File type: Text File (.txt) [Download]
-----------------------------------------

Living life as Letty Chapter 5

AAAACHOOOOO!!!


A great sneeze rippled through the air, echoing three times over as I gazed at our current surroundings. I had made the choice to leave the home that Dearia and I had worked so hard on to continue my quest, and I knew what was going to happen as a result, but I underestimated the difficulties I’d suffer as a result.


Here we were, standing in the middle of a barren snowy region. Each step I took left my legs sinking at least 3 feet deep into the snow. Of course, being as tall as I was as a dragon, this bit of snow was not any big issue. I could tread through it without much issue. But watching Dearia, whom was nearly halfway buried in the cold substance wasn’t the least bit perturbed.


Of course, a big part of it was due in part to the white wool coat that was layered over Dearia’s body but I had the feeling that even had he not been wearing such heavy and warm clothing he would have somehow maintained his usual stoic demeanor.


As for me…I didn’t have anything and was absolutely freezing in this cold winter climate. The only saving grace was that snow was not actively falling at this moment so I didn’t have to worry about additional buildup, but that did me little good when I was literally forming icicles from my snout.


“Y-You could have warned me that we were going THIS far up north…A-And wh-what real estate could we possibly find in a desolate…chilling place like this?”


“I did prepare a few different kinds of winter wear that you could try, but there aren’t many that are dragon sized…Maybe we should have tried them on BEFORE we got so deep into this region…”


{Yes…you could have informed me about it BEFORE we got this far...but at this point I shouldn’t be surprised by your…eccentric methods…}


I'd been given a few choices in winter attire. None of which felt suitable for me. One had me wrapped in blankets that were tied together to ensure my warmth. It worked...but I could just about wiggle my toes and that was it.


The second was a suit of armor that I thought was more appropriate for a Yuusha than it ever would be for a dragon like me. The cold steel only served to make the surroundings even COLDER despite the trapped heat underneath.


The last one, was what I was familiar with back in the official canon of the original Letty's adventures. Which was a large white wool ball of fluff that fit snugly around my body much like the first choice, except there were holes that allowed my legs, arms and even tail to poke through with at least a margin of maneuverability. But it restricted my wings, forcing me to keep them folded against my back but even then outwardly, I looked like one big ball of white fluff with spots of red.


Even my head had a bit of protection, with a pair of white, fluffy earmuffs that would keep snow buildup from occurring. All in all, it was warm, fluffy, and I could at least move!


“This one at least works...but I don't know. I think I'll be a moving target.”


Dearia's features shifted a little from stoicism to actively crack a smile. Gesturing to the locale around them. “What are you talking about my dear Letty? This attire gives you optimal camouflage. Most of the predators in this region will think of you as the landscape instead of a target for prey.”


{you make it sound like I'm a decoration...} My cheeks turned pink, but I couldn't deny Dearia's comment, even if it was partially laid out in humor. “So uh...What is it that we're going to be doing here Dearia...? I don't see any houses out here.”


“I'm glad you asked. Your dream is to live out in peace right? Away from the harshness of the world of Heroes and adventurers.”


“Well...yeah...? A place that I can live out in peace would be ideal.” However, my mind raced back to Kevin, and the others I left at my first estate. Technically I was already a homeowner, and the deal I'd cut with Kevin before leaving was one that put his name on the title of the house. Of course...Kevin insisted that even though he was being made the owner of the house, he was merely keeping it safe for me.


That level of dedication was touching. And I hoped, that he was protecting the others as diligently as when his job was to protect me. I felt like they were in good hands...But here I was, sitting in the middle of a tundra and I was wondering if I should have just stayed with them. {No...Remember...! This is for my future son. I'm coming for you kiddo!!}


“Ahem...” The elf cleared his throat and stretched his arms out, taking on a pose that looked as though he were about to deliver a message of salvation “I took some time...but I found that this location would be perfect. There are no heroes, land here is cheap due to it's harsher natural climates. And to top it all off...”


He set his arms down, eyes locking into mine as though this last part was especially important. “And very, VERY Isolated from the outside world.”


{I know he meant well...but he could have worded that better...! That makes it sound like I don't want any company at all...}


“Y-You know...I don't think you needed to go to this extreme...I'm not a snowman...And err...I don't see any buildings around here...”


“Of course you don't. That's because you need to build one from scratch my friend.” Without another word, and seemingly out of thin air, Dearia took out a large shovel that was equal to the elves height, but was just right for a dragon my size. “You know about the concept of Igloo's right?”


