Okay, so before anything else, a quick note:
/ means a scene change.
/\/\/\/\/\ means a time change
Anyways, the next few chapters will be skipping good amounts of time as Natsu grows up, but I won't skip anything important. So as always, please review and thanks for reading!
Chapter 2: Igneel's Dilemma
Natsu spent his first day trying to walk.
Even with four legs to carry his weight, the little dragon did not have it easy. Since he technically wasn't supposed to hatch for another week, his musculature was underdeveloped. That meant that he was having more luck sliding on the floor than actually walking around.
It was comical to watch, at least.
Sunrose kept an eye on him the whole time with amusement, as Igneel had flown off early in the morning to go hunting. She would try to help Natsu keep his balance by allowing the hatchling to bite the tip of her tail, keeping him up just enough so he'd be able to stand on his own.
Twice he had to rest after nearly an hour of trying to find the strength in his legs. Sunrose hummed him to sleep and curled around the tiny dragon until he was ready to try again.
Eventually, Natsu snorted in frustration and whined unhappily, having given up on walking.
Sunrose brought her great head down and breathed warm air onto her son, "Little one, don't give up. The dragon who stops a hunt halfway is the dragon who starves to death. Follow through to the end, Natsu. You will find your strength."
While the hatchling was still too young to understand everything she was saying, he understood that she was scolding him. Reluctantly, he struggled to his feet once more, looking up at his mother for some sort of approval.
At Sunrose's gentle smile and nod, Natsu attempted to walk around again, grabbing onto her tail for support. She urged him on, giving helpful bits of information at frequent intervals.
"That's it, Natsu. Use your tail to balance- no, don't drag it."
"Little one, you're not a frog. Two feet at a time, not all four."
"Natsu, whatever are you trying to do? Dogs chase their tails, not dragons."
While Sunrose attempted to correct him, she sensed that Natsu, still blissfully unaware of the meaning of her words, rather enjoyed seeing her miffed about his antics. When she tilted her head at him, he mirrored her, staring up with an innocent look.
He was most definitely enjoying this.
Her tail tip twitched, "You're playing me, aren't you?"
Natsu happily proceeded to chew on her tail.
"You cheeky little drake!" she laughed.
Perhaps Igneel was right about us being lucky with only one hatchling. Sunrose thought. Natsu alone is going to be a handful at this rate. I shudder to imagine what we'd have to go through with two or even just one more little dragon.
/\/\/\/\/\
It took hours longer, but eventually, Natsu found his balance. Even underdeveloped, he pulled it off, much to Sunrose's joy. And in fact, just minutes before Igneel returned with a deer in his claws.
While he was rather impressed that Natsu had already learned how to walk on his own, now came another important lesson. Igneel dropped the deer in the center of the cave and tried to gauge Natsu's reaction to it.
The little dragon sniffed the dead creature, trying to figure out what it was, but upon getting deer hair in his nose, he recoiled and decided he did not like the unmoving pile of fur. Instead, he looked up at Igneel and Sunrose with that expectant look. He wanted fire, not this furry thing that made his nose itch.
Igneel sighed, "Natsu, you have to eat. Fire can keep you going, but it won't do anything for your health. You must get some real food in your belly for once."
Natsu, having not been given some tasty fire yet, was not impressed. He made a small growling noise and slapped his tail on the ground.
Sunrose hummed with laughter, "I think you need to show him a little more."
"Oh, very well." Igneel grunted, then leaned down so he was right over the deer.
Natsu watched curiously as Igneel took a deep breath, then spat a fireball onto the deer. The little dragon leaped back and lost his balance, making him hit the ground with a surprised squeak. He quickly got back to his feet, sniffing himself to make sure everything was in place, then stared at the deer.
Or what was left of it. The fur had been totally burned off, and the skin cooked well-done.
Natsu looked from the charred deer to his father uncertainly.
Igneel leaned down and muttered, "Watch, Natsu. Bite it like this." He sank his huge fangs into the back leg of the deer, then pulled back, effectively severing the limb from the animal. Igneel crunched it twice, then swallowed.
Now Natsu was more interested.
Actually, that might have been an understatement. Now that he realized it was food, the little dragon pounced on the deer and sank his teeth into it voraciously, tearing a chunk off and gulping it down in a flash.
