Chapter Three: Suluk P.O.V.

Well that was one of the strangest experiences I've ever had! I can't believe she was brave enough to approach me, much less willingly give me food. What did she say her name was again? Alana? No… It started with an A, I know that for sure.

Rumbling in the distance catches my attention. Only two things I know make that noise. Dragons, or lightning. Hopefully it's just dragons, because if I end up stuck out here all night in the rain then that little girl will not have a happy dragon on her hands tomorrow, if she decides she's coming back that is. I doubt she will, if she has any sense of staying alive in the least then she'll avoid this spot at all costs.

The rumbling persists, but seems to be moving away from my location, so it must be dragons, with as quickly as the sound retreats. That's good for me at least. I'd rather they avoid me here, than find me and I become the laughing stalk of the kingdom. Trying to move into a better position makes my leg and wing ache horribly. Accepting my fate that I'll be stuck in this position for a while, and that it's going to be a long night I finally close my eyes.

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As I imagined, sleep was elusive for most of the night. It wasn't until the wee hours in the morning did I finally catch a few hours of sleep, that is until the light was shining directly in my eyes. I have managed to snag a few small animals who wandered too close for a quick breakfast. I'd be a liar if I said I wasn't excited to see if that woman returns again, especially if she has more meat this time! I know she said she has people to take care of, but I also cannot pass on this opportunity to help myself heal a bit faster.

Just as I'm beginning to believe she won't show up, rustling off by my side makes my ears twitch. Turning to see the same dirty, small, female dragging a makeshift sled behind her with meat upon it. I'm not sure where she's hunting at, but wherever it is it looks bountiful! She waves and smiles without a care in the world, even while dragging what has to be three times her weight in meat, and twice her weight in rope and logs behind her. I can't stop thinking about how odd this woman is. She walks between trees with long, graceful strides. If it wasn't for her small appearance and her being a human, it would almost remind me of those big cats that are close to my kingdom when they are bounding through the trees, playing with each other or with prey before they get serious. I can never remember the names of anything these past few decades it seems.

"I told you I'd be back, didn't I?!" She boasts loudly, making me huff. For her rough appearance her voice is smooth, slightly high pitched and has a touch of hoarseness to it, as if she's been yelling recently or getting over a sickness. She seems un-bothered by my lack of response as she continues to speak to me and starts going through the recently skinned animals, piling a few up in front of me.

"I hope skinning them isn't a problem, we need the hide for clothes and blankets. I'm sure most people would think these smaller pelts like rabbits and such would be a waste, but a nice woman I know just had a baby! So when these dry out they'll be perfect for the new little one, and then we can reuse them when another baby is born! How wonderful, huh? To be blessed with the miracle of giving life twice, or maybe three times in my small village!" She smiles brightly at me as she sets the last animal down on top of the small pile in front of me. I lean up to eat it before she places her hand out stopping me. Growling deeply at her, I do not have the patience or sleep to deal with her silly little games.

"Oh don't be so grumpy! Just wait a second! I brought some potions that should help you at least a little bit, but since you can't exactly drink them I thought I'd pour them on the food so you can eat it instead. Smart right? So just give me one second to get it ready." She scolds me as if I'm a child, and not a man eating dragon before her. She has proven she's either slow witted, or is confident enough to believe I understand her well enough to not hurt her. Either way, she is quite peculiar.

She quickly empties out the bottles and steps away again. I look at her to see if she is ready for me to eat it now, making her giggle a bit and nod. Huffing once more I easily eat the whole pile in one bite. She smiles happily as she continues to talk for a while and keep me company it seems. It's at least midday at this point, but it would be hard to tell from the cloud cover above. Must be rain coming in, the scent is strong and only becoming more overpowering as the light recedes.

"I'm sorry it seems I'll have to leave if I wish to not be washed away trying to get back. I'll be back tomorrow rain or shine to help though! You landed in a good spot on the mountain so you shouldn't get flooded or anything like that here. I'll see you tomorrow!" She has to raise her voice at the end as a loud crack of thunder echoes through the trees, making her jump slightly. I watch, a little saddened that she has to leave, but end up excusing it as more of the food and her talking than it actually being her. It's lonely out here, and being left alone with my thoughts for too long has proven to be more difficult than I had originally planned on.

