The morning came quicker than you anticipated. After the failed hunt, you and your family went back home due to your mother ushering. The Shaman had stayed for the night and had talked to your parents, but you were too tired to stay awake.

You heard your mother's soft singing. You pushed yourself off the bed, silently wishing you could just dive once again into soft covers and fall asleep with the lullaby in your ears. You walked into the kitchen, where your mother was preparing the breakfast. Your stomach growled, reminding you that you hadn't eaten since yesterdays morning.

''Here you go, sweetie," your mother smiled and put a delicious food on the table. Your favourite. If you had had completed the Ritual it would be a reward, now it was only a comfort. You smiled and thanked nonetheless. It seemed your mother was more concerned about your failure than you were. But to be honest you could care less about the Ceremony, when you had a dragon eating away your thoughts.

''I'm done," you said, finishing the meal. ''I'll be off."

''Where are you going?" your mother frowned.

To feed a dragon, you thought, but smiled and said instead; ''I need some fresh air, that's all."

Your mother walked up to you and enveloped you into a bear hug.

''Sweetie, don't worry about the Hunt!" she patted your head. ''You'll do great next year for sure!"

You hugged her back and sighed.

''Thanks, mom. I'll be fine."

With this you walked to the stables beside your small cottage.Your nostrils hit a familiar scent of horses and forage. Your father's dog jumped and barked happily, you smiled and reached out to pat him as usual. The gray wolfhound whimpered and took a few steps back. It growled at you, showing his teeth. You looked at your hand and then at the dog. He was familair with you for years and always loved to play with you, yet now it stood with his tail under his belly.

You passed him, still confused and picked up the bow. You filled the quiver with arrows and adjorned it around your back. You wanted to take the wolfhound with you for a hunt, it would surely made things a little bit easier for you, but it seemed to be impossible with the way it acted now. You wondered if it had something to do with a dragon.

For a moment you stopped and scratching your chin you thought about taking a sledge, but in the end decided against it. Try not to act suspicious, you told yourself.You took a coat off the hook and left the stables.

''Watcha doing, sis?" Melys shouted out of the window making you jump. He had quite a tallent of surprising you.

''Taking a walk," you shouted back and waved.

''No worries sis, you'll hunt that bird next year!" he smiled at you. You smiled back, appriciating the concern.

''Yeah, thanks, see you later, Melys."

You walked faster before anyone else could pester you. You knew they didn't have any bad intentions, but it ticked you off, when in reality the Ceremeony was last of your concerns. You walked through the villaege without looking at anyone. You were glad, that you weren't well known within the tribe, because now people didn't pay attention to you and let you pass.

''______!"

Well, almost everyone. You stopped and waited for a brunette to catch up with you. Yuki Judai, a boy of average height and brown eyes run up to you. You've known Judai since you were little, making you a childhood friends. You didn't have many friends - of course there was a group of peers you could hang out with, but Judai was only one persistent enought to became your best friend.

''Hey, I was just going to see you," he smiled. ''Uh, listen..."

''If you want to say, that I'll do great next year, then don't say anything," you huffed. His eyes widened and you felt pang of guilt. It wasn't his fault that you were nervous and irrated. You rubbed one of the feathers by the talisman. You smiled at him and theatrically rolled your eyes.''Sorry, I hear that since morning."

''Yeah, I can imagine," he ginned at you, seeing that you weren't really angry at him. ''Where are you going?" he said pointing at the bow and quiver.

''I need some fresh air," you said. It wasn't exactly a lie, and you didn't want to lie to your friend. To some extent you needed some air. ''I need some time alone," you added after some thought. That was definitely not a lie, since nobody should see the dragon.

You knew if Judai saw a dragon he wouldn't be happy, and he'd rather kill it, that feed it. Humans hated dragons, and people of your tribe were no exeption.

''Okay," he have a thumbs up. ''If you need anything, then you know where to find me!"

''Yes, thank you," you smiled in relief. You were really an awful friend in the end.

On your way you haven't met anyone else and you were thankful for that. You made your way to the path treaded by the dragon. You took of the coat you took with you and started to wipe the blood off

the trees. Yesterdays snowing covered the trail to some extent but blue liquid stayed frozen on the tree trunks. You focused on you task, singing quietly to yourself, and you wouldn't have had noticed you were by the dragon, if you hadn't tripped on its tail.

