Friends and Harmony

Chapter 11

Felix's Courage

The dark forest seemed to get even darker as the group of friends journeyed on. Like before, the guys were up ahead, while the girls were a bit behind, having some small talk. Violet noticed how Cosette was staring fondly at the cowboy who was a few yards ahead of them. She smirked inwardly. Maybe it was time for a little teasing.

"So, Cosette. What do you think of Ritchie?" Violet asked innocently.

Cosette seemed to flinch and pretended to be oblivious. "What do you mean? We're friends. Close friends."

Violet's grin then became visible on her face. "Are you sure? I have been meaning to ask if you think he is handsome."

Cosette's cheeks turned bright pink. "Uh, uh, well, um, o-of course I w-would think t-that, once a-at least. I-I mean, I-I'm surprised he isn't s-seeing anyone."

Violet pretended to hide her growing smirk. "I quite agree. He's strong, honest, and caring. Those are some of the reasons why you like him, correct?" She asked a little too innocently.

Her friend's face immediately turned from pink to red. "Aah! L-like him?! Uh, it's t-true that his strong and c-caring nature is s-something I-I admire a-a bit." She stuttered nervously.

Unfortunately, her nervous comment was partially heard by the guys up ahead of them. "What was that, Cosette?" Ritchie asked from his position.

Her blush turned as scarlet as the ripest strawberries. Violet was sure she could feel the internal heat coming from her cheeks. "N-nothing! J-just some things!"

Ritchie raised an eyebrow at Cosette's stuttery demeanor, but Henry turned him away from them as they continued walking.

"Girl talk, buddy. Best to not pay attention." He turned back to the fire-red Cosette and the smirking Violet and gave them a sly wink. He stifled a chuckle when the huntress turned impossibly crimson, then turned back to chat with the guys.

Cosette took a few deep breaths to finally expel the heat from her face. Violet patted her shoulder playfully. "You can never hide the signs of first love, Cosette." She said. "Perhaps when this is all over, you can invite him for a hunting spree."

"Eh..." Cosette then looked down at the grassy path, still nervous but also feeling down. "I don't think he'd want to."

"You never know until you try." Violet said assuringly.

Cosette smiled softly. Then, they picked up their pace to catch up with the guys.

After another 20 minutes of walking, everyone noticed that the forest seemed to get even darker and shadier. Also, a little more swampy.

"My eyes need a break from all this muck." Violet complained. Then, everything became pitch black, with only a few moonbeams illuminating some patches of ground through the briars like spotlights. "I didn't mean literally."

Henry squinted his eyes in the darkness. "We could pass by a Guardian Dragon and wouldn't even know it."

"Weren't the previous two Dragons glowing when we found them?" Tobias asked with his arms crossed.

"Touché." Henry said, realizing the point the young pilot made.

Ritchie felt deep mud sinking under his boots. "Careful, y'all." He warned. "You never what you might step in."

Cosette scanned the area around them. It didn't seem familiar to her. "Okay, I think we're lost." She said.

"What?!" Everyone shouted.

"I never got in this far into the forest!" Cosette admitted.

"Well, that's just great!" Tobias said sarcastically.

There was then wild screeching that made everyone jump. A pack of gray and black wolves then came out of the shadows and circled around the group. What scared them the most was their extra long fangs and pupiless eyes; just white sclera.

"Saber-wolves." Ritchie hissed. "Why did it have to be saber-wolves?"

"I read about them." Henry said. "Definitely one of the top 10 creatures you don't want to meet in a dark alley. Or ever!"

"Come on, guys!" Felix cried confidently, and took out a rocket from his bag. "We can take them down!"

"How are you so brave right now?" Violet asked, her hands too shaky to grab her sewing scissors, so she just held tightly onto her arms while hiding behind Tobias.

"I learned that having courage can really shake things up!" Felix then lit up the blue rocket and it hurled itself towards one of the saber-wolves, making it fly up with its fur starting to get flames.

"Whoa!" Henry exclaimed. "Nice one!"

"Grab one, guys, and let's light things up!" Felix tossed everyone a firework and a match. Tobias lit his first, since one of the saber-wolves was about to pounce on him. He whooped victoriously as the monster was blown away by the green rocket.

Ritchie lit his orange firework and it was sent flying towards another one, lighting it on fire. "Yee-haw!" He hollered as the saber-wolf scampered away, whimpering.

The girls fired their own rockets, and cheered as two more saber-wolves scurried off in showers of yellow and purple sparks. Henry lit his red rocket at the leader as it was about to attack him. With sparks flying everywhere, the saber-wolves retreated into the muck and shadows.

Everyone was whooping, cheering, and laughing as they celebrated their victory.

"That was totally awesome!" Tobias pumped his fist as he leaped up in triumph.

"How did you know that was going to work?" Henry asked Felix.

"Like I said," Felix replied, "having courage can really change your confidence. If you have it, you can face anything."

Suddenly, a bright flash of light appeared in the sky again. The teens looked up and saw a glowing dragon with ocean blue scales and navy blue eyes. It roared and began to circle above Felix, staring down at him. It then transformed into a bright blue ball of light and disappeared inside him.

"You okay?" Ritchie asked as he and Cosette helped him stay on his feet.

"Dizzy, but I'll be fine." Felix said.

"Well, that's three Guardian Dragons." Henry said.

"Two more to go." Cosette added. "Not counting the sixth mystery one."

"Where to now, though?" Violet asked. "We are lost, are we not?"

"I've studied the map of the Outcast Woods a hundred times." Henry said. "There's a river not far from here."

"Let's head over there, then." Tobias said.

As the group left, a shadow hiding from the moonbeams materialized into the wisp of midnight blue magic and flickered ahead of them.

Author's Note

A/N: The saber-wolves are monsters of my own imagination. They look like regular gray wolves, but have huge fangs like a sabertooth tiger, and they have no pupils.

Well, our heroes have encountered another Guardian Dragon. They're halfway there.

Well, I will see y'all in Chapter 12! Please let me know about what you guys think.

Got to fly! ;)