" Kenny panicked.

As if on cue, Rei and Max held the unconscious boy down, as Kenny bent down to pull the arrow out. The boy did cry out in pain, but no sound came out of his throat. His painful expression caused Kai, and the others to wince as the wounded boy fell unconscious again. Kai walked to where the arrow had been thrown. He bent down and took the arrow. He look closely at it. It was not an ordinary arrow.

"Can I see that?" Kenny asked. He was now standing in front of Kai, trying to study the arrow too.

Saying nothing, the taller boy handed it over. The bushy redhead looked closely at it. Max got up and stepped up beside this old friend.

"What do you make of it, Kenny?"

"This arrow is loaded with poison: see," the boy said, pointing at the tip of the arrow. Red liquid was dripping from the end of it.

Kai's expression changed to pure hate and disgust. Yanking the poisoned arrow out of Kenny's hand, Kai rose is knee and slammed the weak point of arrow snapping it in two.

"Those fucken' bastards," Kai hissed. "They're just determined to make sure that I don't succeed in my mission just so that they can humiliate me in front of my grandfather - well I'm not going to let it happen!"

"What are you talking about?" Max asked in a serious tone.

"Ian and his gang of Demolition Boys ..."

"Are you sure that this is where he landed?" Tala asked with a sigh.

The Demolition boys were at the riverbank in hopes of having Dragoon down for the count.

"Yes. I'm sure." Ian said.

"He went that way!" Boris said, seeing a trail of what looked like glider.

"Good. Now let's get going before Kai knows what is really going on, and tries to stop us," Tala said taking off running along the riverbank.

To Be Continued ...