Chapter Five

Leanunya woke the next morning and looked around, having barely slept any. She stood up and stretched looking at the sleeping Nagos. She sighed softly and worked to make them some breakfast. They had run out of the food she had bought a week and a half ago. She had since found food they could eat mostly fruits, berries and mushrooms. Rarely did she start or make a fire so she didn’t hunt but since they were so close to the forbidden forest she was willing to have a fire. 

Leanunya followed the tracks silently drawing a dagger out from its sheath. She followed the tracks and soon spotted the rabbit underneath a bush nibbling on some grass. It had brown grey fur and hadn’t noticed Leanunya. She watched a moment before throwing her dagger with perfect accuracy straight into the rabbit's heart. It didn’t even have time to flinch as it froze up dead. 

Leanunya went up to it and picked it up before removing her dagger from it. She then headed back to Nagos and the fire she started. She walked soon reaching the campsite and walked over to the fire. She glanced at Nagos who was awake looking at the fire before she arrived. Nagos was now looking at her. Leanunya sat down, calling over Nagos and gutted the rabbit and skinned it, showing Him how to do it. This would be a skill he would need to learn. 

After she finished she stabbed it with a stick and started to cook it over the fire. Normally the smell of cooking food would attract predators but so close to the forbidden forest most creatures stayed away. If any predators did come close she would kill them. Leanunya had become the master of the forbidden forest as such the creatures there bowed to her will, though it had been many years since she had been there.

Leanunya knew no creature of the forbidden forest would attack her if it knew her. But as she had been gone that might not be the case anymore. The creatures might not recognize her or think her weak and attack her. Either way if they attacked she would kill them. Another reason she was willing to light a fire was because she knew no one ever came this close to the forbidden forest unless they were as strong as her or crazy. If either were the case there would be no point of not having a fire as they would find her one way or another. 

Leanunya wasn’t worried though as she couldn’t sense any danger nearby. After she had first come to the forbidden forest she had gained a sense of danger. This sense saved her more than once and she trusted it. The only time it didn’t help was when someone was much weaker than her which was most of the time. But it always worked when someone was stronger or trying to kill her. She was not stupid enough to ignore this sense. And this was extremely true with Wolferan. She always got a sense of extreme dread and danger from wolferan when he was near. She knew better than to face him, so she would run. Any other bounty hunter she would kill but him.. she was terrified by the feelings she got from him. 

Leanunya looked at Nagos and spoke, “ready for today?” Nagos nodded, “yes.” Leanunya nodded, “after we eat we’ll leave and about midday we will enter the forbidden forest. That is where I’m going to train you. We’ll stop to eat lunch before we go deeper into the forest. I have a hut in the forest. I lived there for a while.” 

Nagos nodded, his eyes going wide and curious. He started to ask questions, “how long did you live there? How did you survive? What did you eat there? What is it like there? Is it really as dangerous as others say?...” Leanunya sighed and answered his questions as she checked the meat of the rabbit. “I lived there for a year or so. I hunted and killed what I could to eat. It’s cold. It’s not quite as dangerous as it’s rumored but it’s not simple either. Let your guard down and you will be killed.” 

Leanunya smiled as the meat was finally cooked and could get Nagos to finally stop talking for a minute. She cut the meat into strips, gave some meat to Nagos and took some meat for herself eating it. She ate a few strips of rabbit meat silently. She soon finished and stood storing away the last of the rabbit meat for later. She stood up and looked at Nagos. She flicked her tail softly and nodded softly to him to start going. 

Leanunya spoke, “once we enter the forest you mustn’t talk too loudly or you could attract predators.” 

Nagos nodded immediately and she sighed silently. She started to walk off Nagos following her. Leanunya walked silently, starting to notice the difference between the normal forest and the forbidden forest. The two forests had two different temperatures and plant life. While the normal forest was warm and full of life and greenery the forbidden forest was cold and often plants were greyish in color. This difference was even more noticeable the deeper you went into the forest but the strange thing was there was never any snow or frost in the forest. 

