I walk out into the town which is bustling with life. Some of the village folk say hi, but others just give me dark looks. Climbing over the fence, I walk through a field filled with wildflowers, up a grassy hill to the apple tree. I jump and pluck one off the branch.

"You should be careful, you could break your neck if you come down wrong." A young male's voice rings out. I turn around to see Tobin standing there. He has brown short wavy hair and grey green eyes.

"I'm always careful" I reply laughing. "Did you need something?"

"Nothing really. I thought that you could teach me again today." For the past couple of days, I have been teaching him how to write. His father was always off managing the dragons so that they would not get any closer to Stagburn, but still some managed to slip past them. And his father did not think that men needed an education. Tobin's mother died when he was still a child, and so he didn't get bossed around by anyone. Gavina tried, but at twelve years old, he was already set in his ways.

"I suppose so." I sit with my back against the tree, he sits across from me with his slate in his lap.

"What are we going to write today?"

"I'm not sure yet. Why don't you try to write a sentence without me helping you. I brought both my slates." I gave him the one that I had written the alphabet on so that he could look at the letters. He was still learning the names as he hadn't been taught when he was young like I had been. I practiced my addition as I waited for him to finish. What Tobin didn't know was that I was a Dragon Hunter, I had kept it from him as it is something he has always wanted to do, but he does not have anyone to train him. I had Gavina to train me, then she signed me up for the contest, I had won and so now I was second in command of the warriors. Going from having nothing to being in command is such an amazing feeling, I can not wait to see what and who I will become when I get older.

"Malvina?"

"Hmm" I responded, still in a fog.

"Are you alright?" I shake myself out of my fog and look at him

"Yes, I am fine. Are you all done?" He shakes his head yes and hands me his slate. I look at his sentence. This is horrible, let's do something else. He gives me a sheepish look.

"Tobin Stuart! You meanie! You're the one who asked me to help you." I reply throwing an apple at him.

"I know. But I can tell that you don't want to be doing this. You would rather be out there." He nods towards the forest and the rivers. I sigh and put down our slates. I stand up

"Let's go." He follows behind me and helps me up on his horse which is a pale yellow color. He walks Bonjo down the hill, once we get to the bottom he starts him in a fast walk through the grassy fields. We stop at the bank of a river, he lifts me down, we go to the edge of the water and take off our boots made from leather and fur. We dip our toes into the chilly water, I gasp at how cold it is.

"So what do you think it will be like when we're older?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, will we still be good friends, what will we be doing when we're older? Will you be on the council? Will you be a housewife? Will I be a Hunter or a warrior?"

"You're thinking about this now!? We've still got our whole life in front of us." I reply spreading my arms out wide.

"You do, you forget, I'm two years older than you. I'll be a man soon." I giggle and splash him

"Oh really, then shall I address you as sir?" I reply bowing at the waist. Suddenly, I'm in the water. I look up at Tobin, he is laughing uncontrollably. "You brute!" I grab his leg and pull him down, he looks at me in bewilderment.

"I didn't know you were so strong."

"Eh it's a gift." A horn starts to blow, it blows twice. A dragon has been sighted. "I need to go, please go back to the village." I reply getting up quickly and heading to the bank

"Where do you need to go? That's the dragon horn, we need to get to safety." He sits down next to me and we shrug on our boots.

"Please don't ask, just go." I get up and start running across the field, I hear hoofbeats behind me "I thought I told you to go!" I shout without looking back

"Nope you didn't tell me anything." I look back and see Byron behind me, the Warriors following closely behind. I stop and as he comes nearer, he lifts me up behind him. I hang on for dear life. I see that my bow and arrows have been broughten with. I start to shiver as the cold water starts to evaporate.

"Do you know what kind of Dragon it is?"

"A Kreckle"

"What's a Kreckle?" Before he could respond a screech sounded followed by lightning then a wall of ice with spikes protruding from it rose up on the side of us

"That Malvina, is a Kreckle. It has lightning and ice as it's defense." I stared in amazement as the ice seemed to entrap the lightning causing it to light up with bolts of lightning every now and then. We stopped at the edge of a river getting off, we turned to face the dragon who was opening his mouth again. A warrior threw it's sword, it struck the side of the dragon. It screeched, but before anyone could get another shot, it disappeared into thin air.

"Byron! Where did it go?" I asked, my voice laced with shock and worry.

