Adventures of Paku the Dragon: The Shroud of Shadows

Chapter 2

Thirteen years had passed since the attack, and the world had grown more dire and desperate. However, the black dragon had grown a bit. He was named Paku, and was kept a well guarded secret from the encroaching evils that dared to threaten him.

"Come on Paku, keep up!" says Patch, a puma cub around the same age as Paku, and his best friend.

"Hey! Leave me alone." says Paku.

"Stop sulking and come play with us."

"No, I'm busy."

"Come on, it'll be fun."

Paku agrees, as he bounds after Patch, the two wrestling around a bit in the grass. Paku manages to fly up a bit with his little dragons wings, witch impresses Patch.

"Wow, you're almost ready to take flight! About time."

"Thanks. So, what are we playing?" asks Paku.

"How about we try and catch these butterflies?" says Patch, as he picks up a butterfly and tosses it in the air.

The two bound outside the city gates into the meadow, chasing after butterflies. Despite being a dragon and a puma, they act just like siblings that were raised together, joking and frolicking about. The two go to the edge where a cave is, watching as some butterflies fly inside of it.

"Come on, we should go in."

"Mom doesn't want us to go too far from the city." Paku warns.

"Don't be a chicken Paku. Come on, it will be fun." Patch tells him.

"Alright fine." Paku says, reluctantly agreeing to join Patch inside the cave.

Inside, the cave is surprisingly warm, as it was lit by a torch. The cave is filled with plants and flowers, and even a few bunnies hopping about. There's also a small pond with fish in it, and the two notice a huge butterfly floating in the water.

"Woah, look at this place!" says Patch, who begins to chase after the bunnies. "It is awesome!"

Paku looks around and notices some writing scribbled on the wall, but decides to ignore these warnings and join Patch. He jumps into the air, jumping into the pond to catch some of the fish.

"You're gonna get eaten by those fish." says Patch.

"Oh shut up." Paku retorts.

Patch continues to follow the rabbits, as Paku dives underwater again to grab a few more fish. He manages to get a sabertooth salmon, coming out of the water to eat on it.

"You're more of a cat then I thought." laughs Patch as the bunnies escape him.

As the two friends play, Paku notices a pair of eyes watching them. "Who's there?" he calls out.

Suddenly, a giant shadow emerges from the shadows. "Hello there."

Paku and Patch jump back as a large orc emerges from the shadows, two goblins with shivs at his side. "Come to visit us the black dragon has? How cute."

Before the two could leave, the exit was blocked by a group of more goblins, surrounding Patch and Paku.

"So, you're the black dragon huh. The savior of good. Or, so they say. After we're through with the two of you, the master plan will be completed." taunts the large orc. "But first, we need to find out if you're worth our time."

The goblins attack, stabbing at Paku with their daggers. Paku barely dodges them, but manages to defeat the pair of the goblins with some well placed melee attacks.

"Patch, run! Find help!" Paku yells as three more goblins attack the young dragon.

"I'm not leaving you!" says Patch.

"Then fight!" Paku says.

Patch joins Paku's side, and the two team up their attacks to disarm the attackers and send the goblins into the pond.

"I won't let you die!" Paku tells Patch as he breathes a fire onto another goblin, finding out he has fire breath now.

"Woah, do that again!" says Patch to Paku, who now faces down the large orc.

"A little help here?" Paku asks Patch.

"No way!"

"Please!" Paku begs.

"Fine, but only because I'm your friend." Patch says, as he steps forward to aid Paku.

"It is cute that you two will die together." the orc taunts as it draws a curved blade, swinging it down at the two.

Paku and Patch dodge the blow, and manage to land a few blows against the orc.

"We'll finish this later!" Paku shouts as he runs off to escape the area. Patch follows suit, and the two continue to run until they reach a tall cliff.

"Do you trust me?" Paku asks Patch, as the orc chases after them.

"I don't know anymore!" Patch responds as the orc catches up to them.

Paku turns and breaths a gout of fire at the orc as it runs at them. The flames scorch the ground and burn the creature, causing it to fall backwards.

"Are you okay?" asks Paku.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Patch replies, rubbing his shoulder.

After torching the orc, Patch grabs ahold of Paku, as the dragon takes flight from the cliff, spreading his wings enough to glide slowly down and have the two safely land back inside the village.

"Mom and dad are so going to kill us!" says Patch.

"Let's hope we can get away with it." Paku says.

"Hey, you two. What happened?" says a nearby villager.

"Nothing, we just fell from the cliff."

"Sure, sure you did." the villager says nonchalantly walking away.

That's when Patch's parents show up, looking at Paku and Patch. "Where have you two been?"

"Uh..." stammers Patch, but Paku breaks.

"We went into a cave. Some monsters attacked us, and nearly killed us!" Paku exclaims.

"Should we tell him?" asks the mother.

"I think he is old enough." the father responds.

"What? What are you guys talking about?" asks Paku.

"Paku... you're special. As you probably knew, you're not a cat. You're a dragon. The majestic race that was destined to restore good to the world strife with evil."

"What?!" Paku gasps.

"Yes, you're a dragon. Your mother and I found you, and brought you back to the city."

"Wait, how long have you known?"

"Thirteen years. The night you were born, we found you in the woods. I'm afraid your biological family didn't make it." explains the father.

Flashes of that night return to Paku, causing him to grow sad.

"The world has grown dimmer. But there is hope others like you are out there. It is probably time for you to go find them." says the mother.

"I don't want to leave you two." Paku says, hugging his parents tightly. "Can't I stay with you?"

"It is too dangerous to remain here. The forces of evil are most likely on their way already."

Paku sadly looks down, but realizes he isn't safe. He loved his adoptive parents, but they were right. He needed to find the other dragons, to try and bring back hope to a world that lacked it.

"You're not going alone." says Patch, who sticks up with Paku. "I'm coming with you."

Paku smiles at Patch. "You're my best friend Patch. I'd never leave you behind."

The two hug each other, before Paku and Patch begin their journey. He wishes his old home the best farewells, as he and Patch trek out of the village they had grown up in, preparing for the biggest adventure of their young lives.