Once a dragon has bonded with a human there was no breaking it. Arila had been foolish to think she being kind in releasing him. No she had only given up all authority she had over him.... now he was calling the shots.

Shadow snorted, following her even she tried to push him away.

"Don't you dare touch me."

The young dragon thrummed, nudging her over to his nest... which was made out practically a mountain of fishing nets, that he had turned into his bed.

It quickly became apparent that Arila was going to be difficult. Not wanting to accidently harm her. Shadow shifted once more to the form of a human.

The tall young male looked down at her crossly, he then promptly over powered her, and threw over his shoulder and forcibly carried her up into his nest.

Shadow forcibly held her down, his powerful arm were locked around her waist keeping her arm pinned tightly to sides so she couldn't getaway as he lay next her.

He low growl resonated in his throat, warning Arila he would bite her if she continued to struggle. He held her tight, patiently waiting for her to settle down.

Arila followed him with her eyes, not moving, waiting for him to quit taunting her and start towards the ocean again. A small shudder went through her, though she was uncertain as to why. When light flared, she ducked away from him, bringing her hand up to cover her eyes, and saw the figure of the dragon, tall and proud.

"Do you plan to kill me?" she asked dispassionately as she was scooped up into his claws and launched into the air. She yelped as the branches of the trees smacked her, but otherwise stayed quiet.

At first she thought he would thrash her against the rocky shore, but when they dove into the water, she knew how wrong she was. The water cut clear through the fabric, hitting her skin as it was bare and a scream, stifled by the water, ripped out of her.

Resurfacing hurt almost as much as diving had and she laid where she landed, shuddering and coughing up water. Repeatedly, she called herself stupid in her mind, berating herself for thinking that Shadow would harm her. No, he would collect her like a bauble, something pretty to keep in his cave.

Despite how cold she was, she shoved him away when he came over to warm her. Arila drew away from him, against on of the walls of the cave and snarled at him, "Don't you dare touch me."

Closing her eyes, she stayed as far from him as she could, trembling from the cold and from the memories.

"Don't worry. I won't try to force you to stay with me. I've done you enough harm. I'm making sure you get back to the ocean safely. Nothing more."

Shadow tilted his head, watching her at a distance. His dark gaze didn't move from her, he found the shimmering silver dress rather alluring on her. The closure he got the more he didn't feel like leaving at all...

The young male circled about her, drawing close enough to lean in and take in the scent of her hair. Shadow looked up... full moon... he could shift at will.

Suddenly there was a flash of light! black mist rushed outward and before it cleared....

The young Dragon snatched up Arila into his claws and soared up into the sky! Shadow soared into midnight sky leaving the forest far behind! Returning to rocky coastline, Shadow flew out to the gleaming black waters until at last he dove downward into the frigid depths!

Just when it seemed like the water would devour them all.

Shadow resurfaced, dropping Arila's soaking form onto the floor of his secret underwater cavern.

Shiny bottles, polished pieces of glass, tin cans, and other shiny stuff that he had collected over the years was scattered every where. The cave was not cold and damp like one would imagine no it was actually quite warm and humid, the heat was supplied by and underground hot water springs that bubbles up over at the far side of the cave. A pale light was given off by small mushrooms that grew along the walls of the cave... but were largely concentrated around the hot springs.

The young dragon looked down at his newest prize and thrummed as he licked Arila with his warm blue tongue.

When he turned back to her, Arila realized that he wasn't happy and didn't want her there. Well, maybe she didn't realize it, but it became even more painfully obvious to her. Almost innocently, she held up her hands and told him, "Don't worry. I won't try to force you to stay with me. I've done you enough harm. I'm making sure you get back to the ocean safely. Nothing more."

Her eyes were downcast, avoiding his gaze, as she didn't want him to know how she felt. Holding her chin proudly, she wasn't about to back down, but she knew her eyes were the portal to her soul and she didn't need anyone to know how she felt just then, for she herself didn't know.