"I don't know. Come on men, and gal, there is no point in trying to track it. Let's go back and meet with the council." We trudged back to the village. Everyone was still in their homes until the safety horn sounded. We turned to the left and walked over a bridge that hung suspended over a river. The bridges led us to a black marble building held by thick strong cables which were bolted into the tree trunk. We climbed the quivering wooden stairs and entered through the green jade door. The inside was an intricate swirling marble floor of blues and golds. Long leather couches sat on either side of the room with two smaller seats each facing the couch. Fuzzy carpeted rugs lay in the center of each seating area. A steel reception desk sat in the center wall, the man waved us through, looking very unamused.

Past the waiting room, the walls were also stone and held pictures of every hunter and warrior that existed. As well as the ones now except for me. There were also pictures of the four head council members. Byron and Gavina's picture were next to the head members. We soon found ourselves at the glowing gold door after 30 stairs that wound its way upward.

The warriors had dispersed before the bridge so now it was just us hunters. Byron kicked the door three times. The door hissed as the lockes disengaged. We walked into a room with a midnight blue swirling marble floor. In the front of the white room , through the archway created by stands, was a platform, on which sat the council in dark brown throne-like chairs. They all wore shiny black robes and had their hands folded together on top of the table. Behind us now, were rows of red pushed seats, bolted into the floor creating a half circle. In front of the council there were silver plaques each bearing their last name. The woman on the left was old with snowy white long hair. She had brown eyes that always seemed zoned out but she was always able to give the best advice. Her last name was zax. The man next to her was also old, he had graying hair and kind blue eyes. He had a stutter so he didn't talk much. His last name was Triny. The woman next to him was young and fair skinned. She always had rosey cheeks. Her eyes were the same color as the jade door. Her voice was as smooth as silk. Her Brown hair was braided into four. Her last name was Voodie. The man next to her was young as well. He had dirty blond hair, one green and one blue eye. He had freckles scattered across his nose and cheeks. His skin was always a golden hue. His last name was Kion.

"Greetings Hunters, how may we be of services today?" Kion speaks. His voice is deep and resonates through the still room. We all drop to one knee with our heads bowed.

"We are here to discuss an urgent matter." Byron speaks softly.

"And what is this matter?" Voodie speaks, her voice not soft but shakes with power.

"There was an issue with a dragon." Byron speaks again

"W-w-what is this issue? Triny asks.

"It disappeared." Dyekin responds.. Kion slams a fist down

"How on earth could you lose a dragon?"

"Now now Kion. Calm down." Zax's soft calming voice cut through with a shrill. "What kind of a Dragon was it, young Hunter.?" She finished turning her eyes on me.

"It-it was um" I struggled trying to remember. But I was so scared because she had addressed me

"It was a Kreckle your council." One of the Hunters answered her. I smacked myself mentally. Her eyes lit up in recognition of the dragon.

"Well, that explains it then. If it feels threatened. It uses its defense mechanism which is invisibility to get away. I'm sure we are not in danger. . But we will have to keep a sharp eye to the sky and our noses to the ground." And with that, we were dismissed. We walked back to our homes.

"Are you alright dear?"

"Yes mother, I'm fine. The dragon got away."

"Oh?" She replied, raising an eyebrow as she continued to sew the dress she was working on.

"Yeah. It was a Kreckle." Gavina nodded her head. Then the all clear horn began to play.

"Ah yes, those are beautiful aren't they?"

"Yes, but Gavina, how do we know if it is clear? The dragon could be running around right now."

"It's a choice that we have to make. I'm sure the council's decision was the right one. We can't stay locked up in our homes all day. Right?"

"Yeah. I suppose. So does this mean I may go out too?"

"Yes, you may." I headed towards the door.

"Mal." Gavina's voie stopped me.

"Yes?"

"Have fun with tobin." She winked and my cheeks grew warm. I nodded and ran outside, the villagers were already swarming the front of the village going back to what they were doing before the horn blasted. I ran to the bridge, I saw a figure on it, it was Tobin. He was staring out into the water.

"Tobin!"

Malvina, you made it!"

"Of course silly. Why wouldn't I have?" I reply shrugging my shoulders.

"Well. because the last time I saw you, you were riding away with Byron."

"You saw that?" I asked slumping to the wooden planks.

"Yes, I did. How come you didn't want to ride with me?" He asked, hurt flashed across his face.

"I-I. I can't tell you." I say studying my finger nails.

"And why not?" He demands.

"Because the reason would make you very very mad!" I stand up and face him.

"Just tell me already!" By now we are both shouting at each other.

"Fine! You want to know why I was with Byron? I was with Byron because I am a Hunter!