Post by dragonfire13 on Nov 13, 2005 12:01:23 GMT -5
Chaos at the Heart’s Core
Chapter 1: Tangled Loyalties
Jake knew he should have been excited. Today he was patrolling with not only his grandfather, but Councilors Anderson and Chang. Haley was there to, having managed to become a full fledged dragon at seven, though Jake suspected she just wanted to show off. He should have been excited…. But…. He just wasn’t. He sighed, earning a curious look from Haley.
Huntsgirl… Rose… whoever the hell she was… had been on his mind.
It had been two weeks since their parting, two weeks since he had seen her mischievous blue eyes or her long blonde braid or that birthmark of hers that he hated with a passion. It worried him a little. No signs of her uncle or the rest of the Huntsclan, either.
“It is unusual indeed,” Lao Shi had murmured. “We must consult the Dragon Council. The Huntsclan might be on the move.”
“On the move for what, G?”
“I do not know, Jake. And that is what worries me.”
So Lao Shi had summoned the Councilors that were willing to investigate, and here they were. He had also decided that Haley would help, since she had achieved dragon form and whatnot. Jake honestly felt it was a little too soon, but what did he know anyway? He was thirteen years old and had successfully managed to fall head over heels in love with the Huntsgirl, of all people. And by the looks of things, he wasn’t about to fall out of love with her any time soon.
Talk about heart problems.
“Perhaps we should investigate the park,” Chang said, bringing Jake out of his reverie. “Wha’?” he asked, caught a little off-guard.
“The park. That is where they held us for their Halloween ceremony.”
Councilor Anderson shuddered.
“Whatever,” Jake muttered, curving his wings to follow the others. Haley looked back at her brother and sighed.
The Park
“So… what are we looking for exactly?” Jake asked.
“I haven’t the faintest idea,” Councilor Anderson admitted sheepishly. “Just keep an eye out for anything suspicious.”
The five dragons flew over the expanse of the park, their eyes scanning for anything suspicious. As Fate would have it, suspicious found them.
“Gramps,” Jake whispered. The old dragon turned.
There, in the center of the park, stood a large man.
Jake hovered, his skin prickling with a sense of danger. Though he could not make out any features, there was no mistaking that aggressive stance, the arrogant tilt of his head, and his muscular shoulders. It was the Huntsman.
A couple other hunters had joined Huntsman, and as the dragon patrol flew closer, Jake could not see Huntsgirl. He didn’t know whether to feel worried or relieved.
Lao Shi flew closer until he reached the edge of the clearing where Huntsman waited. Jake followed, ignoring Haley’s hissed caution.
“Good day, dragon,” Huntsman said, his voice confident. “I’ve been waiting since sunrise to see you, but I never hoped two of them would be members of the Council.” There was an edge of mockery in his tone, and Anderson and Chang bristled.
“What do you want?” Lao Shi rasped.
“Isn’t it obvious?”
Jake whipped around and hissed, “Haley, you’re fastest. Fly and get help.”
“But I want to fight!” Haley protested.
“Then get back here fast!”
The younger dragon flew off into the sky. Huntsman tracked her with narrowed eyes, and Jake knew he must realize why she had gone.
Turning back, gliding to Lao Shi’s shoulder, Jake saw that more hunters had crept out of the trees and emerged to stand beside their leader. Jake’s heart lurched when he finally glimpsed Huntsgirl. His gaze locked with hers, and he saw in Huntsgirl’s appalled face a message as clear as if the blue-eyed warrior had screamed it to the skies. I don’t want to fight you!
Huntsman didn’t wait. Uttering a bloodcurdling yowl, he launched himself across the clearing at Lao Shi. The two elders crashed to the ground, spitting and clawing. Jake sprang forward to help his grandfather, but before he reached him a hunter crashed into his side, bowling him over and slashing his Hunts-Staff across Jake’s shoulder. Jake drew back his head and breathed fire at his enemy’s belly. The hunter let go and backed off, coughing.
Jake spun around, looking for Lao Shi, but he was nowhere to be seen. He spotted Anderson in the midst of a heaving mass of hunters, but before he could do anything to help he caught a glimpse of another hunter springing toward him. He managed to avoid the hunter’s outstretched Hunts-Staff, and as the hunter flew awkwardly Jake sprang on him and raked his claws down his shoulder.
The hunter scrabbled on the ground, trying to escape Jake’s grip. Jake raked his claws across his back, only to lose his hold as another hunter barreled into him from the side.
There’s too many of them, he thought despairingly. We’ll be slain for sure!
The dragons were hopelessly outnumbered, and Haley hadn’t had time to find help. Long before anyone arrived, the dragons would have been slain, and the Huntsclan would have won.