''Waah!" you yelped as you fell on your back. White tail hovered over your body before it fell down on your stomach. ''Guh...! And here I come, worrying about hunting parties that might hunt you down, and I get a punch in the stomach. Thanks."

You looked at the dragon and noticed that his eyes weren't snow white anymore. Now you held gaze of deep, sea blue eyes. The dragon looked at you ephatically, if it were human, he'd probably have his brow raised.

You weren't sure if joking with the dragon was a best idea, but he didn't look like he wanted to eat you. In fact it looked much more calm than yesterday, in fact almost indifferent, so you guessed the food you gave him helped a bit. And you didn't see dropping blue blood anywhere, which was a good sign.

You pushed off its tail and dusted off yourself from snow. The dragon turned his head the other way.

''Well, I'm going to catch you some breakfast," you said. And once again you brought some rabbits. You even saw a moose in the distance, and you were this close shooting it, but then you reminded yourself there was no way for you to actually carry it back. Not without a sleigh and a horse.

''I'd bring you something bigger, but I can't carry it, so you'll have to bear with rabbits," you said laying the dead animals before the dragon. It only glanced at you, and without any hesitation devoured the rabbits.

As you watched the dragon, you could not to not appriciale it's beauty. You saw how slender it was, how its white scales reflected light and shone with bluish gleam. You could only imagine how graceful it was when it pierced through the sky. And lastly its eyes. When you first saw them, they were almost white with blue borders, now they were midnight blue. Cold and calm. Not those of an angered beast.

Sitting down on the snow you took a notice of a spear, you pulled out yesterday. You picked it up and immedately heard a growl.

''It's okay, I won't hurt you,'' you said putting it back on the ground. You still wondered who used this spear. Tribesman used only a wooden spears with an iron darts, and this one was still too big for a regular spear, and too heavy. It must've been designed to hunt big animals, not nessesarily dragons, in your opinion.

Some time later you decided to go back home. You didn't want to worry your parents, even if you much rather stay in the forest, than listen to the unnecessarily words of comfort.

***

''How's your day?" your father asked when you put back your bow in the stables. The wolfhound was still wary of you and did not move any closer. In fact, you noticed that every dog you passed by earlier had been wary of you.

''I feel much better," you smiled and rubbed one of the feathers of your talisman. Your father raised a brow, not really beliving your. But it was better for him to think you felt bad about not completing the Ceremony, than lying about hiding a dragon in the forest.You could somehow lie to your mother, to Judai and the Shaman, but your father knew you the best, and would notice right away.

You still felt bad when he patted your head.

The hound barked at you and moved closer to your father, as if protecting him.

''Huh? What's gotten into him?" your father questioned. ''Yuto, what is it?''

Your father glanced at you, and you shrugged your arms helplessly.

''I don't know? Maybe I smell not nice?"

''Hm, I doubt it.''

You gave him a nervous smile and changed topic, ''what did you and uncle talked about yesterdey?"

Your father led you out of the stables as answered.

''He told us what he saw, a dragon in chains, and we wondered what did it mean," he said. You nodded, and urged him to continue. ''Doeth thinks its a sign of changes. Between humans and dragons."

''Changes? Dragon in chains doesn't sound very nice," you spoke with a small snarl. You couldn't help it, you didn't hate dragons as much of the community did.

''Not because of chains, _____," your father said in a tone you knew since you were little. It meant a lesson. You focused your attention at him. ''Doeth said it's all about the hydrageneas."

''What about them?" you asked surprised. ''They don't even bloom here, I've never seen them."

''You're right, they don't,'' he agreed with you, saying it with a voice of a proud parent. ''But they did once, a long time ago, over hundred years ago, when Daksina Lands still could enjoy warmth of Vasanta and Vesavi sun. The hydrageneas symbolise heartfelt emotions."

''Such as?"

''Doeth says it can express gratitude, or frigitidy."

You pursued your lips, ''So there is nothing for sure."

''No. We still don't know what did the vision mean, only that it promises changes," your father said with a sigh. ''Well, I for one, wish for the better. It could be nice not having dragons as the enemies."

You smiled. Your father was one of those people that didn't exactly hate dragons, but weren't a fan of them either. He was practical man, if something could be used for good, then why not try? But on the other hand he wouldn't protect a wounded dragon, he'd kill it simply to end its suffering.

''But it would be hard to let go of a hatred for the most of us," he continued musing.

