Dragon Tamer

Chapter 2

After leaving Destiny alone, Axel’s guilt starts to consume him. He does his best to hide it from his sister, but she knows him all too well.

***

Destiny

THUD!

Spirit stopped hearing a loud thud. Axel and I turned to see a body lying on the ground. We all looked at each other, then Axel turned Spirit around. As Spirit approached the body, we realized it was Max.

“Max!” I shouted, climbing off Spirit. “Max! Are you okay? Max!” I crouched down to his body to see if he was alright. Axel walked up behind me with Spirit’s reins in his hand. “Axel, help him!” I begged.

Axel took his sheathed sword and poked Max. He didn’t move. “Whelp, he’s dead.”

“Axel!”

“What? If he’s dead, he’s dead. There’s nothing we can do about it. Leave him, let the flies get him.”

“You sure are heartless, you know that?” Max said, lifting his head.

“Max, are you okay?” I asked worriedly.

“Oh, he’s still alive.”

“Axel!”

Axel shrugged his shoulders. Meanwhile, Spirit started to eat the grass in the area. Clearly, these two didn’t care if he was alive.

“Can you stand up?” I asked, helping Max stand.

“Yeah, I think so,” he groaned.

“What happened?”

“My feet gave out. I was just walking when all of a sudden…BAM! My face is in the dirt, and I can’t feel my feet.”

“Should’ve stayed in the dirt if you ask me,” Axel grumbled.

“Well, no one asked you, heartless,” Max argued.

“Okay, that’s enough, you two! No fighting! Now, we’re all tired and need to rest, so why don’t we take a break? Sound like a plan?” These two have been at each other’s throats since Max joined us. I hoped they would go agree with my idea.

Max smiled, “Sounds like a great idea! Captain Stupid, what say you?”

Axel held back his anger and took a deep breath. “Fine. We can take a break.”

At least, they could agree on something. “How about we go over to that field? It’ll give us a place to rest, enjoy the flowers, give

Spirit something to eat, and if there’s any fruit trees or ponds nearby, we could get more supplies.”

Axel looked at the field and agreed. “Alright. We can rest over there, but I want you where I can keep an eye on you. Agreed?”

“Agreed,” answered Max. “I didn’t know you cared so much. I guess there is a heart buried deep, deep, deeep in there. Wherever it is, that heart sure is suffocating,” he said sarcastically.

I snorted, holding back my laughter. Axel smiled at Max, then put his hand on Max’s shoulder. “Max?”

“Yes?”

“Do you enjoy the wind?”

“Why, yes, I do. The wind blows so wonderfully today.”

“Yeah, it does. Say hi to it for me.”

“Eh?”

Axel grabbed Max by the shirt. Before he knew it, Max was flying through the air.

“Axel!” I panicked.

“Hm?”

“Why did you do that? He could get hurt!”

“Relax; the flowers will give him a soft landing.”

BOOM!

Axel didn’t need to turn around to know it was Max that caused the noise. “Well, somewhat soft.”

The sound of Max’s body scared me as I ran over to the spot where he landed. Axel must really hate Max to give him the ‘Greeting Wind.’

“Max, are you okay?” I asked, crouching over his body.

Max groaned, “Ooowww! Are you sure you’re related?”

“How're your feet?” Axel asked, walking over with Spirit behind him.

Max had a vein that was about to pop. Clearly, this was not the beginning of a beautiful friendship. “My feet are the least of my worries, you bastard!”

“What? You complained that you couldn’t move anymore, and you told me you liked the wind.”

“So that entitles you to hurdle me across the field?!”

“Yes.”

I slapped my forehead at Axel’s answer. Either my brother was stupid, or he really likes making enemies.

“Alright, as much as I don’t like leaving my sister with you, I have no choice. I’m going to see what’s in the trees; you stay here and watch Destiny.”

“What? You don’t want me to babysit the horse?”

“Oh, Spirit can take care of himself. After all, he is my horse, which makes him just as deadly.”

Max turned to Spirit, and for some reason, Max started shivering. I was about to ask if he was okay, but he hid behind me before I could. I guess what Axel said really got to him, plus Spirit still hates him for taking me hostage.

***

Max

In all my life, I never thought I would be scared by a horse. What is happening to me? I took Destiny to sit on a nearby hill with flowers all around us. We were still within Axel’s view, and we could see if there were fruit trees. So win-win!

Destiny was admiring the flowers that were around us. Out of all the flowers, she seemed to love the yellow tulips the most. “Wow, the flowers are so beautiful! Don’t you think so?”

“Yeah, they are. Do you like yellow tulips?”

“Yup!”

“Why? What’s so special about them?”

“Well, does a person need a reason to love someone or something?”

“No, but I am curious.”

She sighed, then smiled a bit. “I see. Then I will answer your curiosity. Originally, yellow tulips meant ‘hopeless love,’ meaning ‘unable to love’ or ‘doomed, tragic love.’ When I was first told the original meaning of the flower, I felt I could relate. Ever since then, I’ve grown an attachment to it. One, I don’t think will ever break.”

