The Dragon Hunter

7

Luna followed Rai up three flights of stairs and then down a long, straight corridor. She chatted away happily with Quin while Luna and Minx just looked around in silence. Rai stopped and pointed to a wooden door.

"That's your room. I hope you like it," she smiled. "Dinner's downstairs in the common room in about half an hour."

Luna thanked her but frowned when she saw the door opposite hers. It was metal, a soft clicking emitting from behind it. She pointed to it.

"Who's room's that?" She asked. Rai grinned sheepishly.

"James. He's a bit weird...I think he calls it steam punk?" Rai shrugged. "If you smell smoke just knock as loud as you can and tell him to cut it out."

Luna nodded and thanked her again. Rai left, muttering something about Colton as she vanished back downstairs.

"Let's see it then," Minx shook herself and rapped her claws against the floor. Luna smirked and placed her key into the keyhole, turning it with a soft click. The door swung open.

It wasn't small, but it wasn't large either. Two beds were pushed up against the far wall, situated beneath a grubby window looking down onto the street below. In the corner of the room was a basket almost completely obscured by blankets. A bookshelf beside the entrance was overflowing with books. Minx nodded her approval.

"Cosy."

Luna rolled her eyes and dumped her bags onto one of the beds. Quin placed his own bag onto the other bed and caught his breath.

"It's so soft!" He squealed. She laughed. He was right, the bed felt like a cloud compared to what they usually slept on. She flopped onto it as Minx dove headfirst into her basket. Luna felt her eyelids droop; it had been three days since she'd had a proper nights sleep. She mentally smacked herself and forced her aching muscles to move her into a sitting position. Minx yawned, poking her head out from beneath the blankets.

"What squadron do you think we'll be put into?" The dragon asked. Luna shrugged.

"Don't know. Blake didn't let me see that part of the form. I think I saw a six though..."

Minx grinned, her eyes dancing. "The same one as your great uncle?"

"Don't get your hopes up," Luna scolded. "I only saw it for a second."

"Your great uncle must have really been something, huh?" Quin asked. She glanced over at him. He was laying face down on the bed so his voice was muffled as he continued. "I mean, he looked important in that statue they built."

Luna didn't respond, instead standing and making her way over to the window. She wiped away a layer of grime with her sleeve and peered outside.

The sun was already setting and thick storm clouds were rolling in. She wondered if it was going to snow; it was cold enough. She watched people hurry back towards their homes, a few laughing and walking into an obvious pub. Luna looked down and saw the man from before, the one with the dragon on his shoulder, looking up and glaring at her. She pulled her gaze away as someone knocked on the door.

"Come in!" She called. The door creaked open and a teen walked in.

He was maybe a year older than her, black hair styled up in an afro. His coffee brown eyes glittered and his smile was blinding. His lean muscular legs were visible beneath his leggings and Luna caught herself wondering if the rest of his body was like that. But as she smiled back her eyes were drawn to his right arm; it was missing. The sleeve was just tied in a knot, dangling loosely. She pulled her eyes away and focused on his face.

"Hey," She said a little awkwardly. "I'm Luna."

"James," he nodded. He smiled again, flashing his blinding smile. He leant against the doorframe. "I'm the tinkerer."