You agreed with him, the dragons were the reason of an eternel winter in your land, and for that people could not forgive them. Your grand-grandpa used to muse aloud about warm sun, and tell you stories about it when you were little. You forgot most of them, as you were too young, but it was a common knowledge, that one hundred years ago, there wasn't so cold.

''But you, young lady," your father said in a strict tone, with his finger in the air. ''Do not concern yourself in these affairs.''

''I'm not going to," you answered honestly.

You didn't want to have anthing to do with visions, dragons and their chains. You were going to help the white dragon recover, then say goodbye to him, and wish him good luck on his way. And then come back to your regular life, with regular activities and regular acqaintances. No more wounded dragons for you.

You noticed some commotion on the road. The Cheftain was talking with some unfamiliar to you people. You glanced at your father, that confirmed your suspicion, that they were not people of the tribe. There were at least ten men, with travelling clothes and a carriges. Their horses were mouthed with a weapons attatched to saddles. Behind them were another group, that looked like a merchants that sometimes visited your tribe. They usually brought grain and other things that couldn't be found within Daksina Lands. In return they were given ornamentations, skins, furs.

You were going to ask who the first group was, but you bit your tongue and went back to warm home.

A regular life, with a regular activities and a regular acqaintances.

***

The dragon was recovering stadily, you noticed with a satisfaction when for two days straight you kept bringing him food.

On a third day, when you continued to steal at least a monthly job from the Hunting Party, the dragon was gone. You looked around the usual place, thinking that it might just went into a different location. The dragon could walk yesterday, so you wouldn't be surprised that it was trying to try out his chances in the air.

''Hello?" you called into the forest. The rabbits you caught today weighted on your back. ''I'm sorry for being late, I had to finish basket weaving."

You sighed a pouted. Today it wasn't an easy task to sneak out, as your mother found this a perfect time to strart weaving the baskets for the fishing season. You didn't know why, but every year it seemed that fishermen needed more of new baskets. Truth to be told, waeving was quite an relaxing activity, and you kind of liked it. Much more than cooking anyway, which you had no talent to at all. But even if it was relaxing on a regilar basis, it wasn't when you had a dragon to feed. You only managed to finish it some time after the noon.

And then Judai made his appearance, boasting about his new fishing rod, to which you had replied that it is indeed amazing. He of course noticed your snark and pouted. After some teasing form both sides you could finnaly go the forest.

And the dragon was nowhere to be found.

''Rude,'' you muttered to the silent forest.

''Rude?" a voice behind you asked. You jumped and turned around with your heart in your throat.

You saw a half naked young man leaning on a tree trunk. His face was pale and he was breathing unsteadily. Drops of sweat rolled on his cheeks as he made a movement to wipe them off. It was freezing cold, yet he seemed to be fine with it, even made an impression that it was too warm for him.

The stranger had a psyhique of a huntsman, but without looking too bulky. He was tall, you were sure that he was taller than you. He had a dark blue hair that flowed on the wind. But what caught your attention were his eyes, mesermising midnight blue eyes, you were somehow familiar with.

''Who...?" you asked, gripping your bow.

''Those rabbits," he started. ''Thanks for them."

''Rabbits? What rabbits? Wait. W-What?" you stammered looking around. ''Just who...? Don't tell me..."

You made some nervous moves with your hands trying to comprehend the situation. If your intuition was telling you the right thing, and your father always said to listen to it, the man before you was the white dragon.

He just nodded.

You took a deep breath to clear your mind. You measured the man – the dragon – before you with a frown. He held your gaze, but suddenly started to cough and slipped to the ground.

''Are you all right?" you asked, rushing to his side. He nodded and messaged his stomach. You noticed that the wound was still there, now opened in a few places. Blue blood dripped between his fingers.

''I'll be fine,'' he said curtly, taking a few breaths.You hummed unconvinced but didn't move an inch.

''Um, so..." you trailed off, not sure what to say. Whole situation was awkward and made you feel uneasy.

''Transforming sometimes helps with healing," he said siting upright. You nodded slowly, but then a thought appeared in yout mind.

''Wait, so you were able to actually change into human, and I could bring you to the healer?"

He raised a brow at you and sighed.

''I don't need a healers help," he siad. ''Anyway, thank you. I owe you, uh..."

''_____," you mumbled. He repeated your name.

''I owe you, _____."

''It's nothing," you smiled and looked away. You scratched your cheek as you sat more comfortably on the snow.

''Why did you help me?" he asked after a while. You blikned. ''Humans don't like dragons."

