"Come on," Natsu smiled reaching out. "You can do it."
A blonde haired boy, five in age, puffed out his cheeks and took in a deep breath. They were in a meadow, mountains rose up to the left and a deep woodland was to the right, beyond that woodland was where the sea met the mountains.
"DWAGON ROAR!" the boy yelled releasing his breath, nothing happened. The boy pouted.
"Oh come on, don't cry yet, there is still day left!" Natsu laughed picking the boy up and placing him on his shoulders. The boy laughed.
"Natsu!" a familiar blue cat called overhead. It looks just like any other normal cat except it was blue and had angelic wings sprouting from its back, it could also talk but none of those things were strange to the young child.
"Yeah!?" Natsu called back.
"Lucy says lunch'll be ready in a few minutes!" the cat yelled flying by.
"Alright!" the salmon haired yelled back.
The blue cat nodded and flew away.
"Dad," the boy asked leaning down over his father's head.
"Yeah?" Natsu asked looking up at his son.
"Am I ever gonna be as good as you?" the boy whined.
"Course you are," Natsu laughed. He stomped his feet and fire erupted from them launching him and his son into the air. They flew through the air both laughing. Natsu landed lightly a few kilometers away from his takeoff point, closer to the forest, and the boy squealed in happiness. "Don't you doubt yourself," Natsu chuckled.
"AGAIN!" the boy laughed clapping his hands.
"Okay!" Natsu laugh exposing his canines in his bright smile.
They went into the air, the boy laughed the whole way, but when they reached their peak the wind changed direction and blew a strong scent into Natsu's nose that made him tense and his eyes widen. They landed in the forest and Natsu planted his feet and looked to the east.
The boy stopped laughing and looked at his father, "Dad?"
Natsu slowly took the boy off his shoulders and placed him on the ground.
"Dad what's-" the boy began.
"Shh," Natsu ordered softly looking around and glancing around them. His eyes darted to every shadow, his nostrils flared as he smelled the air, he tilted his head to listen better.
"The infamous Natsu Dragneel," a cold voice chuckled.
Natsu whirled around to face the woman who had suddenly appeared. She had wild red hair and wore silver armor. Draped over her shoulder was a neon blue cape with a picture of a black dragon.
Natsu reached out instinctively and pulled the boy behind his leg. The boy gripped his father's pant legs and looked at the woman fearfully... no one had ever been able to sneak up on his father.
"I come representing the Dragon King," the woman smiled giving a grand bow.
"You can go to hell," Natsu snarled squaring the woman up. The boy was frightened now, he had never heard his father speak in such a way.
"Now is that anyway to greet a messenger of your king?" the woman asked tilting her head.
And then... they were everywhere. Men and woman walked out of the shadows and surrounded Natsu and his son. They all wore silver armor and a pattern of a black dragon on a blue background.
Natsu looked around and gritted his teeth. His mouth was dry and his heart was pumping.
"What do you want?" Natsu growled keeping one hand in front of him and the other hovering protectively over his son.
"The king sends his regards to you my lord," the woman stated walking forward. Natsu tensed and the boy whimpered sensing his father's fear. "But... he also demands tribute."
"He can take the land then," Natsu growled, there was a hint of fear in it.
"No, the Dragon King is satisfied with your ruling as Lord, he believes that you are a worthy dragon to remain free. But... he requires recruits for our country, and he demands your son as your tribute." The woman's face was shadowed dangerously, her hands concealed in the claw like armor flexed excitedly.
Natsu stiffened and for a moment his gaze drifted to his son who cowered behind him.
"My son," Natsu repeated slowly.
"Yes," the woman smiled raising a hand and reaching to shake Natsu's hand, "If you hand him over peacefully I give you the word of the Dragon King that you, your mate, your territory, and all of your future heirs will not need to fear him. He is a kind king to those who obey him... But..." her green eyes danced with excitement, "If you resist, they I have jurisdiction to bring you, your mate, and your son to the capital."
Natsu's eyes widened and he breathed in sharply. The boy whimpered again as the woman looked down at him. Her eyes burned with a hunger that made the boy very scared.
"Daddy," the boy whimpered, "Daddy what do they want?"
Natsu's face was shadowed and he put his hand on the boy's head.
"Sting," Natsu said slowly.
They boy looked up at his father.
"Run to your mother." Natsu growled.
The woman tensed and then suddenly she was engulfed by flames.
"ATTACK!" the woman screamed from the fire.
The soldiers streamed forward, Natsu roared a dragon's roar and knocked them aside. A soldier grabbed the red haired woman who had escaped the fire and was trembling on the ground.
"General-" the soldier began.
"GET THE BOY!" the woman yelled looking at the blonde haired boy who stood terrified watching his father fight.
The boy looked around just as a soldier went to grab him. He put his hands up and cried out. Then there was a flash of fire and the soldier collapsed at the boys feet. The boy looked back and saw that his father's mouth was smoking. He looked to his son as he pinned down another soldier.
"STING!" he cried, "RUN!"
The boy awoke from his trance and ran away, into the woods, towards the mountains. Behind him he heard a dragon's roar.
The boy rushed out of the tree line and ran into the meadow, there he tripped and fell into the grass. A shadow overtook him and he cried as a figure appeared in front of him, the boy hadn't been able to sense him until he had suddenly appeared there.
"Hello little one," the soldier laughed.
"HAPPY ATTACK!" someone yelled, the soldier grunted and fell to the ground, felled by a cat's paw. The blue cat with white wings landed and helped the boy up.
"Happy!" the boy cried trying to stop himself from crying, "They're fighting daddy!"
"Come on!" Happy cried grabbing Sting's shirt and lifting him into the air as the soldier grunted and got to his feet dazed and confused.
"BUT DADDY!" Sting screamed.
Happy looked back in fear as a soldier jumped higher then any man should, he raised a sword and aimed for Happy's wings.
There was a fearsome roar and the soldier was hit by a figure of fire.
"NATSU!" Happy laughed.
"DADDY!" Sting cried.
Natsu looked up. Red scaled were forming on his arms, cheeks, chest, and neck. His trusty white scarf flapped in the wind.
"Happy, get Sting and Lucy out of here," Natsu ordered.
"But what about you!?" Happy cried.
Natsu growled and wiped the blood off his lip. "Go Happy."
"DADDY!" Sting cried reaching out for him.
There was a roar and out of the forest ran the battalion of soldiers, all trained to kill dragons.
"Happy!" Natsu ordered harshly.
"But-" Happy began.
"GO!" Natsu roared.
Happy shook but turned and began to fly away. He flew faster and faster tears streaming from his face. In his paws Sting struggled.
"DAD!" he cried.
The soldiers were almost upon his father.
"DADDY!" Sting screamed.
Natsu roared and lunged the soldiers, he was changing from man to dragon. "YOU BASTARDS AREN'T TOUCHING MY FAMILY!!"
That was the day I lost my father... It wasn't the first time I'd lose something, but it's the time that I can't seem to remember clearly...