Quiet, but defiant, she stood, waiting for him to start moving again.

"So Shadow, you want me to leave you hanging in the tree?....

Shadow crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Arila. "Yes!" he replied stubbornly.

At least let me cut you down," Arila replied,[/i]

"Hey! No! leave me alone!" he protested, but naturally she refused to listen to a ward he was saying. Surprising however she didn't let him drop like a stone as he thought she would, but instead she let him down gently... which perhaps infuriated him all the more.

Shadow slowly got up to his feet, with so much as a thank-you and then brushed himself off.

The young male then began walking away, once more... but the paused and turned realizing Arila was still following him. For a long moment he looked back at her sternly... it was evident that he was thinking of something.

His growling is what told her where exactly he was hanging from. In fact, if he had stayed quiet, she would have never noticed his shadowy form, being as obvious as most humans are and as consumed by her thoughts as she let herself be. True his shout had let her know in which direction to look, but after that she had lost track of him. Never before had she been so happy to hear him growl, even if he was telling her to leave, like that was going to happen.

"So Shadow, you want me to leave you hanging in the tree? At least let me cut you down," Arila replied, trying not to laugh at the sight he made, his raven hair hanging in a way that reminded her of when her hair had been filled with static. Tears sprung to her eyes as she realized that she wouldn't force the dragon to stay with her. If anything, she'd follow him to the ocean to be certain he was safe, but after that...Her heart broke as she knew that she had lost Shadow.

"Just hold still!" she called, her voice threatening to break, but holding strong as she murmured to her magic, drawing it to her. Almost exhausted was her store, but a good day's rest and then she'd be back to normal. Using the magic like a knife, she cut away the branches and then used it to lift him up slightly as she snipped the wire.

Slowly, focusing on the rate of decent, she brought him down to the earth, where he would just walk away from her again. Only one of the tears in her eyes dared to try and escape, but she licked it off her cheek quickly, embarrassed.

"Shadow! I'm sorry!" Arila called,

Shadow was in no mood to be reconciled with, he wasn't sure what he was going to, or where he was going to go but he wasn't staying where he was. Perhaps he should just go back to where he had been! By the ocean! where no one ever bothered him! where he was alone... and by himself! Alone in his cave! with his shiny bottles, polished pieces of glass, tin cans, and other shiny stuff that he had collected over the years!

Yes he would be perfectly happy! all alone... by himself! He didn't want his nose rubbed! he didn't like warm cooked food! or... or Arila's singing! or her company! or her smile! or her voice! or the way her hair sticks up after running his wings over her head! or anything!...........Shadow's train of thought was interrupted when suddenly he felt himself walk over over a trip wire.

Shadow let out a loud shout of surprise, before he could react, the young male found himself hanging up side down swinging around in the air up in the trees by his feet from apparently some sort of hunting trap.

The young male, looked over at Arila, he could see here as he dangled upside down high up in tree branches! "Go away!" he growled, for pride he did not want to admit that he needed help..... he wouldn't either... he wouldn't ask even if he was dangle there till the next day until he was able to shift again.

Only too late she realized that the material she had used was the same as the that demon had used. With a startled gasp, she leap down from the tree, landing lightly, though she stumbled when she tried to run and catch up with him. A yelp escaped her lips halfway as she skinned her palm against the bark of a tree.

"Shadow! I'm sorry!" Arila called, as she regained her feet and kicked off her shoes so that she could move faster without falling. Her eyes fuzzed at the sudden darkness, but she began to chant a spell that would let her see, but the spell took her a long time, and she was uncertain if she could find Shadow, she headed in the direction she had heard him go.

Sorrow sparkled in her eyes as she moved forward, her movements quiet so that she could hear if Shadow made a movement. Thinking that he was long gone, she whispered, "So do I..."

((OOC:/ LoL plot twists! ))

"You're so infuriating!" Arila snapped

The young male looked up at her quietly, not sure what he had done wrong this time.

"Then we should get you good walking shoes, because our journey will be a long walk."

