Phantom

Chapter 6

"What were those things?" Phantom asked as Xaz picked herself up.

"Crawlions," she moaned. She couldn't believe how much she ached. Her neck was already tensing from when Phantom had jerked her to the side. "I honestly didn't think they existed."

Phantom craned his neck. A few of the creatures still chattered on the other side of the river, their beady eyes longing for them. "They look real to me."

"I suppose they are. Mother was always telling me about the fantastical creatures that live in the forest. She never told me which ones were real, and which were imaginary." She nodded at him. "You've never seen crawlions before?"

Phantom stood on shaky legs, glancing back at the cliff. His scales smoothed and he shivered. "I have only my home. I don't leave much."

Xaz suddenly noticed his tail, which was dripping blood where the crawlion had snatched him. She pointed at it. "I know how sensitive you are about your neck, but will you at least let me take a look at that?"

He scowled at her, but sat on his haunches. "It is nothing."

Still, he didn't complain as she lifted his tail in her arms. She marvelled again at the feeling of his scales, each one tough and flexible like leather. His wound wasn't terribly deep, but with the way he sometimes dragged his tail, it would be safer to dress it than leave it uncovered.

She ripped the section of trousers free which Phantom had accidentally slashed and carefully swabbed away the dirt in the wound. The dragon twitched in annoyance with every brush, sparks spitting from his nostrils. He didn't look at her the whole while. She wrapped her piece of pant leg twice around the end of his tail.

Had she known they were going to end up in such a misadventure, she would have brought more things. As it was...

She looked to the sky. A large portion of the day had passed already. So much for hoping to be home before long. Her family probably wouldn't be too worried though, with how long she typically spent in the forest. Still, she shuddered at the thought of spending the night.

At this point, that may have been an eventuality.

"How much more are you going to fight me?" Xaz said when she was done with Phantom's tail, sidling closer to his neck. "I only want to help."

He frowned at her sideways, mulling over her words. Then, he moved his head, exposing his neck more. Xaz leaned in, glad he was beginning to trust her. His scales were cracked and splitting near the horn, exposing soft red flesh underneath. Xaz grimaced, wondering how much it must have hurt.

She grabbed his metal horn, peaking behind it. His real horn was cracked underneath, making the horn go crooked. His other horn must have had one at some point too, for it was also cropped short and splintered, with a groove at the end where it must have been attached.

"How long has it been like this?" Xaz asked.

He rolled his shoulders in a shrug. "Ever since always."

"Who put it on you?"

"They did," was his simple reply. He twisted his neck until the horn was resting against the ground and placed a paw behind it, giving a yank. It didn't budge. "I can't get it off."

"Who's they?"

"The same," he snarled, "who did this to me."

She stared him over. She was so close to finding out a part of his past. But his tail was beginning to thrash and his eyes narrowed. He extended his claws, sinking them deep in the earth. Every time she agitated him terrible things seemed to happen. This time, she was going to learn her lesson.