The fireplace crackled and chips of lumber fell onto the wooden floor. The waving flames lit up the dark space of a relatively small cabin, the warm colors shining off antique vases and old-time furniture. Tables and chairs were scattered everywhere, some pushed over, and a large bed was set at the end of the room, bedsheets matted and rumpled. The wind outside swam across the windows and tree branches clattered against them, but the loud creaks and screams covered it all.
Thrashing on the bed was a lean woman. Her wavy, black hair was unkempt, and her pale face was soddened with sweat. Tears trickled out of her ocean-blue eyes, and she gripped the blankets, nearly tearing them apart. She wept and whined and leaned onto a muscular man. He had a square jaw with a patched beard and mustache. His spiky hair was also disheveled, and he stared fearfully at his wife.
"Maya—Maya, it's okay," he whispered frantically. "Just breathe, dear—"
"I CAN'T, RAY!" she shrieked. "The pain… the pain…"
She groaned in agony. Her husband rubbed wide circles on her back to soothe her, but it wasn't doing much good. She jerked and spasmed, screaming at the top of her lungs. He held her tightly and placed soft kisses on her temple, but she faltered onto the bed again. Her blue nightgown stuck to her skin, and Ray realized that the hot atmosphere was not helping her at all.
"Maya, honey, I'll be back," he said over her painful moans. "I'll come back with fresh water, dear. Just hang on, please."
Quickly kissing her gently one more time, he rushed out the door, into the even darker clearing. He squinted through the dark, shielding the strong gusts of wind with his arms. Ray struggled to find his well through the night, and he occasionally tripped over jutting stones. He snarled, enraged and terrified. His chest thrummed uncomfortably, but then he heard a familiar growl behind him.
He whipped around to see his Fire Dragon, Flame. She was his winged companion ever since he could remember. Normally, people would be horrified and wreak havoc at the mere sight of one of those fantastical beasts, but the town where Ray lived had learned to adapt living with them. They settled in a world of superstition and fantasy, which both amazed and scared him.
Each generation had their own set of dragons to care for, past guardians laying eggs for the next young trainers to befriend. They would then fly off and create portals to pass through. Ray slightly grinned at Flame, but his heart tore apart. Tonight was when she would lay her batch of eggs, then she would be off. Where she would go, he knew not, for no one had successfully been able to enter the vortex, no matter how hard they tried.
Flame dragged herself over to him and gently nestled his face. He quickly wrapped his arms around her for a warm embrace, but Maya's screaming snapped him into reality. Flame noticed as well and pulled her head up.
"The well… I need to find the well!" Ray said hurriedly. His dragon brought her tail forward and used the flaming end to light up the area. He sighed with relief.
"Thank you, Flame," he said softly. She purred in response, then hobbled to the side of the house. Ray noticed the huge bulge in her belly, and he knew she would be due soon, as would his wife.
He ran to the stone well and yanked the rope, pulling up a bucket of fresh, cold water. He was about to head back, until he heard soft cries from behind it. There, he found his three-year-old son, Kai. He heavily resembled his father, familiar spiked brown hair, amber eyes, and smooth tanned skin. He wore a red nightgown, but the sleeves were stained with tears and snot. Ray placed the basin down and crouched next to him.
"Son, what are you doing out here?" he asked, surprising him.
Kai could barely speak through his sobs and sniffles. "M-mom… sh-she's screaming!" he whimpered frightfully. Ray sighed and hugged him tightly.
"It's a little hard to explain," he started, "but we do know that you'll have a little surprise at the end." Kai stared.
"A… surprise?" he asked, sounding skeptical. He flinched when he heard his mother shout from inside the house again. Flame growled deep in her throat, her bright yellow eyes flashing dangerously.
"Kai, come help me bring the water to your mother," he urged. "She'll want to see you right now. It will help her calm down."
Reluctantly, but not uttering another word, Kai followed his father into their small abode. Maya panted from the effort of her delivery. She could not do it alone, but she could feel her child, ready to enter the real world by the end of the night. The door swung open, and she saw Ray and Kai walk towards her, Flame peeking her head through the frame.