I knew of them. But even back in my former life I never lived in a climate where they were used in the first place. Then the lightbulb moment hit. “Ah! So I'm going to make my own Igloo? But that'll take a lot of work.”


“Exactly.” Dearia held his hands up again, this time to reach for my muzzle, and giving me the scratches that I'd become far too accustomed to. It was like a routine for the both of us. “Out here, the price of land is cheap, but labor is all self made. So you save money on cost and materials. And you can build the home of your dreams so long as you're creative. All you need is the know-how and a tolerance for the cold.”


“I think I get it.” I nodded my head up and down once. Another lightbulb moment hitting me as I gripped the shovel and started digging into the ground, piling up snow that I'd need to use for my home. “And being so secluded, there's no real need for traps to keep Yuusha at bay! And no guards means I don't have to worry about paying for security.”


“Exactly right. The only limit is the amount of work you put into it.” Dearia took one look around their surroundings, and gave a brief nod of approval. “This place looks good enough. Alright...”


The elf started explaining to me the process of building an Igloo. The concept was simple in theory. I would use my tail and my feet to flatten the snow around me, getting it nice and compressed so that when I began shoveling out some of the thick, freezing mass, I could shape them into cubes without fear of it crumbling.


I was told, by Dearia that this region was thick with snow all year round and the temperatures remained at a freezing temperature so there was no immediate fear melting but it also meant all year round there would be a considerable freeze that left most people avoidant of the region. All in all, I would be safe from the self proclaimed heroes and I'd have a peaceful life if I could make it out here.


It took about half a day, but I managed to make my ideal home with time and effort. Something I feel that if I had the old Letty's stamina I probably would have taken a good deal longer, but in the end I was able to put together an Igloo of impressive size capable of housing a dragon, with three layered home, with the third layer being about two feet higher than the other two. This was because of Dearia's insistence that the main living area should be higher from the ground for heat related purposes.


Inside was nothing very special. No furniture was placed inside, or put together with snow even as I'd only just finished assembling my first house built from my own claws. The only hint of decoration were some of the seal pelts that Dearia had provided for me set along the walls of the main room to help stave off the outside temps.


After all was said and done, I felt fairly proud of what I had accomplished. This was something I never could have done if I stayed back in my parents cave. {Ya know...I wonder what they would think of this...? Would they be proud that I'm trying different ways of living...?”}


“Well I'll be a dark lord's uncle...” Dearia beheld the large structure and the obviously proud smile worn over his friend's muzzle. “Splendid work Letty. You've already come a long way from the weak dragon that couldn't do anything for yourself.”


“Eheh...Aww I didn't do a whole lot...I just followed all of your instruction.” My face was positively beaming with the praise given to me by Dearia. I felt like an Animal Crossing character who was full of joy with the little flower animations that usually spawned around them. Until I took another second, and the gears started turning. “H-Hey now! That's a dig disguised as a compliment...!”


“I have no idea what you're talking about.” Dearia smiled, clapping his gloved hands twice over. “But now that you've completed this task. Now comes the difficult part of this endeavor.” He coughed once into one of his gloves before gesturing to the frozen lands ahead of them, looking ahead into the snow ridden woods in the distance and the mountains that dotted the landscape with their frozen peaks.


“As I mentioned before, this place is very isolated...That much is true, but that means surviving here is much more difficult than in more warmer climates.”


After observing the vastness of the region, Dearia turned back to me. His eyes, while remaining emotionless, peered up towards mine as he continued on his rant. “I believe, that it would be best for you to experience that first hand. To see if this is a worthwhile home environment for you, I'd like you to try and survive here for the next few days.”


{And THERE it is...} My face went pale at the idea of having to live the next 3 days on my own...In a harsh, unforgiving setting such as this region. Even in the Anime and Manga...Letty still had to last as long on his own, but that was a very different story! The manga cut out much of Letty's struggles so I didn't know WHAT to fully expect. And added to the fact I am not the same dragon he was, my experiences are likely to be very different.


My only advantage in a situation like that would be that my luck was slightly better than the old Letty's...even though it was in the negative, and my other bolstered stats. Before I even had an opportunity to respond to Dearia about the idea of survival out here, the Elf was already gone. {Curse his fast travel powers...! He must have hidden the circle under the snow!}


“Oh well...no use thinking about it now...I'll try and find some food first...”


