Hey guys!

I'm am so sorry for the long wait! I've just been extremely busy (and lazy). Please forgive me! I'll try to make this chapter extra good. Thanks for taking the time to read this story. I hope you enjoy. Have an awesome day! :)


Quick footsteps pounded against the ground as the surrounding branches shook their autumn leaves. Lucy winced each time her pasty skin brushed passed the jagged bark of trees as they towered tauntingly over the trio like a permanent nightmare. The trees seemed to be laughing at their dismay. Their leaves would slash the trio's faces as they zoomed past.

A hidden root beneath the wet dirt managed to catch Lucy's aching foot, successfully tripping her over. Something sharp and round dug into her leg, causing the blonde to gasp with shock. Natsu rushed back to her side, lifting her up with his muscular arms. The trio continued on. Happy looked back every once and a while to make sure that his friends were still behind him.

"Natsu, we've run far enough! Let's stop." Lucy clenched her eyes and excruciatingly bit her lip attempting to focus her pain on something other than her swollen knee. A red gooey substance was raining out of the deep wound.

"Aye!" Happy agreed almost pleadingly.

Natsu sighed heavily, calming his racing heart. "Alright, my Mum probably went back to the city anyway." He gently laid Lucy on the ground before sloppily collapsing, spreading his arms and legs. The tension and aching feeling from his muscles was eased greatly.

Lucy held onto her throbbing knee tightly as the chilly breeze blew her already chaotic hair in all different directions. The strands occasionally whipped her grimy face. Lucy chewed the inside of her mouth until she was sure she wouldn't scream. "Natsu, my leg hurts."

"I don't know what to do, I'm sorry. Sorry for dragging you along with me too." Natsu ducked his head in shame, balling his fists until they turned white. Happy landed lightly between the two, hoping to lighten up the melancholy mood. "Natsu, don't be ashamed, your Mum's just a big meany. I'll scour the area and see if I can find anyone that can help with Lucy's wound."

"Thanks Happy." Natsu sighed depressingly.

"Be careful..." Lucy warned. Happy smirked slyly, finding the perfect opportunity to make a joke.

"You care! I'm so happy that I could die!" He exclaimed flying around in loops.

"Well, you'll still have 8 more lives."

"That's so mean Lucy! Now I think I'm gonna die from depression!" The blue cat abruptly stopped his rollercoaster ride.

"I'm gonna die if you don't find anyone that can help me! Now go!"

"Fine..." Happy pouted and flew away. As he flew into the distance the quietness engulfed the area, and the awkwardness prevailed. Neither Natsu nor Lucy knew what to say.

Natsu coughed, disturbing the uncomfortable silence."So, how's your knee?" He asked, peering at the blonde's wound. Lucy shifted slightly to get comfortable, only to feel a painful sensation jolt across her knee. Natsu scrunched up his face in concern as he watched Lucy cling onto her knee. Lucy rolled around in circles, grinding her teeth together.

"It's been better..." The blonde groaned.

"Happy will find someone, you can trust him. Here, let me have a look." Natsu crawled carefully over to his hurt companion not wanting to accidentally slip and touch the wound. Once he reached his target, he removed Lucy's blood covered hands.

After staring intently at the waterfall of blood gushing out of the wound for a what seemed like an eternity, Natsu finally reached out and touched the source of the blood only to earn a loud hiss from Lucy. "Natsu! That hurts!" Hearing this, he immediately withdrew his hand. "Sorry!"

Lucy took several deep breaths as the immense pain subsided slightly. "It's okay, let's just wait for Happy." She shut her eyes and continued breathing through her mouth and nose. She rose her hand up and wiped dirt from the corner of her nose with the back of her hand where dried blood was present. Natsu reluctantly agreed before placing himself beside Lucy. "Hopefully he comes back soon." A silence took over and Natsu peeped at Lucy through the corner of his eye every once and a while to see how she was doing. The pain that Lucy felt was decreasing by the second.

Time passed and the pair was getting restless, Happy was nowhere to be seen. Natsu spoke up, wanting to ease the awkwardness.

"Sorry again Lucy, for everything that's happened today." Natsu apologized once again.

"It's okay," Lucy reassured."I forgive you. Why are you so afraid of your Mum anyway?"

"She's the devil I tell ya! She bosses me around all the time! My Mum can do anything cause she has the money to. It's boring at home too and Mum won't let Happy live with us. That's why I live in that house in the forest."

"No offence, but your Mum is a little bit crazy."

"Yeah, I know. She acts like a five year old and will stop at nothing to get what she wants. Right now it's me settling down with a girl, but I want to have fun while I'm still young." The wind picked up, ruffling Natsu's pink hair which made him seem just a tad bit cute to Lucy.

"I agree with you." She smiled weakly.

"Thanks for listening to me Lu-" Natsu was interrupted by a frightened Happy flying into his arms. "What the, Happy? What took you so long?"

"Run! Something's coming!" Happy wailed, waving his arms frantically in the air.

"What's coming?" Lucy questioned, still clutching her knee. Deafening thumps hit the hard ground, making the trio jump in fright. The blonde could feel her heart rapidly beating in her chest as her eyes widened to the size of gulf balls.

"He's here!"

"What's here?" Natsu raised his voice so that his friends could hear him over the loud hammering of the ground.

A gigantic red-scaled creature suddenly appeared between the trees, its stomach was beige in colour. Many scars were present all over its body and numerous black spikes lined down its back to the tip of its tail. The horns on the side of its head were pointed, and were as sharp as a knife. Its teeth and the claws rooting out from its four legs were menacing. Lucy shivered in fear as its round eyes stared at the her and her friends.

"Who are you?" Natsu asked, Lucy was mentally congratulating him for his courage.

"My name is Igneel."


That's it for now. I'll try and update as soon as possible. Thanks for all the support guys!