Despite the anguish, she couldn't suppress a small smile forming on her lips. Kai crept towards her, and she pressed her palm against his face.
"Kai," she whispered, looking at her son admiringly. She let out a quiet laugh. "I'm sorry for scaring you tonight."
"It's okay, Mommy," he mumbled. "Me and Dad have water for you."
They dunked a cloth in the water and gently pressed it on her forehead. She gasped at the cool sensation, and it helped her calm down for a little while. Ray rubbed her temples while Kai held on to her limp hand. Flame reared back and crawled behind the house, often licking her belly to smooth it out and encourage the eggs to come out. She furled her great, fiery wings and waited patiently, occasionally letting out soft whimpers.
After a few minutes, Maya suddenly sat up and breathed in sharply, scaring the life out of Ray. He jumped to her side and held her in place. Maya's eyes widened like never before, and a piercing cry escaped her mouth.
"Ray, RAY!" she warned, squeezing his hands uncomfortably. "She's coming!"
Surely enough, the sheets were wet. Spears of terror plagued his body, but in that precise moment he shoved all of his swirling thoughts aside and ordered Kai to leave.
"Kai, get out! Stay with Flame!" he said sternly. Kai didn't budge. He couldn't. Ray clenched his teeth. "NOW!" he bellowed, a wave of fire flaring within his eyes.
The note of authority in his voice was enough to suddenly send Kai sprinting out the door. Flame arched her neck and pulled him by his shirt collar. She pressed him against her and they both waited. Kai curled into a ball, his eyes stinging from another round of tears. Flame remained silent, letting tears fall and hearing shrieks echo into the night…
. . .
"Kai? Son?"
The twittering birds and rustling leaves urged him to slowly open his eyes. Faint sunlight seeped through his red eyelids, allowing a shimmering ray of gold wash over himself. The grass tickled his hands, and he pushed himself up and glanced around, blinking his eyes into focus. The morning light dipped into the meadow and copse of lush trees and brushes, fresh leaves of green, gold, and auburn bringing out its outermost beauty. The vast, blue sky stretched beyond the horizon, hints of soft white clouds floating by. The clearing was magnificent sight to his eyes, and he felt like he was the protagonist in a well-painted landscape.
Mind whirling into reality, he realized that Flame was nowhere to be found, but he saw his father. He was glad to see him, but then he caught sight of a small bundle in his arms, draped in crimson blankets. He stood up and bounded over to them, curiously peeking at the squirming thing.
"Dad?" he asked warily. Ray chuckled softly. He bent down next to him.
"Kai, meet your new surprise," he said with a smile. "Your baby sister."
The soldier's son could barely contain a squeal of delight. Ray carefully turned her over so he could see her face. He stared at her, looking proud, overjoyed, nervous, and astonished all at once. Her face was round and soft, eyes shut tight. A small strand of black hair curled in front of her eyes, and she cooed, feeling Kai's presence.
"Would you like to come inside?" Ray asked him. Kai nodded, but fear tugged at his gut. Was his mother alright? She screamed too much the previous night. Would she even wake up? Was she ever going to heal?
They opened the door and saw her laying on the bed, still sweating and panting, but her eyes, without a doubt, held the look of the happiest person in the world. She smiled widely at Ray, who returned the look. Kai ran over to her and embraced her tightly.
"You're okay, Mommy!" he said joyfully. She laughed.
"Of course I am, sweetie!" she assured him. "You have a little sister now! You're going to be a great big brother to her, I know it!"
Kai's eyes twinkled. "Yeah! I'll protect her with my life!" he declared, and Ray whistled at his determination. He ruffled his hair.
"That's my little soldier!" he complimented. He handed Maya their daughter, and Kai asked, "What are we gonna name her?"
It took a few moments before Maya answered, "I think we should name her Nya. I have a good feeling she will grow up with a strong purpose, just like her brother."