Sunrose put a stop to that very quickly, "Don't do that, you'll choke yourself!"
Luckily, he hadn't choked on the first piece and seemed to understand, for Natsu started eating the deer slower, and chewed the meat before swallowing.
Relaxed now that her son was no longer doing something hazardous to his health, Sunrose waited until Natsu was finished and glanced at Igneel, "Did you eat earlier?"
"Just a little." Igneel admitted, "But I'll catch one or two more tomorrow. You can have that."
Sunrose took the remaining half of the deer in her jaws and literally downed the meal in one go. She sighed with satisfaction, "Oh, that was good…"
"You've spent too much time in here, my dear." Igneel rumbled, "Maybe you should hunt tomorrow. I can watch Natsu."
She seemed reluctant to leave her son, even with his own father, but Sunrose's wings ached to fly. It had been nearly two months since she'd flown, for she had spent every hour in the cave beside Natsu's egg. That was something most females did, if not all, but it could stress them when the time came to fly again. Her muscles had shrunk from disuse, so it would take a while to get back in shape.
Sunrose was strong, though. She'd be soaring again in a matter of days.
"Hm, I suppose I will." she decided.
"Good." Igneel rumbled.
Natsu looked up at them without a clue in the world and squawked.
His parents looked down at him with disbelief.
He was hungry again.
/\/\/\/\/\
Sunrose didn't actually go hunting until Natsu was a week old. She'd tell herself and Igneel that she was going to fly out in the morning, but Sunrose was reluctant to leave her son. Her deep affection and instinct to guard him made it tough for her to just fly off and let Natsu stay behind with his father.
But finally, Igneel managed to convince her to go hunting. That said, Sunrose paused before she flew out of the cave.
"Remember to watch where he is." she told Igneel, "He's quick. He'll get under your feet before you know it."
"I know, my dear." he replied.
"He usually gets hungry around midday. Give him fire, but not too much, or he won't eat later."
"I know, my dear."
"Oh, and don't let him stalk the bats in the back of the cave. They're probably diseased."
"I know, my dear."
"What else…Oh yes, make sure that you play with him for an hour or two. If you don't, he won't be tired later and we'll never get any sleep."
"I know, my dear."
In fact, Igneel was already plenty aware of Natsu's usual daily routine. Igneel was his father, after all. But he let Sunrose advise him simply because he knew better.
No matter how you cut it, mother is always right.
Sunrose finally ran out of things to keep Igneel on his toes and lowered her head to look at Natsu for a moment, who was staring at her curiously. She licked the top of his head and murmured, "I'm going out for a while, little one. Don't worry, I'll be home as soon as I can."
Natsu stared at her while his tail tip twitched. He was starting to understand things his parents said now and then, but from what he knew, this was usually only something Igneel said.
When Sunrose turned away, walked out of the cave, and flew off, Natsu scurried after her with a squeak of panic.
Igneel lay his tail down and blocked his path, looking down at his son with a stern look, "You will stay here, Natsu. Your mother will be back by sundown."
Natsu was still trying to clamber over his tail in an effort to pursue Sunrose, but Igneel sighed and wrapped his tail around the little dragon. He lifted him up carefully so Natsu was eye level with his father.
The great flame dragon rumbled, "Little one, Sunrose will return. Do you understand?"
Natsu stared back at him for a few moments, then his head drooped slightly. He looked unhappy.
His father knew just how to handle that.
Igneel set Natsu down and licked the little dragon's forehead. When Natsu looked up at him again, the great flame dragon offered a toothy grin, "Shall we play a game?"
That got Natsu's attention. He knew that word, 'Game'. He liked playing games with Sunrose, but could Igneel play games?
Igneel set his tail down a few meters away from Natsu and made it twitch a little.
Natsu was drawn to the movement instinctively, and watched the twitching with great interest.
"Well?" Igneel said, still grinning, "Are you going to try hunting?"
His tail twitched again and Natsu immediately fell into a crouch.
Igneel watched with amusement. He knew ANY young drake would go after a moving target.
With a third twitch of his tail, Natsu couldn't wait anymore and bolted for the scaly appendage. Igneel dragged it back sharply, but not so far that Natsu couldn't reach it.
He wasn't going to make it easy for the little dragon. This was an important lesson, even if Natsu didn't realize it yet.
