Knightshade Forgotten.

Predatory

I'm tired, I'm so tired. Please Reflet, won't you join me? I can give you more power than you've ever wanted.

"Mister?" I awoke with a jolt, I had fallen asleep after a mile or two of running only to be woken up by a small voice. When I opened my eyes, I saw a little girl in front of me, kneeling to try and see under my hood. "Yay! You're not dead!" The little dark azure haired girl started dancing around with a good spirit. I looked at the brand on my hand, "It's scarred. Perfect" The little girl came bouncing over "What's scarred?" Before I could pull my hand away she grabbed it and looked at the mark "Are you a dragon mister? I've always wanted to meet one!"

She's bright this little girl I thought "What's your name little one? Someone as pretty as you must have a good name." She started to beam. "I do! I'm Faylinn!" (Fairy Kingdom) I smiled at her "Reflet, how old are you Faylinn? About eight?" She nodded vigorously. I would've continued my first conversation with a friendly person, but something stuck in the back of my mind "Where are your parents? Surely you couldn't have made it out here alone?" Wrong question Reflet!

Her smile faded slowly "I- I don't know, I was chasing a few butterflies and I saw a big wolf run after me. I ran as far as I could and found you sleeping here." At the end of her sentence I straightened up "Do you think the wolf is still here?" She asked,her voice filled with fear. I drew my sword out of the scabbard on the back of my waist. "Stay hidden, but close." I told her.

I started crawling through a nearby brush with her right behind me, trying not to be loud. I stopped her after a while and she stood and started running "Mama! Papa!" She sounded anxious. "Hey Fay wait!" I stood and sprinted to catch up, gods she was fast. She suddenly stopped and screamed. "Hel- Aahh!" She yelled to me as a wolf pounced on her.

I could feel my eyes burning with anger, kicked the canine off her and slashed at its throat with my sword. "Faylinn? Are you okay?" I saw her clutching a rock and holding her arm which had a small bite on it, she looked mortified, this must be a hell of a day for her. I knelt next to her and lifted her arm. "Does it hurt?" She nodded with tears on her face. I started uprooting grass and tying it together, I made a bandage and wrapped it tightly around the bite. "Where did you learn to do that?" I looked at her in reply "Some other time okay?"

She nodded and took a hold of my hand "Mom and Dad were this way." I walked with her for a while, both of us saying nothing until she stopped. "Faylinn? What- oh." I looked in the direction she was looking. A campsite was in shreds with a blood trail leading behind a tent. "Stay here." I took out my sword and followed the trail, there was shallow breathing.

My eyes widened when I saw a couple on the ground, the woman was already dead and the man slowly turning his head to look at me. "Linny?" he said in a weak voice. I knelt down next to them, "She's safe." He gave a faint smile and handed me a stuffed bunny in armor. "Give this to her, protect her." Before I could reply, his eyes rolled back into his head.

"Where's Mom and Dad?" I turned around to see Feylinn walking over. I walked over to her and handed her the bunny. "Don't go over there. It'll only hurt more." I told her. She started crying and hugged my waist. "Fey, look at me, your dad told me to take care of you." She looked up "Like brother and sister." Was she really asking that? "I've never had a sister before, I'll do my best okay?" She nodded and hugged her bunny.

"C-can I call you scales?" I looked at her "Scales?" She held the hand with the brand on it and wiped away her tears.

"Yeah, Go ahead."