"Yeah!" Kai agreed. "My purpose is being a soldier like Dad! Nya can join us when she's older!"
"Kai, you still have many years ahead of you, dear!" Maya said.
"Well… I'll train really hard!" he told her defiantly. "I'll be the best soldier ever!"
"Even better than your papa?" Ray joked, but Kai nodded shamelessly. His father pretended to look affronted.
"You see that, Ray?" Maya said amusingly. Suddenly, Nya began to cry from all the noise. Ray instantly grew quiet and hushed for her to go to sleep. Maya tried shifting her arms to adjust her position, but she winced in pain. Her husband quickly walked over knelt down and caressed their daughter, and Maya gently swayed her to and fro, clasping her comfortingly.
"Why don't we go outside, Kai? I'll need your help with a few things," Ray asked in a hushed voice. Kai nodded and rushed out the door, his father following behind. He shut the door and breathed in the refreshing scent of spring. Kai ran around and enjoyed the warmth of the sunlight on his face, yelling out with joy.
"C'mon, Dad!" he called. "Where did Flame go? She's usually so happy to be with us!"
"Well, let's just say that she may have become a mother," Ray replied. Kai stopped in his tracks and nearly fell over.
"She WHAT?!" he practically screamed. His father caught up with him and wrestled him to the ground, eventually picking him up and placing him on his shoulders after a lot of hysterical laughter. "I wanna see, I wanna see, I WANNA SEE!" he said excitedly.
"We've got to give her a lot of time, Kai, you must remember that," his father said. "She'll have a huge responsibility with her dragonet." Kai pouted.
"But I wanna see Flame and her baby dragon," he whined. Ray chuckled at him. He also wanted to see them, but he knew better than to go near a mother and her first litter. He learned that from his father, who had been more authoritative to his own Fire Dragon at the time. Let's just say that there were a lot of burns and singes. He also wanted to teach Kai to be patient. He knew that he would be the next trainer to befriend Flame's dragonet, but he would have to wait a few days until they would actually meet. Still, the thought excited him. He remembered the day when he first met Flame. He couldn't sit still for weeks.
"Fiiiine," Kai said, leaning over his head.
"Wanna help me do some chores?" he asked his son. "We're going to have to change the wet cloth and bring food for your mother now that she's unable to get out of bed for a few days."
"Yes!" he piped. "Anything to help Mom and Nya!"
. . .
Several weeks had passed since Nya had arrived in their world. She was already very healthy and lively, throwing around food and letting out delighted squeals. It was a little difficult to keep track of everything with her behavior in the mix, but Kai loved her with all his heart. He often occupied her by playing while Ray spent a lot of his time caring for Maya. She barely left the house, but she sometimes paced around the front yard. Now, however, she would try to go on a longer walk and reach the edge of the forest.
"Good luck walking to the forest!" Kai encouraged happily, holding a giggling Nya in him arms.
"Thanks, son," Ray said with a warm smile. He rubbed Maya's shoulders. "Ready to go, honey?"
"Yes, dear," she breathed. Kai walked alongside her outdoors. The day was nice and sunny, but the beginnings of grey clouds appeared over the horizon. He briefly caught the scent of rain, but he brushed it off. His parents would be back before the storm hit!
"I'll be here with Nya!" he said, and Maya gave him a proud look.
"You're doing an amazing job, my sweet Phoenix," she complimented, calling him by his desired nickname. "Nya is very lucky to have you as a big brother."
Kai tried to hide his reddening face, but he could not help smiling broadly. "Thanks, Mommy! Now go walk! You need it!"
"Alright, we're going, we're going!" Ray said, and the married couple headed off across the meadow, taking time to enjoy the relaxing walk. Eventually becoming two dots in the distance, Kai placed Nya down and sat with her.
"So! What are we thinking, little sis? Wanna play?" he asked excitedly, and Nya clapped her hands playfully. Kai brought his fingers near hers, and she grabbed them and waved them around while giggling. He laughed with her, and they shared a delightful moment together, with a little bit of tickling involved.
