The Dragon's Chase

Chapter Two

Thassio Stonelace was in trouble. He was already in deep with Sonya for causing a small avalanche that had fallen on a small village at the base of a mountain, he didn't need to be late home to the village from scouting as well. He found a shortcut above a small village near the trees that hid his home village, but he did not anticipate someone spotting him.

So, when Thassio was changing back into human form after landing in the clearing only a half of a mile from his village, he did not expect for someone to be watching him. There was a girl who looked to be about the same age as he looking on. She had wavy brown hair and sky blue eyes, paired with somewhat tan skin and a shorter stature. His eyes widened. How much had she seen?

"Who are you?!" Thassio demanded of her. "What are you doing here? Did you follow me?"

The girl seemed speechless for a few moments. Thassio watched her mouth open and close, gaping like a fish gasping for air. She finally spoke after what seemed like ages, "What are you?"

"That is none of your concern," Thassio growled. Who was this girl? "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Are-are you a dragon?" she asked, clearly in disbelief.

Thassio's eyes widened as panic filled his whole body, causing him to itch to run away, but his feet stuck to the ground, unable to move. "How much did you see?" he managed to ask, anxiety creeping into his voice.

"I-I saw a thing flying over my village and then scales going back to your boots," the girl confessed, stepping into the clearing. "Are you a dragon?"

Thassio sighed. She had seen too much. "What's your name? I'm Thassio."

"I-I'm Ava," she said, seeming rather shocked by Thassio's response.

"Come with me, Ava," Thassio said, offering his hand.

Ava reluctantly accepted. This Thassio guy was tall, at least eight or nine inches taller than herself. "Where are we going?"

"I have to show you something, but you have to promise not to tell anyone," Thassio told her.

Thassio began to lead her away from the clearing, switching his grip to around her wrist. "So why were you spying on me?"

"I-I wasn't," Ava admitted sheepishly. Then, her tone strengthened as she gained some confidence. "Like I said, I saw you and got curious, so I followed the flying shape to that clearing and I saw you."

Thassio just nodded. "What did you see?"

"Scales going from your legs to the tops of your boots," Ava told him. "That's it. Where are you taking me, Thas?"

Thassio scowled. "Don't call me that. And you'll see, I can't say it out loud."

Ava scowled as they walked through the forest. Thassio was practically dragging her, he was moving so fast. After another few minutes of walking, they emerged in a rather large village. At the center was a short, heavy set woman with curly red hair that went everywhere and. . .crimson eyes? That was unique.

The woman looked as if she were in her thirties, yet there was an oldness to her eyes, as if she had lived for hundreds of years and seen many things throughout each of them. Her eyes narrowed and her arms were crossed as Thassio dragged Ava into the village square.

"Who is that?" she demanded. "Thassio, I told you to go out on patrol, not bring back a human girl."

"She's not magical," Thassio told her, letting go of Ava's hand. "Sonya, please. She might be the one that the prophecy spoke of."

"What do you know of prophecies?" Sonya demanded, walking over to Thassio and hitting him upside the head, standing on her toes to do so. "You're too naïve, Thassio! Your belief in humans is what caused that avalanche two years ago. You cannot just bring in the first human girl without magic that you come across!"