Teeth and Talon (BoyxBoy)

Chapter Four.

The shouts of men were thick in the air. Kal was as a dragon, his wings beating harshly to try and pull himself up off the ground.

He was sure he had been in this field before, but last time it was not on fire.

The men below him were all faceless except for one. Virgil.

He and the other men swung ropes intertwined with Receges over Kal's wriggling form. He felt so small against the dry grass, even though he was larger than every thing there.

A harsh hand on his wing brought it down to the ground, Kal not getting a moment to look before the burning sensation of something cutting him with Receges wood filled his mind.

The howl that echoed fell deaf on Kal's ears. He could not hear anything but the cruel laughter of Virgil while he sawed off one golden wing after another.

"Kal?"

It was Kaida's voice, but her being was no where to be found.

"Kal!"

Her voice made waves of agony roll over Kal. If he was captured and being killed, she was surely right behind him or had already been murdered by the humans.

"Kalzerath!"

Another roar echoed out in the barren land, though slowly, the nose became louder and louder until it was a scream and Kal could actually feel his throat moving.

He opened his eyes to Kaida leaning over him and sweet blue and oranges in the sky above them. The brightness hurt his eyes from them being opened so suddenly. Kal's scream must have been real since his throat was raw.

Gods, he had been dreaming.

"Kalzerath, are you alright?"

Nazavert made himself known beside Kal by speaking in low tones. He did not know if the presence of the man made him uneasy or more comfortable; though it did not matter as Kal caught his breath and tried to calm himself.

"Kal. Shh, I am right here. I am safe and you are too." Kaida rushed to envelope Kal in a hug once she realized that he was fully awake now.

Nazaverts clan was awake as well, looking at Kal with something that could be worry except he did not know what to believe with how long he had known them.

It was not often, yet often enough that Kal had night terrors so clear and disturbing. Kaida was used to comforting him when he woke up screaming and sobbing. Though just as all those other times, Kal quickly and greedily inhaled breaths while collecting himself.

After all the times that he had gone through this, he had learned to stop the crying and panic early on as to not scare Kaida or further the effects of the dream.  She was not always there or even able to comprehend what was happening when the dreams were at their worst.

The first few weeks after leaving Vragad and their parents held the most disturbing and fearsome night terrors. Kal was just a boy then.

"Do you need anything?" Nazavert spoke softly and even though he had his hand hovering, did not touch Kal.

"Water, if you would." Kal whispered and carefully detangled himself from Kaida. "I am fine, Kaida."

Kal's heart was still racing, but at least his breathing had begun to even out and the memories of the night terror were not so prevalent. The stone of fear in his stomach was still heavy, yet slightly lifting with the scent of Kaida and even his mate around.

Nazavert handed him a skin of water with worried brows and watched carefully when Kal took a drink. This man definitely acted like he cared, but at what cost of Kal?