When they finally calmed down, he picked her up and put her on his lap. He swayed gently, and Nya gradually dozed off.
It felt as though around ten minutes had passed, and his parents weren't back from their walk. It would usually take around five to ten minutes until they would return, so maybe Kai just wasn't used to it. Still, it kind of bothered him.
Suddenly, he heard soft chirping noises coming from the back of the house. Kai flinched and swerved around, accidentally waking Nya up. She began to wail, but he tried soothing her cries.
"No, no, Nya! Shh, it's okay! No need to cry! Oh, no…"
The chirping noises scared him, and Nya's blubbing wasn't helping matters. However, he took a deep breath, trying to act like a brave brother and venture into the open. He gently set Nya on the bed, then crept outside.
The chirps kept going, and they were growing louder, too. Kai saw something move beneath the bush and froze. It rustled and twigs crunched beneath whatever was walking on it. Behind the noises, however, he thought he heard growling.
"Wait… is that—"
A small red and gold creature leaped out of the bushes and pounced on him. Its talons clutched onto his shoulders and torso, and a wet tongue licked his whole face. He struggled to push it off, then he saw glowing yellow irises staring down at him.
A heavy weight was lifted from his chest, and he finally noticed a huge crimson dragon pick up a smaller version of itself.
"FLAME!" Kai yelled gleefully. He pushed himself to his feet and tried to tackle his father's dragon into a hug. "You're back!" She curled her neck around him, rumbling deep in her throat. Kai gasped.
"And… this is your baby!" he said, completely astonished and breathless. Flame's dragonet jumped around excitedly, ready to wrestle him to the ground again. It opened its wings, which were almost Kai's body length. It shared the same patterns as its mother, golden linings trailing down its spiked head, a deep red underbelly, and appendages with four yellow digits in its wings. The end of its tail lit on fire, but it was still very small compared to hers. And Kai loved it.
"You look so cool!" he squealed, unable to contain his ecstasy. Flame trilled proudly, keeping a trained eye on her child. She lowered her snout and pushed it forward, permitting them to play with one another. And so, they did.
About thirty minutes had gone by and Kai was sitting with Nya on his lap. She had cried when she saw Flame and her dragonet, but she quickly learned that they were no harm when Flame gently licked her face. She was sleeping soundly, and the baby dragon watched her closely, staying just as silent.
Kai started to really wonder where his parents were by now. It was really starting to scare him. He got up and brought Nya inside their house, then he made his way over to Flame.
"Mom and Dad are still out there," he said sadly. "I wonder where they are?"
There was a sudden chorus of howls ringing in the air, and they were coming from the forest. Kai whipped his head around. Flame's ears twitched, and maw drew back in a snarl. His stomach felt like it dropped from the sky.
"Mommy!" he cried, terror seizing his mind. "Dad!"
Without warning, Flame snarled at her dragonet and ordered it to stay, and she ducked her head under Kai's legs, securing him before sprinting off in that direction. Her claws ripped the ground and she opened her wings, pushing off the moor to fly as quickly as she could. Kai gripped her shoulder blades and pressed his body on her back, shutting his eyes as his hair whipped his face.
Flame landed at the edge of the forest and let out an earsplitting roar. Kai found his parents trying to fend off what looked like a pile of matted grey fur. He took a closer look, then he noticed that it wasn't just fur… they were wolves.
The pack barked and snarled at Flame, swiping their claws and biting at her. She reared back and pounded her talons into the ground, causing several wolves to whimper in fright.
"KAI!" Ray yelled. "Flame, get out of here!"
Maya whipped around and stared, purely mortified at the sight of her son here. The wolves snapped at her with their incredibly sharp teeth, but Ray pulled a dagger he had forged and pointed it at them.
"Dad! Mom, wait, I'm coming!" Kai cried. Flame moved around too much in spite of her anger. He lost his grip and hit the ground hard. He spat out a handful of dust and rubbed the dirt off his face. Without giving it much thought, however, he sprinted toward the nearest wolf he could find and roughly pulled its tail.