I took one look back to my Igloo, as if to make sure it wouldn't crumble in some odd twist of fate after so much hard work but thankfully it remained steady. With that now out of my mind I began sauntering...more like WADDLING towards the woods about a half mile from where I'd decided to build my home.


This land was isolated, but it couldn't be completely devoid of life. Even bone chilling cold regions like this had an ecosystem. And that ecosystem thrived on a healthy population that could provide not only for the predators of the region, but an abundance of prey too. So I marched on, trying to imagine how a dragon like myself might hunt. I now had a variety of options to go with.


I could stalk my prey from above...If my wings weren't already obscured by my coat. I could use my fire to subdue it! But I might overdo it and the last thing I wanted was to be wasteful. {This is going to be tricky...all the meat I've ever had was provide for by my parents or bought in the market...Luck please hold out...}


And for once, it actually did. I saw not too far off in the woods, a pack of Caribou, grazing on some of the plant life that they uncovered with their hooves. Freeing them from their snowy hideaway before chomping down on the greens. My stomach saw them and immediately let loose a low gurgling sound but I tried to calm it...stifle the sound by patting that part of my coat that contained my belly. “Now now...we'll get to it...”


I began side stepping, trying to slowly inch my way towards a tree that I hoped to hide behind, but two things kept me from being effective. I was not stealthy, so each foot fall made a noticeable crunching sound in the snow, and second...While I tried to hide behind the tree for camouflage, my coat made me so rounded, that my so called prey could spot me from a mile away.


I'd take one tentative step forward. Muttering every so often to myself “easy...” with each step. The pack however didn't seem the least bit daunted by my size however. Instead, when their eyes met with mine I could see an almost mischievous glint in them. And I'd soon learn why.


“UHWAAAAAAAH!”


My voice carried throughout the region as though I'd been struck down. But the reality is I was rolling through the snowy plains with the pack of Caribou using their antlers to prod and push me onto my side. They were playing ball with me and I was the ball! Rolling uncontrollably as they made a sport of tossing me around to one another. They spoke no words but I could see it in their eyes, they saw me as more of a goof instead of an apex predator and saw no intimidation out of me.


After a few minutes of this treatment, the lead Caribou snorted once before using their hind legs to kick me out of their territory. I let out another scream before falling head first into the snow. “Mmph...mmmph mph mmmph!”


With effort, I pried my head out of the snow and took in a big gulp of air before gasping. “No respect for Dragons...They didn't even seem the slightest bit afraid of me!” Granted...I wasn't the most aggressive dragon but still. I wiped off some of the residual snow off my snout and finally opened my eyes now that the obstruction had been cleared only to realize just how much into the frying pan I'd been only to jump into the fire.


Standing around me, were a pack of Grey wolves, sniffing the surrounding area for signs of prey when one of them cast their eyes up at me.

…
…..
…....

“Eheh...hi there...”

…..



“Eiiiiiiiyaaaaaaaah!”


I started running as fast as my body could carry me. Being chased by a pack of wolves wasn’t something I thought I’d ever be crossing off my bucket list, and if I’d been a human I probably would have been truly frightful for my life. Here, it was more of a nuisance than an actual concern.


Their teeth couldn’t penetrate deep enough into my skin to cause irreparable harm. I didn’t know if it was because of my improved defensive stat, which likely went up since the last time I updated the card due to the many nights of repelling intruders, or maybe the wolves were simply toying with me.


Considering the shine in their eyes, and the wags of their tails I imagined it was more the opposite.


“This dragon is weak!”


“He’s a giant squeaky toy”


“It’s kind of embarrassing, to have a weak dragon in our midst.”


I couldn’t tell if that was just my imagination, or if that was something these snow wolves actually were saying. But the last part really did leave me a little steamed. Literal smoke was starting to billow out of my nose. {That does it…!}


Always the joke, always the one picked on. And always the one that was looked down on. I didn’t care if the wolves here were really insulting me or if it’d been my imagination. I began to tear off the warm insulating coat that was protecting me to reveal my full draconic form. This was where I towered over the pack, my shadow ominously looming closer as embers sparked out of my nose.


“That’s it you bunch! Get on out of here before I toast ya.”


It wasn’t a threat this time. I knew one way or another I was going to need to find food, and if I had to I’d hunt these guys for that meat. It was there, while I was moving in closer to the pack that I wasn’t all that cold compared to earlier in the day. Adrenaline? No…It was the fire in my body. Anger certainly played a part in it but when I actively started using my fire, the whole body just naturally warmed up.


