Heart of Fire

Chapter 3

Makana looked out over the ocean. She couldn’t understand why Maui had helped her especially after she had blinded him. Makana growled at the situation. If she were a moon dragon she could have healed them both instantly. Then again if she had been a moon dragon she wouldn’t have blinded him in the first place. She glanced at her bindings. She had to admit it didn’t hurt as much now though it did feel strange having it constricted like this. Her stomach growling brought her back to reality. Makana could see fish swimming in the shallows and she wanted nothing more than to catch them. Just as she stepped into the water the ocean rose up to look at her.

“What?” Makana demanded.

The ocean moved to look at the bindings.

“I still don’t get why you wanted me to stay here.” Makana stated.

The ocean seemed to gesture around her.

“You know I can’t understand you right? I’m not a water dragon.” Makana reminded the ocean.

The ocean slumped in frustration.

“But you seem to be able to understand me so I promise that I am not trying to leave, I’m just trying to catch some fish.” Makana promised.

The ocean moved aside and opened up to allow her to walk on dry land and catch the fish more easily. Makana roasted them. She always thought fish tasted better cooked.

“I wonder if Maui wants some” Makana wondered aloud.

The ocean seemed to perk up at this comment.

“What, is that what you wanted? For me to hang out with Maui?” Makana asked.

The ocean nodded.

“Well alright then.” Makana said shifting into a partial form with just her wings out and picked up the remainder of the fish. “Maui!” she called. She was surprised to see him talking to his tattoo and was beginning to see why the ocean wanted her to be around Maui.

This ritual continued for a couple of weeks. Maui enjoyed having an actual person to talk to and Makana enjoyed listening his stories. Maui also made it a point to change the seaweed wrap daily. The wing had begun to knit itself back together. She mainly stayed in her partial form out of respect. They were both enjoying fish when something caught her attention.

“What is it?” Maui asked.

“Something’s wrong” Makana growled shifting into her dragon form.

They both climbed to the top of the cave to see a massive storm approaching rapidly. Maui didn’t get why a storm would get her so worked up but then he saw the dragon on the edge whipping it into a frenzy.

“Oh hey it’s just another dragon.” Maui commented.

“That’s not a good thing.” Makana growled keeping her eyes on the approaching dragon. “We are told specifically not to come here because of you. If there is a full grown dragon coming out here he is not in his right mind.”

“Again with the fear. For all you know that dragon is looking for you.” Maui said.

“If they thought I was here they would just assume that I was dead.” Makana stated.

“Do you dragons not remember all the things I did for you and the humans?” Maui demanded.

“Key words there are and the humans. The way the stories are told you did everything for the humans since you favored them above us and the dragons just benefited. You never really cared about us.” Makana commented as she leapt down. Maui quickly followed.

“Hold on are you telling dragons are jealous of humans?” Maui asked but Makana didn’t answer. Instead she pushed him into the cave much to his surprise and pushed a large boulder over the entrance. “Makana! What are you doing?” Maui demanded running up to the rock.

“That dragon may not be in his right mind but it’s not going to take him long to figure out who you are and try to kill you and you said it yourself without your hook you can’t do anything.” Makana called through the rock.

“What about you?” Maui asked.

“I don’t matter.” Makana said so quietly that he almost didn’t hear her.

“Makana? Makana!” Maui called but she wasn’t there. Maui looked down at his tattoo. “She does know I can get out of here right?” he asked. The tattoo shrugged.

Makana could hear the beating wings and snarls of the storm dragon as it landed. All she had to do was fool it into thinking there was no one here. It wasn’t hard to avoid the dragon in the maze of rocks as its almost constant growling. She heard it give a frustrated growl just before it took flight. Makana sighed in relief when she could no longer hear it and moved out of her hiding place. She did not see that the storm dragon had not flown away but had moved to higher ground until it pounced on her. He gave an evil laugh as he rolled her onto her back and easily pinned her down as he was twice her size. Makana could see the crazed look in his eyes.

“Well, well it seems that there is something to eat on this pathetic little island.” The dragon grinned moving his clawed hand over her throat.

Makana struggled as he choked her. Her vision was beginning to darken when she heard Maui’s battle cry as he leapt into the full grown dragon knocking him off. The dragon roared in anger as he tried to attack the demigod but Maui was faster. Makana coughed as she got to her feet. Even with her vision blurred she could see Maui was holding his own until the dragon managed to catch him with his claws knocking him into a rock. Makana tore the seaweed binding away and opened her wings. It wasn’t healed enough to fly but it did give her extra lift as she leapt and came down hard on the dragon’s back. There was an audible crack in one of the dragon’s front legs causing him to buckle. Makana sank her razor sharp teeth into the dense scales of the dragon’s shoulder. The dragon howled in agony and rolled trying to get her off but Makana only bit down harder drawing blood.

“Makana let go!” Maui ordered as he grabbed the dragons tail.

Makana let go just as Maui pulled him away and flung him into a rock. The dragon quickly got to his feet and flew off as fast as he could. Makana growled and took a step to pursue but Maui held her back.

“It’s over.” He said but there was something wrong. She seemed to be looking through him and still had her teeth bared. The rain from the storm began to fall and wash the blood off of her face. “Makana?” Maui asked.

The rain seemed to snap her out of her bloodlust. She took a step back.

“I’m Ok.” She assured.

“Good now what were you thinking?” Maui demanded.

“I was trying to avoid a fight with that other dragon.” Makana said lowering her head.

“I get that. What I don’t get is you trying to lock me in the cave. I can handle myself! You obviously can’t!” Maui scolded. “And what was that thing about you not mattering?”

“Maui I am just a random dragon who can’t even make a migration. You are ten times more important than me.” Makana said averting her gaze.

“Well I won’t argue with that last point but I don’t need some kid dying too…” Maui was cut off by his tattoo tapped him. It gave him a disapproving look while tapping his foot. Maui looked back at the young dragon. He could tell by the look on her face what she was thinking. “Come here.” he said opening his arms.

Makana was in shock as he pulled her into a hug. She quickly relaxed into it even transforming into her human form. Her transformation fire didn’t bother the demigod. It shocked Maui when she hugged him back. It was something so human that he wasn’t expecting it.

“You are not useless or worthless. You are important.” Maui told her.

“Thank you.” Makana said wiping off her face.

“Whoa you’re not crying are you?” Maui laughed

“What no!” Makana lied. “Dragons don’t cry. It’s the rain.”

“Right. Then let’s get out of the rain.” Maui laughed. “You know I think you may have done more damage to that dragon than I did.”

“Not helping.” Makana commented.