Ancestral Dragon

Chapter 6

The sun's rays warmed Jak's face through the giant window while his parents embraced in a hug, saying their goodbyes. The airport was packed with people hurriedly going from one place to another. People in suits talking on cell phones, children his age crying to go home and families, like his, saying goodbye to loved ones.

Jak's dad bent down to eye level with his son. A smile spread across his clean shaven face. He met Jak's gaze through his glasses with the same green eyes as Jak.

"You know I have to go on a trip for two weeks," Jak's father said. "But I'll be back before you know it. You're the man of the house while I'm gone and I need you to take good care of your mother, ok?"

His father beamed with pride as Jak stood straighter, set his jaw, and gave his father a curt nod. Jak didn't care if he was only seven years old, he would fulfill his father's wish.

Watching John ride down the hill triggered the same heartbreak as watching Jak's father disappear into the gate at the airport. His breathing hitched as he felt helpless and alone in the forest. Jak regretted not yelling after John even though the knights would have heard. At least then they would have been together.

Jorjin turned on her own and started to trot down the trail. The path moved away from the edge and further into the forest. The horse led as if she knew where to go and who to find. Jak's heart raced as he searched for a girl on the trail.

What was her name again?

Jorjin kept moving faster as if she could feel Jak's worry. They whipped around corners and Jak hardly noticed when the path changed in size or how close they came to the edge of the cliff again. Jorjin slowed down and came around one last bend to find a young woman standing on the side of the trail. Like an old friend, the horse trotted over and nuzzled her face.

She looked to be a little older than Jak, maybe nineteen or twenty, shorter than him who stood at six feet, with long, dark blonde hair braided down her back. She wore a brown leather vest, that matched her gloves, over a black shirt and a pair of dark green pants. She also wore a sheathed sword on her back.

"Ok Jorjin, I've missed you too," the woman said while rubbing the horse's muzzle. "I'm sorry I haven't been around lately." She paused from attending to Jorjin and lifted her gaze to meet Jak's. "I'm Rory. You're Jak, right?" Rory looked behind Jorjin. "Where's John?"

"He went back," Jak answered.

"What do you mean, 'he went back'?" she asked. Her lighthearted tone was gone.

"We saw a group of knights and he got worried for Agatha and went back."

"How many were there?"

"Seven," Jak said. Rory pinched her lips and shook her head. John had gone back to protect Agatha, so, Jak didn't understand why Rory was upset and added, "He couldn't leave his wife."

"It's time to move." Rory darted to the packs and started pulling items from them and into her bag. "I knew something like this would happen. But no, John wanted to give you a little bit more time to adjust. Oh man. If he survives this, I'm gonna kill him."

She finished taking what she wanted and motioned for Jak to jump down. She unsaddled Jorjin and whispered something to the horse who then ran down the trail.

"Wait just a minute!" Jak started to protest.

"We don't have time to talk about this. Hopefully they follow those tracks while we run through the forest. From now on I'm in charge. Do as I say and you'll survive."