(Rewrite) Life & Death | Akatsuki no Yona Fanfiction

Chapter 01: Yama Village

Carefully, Yona's eyes blinked open to the sight of the rising dawn. She urged a smile as it replaced her dreams of that bird and its master.

Her friends still slumbered against the trees and grass around her. The dragons slept comfortably for their injured state, some mumbling silly in their sleep.

Counter mumbles begged for a few more minutes. Yona held back a snort.

Her gaze found Hak as he propped himself against his guandao, face as soft as he'd allow it. Briefly, she recalled their conversation last night before smiling a good morning to Yun as he paced past her. He reciprocated, glueing back to the map in his hands.

She began questioning it only to giggle at Ao. The little squirrel had scampered awake and barreled towards her. She squealed as Yona caught her and booped their noses. The commotion eventually awoke the rest of the troupe.

They all smiled at the sight, but the dragon brothers soon fell into their typical bickering. Something about Zeno snoring and hogging Shin-Ah's headdress. Yona giggled as Zeno pouted sillily.

"It's right here..." The group paused as Yun looked up from the map and swerved around. He stared at the mountain span beyond them. "Right?"

"What is?" The boy jumped as Hak leaned over his shoulder. The beast ignored Yun's chiding as he squinted at the map. "Oh. That place."

"'That place?'" Kija asked as he teetered over, his brothers not far behind.

Catching his composure, Yun hummed. "The place Ik-Su suggested we should check out if we ever got the chance," he explained, adjusting the map so Yona could see, "he said its on this mountain range so it should be nearby..."

The group grew quiet as they stared at the parchment. "By the looks of it, it'll be one hell of a trek," Hak said, raising to stare at the far-off mountains. "Snowy too."

"Snow?" Yona asked. As Shin-Ah unconsciously shivered, Yun hummed and looked over the injured beasts.

"Thunder Beast is right. It'll be too treacherous." He slowly rolled up the map, and Yona frowned. "Besides. It's not like we're even prepared for that kind of weather."

Kija huffed proudly. "We can make it! Right, Jae-ha!?" The said dragon smiled plainly.

"Why do I get the feeling you're pushing me to play horse again?" Zeno cheered for more flying, and Yun told them to forget about it. With a huff, he pushed away to start breakfast.

Yona furrowed her brows. "But it's spring, isn't it?" The group turned to her. "Isn't now the best time to visit then?"

Yun paused. "I mean, yeah, but it still doesn't change the fact that we're ill prepared." Yona sulked, and the boy sighed. "Don't get me wrong, Yona, I want to go too, but we really should try to be more cautious from now on."

He mumbled that Ik-Su said it would greatly help their journey, so he was tempted and all. However, their group's health came first.

"That's why I feel off skipping this," Yona said, staring off to the mountains, "I know Ik-Su wasn't pushing it, but it still feels important."

She mumbled that maybe there were more villages that needed their help. Some villages that the clans had neglected and needed attention drawn to them. Like with Katan and the others.

The boy's shoulders fell. Could that be it?

He couldn't imagine Ik-Su would suggest it so flippantly, especially knowing what the princess planned to do. As airheaded as that dumbass could be, his words always had their purpose or reasoning behind them.