''I don't hate dragons, if that's what you're asking about," you replied. ''I only fear them, but not hate."

He processed your words carefully. ''How come?"

You sat silently wondering what to tell him. You breathed some warm air into your hands and took a breath.

''When I was a child,'' you began without looking at him.'' I decided it was a great idea to walk on the ice. It was one of warmer days, as much as it could be warm around here. The ice broke and I fell into the water."

You shivered remembering how scared you were, when you were dragged down, how the oxygen was gone and you couldn't catch on anything to pull yourself out.

''There was a dragon, I guess it was a dragon, in the lake. It brought me to the lakeside and waited till I was fine again." You finished.

You didn't tell him that you were terrified of the dragon, but still thanked him. You didn't tell him, how you felt that the dragon took something from you. You couldn't pinpoint what it did to you, but since then you knew something was amiss. And you didn't tell him that now you couldn't go fishing because you were afraid of drowning.

''I see," he said quietly. ''Humans aren't usually that understanding.''

''So you though I was going to kill you back then?"

''You shouldn't be surprised."

''I'm not, really. But you know, it goes both ways," you laughed a little. The young man only closed his eyes.

''Ryo. My name is Marufuji Ryo," he said, opening his eyes.

''Nice to meet you, Ryo,'' you smiled. So much for a regular life, with a regular activities and a regular acqaintances. He nodded. ''Could you tell me what happened to you?"

''Dragon Hunters," he said after awhile, seemingly deciding it was safe to tell you.

The Dragon Hunters. You didn't know they were in these parts of Daksina Lands. Well, that would explain the spear, that was unlike any other you saw.

You looked at Ryo, but he didn't seem to elaborate any further.

''And now I belive I should take to the healer."

Ryo frowned and shook his head. ''As I said, I don't need it. Besides humans won't like to heal dragon. They wouldn't even heal a man from another tribe."

''That's not true," you said. After some thought you added, ''We trade our leather goods with a tribe from the northen river bank, and they give us fishes. That is just one example and there are many more."

Ryo looked at you with a clear doubt.

''For the most part," you admitted. ''We're not exactly on good terms with the tribe from of the West Forest. Huntsmen would much rather hunt each other than mooses..." you mumbled the last part.

''Dragons have it similar,'' Ryo said. ''There are tribes that we are nice to, and those we aren't."

''Who would've thought..."

It was an entertaining conversation, you thought. You never actually wondered how dragons functioned within their communities. Humans and dragons were separated from each other, and for the most part avoided each other, so you didn't know much about them.

You sat in silence.

''Hey, I see what you did there," you said with frown, ''I'm still taking you to the healer."

''No."

''It's gonna be fine, I promise," you put your hand over your heart. ''My mom is a great healer, and she will help you... and won't shush you out of our home."

You were serious, your mother was a great healer, even if she herself wasn't in best health all the time.

''No.''

''Oh, come on!" you huffed. You started to feel cold from not moving for so long, but the dragon wasn't even trembling. Even if he was naked. He still held calm and collected demeanor, which made you unnerved. ''So how about we head to the village, you'll wait for me outside while I bring some bandages for you."

''What?"

''It's a win-win situation," you said. ''You won't be in the village, and you won't use a help from a healer, but still I can take medication and bandages to help you."

You smiled slightly, satisfied with your idea. It wasn't perfect, but for some reason you couldn't leave the guy bleeding in freezing cold.

''Fine," he finally given in. You nodded and got up, ready to go. He pushed your hand back, when you offered help with getting up. He staggered and leaned on a tree.

You picked up a spear that still laid on the snow. You showed it to Ryo, and said ''you can use it as a staff."

You weren't surprised that he didn't want you psychial help so you offered an alternative. A few moments later he took the spear with a grimace and leaned on it.

You slowly made your way through the forest, sometimes you had to take a break when Ryo wasn't able to move any furher, but you made no comment about it. You were on a path when he suddenly stopped.

''I smell smoke," he said with a frown. You looked towards the line where the trees ended.

''Smoke...'' you mumbled, feeling a dump in your stomach. You remembered wierd people in your village the other day. Your intuition was telling you that something was wrong. ''Let's hurry up."

Ryo nodded and you made your way to the village. When you passed last trees you stopped in your tracks.

A fire. A fire everywhere, eating away your village.

~~***~~
Hello! I'm surprised with myself that I was able to update this quick (looks at unfinished Towards the Light chapter >.>)
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed!