Starcrossed 2: Lineage

Chapter 6: Welcome back.

Demona led, our lovely couple through a canyon. It led out to a valley that spread out for hundreds of miles, but was blanketed with a thick haze, which kept it hidden.

Dragonbane was a bit curious. "Demona, are you sure this is the place? It looks pretty abandoned."

She turned over in the air and faced the two. "Yep, this is home. Follow me." She then flipped back wards into a dive, straight into the mist.

Narissa watched. but became worried as the sound of her mother's flying vanished as she did. "Well...here goes nothing. "Dragonbane held on tight as she pulled a full nose dive. The two of them held their eyes closed as they passed through the moist air, but when they opened them on the other side, they were amazed by what they saw. It was a beautiful landscape. Miles of forest as green as spakling emerald. Rivers that flowed into a stunning lake that reflected the sun. All leading to a seirs of hills and cliffs which ended in a a solitary mountain, which stood watching over this paradise. However, the one thing that caught Narissa's attention, was the Nightfuries. Hundreds of them, hunting, exploring, just enjoying the day.

Narissa spotted her mother on a grassy ridge, waiting for them. Narissa pulled in for a landing and Dragonbane dismounted. They stood By Demona as she marveled at her home. "Isn't it just beautiful."

Dragonbane smiled. "You've got that right. It's a little brighter than I expected, but I don't think I've seen anything like it."

Narissa was entranced by the beauty of it. This was her homeland. "I had completely forgotten. After twenty long years, I'm finally home."

Our hero was quick to correct his beloved. "Home-land, we're at your home-land. Home is back in that snug little cave of ours."

She gave him a bit of a look. "I know that. Yeesh, I was just having a moment."

He faked an apologetic tone. "Awww, sweety, did I just take your moment." He did a little wave of his hand in the air, then brought it round and tapped her on the nose. "Moment returned."

Narissa couldn't help but giggle. "Oh, curse you for being so darn loveable."

Dragonbane took a step back, did a little spin and stopped facing the edge of the cliff. "Well, that's just the joy of being me. And you know what, I'm starting to think that this is a good idea. We say hello, you get caught up with what goes on, then we take off back into our lives, refreshed and ready to face the future. What could possibly go.."

He was interuppted when Something big fast and black as night slid down the hill behind him and launched him over the cliff side. It all happened so fast Narissa and Demona didn't no what to make of it. All they could think is that they had to make sure Dragonbane was okay.

Dragonbane was now speeding down the cliff side back to back with a nightfury. It was going backwards at top speed and our hero did a little flip so he was now on top of the dragons chest looking it in the eyes. It saw him and gave a little smile."Hi." Came a perky and feminine voice.

Our hero was still recovering from the shock of the fall. "Uh...hi. Mind telling me what's going on."

She was happy to answer. 'Well, I heard about this wild idea that you humans came up with called free-running, just making a mad dash using the environment around you as a coarse, and I got to thinking, I could turn that into something for dragons."

Dragonbane nodded. "And that's why we're going at a negative forty degree angle off a cliff at about a hundred and two miles per hour?"

The nightfury gave him this cute little look and replied. "Yep."

Dragonbane seemed to be a bit concerned. "And you don't think this is dangerous?"

A small, but audible voice answered him from behind. "That's what I told her."

Dragonbane looked back to see a young Nightfury clinging to the tail of the free-flying female. Dragonbane was still trying to figure out what was going on. "Who are you."

The young dragon answered in a shaky voice. "I'm very frightened."

Our hero just had to strike a clever comment. "And I'm highly confused. Pleased to meet you."

The female tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention. "That's my son. Don't let him rattle your cage, he's just being a nervous-nelly like his uncle."

Dragonbane actualy had a clever response. "Well, in all fairness..." He was cut off when he caught sight of what was aproaching. "Ground! Coming in fast!"

The female saw this and made a slight adjustment to her wings position. They jerked up at the last minuet and were not in a high speed glide across a field, just far enouh above the ground that the grass tickled the dare-devil dragon's back.

She giggled. "Hehehehe! Isn't this great!"

Our hero was still trying to keep his wits about him. Normally he wouldn't panic, but he wasn't wearing his armor at the moment, so if he fell off here...well let's just say the story would be very short. However, Dragonbane kept his wits about him. "Sure it's great if your in to the whole high speed death thing." He saw a large rock ahead and was quick to steer his unwanted ride out of harms way. "Are you even trying to watch out?"

The female was oblivious. "Woohoo! Now it's a team effort. Raren sweety, come up here with mommy and see this view, it's incredible."

The young Nightfury wasn't about to move an inch from what little security he had from his mother's tail. "I'm perfectly fine back here thank you very much." He really didn't have a choice, because with a snap of her tail, she tossed him up toward her shoulders, but his shock from the launch and the situation made him a bit slow to latch on. Lucky for him, Dragonbane was there to catch him just as the laws of physics were about to throw him to his doom. When our hero had a firm grip of Raren's leg, the young fury looked over and said. "Thank you."

