The Scars We Bare

Chapter 4

The cave wasn't as dark as Mimi thought it was going to be once she crawled through the small entrance. There was some cracks that let sunlight pour in and it was enough to travel by. So far the cave was nothing but a narrow tunnel that led forward. Mimi hummed a little as she continued, "I wonder what I'm going to find down here."

After walking for a good ten minutes, the cave finally opened up into a wider cavern. In the center was a crystal clear pool of water that was actually full of white and blue crystals but there was something yellowish under the water. Getting of the shock of the beautiful water, Mimi walked over to the side of the pool and knelt down. She put her hand into the water and began stretching it towards the yellow thing, wanting really badly to see what it was. Surprisingly, the water was warm to the touch as her fingers grasped a small coin. She pulled it out and gasped, nearly dropping the coin back into the water, "Gold!" Mimi had stumbled upon actual gold. "No way this is real!" She set the coin aside and began to dig in the water again. "If I pull enough out, we can pay back Rain and the others for all their trouble."
A small pile of gold had begun to form next to Mimi. She did everything she could to reach the pieces without getting into the water herself. She stopped to take a breath and looked at her pile. "There. That should cover everything while we are here." She dried her hand off on her shirt before she began to fill what pockets she had. She had to fold the belly part of her shirt to carry the rest and made her way back out through the cave entrance. She didn't know how long she had been in the cave for but Chimur wasn't under his tree sleeping anymore. The sun was nice high in the sky. She felt worried. Where did Chimur go? Did he just abandon her at the pond? Was she really that unlikable? She felt tears prick at her eyes as worry and fear began to cloud her brain. She was abandoned. Again.
She dropped the gold that was in her shirt to the ground and just stared at the pond. Why did she always mess up relationships with people? Why did they always have to pretend to be her friends, only to eventually leave her behind? She rubbed her arm. Just like her parents. Everyone just leaves her.
Mimi didn't have much time to wallow in her emotions as the ground began to shake violently as a loud, growl escaped the cave behind her "WHERE'S MY GOLD!" She turned back to the cave to see a head poking out of it. But this head wasn't human nor a head of any creature she had seen in her lifetime. The scales were a brassy yellow and the blue eyes pierced straight through her soul. Sharp teeth glinted in the sunlight.
"A d-dragon...!" She whispered as she took several steps back in fear. "Give me back my gold!" He growled at her as he began to exit his cave. Her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as she watched his whole body come out. He had four legs and claws at the end of each one. His body was long in the abdomen and an almost equal amount was added to his tail and neck. He had spikes on his head to make him even more terrifying! And to make matters worse, he completely towered over Mimi. He could squash her with ease if he wanted to! Finally her flight or fight kicked in and she let out an ear piercing screaming before she raced off in some odd direction of the forest. "Get back here you thief!" The dragon bellowed behind her and swiftly took flight to follow her.

Chimur, who was a ways away in the forest, stopped what he was doing and listened. He swore he heard a scream after that dragon bellow. Fearing for the worse, Chimur rushed back as quickly as his legs could carry him. He made it back to the pond to catch a glance of Mimi entering the forest with a dragon on her heels, shouting angrily. He took off after them.
His hopes was to get her back without revealing the truth.

Mimi raced through the trees.
Her legs pumped and her lungs screamed desperately for air but with the fear of this giant creature behind her, she continued. She looked around. Was there anywhere to hide!?
She was hoping the trees got thicker as she ran through but they began to thin out as she came to a giant cliff face. It was huge and blocking off her escape route that she had taken.
"No! Now what!"
She hurried over to the rock wall and looked for holes or cracks big enough to hide in.
The dragon landed behind her and laughed, "What's wrong Thief? Can't find a hiding spot?" He was quite amused at this little creature that thought it could out run him. "Just hand over what's mine and I just might like you live." His serpent tongue escaping his mouth as he grinned at her. She backed up against the wall in fright.
What was she supposed to do now? What did he mean hang over what's his? She didn't have anything that belonged to him.
The brassy dragon shifted on his front legs, "I'm getting impatient human." Smoke began to billow from his lips and fire began to build up in his throat.
"HELP!!!" Mimi screamed and covered her eyes. She was about to be cooked like a hotdog. A giant foot landed in front of her and blocked the yellow fire that the angry dragon has blasted at her. "Fool!" The brassy dragon hissed as the other dragon nudged her out of the way and towards the forest with it's nose, "Run!" Mimi stumbled over her feet and fell backwards, but continued to scramble away as the brassy dragon leaped at the dark green dragon. He sank his teeth into his back. The green dragon called out in pain before quickly shaking off the smaller dragon and turned his head around to snap at the neck.
"Back away from the human!"
"I want what's mine!"
They clashed in a battle of claws and teeth. The ground below them painted in glowing blood.
The green dragon backed his way towards Mimi and kept himself planted between her and the other dragon. The brassy dragon was beginning to grow tired of this fight and called out to his brothers.
Now the fight was uneven.
It was one green dragon against five brassy dragons and four of them were in perfect shape.
The green dragon looked back at Mimi and stepped over her so its body was shielding her from the rest of the dragons.
They launched their attack.

