"Hey Lucie! Come over here and look at what I found!" Lucie rushed over to the edge of the forest. "Guess who?" I asked as soon as she arrived. "Meet Tweedledee and Tweedledumb." I said sarcastically. "What are you people doing here?" Lucie asked. "It turns out that Max and Ryan decided to jump through the portal and follow us." I explained. "You guys need to go through the portal again and pretend you never saw us here. Also- Don't Come Back!" Max and Ryan looked at each other. "You mean that swirly thing we followed you guys through?" Max asked, as he and Ryan shared yet another look. "Yeah," considered Ryan, finishing what his friend started, "You see, that doesn't really work for us. We'd much prefer staying with you, noting that you have a hell of a lot of explaining to do." "Wha-" Lucie and I stared dumbfounded at the boys. "Yeah Amber, you heard us, we are not going back!" exclaimed Max. I realized that there was no way we would be able to convince them to go away. "Fine," I grumbled, "You can stay but you have to swear not to get yourselves in trouble." Max and Ryan silently showed their agreement with a gigantic idiotic smile. This was going to be a long adventure. "I need to speak to Amber- privately-," Lucie spoke, before they boys could interrupt. "Stay here," I told the boys, "and don't you dare move a muscle." Lucie and I ran into the forest. "Do you think that we should let them come? I mean, I know that it is my first time here too but they aren't the best of companions," worried Lucie. "I know but it is not like they are going to leave. Plus, if they get too annoying, I have a few ways to get them to shut up." I said, with a sly smile.
We began to make our way back to the ledge, when we heard running footsteps. We looked up, only to see the boys right before they crashed into us. We landed in a sprawling, tangled up mess. "What the freaking hell was that for?" I screamed at the boys. "Something attacked us!" whispered Ryan in a hushed, panicking voice. All of a sudden, the boys stood chock still, their faced paling in an instant. "What is wrong, you look like you've seen a ghost!" Max pointed a finger, muttering something incomprehensible. Lucie and I turned around, and she let out a small scream. While I started laughed hysterically. "You guys- are so- funny!" I said between giggles. Standing, or rather hovering in front of us was my friend, Cottonball. I should also mention she is a fearsome warrior dragon. "This is Cottonball, she's friendly! Look, come meet her, just reach out your hand and she will be nice to you." Lucie and the boys tentatively reached out a hand. Luckily, Cottonball was in a good mood. Unfourtunately, she backed away from the boys instantly, but she let Lucie touch her. Dragons are also very particular to females. Cottonball has beautiful snowy white scales, with dagger-like spikes sticking out along her spine. Although her spines may look scary, they are really soft. She uses the spines to scare away predators. Cottonball is very long, with graceful, sleek wings. In contrast to her white scales she has the most beautiful eyes, magicked to change color. Her extensive tail was also covered in spines, only these she could shoot out and they regrew almost instantly. Cottonball hissed at the boys. "Calm down Cotton, they are friendly, they won't hurt you." She slowly approached the boys. "Good girl, I encouraged. Lucie decided that we should probably sit down and rest, I agreed with her. "Here, hop on Cotton and I will have her fly us to this island, I built a little hut there before and we can rest for the night." At that point, according to my watch, it was about 2pm, and the trip to the island would take about an hour, so I figured that we get there at 3:30, then discuss all the details until 7, eat dinner, and go to bed. We would have to get a head start and leave the island by 4am. "Ok I will be in the front, boys behind me, and Lucie in the back- and yes, before you ask anything, you have to hold on to each other. Boys you wanted to stay, then this is how it goes. Secondly, do not scream, Cottonball will hurt you if you do." I said. "Wait, wha-" but before Ryan could finish, I screamed, "COTTONBALL! FIRE!" Cottonball shot eight daggers at the tree right in front of us. I marched right up and tugged the spikes out of the tree. I handed two each to Max, Ryan, and Lucie. they stared at me, puzzled. "These are for you, throw them hard at the target if we are ever attacked while flying." They nodded in agreement and we all climbed onto Cotton. Me in the front, then Ryan, Max, and last, Lucie.
