B006T5JMRC EBOK by Aya Knight Read Free Book Online Page B

Spending another night in the area was too great a risk.
    “Here—catch. I almost forgot to give you your share.” Kale tossed Thomas his portion of the bread. “I can’t breathe fire, you know,” Kale randomly stated as he glanced toward the flickering flames in disappointment. “I had to use human materials from the caravan to start this thing—what an inconvenience. It’s really quite pathetic, you know.” He felt hopeless and weak inside. For the first time it was as though he had fallen lower on the food chain—vulnerable and unable to protect himself.
    Thomas allowed himself to relax for the time being, leaning his back against an old tree stump. He was quite impressed with Kale and commended him for a job well done on the fire. For someone who had become human mere hours ago, Kale caught on amazingly quick to the basic ways of life and motor functions of his hands and fingers. Prior to this moment, Kale had merely glanced upon Thomas during his visits as he would slap flint and steel together until a small pile of dry pine needles or leaves would kindle. To build a fire without help was quite an impressive feat.
    Thomas smiled. “You’ll soon learn, Kale.” He bit down on one end of the bread, swallowing hard as the semi-moistened piece slid slowly down his throat. “You don’t need to be a large, frightening dragon who breathes fire in order to take care of yourself and get through life. Though humans may be small in comparison, some possess a heart that could eclipse even the largest of obstacles. Within yourself,” he gently placed his palm onto his chest, “is a heart that will guide you to overcome anything that stands in your way.”
    “All right,” Kale rolled his eyes, “so, you’re telling me that my heart will help turn me back into a dragon? Because, quite honestly, Thomas, this is a massive obstacle to me.”
    “You never know my friend... You never know. In the end, I’m sure everything will fall into place as it should. Things tend to have a way of working out, one way or another.” Thomas shoveled another chunk of bread into his mouth. Although slightly uncertain of the food’s quality, after such a mind-numbing day, the tiny meal tasted like the best thing he had eaten in ages.
    Kale rested his head on the sandy, pine needle covered ground, as he swallowed the final portion of his meal. He placed the apples, flint, and steel into a small pouch he found in the caravan. He rolled onto his back, staring up at stars that glowed vibrantly and contrasted against the night sky. The heat from the flames radiated against Kale’s skin, which felt surprisingly nice. There were so many new sensations he had already experienced as a human. Although his mind clouded with uncertainties and doubt, at that moment everything temporarily drifted away—he was able to truly allow himself to relax for the first time that day. The bread satisfied his aching stomach and Thomas was doing well; he could now focus on the simple pleasures such as the comforting night they shared. He continued to stare upward, enjoying the majestic scenery as his eyes rolled upward beneath his lids until he simply could not hold them open any longer. Kale drifted away into a peaceful slumber on his first night as a human.

    The first sound to stand out against the repetitive crackling of the fire was the rustling of nearby bushes on the perimeter closest to where Kale slept. The leaves shook against one another as something moved—hidden within the darkness. Neither Kale nor Thomas woke to the noise. To Kale, the sound of creatures scurrying about in the forest was normal, and although it was quite close, his mind did not register it as a threat which allowed him to continue dreaming without interruption.
    As the flames licked against the center of one of the larger logs, it eventually weakened, snapping in half and causing the two halves to land onto the bed of coals. The fire hissed upward, brightly illuminating the