DragonHeart | Minsung

XXV

Jisung woke to the sounds of birds chirping, Minho still sound asleep beside him. He decided not to disturb his sleep quite yet, and quietly slipped out of the tent. The crisp morning air greeted him, and he took a deep breath to take it all in.

He took a moment to stretch his limbs, sore from being cramped up in the small tent. The horses grazed nearby, and he whistled to call them over. Their heads rose with ears perked up, and both the Friesian and Percheron happily trotted to him.

With a smile, Jisung grabbed one of the few apples that Hypatia had given them. He let Bbama take a bite, which was about half of it, and then gave the other half to Minho's nameless horse.

If Minho were awake, he'd probably scold him for giving away their food, but the horses deserved a treat every once in a while for how much they've done for them.

He gave each horse a gentle rub on the nose, and decided that it was time to wake him up.

He approached the tent, crouching down to peer inside. "Hey, Minho, wake up. It's morning," Jisung whispered, gently nudging Minho's shoulder.

Minho stirred, blinking away the remnants of sleep. His eyes met Jisung's, and a soft smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Morning," he greeted, stretching as far as the tent allowed.

Their daily routine continued. The tent and bedding was packed neatly into a tight rolls, belongings were packed into their bags, and the horses were tacked up for the day ahead.

"Have you thought of a name for her yet?" Jisung asked after they were sat in the saddles.

"I- yeah...I was thinking, Dori?" Minho said, unsure if that was a good name.

Jisung smiled, "that's cute."

Minho smiled back, reaching down to stroke Dori's neck, "yeah.."

They continued down the road. Jisung's emotions ran wild as they got closer and closer to Gimpo. He was excited to be making another huge step in reuniting with his mother, and learning more about Minho and their bond, but also worried about the unfamiliar beings that could pose a threat to them there.

They finally arrived at the boarder between the human kingdoms, and the dragon realm. The territories were separated by a man-made fence, adorned with a variety ominous warning signs.

The two dismounted, and Minho used his sword to create a gap in some of the ropes that made up the fence. They guided their horses through on foot, having had noticed an uneasy shift in their behavior.

They decided to walk for a while longer, to allow the horses to adjust to the new surroundings. The landscape near the boundary was similar to what they'd been traveling through before, but as they got deeper into Gimpo, things began to change.

The vegetation was flourishing; the wildflowers were more vibrant, the trees were taller, the air somehow felt fresher. The connection that dragons held with Gimpo was undeniable. Even the energy emitting from Minho was brighter.

After walking for a while, Minho suggested they continue on horseback. The horses had acclimated to the new environment, and carried them on with no issues. Both Jisung and Minho revelled in the environment around them.

The day passed quickly as they rode along. Minho would have to find a place for them to stop soon. Before doing so, he fixed his eyes on a group of deer that he'd spotted in the distance, peacefully grazing in a flower-filled meadow. Excitement flickered in Minho's eyes; the prospect of fresh game for their dwindling supplies was too tempting to resist.