Destiny held the flower in her hand and caressed its golden petals with care. Her expression went from a sad smile to no smile at all. However, one thought came to mind. Something that made me even more curious.

“What did you mean when you said, ‘I could relate.’”

“Oh, that, i-it was nothing. I just got lost in the moment, sorry.”

“From the way you’re currently holding that flower and how quickly your face changed, I doubt that’s being ‘lost in the moment.’”

“Max, really, I’m not hiding anything.”

“Strange, I didn’t accuse you of hiding anything. I only asked if you were truly ‘lost in the moment’.”

She gasped and tried to hide her face. Just as I was about to question her more, a low growl was heard nearby.

“GRRRRRRR….”

Destiny and I looked around, “Max, what was that?” she asked softly.

“I don’t know, but I think we should get out of here. Now.”

She nodded, and we headed back to Spirit. We moved quickly and carefully as not to draw any attention to the owner. When we returned, I told Destiny to stay with Spirit while I went to warn Axel.

Although I was looking for Axel, I still kept an eye on Destiny. Without knowing how far away the owner of the growl was, Destiny and Spirit were vulnerable.

I found Axel picking apples from a nearby tree. Out of breath, I leaned against the tree, exhausted.

“What are you doing here? Where’s Destiny?” he asked worriedly.

“Relax, we can see her from here, but right now, we need to leave,” I said with a full breath.

“What? Why?”

“There’s something here. I don’t know what exactly, but let’s just say it didn’t sound too happy when it growled.”

Axel’s eyes widened, “Okay, let’s go.”

We both ran back to Spirit and Destiny, who was still in the same spot. When we got back, Axel immediately packed all the fruits he had collected and got Spirit ready to ride.

“Destiny, get on!” Axel said, holding Spirit’s reins. “Max, you too!”

I nodded and sat behind Destiny. Axel gave me the reins, which only confirmed my suspicions. “What about you?” I asked.

“Don’t worry about me. I’m just as fast as Spirit! I’m right behind you.”

“Alright, let’s g—“

ROOOOOAAAR!

Destiny gasped, Axel and I turned, and Spirit backed away. The owner of the growl and now, a roar, had revealed himself. To make matters worse, he did not look happy. He used his claws to climb over the hill, where Destiny and I sat. His scales were light purple, while his eyes reflected the green grass of the meadow. He spread his wings out and roared at the top of his lungs.

“RUN!” Axel screamed.

I yanked Spirit’s reins, and with a neigh, he rode off. Axel ran right next to us. I looked back to see him flapping his wings. His body left the ground for the high sky.

“Axel!” I shouted.

He looked at me, then at the sky. “Go into the forest! We can lose him the trees!”

“You heard him, Spirit!”

Spirit followed Axel and went into the forest. I looked at the sky to find he was still following us—his roar echoing throughout the forest. I looked around for a way to get out of his sight.

“Look!” Destiny said, pointing to a cave.

“Good eye! Axel, over there!”

He nodded and followed us. “He’s coming!”

Destiny and I looked up to see him diving into the trees. I flicked Spirit’s reins, warning him of the danger. He understood and ran faster. The cave was so close, but so was he. His dive was successful; he was right behind us.

“He’s gaining on us!” Destiny shouted.

“We’re almost there! Hold on!” I wrapped one arm around Destiny as she turned and held onto me.

I glanced behind to see him bearing his fangs—the sharp teeth sliced through the speeding wind that pierced his face. I looked forward, seeing the cave was within reach, and he was only inches behind us. The sound of Spirit’s heavy breathing and Axel’s stomping feet against the ground only made it more intense.

The small streams of light peered through the trees turned into dark glimmers as we entered the cave. We heard the beast bash against the entrance and roar into the cave. I pulled Spirit’s reins, and with his lungs gasping for air, Spirit stopped. Axel leaned against the cave walls, out of breath as well. I climbed off Spirit, then helped Destiny. My legs were weak, and I landed on the ground. My heart pounded against my chest, my lungs struggling for air.

“H-hey, you good?” I asked Axel.

“Yeah. You?”

“Same.”

Destiny walked over, handing me a canteen. “Here, drink this.”

“Thanks,” I said, taking it from her.

She gave Axel one, too. “Where’d you get the water from?” I asked.

“I filled them up when we were at the river.”

“Ah.”

I put the canteen to my lips and swallowed as much water as I could. Some of it dripped down my chin; using my arm, I wiped it off.

“Here you go, Spirit. Drink up.”

I looked up. Destiny was holding a drinking bowl. She poured water in it to feed Spirit. After all the running he did, water was a need. Wait, now that I think about it. Did Destiny get any water? I was about to offer her some when Axel beat me to the punch.

“Destiny, here,” he said, holding out the canteen.

She walked over and drank from his. Even though she didn’t show it, I could tell Destiny was tired. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about this girl so far, it’s that she’s tougher than she looks.