Daughter of Mother Earth

Chapter Sixteen

As he continued looking, Crystal stayed back. After a few moments, she heard it. A deep rumbling you can feel through your whole body. A sound only a dragon could make.
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"Leo..." Crystal whispered.

He didn't turn around, so Crystal assumed it was in her head. Then she heard a grind-like snort. She felt steam against her back. Crystal straightened in fear. She slowly turned.

From about 60 feet away, she saw the dragon. It's glowing red eyes were staring right at her.

"LEO!"

He whipped around, wide eyed. Crystal moved backward, but tripped and fell on her back. The dragon immediately pounced on her, trapping Crystal in between it's arms. One claw- the size of a butcher knife- was a few feet away from her face. It snarled, showing its sharp metal teeth.

She closed her eyes, tight. She felt it's hot steam blow onto her body.

"Hey! Stay away from her!" Leo yelled.

The dragon's snarl died and looked up, confused.

Leo whistled, "Look at you! You're beautiful! Who made you? How are you powered? Hydrolics? Nuclear? But you don't have wings! Believe me, if I made you, I would've put wings."

Crystal opened her eyes, as confused as the dragon. Was he really geeking out right now? She thought.

While Leo was distracting the dragon, Crystal wiggled out from underneath it. She slowly made her way to Leo's side. Luckily, the metal contraption didn't make a move.

It suddenly took a step forward, but Crystal shouted, "No!"

The dragon looked back at Crystal.

"It's a trap." She said. "They're going to catch you!"

It opened its large mouth and blew fire. Leo quickly pushed Crystal to the ground and threw his body on her, protecting the flames from touching Crystal's body.

When the flames died, Leo looked over Crystal. "Are you okay?"

Crystal frowned. "Am I okay? Are you okay? Why are you not Leo Bacon?"

He stood and helped her up. "I can't be burned."

Crystal glanced at the dragon. A spark flew out it's neck, almost as if it'll malfunction.

No, stay," Leo spoke to the dragon. "Do not come closer. I don't want you to get caught. The campers think you're broken and they want to be scrapped. We don't think you're broken. We'll fix you if-"

The dragon roared and charged. It stepped on a trigger and the net sprang. Leo was thrown into the air, flipped upside down, and dowsed in the hot sauce oil mix. Crystal flew in the different direction, slamming into a tree. The back of her head and she immediately blacked out.

Leo shook his head, gathering his surroundings. He was stuck between the vat and the dragon, who was struggling to get out the net.

"Stop that! Look what you've done!" Leo yelled.

The dragon didn't listen, so Leo wiggled his way out of the net. He rushed to Crystal and checked her pulse. He sighed in relief when he felt a pulse. He ran to the dragon's head. It started to bite at him, but the net kept it tangled.

"Okay, you are going to have to be quiet. If they find you, they will surely kill you. Do you want to die?" He asked.

The dragon stopped moving and creaked.

"Okay. You're going to have to trust me."