Jake writhed helplessly, struggling for enough space to use teeth, fire, and claws. Suddenly the weight lifted as the hunter lying across his legs was yanked away. He sprang to his feet to see Chang perched on the hunter’s back, her claws fastened deep in the hunter’s clothes and the wild light of battle in her eyes. The hunter reared, but he couldn’t shake her off.
“See, American Dragon!” Chang yelled. “Do it this way—it’s easy!”
There was no time to answer. Jake spat an insult after the other hunter, who vanished wailing into the trees, and threw himself into the whirling mass of hunters around Anderson. Jake dragged one hunter off him, and suddenly came face-to-face with Jasmine as the young nix burst out of the trees, flanked by a leprechaun, a goblin, and the Oracle twins, Haley panting behind them.
“Where’s Lao Shi?” Jasmine called.
“Don’t know.”
In the moment’s respite, Jake looked around for his grandfather. There was still no sign of him.
Anderson staggered to his feet, panting for breath as he leaned against a tree. Blood trickled from a gash on his forehead, but his lips were drawn back in a snarl, and he followed Jasmine willingly as the raven-haired warrior leaped into the battle.
Jake was about to join them when he heard a voice calling out urgently above the noise of the fighting: “Jake! Jake!”
He spun around to see Huntsgirl crouched on top of a rock, a look of anguish in her eyes. “Jake, come here!” she cried.
For a heartbeat Jake wondered if this was a trap, and then felt ashamed of himself. Huntsgirl had avoided fighting him face-to-face—she would never snare him with a trick.
Jake flew to Huntsgirl’s side. “What is it?”
“Look.”
Jake peered over the edge. The rock sloped down more steeply there into a narrow gully. Lao Shi was crouching almost directly below him, bleeding from one shoulder. Coming along the gully on either side, cutting off any possible escape, were the Huntsman and a young apprentice Jake could only assume was a Huntsboy.
“I had to tell you,” Huntsgirl whispered beside Jake. “They’ll call me a traitor… but I can’t let them slay your grandfather.”
Jake shot her a look of gratitude, and she blinked back, her eyes soft. Her only motive for helping the old dragon was her love for Jake.
Tearing himself away, Jake launched himself down the rock face. He landed hard in the gully, practically on top of the Huntsman, forcing him away from Lao Shi. On the old dragon’s other side, the Huntsboy let out a screech of defiance and raised his Hunts-Staff.
“Stop!”
Jake froze.
The voice had been Huntsgirl’s.
End chapter 1
And the sequel to "No Easy Way Out" is underway! Please read and review, and chapter 2 shall be posted shortly! ;D
Chapter 1: Tangled Loyalties
Jake knew he should have been excited. Today he was patrolling with not only his grandfather, but Councilors Anderson and Chang. Haley was there to, having managed to become a full fledged dragon at seven, though Jake suspected she just wanted to show off. He should have been excited…. But…. He just wasn’t. He sighed, earning a curious look from Haley.
Huntsgirl… Rose… whoever the hell she was… had been on his mind.
It had been two weeks since their parting, two weeks since he had seen her mischievous blue eyes or her long blonde braid or that birthmark of hers that he hated with a passion. It worried him a little. No signs of her uncle or the rest of the Huntsclan, either.
“It is unusual indeed,” Lao Shi had murmured. “We must consult the Dragon Council. The Huntsclan might be on the move.”
“On the move for what, G?”
“I do not know, Jake. And that is what worries me.”
So Lao Shi had summoned the Councilors that were willing to investigate, and here they were. He had also decided that Haley would help, since she had achieved dragon form and whatnot. Jake honestly felt it was a little too soon, but what did he know anyway? He was thirteen years old and had successfully managed to fall head over heels in love with the Huntsgirl, of all people. And by the looks of things, he wasn’t about to fall out of love with her any time soon.
Talk about heart problems.
“Perhaps we should investigate the park,” Chang said, bringing Jake out of his reverie. “Wha’?” he asked, caught a little off-guard.
“The park. That is where they held us for their Halloween ceremony.”
Councilor Anderson shuddered.
“Whatever,” Jake muttered, curving his wings to follow the others. Haley looked back at her brother and sighed.
The Park
“So… what are we looking for exactly?” Jake asked.
“I haven’t the faintest idea,” Councilor Anderson admitted sheepishly. “Just keep an eye out for anything suspicious.”
The five dragons flew over the expanse of the park, their eyes scanning for anything suspicious. As Fate would have it, suspicious found them.
“Gramps,” Jake whispered. The old dragon turned.
There, in the center of the park, stood a large man.
Jake hovered, his skin prickling with a sense of danger. Though he could not make out any features, there was no mistaking that aggressive stance, the arrogant tilt of his head, and his muscular shoulders. It was the Huntsman.
A couple other hunters had joined Huntsman, and as the dragon patrol flew closer, Jake could not see Huntsgirl. He didn’t know whether to feel worried or relieved.
