Secrets

Brahn heard commotion. He stopped his arm midair, dropping a small stick onto the ground and poising for battle. He had no weapons, he had left them back up in his room. He cursed.

What was that? Pyre asked him, returning from a small wooded area with a stick in his mouth. Brahn shrugged and crouched down, Pyre choosing to fly.

They rounded a corner of the huge wall that surrounded the city, only to see the girl from earlier beating a soldier, her dragon sitting on the ground, shaking. Pyre immediately let out a loud roar, louder than one would think a tiny dragon could produce, and flew towards the fray, Brahn in tow.

"Stop!" He yelled, grabbing the girl's waist and pulling her off the man. She swung at him, but he quickly dodged and kicked her legs out from under her, pinning her on the rocky ground with his foot. Pyre was standing on his haunches in front of the fallen soldier, hissing. The soldier was gasping for breath, trying to avoid the dragon at the same time.

The sound of metal clanging together let Brahn know that the fray hadn't gone unheard. More soldiers were on the way as backup; the man had gotten a few good screams out.

"Why did you drag me off him?!" The girl yelled, still pinned on the ground. Brahn put more weight on her as she struggled more and more to break free of him. "He attacked my dragon!"

"That is a likely excuse, coming from one who attacked me earlier." Brahn said in a menacing tone. "In this city, you don't get away with attacking a soldier. And now look what you've done, you attracted more." The girl struggled more, anger fierce in her movements.

Caden thrashed around under the man's foot, which he'd slowly put more pressure on. She glared at him as shouts in the distance where coming closer. Nyan was shaking and Naji was rearing back and slamming his hooves against the stall door in an attempt to get out. The latched snapped in two after about the fourth impact, letting Naji fly out of his stall. He stood before the man, taller that him by maybe six inches, and snorted angrily.

**short i know.. sorry**

Brahn stood face to face with the girl's large horse. His sullen snorting made Brahn release his grip for a minute, giving the girl enough time to escape from under him. She stood behind him, obviously perturbed. Raising an eyebrow, Brahn crossed his arms.

"If you want to have any chance in the competition you can't go around attacking soldiers," He said. The girl grunted and pointed at her dragon.

"He attacked my dragon." She said in a cold tone. Brahn shrugged.

"They're dragons. They can fend for themselves. Besides, he probably saw it as nothing more than meat," He said. The girl's face blushed red. "I'm Brahn, by the way. I have a feeling we'll be running into each other more than either of us would like. Come on Pyre,"

"Caden." She replied, stomping past Brahn and leading her horse back into the stalls. Her dragon followed at a small canter.

Pyre extended his wings and jumped up, landing on Brahn's shoulder. Content, he rubbed his face against Brahn's. It's almost dawn Brahn. We should get back to our room and get ready.

Brahn nodded, trotting through the stables. The girl glared as he passed her.

Caden, it's about time to get ready. Besides, those soldiers are getting closer. Nyan warned in a small voice. Caden nodded and grabbed her staff and sword from its place hidden within the hay, and quickly hurried towards the inn and up to her room, Nyan resting at her window when she got there. Took you long enough. The white dragon teased, humor dancing in her blue eyes.

"Oh hush up. I don't have wings like you." Caden stuck her tongue out playfully and slipped her mail armor on over the light leather that covered her body. She shrunk her staff and hid it in her sword sheath, sticking her glowing blue sword in soon after. She adjusted the single leather patch that rested on her right shoulder so Nyan could grasp easily and walked out of the room.

We'd better get a move on. Nyan warmed, wings flapping wildly. Caden nodded and turned in her room key before jogging back to the stables, where she mounted a quietly waiting Naji.

Brahn silently stood at the foot of his bed, struggling to decide whether to wear his leather armor or chain. Pyre cautiously licked the chain armor, trying to convince Brahn to wear the leather.

It hurts less when I land on it, He said, widening his eyes and looking at Brahn.

And protects me less when you forget to aim when flying down at an enemy.

That only happened once...well maybe thrice, but come on, you shouldn't have that much trouble. He replied, grabbing the small pieces of metal that were lying beside him. Just hurry up and choose already, I need to get my armor on.

Brahn rolled his eyes, picking up the leather armor and quickly undressing. Fitting himself with the armor, he retrieved the small piece of plate armor that Pyre held in his mouth and began to fit him with his.

"There," Brahn said as he finished. Pyre turned in a circle, the jumped in the air. Chirping, he landed on Brahn's shoulder.

Let's go! He said, letting out a tiny roar. Brahn laughed as he jogged out of their room and towards the arena.