Thanks to those who reviewed. In response to Kates Master's questions:

- Yes, the older dragon is indeed Cousin Greggy, now…26 years old? 27? Something like that. But you haven't met the younger dragon. She'll serve her purpose soon, but I won't say anything now.

- Jake is still the American Dragon in New York and, as far as I'm concerned, has Rose with him…just because I love them together. Haley's off somewhere else doing her dragon thing.

One thing to understand, though, is that by this time, there is a second Huntsclan, but there are also many more American dragons around. Not the American Dragon, but several more American dragon students.

And LP? Thanks for the constructive criticism. It's much appreciated. I'll try to work on that, though I normally don't put as much effort as I should into these chapters. So far, I've just been sitting idly at my computer typing whatever comes to mind, then putting it up almost immediately…usually without editing. I'm depending on my natural inclination to write correctly to keep the spelling and grammar in check.

Chapter Five: Destiny

It didn't take much for me to come to accept the fact that the Huntsclan took the Betrayer from her parents. After all, Old or New, the whole idea of the Huntsclan was to destroy magical creatures. If the Betrayer's parents had not wanted to give her up, despite her having the Mark of the Huntsclan, I doubt any Huntsmaster would have trouble taking her.

No, what was more disturbing was that the Betrayer was so intent, so focused, on making that wish. I couldn't even begin to imagine what would have made her so determined to do something that would throw her whole life away in a heartbeat. And for the sake of the very same creatures she had spent her life trying to slay. It was all so illogical; even if the Huntsclan had taken her, did she really hate them enough to kill them all? My vision…it wasn't just a dream. I had just seen countless beings, ones that anytime before now I would have called comrades, murdered at the whim of one girl…and it just didn't make sense.

Would I have done the same as that girl…Rose? That was her name, I think. What would I have done if I had been in the same position? Would I have thrown my life away for the sake of others…for the sake of love? I don't know…somehow, I'm not sure I would have. It would just be too much…

The dream haunted me every day and every night, and especially when I faced those two dragons. Every time I looked one of the dragons in the eyes, I was brought back to that night, finding myself falling into the same motions and maneuvers that the Betrayer had made when she had been fighting.

A swipe of the Huntstaff, dodging of a tail swipe, a final uppercut kick, and…I had her. I knew it.

After months of hunting these two wretched creatures, things were finally falling into place. The others had the older dragon subdued, and there I was, about to fulfill my destiny. My dragon was weak; although she held her stance, I could tell she could give in at any moment. Keeping my staff trained on her, I reached behind myself for my chains. They were Huntsclan dragon-hunting standard chains, made of unicorn horn and lined with sphinx hair; there was no way she would escape them.

My muscles were tensed as I stared into the dragon's eyes, my own gaze gleaming with hatred and triumph. We circled, taking step after step, but never taking our eyes off of each other. I could feel the others watching me, waiting to see what I would do. And it felt good; I had power, strength…whatever doubts I had about the Huntsclan didn't matter now. I was ready, the moment was perfect, but still…I hesitated. And I don't know why.

The dragon seemed to sense this, and she crowed arrogantly, "What's the matter? You scared, Hunts?"

Something snapped inside of me then, and I lunged forward, lashing out with my staff, my face contorted in rage. My eyes gleamed maliciously as each swipe tore at the dragon's pelt. The dragon got weaker and weaker with each blow, until finally I was able to dodge enough of her attacks to get close enough to wrap the chains around her. Her arms were pinned to her side, and her muzzle was tied, and it didn't take long for the sphinx hair to take effect. She was weakening with every passing second. And finally, she fell. I held back for a moment, watching her continue to struggle. There was no use; she wasn't getting away this time.

"Don't fight it, dragon. This ends now," I said, beginning to bear down on her with the blade of my staff trained on her. "I'm going to slay you. It's my destiny."

"You really think so?" was my reply. From where she had fallen, the dragon was turned away from me, but she twisted her neck to stare me in the eyes. There was no fear in her green-eyed gaze, only a challenge. "Fine then. Accept your destiny."

