Dragon Shifter

A Normal Day In Mistdell

I woke up and looked around. It took me a moment to gather where I was. I realised I was in the cave. Autumn was cuddled up next against my side. I slowly wrapped her arms from me and lay her down on the floor gently. I got up and walked outside. It was still early morning and the sun was only just rising. The woods were covered in thick mist, but the dragons had gone. Autumn walked over and stood next to me. "It's so misty. It's always misty" she complained. "That's why it's called Mistdell" I laughed. Autumn looked up at me with a grin. "We should go home, mother and stepfather will be getting worried" I said with a sigh. We made our way through the trees and over our island. Mistdell was, just as the name suggests, a dell filled with mist. Mistdell was an island set on the top of high cliffs. The cliffs sloped together and formed a valley of trees, a dell. The island was always surrounded by mist, especially in the middle where the village is.

I opened the door of my hut and immediately my mother ran over and hugged us both. "My girls! I'm so glad you're okay" mother said happily. Mother had short brown hair and a big, warm smile on her face. I smiled at her, but my smile quickly turned to a slight frown as my stepfather came down the stairs. "Destiny! Autumn! I'm glad to see you're both back" my stepfather said happily. Stepfather walked over to Autumn and picked her up in his arms then spun around in circles whilst Autumn giggled. I smiled and followed my mother into our little kitchen. Mother handed me a knife and I started chopping carrots and potatoes for our lunch. "So Autumn, are you ready to watch Destiny in the dragon training?" I heard my stepfather ask from the other room. "I don't want to learn to fight dragons!" I protested with a sigh. "I know lass, but you need it to survive in this world" my stepfather replied. "Destiny dear, I think it's best of you stay open minded" my mother suggested. I let out a deep sigh, but nodded my head.

I placed my bowl of soup on the table and sat down next to Autumn and opposite my stepfather. I stared blankly into space as I tried to block out my stepfathers voice. My mind wondered to a topic that I thought about very often, my father. I had never known my actual birth father. He had left when I was just a young child, about four or five, so I had no memory of him. But he had left both me and Autumn a bracelet each for our seventh birthday. I looked at the bracelet on my wrist, it was green and had little silver leaves dangling off of it. And on the biggest leaf were the initials G.R. I slowly came out of my thoughts and realised stepfather was still talking. "...So the axe is a very good weapon to use against dragons, I know you prefer the sword, but an axe holds a lot of strength and power. Besides, dragons don't like axes... or any weapons at that!" I let out a bored sigh and glanced at my stepfather. "I think that's enough weapons talk for now" mother said as she placed a hand on stepfathers arm. "I suppose you're right" stepfather agreed. "I'm going to need some mushrooms for dinner" mother said, changing the subject. "We can get them! Can't we Destiny?" Autumn asked as she looked up at me. I smiled at her. "Of course we can."

Autumn walked beside me. We were out in the forest gathering mushrooms. Suddenly Autumn pulled me to the ground as an arrow shot over my head. I got up and turned around to see Aaron, the chiefs son, and a bunch of his friends. Aaron held a bow by his side. I stood in front of Autumn and closed my hand over my dagger which I always kept on my belt. "Oh Aaron, how could you miss such an easy target?" Liam, one of his friends, asked. "And an ugly one too!" Zac, his other friend, laughed. The bunch of jerks continued walking and stopped in front of me. Aaron grinned. "Leave us alone!" I said sternly. "Or what?" Aaron sniggered. I pulled out my dagger and held it out as a warning. Aaron dropped his bow and put his hands up. "Leave us alone!" I yelled. Aaron nodded his head and the rest of his friends already started leaving. I let him go and they all ran away. "Are you okay?" I asked Autumn as I turned around. "Yeah, I'm fine" she said. We continued walking through the woods as we picked mushrooms. I took a deep breath and let out a sigh, this was just a normal day in Mistdell. I knew what people thought of me... I was known as a violent, overprotective, misbehaving, untamed, mistake-making, brat and a runt. But I didn't care, I was just misunderstood. My stepfather tried too hard to control me, my mother didn't try hard enough and I always came back to the same thought; 'my only purpose in this village, probably in life too, is to take care of and protect Autumn.'