❦𝗪𝗲 𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝗕𝗲 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲❦

❦Chapter 19❦

𒊹︎Your POV𒊹︎

I looked around frantically for the dragon, hoping that she wouldn't have gone far. When my eyes met with the rest of the groups', I knew that she had been gone for a while. I got up and joined the group of whispering people, listening in on the conversation.

"Where could she have gone?"

"They'll kill her if they see her!"

"She's been gone all night, had to be."

I didn't stick around for any more of the conversation, packed up my bed roll, and mounted my horse. Loki ran over to Hilda, holding onto her reigns tightly so we wouldn't go anywhere.

"Where are you going?" He spoke desperately.

"To find that dragon. She needs to go back home before she is killed." I spoke with finality, and I heard many of the group members agree with me.

In record time, everyone was mounted onto a horse, some paired up since theirs had run off.
Loki was sat in the large saddle behind me, and the group let me lead the way.

I listened for things similar to what I heard before yesterday's attack, but I found none.

"She must be out in the open, she wouldn't stay in the forest." I spoke with conviction as I cut my horse through a shortcut that would take us out into the open.

As soon as Hilda reached the open prairie, an emotion hit me like being run over my a stagecoach(1). Fear. I jammed my heels into Hilda's sides, and we set off at a fast gallop towards the fear. I had a gut feeling that she was this way. She weaved around rocks as she ran, dodging small shrubbery, lone fence posts, and random tree saplings.

When a farm house came into sight, it was almost as if Hilda knew that was our destination, and set off faster than ever before . I chanced a glance behind me, to see Loki hunched into my back tightly, holding on for dear life, and the rest of the group lagging a good ways behind.

Hilda slowly slowed down to a walk, and as soon as I saw a burst of flames near the barn, I didn't waste any time jumping off of my horse, and sprinting towards the barn. The sight that I saw before me just reminded me how cruel mankind is.

There was a farmer, with a rusty and worn out sword, waving it aggressively at the dragoness, as she snarled and growled at him, spitting flames every now and again. Her rear end was backed up against the barn, and one could hear the splintering of wood as she tried to back away further.

I did the only logical thing in that moment, and ran over to stand in between the man and the dragon. He pulled his sword back in hesitation, not wanting to kill me.

"Don't hurt her. She means no harm." I tried to reason with him, but he remained firm.

"She killed my cow." He spoke up as if that was a valid argument.

"She was just hungry. She's far, far away from home. We're just trying to help her get back." I spoke strongly, backing up towards the dragon more, almost stepping on one of her claws.

"We?" The farmer questioned, snd whipped around at the sound of hooves.

There to my right, off to the side, stood the rest of my friends, all standing proudly next to their horses.