Lao Shi flew closer until he reached the edge of the clearing where Huntsman waited. Jake followed, ignoring Haley’s hissed caution.
“Good day, dragon,” Huntsman said, his voice confident. “I’ve been waiting since sunrise to see you, but I never hoped two of them would be members of the Council.” There was an edge of mockery in his tone, and Anderson and Chang bristled.
“What do you want?” Lao Shi rasped.
“Isn’t it obvious?”
Jake whipped around and hissed, “Haley, you’re fastest. Fly and get help.”
“But I want to fight!” Haley protested.
“Then get back here fast!”
The younger dragon flew off into the sky. Huntsman tracked her with narrowed eyes, and Jake knew he must realize why she had gone.
Turning back, gliding to Lao Shi’s shoulder, Jake saw that more hunters had crept out of the trees and emerged to stand beside their leader. Jake’s heart lurched when he finally glimpsed Huntsgirl. His gaze locked with hers, and he saw in Huntsgirl’s appalled face a message as clear as if the blue-eyed warrior had screamed it to the skies. I don’t want to fight you!
Huntsman didn’t wait. Uttering a bloodcurdling yowl, he launched himself across the clearing at Lao Shi. The two elders crashed to the ground, spitting and clawing. Jake sprang forward to help his grandfather, but before he reached him a hunter crashed into his side, bowling him over and slashing his Hunts-Staff across Jake’s shoulder. Jake drew back his head and breathed fire at his enemy’s belly. The hunter let go and backed off, coughing.
Jake spun around, looking for Lao Shi, but he was nowhere to be seen. He spotted Anderson in the midst of a heaving mass of hunters, but before he could do anything to help he caught a glimpse of another hunter springing toward him. He managed to avoid the hunter’s outstretched Hunts-Staff, and as the hunter flew awkwardly Jake sprang on him and raked his claws down his shoulder.
The hunter scrabbled on the ground, trying to escape Jake’s grip. Jake raked his claws across his back, only to lose his hold as another hunter barreled into him from the side.
There’s too many of them, he thought despairingly. We’ll be slain for sure!
The dragons were hopelessly outnumbered, and Haley hadn’t had time to find help. Long before anyone arrived, the dragons would have been slain, and the Huntsclan would have won.
Jake writhed helplessly, struggling for enough space to use teeth, fire, and claws. Suddenly the weight lifted as the hunter lying across his legs was yanked away. He sprang to his feet to see Chang perched on the hunter’s back, her claws fastened deep in the hunter’s clothes and the wild light of battle in her eyes. The hunter reared, but he couldn’t shake her off.
“See, American Dragon!” Chang yelled. “Do it this way—it’s easy!”
There was no time to answer. Jake spat an insult after the other hunter, who vanished wailing into the trees, and threw himself into the whirling mass of hunters around Anderson. Jake dragged one hunter off him, and suddenly came face-to-face with Jasmine as the young nix burst out of the trees, flanked by a leprechaun, a goblin, and the Oracle twins, Haley panting behind them.
“Where’s Lao Shi?” Jasmine called.
“Don’t know.”
In the moment’s respite, Jake looked around for his grandfather. There was still no sign of him.
Anderson staggered to his feet, panting for breath as he leaned against a tree. Blood trickled from a gash on his forehead, but his lips were drawn back in a snarl, and he followed Jasmine willingly as the raven-haired warrior leaped into the battle.
Jake was about to join them when he heard a voice calling out urgently above the noise of the fighting: “Jake! Jake!”
He spun around to see Huntsgirl crouched on top of a rock, a look of anguish in her eyes. “Jake, come here!” she cried.
For a heartbeat Jake wondered if this was a trap, and then felt ashamed of himself. Huntsgirl had avoided fighting him face-to-face—she would never snare him with a trick.
Jake flew to Huntsgirl’s side. “What is it?”
“Look.”
Jake peered over the edge. The rock sloped down more steeply there into a narrow gully. Lao Shi was crouching almost directly below him, bleeding from one shoulder. Coming along the gully on either side, cutting off any possible escape, were the Huntsman and a young apprentice Jake could only assume was a Huntsboy.
“I had to tell you,” Huntsgirl whispered beside Jake. “They’ll call me a traitor… but I can’t let them slay your grandfather.”
Jake shot her a look of gratitude, and she blinked back, her eyes soft. Her only motive for helping the old dragon was her love for Jake.
Tearing himself away, Jake launched himself down the rock face. He landed hard in the gully, practically on top of the Huntsman, forcing him away from Lao Shi. On the old dragon’s other side, the Huntsboy let out a screech of defiance and raised his Hunts-Staff.
“Stop!”
Jake froze.
The voice had been Huntsgirl’s.
End chapter 1
And the sequel to "No Easy Way Out" is underway! Please read and review, and chapter 2 shall be posted shortly! ;D