I could maintain a good body heat and mobility if I just let the fire burn harmlessly inside of me. Why didn’t I think about it in the first place?!


When the Wolves refused to take another step back, I thought something might be wrong. {Are they paralyzed with fear…?} I took another step forward and yet once more, they just looked at me with a steely stare. None of their tails were tucked between their legs like I imagined they might when a Dragon showed apparent fury. It always worked when the rare trespasser stumbled into the cave back home…But then, Dad scary and my scary was probably vastly different.

As a matter of fact…their tails were actually wagging furiously. That was when the realization dawned on me, and instead of actually fleeing upon my approach, they once again gave chase. The absurdity of it caught me by surprise and I found myself holding onto my tail as I began fleeing from the rowdy bunch of canines, screaming my head off with comedic tears pouring out of my eyes. “AAAAIIIIYAAAAAAAH! Why are they still chasing me!!”


This went on for some time. They’d chase me, follow me through the woods even as a Zigzagged through the terrain. At one point we got jumbled up and I began chasing THEM though I didn’t see it that way in my rush to get away. Then the routine reset and they were on me again.


*THUNK*


I was buried halfway in the snow, laying under a solitary tree when a clump of snow fell from one of it’s branches and plopped on my tail.

………

I slowly rose out of the snow once again and huffed in irritation. The sun was already beginning to set and due to the heavy cloud cover in this area thanks to the snow, visibility was already obscured enough as it was and panic started setting in.


“Darn it…I couldn’t catch a reindeer…and I was chased around by wolves…I didn’t get anything done and it’s about to get dark. I should head back…”


The only problem was...I didn't know WHERE was back.


Landmarks were scarce in this region. So I did what I thought was the only reasonable and logical thing to do in this situation, which was to retrace my footprints. But the rough play of those wolves left so many prints into the snow it was hard to tell where they began, and the snow buildup already concealed my prints prior to that.


{Curses…! It’s only the first day, and it’s getting dark. Is this where my game over screen starts?!}


I shook my head to clear out those negative thoughts. I couldn’t think about something so morbid right now. I clapped my clawed hands against my muzzle to focus my attention. First things first. Get home, and failing that, build a campfire so that I don’t freeze overnight. Though, If I keep this fire brewing inside me then I shouldn’t have to worry about the cold.


Unclear as to which direction I was headed, I just walked, hoping my large, imposing frame would deter most from trying to pick on me in this weather but for the most part, Dearia had been right but the lack of socialization might be a little too mentally taxing on me. Still day 1 and I already wanted someone I could talk to.


10 minutes into my stroll, I realized that where I was going was only further into the woods, not OUT, and when darkness creeped into my surroundings I knew that I was going to be in for a loooong night. But then, as I took one more step forward I felt something hard and lumpy under my feet.'


“That’s weird…that…didn’t feel like a rock.”


I lifted my foot once more, and moved it aside before beginning to dig my way through the snow. “What could be down here…wha!?” That was the last thing I ever expected to find out here!


Laying in a heap under what had to have been about a foot or two of snow were the Yuusha! Specifically the group that had bullied me at the start of my quest and who’d tried breaking into my home during the first night of my stay. But right now none of them were moving, and their skin was turning blue!


“Eeep! They’ll die if they don’t get their body temps up…! Hey!!” I called out, prodding their archer with a claw, trying to get any response from them other than a groan but was unsuccessful. “Y-You guys can’t sleep out here, you’ll freeze to death!”


{Crap…what do I do…? What do I do…?!? Sure these guys are jerks…and they barely listen to a word I say. But they don’t deserve to die here. I…I can’t leave them.}


I knew I had to act fast. With quick thinking, and a bit of work, I started using my tail to sweep around the place. Clearing out the snow around us within a 5 or so meter radius. I was glad that by this point, the snow fall had stopped again. Maybe it would remain this way long enough for my plan to work.


After the ground was clear and dry, I would proceed to grab whatever fallen branches I could find, as well as those that looked like they were on the verge of breaking off either due to age or weathered damage. By the time I’d finished searching the general area I had more than enough wood that for a fire that would last long enough to help warm anyone up.


“Alright…now…don’t go crazy Letty. We don’t want to burn down the whole place…Just…this pile.”


I was trying to talk myself up. While my mastery over the fire in my body had improved thanks to the nights spent in my old home with Kevin and the others, the fear that I might go over the top always dwelled in the back of my mind .And this place wasn’t treated for fireproofing like my former home. “Well…here goes…!”


