Together forever alone

Hopeless

Present, two and a half hours of passing out.

Daedalus' Head throbbed, for now all he could do was listen. Around him birds sang their cheerful little songs without a care in the world.

He tried to open his eyes, but his eyelids had swelled to the size of a cricket ball. Daedalus tried getting up, but again had no luck. How could he be so stupid, how could he let the Quetzalcoatlus even get close to him. Fighting and killing monsters for twelve years cannot be for nothing, this dragon can change the future. He thought.

As silent as the rustle was, it awakened his senses.

"Who's there!" He yelled, uncomfortably fumbling in the dirt. Found a tree to support his weight. The pain kicked in like getting stabbed again, he was bleeding like a water spout.

Another noise almost like a whisper. A pained expression enveloped his face, he couldn't fend off a fly in this state. "I said show yourself or I will kill you!" He lied.

Daedalus backed up against the tree, then fell onto a patch of dirt-filled grass. Under his greasy disgusting black hair, tears found their way down his rose red cheeks. The guilt rushed in like a tidal wave. Conflicted from is recent decisions he'd made.

Nothing feels right anymore, everything I do goes to shit, why can't I have at least one victory. Daedalus told himself, not caring about the noises around him.

"Just kill me dammit, there's nothing left for me back at home. I'm useless and broken, and these scars I cannot bear!" His words turned into sobs and he muttered faintly, "Just kill me."

Something rushed at him. A weapon was thrown at him, it dug itself into the tree a centimeter from his head. Bark flew everywhere. It took all of his energy to get up on his feet. Daedalus' skin was getting dangerously pale. It was getting harder to breathe.

He felt his wound on the left side of his stomach, how much blood do I have left?

Silence.

All that was heard was the pound of his slowly dying heartbeat.

A twig snapped.

He didn't step on it.

The attacker was already behind him.

As fast as he swiveled around, it wasn't quick enough. A metal object struck the side of him, he couldn't breathe. Falling to the floor with a thud, a hand dragged him up against a stump.

"Who are you and why are you following me?" Said a woman, about seventeen years of age he thought.

"Paranoid much?"

"Answer the question smart ass, and give me another one of those comments and I'll gut you like a fish." She said.

"Oh scary." Daedalus replied sarcastically.

"What the hell idiot do you have a death wish!?"

"Kinda, sorry that you've seen me more dead than you could ever know."

"Just answer the damn question!" She pushed against his skin, making him jolt with unrelenting agony.

"Okay! My name is Daedalus and I'm not following you, I swear please just don't kill me." He reacted like he was under mind control.

"Interesting you just wanted to die a second ago, why is a Daetyrr out here, alone...."

"I'm trying to outrun human soldiers, please this dragon egg could be the only thing stopping this war unfolding."

"But how come the Queen hasn't sent Warriors to help?" She said confused

I'm talking to a Cat. Of course I am.

"Too risky and they can't get involved just yet, this egg needs to reach them secretly."

The conversation fell silent, something was up.

"And where is this dragon egg?"

Daedalus felt the urge to cry in pain and scream at the top of his lungs. But the loss of blood made him feel like a hammer was banging against his head.

It was too much for him to handle. He needed help fast.

Or he was going to die.

Daedalus could now hear a fire blazing in front of him.

Felt the warm sensation it gave off, like a glow of happiness. 

Until an unearthly sound pierced his dry bloody ears. Someone was sharpening their weapons right next to him. He let out a barely audible moan.

"good your awake."

"Oh good I'm alive." radiating sarcasm as he sat up on a wooden bed. He rolled his red eyes.

How long have I been out? Daedalus wondered, barely picking out fragments of memories from earlier.

She let out a soft chuckle, "life must suck that much, eh." She stated.

"Especially since I don't have the egg—," oh no where is it?

He fumbled the ground pointlessly searching the dirt.

His brow started to sweat with fear. Until his eyes darted toward a shiny gold egg.

"It's alright, I found it not far off quit your stupid whining."

The woman was staring at her axe that she was sharpening. She had black hair as dark as the night itself. The wind brushed it like a large fan, it shone a tinted a orange from the campfire. A cloak covered most of her body, hiding everything except her arms. Her hood was down and she looked him curiously. Showing amazing deep purple eyes that made him intrigued.

"So what's up with the nightmares?" She asked

"Nightmares?"

"Yes dumbass, what's so bad that had to make me cover you mouth with a cloth?"

"Must you always call me something rude?"

Must you always use a sarcastic tone?"

"Ok fine, well... everyone has done something they regret, well I went a path that would make anyone go insane." He replied

"Care to explain?"

Daedalus sighed heavily. "My kingdom was planning on handing the one creature that could save the whole land and I ran away with it. Probably dooming my people to a horrible death and I'm to blame for it. Happy?" Speaking really fast while pointing to the pot over the campfire, she nodded in approval.

"Happy as you could be to hear such a story." She grabbed the pot and handed him the spoon. "You need to eat and rest Daedalus, only a moron would travel in your... state." Her purple eyes glared into his, watching him put the wooden cutlery in his mouth. Noticing that it was a little creepy she then switched to look at the grass covered dirt.

"Mmmm... I never asked your name?"

She jumped a bit, almost like she was excited to tell him. "Oh yes! Where are my manners, my name is Juniper and as you probably know I am a Mitsuruyuki," Juniper said pointing at her adorable cat ears poking out of her long hair. Daedalus noticed they sometimes flickered when the fire crackled. "I've been here for about three to four years, it's hard to keep track of time you see."

Daedalus remembered someone just after he uncounted the Quetzalcoatlus.

"Do you know a man around here, possibly a rude git you wants you out of his forest.... maybe?" He asked abruptly. Juniper's eyes lightened and she shot up.

"Ha, so I'm not going crazy. That bastard of a Wizard keeps ruining my hunting trips!"

"A Wizard! That's exactly what we need to get out of here." Daedalus rose up suddenly, maybe a bit to fast. His face fell into a puddle next to the campfire, "maybe later perhaps." He said slumping to the floor.

Juniper cackled and tears trickled down her cheeks, she couldn't stop laughing so heavily.

If she kept at this pace she would die of it, but it stopped after a minute and she's helped him back up. Trying carefully not to further damage his wings pulling him.

Daedalus then fell asleep in seconds as Juniper ate her dinner.