Leanunya had lived in the forest for almost four years and had never once seen snow or frost in it but it never was warm either. She had to become immune to the cold of the forest and as such the cold didn’t bother her much anymore. At first it did and nearly died, often getting too cold at first but had eventually gotten used to it. Normally a cattagon couldn’t stand the cold due to their dracion side.

 She on the other hand managed to get past this weakness and now could easily handle the cold. But also because of this cold she needed to worry about Nagos dying of the cold. She could only think of starting a fire at night for him and getting some blankets or making some for him. 

   Leanunya walked thinking of how to keep Nagos warm during the night as she would be training him during the day so he would be warm enough during then. At night on the other hand he would be sleeping at night and could easily die of the cold. Leanunya knew the first thing she needed to do was get a blanket and fire for him tonight. If she didn’t he could very well die. She needed to prevent this if she wanted to keep him safe and train him. 

Leanunya looked at Nagos as they walked, and soon they entered the forbidden forest. Just as she had figured it took them til noon to enter the forest. The temperature was cold as always in this forest and she could tell Nagos was cold.

 She spoke, “we'll stop here for lunch before continuing.” Nagos nodded, “It's so cold here” Leanunya nodded, “Yes, it’s always this cold so you’ll have to get used to it. But until then you’ll need a jacket.” Nagos nodded softly. 

She nodded softly before pulling out the leftover rabbit meat. She gave half to Nagos before eating the other half of it herself, thinking. Leanunya ate the meat thinking silently about the future. She was mainly thinking of how to train him. She knew it was dangerous to train him the same way she had trained but it was also faster that way. But, she also knew that wasn’t what Nagos needed. Nagos didn’t need overwhelming strength, he just needed enough strength to protect himself. 

She could train him to be just strong enough to protect himself in the forest. If she did this he would have no issue protecting himself from others. He also could train himself later to get stronger if he wanted. Leanunya decided just to train him enough to survive in the forest whether it be to be fast enough to run away or strong enough to kill his attacker. She would train him to survive. She wouldn’t train him to be a master of the forest but only as someone who could survive in it. 

Leanunya stood straight from where she leaned against a tree. She spoke, “let’s go”, she then started off deeper into the forbidden forest. 

She walked silently on guard to predators or other dangers to Nagos. She walked keeping an eye on Nagos who was silent and trying to keep warm. She didn’t give him a blanket or jacket as she knew the first step to surviving in this forest was to get used to it’s cold weather. Leanunya continued to walk silently deeper into the forest. 

Leanunya and Nagos walked deeper into the forest. It was starting to get darker and the forest that had been mostly quiet was coming alive. Leanunya was unfazed by this but Nagos was fearful. Leanunya walked on guard but was looking around, seeming to look for something. She soon spotted the old small shack she had made when she had lived in the forest. 

She walked towards it speaking, “we are here. This is where we’ll be living for probably the next few years. Or at least until your training is done.” She opened the door to the shack. Nagos nodded softly and entered when Leanunya motioned for him to. 

She then entered after him and looked around before going to the fire pit she had made in the center of the shack. She smiled softly seeing some old fire wood in the pit and lit a fire using her dragon fire. The shack immediately was brightened and warmer. Leanunya noticed Nagos scoot closer to the fire. 

She nodded softly and looked around before speaking, “I’ll have to get more firewood so you’ll have to stay here.” Nagos nodded, saying, “ok..” Leanunya nodded softly before bringing out the blankets she had for Nagos and set them down. 

Leanunya nodded softly before leaving the shack. She closed the door behind her and headed off into the forest. She collected firewood as he walked. She walked silently, piling the wood into her arms. Most of the firewood was sticks and small logs. After she had her arms full of firewood did she turn around and go back to the shack. She walked and neared the shack. When she wasn’t even a hundred yards from the shack she heard a scream. She dropped the firewood in her arms. “Nagos!”