The Roselands

Chapter 13

   There was a loud commotion going on inside of Leer's cave and I couldn't make out one voice from another. It was just one loud roar. Sprite took my hand and led me through the crowd, closer to Leer's throne. The Drago hybrid had his hands full keeping the hybrids at bay and so as we approached, he didn't acknowledge us. "Calm down. Calm down, everybody. It's nothing to worry about. It was one creature. Nothing to fear."

   A small hybrid in the front, a teenage boy who looked completely normal, stomped his foot and pointed at humongous hybrid. "Yeah! One Zytrey. Who tried to attack me and Ferget."

   When he mentioned a Zytrey, I was suddenly very interested. Leer snarled down at the boy. "Enough out of you, Braggit. Now atop scaring the others."

   He stood and his tail slid to the floor, causing me to leap back as it swung and nearly unmanned me in the process. He opens  his mouth as if to speak, but an ear piercing shriek suddenly echoed around the cave. The hybrids nearest to the entryway screamed and dove inside, shoving and fighting to get to safety. That shriek sounded vaguely unfamiliar, but I had to make sure before flinging myself into danger. Leer was too busy rounding up the panicked hybrids to notice as I shoved my way to the entryway. I got past the final hybrid and looked up. Sure enough, I recognize the creature circling up above.

   Dad.

   I ran outside and waved my arms and he spotted me quickly, swooping down low and landing on the path. It was a narrow strip of dirt and so he didn't have enough room to keep his wings, but he managed to keep himself balanced. "Whew. It was a doozy trying to find this place."

   Everything had gone silent behind me and I turned to see Leer approaching carefully. Dad saw him as well and he jerked back, his wings flaring. "No no no! It's alright. He's peaceful."

   I held my hands up and my father calmed, letting his wings settle as Leer approached. Leer looked at me and then glanced at my father. "Who is this Zytrey?"

   A sigh passed my lips and I gestured at him. "This is my father. Why he's here I still don't know."

   Thyte chuckled and held out a hand to me. "I've come to take you home. You can finally be part of a proper family."

   Shock had me enthralled for a moment, but then the shock faded into excitement. I glanced at Leer and the Drago shrugged. "I guess it's up to you. Technically the officials never said that hybrids couldn't live in the Roselands."

   I turned to my dad and began to nod, but then I paused and looked back. Sprite stood beside Leer, holding Ginger's hand. Ginger's eyes were brimming with tears and as she blinked, both eyes poured over, letting those tears moisten her cheeks. I looked at dad and he cocked his head at me. "It's up to you son. I won't force you to come back if you don't want to."

   I glanced back once more at Sprite and her eyes were also moist, but she was holding them back as hard as she could. "Go ahead. You'll be more happy with your family."

   This was by far the hardest decision I'd ever had to make. I could go home and live with the family who loved me, or I could stay and possibly start up a relationship with the girl of my dreams. I sighed and looked at dad. "No. I wanna stay."

   He smiled and nodded. "Alright. I merely came to ask. Maybe I can visit sometime. And maybe I'll bring your mother along once in a while."

   I smiled and hugged him before he jumped backwards off the cliff and glided over the rim of the valley. I turned back and Sprite didn't look happy. If anything, she looked mad. "No! You weren't supposed to make that decision. You were supposed to go home and be happy with your family. I saw your face when your mother left. You didn't want to stay here."

   I smiled at her and took her hand as the hybrids began to head back to their caves. "I didn't want to stay before, but now I do."

   She huffed and looked at the ground. "Why?"

   I leaned over and plopped a kiss on her cheek, meeting her eyes they snapped up to meet mine. "Because of you."

   She blushed, but then she shook her head. "But I'm not that special. I'm a hybrid." "So am I."

   "Yeah, but…"

   It made me smile to hear her not being able to complete her argument. I led her to our cave and hugged her, even when she was trying to shove away. "I don't know why you think I should've left, but I stayed so I could be with you."

   She paused, staring at the floor for a moment. "But…I'm not special. I don't deserve a guy like you. You're normal."

   I gave her a tight squeeze around her waist and then kissed her forehead, tilting her face up with a finger under her chin. "Everything you just said was wrong. You are special. You deserve far more than me. And I may look normal, but I'm still of impure blood. Now I'm gonna say this one more time. No matter what you say and no matter what you tell yourself, I stayed because of you. And I won't leave this place as long as you're here."

   Her green eyes were flooded with tears and suddenly she smiled, leaning her head on my shoulder. "That was the sweetest thing anybody's ever said to me!"

   I smiled and leaned down, pulling her face up. "Good. Now how about we finish up the serious moment down at the dock?"

   She blushed, but follow my guiding hand easily. Her lips parted and her eyes closed. I closed mine as well and I felt her breath on my lips, but right as our mouths brushed each other's, someone came racing into the cave. "Guys! Come quick! Someone's…woah!"

   We snapped our heads around and saw Dusty in the doorway, staring at us like we'd just turned purple and grown two heads. "What're you doing?!"

   I let her go and looked closer at him. "Not important. Now what's wrong?"

   Dusty shook himself and then pointed up the pathway. "Someone kidnapped Ginger!"