Dragonspeaker: A Dragonslayer Sequel (Reupload)

Chapter 25: Leaf

LEAF

To say Leaf woke up confused would be an understatement.

"Wren...? Ivy...?" Neither of them were around - traces of them, sure, but he couldn't find either of them around.

Where are they? His heart was practically pounding on his chest. Why would they even leave? Wren said we'd figure out the trading situation in the morning... Regardless of why, they couldn't have gone far. He glanced over at Sky, who was still asleep. I doubt he's noticed either of them, but...

He gently nudged Sky's talon. "Hey, Sky? Wake up."

Sky groaned quietly, slowly opening an eye. "Mmrph...Leaf? You're up? Usually it's Wren who wakes me up..."

Leaf's gaze flickered around the valley's clearing briefly before nodding. "Uh...yeah, about that. I don't think I see Wren or Ivy around at all."

Almost immediately perking up, he glanced around as well. "I don't either. Do you think they just went to go get breakfast or something?"

Them going off on their own wouldn't surprise me, but... "Maybe." He checked over where Wren seemed to be sleeping again - the only thing that she'd left behind was her knapsack. So whatever they left for, it obviously wasn't to trade. He picked it up, slinging it over his shoulder. "Wren took her sword with, though. Does she usually do that when she goes hunting?"

Sky shook his head. "No...or at least, not that I've seen. She's only had that sword since...I think when she rescued me from that dragon palace." He got up, stretching his wings a bit. "But I don't think she usually would bring any weapons like that with her if she went hunting, or went trading."

"Hmm," Leaf quietly hummed to himself, also picking up his sheathed sword. Regardless of what they might've left for, if Wren felt the need to take her sword with her, then I probably should as well. "Maybe we should look around for them. They couldn't have gone too far, right? And Wren clearly didn't head over there to trade..." And I don't see any reason why she'd bring Ivy with her if she did.

"Yeah, probably," Sky agreed, his tail tip twitching nervously - or at least, that's what Leaf guessed. I seriously need to get better at reading dragon expressions if I'm going to stick with Wren, Ivy, and Sky after finding that golden dragon...at least I'm getting better? "Are you going to go by yourself? Because if you are, I should probably find a better hiding spot..."

I mean, I could do that, but...it doesn't feel very safe to do around this area. He slung his sword sheath's strap around his chest and back, shaking his head. "No. Safety in numbers is more preferable around here, I'd say."

Nodding slightly, Sky looked around a bit before gesturing towards the part of the valley that morphed into more forest. "I think they went that way." He started walking in that direction, with Leaf walking alongside him.

Maybe I should ask if I could sit on his shoulder? I don't want to slow us down, he mused, but quickly pushed the idea aside. No, I think that might make me feel nauseous, with or without the flying... Regardless, Sky's assumption seemed to be correct - though faint, Leaf could spot Ivy and Wren's shoeprints in the flattened grass. Just how far did they go?

As they headed further into the forest, Leaf could feel his anxiety rising. There was still no sign of Wren and Ivy, other than the trail they left behind. And Sky would probably be able to find them better than I would, since he's a dragon and all...but he hasn't said anything about finding them. Or at least, that's what Leaf wanted to assume, in any case. I'd ask, but...would that be considered rude? Maybe I should've asked Ivy or Wren more about dragons, it's not like I've had much education on them outside of Rowan, Grove, and...the dragonmancers, I guess. Leaf didn't want to dwell on that - or rather, it was rather impossible to in the first place. His mind was practically racing with possibilities on what might've happened to Wren and Ivy instead; it didn't help that their shoeprints seemed to be leading closer to-