Dragon Keeper Series The Time to be Renewed Book 2

Chapter 5

Amy and Tatiana had been traveling for a while now. The sun had yet to rise and it felt like they had been flying forever. They finally stopped for a break in a clearing by a river to get some food, water, and some relaxation. "Hey Tatiana I'll. be back I'm going to gather some more food for us. I'll send a signal if I need you. Ok?" Yeah that's fine I'll wait here for you." Leaving the clearing she wanders through the woods. After she wanders for an hour or so she finds another clearing and walks around in it for a while. All of the sudden she hears a voice and she stops in her tracks frozen she looks around for Ratarans. The voice speaks again and then there's movement in the corner of her eyes. She looks over and sees a girl in the trees waving at her. The girl climbs down and walks closer to her. "Stop moving. Stay there. Who are you? Are you a Rataran in disguise?""A Rataran? No. Why would I work for that evil idiot.""I'm just making sure. I've had run ins with him and his minions.""Oh. I'm sorry."" It's fine just stay back.""Stay back? Why?""Cause of what I'm getting ready to do.""What are you getting ready to do?""Summon a dragon." Her eyes go big."A dragon! Are you crazy! They can kill you!""Not this one." She raises her hand and a fire blazes in it and steadily grows bigger. Then in one quick motion it shoots up into the sky. A few minutes later a red dragon flies down into the clearing and lands with a heavy thump. "Whoa! Dragon! Watch out!""Relax this is Scarlet my dragon. I'm Amy. What's your name?""Liz short for Elizabeth."Liz looks up at the blanket of darkness with patches of stars covering it. "You want to take a closer look at the stars?""Huh?" Looks at her confused. Amy rolls her eyes."Do you want to go for a ride?" Liz has a startled look in her eyes." No I couldn't.""Why not? Your just flying.""Maybe but she's also a dragon." Rolling her eyes again."Come on you'll be fine. I'll keep you safe."She grabs her hand and pulls her up on Scarlet's back. As she settles on her back Scarlet speaks."Where shall we go Dragon Keeper?""Whoa she can speak?""Yes I can speak through the mouth and the mind.""Speak through the mouth and the mind? What's that mean?""She can speak verbally and telepathically. It startled me at first but I've become so used to it that I can't live without her.""Hmm I don't really know what that feels like. I haven't had very many people that I can talk to as companions.""Oh Liz I'm sorry.""No it's okay cause I have you now." Smiling at Amy. She takes a deep breath"So where are we going?""We're going back to camp."Amy makes a signal and Scarlet leaps into the night sky. "Wait what? We're going to camp? No. I can't go to camp! I'm not allowed to leave!" She starts muttering things that can't be heard over the wind."You have to take me back or else they'll find me."Amy turns around to face her."Liz who'll find you?"Liz has fear in her eyes and tears start to roll down her rosy cheeks. Amy makes another signal and Scarlet dives down to land in a field. As soon as they land Liz jumps off and runs full speed back the way they'd come. Amy chases her thankful for the time spent with the elves building up her speed. She soon catches up with her as they enter the clearing again. "We've really got to stop meeting in this clearing." She chuckles trying to cheer up the mood. Liz climbs up a tree in the clearing with Amy following her. They both sit down in a branch as Liz rocks back and forth."Liz?" She asks gently."What's going on?Who will find you?""The Hunters."Liz says softly."Finally an answer. Now who are the Hunters?"As Liz calms down she talks more and more."No one really knows. They keep their identities secret really well.""Ok so then why can't you leave here?""If I leave they will find me and kill me just like they did with my family. I could've saved them but I stead I ran like a coward."Tears start rolling down her face."I'm sorry Liz. Come here." Amy wraps her in a hug as she continues crying."I know how you feel Liz."She stops crying for a moment."You do? How?""My sister was taken by Rataero weeks ago and she's the only family I have.""Oh Amy I'm so sorry I didn't know. Who's Rataero?"Amy sighs. He's the ruler of Artasia the land where I live.""Wow I'm sorry." They both just sit there enjoying the peace and quiet when suddenly Liz looks at the ground. "We have to go now."She says looking at Amy with fear in her voice. Though for a second there Liz's brown eyes turned