After she is out of sight, and her scent is barely clinging to the grass in front of me, it dawns on me something she said was quite odd. She said she had to "go back" not, "go home", most humans I've encountered usually call the place they dwell 'home'. She had also said something about being "washed away" on her journey back. If that is a worry she has for travel then that means she does not live in the human village I know of, the one that would be off to the west of here and is two days' travel. I should have realized this sooner since she keeps coming back everyday and not just once a week. If she truly is worried about flooding, then that means she lives closer and to the south, further down the mountain side.

Settling into my spot, the potions she has given me has helped a little. They would have cured a human completely by now. That is an impressive feat for someone who seems to be living in the wild. It's not long after the clouds completely block the sun does the rain start. What starts as a light rain, quickly turns into a downpour with winds that start to topple over a few dying trees. Laying my head flat to the ground I'm startled to hear what sounds like wings flapping over the noise. Surely that's not…..

"SULUK!! SULUK, IS THAT YOU?!" A low, booming voice calls out over the rain.

"WHO GOES THERE?! KEEP YOUR DISTANCE OR YOU'LL BE DEAD!" I yell back, unsure who this new intruder is and how they know my name.

"Suluk calm yourself, it's me! It's Kieren, your friend. I've come looking for you! You never returned so I got worried something happened while you were out." When he gets closer to the treeline above me I watch him shift into his human form. Not wanting to destroy more of the forest, as he lands on the ground with a wet thud. "Man you look rough!" He exclaims as he pushes his hair out of his face.

"Can't move. Wing is still torn, and my leg isn't right. Can't shift either, so I've been stuck here." I inform him as he walks closer, really assessing the damage.

"You're missing part of your horn also, now there's just a rough edged nub in its place." He points up to my head. I can't say I'm surprised. "Well lucky for you, I'm here now! I'll have you patched back together in no time! Well minus a horn that is, I can't fix what's not there anymore. Just don't eat me as I crawl around on you please!" He chuckles and starts with the smaller wounds around my sides.

Kieren is the only person I trust to see me like this. We have been friends for as long as I can remember. He has always been an amazing person to be around. Not to mention when he got his abilities, I was even more proud to be known as his friend. We've come a long way since, but even to this day I trust him with my life. I watch closely as he walks around me, he's been growing out his hair recently and now I try not to laugh as he has to keep pushing the wet strands out of his face. He looks like he is regretting his decision to do so. He is a tall man in his human form, his slimmer build for a dragon, translates well into his human form. No wonder he's such a ladies man.

As Kieren climbs onto my back it takes everything I have not to instinctively buck him off. It feels as though a bug is crawling on my skin and I want to swat it with my tail, but I refrain, with much effort. Soon a warm, tingling sensation flows through my wing helping me to relax a bit. Kieren was blessed with the gift of healing, among other things. From his fingertips up to nearly his elbows glow a soft, pale yellow as he heals up my wounds. Feeling the flesh of my wing knit itself back together is a new feeling, but it isn't unpleasant. I feel him as he walks across my back to look down at my broken leg, feeling his uneasiness as he does so.

"I'm gonna hop off because this will not be pleasant for a moment. I'm going to have to rebreak it to set in place before I heal it. It will hurt, but I will sooth the pain quickly, so please try not to eat me." He informs me as he pats my other wing. If he's anything, he's at least honest, one of the main things I like about him is that he tells it exactly how it is. I just nod and help him get down with my wing.

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When he said it was going to hurt, he did not lie! I destroyed two trees trying not to bite at him in the process. We luckily got it done and as swift as the pain started, it ended just like he promised. We have now returned to our dragon forms to fly back to our kingdom. I'd say I feel bad for leaving the small human woman behind, but that would be a lie. We were never supposed to meet in the first place, so my quick departure will be good for the both of us. The rain provides us with good cover as we quickly move through the night.

The smell of smoke faintly wafts through the sky, but I pay it no mind. There are humans around here, and they are probably cooking or keeping warm since the temperature dropped due to the rain.

Onward to Siriane, our homeland and Kingdom. The place I've sworn to protect.