The whole day besides this morning was like this, me and him laughing at each other's jokes and comebacks. Well... More like his jokes and comebacks... Mine were...well... Not even near good... Humor is one of my weak points... Suddenly he smirked, "Here, stay still." his claws went underneath my body.

"What are you doing?" I asked. He held me slightly closer and looked down at me with a sideways grin. This is not going to end well...

"You'll see." He grinned mischievously. He started to carry me with one clawed hand out my door into his room very awkwardly considering he normally walked on all fours rather than three. At first I thought he was going to lay down and me and him enjoy the sunlight streaming through the sky hole till the sun changed position. Nope, he held me closer and started to flap his wings. I gasped with joy, I'm going outside! He started to lift off the ground. Then Whoosh! He flew straight out of the tower and into the bright blue sky. I whooped with joy a smile brightening my face. The breeze in my face, the suns warm rays on my face, and the view...wow... It was breathtaking. The fortress was surrounded by a forest, in the distance you could see the river, and farther off in the distance you could see the Jaden mountains.

"Beautiful..." I gasped at the world passing underneath us, on foot it was a journey,but up here in the cool clean air...it was an adventure. The treetops whisking under us instead of slowly moving over top of us. Up here I felt powerful...up here... I felt like a Dragon.

Vlik looked at me, his eyes twinkling with amusement at my awestruck face, he looked up and kinda sheepishly asked, "Do you wanna see the lake?" I quickly looked up at him my black hair slightly blocking my view of him.

"There's a lake?" On our way here, my father, brother, and I never seen a body of water besides the Thunder River. Before June was traded off we stopped at a lake and me, her, and my brother went swimming and bathed. Of corse we bathed separately from my father and brother but we still had a wonderful time.

"Yes." He answered slightly confused at why I was asking if there was a lake if he already stated there was a lake.

"Then yes!" I laughed out loud, turning my head back towards wind letting the gust howl in my ears.

"Hang on tight then!" Vlik dove towards the forest, then pulled up at the last moment skimming over the tops of the trees making birds fly away, frightened by Vlik's massive size.

"Woo hoo!" I hollered, Vlik let out a roar joining my call. Then he dove into a clearing with a crystal clear lake, so clear I could see the fish swimming around under its surface. I expected him to to land in the cover of the trees, instead he landed right in the middle of the lake, getting us both drenched. A huge wave erupted around him racing towards the shores in ripples.

"Vlik!" I shouted after the momentary shock of getting drenched in cold water, I moved my sopping, choppy bangs out of my eyes so I could see again.

"What?" He asked pretending that he didn't get us both soaked in the water, I rolled my eyes and grinned loonily.

"Ha ha! Nothing, that was great!" I cheered, "Let's do it again!" Vlik shook his massive head sending water droplets raining down around us from his horns. But suddenly his teasing gaze grew concerned.

"Is your leg okay?" He asked sniffing the air, probably checking to see if he could smell any blood leaking from my wound.

"Don't worry it's fine, let's have some fun!" I smiled up at him, not a closed mouth but a full on flipping teeth and all cheesy grin. I loved the outdoors, it was beautiful out here. I had no idea how any sane person would not come out in this beautiful weather. The warm sunshine on your skin, the scent of the flowers and trees, the sounds of the breeze blowing through the trees. The...the everything!

"Did anyone tell you that when you smile the whole world seems to brighten?" Asked Vlik, his voice kind and complimenting, another sign that there was something seriously fishy about this whole situation. And no not because there's fish swimming around us. Get it? Fishy! Because there's fis- Yeah, never mind... I already ruined it. But his statement...it brought back memory's of my sibling who told me that exact statement...

"Yes..." I breathed out holding back the moisture from leaking out of my eyes. Vlik noticed my sudden mood change, and tilted his head to the side.

"What's the matter?" He asked, the moisture grew heavier. Threatening to release out of my orbs.

"My sister told me that...she was traded off to a kraken..." Two tears escaped my eyes. They landed in the water which was gently lapping against his flank. There was a strangely long pause before he piped up.

"I'm sorry..." I looked up to see his expression, he looked away, he was embarrassed, was he just checking me out? That's... Creepy. Or maybe he was just looking me over to access how my condition was. Yeah, that's probably the reason. There would be no world where a dragon would fall for a human.

"No worries... I miss her but I'm okay now I got something better." He turned his head back to me, "I got a friend." I smiled at him, he tried to smile back but it just didn't reach his eyes.

"What kind of friend?" He asked his voice sounded like forced happiness and nothing how he probably felt, but his emotion was masked so well I couldn't tell what he was hiding.

"Um... A good one?" I said hoping this was the right answer to reply with. He laughed, I'm not sure if he laughed at what I said or if he was laughing at my expression, but I couldn't help but join in.

"What am I going to do with you..." He smiled this time it reached his eyes. His other emotion vanished without a trace before I could decipher.

"I don't know. Keep me close?" I realized how my statement sounded after I said it, eyes brightening he drew me closer to him slightly, like a dragonic hug.

"Sounds like a plan to me." His eyes searched mine, and I was held him his amber gaze. He was a predator over me, and I was nothing but a mere lamb to this lion. I felt my world slow down and heat rush to my cheeks. That was until a new voice reached our ears.

"Vlik is that you?" A gruff female voice sounded. I jumped slightly hissing in pain at the sudden movement I caused to myself that jolted my slightly numb leg to scream out at me.

"Whose that?" I asked, fear creeping into my voice after I regained somewhat most of my composure. And if you believed that, I am literally shaking in fright. I couldn't handle fear very well.

"Trouble..." Growled Vlik as he glared at the tree line, recognizing anger filling his visage. A dragon head broke through the trees. It was pink with gray horns. She looked at Vlik flirtatiously. I have no idea why but I grew a little jealous. Which was highly impossible, why would I care who Vlik cared about?

"Remember me?" Asked the new dragon, so these two have met before? Interesting.

"How could I forget,"growled Vlik "Rosa the dragon who broke my younger brothers heart." Ouch... She better rub some burn on that ointment! Um... I mean, ointment on that burn! Wow... I suck at jokes....

"Oh good you do remember me. Your brother was nothing compared to you, he was weak and a coward, but you, you are strong and brave and incredibly handsome." She started to creep towards the water slowly like a graceful gazelle...with fangs. Vlik's wings quivered, I sign I recognized at anger and that he was prepared to fly away if needed.

"Go away." Ordered Vlik, his tail swished back and forth, water sloshing behind us.

"Can't. I just got here. Oh, you brought a snack." She said finally noticing me. "Mind if I join?" She quickened her pace from stalker to predator... Not a good sight if she was talking about eating you.

"Yes I do mind now go away." Said Vlik barring his fangs in a silent snarl, his forked tongue flicking in and out sensing the air.

"Oh Vlik, tsk tsk, that is no way to treat a lady." I wanted to snort in laughter at the way she said it. Vlik was not amused.

"Your no lady your a monster plus I already like someone else if that is what you are going at. So... Good day and goodbye." Vlik literally blasted out of the water and flew away with her on his tail. He clutched me close and started to do dips and dives trying to evade Rosa. It worked in minutes he got away. "Are you alright?" I nodded in reply, but in reality my leg was on fire. "Let's get back inside before something else finds us and tries to get us." I felt upset that I had to go back inside but I was scared he was going to growl at me, his whole aura screamed Buzz Off! So I let him carry me back to the fortress. That's when I felt something hit me in the neck...I reached up and felt what had hit me, it was wet. I looked up to see if Vlik was drooling and try to make some snide remark about it, then it started to pour down in freezing cold rain. Yay...