gold."The Hunters are here." Amy climbs down the tree while Liz jumps from the branch to the ground below. As soon as their feet touch ground they run towards Scarlet. They find her and climb on and she flies into the sky and hover for a few minutes. Amy holds her hand out and a spark pops into it and she throws it into the trees."Umm... was that a very good idea? I mean fire and trees don't mix well.""Oh yeah it's fine my friend will control it.""Your friend? Who's your friend?""You'll find out soon enough. While we are waiting do you know if they have dragons?" "What?" "Dragons. You know? You're riding one. Do they have them."Liz laughs."I know that. I meant who?""The Hunters.""I don't know there was a fire but I don't know how it was started.""Hmm ok."Suddenly movement occurs in the trees. Liz watches the movement and her eyes turn that golden color again."It's them.""How do you know it's them?""That's how they travel.""Wait how do you know how they travel.""I don't know. I just know its them."The movement stops and a blur of green flies out from the trees."What's that?"The blur stops in front of them. It was a dragon with a girl riding it. "Do we know her?"Looking at her. The girl does a strange gesture with her hands. Amy turns around to face her."No I don't." "Hello."Liz says cautiously."Darn it. Your no fun.""What do you mean I'm no fun?""I'm saying that I know her and I was messing with you.""That's mean." She says frowning."Sorry but it would've been funny."She gestures back to the girl and fly towards her."Liz this is Tatiana.Tatiana this is Liz."They both say hi to each other. "So why is she here?""Oh she's an earth elementalist. "Cool. Do out have an element?""Yeah you've seen it before.""So what do we do now?""We'll we find somewhere safe and hopefully Tatiana can build a barrier.""Okay well lets get moving." They fly down towards the trees while looks at the stars noticing a light blue one."I wonder how old that star is."Pointing it out to Amy."We may never know but is it me of us it getting closer.""Uh yeah and fast."Amy looks forward to Tatiana."Can we pick up the pace Tatiana?"Pointing out the blue star. Tatiana nods and they fly faster as Tatiana uses her magic to bend the trees into an opening. Liz turns around to find the blue star only to find it in her face."Ahh! Amy?!""What?!"She turns around seeing the blue star she flies faster following Tatiana into the trees just as Liz passes out and the blue star falls through the forest."Great your dead." She mutters joking. They all land just as Liz wakes up groaning."What happened?""You passed out we landed blu star fell somewhere around here.""Oh should we go check it out do you think?""I don't know if that's a goo idea I mean we don't know what it was.""We'll then that's even more of a reason to go check it out. Come on. For all we know it could've been a person.""A person?" Amy says skeptically."Yeah you know like a... a fallen angel.""An angel? That's...interesting."Amy says slowly."So where did it land?""Umm... I don't know. Tatiana?""Don't look at me I didn't pay attention.""Okay so then which way did it fall?""Down."Amy smiles"I know that . I'm not st.."Liz pauses as a ringing noise racks her head painfully."Liz?Are you okay?"Amy asks."Yeah I'm fine."She slowly stands up only to fall over again."Liz!""I'm fine but its coming from behind yo two.""What's coming from behind us?""You don't hear it?""Hear what?""The ringing coming from behind you.""No. Can you stand?""I...I think so."She stands up shakily."Can we get this noise out of my head?""Yeah but how?""We follow it."She starts walking but doubles over in pain again."Okay but let us help you." Amy and Tatiana support her on both sides as they walk in the direction of the noise with Liz in pain along the way. They finally reach the point where the ringing is coming from and lay Liz down. She crawls with what strength she has left and looks behind a bush."Toby? Is that you?""Liz?""Who's Toby?" Amy and Tatiana say at the same time and look at each other. " Toby is my best friend that I've known since I was 5.""Hello."Liz starts asking Toby questions her strength renewed. After what feels like hours Toby asks"So who are they?"Poitnig ata Amy and Tatiana."Oh that's Amy and Tatiana. They're Dragon Keepers. And if course this is Toby. He's a fallen angel.""Okay I'm just gonna pretend that I understood that. We should probably get moving though in case they followed us.""In vase who followed?""The Hunters."says Liz as Toby's face darkens. They start walking and Toby tells them about the Hunters."So let me get this straight these Hunters hunt non humans and kills them." Amy says."Pretty much yeah.""So then would that mean they will come after us?"Tatiana asks."We're not sure they just tend to attack whenever they feel like it.""We'll that's fantabulous. That's all up know about them?""Yeah."Toby and Liz say at the same time."So then I guess we just wait for them to come now that you're here.""Yeah except they wouldn't be after me. They'd be after Liz."Liz turns around with wide eyes at him"What?""But you just got here so then why wouldn't they come after you when she's been here longer?""They have been looking for her, that's why I'm here. I came to warn you but I wasn't supposed to until next week bur then the Hunters came to warn us that if we warned you they would kill, they took hostages until your killed. That's why I'm here."Toby looked at Liz."I'm sorry." He says sadly."Whoa! Information overload! Why is she wanted dead?"Amy asks. Toby looks at Liz again."Why are you wanted dead?"Liz looks down."Uhh... I'm not sure but I think it has to do with my family.""Oh. Do you know what they did?"Tatiana said."My family?""No your dog.""No, I don't know what they did but they weren't home a lot. So I practically lived with Toby." Toby and Liz both laughed at that as they made they're way back to the dragons. When they reached them Tatiana went off to a secluded spot and started muttering to herself. There was a creaking sound all around them as if the trees were bending. "What's that noise?"Toby asks."Oh it's Tatiana she's building a barrier for us. I did tell Liz that she was a Earth elementalist. She's literally bending the trees to her will to make them whatever shape she wants.""Wow cool."Toby says as they both watch with wide eyes as the trees grow closing the sky off with trees. As she finishes she turns around and falls to the ground. Liz and Toby run to her and help her up pelting her with questions to see if she's okay. "I'm fine just drained." She says weakly. They lay her next to her dragon and she falls asleep immediately. "Will she be okay?"Liz asks."Oh yeah she'll be fine. Sorry I forgot to let you know this would happen.""What?"Liz asks looking co fused.""That because of building this "gestures around" it would drain her of her magic and make her weak.""Oh it's ok."Liz says."It's normal for all Dragon Keeper and magicians." "That's really cool."Amy looks at her and raises her eyebrow."Really? Becoming weak and using up almost of of your magic and having no way to defend yourself except your dragon?""No oh my gosh in sorry. I meant your magic.""Oh yeah it comes in handy. Alrighty what to do now? Ooh got it ? Who's hungry?"Liz and Toby both raise their hands."Me!" They both say at the same time."Okay let's go find some food." Amy says and hops onto Scarlet."Again?"Liz says."What? I'm getting food. Aren't you hungry?""Yeah but I'm still getting used to the flying."Toby laughs and Liz smacks him across the head."Okay first you used to be an angel who used to fly all the time. And two I'm not flying I'm getting the food packs."Toby stops laughing and looks at Amy."A what?""What do you mean?""A food pack.""A place to store food while traveling.""Oh how far away is it?""It's right here."Amy says confused."What?Where?"They both look around confused."Oh my gosh."She reaches down beside Scarlet and pulls up a bag."Ok so how do you not know of a food bag? I mean Toby just got here but you Liz have been here a while. Seriously.""Well I don't get out much and I haven't talked to anybody in years.""True. We can blame the Hunters for that. Here eat but save some for Tatiana and me. We have to eat too.""Okay. Thanks."They go and sit on the grass and start to waterhole Amy sits down next to Scarlet watching them eating and laughing while catching up with each other."What are we going to do Scarlet? We have to find Draehr Sanuwae and help them."Amy sighs scratching Scarlet's head."But we can't leave them either. They're being tracked by the Hunters and could be killed at any moment. They're just not safe alone. But the longer were gone from Draehr Sanuwae the more dragons die or get captures. I just don't know what to do."She sighs again and sees that Liz and Toby are done eating. "You should probably go find something to eat girl but be careful." Amy gets up and walks over to them while Scarlet disappears through the wall. "So am I allowed to eat now? Y'all didn't eat it all did you?""Yes."They said together laughing."Y'all ate it all?""No!"They said laughing more."We were saying that you could eat now and that we didn't eat it all."Liz says."Oh good cause I'm starving."Amy opens the bag and looks in."Hey where's all the food. I thought y'all said you didn't eat it all." She looks at them all sad. Liz looks at her confused."We put it on there."Amy then starts smiling."Kidding!Gotcha!"Amy and Toby start laughing."Hey!"Liz frowns and crosses her arms."Bully.""Me? A bully? Nooo."Amy looks shocked and offended."Yes you are."Amy shakes her head laughing."But then why is Toby laughing?"Is he a bully too?""Yes.""But he's been your friend since you were 5 and your telling me he's never pulled a prank on you before?""Well actually I was the one who pulled the pranks." Liz starts laughing and thinks of the pranks done to Toby."And how did he react?""Omg it was hilarious!"Toby glares at her."No it wasn't.""Exactly! The way you felt about pulling pranks on him is how I feel about playing pranks on you. It's the same.""Yeah. True.""Good crisis avoided now I can eat.""Oh! I never asked you what you were doing near the woods did I?"Amy stops eating and looks up at her with a guarded look on her face."No you didn't.""So why were you?"Amy hesitates when Tatiana walks up behind her."Tell them Amy. They should know." Liz looks at Tatiana ."We should know what?" Amy looks at Tatiana worried."But then they'll be on even more danger." Liz stands up alerted."What is it that you need to tell us?" Amy sighs. "Tatiana and I are on a mission.""Ooh what kind of mission?""A dangerous one. We're on our way to Draehr Sanuwae to help the dragons there. They're being attacked by Rataero's minions and are being captured.""Oh no! That's not good.""Yeah but I got to meet both of you along the way. Which is great because you're much more fun than Tatiana."She says whispering."Hey I heard that!" Amy Liz and Toby start laughing."Tatiana I'm just joking.""How did you two meet anyway?"Liz asks. Amy stops laughing and grows quiet. Tatiana puts her hand on her shoulder."She met me when Rataero captured her sister and I took her back to the elf kingdom where she's been learning to fight and learn magic.""Oh cool.""Umm...did you not hear the part about my sister?"Amy says finally."Oh no I heard that but I didn't mean that loosing your sister is cool.""Ok you really need to clarify what you call cool.""Yeah sorry."she says looking down."So now what are you going to do now that Toby and I are here?""I don't know yet. But let's go ahead and get some sleep.""Yeah we should its been a long day."Liz says. Amy gets up and gives the food pack to Tatiana to eat and heads to wards the dragons with the others following. Apparently while they had been eating Scarlet had come back. They all lie down next to them with Amy under Scarlet's wing and Tatiana under her dragon's wing. Liz says goodnight to everyone and falls asleep. Toby falls asleep while thinking about tomorrow and what could happen. As the dragons fall asleep they start to snore causing a bit of smoke to rise from Scarlet's nose as Amy and Tatiana fall asleep as well. The night passed quick while they slept and soon Liz was waking Toby. "What?...Liz? What're you doing? What's going on?""Come on Toby. Get up. We're leaving." "Leaving? Why?""We're a trouble for them. They need to go save those dragons and were stopping them from doing that.""Ok. Lets go." He gets up still groggy from sleep and starts following her. Suddenly a noise sounds from outside the barrier wall but they keep walking ignoring it. "So what do we do now Liz?""I don't know but I'm hoping to figure that our soon." They continue walking but stop when the noise gets louder and a small hole forms in the wall causing Tatiana pain in her sleep. A hand pokes through the hole and pushes against the sides to make the hole bigger. A hard rough voice emerges from behind the wall."You need a place to go? I can help with that?" Liz turns around and pushes Toby towards the others telling him to run to them and turns and faces the voice. "No thanks we can find our own way. Who are you?""The question is not who I am but who you are Liz?" She slowly backs away looking around and sees more holes forming in the wall around them. Tatiana gets up and shakes Amy awake and then faints from pain. Liz watches Tatiana and Amy and turns back to face the voice." I asked you first. Now who are you?" The voice chuckles hauntingly."Liz you already know who we are." Liz freezes and her eyes change to the golden color and narrows them.