Taeil could hear whispers.

He was slowly becoming conscious again, awakening to the feeling that he was not alone with his mind grasping at reality as he tried to push sleep away. There was a soft buzz in the air and Taeil knew someone was talking but in his sleepy state he couldn’t understand the sounds. A small shuffle of the undergrowth further alerted Taeil that there was something wrong. He shifted, about to sit up when suddenly a hand clamped over his mouth.

“Sh,” a voice warned near his ear.

Taeil wrenched his eyes open, disoriented but fear kicking in and pulling his senses awake. It was still close to night but he could see a young man around his age dressed in bright colored robes standing over him in the morning light, hand planted firmly over his mouth. His heart nearly stopped when he saw Jihoon standing a few paces away, hands bound and a knife to his throat. He didn’t look severely hurt but there was grass in his hair and a few scratches on his face. The dark haired man behind him shifted and Jihoon winced in pain and Taeil’s heart wrenched. He yearned to help him, wishing he could do something to heal him.

“Stand up, quietly now,” the blond figure above him said.

Taeil followed his instructions, moving slowly so as to not do anything that could endanger Jihoon more. When he was standing the blond boy behind him grabbed his hands and bound them behind his back. Jihoon let out a low growl from his and throat when Taeil winced because of the harsh grab but the dark haired boy only tightened his grip on Jihoon, holding the knife closer.

Taeil looked over at him, trying to convey that he was alright through his eyes but Jihoon was furious, a fire in his eyes that spoke violence and anger. Taeil had never seen him look so scary. He was practically radiating anger and Taeil yearned to talk to him.

The blond boy grabbed Taeil’s bow, slinging it over his shoulder and slipping his backpack on. Taeil froze, suddenly remembering the egg and he had the sudden urge to attack him and rip the egg from his grasp. He quickly pushed down the urge, surprised and almost scared at the intensity of his feelings. The blond boy didn’t seem to notice though, instead continuing on by grabbing Jihoon’s sword and belting onto his own belt.

“Let’s go,” he said. He was smiling but Taeil felt there was something animalistic in face. The blond got behind Taeil and after a second Taeil started walking, letting the blond guide him through the forest. “Don’t worry, nothing will happen to you if you follow my orders.” Taeil saw the dark haired boy frown and he wondered if that was really the truth. He could see the sword on the blond near his reach and he felt the urge to grab it but what would he do with it once he had it? He didn’t have sword training and his hands were bound. Feeling almost animalistic he pushed down his thoughts, trying to calm himself and think rationally. Jihoon was walking to the side of him, looking murderous.

“Are you okay?” Jihoon blurted out, surprising Taeil. Taeil nodded quickly, opening his mouth to say something but the dark haired boy interrupted, shoving Jihoon roughly. “No chatting,” he said, pulling out his knife. After a dark glare Jihoon looked forward while Taeil turned away.

They walked for a long time, the dark haired boy shoving Jihoon every once and awhile but the blond boy never touched Taeil harshly, instead simply leading him with a small tug on his sleeve. Taeil considered running but with both hands tied behind his back he wouldn’t have gotten far. He’d just have to see what they were getting into.

It seemed he didn’t have to wait for long for suddenly the dark haired boy yanked Jihoon to a stop and the blond boy grabbed Taeil’s arm, pulling him to a stop before steadying him. “We’re here.”

The sounds around him had gradually gotten louder but Taeil hadn’t recognized them as whispers until now. They moved into a less dense area of trees and Taeil suddenly had the feeling that they were surrounded, numerous gazes on him. A sense of urgency and protectiveness overcame him for a moment and he nearly leapt at the blond boy to get to the egg.

Before he could do anything reckless the sounds around him suddenly got stronger and he could hear people whispering, too many voices layering over each other that he couldn’t tell what they were saying. It was clear he was surrounded though for the voices came from all around him. He was wondering where all these people were hiding when suddenly he saw eyes peeking out at him from the leaves of a tree and a figure dropped from its branches.

Suddenly more faces became visible, appearing from behind bushes, around trunks, up high in the trees. They all began to come out of their hiding places, curious but cautious as they made their way closer. Most of them stayed far away from Jihoon, giving him dangerous glares and some even hissing at him but a few had come up to Taeil, looking interested. Once even cast him a smile and he smiled hesitantly back, unsure of what was going on.

“Chief,” the blond boy behind him spoke. “These are the two we found.”

The first man who had dropped from the trees stepped forward. He was short and looked young but Taeil guessed he wasn’t as young as he his appearance revealed. He had spiky brown hair and an almost feline face. Now that Taeil looked he realized most of these people walked with a feline like grace, the blond boy behind him seeming more cat like than the rest.

“Did you kill the mother dragon?” The chief asked, his voice resonating over the others. The rest of the people quieted down causing Taeil to be surprised at how much respect the young man garnered.

“No,” Taeil said, glancing nervously at Jihoon, unsure of who these people were and what they wanted.

“But you buried her?” The chief prodded.

Taeil nodded, taking another glance at Jihoon.

“Why?” The chief demanded, stepping forward closer to Taeil. Jihoon let out a low growl but Taeil didn’t look at him, instead facing the chief face on.

“Because I did not think the dragon deserved to die in such way,” Taeil replied back, voice hard.

The chief looked at him and Taeil suddenly felt like he was looking into his soul. There was a tense pause in which Taeil stared resolutely back before the chief turned to Jihoon. Taeil let out the breath he didn’t know he had been holding. “And your friend? The dragon hunter?” His voice was vicious and Taeil barely concealed a wince.

Taeil replied quickly before Jihoon could get himself into trouble. “He is a dragon hunter, yes, but he is assisting me. He did not kill that dragon.”

The chief’s gaze narrowed “But he has killed dragons, yes?”

“No.”

Taeil looked at Jihoon, eyes wide. He was scared, would they kill him for lying?

The chief stepped towards Jihoon, staring into his eyes like he had done to Taeil. “You have not harmed a dragon before?”

“I have harmed a dragon before,” Jihoon admitted, his voice hard, “But never killed.”

The chief stared closer at him. “Why?”

Jihoon paused, looking like he was struggling with an answer before exhaling. “I did not choose to become a dragon hunter. It was a choice upon me. I did my job because I had to, but I have never killed a dragon.”

 Taeil gaped. He hadn’t known that. He had always assumed Jihoon killed dragons when he fought, this was completely new to him. He suddenly felt a bit empty, wondering why Jihoon hadn’t confided in him.

The chief stared at him for a few more moments before seeming to deem this a respectable answer and turned away. “Cut them loose, I’d like to have a conversation with our travelers.”

The blond boy was suddenly behind him again, cutting through the binds with a single quick swipe. In the corner of his eye he saw the dark haired boy cut Jihoon’s binds a bit more roughly.

“Please,” Taeil said after he was free, rubbing at his wrists. “Let me heal him first.”

The chief looked at him, face expressionless. When he received no reply Taeil considered it not a no so he moved over to Jihoon and took his hands gently in his.

“Are you alright?” Taeil asked, examining his wounds. His wrist seemed bent up pretty badly, having turned a dark purple, but it was not broken and it would heal over time. The wounds on his face were minor, he was alright.

“I’m alright, are you?” Jihoon asked, catching Taeil’s hands and giving them a small squeeze.

He felt his face flush but he nodded, looking away. The whispers had started again and he ignored them. “I’m fine.” He then moved toward his bag and when the blond boy did nothing to stop him he reached into his bag and brought out the medicine kit before moving back to Jihoon’s side.

“Sit down,” he instructed, positioning Jihoon against a tree and beginning to clean his wrists.

The people around them began disappearing back into the trees until only the chief, the blond boy and the dark haired boy were left with Taeil and Jihoon.

“What are your names?” The chief asked suddenly, breaking the silence and pulling Taeil out of his thoughts.

“My name is Taeil and this is Jihoon,” Taeil said, not taking his eyes off his task. He didn’t bother lying, there was no point now.

“And you are a healer?” The chief sounded interested.

“Yes, I study medicine,” Taeil said. There was a pause and then Taeil looked up and found the chief standing over him. He blinked, confused. “Do you need something, ah, chief?”

“Oh, let me introduce myself. My name is Minseok.” The chief grinned, looking innocent like a child. “Continue!” He encouraged.

Taeil gave him another strange look before continuing with what he was doing, trying to ignore the eyes staring at the back of his head.

“I’m Yookwon,” the blond boy introduced himself. He was grinning and Taeil was once again reminded of a cat. Yookwon looked quite interested in what he was doing, staring opening while the brown haired boy was sneaking glances at them from his spot against a tree. “And this is Minhyuk,” the blond said after the dark haired boy didn’t say anything.

Taeil nodded at them but paused when his eyes stopped on Minhyuk. He was wearing darker clothes, rich purples and deep blues, which was probably why Taeil hadn’t seen the wound before. The boy was cradling his arm, blood falling from a cut wound that Jihoon had probably inflicted. “Are you alright?” Minhyuk glanced up, looking extremely surprised Taeil was talking to him. “Do you want me to take care of that cut on you?” Minhyuk was still gaping at him so Taeil took the initiative, reaching out and gently but firmly grasping the dark haired boy’s arm.

Minhyuk’s eyes were wide, sending panicked looks at the others. Yookwon was smiling encouragingly, even reaching out to grab his shoulder while Minseok merely watched while looking interested. When Tail took out a small knife from his kit Minhyuk tried to pull away but Taeil held fast. “It’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you. I am just going to cut off your sleeve.” He reached and slit the sleeve at the elbow to reveal the wound. It wasn’t too deep but it was bleeding profusely. He grasped the remains of the fabric and pressed it against the wound. “Hold it here please,” he said and Minhyuk hesitantly placed his hand on the wound.

Taeil then reached into his bag and grabbed some antiseptic ointments and bandages. As he started on Minhyuk’s wound he couldn’t help but ask, “Why are you so interested?”

“We don’t have healers, our knowledge of medicine is very small,” Minseok explained, watching closely as Taeil cleaned the wound.

“Oh,” Taeil passed, realizing just how much he didn’t know about the people who had captured him. Minseok seemed to be thinking the same thing for he looked up and smiled gently, “We have a lot to talk about.”

Taeil agreed silently as he finished bandaging up the wound. After he was done Minhyuk quickly took his arm back from Taeil’s grasp but after a pause gave a small nod of his head in acknowledgement.

“Are you done?” Minseok asked. Taeil nodded and a grin spread over his features. “Then we begin.”

Minseok started walking deeper into the forest, Yookwon and Minhyuk moving to adjacent sides, escorting now instead of leading. Taeil glanced at Jihoon who had been very quiet the whole time but the boy stared resolutely ahead.

Wonder why Jihoon was so unresponsive was strange but it also made Taeil a bit irritated so he turned away, instead putting his focus on the forest around them. It was beautiful, Taeil hadn’t noticed it since they had been walking for hours and had almost gotten immune to the sights. Being so far away from civilization had let the forest grow and flourish, becoming wild like it was supposed to be. The trees grew higher than Taeil had ever seen, with flowers of every color blooming around him. Leaves crunched underfoot but Taeil realized that only him and Jihoon, though the latter’s much less than his, made noise. The others seemed to almost glide over the ground.

Taeil found the tree very interesting. They wore extremely bright robes, ranging from the deepest red to an almost clear blue. The clothes were loose, allowing a large range of movement and though he didn’t see any weapons on them he was sure they were hiding them in the folds of their clothes. They didn’t wear shoes, instead walking barefoot on the ground, seeming unbothered by rocks or sharp twigs. Around their necks and fingers was jewelry made of precious stone that Taeil faintly recognized, a flat rock that shined and reflected brilliant colors.

They had been walking for a while until suddenly Minseok stopped and they came to a halt. Taeil was about to ask what was going on, for he couldn’t see a village around him, when he looked up and realized there was a small hut in a tree overhead. It blended in with the bark, almost covered up by the foliage growing naturally around it. He was about to question how anyone could even get that high, seeing no ladder or footholds in the tree when Yookwon ran forward and climbed like a cat upward, slipping into an opening in the hut. Taeil gaped because had never seen someone move with such grace, he was sure he wouldn’t have been able to climb up, even with shoes. Yookwon slipped out of the hut, climbing down a few branches before leaping to the ground and landing in a crouched position. He straightened before walking back.

“They’ve been notified,” Yookwon reported, bowing his head. At the same time Taeil saw a small bird leave a window in the hut.

Minseok nodded. “Let’s continue,” he said and began walking again, Yookwon and Minhyuk dropping into step behind him again.

As they continued deeper into the forest Taeil observed more and realized there were numerous other huts lining the path. Some reached high into the treetops, others had ladders while a few were on the ground. Occasionally there was a larger hut and a few people would come outside, looking like a small family. Minseok would speak politely to them, acting respectfully and hospitably before he excused himself and they continued on their way.

“Loners,” he explained when Taeil glanced curiously at him. “They are part of the tribe but decide to live outside our walls.”

Taeil realized they were nearing the camp when he could hear the sound of voices getting gradually louder. “Just up ahead,” Yookwon chirped, looking excited. The ground underneath them turned into a well-trodden path, leading into a thick, dense area of bracket. Taeil was about to question how they would get through, for it looked quite painful, until they got closer and Taeil saw a small opening in the wall. As they neared suddenly two men dressed in similar garb as the others stepped out, almost materializing out of thin air.

They immediately recognized Minseok though and bowed respectfully towards him before stepping aside. Minseok went through first and Yookwon waved Taeil in after. He walked through the small opening, Jihoon on his heels with Yookwon and Minhyuk following right behind.

As he stepped out of the small tunnel Taeil was stunned by the tribe’s home. He could still recognize they were in the middle of the forest but it seemed like everything grew in a certain place where it had been put. There was a space of flat grass, almost in a circle, acting like a street with huts lining the sides. Numerous tribe members walked around, going about their daily businesses. They glanced at the group as they passed but mostly ignored them. At the other side were lines of trees, extremely tall, that had a network of houses in its branches interconnected by ladders. The whole area was surrounded by the bracket, curving around a corner suggesting the area was actually a large circle.

Taeil received a small nudge from Yookwon and he quickly hurried to catch up with Minseok, following after the chief. He walked with purpose, nodding occasionally and greeting others when he was greeted. He didn’t stop though, instead walking towards a ladder that led into the system of homes in the trees. He grabbed ahold of the ladder then began to climb. After a pause Taeil followed.

When he reached the top Minseok held a hand out for him and pulled him up the rest of the way. As Minseok turned to assist Jihoon Taeil went to the side of the platform and looked around, eyes wide. They were up very high and though Taeil saw Jihoon grimace at the height, Taeil himself enjoyed it immensely. He felt so free up high as if he was out of reach of all the worries and problems that existed on the ground. He almost laughed.

Turning around he saw that past the ring of trees there was a large space in the middle of the circle, divided into two rings. The outer ring was lined with stands that looked like food and goods while in the middle of the circle there was a perfectly cut rock slab, jewels of every color imbedded in the edge and intricate lines traced into the rock. It must have taken years to cave it. Taeil wished to ask what the lines mean but everyone was already up on the platform and Minseok was walking away again.

Ripping his eyes away from the beautiful sight Taeil followed after. The ladders connecting the trees were very sturdy so Taeil didn’t fear of falling. Minseok walked resolutely, walking across a few trees until they neared a large house that was noticeably bigger than the others. They ducked into a doorway but instead of stopping Minseok walked straight through. The large house contained many rooms with wooden floors and trees and branches growing throughout the house, their growth unaffected by the house at all. The walls were covered in beautiful jewels and markings similar to the slab of rock. Taeil felt so close to nature and he wished to pause and admire the view but Minseok didn’t stop. Instead he walked through the house and out a door at the end, ducking into a doorway to a smaller house that was connected.

This house was much smaller, noticeably a home for one person. There was a single room with a kitchen at one side and a bedroom connected at the back. Minseok sat in front of a low table and Taeil followed after, taking his spot across from Minseok while Jihoon sat next to him. Yookwon brought out some tea cups and placed them on the table before sitting down. Minseok sat a bit away, watching them with calculating eyes.

Minseok took a sip of tea before placing the cup down and clasping his hands in his lap. “I shall start by explaining where you are. This,” he waved his hand around, encompassing the whole camp, “Is the tribe of Rook, created by our ancestor the original chieftain of tribe. It was said he was a spiritual leader who, after being overthrown by power hungry rebels, escaped to the forest and created a new village that sought peace and prosperity. There he met the dragons but instead of fighting he worshipped their glory and power and here his clan flourished. As a tribe we worship the dragons as well, protecting and looking after any dragon who chooses to come through our lands and watching over the forest for intruders. I am the chieftain and I am in charge of retaining peace in the forest and communicating with the dragons.”

“Communicating?” Taeil looked up, glancing at Jihoon when he interrupted. “Dragons can talk?”

Minseok regarded him coldly, taking a sip of his tea. “Of course they can, they are extremely intelligent beings.” He looked insulted by this and Taeil quickly spoke before Jihoon could get in trouble.

“How do they communicate?” He asked curiously.

Minseok glanced at him. “Telepathically. With the person’s consent a dragon can enter their mind and share their thoughts.

Jihoon looked shocked by this and Taeil was too. He had never heard of a dragon talking. He wondered if the king knew.

“We have been watching you ever since you came into the forest,” Minseok continued and Taeil realized he was speaking the truth. He had had a feeling he was being watched while on they were traveling and now it all seemed clear. “Recently an intruder came into our forest and killed one of the mothering dragons who kept shelter here. We assumed it was you, for you bear the dragon hunters sign, until you came upon the dragon’s corpse and burned it. Our tribe carries out specific rituals for a dragon’s burial that includes the burning of the body. After you left we burned the rest of the body and performed our rituals by scattering the ashes and making a shrine of its scales. Since you two did not kill the dragon, that means there is still an intruder wandering the forest and we believe him to have killed the mother dragon and having stolen an egg.”

Taeil paused at this. Jihoon glanced at him and they exchanged a look before Taeil’s eyes wandered to his bag. “Actually, I don’t think he did.” He then reached into his bag and his fingers curled around the familiar warmth. For a moment he had the urge to lie and hide the eye, feeling rather protective of it again, but instead forced himself to take the egg from his bag and place it on the table.

The egg had onyx black scales, shining in the sunlight and reflecting rainbows. After sitting back Taeil could still feel the warmth emitting from it. It was still spotless, though Taeil knew being in his bag could have scratched it, but not a scratch marked its surface.

Minhyuk gasped and Yookwon was openly gaping at him. Minseok was staring wide eyed also before he turned to Taeil, awed. Where did you get this?”

“There was a nest inside the forest when Jihoon and I came in search for herbs,” Taeil explained, eyes on the egg. “The mother dragon was not near it though.”

“Yes, that explains lot,” Minseok said, staring at the egg also. “We did not find a nest near the body. The mother dragon must have led her attacker away from the egg.” He then reached out a hand to touch it and Taeil almost lurched forward to grab the egg but instead just twitched in their direction. He saw Jihoon turned to him.

Minseok placed his fingers on the egg and slowly ran it down the side of the egg before laying his palm flat on the surface of the scales. There was a tense moment in which no one seemed to breathe before Minseok took his hand off the egg and nodded.

“We must return the egg immediately to the dragons,” Minseok said, standing up. He reached out for the egg but Taeil grabbed it before he could. He didn’t know why he reacted so suddenly, one moment he had been sitting and then his arms were clutching the egg to his chest protectively.

Taeil paused, surprised by himself, before turning apologetically to Minseok. “I’m sorry chief, but this egg belongs to me. I have a mission. I come from the village outside the forest. My home was recently attacked by dragons and it was completely burned down. Because we live so far from the capital we are not protected by their guards and dragon hunters and have been living in fear for a very long time. I wish to end this feud with the dragons and I intend to do it by bargaining with this dragon egg.”

Minseok’s eyes were narrowed and Taeil felt a shiver run down his spine. Yookwon took a step forward and Minhyuk tensed up beside him. “You would threaten the life of a dragon egg?” He asked, his voice venomous.

Taeil tensed but just clutched the egg tighter to his chest. “To stop this bloodshed, yes.” For some reason though there was a small doubt in the back of his mind, wondering if he would even be able to harm the egg in his arms.

“And there is nothing I can do to stop you from this silly mission?” Minseok asked.

Taeil shook his head. That he was certain of. “Nothing.”

Minseok stared at him and Taeil was reminded of the first time they met, like Minseok was looking into his soul.

“Alright then, I will lead you to the dragons but just know, they do not bargain. Dragons are wild and free creatures who are not to be tamed. The reason they attack is because your capital has done many horrible, wrong things to them. Your kind has killed their kin and all they are doing is retaliating. Do not believe you are innocent.

“I never did,” Taeil replied, his voice sad, “But my village has done nothing and it was brutally attacked. I just wish for no more blood to be spilled.”

Minseok looked at him once more before turning away. “Then I wish you luck on your mission.” He stood up and the others followed.

“Yookwon, Minhyuk, bring them to the dragon’s land, but do not cross the border like the rules say. Then return immediately,” he instructed. He then turned to Taeil and Jihoon. “I hope your mission is a success but I warn you, if you harm a dragon you will not be forgiven,” he said and Taeil knew he was talking to Jihoon. The boy beside him didn’t respond, instead staring icily back until Minseok turned away.

“Be safe in your travels,” Minseok said.

Taeil followed Yookwon and Minhyuk out of the house. The two led them to the nearest ladder where they climbed down into the inner circle.

Yookwon stopped at a shop to buy them food. Minhyuk looked irritated by this but Yookwon ignored him. It is not a long trip but it will take until nightfall,” Yookwon explained.

Taeil gladly took the piece of meat hanging from a stick, feeling ravenous after the day’s adventures and thankful for the piece of cooked meat. Jihoon was eating quickly too and Taeil wished to speak to him in private but Minhyuk was staring them down. Taeil instead turned to Yookwon. “What’s the slab over there?” He asked, pointing to the jewel studded rock.

“It’s where the dragons land when they visit,” Yookwon responded. “There are no trees so a dragon is able to land and take off safely.”

Taeil looked at the large rock and was amazed. A dragon came to the village and they worked peacefully together. It was hard to believe, it sounded like a miracle.

“I did not know that dragons were so intelligent,” Jihoon said quietly beside him.

Minhyuk scoffed beside them. “Of course not, your capital hides many things from its people for its own good. You are ignorant,” he hissed.

Yookwon snapped a glare at him but instead of baking down Minhyuk stepped closer to them, eyes dark. “I do not agree with Minseok. You are silly, pampered humans who have no regard for the life of others, the forest, or the dragons. You believe yourself to be higher than every other creature when in fact you are just as equal as the rest of us. Do not think of yourself as better than you are. This mission will result in nothing good. The only reason I am doing this is because Minseok is my chief and I will follow his orders. But know this,” Minhyuk stepped forward dangerously. “If it was my choice I would have killed you both already.”

There was a tense silence and a chill in the air that made Taeil’s hair stand on end. He spoke the truth and Taeil knew he would not hesitate to kill them. Beside him he could see Jihoon getting increasingly angry, a dangerous glint forming in his eye, and Taeil quickly reached out and grabbed his hand, giving it a small squeeze to calm him down. There was nothing they could do now.

Minhyuk stared at them both for a few more seconds before turning away, leading the way out of the camp. Yookwon paused before quietly ushering them forward, staying silent.

Taeil moved to take his hand away but Jihoon held on tight. He looked questioningly up at him but Jihoon just shook his head and motioned for them to start walking.

Taeil wondered if they would even make it to the dragons.