I took in a long, deep breath, letting my lungs swell up while my belly expanded. While doing so, a faint glow could be seen in my chest cavity before I began craning my neck down. Embers poured out of the corners of my muzzle before I opened wide, letting the fire sweltering inside spring out and dance over the firewood. The result was a nice, hot flames that illuminated the clearing. It’s warmth radiated on my scales, leaving me all the more stunned by the fact such an amazing act of nature came out of me.


{Such a destructive power…and I did that…OH!”


There wasn’t time to ponder the meaning of such a power within me. I had to save those human heroes. One at a time, I started dragging them closer to the fire, letting it’s warmth keep their temperature from dropping any further. That was my hope anyway.


For awhile, I didn’t do much of anything, other than sit right by the fire and the Yuusha. Keeping watch over them like a sentinel. “Maybe this will help them to see I’m not a bad dragon.” Just to be safe, I removed the armor from their team's paladin...or at least he looked like a paladin to me. Some sort of knight at the very least, and set them on top of the soft, cushion-y fluffy coat I was wearing earlier in the day. It would keep them out of the snow and help build up the increase in body temperature.


What I didn't realize, was that the warmth had attracted a couple of passersby. Specifically the wolves that had been chasing me around not even thirty minutes ago. The pack of them all stared into my eyes then to the incapacitated Yuusha, before the head of the pack let out a low huff, gathering them all to settle on the opposite end of the campsite, curled up to enjoy the warmth of the fire.


“Eh?! You're not going to try and attack us...?” That was my first question. Before, they were all too eager to make a fool out of me and chase me around the land. {Maybe they're just grateful for the fire...}


I was about to approach the pack when I heard rustling just behind me. “Ah...they must finally be waking up again! Easy now...”


*


The knight, was the first to wake up. Their vision blurry and their body absolutely freezing but there was also a flicker of warmth...He was on something fluffy. There were also multiple figures in his vision and a large, roaring flame. “What...What's going on here...?”


There was a figure, a large imposing figure that was looming over him. It took his eyes some time to adjust to the lighting but his vision soon recovered enough for him and what he saw was enough to make his eyes widen and scramble up to his feet. “Y-you fiend...!” The Yuusha reached for the sword normally situated at his hip and instead grasped at the air. “Huh...? Wait...Where is my gear!?”


“Y-You were going to freeze to death so I removed it.” I answered honestly, a claw rubbing at the corner of my muzzle. “I'm glad you're alright though...You guys don't-”


“You...! Was this your plan all along Flame Dragon Lord!?! You failed to get us back in your palace so now you want to have a campfire cookout with us?!”


“That's...Huh?!” My eyes bulged out of my eyes, watching the disarmed Yuusha pointing an accusatory finger my way. “No nono no no no! I don't want to eat you guys...!”


“I will not be fooled!” His cohorts slowly came out of their own frozen slumbers, the heat reviving them only for them to quickly jump behind their leader, bracing his shoulders when they realized their weapons were all missing. “You...Will not eat us foul beast!”


I was dumbfounded by their lack of understanding. For a moment, I turned towards the pack of wolves, curled up by one another and saw that their leader was giving me an equally dumbfounded look. “If you don't know, then I don't know.” I retorted, more to myself than the wolf really, before holding up my hands in a placating gesture. “I really won't hurt you guys. I don't plan to eat any of you...Besides, eating what I used to be doesn't sound very pleasant either...”


Rubbing the sides of my muzzle, I was getting exasperated by the very thought of eating them. “For that matter...why do you think I would anyway?”


“Because that's what dragon's do! You capture fair maidens and eat them for your twisted tributes!” The Yuusha accused, stepping one foot closer despite the fact he was in a clear disadvantage.


“Nope. We don't do that.”


The face that came upon the group's face was priceless. They went silent at my admittance, before I continued further. “That's a superstition you humans came up with. And we don't take maiden sacrifices either.”


“Then...but wait! We know for a fact you do eat humans! Sir Gancelot was fighting one of your kind last year and witnesses saw him get swallowed up just last year!”


“Haaah...!” A buildup of steam came out of my jaws and I looked down at the humans with my muzzle growing increasingly pink. “That happened yes. But whoever started the rumor got the details all wrong! First off...They were breaking into my uncle's home...And second...They got themselves into that situation...”


