"All creatures deserve a second chance"
"Except this-"
"Including this one"
"You are just saying that because it saved your life"
"I am not protecting this one just for that one reason. None of us wanted for you to become so consumed with rage. It wa-"
"BUT THEY ALL STILL DIED!"
"...."
"THEY DIDN'T WANT ME TO BE CONSUMED BY RAGE? THEN WHY DID THEY ALL UP AND DIE!?"
"There are other more importa-"
"LIKE WHAT?"
The Dragon gazed meaningfully at Teresa. Teresa just gritted her teeth.
"Don't look at me like you are abo-ALEX!"
"There you go"
The Dragon nodded as Teresa ran back the way she came, slowly transforming back to her human form on the way. She found Alex groaning on the ground a few feet away from the clearing where the emo-chicken was grazing. The chicken glanced back and gave a smirk, before pecking at the ground again.
The Dragon glanced at emo-chicken, before following Teresa. Teresa cradled Alex in her arms, muttering apologies and starting to use her Art.
The Dragon threw something at her before she could. She raised a single arm and caught the item without looking at the Dragon. She then inspected it.
"It's a healing herb. It will restore him to his optimum condition without the need for you to use your Art. You have a long way to go, so conserve your energy"
Teresa just stared at him, crushing the herb while doing so. She then turned toward Alex and applied the now squished herb onto his wounds.
The Dragon did not say anything during this time. He just looked on, gently looking at Teresa as she attended to her friend. After she was done applying the paste, she set Alex down. Alex looked at her and tried to move. Teresa stopped him.
"No, don't, you need rest"
"What happened?"
"Uh..."
She looked toward the Dragon.
"I let my emotions run wild...I'm sorry"
"No, it's fine"
"I still feel terrible"
"Well, don't. I let my emotions take over more times than I can count, and nothing good ever comes out of it"
The Dragon intervened.
"The young one is correct"
Teresa turned to him and stayed silent. The Dragon looked in her eyes.
"I know that you are hurting. However, I hope that you will reel your emotions in. Please, do not cause another war. Nothing will come of it. It will only cause more death and destruction. Do not let what has happened happen again."
Teresa looked at the Dragon, her resolve waning.
"Just remember this, I am not afraid of you. I will not hesitate to start another war if that thing does anything cruel to anyone in this forest again"
"I do not understand how you will be able to win however, even if you are given help from the other two Titans. You do not have-"
"Do not finish that sentence!"
"...As you wish"
"Remember this..."
Teresa glared directly at the Dragon. The Red Dragon, the Titan of Justice, one of the four pillars of the forest, her equal. He stood majestically above her, looking down on her, but in their eyes, they were of the same height.
His gleaming red scales with a scarce number of blue scales interwoven throughout his body shone in the golden light, his red vertical slitted eyes gazed at her, his horns curved forward, the tips pointed toward her.
"...No matter how much the odds may be stacked against me, I will not be afraid of you, or the consequences that I may bring. I will not let that little piece of sh*t hurt anyone like he hurt me"
"...I understand"
Teresa nodded and bent down to pick up Alex. She glanced once at the emo-chicken and turned around and started walking away.
"White Rhino"
"Hmm?"
"Thank you"
Teresa continued to walk away until she could no longer be seen. The Dragon looked in that specific direction for a while before turning back and looking down at the emo-chicken.
"What did you do?"
"Don't take that tone with me. I'm the one that saved you"
"I no longer trust that you had no ulterior intentions when you saved me"
"I never said I didn't"
"You..."
"She's right, but even if she is, you can't kill me and you can't allow me to be killed. Oh how I love your honour"
"How do you know that I will not disregard my morals and honour to rid the world of a great evil"
"Because you're the Titan of Justice. Your stupid honour and morals are all you have. Oh! I have an idea! Why don't we test it? I'm going to stay completely still. Kill me. Kill your savior"
The emo-chicken stayed completely still. The Dragon raised a claw, the disgust in his eyes could not be concealed. He brought down his claw, but stopped himself before he could even touch the blue tuft on the chicken's head.
"Hahahaha! See! I told you!"
"I am going to my cave"
"Bye bye!"
The Dragon shuffled away, leaving deep scratches on the earth. The emo-chicken chuckled away behind him. Once he was deep inside, he curled up and rested his head. He didn't seem to notice that his claws were digging incredibly deep into the earth.
'My honour...it is a blessing and the one thing that will remain constant. However I must admit that there are times when they feel more like shackles and a curse. Forgive me, White Rhino, I was deceived, but I am helpless in spite of that'
"Huh? When did my claws grow this much? I must trim them down, this is just unsightly"
As the Dragon was trimming his nai-claws on the cave walls, Teresa was making her way back to her home with Alex in her arms. Alex was happier with this arrangement since he did not have to bounce anymore. That was the positive side, the negative side was that he could see Teresa's expression.
It was one of sorrow, bitterness, rage and all sorts of other emotions that she seemed to be suppressing. While it was glaringly obvious that something was wrong, Alex knew that he should probably keep his mouth shut. Teresa would tell her story when she was ready.
With the two lost in their own thoughts, they made their way back home, to a very energetic boy waiting for them, brandishing his wooden weapons to train.