Belladonna

11

They made their way as silently as possible through the tangled mess of jungle. Xavier was always on guard and kept glancing behind them. Everything was still and silent. He was still looking behind them when Alex came to a complete stop. Xavier crashed into her back, nearly sending them tumbling to the ground.

"My bad," He mumbled tensely, steadying them with an arm about her waist.

He looked at what made them stop and his mood darkened further. In front of them were a stretch of clean territory and an alluring waterfall. As tempting as it would have been to run headlong to the glorious sight, they knew there was something off about it. Belladonna was a beautiful country that was filled with treachery.

The expanse was grassy and clean. Many beautiful flowers decorated the bank of the water, enticing people with their scent. A doe drank heartily from the basin beneath the waterfall. The brown eyes of the animal peered into the water with a blank look.
Alex grasped Xavier's arm and pulled him down low under the bushes. He didn't utter a word but crouched there with her, both of their eyes trained on the beast. They sat there until their legs began to cramp and ache. The doe had made her way around the bank of the water and was now munching greedily on the fresh grass. Xavier glanced at Alex for permission to stand but she shook her head defiantly. Suddenly, a deafening roar, that they knew all too well, split the air. Xavier's eyes widened and he looked ready to bolt, but her hand on his arm held him in place.

They watched as the fire-bred creature swooped into the clearing and grasping the doe in his jaws, swallowed it whole. It turned its yellow eyes on the surrounding area, released a snort, before entrapping all of the trees in a flaming demise. The fire spewed over their heads and forced them to duck lower. The smoke was thickening in the dense air. Alex held back a cough and looked to Xavier, there was no going backward now. Looking forward didn't look good either.

Time was of the essence as she pondered their decision. The dragon was waiting for them, patiently licking its jaws. The waterfall would be their only chance of survival, the dragon wouldn't dare spew at them or try to fly through it. It was a fire-bred creature, so unless it was extremely desperate, it would leave them alone as soon as they made it under the water.

Grabbing Xavier's hand, she made a beeline to the edge of the water. Xavier saw her decision but couldn't question her on it for fear of grabbing the dragon's attention. Their one warning was being ignored. The life or death situation called for an extreme measure.

The dragon noticed their flight and swept his tale towards them. Alex released Xavier's hand and jumped like a nymph over the tail. Xavier followed suit and dodged the mouth of the beast. It snapped at him, intending on splitting him in two. The thick scales deflected the arrow, and the dragon turned quickly to the woman who had fired the shot. She quickly darted out of his eyesight. Xavier had escaped and was running after the woman. They were nearly at the basin when a blast of fire shot into their path. They both dove out of the way, Alex rolling into her landing and Xavier landing straight on his belly. The dragon moved swiftly to take Xavier, Alex flying at him from the side, slicing at the creature's eye with a poison dagger from her boot. A screech mixed with a roar made her ears ring when she landed. Her dagger was now coated in the golden blood of the beast. She quickly made her way over to Xavier, who was struggling to stand, and urged him forward. The fire was now spreading through the grass, blocking any other exits they may have had.

"We've got to get to the waterfall," she yelled above the crackling and roaring.

He nodded, still seeming dazed before following her lead. She dove into the basin of water, the lukewarm feeling making her shiver involuntarily. Then she swam gracefully to the waterfall. Dipping under, she swam forward with uneasy strokes. She could barely see, but once she made her way under the tumultuous water, she swam upwards. Gasping for air, she found herself behind the waterfall. To her surprise, there was a small cave in front of her. Grasping the cold stone in her hand, she hoisted herself onto the ledge that led to the cave and waited for Xavier. He appeared not moments after and coughed out the water in his lungs.