Natsu growled and leaped again, trying to pin the tail down with an attack from above, but Igneel moved it just out of his reach and stopped again to twitch some more.
The movement of his tail and the challenge that came with trying to catch it was irresistible to the little dragon.
Natsu made a barking roar, then lunged with every bit of speed he had. Igneel was actually surprised for a moment by how swift his son was, but he got his tail out of the way nonetheless. That said, Natsu managed to nip it just slightly.
Igneel hissed with satisfaction, "Yes, that's it, Natsu! You almost had me there!"
While Natsu was too busy to acknowledge his father's praise, he shot after the twitching tail and tried to catch it once more.
/\/\/\/\/\
Igneel continued to dodge Natsu's attacks until the little dragon was panting for breath. He was impressed with his son's stamina: For a week-old hatchling, Natsu was able to pursue his father's tail for nearly an hour nonstop.
Finally, Igneel deliberately kept his tail still and allowed Natsu to pounce on it. The little dragon bit the appendage and used his claws to pin it down, then once Igneel's tail had, 'died' he lifted his head and made another barking sound in an attempt to roar.
Igneel chuckled, "Yes, that was good, Natsu. Prey won't stand a chance against you."
Natsu looked up at his father and offered a tired little grin. He was still panting in an effort to regain his breath, but he looked much happier than before, Sunrose's departure all but forgotten.
"Well, I suppose it's time for a nap, eh?" Igneel lay down and used his tail to bring Natsu close to his body until he was nestled against his father's side.
Natsu yawned and curled up, then closed his eyes and fell asleep almost immediately.
Igneel brought his head down to rest beside Natsu, his eyes focused on the sleeping form.
Then Igneel too, closed his eyes and drifted off.
/\/\/\/\/\
When the flame dragon awoke, the light was already fading from the sky. He frowned at that. Just how long were we asleep?
That was when he noticed something else important: Natsu was no longer nestled beside him.
Igneel froze. So. Not. Good.
He took a moment to make sure he hadn't accidentally squashed his son in his sleep. Nope, nothing there. Igneel glanced towards the back of the cave. Maybe he'd gone for a drink at the shallow water pool? Nothing. Not a scale in sight.
Now Igneel was starting to get fairly worried. Sometime today, Natsu, I'd like you to tell me where you are. Preferably before your mother gets home!
He shuddered at the thought. If Sunrose found out he'd lost their son because he overslept…
Igneel sniffed the air furiously, trying to find his son's scent, but Natsu had been in the cave for a week. The whole place smelled like him.
He started searching the cave by working his way from the back to the front, looking in every nook and cranny for a sign of Natsu. Halfway through, and he'd found nothing.
"Hellfire, Natsu, where are you?!" Igneel snarled in panic.
Then he heard a squeal.
Igneel stopped dead. No way.
Slowly, his eyes trailed straight up.
Natsu was upside down, staring at him with a surprised look on his face.
The little dragon had been on his head the whole time.
Igneel wasn't sure if he wanted to collapse in relief or growl in irritation. So he settled for a rumbling sigh, "Natsu, that wasn't funny."
To his credit, Natsu didn't look amused at all. He was still a little alarmed by his father's earlier anger.
The flame dragon lowered his head and allowed Natsu to clamber off of his great skull. Natsu turned around and stared up at his father with wide eyes, uncertain if he'd done something wrong.
Igneel was more annoyed at himself, now. How had he not noticed the little dragon sleeping on his head? No one can ever know about this, he swore to himself.
He shook his head and murmured to his son, "I'm sorry, Natsu. I was worried I'd lost you."
Natsu kept staring, but relaxed a little. He seemed to realize he wasn't in any trouble.
"Just remember to let me know before you climb on me again, will you?" Igneel asked.
Lord knows what would happen if I failed to notice him on my back before I went flying. He shuddered at the thought, then licked Natsu's forehead reassuringly, "Let's go to the front of the cave. Sunrose should be coming home soon, I expect."
Natsu brightened at his mother's name and promptly led the way to the cave entrance.
Igneel sighed again. Well, that could've been worse. At least he didn't fall off.
With another shake of his head, the flame dragon followed his son to lay down by the cave entrance in anticipation of Sunrose.
/\/\/\/\/\
It was well after dark when Sunrose finally came home. Natsu had long since retreated to the nest and fallen asleep again, but Igneel remained waiting.
