Dragon Mind

4

Day 7...
Off in the distance I thought I could see the stone gates to the way out but I little hope that what I was seeing was real. I no longer was able to tell day and night. They seem to burr together in the constant heat. I cut a hole a coconut, just a small one to sip the milk from. The others were dead, we were attached by a tiger, which I didn't know we would find out here. My left leg had been mauled badly my right side had a deep scratch from the back to the front. I had finally stopped bleed just hours ago. But atleast I could take the tigers pelt back to their families. Ethan had died after the blood loss became to much, I had tried to drag him but he told me to end it and so I did. I had suffocated him. He had only fought for a minute but I won't forget the exact moment he breathed, "Thank you," so quiet I could barely hear it. The twins had died in the attack. I think it was during high moon, night.

I smiled, the stone in the distance was slowly getting bigger and clearer. It was real, we had only been hours away and then we all could have made it. Tears welled in my eyes but I blinked them back. Ethan's sabor was heavy against my hip. Dead they were dead and I had killed one of them, he had thanked me for killing him. So. Damn. Close.

Even as I continue to drink and walk the stone stays in the distance. Growing with each step. Home, I will make it home. I was going to live. God does everything for a reason. Even if we don't understand he has a plan. Mother is full of shit, there was no god, the only God was death. Quicker and quicker I walked until I was run to the pillars. Home, Father, Brother, Mother. Life. They died but if I die what was the point, one of us needed to survive so all could live.

They past me. Their legs were longer, their reach wider, and they were better. Faster, I pushed myself it took a whole summer but I was able to keep pace, quicker, reach and strength ment nothing if the couldn't hit me, better. I trained, father often picked me up and carried to the healers. They had wanted me to rest, but hours later I would get up and be at training again. By ten most of the town was to intimated to be a suitor for me and the rest wanted normal wives. The boys no longer saw me as something weak to laugh at but as another they would have to work to beat. "Diana, little goddess, ruler of the hunt, the wilderness, and animals. Remember sister you are a god among men."

I had laughed at my brother back then because I thought he was making a joke. Now I know, I am the only girl in the town to do this, the only female among men. I stopped as I crossed the border. Stone I was on stone again. People were crying, brother and father were standing off to the side. I ran to them.

The smiled at me with a pat on the back.

"I need to find the twins parents, and the parents of Ethan." Dad and Elvin nodded at me before set out to help me. I waved the twins family over. They while dad brought Ethan's parents over.

"Marko, Mario, and Ethan were traveling with me. They died last night," I pulled the tiger pelt from my side, "This tiger did it. I don't know your names, I only know you as Ethan's parents but if you want I have his sabor. I won't lie part of me wants to keep it to remember him."

"Keep it we would have no use for it." They did take the pelt though.

Jerry and Marry were the parents of the twins, "They skinned the ram themselves, and took these horns if you want them." Jerry smiled sadly at meas he took them from his hands and lead his wife away. Father who was never big on affectionately displays after I joined the ranks that I was shocked when his arm went to rest around my shoulders as they lead me home. I striped down to nothing but my skin when I walked in my chambers and fell asleep when I hit my straw bed.