Board Thread:Fun and Games/@comment-36570662-20181223024110/@comment-34572969-20190111175504

Katina

"TINA!"

I was immediately met with a loud scream of my nickname and arms immediately wrapped around me as soon as I entered the house. It took a moment to process, but I soon returned the hug as I recognized the person.

"Hey Nick!" I greeted, pulling away. He was smiling giddily, mirroring my own excitement at seeing my friend once more.

"Greetings and salutations, sis! How's it been? You miss me?" he taunted in an overly-sappy voice.

"First thing's first: I'm not your sister. Second..."

I whistled for Flame and he landed on my shoulder, squawking happily and analysing Nick head to toe. "Nick, this is Flame, Flame, this is Nick," I introduced. Flame purred in approval at my friend.

"No way. You have your own dragon now? This is sick!" he exclaimed, scratching Flame behind the horns. "Last time I saw you, you were-"

"Still a fourteen year old sulking about how I still didn't have a dragon, no need to bring that up again," I interrupted, sighing at the memory. Nick was one of the people that went adventuring with my dad all those months ago, leaving me to see him only every few years. "Anyway, you'll never believe what I am right now," I said, practically jumping on the spot in excitement. I could tell I looked like some sort of ecstatic child and barely even gave Nick any time to answer as I responded. "I'm a Guardian!"

He paused, blinked, opened his mouth to say something, closed it, and stood up straighter (he's three years older than me, and was bending down a little to speak to me).

"I don't believe you," he stated blatantly. "Prove it."

I blinked. "Well, I have a dragon..."

"So does practically everyone in the entire Hidden World. C'mon, Tina, you're a smart girl."

I hummed in thought. "Well what am I supposed to give you, it's not like we have FBI style badges or anythi-"

At that, Flame dropped something metal onto the floor beneath me. I picked it up and turned it over, revealing a picture of a Bewilderbeast with my name underneath it, stating my status as a Guardian.

"....okay, so apparently we do have badges."

I showed it to Nick and his jaw dropped in shock. He hesitated for a moment, most likely deciding on what what to say.

"Well, blimey..."

"That is literally the most British thing I have ever heard."

He ignored me. "My wittle sissy's all gwown up now!" he pouted, putting on his baby voice back. I raised an eyebrow, but couldn't help smile at his antics.

"Yeah...guess I am. I just wish dad were here to see it." Nick frowned. He and my mum were some of the only people who knew how close I was to my father.

Nick coughed to break the silence. "I'm...sorry, about what happened to him and all. Must be hard for you."

Flame sensed my mood and rubbed his cheek sympathetically against mine. I petted his head gently in grattitude. "It's not your fault. Anyway, I'm still holding out hope."

A few days had passed when all the new Guardians were called to Freygair, presumably to properly begin our jobs. I got ready like I did every morning, and was just about to head off when I heard a voice call from the hallway.

"Ahem." It was Nick. Since he was always out adventuring, whenever he returned home he usually stayed with me and my family. I turned around and found him pyjama clad, with a very noticable bed head and leaning nonchalantly against the wall. "Not gonna say goodbye?" he asked, a fake but humorous sadness behind his pouty voice.

"...yeah?" I said. He gave me a look. "Okay, fine, sorry. Don't disturb mum, tell her I love her, and if she asks-"

I grabbed an orange from the fruit bowl on the counter and opened up the door. "Tell her I had breakfast."

"Wait, Tina-"

Too late. I was already out the door. Flame squawked disapprovingly at me, as if to say, "You can't just keep eating random fruits off the counter for breakfast."

"I tell myself what to to do." I bit into the peel of the orange, then immediately gagged and spat it out. "Holy Thor I forgot that wasn't an apple."

I had a satchel with me full of paper, pencils and some extra food in case I needed any, as well as treats for Flame and a map. I met up with the others and Freygair, and he began to tour us around the specific places we needed to look after and patrol as Guardians. I hitched a ride with Ari. Sometimes having an unrideable dragon sucks.

We went around places in the Hidden World, with Freygair telling us specifically where to guard for about twenty or so minutes. He stopped abruptly once he reached a certain area.

"Everybody, listens up. This here is the spot you must guard with your lives, here is the home of the Alpha. He sleeps and spends most of his time here but occasionally he will go and hunt.  Your job is to guard and ALWAYS know where he is," he commanded, gesturing to the sleeping Bewilderbeast. He looked back at us.

"If this dragon dies, the Hidden World dies, and you all fail your jobs."

Okay, wow, this job is a lot stricter than I would have hoped, I thought to myself.

"Your job is to protect the dragons and the people of the Hidden World.  With this Alpha, he will help make your jobs easier."

He made us swear to protect the Hidden World and Alpha with are lives, and so we did.

"Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a dagger in my- WHOAH WHOAH WHOAH!" I exclaimed, glancing at the dagger in my hand. "I forgot I had this."

We flew a bit more, and stopped at where I assumed we were going to stay for the remainder of our lives as Guardians- wait four whole years?! Well, I suppose other people could visit. Seven rooms were scattered around, one of them for supplies and such. The rest were all for us.

After Freygair went over a few more things, we were free to look around and pick out our huts. I chose one at random, with lots of free space and easy access to the roof, a platform and stairs leading upto it and beyond. It was as near to perfect as I was going to get. Because let's face it, nothing is perfect.

I set down the supplies I had in my bag and found a table to put the map I had in my bag on. Flame landed eagerly on it, scouring the various islands listed.

"Okay Flame, if you were an adventurer exploring the Overworld with limited supplies, men and your daughter's best and only proper friend with you, where would you be?" I thought out loud. Flame tilted his head as I let out a breathy laugh.

I spent about half an hour on that map, crossing of places my father could possibly be. I wasn't going to give up easily on this.

A while later I heard some commotion going on in Aidan's room. Naturally curious, I stood up and went to look, and was surprised to find a baby Woolly Howl nestled in Kate's arms. My fellow Guardians were huddled curiously around her, observing the little hatchling.

Many, many, many attempts to befriend the little...Devil, as Kate called him, and minutes of me trying extremely hard not to burst out laughing at their misfortunes, I tried. I began to approach him slowly, hand out for him to sniff. He opened his jaws to bite, but I pulled it away quickly, pulling the sleeve of my shirt protectively over my wrist.

"Fiesty...is an understatement," I concluded. Flame hovered in front of Devil and growled loudly. The Woolly Howl was still unfaze.

Isla brought up the subject of playing Truth or Dare, and the majority of us agreed with Kate sitting at the side. I was interested in what was about to unfold.