DragonHeart | Minsung

XII

"We're bonded, Jisung."

Jisung had heard stories about the kings and queens of the past who had shared hearts with dragons. He had thought that was all left in the past, never once before thinking he himself would be one of them.

"...but how? If you're a dragon, how are...were you human?" He asked.

"Humans and dragons share traits when they're bonded. All male dragons can disguise ourselves as plants, water, and rocks...while females take the form of animals." Minho replied.

"But, I am bonded to you...a human...so I can take the form of a human too."

Jisung didn't know much about dragons or their lore, nor did most currently living humans. They had simply been taught that they are dangers and how they betrayed humankind. The concept seemed a bit outlandish, but the sight in front of him was forcing him to believe it.

The dragon stretched out his wings again, revealed a bloody slash down his left wing, which explained the pain Jisung had felt when he was in the cave.

Another loud rumble erupted from the dragon's chest, and Jisung soon realised that he was shifting. The transformation was quick, revealing the creature's human form. The man he had spent the last few days with stood in front of him again.

Minho walked closer to him, but Jisung took a few steps back. He wasn't sure who he was looking at anymore.

Minho stopped. "I'm not going to hurt you..."

Jisung knew that. He wasn't worried about being physically harmed by him in that moment. He didn't trust his intentions in the long run. According to his father, dragons were conniving backstabbers to humankind. For all he knew, the friendliness could all just be an act.

"Why are you helping me? You're a dragon helping a human. You're going against your own kind. It doesn't make sense." Jisung demanded, wanting answers.

Minho shook his head. "I'm not betraying my kind! I'm helping you find your mother."

"I'm helping you because it's what I'm supposed to do. Dragons vowed to help humans." He continued. "I'm helping you because I'm bonded to you."

Jisung didn't understand how important a human-dragon bond was to Minho, and to dragons in general. Minho had clearly taken some offense to this, but he also realised that it would take time for Jisung to unlearn his hatred for his species...if he ever would.

When he continued to get no response from Jisung, he spoke again. "I get that you've been taught to hate us...to hate me. But think about it...Like I said before, harming you is harming myself. Killing you is killing myself. What would I get out of hurting you?"

Jisung crossed his arms. "What would you get out of helping me?" He clearly wasn't giving in any time soon.

Minho sighed. "It's what we are meant to do."

"And how do I know that you aren't lying about all of this? You had no problem lying to me about who you are in the first place!" Jisung continued on to question the truth behind Minho's words.

Minho places his head in his hands and let out a frustrated groan. "You are so..." He stopped himself from insulting the other and took a deep breath. "Okay, why don't we just find the horses and keep going, yeah?"

Jisung rolled his eyes. He didn't want to continue on with Minho, but he also knew that he needed him to get to Gimpo safely. He didn't have the skills to survive on his own. "Fine, but we're done once this is all over...or if you do anything stupid."

"Mmhm...whatever you say, your highness." Minho mumbled.

Jisung looked around, but neither of their horse's were in sight. He brought his fingers to his mouth and whistled. Bbama was a well-trained horse, so it wasn't long before the sound of the Percheron's heavy footsteps could be heard as he came back to Jisung.

They found Minho's horse a ways down the ravine, reins stuck around a low branch on a tree. Jisung grabbed the ropes to set her free. "It's good that we found her."

Minho nodded in agreement as he rubbed the horse's black nose. He took the reins from Jisung once they were undone.

"Why do you need a horse anyway? Can't you just fly around?" Jisung asked.

"I can't fly around a bunch of humans, that would be stupid. I'd have more dragonslayers after me." Minho said.

He lifted his leg and placed it in the stirrup, wincing from the pain in his back as he pulled himself into the saddle. "Plus, my wing is sliced now. It'll heal quickly, but it's best to take it easy."

"Oh, right.." Jisung got into Bbama's back as well. "So, those were dragonslayers then?" He asked.

Minho gave his horse a gentle kick to ask her to move forward. "They had Bucheon's badges for dragonslayers and attacked me, so I'd assume so."

Jisung guided Bbama alongside Minho and his horse as they spoke. "But how would they know that you're a dragon?" He asked.

"Their dogs are trained to smell us out." Minho said. "I look like a human, but I don't smell like one...not to the dogs at least."

Jisung nodded. "So...we're not out of the clear yet then? More could be looking for you?"

Minho shrugged. "Maybe."

Jisung sighed. Out of all the scenarios of what could happen on this journey, this one hadn't crossed his mind once. Minho really had proved to be a more problematic travel companion than he'd thought.