Anada

The Addition

(Art created by silverflamebird Thank you so much for this amazing and fabulous art!)

     I stared at the area where I continued to hear the muffled sound. It was definitely footsteps. I breathed in deeply. The scent depicted who it was before they came into view.

     Alex was walking the same path that I had taken moments earlier. To a human he was quiet, but to me he wasn't. I watched him walk under my tree and in the direction I would have taken.

    He must have followed me to make sure I got home safe. I watched him stop on my left side as if he was thinking. He must be so confused too.

     What am I supposed to do? He might go back and get more help to find me. That would not be good. I silently sighed. The best thing to do was talk to him.

     I climbed down the tree and retracted my claws. I'm both a dragon and human, but I'm not two separate creatures in one person. I have both human fear and dragon bravery at the same time, anyone can be that way. I now know I must embrace both of my sides.

     I breath in to help me calm down. To be ready to give an excuse to Alex as to why I'm out here.

     Here I go, I think before I say, "Alex, what are you doing?" it wasn't the smartest thing to say, but what else would have been better?

     Alex spun around, "What are you doing out here? It's not safe. You were supposed to go home." he looked angry as said this.

     I didn't know what to say. I opened my mouth, but no words came out. He deserved an explanation, he had come this far into the woods already.

     Alex's expression softened, "You don't have a family or home. Do you, Anada?"

      It almost wasn't a question. I spoke up, "No... I don't." He stepped toward me and I stepped back nervously. He didn't say anything, he looked like he was thinking.

     What he said next was unexpected, "Would you like to stay with us?"

     I hesitated,"Yes, but then what? You'll send me to an orphanage, won't you?"

     "No, not that! I mean... I'll have to talk to the others, but... you might can join our team. If you want to. We've been needing some help lately. It won't be anything too strenuous. Just to watch for danger, like what Reina was doing earlier tonight. Maybe do some other things too. It would be better than staying out here in the woods."

     I had to think this through. They did need help. I had witnessed that myself. If anything involving the safety of my secret came up, I could easily run away.

    Could this be my destiny? To fight against evil like Alex. It looked like the best choice I had.

     "I'll stay with you, only tonight." I said to him.

     Alex smiled, "I'm glad."

     We then left together and headed back into town. The clouds finally broke. Cold rain poured down on us relentlessly. I warmed myself by heating the dragon fire within my lungs. That's how I breath fire, but I can minimize it when I need to raise my body temperature.

     Alex and I finally got back to the hotel, soaked to the bone. Westen, Neil, and Reina stared at the two of us as we neared.

     Alex leaned over and whispered, "Go take a shower. I'll have Reina get you some clean clothes. I need to talk to them." he pointed to a door in the back of the hotel room.