Dragonbane nodded. "No problem."

The two looked ahead to see that they were about to hit a large grouping of rocks. Dragonbane started. "Oh..." Then Raren. "...dear..." Finally both."...gods."

The sound of the crash was so epic that the whole valley heard it. From the point of impact with the rocks, to the trails it carved in the grass, right into a shrub and a thin tree, where a pile of debree rested on the trio. A crowd gathered, Narissa and Demona included. First to rise out of the rubble with a dizzy stance was the adventurous female, then Dragonbane with the terrified young one clinging to him out of pure shock.

The female shook her head, then brushed the dust off her, then checked to see if anything was broken. Seeing no injury, she smiled, looked up the path she had made during her trip, coiled her tail around the boys and said with excitement. "Let's do that again!"

Dragonbane and Raren both went wide-eyed, then our hero broke free of the hold as they both shouted, "No!" They bolted away from ground zero and Dragonbane zipped to the worried Narissa. Raren however ran to intercept a fury that was joing the scene.

The little one cried as he reached his target. "Uncle Nathan! I was so scared!"

The male fury bent down and comforted the child. "It's okay Raren, it's over now. I'm so glad you're okay. When I heard the crash I was worried sick." He glared at the female, who was now looking pretty sorry at this point. "Mira, this was the most irresponsible thing you've ever done!"

She tried to explain. "Awwww, come on bro. I was only trying to have a little fun with him. I didn't think that..."

Nathan was starting to raise his voice. "That's just it! You didn't think! You hardly ever think in these situations. Thor almighty...It's bad enough that you put yourself in danger now you drag poor Raren into this!"

Mira was now a little frightened, she hardly ever saw her brother's temper, but when it flared...it flared. Our hero decided to try and calm things down. He stood before Nathan and spoke. "Take it easy! She didn't know they she was gonna crash, it just happened. Besides, She's his mother, I'm sure she would never have brought him if she thought he was in any danger.

While Mira was touched by the defense, Nathan was a little shocked. "A...a human? Here?"

Dragonbane nodded. "Yeah. Now are you gonna calm down? The kids safe, your sister's safe. Let's just bring down the tension and ease out."

Nathan diddn't know how to react to the fact that he was getting advice from a human, but he had to agree. He walked up to Mira and gave her a caring nuzzle. "I'm just glad you're okay."

It was a tender sight and all were glad it turned out okay. Narissa stepped up and gave her man a little sugar."That was awfuly nice of you."

Our hero was proud. "I figured I'd try the whole non-violent thing you told me about. It works wonders."

Shegave him a tender nuzzle. The two were then shocked when a cold silence fell over the crowd. They first thought it was because someone saw their display of affection, but then caught sight of the source of their dread. A nightfury, accompanied by two others. The two that flew at either side of the center one were mirror images of eachother. Each had a fantastic tatto design, the one on the left had it on his left side and the one to the right had it on his right.

When the group landed, the center one came into perfect view. He was an older male, a few years ahead of Demona. He had this air about him that seemed chilled, yet dignified. He had a scar on one of his eyes, but the one that was un-injured caught Dragonbane and Narissa's attention. It was sky blue, just like Narissa's eyes. He spoke to the crowd. "What goes on here? I was in the middle of adressing the gathering patrolls, when an obscene crash disrupted my meeting."

Mira stepped forward sheepishly. "It was me, Grand Duke Marik. I'm so sorry, it won't happen again."

He kept his stern voice in use. "See that it doesn't. Your little escapades are one thing, but crashing? I expect better from my daughter."

Dragonbane and Narissa were stunned by that last part. Our hero let his voice slip. "Daughter?"

Marik heard this and turned his gaze sharply to Dragonbane. ""Why is there a human in our valley?" He growled.

Demona approached. "I brought him here."

The grand duke was shocked by his mate's confession. "Demona, you'd better have a good reason for..." He stopped, for he finally caught sight of Narissa. "Is that...No, no it can't be."

Demona moved close to Narissa, nuzzled her and answered him. "It is, Marik. Our daughter has come home."

There was of coarse the series of gasps and shocked faces when the reveal was made. Then all eyes were on our lovely leading lady. Narissa gave a shy smile. "Hi."

Marik went a bit pale. His thoughts began to spin about. The child he tried to kill, then left alone to fend for herself, had made her way back home. He had to act fast. "Well...This...is wonderful. The gods must be smiling upon us. My people! This my daughter, Narissa. After twenty long years, my first born has been returned to her home!"

The crowd cheered! Everyone rushed in to greet Narissa and her traveling companion. Dragonbane looked to his wife and she looked back. They both thought the same thing. "That guy puts on quite a show."