Adventures of Paku the Dragon: The Shroud of Shadows

Chapter 7

"We have to go back!" Paku says, stopping in the jungle trail.

"We can't Paku! Those pirates are too dangerous, they will just throw us in cages and sacrifice us!"

"Naria is in danger, and after everything she has done for us, it doesn't feel right to just leave her!"

Paku was distressed at the whole situation, and worried greatly for the dragoness. He had grown close to Naria, as she helped him when he was in trouble. The boy saw Naria as a surrogate mother, and did not enjoy leaving her side.

"She told us to run for a reason Paku. I know this was the first dragon you had ever seen in your life, but we have to keep moving. There are other dragons, remember?" Patch says, being the voice of reason to Paku, something he'd never thought he'd be doing. "Wow, I'm sounding like my father now. Eek."

Patch thinks for a moment. "Alright, let's keep going." he says reluctant to leave his temporary home.

The pair continue on the path, as they hear a roar of anger coming from behind them. They stop, looking back to see the pirate ship sailing away.

"Come on Paku. There was a map back at the keep. It might give us clues to where to find the other dragons." Patch says, walking on the trail again.

They reach the edge of the cliff, where they look down and see the beach below. "That's where we came ashore... maybe the map will tell us how to get back there."

The duo look back at the map, around the whole world. There was many locations. "The closest dragon stronghold is just east of here, on a large forested continent." Paku says, reading the dragon text. "It will take us a few days to get there."

"Sounds good to me." Patch says, as he looks at the map. "How about you? You still want to go?"

"Of course," Paku replies, nodding his head. "Naria would never forgive herself if she knew that we didn't go."

Paku picks up patch and begins to take flight. As he flew more and grew stronger, he was able to fly a lot better, coming a long way from his earlier days where he was only able to glide after jumping from heights.

Patch takes a deep breath, holding onto Paku. "I'm so scared..."

"Don't worry, we'll be fine. I promise."

"What if we die?" Patch asks, as the two soar through the sky.

"We've been through worse. Just keep an eye out below, make sure there aren't any buccaneers tracking us down."

"Will do."

The two continue to fly above the seas, over some desolate islands, reefs, and a few dolphins hopping along through the waves. After a long day of flight, Paku and Patch eventually reach a red dirt shore, and in front of them lies a large, expansive forest of giant redwood trees.

"Now what?" Patch asks.

"Well, we should probably find somewhere to sleep for the night. We can search for the stronghold tomorrow."

"Good idea. Let's rest here tonight, then we'll start searching for the place tomorrow."

With that, Patch brings a bundle of sticks over to the shore, and Paku breathes a puff of flame on them, starting a campfire for the two to rest by for the night.