She landed in the cave with a small sheep in her claws, panting from exhaustion.
Igneel sniffed her in concern, "My dear, you look terrible."
"Just..tired…" she gasped, "Haven't flown..in..so long…"
But Igneel's eyes narrowed. He looked her over and found something he didn't like. "Sunrose, did you go to the human town in the north?"
She nodded, "Yes…I couldn't find any deer..so I-"
"-Failed to notice that there is an arrow in your belly." Igneel growled, eyeing the weapon with anger.
Sunrose twisted her head to stare at the arrow, which was dripping blood from where it had pierced her. The wound was not deep, but it had gotten through her scales. She shook her head, "I didn't notice…Must've been a farmer…"
"Lie down." Igneel grunted, to which she complied. He got the arrow between his teeth and pulled, taking it out with ease. Igneel dropped the weapon and sniffed it for a moment, then growled, "You're lucky it wasn't poisoned. Don't go hunting the human's herds anymore. It's too risky."
"Natsu needed food…" she murmured.
"Your life is not worth a single sheep." Igneel snarled. He wasn't angry with her: Igneel was just upset that she'd been wounded and he was unable to prevent it.
That's what a drake was supposed to do. Take any attack for the sake of his family. They weren't ALLOWED to be hurt. If anything, he was furious with himself.
Sunrose pressed her nose to his cheek and whispered, "I'm sorry I worried you, my love. But don't be so angry. It's just a scratch..it will heal."
Igneel sighed, "Just don't go hunting by the humans anymore. They have a deep-seated hatred for dragons. I can't say I blame them, but it means we cannot afford to interfere with their kind. Leave them be from now on, Sunrose."
She nodded and got up, then crawled to the nest. Igneel picked up the sheep and followed her.
He cast a backwards glance at the arrow, then raised a foot and stomped it. The piece of wood and metal was crushed to smithereens.
Sunrose lay beside Natsu and rested her head beside him. The little dragon stirred and woke up, then squeaked happily. His mother laughed slightly, "I'm happy to see you again too, Natsu. I'm sorry I'm late."
Igneel roasted the sheep and dropped it beside them. Natsu took a brief moment away from his mother to tear into the meat and gulp down a few pieces before he returned to Sunrose. He was more than a little happy to have her back.
Sunrose glanced at Igneel, "How was he?"
"He was fine." the flame dragon answered, "We played a game, took a nap, and played another game. Then we waited for you."
Natsu's temporary disappearance was more of a game, after all. Hide and seek, he could call it. What Sunrose didn't know wouldn't hurt her.
She frowned, "Did he eat anything?"
Igneel's tail twitched, "You know, he didn't seem hungry at all today. I think he was just too busy playing."
Sunrose seemed to consider this for another moment, then dropped the subject and turned her attention back to her son. Natsu was still ecstatic to see her again, squeaking every now and then as if to tell her this.
The female dragon smiled, "You missed me, didn't you, Natsu? I missed you a lot, too. Were you good to your father?"
At this, Natsu seemed get an idea and fell into a crouch. Sunrose watched him with slight confusion until her son tried to pounce on Igneel's tail, which was quickly withdrawn from his reach. She hummed with laughter, "So, that's what you did to keep him busy."
"That's it." Igneel agreed with a smirk, "Drakes can't resist a moving target. Well, that's what Metalicana told me, anyways."
"Ah, that's right, he has a son too, doesn't he?" Sunrose remarked. She shook her head with amusement, "How that stubborn drake cares for an infant is beyond me. It doesn't seem like something he would do."
Igneel chuckled, "Well, he and Brightsteel are doing it. What was their son's name again…Gajeel? Yes, that was it."
Sunrose nodded, "Well, perhaps Natsu and Gajeel will be rivals when they get older. You and Metalicana are, after all."
"It wouldn't surprise me one bit." Igneel grunted.
Natsu had apparently used their conversation as a chance to eat some more, then walked back over to Sunrose's side and snuggled close to her warm body. His mother hummed, lulling his senses with the vibration until he was asleep once more.
Sunrose curled her body around him and fell asleep quickly as well, exhausted from a day of hunting.
