How To Train Your Dragon Slayer 2

Chapter Eight: Dock Leaves and Elder Trees

A carriage was making it's way along a tired and beaten old path. Its old wheels squeaking and clacking as it hobbled over the well worn in ruts of others.

Inside it's walls the remaining members of team Natsu sat in a dreadful silence, stewing in confusion, anger and worry.

"How many times are we going to go back empty handed?" Gray shattered the silence with a growl, as he watched the world pass by through the back opening of the carriage.

"As many as it takes," Erza responded not bothering to cast a glance at the ice mage.

...

"Do you think they're okay?" Happy asked meekly, gazing up at the ice mage with large tearful eyes.

Gray grumbled and pressed the palm of his hand against his mouth muttering "I don't know what to think."

Erza let out a sigh, adjusting herself and uncrossing her arms "Natsu wouldn't have let anything happen to Lucy-"

"But he wouldn't give a damn if something happened to himself!" Gray snapped cutting the scarlet wizard off "Natsu doesn't have an ounce of self preservation in his body and he's gotten worse lately! Sure he'll protect Lucy but who will protect him?!"

"I'm sure Lucy has his back," Wendy started with a nervous smile, shrinking away from the ice mage "she's just as capable as Natsu."

"Well yeah," Gray trailed off "but Natsu he's...unpredictable and reckless it'll be difficult for Lucy to protect him from himself."

"You worry to much," Erza shook her head "I understand your still shaken from our last mission but Natsu isn't going to put his life in danger so carelessly."

"You weren't there," Gray hissed "Natsu didn't hesitate to jump in front of a spell that could've killed him!"

"Have faith in him Gray, Natsu is more capable then you think."

"You're putting to much faith in him Erza! You're not seeing the problem Natsu doesn't care if he lives or dies, how can you be okay with that?!"

"He made a risky decision yes but that doesn't mean he has no will to live," Erzs growled "his own words are 'you live for your friends you don't die for them' and I trust that he will follow those words."

Gray groaned slumping down and burying his head in his hands

"You don't get it."

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Natsu gingerly poked his muzzle out from the safe haven of the crevice in the cliff side. Looking and acting quite like a nervous fox the dragon sniffed the air searching for any signs of danger. Luckily the only scent to be found was the thick smell of morning dew and the foreboding of rain.

The fire dragon slipped back into his make shift den and craned his neck to look to his partner.

Lucy was curled up tightly, her front paws tucked under her belly and tail curving around her muzzle.

A small smile settled on Natsu's face as he took in her peaceful sleeping state.

The smile didn't last very long though, as his eyes soon locked with the painful looking scratched marks that had crusted over with dry blood over her hind legs.

Natsu turned back to face the exit having made his resolve, he wanted to be quick though-his goal to be back before the dragoness awoke.

The young dragon padded silently into the the forest. Each step careful and cautious, eyes flickering up to the sky every now and again as if expecting to see dreadfully large bats coming from above. So far there was nothing, no signs of threatening life, just the sound of birds singing their morning spring tunes.