Maybe There is Hope Yet

Marching through the forest Owen got as much of a distance as he could from the others. If he could just get to the other side of this jungle he could develop a plan. Maybe there was a college over there. Maybe there were more supplies to make a raft. He just knew he needed to get away from those greedy bastards as fast as he could. He was lucky to get out alive and he knew it. If the small halfbreed wasn't there, he didn't k ow what he would do.

"Owen! Hey, Owen wait up!"

He stopped in his tracks looking down at the ground in a sigh. He thought he left everyone behind. Brorym landed on a branch to be at eye level with the human. He was surprisingly out of breath. "I...said...wait."

Turning towards the dragon he answered so irritated. "I said call me Captain- forget it." he looked at the tiny now puzzled. "How are you out of breath? You can fly?"

Looking over at Owen, the teen frowned in irritation. "Chasing you. I had to avoid vines, trees, plus your not as slow as you look."

The used to be Captain rolled his eyes walking on.

"Hey! Just stop already." Flapping his wings he flew behind the human. He didn't have enough time to stop though when the large figure in front of him decided to stop in his tracks once more. He slammed right into the human's back feeling like he flew right into a wall. Owen turned around. The tiny was facing the human's chest now. He was trying his best to seem brave.

"Why don't you just go? You have wings. I don't need you here buzzing in my ear when it's not worth my time."

Brorym flew back in thought. He was a bit embarrassed, but..." I don't know where we are. I could fly off, but it would just be the endless ocean. So I thought I would stay with you?" he looked up hopefully. He had no one else to ask for help. The saw person who captured him was his only savior.

"Fine."

"Wait really!"

"Yes. Just keep up. I am not going to keep stopping because your punny wings can not keep up." Owen turned around and continue on his way. He did peek over to see if Brorym was following behind.

The small dragon flapped his wings as hard as he could until he was level with the human's shoulder. He landed making sure his claws were tucked into the giant's shoulder, but not pinching him. This was more for support so he wouldn't fall off as a bird does.

"So what was that back there?" he asked looking up at the human's face.

With another irritated sigh, he keep walking but did indulge the half-breed with a conversation. "And what are you referring to?"

"Your crew! They turned on you! What do you mean 'what are you referring to?"

"Oh that?" he pushed aside a few vines watching them fall past. "It was going to happen eventually."

"But..." the small dragon looked up in confusion holding onto the side of his neck. He could feal the veins pulsing and when the human gulped. "But they listened to you? They were your followers." He about fell off when Owen started to laugh.

"They weren't loyal if that's what you mean. They were loyal to the money they were getting and knew I would kill anyone who tried to steal from me. That's how it always workes here."

"Oh. That's not how dragon bloods are."

"Yeah well that's not how it worked back on earth either, but I got used to it."

"Erretha?" The teen stuck his claws deeper into the human when he started to laugh again. He could tell Owen felt it this time, so flew up a bit to unstick himself.

"Earth. Where I'm from."

A few seconds of silence went by as the human passed over a log on the ground, almost tripping from not lifting his leg high enough up.

"Is that the place those pictures and people are from?" Owen went even more silent. He adjusted his sword into place a few times with his right hand even though it was already set. He looked off to the left to see if he could see the sunset or even detect the time. Brorym knew he crossed the line. He was just waiting for the grab.

"Yeah." Brorym flew off his shoulder in surprise but turned his body around. Owen stopped walking so he wouldn't run into the dragon. "We should find a place to sleep for the night. It may storm again." He maneuvered around the flying ting looking for a hollowed-out place or cave for the night.

-------------------------------------------------------

The two found no shelter by the time it was night. Owen prayed if they made a fire there would be no rain that night. All they had were trees and their branches as protection. The fire as a way to keep the animals away.

Brorym helped by making sure the fire didn't go out throughout the night. He easily made the fire big enough to keep the human warm. When he placed his hands in the flame the fire would dance across his fingers. The color would change from red to yellow then grow brighter. Owen would never get tired of watching the halfling and his fire tricks. Even back in the days of the cage, Brorym would create fire on his palm, making it dance. The Captain could watch that for hours if he had time.

The giant laid down on the ground. For now, he would be on his side allowing the shadows to dance off his face and chest. He knew when it was time to pass out he would lay on his back, but for now, the fire was entertainment enough. Both sat in silence for what seemed like hours. Neither one wanting to say or do something to disturb the other. The first one to break the emptiness was Owen.

"I'm surprised your not asking a million questions."

Brorym looked behind him. "What are you going at?"

"This is the most silent I've ever heard you. Why couldn't you be like this in the cage?"

A few more minutes passed between them. The teen looked around identifying animals all around them. He was not sure if the human knew that he was so close to danger. If the fire ever went out he would most likely be swarmed by predators. He could hear the insects nearby that were accompanied by birds squawking.

"So who were they?" Brorym asked.

Owen knew exactly who he meant but still asked. "Who do you mean?"

"That woman in the picture. Those other smaller humans too." Here it was. The questions he knew the teen would ask but did not want to answer.

"...My wife and family." Brorym feared that was the answer. "I haven't seen them for...five maybe six years? Maybe it's seven. I don't know anymore. I just know it's been too long and they probably don't even remember me anymore."

He went too far into questioning. He knew he could talk too much, but he didn't mean to drag out these feelings. He stood up from the fire, tentatively walking over to the Captain. He wasn't sure what mood he was in. The closer he got the more he was reminded of what he was. He was a dragon blood. A ting dragon blood. This man's body, even laying down, toward over him. The man's chest like a wall. His arms were bulking logs that could reach out instantly capturing his body and he couldn't do anything. Even though the human wasn't looming he could still feel the sheer strength emanating from his body. Brorym sat against Owen's chest looking straight up to meet his eyes.

"I'm sorry. No wonder you had to capture me. I wouldn't know because dragon bloods leave their family when they reach the age of thirteen." he placed his small-scaled hand on the body behind him. "But I can tell it still hurts you," he observed Owen's face for a time. It seemed to go through anger, sadness, and understanding all in one. He felt his body being crushed up against the wall behind him...but it didn't hurt. Brorym closed his eyes in a split sense of fear until he felt the movement of the giant stop. Looking to the side he saw Owen placed a hand on his side. He was cradling the boy's body close to his chest.

"What are you doing?"

"Shhh. Unless you want to get cold just shut up." Both Brorym and Owen knew the dragon never really got cold, both ignored the action falling asleep to the sounds of the jungle behind them.