The Dragon Prince: Breath of Hope

Chapter 10- The Cursed Caldera

The Caldera was steep, the ground hard and dark, while the trees around them were lifeless. Callum, who was quickly losing the little strength he had to the venom, was supported by Rayla as they walked. She winced at the effort to carry him, but then came to a steady stop, gently easing him down to the ground, "I just need a moment," she explained, sitting on the ground beside him. 

Callum panted as he held his arm, then looked over at Rayla, "Y-your hand..."

She held up the binding, "Yeah... Sunforge blade didn't cut it."

"I-I'm s-sorry."

"Ah, it will come off eventually... when my hand does."

He frowned at her attempted humour, "M-m-maybe the h-healer c-can help you too," he gasped, then winced at the throbbing pain in his arm.

"It's more important she helps you. But how are we even going to find her?"

At that moment, Ezran gasped, looking over the forest to see a strange figure in the darkness with two, glowing green eyes. Rayla quickly stood, "Who's there?!"

The shape jumped forward to reveal itself to be a little girl riding on the back of a large wolf. Callum frowned at her, "Ellis?"

The girl stared at him then smiled, "So I was right! You are a dragon!"

During the walk, his scarf and hood had become too hot, so he'd taken them down, and now his true nature was revealed to her. Ezran looked confused, "How did you know he was a dragon?"

"When you were leaving my place, I was sure I saw his tail... so I kinda followed you. And if you are after the miracle healer, I can help you find her." Ava walked towards them, sniffing at Callum before lying down to let the girl off. Ellis slowly looked over the panting, sweating teen, "You... don't look too good."

The dragon gave her a weak smile, "I'm not..."

She nodded, then looked at the others, "Come on, help me get him onto Ava. She can carry him."

Together, the group helped the dragon onto the back of the beast with Callum lying flat on her back and holding onto the collar at her neck. Ava stood, and even with the extra weight, easily began to walk up the mountain side with the others following.

Without having to carry the dragon, the group made good time through the forest. Rayla looked down at the strange girl, "So... umm... hi there. But who are you exactly?"

The girl turned and smiled sweetly at her, "Me? I'm Ellis, and this is Ava." She pointed to the wolf carrying the dragon beside them, "She's a wolf."

"Wolf? Really?" Rayla smirked, "I thought bird."

Callum looked at her while he held onto his ride, "That was sarcasm... right?"

"Sure was Callum," she teased, but there was no heart in it. He looked as pale as when they'd first met.

Ezran turned around as he walked on ahead, "Oh, I should have introduced you guys. Ellis, this is Rayla. She's a Moonshadow elf who... umm... broke into my home... trying to kill me."

The assassin looked sheepish at the introduction. 

"And that's Callum, or Cadonumis, which is his real name, but he likes to be called Callum. He's a dragon. More than that, he's the Dragon Prince." 

"Wow! I've never met a dragon or an elf before!" she exclaimed, looking back upside down at Rayla, "You're not what I imagined."

Rayla didn't want to ask what she'd imagined and instead looked up the mountain as they continued onward. "So, how do we find this healer?"