Purple Dragon (Yona of the Dawn)

Troubled Heart

Alya's P.O.V

It's been three days since I began my journey with Yona and the others, we are heading North but our destination is still far off. We've spent our days walking the roads, hiding from soldiers and fighting off the occasional bandits. We dragons are trying to learn more about each other but it seems none of them are aware of my ability to connect our minds, hopefully, it will stay that way. Every night Yona sneaks away from camp to practice her archery and I admire her determination but it's affecting her too greatly, she'll collapse if she doesn't get a good nights sleep soon/

THWAK! I sat up at the sound of what I assumed was an arrow piercing a tree. I climbed to my feet and wandered to where Yona was knocking another arrow.

"You should be resting, if we move quickly we can reach the base of the mountains tomorrow but if you're too tired it'll extend our journey," I said. Yona turned to me.

"I need to get better, I can't rely on Hak or the rest of you to always protect me." She said.

"I understand your desire, but right now you're only holding the group and yourself back. Get some sleep and you can resume training once we reach the Dragons Birthplace." I said. She sighed and nodded, I waited for her to collect the arrows and she curled up and went to sleep instantly. I walked over to where Sin-ha was standing guard.

"Go sleep, I'll take over now," I said. I couldn't read him, his face covered and his body language was stiff and he didn't speak. Suddenly a squirrel crawled out of the white hair attached to his mask and hopped onto my shoulder.

"Ao will keep you company." He said and walked away. I watched him move before leaning against a tree and kept my eyes and ears open for anybody approaching our camp, I couldn't wait to see the original dragons homeland it will be amazing! I've heard stories from Tamara, she told me only when the crimson king and the five dragons return together will it be opened and people have tried to enter before but haven't been seen since. 

I stiffened when I heard what sounded like voices, I slipped through the bushes to see a campfire and a couple dozen men sitting around it. They were speaking in hushed voices but I could sense malice emanating from the group and I moved closer to hear what they were saying.

"There is a group camping close to here, just before dawn we'll raid them." One of the men said and the rest chuckled as they made plans to attack us. I slipped back to our camp and one by one I awoke the other dragons who were surprised that I had woken them. I put my finger to my lips signaling them to keep quiet and gestured for them to follow me, once we were farther away I explained to them what I had seen. 

"I worried about taking on so many by myself," I admitted to them.

"Then let's teach them why they shouldn't threaten our master," Gija said raising his hand, the scales glistened in the moonlight and I held out my hand as fire burst to life on my palm. I led them towards the camp where several of the men were sleeping while others were guarding the camp. We split up each focusing on one of the guards while swiftly and silently knocking them out. We tied up the sleeping men to the guards, Sin-ah and I raided the camp for anything useful when I heard sudden shouting. The men had woken and were bellowing when I kicked one of them in the stomach silencing him.

"Be quiet, be grateful we decided to let you live." I snarled.

"How dare you do this to us, we are an elite assassination team from the village of Fire!" One of the men shouted.

"Fire? You, people, know nothing of fire. And as for assassins, I might believe you if you were not so loud." I said. I leaned down next to the campfire and reached my hand in, it was warm but didn't burn and flames tickled my hands. I lifted my hand out bringing some of the fire with me and turned to the men.

"My god, what kind of monsters are you?" The man shouted.

"I am not a monster. I am a dragon." I snarled in his face pressing the flame close to him, he cringed as the flames burned hotter causing his skin to turn red and begin to blister. I crushed the flame in my hand and stood up straight.

"What do we do with them?" I asked.

"We wait until Yona wakes up and ask her, she is our master and it should be her decision," Gija said, so Shin-ah went back to our camp and returned with Yona, Hak and Yun, we quickly explained what had happened.

"We can't kill them and we can't take them with us... we'll have to let them go," Yona said.

"We could leave them like this and leave," I suggested.

"That's almost the same as killing them," Yona said. I just shrugged, they threatened us I can't say I have much sympathy for them.

"We should knock them out, untie them and leave them as they are. We'll get as far from here as we can." Hak said. We all agreed on Hak's idea, as long as I can hurt them a little more I don't really care what happens to them. We quickly knocked them out and untied them before packing up our stuff and continuing North at a faster pace then we had the last couple days.

"Thank you for your advice Alya, I guess it's true I won't be of much use if I'm always tired," Yona said to me as we walked.

"As Gija would say, it's the duty of the five dragons to look out for our masters well being. But truthfully I want to get to the dragons birthplace as soon as possible and you've been the slowest in the group." I said.

"HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT TO OUR DEAR MASTER?!?!?!" I'll give you one guess as to who said that. If you guessed Shin-ah... your an idiot it was Gija.

"Gija you coddle her, she wants to be stronger so start treating her like a warrior. If you keep her in a bubble she'll never be strong." I snapped back at him and moved ahead to walk next to Shin-ah.

"You treat her very differently than the rest of us," Shin-ah mumbled.

"You're all men, it's easier for me to understand her because I'm a woman," I said. He said nothing else but it bothered me that I couldn't read his expression and I didn't want to invade his head to find out what he was thinking. Maybe I can help him escape his shell, he always seems a bit lonely and it reminds me of the years before Tamara saved me. Alright, I've decided, I'm going to get Shin-ah to come out of his shell and stop depending on his mask. I'm going to help him understand that he's not a monster and he's not cursed.