"Leave my parents alone!" he shouted.
The wolf snarled and lashed at him, sending a swipe at his face. Its claws grazed his right eye, and Kai fell back with a scream, searing hot pain slicing open and blood gushing out.
He heard a loud yelp and something heavy land on the ground near him. He peeked through his good eye and saw his father pin the wolf down, spotting the familiar enraged look from before. It shook violently and whined in anguish when he stabbed it in the shoulder with his dagger.
Maya cried out, and they all turned to see the wolves surrounding her. One of them had her fastened to the ground, and they scratched her stomach, ripping the delicate fabric to reveal long, red claw marks.
"HRAGH!" Ray roared. "MAYA!"
A wave of terror resided in Kai, but he couldn't find the strength to push himself up. He could only stare and imagine the aftermath of this crazy fight. And it was enough to nearly scare him to death. He watched his father fight ferociously and shove the wolves away. The odds did not look good. It was a full pack against a man who had to defend his wounded wife.
But there was Flame. She whipped her flaming tail and slashed her talons. The wolves whined and backed away when they nearly got bitten by her gnashing teeth. She knocked a few back with her wings, but then it happened. They all heard it.
The howl.
Simultaneously, every wolf stopped pacing around. Their ears perked up, tails high in the air. Their eyes shone gold at the clear note ringing in the air. They ran back into the trees. Even Flame seemed distracted by the call.
Ray quickly lifted Kai and brought him to his mother. They stayed close together, peering into the dark fog. Looking past the arched trees, Ray saw a looming figure walk towards him, bright yellow eyes glowing like the rest of the wolf pack. It appeared to be carrying someone, as there was also a second pair staring right at him.
"In the name of the First Spinjitzu Master…" Ray muttered under his breath. His breathing hardened with every step the figure took. He eventually made out the details, but it didn't calm him any less.
A very tall and burly woman stood before him, silent as a mouse. Her face looked stoic, thick eyebrows creased. Her black hair was extremely long and tangled. It reached her feet, leaves and twigs caught in the messy strands. She wore several dark cloaks, each tied together with a golden crest. Her wrists were wrapped in rough leather material, and in her muscular arms was a little boy, around Kai's age.
He greatly resembled, who Ray took to be, his mother. His black hair was very shaggy and disheveled, peasant clothes wrinkled, and he had leather straps around his wrists and ankles, but instead his bright green eyes evidently revealed curiosity.
Realizing the situation they were in, Ray clenched his jaw.
"Stay back!" he warned. "Get away!"
The woman and her pack of wolves still approached them. He began to pant heavily, sweat dripping off his forehead. Flame wasn't in any mood to attack anymore. She merely sat there and watched.
"Flame," he called, but no response.
A hand lightly touched Ray's forehead, and he flinched. He tried backing away, but his arms and legs suddenly went limp.
"What the—? What are you doing to me?!" he demanded, but there was fear hidden behind his voice. "Stop this!"
Kai remained huddled within his father's arms. He felt blood oozing down his face, but he didn't dare utter a word, let alone a peep. Panic ebbed its way into his heart when he saw his father slowly falter on the ground, seemingly passed out cold, and his breath caught in his throat when the little boy looked at him.
The woman briefly looked at his wounded mother, then growled at the wolves behind her. At once, they gathered together and let out a long howl, the sound smooth and soft. The small boy stood with his mother and placed his hands on her gashes, joining the choir of howls. From their palms emitted a gentle glow, swirls of light tracing their fingers and onto Maya's stomach.
Kai watched with astonishment as her scratch marks disappeared. He expected her to wake up, but she still remained motionless. He had no clue what happened to his father or why Flame was acting weird, but he started to panic again when they brought their attention to him.
The boy padded over to him and used that same power of his. He gently touched his forehead, and waves of exhaustion suddenly traveled throughout Kai's body. His limbs went numb, and he couldn't react when he saw his mother lifted on the wolves' backs. They ran off with her, but he lay there, closing his eyes as his world receded into darkness.