“You justify-”


“Well what do you think would happen? My uncle was getting ready to sleep for the night, all snug in his bed...when a human barges into his home! He snuck in through the window and tried to jump in for a sneak attack when my Uncle yawned. Next thing he knew...he had someone in his mouth and out of reflex he swallowed.”


The knight winced upon hearing the retelling from my perspective. Everything he'd believed was being challenged right before him. “An...Accident?! You're saying one of my longtime heroes and a hero of humanity was felled...because of a yawn?!”


“Err...yeah. That's how it went down...My uncle had a horrible tummy-ache that weekend. So err...I guess your hero still went down fighting?” I answered, a nervous laugh coming out as I laid out the truth of that night out for them all to hear. Judging by their ghostly pale complexions I think they may have just had their whole world shift. “Erm...I hope this clears up your misconception for dragons...”


The trio of Yuusha all stood in silence. The only sounds were that of the fire roaring in their vicinity as they slowly came to terms with the news given to them. “But...Surely there are some truths to what we've heard of your kind! You tried to burn us to a crisp...!”


“After you broke into my home...” I retorted, my eyes narrowing as I beheld their lack of common sense. “If someone broke into your homes wouldn't you defend yourselves?”


“Well...Erm...Yes good point!” The lead Yuusha started, clearing his throat as he tried to clear his thoughts. “But you're a dragon. Surely you're used to such things. Your kind loves the thrill of battle! Ah!” The lead human's eyes lit up, as though he came up with something that I could only imagine was going to be completely outrageous. “That's it! That's why you saved us!”


“Eh?” I tilted my head, wondering what was going through his head now. “And why's that?”


“It's obvious.” The Yuusha folded his arms and nodded his head a few times, eyes closing as though he were trying to act cool. “You...Are saving us for a future battle!!”

…
…..
….....

“Pardon...?”


“It's simple! We're much too weak to be of any challenge to you right now, Flame Dragon Lord! But you see promises in us don't you?! You see us as your rivals that will eventually be able to give you the fight you so desperately crave!”


“WHAAAAT?!” My eyes practically bulged out of my sockets. I made no such moves that would indicate I wanted to fight them. If anything, I even took their weapons from them so that we didn't HAVE to fight. “Why would I want to fight you guys? I just want to live in peace, with my future son and live a comfortable life.”


“You cannot pull the wool over my eyes! Sir Dragon lord! You spared us a freezing death and kept us warm here. Fear not. We will answer your call and grow even stronger! Until then, we will be keeping an eye on your exploits from a distance!”


{Why is everyone in this world so sure that I'm this great dragon that's going to take over the world...! It's like everything I say goes through one ear and out the other...Oh well...maybe I can get them to calm down if I just play along.}


“Err...right...Listen I don't want any grand battle. But...none of you are in any condition to be fighting me anyway. So...Get back on the erm...coat...and get some rest. I'll make sure this fire keeps you all nice and warm. And then tomorrow, you all had better be gone before I wake up.”


“You got it.” The Yuusha flashed an arrogant grin and a thumbs up. For now at the very least, they weren't going to try to kill me...


                                                                                  *


The next morning, the fire that I'd built up for the group's warmth was just a few smolders, once again reminding me of the force of nature that came from within me. None of the Yuusha were in sight so I had to assume they took their leave at first light. The pack of wolves however, remained where they lay.


At the very least, I was grateful they didn't try to kill me while I slept...


“Alright...Now to find my son. He's somewhere here, I know it!” I slapped my cheeks to knock the remaining sleep out of my system before lumbering out of the campsite. My mission was clear. I could not give up, I couldn't leave this region until I united with my fated child.


Not three steps out of the camp however, I could hear the sounds of the pack shuffling to their feet and my blood ran cold. They couldn't possibly want to chase me around more right...?


tut...tut...tut...tut...


I heard their footsteps even before I took a full turn around and noted how they lined up into a neat line behind me. The lead wolf was likewise holding a slip of paper in it's jaws that it didn't have the day before, shaking it's head lightly as though urging me to grasp the paper.


Hesitantly, I took the slip and saw what I could only describe as the most rushed and uneven writing that I'd ever laid my eyes on. The first thing that came to my mind was the leader of the Yuusha having a stutter in his writing due to the cold, but he was nothing if not Diligent...


“Flame Dragon Lord!