Igneel snapped up the rest of the sheep, then walked to the front of the cave to stare out into the night. True, they didn't really need a lookout because the cave was high up in the side of an inactive volcano, which was near impossible to reach for all but dragons. But something in the air kept him staring out into the dark, still as if he were stalking prey.
His eyes found an orange glow that couldn't be the sun. Igneel focused his gaze on the strange light until he realized what it was. With a glance back at his sleeping mate and son, he flew off silently to the top of the volcano, awaiting the glow's arrival.
/\/\/\/\/\
Igneel waited for nearly half an hour before the orange glow reached him. Of course, it wasn't just a glow anymore.
He dipped his head, "It's been quite some time, Atlas Flame."
"Indeed it has, Igneel. I'd wondered where you planned to raise your family. I should have guessed it would be here. Your father brought you up here, didn't he?" the blazing dragon replied.
Igneel grunted, "Yes, he did. Though back then, the volcano was still alive. What brings you here, Atlas? I don't think Sunrose would appreciate another drake so close to the nest, no offense to you."
Atlas chuckled, "None taken. Actually, it's really just you I need to speak with. Then I'll be on my way."
"Alright, so what is it?" Igneel asked.
The blazing dragon's tone became quiet and more serious, "He's heading west."
Igneel's eyes narrowed, "Acnologia?"
Atlas Flame nodded and muttered, "He attacked the Shadow Cliffs three weeks ago. Skyadrum was crippled, but he survived."
To say Igneel was shocked would have been an understatement, "What?! But…couldn't Skyadrum have escaped? He's the most elusive dragon I know!"
"He was guarding his son, Rogue." Atlas growled, "Not unlike you. Thankfully, the hatchling survived, but Skyadrum's mate was not so lucky. I'm sad to tell you that Shadeheart has died."
Now Igneel was more than a little alarmed. But he kept his calm and stared down at the rock with a whisper, "I see…that saddens me…"
Atlas Flame was silent for a time, then sighed, "Igneel, I must ask you to return to the Flame Capital. Bring your family, stay with the other fire dragons! You will be safer with us. Even Acnologia wouldn't dare take on an entire city of dragons."
"I can't, Atlas." Igneel murmured, "Sunrose would never allow it. Natsu is far too young and small to be moved now, anyways. He would not take the journey well."
Atlas hissed, "Blast, Igneel, you're the Flame Dragon King! By rights, you should be at the capital, anyways!"
"This is how things have always been." Igneel growled, "And there is a reason for that: I will not endanger my son by dragging him to live alongside drakes that would seek to end his life so they could be King. I can't take the risk, Atlas. Please understand."
The blazing dragon hesitated, which Igneel took as a chance to further prove his point, "You are one of my most loyal drakes, but that is why you should know all too well that dragons like Smaug wouldn't hesitate to kill Natsu. I won't bring him until he can defend himself."
Atlas Flame sagged in defeat, "I had a feeling you'd argue me out of this. At least I tried, but I understand."
"Thank you, old friend." Igneel murmured, "I'm glad you sought me out, however dreary the news. I appreciate it."
Atlas nodded, "Well, that's what I'm here for. Are you sure we should just leave you? Surely a small group of our dragons on the edge of this territory for patrol couldn't be too big a security issue?"
"I know it would make you feel better, but no." Igneel replied, "You know how it is. Natsu won't be brought up as some regal child with everything laid out for him. He will learn to fight his own battles as a true dragon would."
"That doesn't surprise me at all." Atlas remarked, then decided to change the subject, "Natsu…Summer. Thinking about it, it does suit the son of dragons such as you and Sunrose. I long to meet him."
Igneel snorted with amusement, "You will in time, old friend. But I must ask you to fly home before Sunrose realizes you're here. It wouldn't be a pleasant sight, however good friends we are."
Atlas laughed, "Indeed. A fiercer dragonelle, I have never met. I shudder to imagine what she'd be like as a mother defending her young. Well, be safe, Igneel."
The flame dragon nodded, "And you, my brother."
Atlas Flame took off and flew away. Igneel watched him go until he was once again just an orange glow on the dark horizon. Then he flew down to the cave and padded back to the nest for sleep.
His mind wandered around the concept of Acnologia discovering their home. Igneel would've snarled out loud had his family not been there.
Just try it, you black beast. Just try and lay a claw on my mate and son. I'll burn even your ashes after I kill you.