He caught the clothes she had thrown at him, he blinked confused at why she would give him the same garments that the demon had given him, his hand went up to the small scars on his neck in remembrance. He quickly tossed the black silk away refusing to wear them... tears welled up in his eyes as he got up from the base of the tree.

"I wish that I had let you fallen!" he growled, as trying to wipe the tears from his eyes so she couldn't see them, pushing his way through the tree and "I am leaving!" he declared out loud and kicked dirt into the fire, officially disowning his keeper. He was so angry! why would she do something like that!?! It didn't matter! she was making all the more clear that she couldn't lead... she probably couldn't or wouldn't even be able to keep him from leaving!

-----

OOC Oh gosh! ... what will happen now!?! =O

With the boost up, she found it much easier to get up. She hadn't expected him to shift just to follow her, but she didn't have an sympathy even though he did it to follow her. Whether he thought that she was being immature or whatever, she didn't care. She wasn't going to tolerate him treating her like she was weak. Arila backed down from nothing, including a stubborn dragon thought she was too stupid to fly.

"You're so infuriating!" Arila snapped at him. Violently, she jerked the sleeves off her dress to make clothing for Shadow, her magic weaving them into a long sleeve tunic and trousers in a much more fitting fabric for the dragon: silk and they were as black as night.

"Then if you will not fly with me... I will walk beside you," he announced stoically.

She looked down at her hands, pale against the dark fabric and replied in a serious whisper, "Then we should get you good walking shoes, because our journey will be a long walk."

Suddenly she tossed the clothes down to him, almost trying to hit him with them, though she meant it more jokingly now. So it was made up. They would walk. She wasn't angry about that. Maybe a bit disappointed that she had only flown once, but she still wasn't going to complain. At least she hadn't always been earth bound.

Shadow felt her tense, he looked over at her watching her rise to her feet.

"Then you'll fly alone! I am not a hatchling!"

He had expected her to act in such a childish manner, in a way it only confirmed some of his insecurities. He growned, knowing that she was very cross with him... but it wasn't fair for her to be so selfish, if she only had known how close she had been from dying, she didn't seem to understand how much he was afraid to lose her.

Shadow grunted trying to follow Arila, but the branches were too dense and they caught onto and cut and scraped his long sensitive velvet black wings as he tried to follow her.

The young dragon stood back watching Arila struggling to get up the tree. Suddenly there was a flash of light and from the swirling black mist out stepped not the dragon, but a tall young man with ebony eyes and raven black hair ....


And as she struggled to climb, shadow made his way through the branches giving her slight boost helping her get her footing. "Then if you will not fly with me... I will walk beside you," he announced stoically.

Having no clothes, Shadow soon began feeling the cold, he sat down at the base of the tree shivering.... he needed only to go back over to the camp fire to warm himself but as stubborn as he was, Shadow would not leave his keeper's side.



((OOC:/ naw... if she was playing flute, while having tea with sardines and toast telling the story about the christmas with talking mamals and dwarves... then possibly lol..... I thought it was really cool and had a unique twist to it =) ))

Arila stiffened when he looked away from her, but strangely no emotion filled her as he refused to ever allow her to fly again. It was cruel of him, she thought, to have something to amazing, but to try and hold her back. If she was to be disrespected or remain earthbound, then she would never taste the sweet air miles up.

Moving away from him, she gained her feet and shouted over her shoulder as she walked towards a thick part in the trees, "Then you'll fly alone! I am not a hatchling!"

Aware that she was never quite as alone as she felt in the forest, she went just far enough in that Shadow couldn't pester her, but she could hear him and see him if she turned around. Finding a good tree, she climbed up it, a normally easy task made difficult by the dress that the stupid cat had forced her to wear. Curling up in a fork in the tree, she watched Shadow, willing her mind to touch his comfortingly, even though she refused to use magic for the connection or call out.



((OOC:/ thanks, but I think that some of my post show what a poor writer I am. I think a scene in Narnia made me think of that XD))