   As much as we hate to admit it, we owe you our lives. You found us dying in the snow and could have left us all to perish. With as tenacious as we've been in our attempts to claim your mats, we wouldn't have blamed you. Instead, you showed wisdom and mercy we never would have expected from a beast. We know that our inexperience makes us unworthy of your grace. But we will get stronger. Wait for us Lord Dragon. We have disappointed you for far too long.
                                                                                                       Yours truly: Your future rivals”


{They really do hype up my reputation way too much...! But it does feel nice to know I am respected. That's something I never had back home...}


I was about to set the note into the pouch in my neck scales when a sharp whine came out of the lead wolf. “What? Is there something more...?”


The wolf wruffed once, and gestured it's head towards the note in my claws. Something that confused me a great deal, until it dawned on me. I folded the paper inward, but I still saw words written on the parchment. They'd written something else on the back page.


“PS: these wolves seem to like you. We tried delivering this note ourselves but they refused to let us approach your sleeping majesty. You have loyal followers no matter where you go it seems.”


The realization dawned on me and my face immediately had a shade of pink. I put the note beneath the scales in my neck and saw the wag of each of their tails and the way their tongues lolled out of their muzzles when the truth dawned on me. “Y-you guys want to come along with me?”


“Wroarf!”


“Well...I can't really hunt y'know...” My stomach let out a loud, rumbling growl almost as if on cue. A reminder that I never did find something the other day. “If you stick around, you might go hungry.”


“Grrrruwrrf!”


{How come they like me that much? Didn't they find my presence repulsive because of my weakness...?]


“O-Okay...Then maybe you guys can help me.”


“Arrrrwurr?”


“I'm on the look out for an egg. About...this big...” I hold my claws out, making a rounded shape about the size of my head. “It'll be a big, white egg with black spots and it'll be somewhere in the snow....And it's VERY important to me. So...will you help?”


There were a collective of nods from the pack as the leader made one loud bark towards the others before they began sprinting out in separate directions, the search apparently...was already coming along. And this time, I didn't have to do it alone. {This never happened to the old Letty...Is my luck even higher now?}


Trudging through the snow, I was hungry but not alone. Dearia warned that the isolation of this frosted region would be ideal. But so far, there was no loneliness. The pack leader remained at his side even as the rest of the wolves were scoping the area for an egg that matched the description I gave them, and the Yuusha had developed some begrudging respect for me...and in some weird way, they'd become my minions! All of which made me balk at the prospect, as never in this life or my last one had so much admiration and attention been given to me.


I was nobody special. Nobody with great power, and my siblings all had much more promise than I did. And yet I was the one of our family unintentionally making a name for myself in the world...And while Letty from the manga had a habit of boosting his reputation with each and every house visited, this was growing to be increasingly different. More...positive!


{I know it'll drop back down though...something bad will happen again. My luck and my destiny as Letty won't allow anything less.}


“AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!”


The sudden howl caught me by surprise. Enough so that I clutched my tail like it were a comfort item before I realized just what I was hearing. And judging by the flicking of the pack leader's ears, my suspicion wasn't unfounded. “They found it?”


“Wruff!”


The Alpha wolf nodded his head once before his paws started gliding along the snow. His stride majestic and swift. I had to drop onto all fours myself just so I could keep up with them, kicking up clumps of snow in the process. At one point, our destination was taking us towards a herd of Caribou.


A stampede ensued, where the herbivorous creautres were attempting to flee from their supposed predators, only for their desperate desire to escape ground to a halt when the Alpha wolf blitzed past them without so much as a second glance, and once again, when the large red dragon that could easily down one of them simply jumped over the group of them, followed by a polite “Sorry! Sorry!” before his great claws slammed back into the ground, shaking the immediate area with his weight before the dragon sprang into action behind the wolf.


At our pace, we got there within five minutes of the initial howl and while the Alpha wolf was able to gracefully stop their pace, I myself had issues stopping my forward momentum and got a face full of snow as my reward. Not that I wasn't already used to having my face planted into the snow if yesterday was any indication.


This time however, I pulled my head out and brushed off the snow to glance in the direction of a lone egg at the paws of one of the wolves, the remainder of the pack gathering not much long after as my eyes had a happy glint to them.


“It's really you. It's really my Pip...My P-chan.” I muttered out, a few small tears forming along the corner of my eyes as I carefully, almost reverently, plucked the egg out of the snow and examined it. The size and color was right. And it looked just like I remember from the books I'd read back home when I still had a home.


