The Dragon Vendetta

Chapter 9

Jaddock stared at the paper for a few more seconds rereading it, he shook his head “T-that’s impossible he’s supposed to be dead.” He said. Soul shrugged, “Well the world is kinda going crazy right now.” She said before taking the paper from him “well we still need food I mean the reserve is nearly empty.”  Jaddock said, sitting down on his bed, “I could do it.” Soul said, Jaddock looked at her “I mean if they see me, they’ll think I’m just some wolf…” Maddie interrupted her “but they could shoot you if they do.”

         Jaddock’s stomach growled, “I’d say no, but I’m going mad with hunger.” Jaddock said before lying down on the bed. Soul nodded and shifted into a wolf, and ran out. “You okay?” Maddie asked him, sitting down on the bed next to him, “yeah, just really tired, and hungry.” He whined, “Oh stop being such a baby.” Maddie said laughing at him, but he was right everyone was pretty hungry.

  

         Soul ran out into the forest to look for food, sniffing around she was able to smell deer, rabbit, and other hunting game. She went to the left, and immediately found a rabbit grazing on some clover; stealthily she crouched and pounced on the rabbit. Suddenly a gunshot rang out, Soul looked to her left, tripped and her head fell into a pot, several men watched in confusion, Soul managed to get her head out of the pot.

        

         Out of the corner of her eye she saw, a black dragon perched on a tree branch, watching the situation play out, one man somewhere in his twenties crouched down, and stuck his hand out. Soul huffed and sniffed his hand, all of a sudden Jaddock, stepped out of the tree branch and went forward towards the man, with a look of disbelief, he crooned. The man gasped, “could it be?” he whispered to himself, “Jaddock.” The black dragon smiled. “What is going on here?” an officer walked into the middle of the group, the man got up, and saluted “sir we found a wolf with its head stuck in a pot, but we were able to get her out.” Soul barked and jumped back into the bushes, Jaddock was a little slow in getting the memo, and took off to late “cut him down!” the officer yelled, as arrows, nets, and bola flew up after Jaddock, Soul jumped out in her human form and tackled the officer, Jaddock was brought in, on a net with a few arrows in his leg, and side. “Let the dragon go!” she growled at him, the man from earlier ran up with a rifle, and pointed it at the officer “sorry sir but, I agree with the demon let him go.” He said “Sargent, I’ll right you up for threatening a superior officer!” he yelled at him “Shut up Darian!” the Sargent yelled at him, murmurs erupted from the crowd, as he walked up to the net and cut Jaddock loose, who had been awake for some time now. “Good to see you again buddy.” He smiled at him.

         Soul get off the officer, and let him walk away, and as he walked he away the officer muttered a few choice words about demons, as the crowds dispersed Jaddock shifted back “Hey Corbin it’s good to see you again.” Jaddock said laughing “back at ya.” Corbin said punching his shoulder “I’ll leave you two to catch up, I’m gonna see what they have in the food tent.” Soul said running into the more abandoned part of camp, well at least until breakfast. Soul poked around in the tent and her tail started wagging when she found some jerky.

         “So I thought there were no survivors.” Jaddock said, “Oh no there were survivors, but we did lose several people, including your mother I’m sorry.” Corbin replied, “Why is my dad trying to kill me?” Jaddock asked him, Corbin shrugged “A few days ago your father said he received orders to bring someone back, we didn’t know whom until they said it was a Dragon Halfling, and then we knew it was you. We’ve been on the move for three days.” Jaddock sighed “So, Jaddock how old are you now?” Corbin asked him wanting to change to subject, “I’ll be fifteen in five weeks.” He said “what about you?” Corbin smiled “twenty-eight.” Soul walked up to them with three bags of jerky in her maw.

         “Wow Soul you found a lot in that camp.” Jaddock said laughing “come on lets head back to the hideout.” Jaddock said walking back towards the mountain, Soul and Corbin, followed, Soul shifted back, a gust of wind blew through the trees stinging their skin “god it is cold.” Corbin thought, “So Soul are you and Jaddock, you know dating?” He asked her, Soul laughed and shook her head “He has a girlfriend.” She said, Corbin nodded, and the rest of the trip back to the hideout was spent in silence. “Maddie, Night we’re back!” he said, Maddie and her sister were playing a board game “hey guys, how was the… who is this?” Maddie said when she saw Corbin, “Maddie meet Corbin, Corbin, meet Maddie, and her sister Nightingale or Night for short.” Corbin nodded his hello to both girls, and Soul put the bags of Jerky on the table, “Hey Jaddock I was wondering if we could, go to Fernchance, since I just got a call from my mom and she said my dad isn’t doing so well.” She asked him “Sure.” He answered,  “Yeah sure, it’s been awhile since I’ve seen your parents, let me just break the news to the others.” Jaddock and Maddie walked out of the kitchen “Hey guys I’m thinking of taking a little vacation, to visit Fernchance so Maddie and Night can see their parents.” Jaddock said sitting onto a beanbag that he brought out from one of the rec rooms. “Alright when do we leave?” Soul asked him “Tomorrow morning.” He said.

        

         Later that evening the others had gone to sleep, except for Maddie, and Jaddock who were watching a movie together, “I wish we could do this every night.” Maddie said resting her head on Jaddock’s chest. “I know just you, me, and some random movie.” Jaddock said pulling her in closer to himself, Maddie looked up at Jaddock, “what are looking at?” he asked her, “You.” She answered, “why do I have something on my face?”” Jaddock asked her, she laughed, “What are you laughing at?” he asked her, poking her side, making Maddie giggle “you ticklish?” he asked her, as he poked her again “N-no!” she said cover her waist “Oh I think you are.” Jaddock smirked before launching an onslaught of tickles “stop! Haha haha Jaddock please!” she pleaded in between laughs “do you surrender?” he asked her, as he continued his attack. “I surrender!” she said.

         Jaddock stopped and just stared into her eyes. They were mere inches from each other; Maddie closed the gap as their lips touched, after a full minute of kissing, they separated to regain oxygen, “what was that for?” he asked her silently “that’s for loving me.” She said, before the two fell asleep, in each others arms.