Accept my destiny…I had heard that before. But where? And then I remembered…

It was back on my eleventh birthday. I was in my home, watching carefully as my mother applied the last details on a stunning chocolate cake – mine, I suppose. I shot a furtive glance at my mother before inching a finger towards the frosting, but she swatted my hand away with an amused look on her face. I looked hurt for a moment, but soon I was bubbling with quiet laughter. This was me as I should have been, but, as I knew all too well, it wouldn't last.

Suddenly there was a loud crash, and a dragon spiraled into the window, its wings bound by manacles of green energy. Three Huntsclan masters followed, climbing through the window after the dragon. I cried out as bits of glass and brick showered me and, although my eyes were closed then, I could feel my parents brush me to the side, shielding me from the fight that I could hear going on.

"You are kin of the American Dragon," a cold voice growled. I recognized it as the voice of the Huntsmaster, full of deep-minded hatred. "Tell us where he's been hiding, and we might spare your pitiful life."

There was no response; clearly, this dragon wasn't about to tell them anything, even though it probably knew very well that standing in the way of the Huntsmaster for anything was very near suicidal. I heard a shrill cry, and I knew that the Huntsmaster had probably struck the dragon with a near-fatal blow, only injuring it enough to make it talk. I wasn't surprised by it. It was common in the Huntsclan to use torture to extort information, but I knew all too well that the dragon would not be so lucky with the next strike. It would be meant to kill.

My parents cried out, and I opened my eyes to see them lunging indignantly at the Huntsmaster. My father grabbed his staff and tried to take it, but the other two masters had charged up their staffs and shot two short blasts at my parents; one hit my father squarely in the back, and I was too transfixed to see what had befallen my mother.

Tears of rage in my eyes, I ran forward and began to pummel the Huntsmaster with my fists as hard as I could, but he merely looked down at me in amusement, his eyes as stony-cold as ever. The other two masters made no move, obviously not seeing me as a threat. After a while, he grasped my left arm and twisted it, which made me cry out in pain. I expected him to throw me down then, but his gaze was focused on the back of my left hand, where my dragon birthmark ended.

"Let go," I said, trying to wrench my arm from his grasp, but he held it tightly and I couldn't break free.

"You…you have the mark of the Huntsclan," he said, and for the first time, I could see a flicker of uneasiness in his frosty stare, and maybe…just a hint of fear? I looked at him in confusion, and after a moment, he started to pull me towards the window. "Come. There is much for you to learn."

"No! Let me go!" In a jolt of fear, I twisted away from him and tried to run, but he placed a large hand on my shoulder and spun me around. With his firm grip digging into my shoulders, he leaned threateningly forward until his face was in inch from mine. I was by then paralyzed with fear, and the room began blacking out. Right before I blanked out, I could feel the warmth of his breath as he spoke.

"Accept your destiny…"

This all left me back to where I was, my feet half-dug in sand, and a dragon lying helplessly before me…except now, I knew what had brought me to this point. Dragons didn't kill my parents, the Huntsclan did. The Huntsmaster was not my savior, he was my kidnapper. None of it made sense, and my confusion only fed my anger until I felt ready to explode. I was seeing red, and I wasn't going to be satisfied until this day was over and I was free. I wasn't Kara then; I was Huntsgirl at her strongest, this dragon was my enemy, and everyone else could die for all I cared. Screw them all. The Huntsclan wanted me to accept my destiny? Fine. They would get what they wanted.

With my blood boiling and a look of pure hatred on my face, I raised my staff and brought it down, the blade piercing the dragon's heart with an ominous flash of green. I held the blade there, watching unmoved as the light died from the creature's eyes. I could hear cries of triumph from behind me, but I just didn't care anymore. Wrenching my staff from the dragon's hide, I stood there, shoulders hunched, until a hand on my shoulder startled me. I lashed out behind me with the blade of my staff, still tainted with the dragon's blood, and found myself with my auburn gaze trained on a fellow apprentice, a long gash across his arm where I had dealt him a blow. My eyes flashed fearfully, and I pushed past him, growling, "Leave me alone."

And that's how I wanted to be now. I didn't care that I had slain my first dragon, or that I had just found out the true fate of my parents. I just wanted to be alone, like I always was.