I found them. My future son, and the original Letty's reason for living and wanting a peaceful life. It took a few months of traveling with Dearia, but now I found my Pip...The young Hraesvlgr growing inside of it. If what I remember is right, then the egg should hatch within the next day or so. {Whew...I just need to survive an extra day and keep the egg safe...And hopefully Dearia returns soon.}

                                                                                  *


Wearing his thick, white fur coat, Dearia approached the large three domed igloo he'd left Letty to a few days ago. He hadn't expressed it to Letty, but he was very concerned for the big red dragon's well being and thus set a few protective spells as a measure of safety for them. That said, not once did he feel the drain in his magic reserves that one of his wards had been used up. The very fact no sign came was both a relief to the Dark lord Elf, and a concern...As the one thing he'd failed to safeguard against was hunger.


But one thing was certain. He could detect Letty's presence within the Igloo and that was enough for him. If Letty needed something he'd be there for them, despite the usual stoic and emotionless facade he kept around others.


Stepping into the Igloo, he didn't even need to so much as crouch. A reminder of his much smaller frame compared to Letty's and something that also served to amuse the elf as the very thought of a much larger creature with the jaws to shatter stone and the muscle and strength in their powerful frame to demolish whole buildings...Yet he never used any of it and remained a peaceful dragon who never tried hurting another being.


{Very different compared to another certain dragon I know...}


Crossing through the storage room of the Igloo, Dearia noticed things that were out of place. A lot of stones, a handful of bones but nothing human thankfully. But something had definitely been in here other than the timid red dragon he knew and loved.


His answer would be met not too much longer. As upon entering the main living space of the Igloo he caught sight of Letty, practically dogpiled with a pack of wolves all curled around him and an egg that he was clutching protectively in his arms, bundled up in the white coat Letty wore before he left.


“Well...This is something I didn't expect...It seems no matter where you go, you make more friends. I guess you're quite comfortable here.”


Twitch


One of my ears picked up on the all too subtle yet familiar tones of Dearia's voice, nudging me awake as I held the precious egg bundled in my arms. In my groggy state, I let out a wide yawn, giving Dearia a nice long view of that gaping maw before my tail reached out, gently removing specks of sleep from my eyes with the tip of it. “Oh...Hey Dearia...I didn't know today was the day you'd be back...”


“Well I did say three days.”


“Right...I guess the time kind of came and went...”


Carefully, I started wedging myself out from under the mass of wolf pelts. When they were asleep they were pretty cute. No sharp teeth, no growling...And no nipping at my tail! “Heh...Oh yeah...! I guess I should catch you up.”


I started recounting everything that happened after Dearia left me to fend for myself. The broken attempts to try and hunt for food. The Yuusha who I saved from a gruesome death in this unforgiving place, and how the wolves all just refused to leave my side. In the end, I held out the egg that was in my arms. “Oh yeah...and this is my son! I want to find a great place to live for him. He deserves to be safe.”

…

Dearia listened quietly and pieced together my ramblings up until the egg was shoved right in his face. At first, one eyebrow raised in clear confusion before he quirked a smile on the corner of his lips. “You've been busy. I leave you alone for a few days and you become a father. So who's the lucky lady?”


“Ack!...No I didn't...”


“That egg in your claws is a Hraesvelgr. I'm assuming the mother is one of them? But then again...they're colossal creatures.”  With mock excitement, Dearia held one hand palm up, and dropped his fist into it. “You are far more adventurous than I gave you credit for. The press is going to eat this up you know.”


My face went pale as Dearia already came up with his own head canon as to how I got the egg. I vehemently shook my head, ignoring the notion as I laughed. “No no I didn't...err...I found it. The egg was all alone and well...I didn't want them to get stepped on...So I adopted it.”


“Ohh...I see. That makes more sense.”


{That sounded like a dis...Maybe I should have let him think I actually did have a thing going on here...}


“A-Anyway...I want to find a home that ISN'T so dangerous for him.” I turned to look at the pack that was sleeping peacefully and even felt my heart melt a little at the subtle whine from one of the smaller wolves before turning my attention back to Dearia. “I can leave this place to them. I'm sure the wolves will appreciate having a home of their own.”


“Very well.” Dearia took one step forward and reached out to scratch under my muzzle, and once again I felt myself leaning into his touch as always. “We will keep looking. Until we find the home that you think is just right. Even if that takes a hundred years. We'll find it.”


My eyes sparkled a bit. Happy with the attention from the elf that I'd been missing for the last few days. His words helped improve my motivation. Carefully, egg in claws, I began to crawl out of the Igloo with Dearia, leaving my four legged friends to enjoy their new den while more adventures awaited me in my own house hunting journey.