Ako shifted as she put down a shirt she had been looking at. The air felt tense. She looked at boys, who were giggling. They hadn't felt any difference in the air. She walked over to them and quickly ushered them out of the shop and down to Rain's. She hadn't spoken a single word to either of them, which left the kids confused. She opened Rain's back door and pushed them into the room. "Stay here and whatever you do, don't leave this place until I come to get you." She slammed the foor shut and locked it from the outside before she raced off towards the forest. Once she knew she was out of sight, she transformed. Her bones broke down and began to change as her entire body began to take a different form. It was only a matter of seconds before a pink and blue she dragon stood in the place Ako had mere moments ago. She opened her violet eyes and spread her wings. She used her speed to get to the sound of the fighting in under a minute. There she saw Chimur in his dragon form, standing over a frightened Mimi. He was bleeding from several places on his body from the assault. But he hadn't gone down without a fight. The other dragons looked almost as bad as he did. Ako hurried into the fight without a second thought. She was smaller than all six of the other dragons but that made it harder for them to attack her as she swiftly moved from one dragon to another causing all of them to begin to strike at one another.
The fighting would have continued until someone died if it wasn't for the deafening bellow from the top of the cliff, where a silver dragon stood.
Everything has stopped.
Everyone stared at the top of the cliff in fear. Silver was one of the most powerful dragons to ever live. Crossing their path and surviving would be a miracle all of it's own. "Why are you fighting at the bottom of my cliff?" He asked from the top, steam billowed slightly from his lips as his sea green eyes stared down at everyone. "The human stole what is rightfully mine!" The original brassy dragon pointed a claw at the girl, hiding underneath the green dragon. "Come out where I can see you." The silver dragon called to the young one. The green dragon looked under his belly, "Just step into his sight, you'll be okay." Silver dragons were known for their love of humans. Some kept them as pets or lovers. But other dragons had the most to fear. If the silver dragon was ever hungry enough, their silvery fire would melt your scales and they would eat your remains. Mimi nodded and carefully crawled into sight. "Now this brass dragon believes you have something of his. Could you explain?" The silver dragon asked. "I don't know what he's talking about. All I have are these gold coins from a crystal pond I found back in a cave." She explained, holding out a few coins for everyone to see. Never in her life, did Mimi ever think she would be explaining herself to a dragon. "She's a thief!" The brass dragon hissed, "Those coins belong to me!" Feeling braver, Mimi retorted "I don't see your name on them!" "What did you take them for?" The silver dragon ignored the brass dragon's anger. "I took them because I wanted to pay back a friend for taking care of us!" She told him. She kept the names to herself, unsure if any of these dragons might harm her friends. "Which dragon owns her? You will replace the stolen coins with a few of your scales." The silver dragon crawled down the cliff face and looked between them all. "I do. She's mine." Chimur spoke up, using a foot to pull her back towards him. "I didn't know she had stumbled upon a gold pile and I will repay with scales." The silver dragon glanced at the brass dragons, "Is this payment enough?" Everyone knew that humans would pay for any kind of dragon scale. Green was up there in price. The most expensive being the pearlescent scales. "This payment will do." The brass replied after they discussed it among themselves. Ako joined Chimur, "You don't have to do this." "Yes I do." Chimur nodded, "It's my fault for not keeping a better eye on her. And now she knows that dragons exist." He braced himself as the silver dragon walked over and ripped off a few scales. Once the trade was done, everyone was left to themselves. Mimi stepped back out of the dragon's hold. "You didn't have to do that." He looked at her with tired eyes, "It was a small price to pay to keep you alive." He thought about telling her. She had the right to know their secret now. "I have to get back. I'm sure my friend is looking for me, thanks for the help!" Mimi said before she hurried off into the forest to find Chimur. She had to tell him this crazy news. "You didn't tell her?" Ako asked him softly. "I didn't think now was necessary. She just suffered an attack. I don't need to shock her anymore." Chimur murmured as he turned a different way, "I'm going to the healing springs and I won't be back until later. Could you watch over her?" Ako nodded, giving Chimur her word before they went separate ways.

Back at Rain's office, Jack and Ralph stared at the door before they made their way over to Rain after he finished with his last patient "Why did Ako run off?" "She probably had an emergency to take care of." Rain answered as he grabbed his coat and put it on. "I have to run to the store. Stay here until either Ako or I return to get you." And he walked out of the front door, locking it as well.
"Now what?" Ralph asked his brother as they sat down, unsure of what to do.