The Dragon's Heart

Chapter 14

Aari sneaked quietly and cunning way to afraid the men. The men was startled by the sound and they watch carefully.

"What was that sound?" said the third man.

"I don't know. Probably just an owl." Said the druken man again. Then they heard a loud and very deep growl.

"Is that a sound of an owl you said because it sound like a big demons to me."

"Don't be ridiculous. There's no demons in the wood."

"Then what do you call a werewolf? Do you think werewolf was a cute little puppy or something?" The third man said angrily at his friends.

Aari take an action by spreading fire to them and then they immediately ran away. The men ran away like a chicken and screaming for
help. In the next morning, she had turn into a human again but she discover that her cloak had been
shrieking apart because of her transform yesterday.

In return, Red had given her red hood to Aari but she was heavy hearted to except it. Red said that her Granny will make her a new hood make from a wolf skin. That was something unexpected for Aari but she except the red hood from Red with open heart.While Granny give them a supplied of foods for their rest of the journey.

"Thank you for the foods Granny. I'm so appreciated for your kindness." Said Lionel.

"No problem. It's the least I can do to return our favor for saving our life. And don't worry about your curse dear Aari. I really understand how you feeling even though my own son was a werewolf and now my grandchild too had the same curse as her father. What a very tougher life
for us." Said Granny with a heavy sigh.

"Thank you Granny."

"Are you going to come and visit us?"
"Someday. How could I'm not be. You had help me too, you know?"

"See you later."Aari and Lionel had ride on Anselm and Red and Granny waving goodbye to them.

"Goodbye. Have a save journey and good luck." Said Red yelling at them while waving.

"Thank you and you be safe too." Aari yell at them too and that's the last time that they ever met and she hope that one day Red will find the cure for her cursed too.

They continue their journey to the South and after a long trip without stopping, they take a break under a shady tree and have some lunch that Granny had supplier it for them. Lionel was staring to Aari eating her food without a single blink. Aari found it weird and uncomfortable when he watching her eating.

"So I was wandering, when we had arrived to the South, how do we supposed to find this witch of yours? There could be a hundred witches and wizard there."

"I don't know yet but I heard they had mention about her name before but it was a long time ago."

"What was her name?"

"Ravenna. Have a heard of that name before."

"No but soon or later we will find her. Don't worry about it." Aari didn't have any mood to continue her conversation with him again, instead she continue with her food with silent.

But after an awkward silent between them, Aari find out that Lionel acting so odd. Then she break the silent to vanish the awkward scene between them.

"Are you okay Lionel?"

"Yeah! I'm fine, thank you. Why are asking me that question?"

"Because I found it odd that you are keep staring me eating and it felt irritated."

"Sorry for staring at you. I just can't help it." Said Lionel laughing at himself a little.

"You can't help it what?"

"I can't help myself for stop staring at you because you look beautiful with the red hood." He said with a smile.

"Don't say I'm beautiful. I'm not okay." She lower her head and she doesn't have a courage to look at his face. After she's done eating, she step up and walk away to the shady tree where they were sitting for lunch together.

"Where are you going?"

"To the river." She said without looking at him and just continue walk into the wood. Aari kneeled down beside the river bank and splashed the water onto her face. She felt amazing after she felt the water. The water from the river was fresh and very cold.

The sunlight descendant through the cleft of the leaves and hit onto her skin. Her scale shine bright and sparkled like a water. She take off of her cloak and put it aside and take off of her cloth and just let her undergarment stay put.

When she step inside the cold water, she feel fresh and clean. How long she never take a proper bath before? Too long actually. The water was so cold but she doesn't feel it because her body temperature was to warm and she even has a smoked coming from her nostril too.

It doesn't bother her at all. She just felt calmness in her mind now. Suddenly she heard a sound behind the bushes. There were something hiding behind the bushes and it stop making sound suddenly.

"Who's there? Show yourself now?" she said in threated sound in her voice.

Suddenly there's an
arrow came through out from the bushes and it miss the target because Aari quickly evade from the arrow. Her eyes were wide open when a suddenly a man came out from the bushes and shoot an arrow at her again.

This time, Aari catch the arrow by her own bare hand and watch fiercely at him. The man was very shocked at her action and take another arrow from his back and shoot at her again but there was a sword on his neck. That sword belong to Lionel.

"Shoot another arrow then I will slice your neck." Said Lionel to him. The man suddenly laugh a little to himself. It's like he was crazy for a moment.

"You had got me." He said with a smirk on his face while slowly put his bow and arrow on the
ground and raised his hand in surrender.