Tsugi pulled out the knife from his boot and stayed very still. The only light visible was from the moonlight at the cave entrance. Loud strong flapping wings reverberated off the walls of the cave as a giant shadow went across the cave entrance. The sound of the wings started to get further away.

Tsugi and Lugo glanced at each other before slowly making their way to the entrance.

A silver fangloryth flew gracefully across the sky. It was enormous, gliding through the air at thirty meters long from its nose to the tip of its tail. It had silver fur and giant feathery wings, a long body, with short muscular limbs with giant claws, it's head resembled a horse, but the muzzle came to a point, it had huge spiral horns on either side of it's head, four glowing blue eyes and a long powerful tail.

It was a magical site to see. Tsugi remembered seeing this mythical creature only in books. Besides the very few sightings, not much is known about them except that there's a legend that if you can get the heart, you can have immortality.

The fangloryth flew through the night air and camouflaged into the stars.

"Whoa!" Lugo whispered. "That was the most awesome thing I have ever seen in my life. Do you know what that was? That...was a fangloryth, one of the rarest mythical creatures ever seen. Have you heard of the legend?"

"I read something about immortality." Tsugi replied. "Why? You want to live forever?"

"No." Lugo said abruptly. "Why would anyone want to live forever? That's like living an eternity alone. I'm talking about the story of the fangloryth."

Tsugi shook his head.

"The legend said that there was once a forbidden love between a fangloryth and a human." Lugo began.

"Being able to shapeshift, the fangloryth went against its family's wishes, transformed itself into a human and eloped. One day, when the fangloryth was away, its family had found the human. By the time the fangloryth had returned, the human was already on their last breath. No words exchanged, just a smile that soon faded into nothingness.

The fangloryth flew to the spirit world, to bring back the human, but the gods wouldn't allow it. The course had already been set, and they need a soul to pass through or the world will not be in balance and chaos and calamity will occur. The fangloryth vowed to exchange its life for the human's life. After much deliberation, the gods allowed it.

The human returned alive, only to find the lifeless body of the one it loved. Out of immense anger, the human pursued the fangloryth's and killed them all. Upon killing the last one, the human knelt down to the ground and cried tears of blood and turned the knife on itself.

As the human lay there dying, the gods came to the human and said, 'A spoiled human, who killed an entire race, just to try to quench their thirst. Just because you are thirsty doesn't mean you should drink poison.' The gods said to the human. 'It was your love who exchanged their life for yours, this is not how your life will end. Live, and when you are at your happiest, that's when we will come for you.' The human was transformed into a fangloryth and it roamed the earth waiting for the day the gods will come for it."

Tsugi's mouth was left open in awe. He sat like a child excited for a bedtime story. He slowly snapped himself out of it, when he finally realized the story was finished.

"It's a pretty interesting legend, but who knows how true it is." Lugo shrugged, breaking his gaze from the sky to the ground before him.

"How did people come up with the whole...being immortal thing?"

"I don't know. Maybe since legend says that the fangloryth is immortal, maybe after killing it they think they will become immortal too?" Lugo lifted his shoulders up to his ears and quickly dropped them back down. "Either way, being able to see an actual fangloryth was pretty amazing. You know, I once saw a tinto?" (a very small flying squirrel with oversized ears, its fur can fluoresce a blue color under the moonlight, and is able to produce a purple flame to burn its predators).

"Really? I read that those are really rare too!" Tsugi replied in amazement, adjusting himself to sit more comfortably, excited and wanted to hear more. They sat outside the cave and talked about all the different kinds of creatures that they read and encountered on their travels. At least for that night, Tsugi felt at ease.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

The next morning they had a quick breakfast and continued down the mountain. The slopes were steeper and more narrow so they had to slow down as the carriage was starting to slide toward the edge of the cliff.

"Please step out." Tsugi opened the carriage door. "The road is too narrow. I don't want to risk you all sliding off the cliff. We will slowly travel through this area." He helped them out one by one. "Give them the horses." Tsugi turned to the men behind him. "They will ride the horses and we will walk and help guide them through until the path opens up." They all assisted the women and children onto the horses and pulled the reins leading the horses down the narrow terrain.

Aylin rode on Sayi, Maki on Lugo's horse and the children on the other horses. The two younger boys were small so they rode together.

They carefully led the horses through the small winding path, making sure to move any big rocks out of the way.

"May I ask for your name, my lady?" Lugo looked up at Maki with very gentle eyes.

"Maki. My name is Maki." She uncomfortably shifted her eyes and slouched a little.

"Maki. That's a beautiful name, my lady." Lugo slightly bowed his head and placed a hand on his chest, "My name is Lugo. May I ask what you like to do for fun?"

"I like to craft things."

"Oh really?" Lugo sounded intrigued. "And what kind of things do you like to make?"

"My parents were wood whittlers. They made instruments and carved all kinds of objects out of wood." Her lips gently curled into a faint smile.

Tsugi was in awe that after a single conversation, Lugo was able to cast a smile upon her face. Although he felt a little bit of jealousy, he felt more thankful than anything.

Lugo reached into his belt and pulled out a small knife. "Here." She hesitated before grabbing it from him. "Oi, Kildo!" He called to the back. "Toss me a piece of firewood, would you?"

A chunk of wood came hurling towards him and he caught it in the air. "Here you are my lady. I know it's not the best wood, but it'll do for now." Maki's smile got even brighter as she took the log from him and started whittling away, leaving tiny bits of wood behind them.

The narrow road finally opened into a small patch of grass and spring water. "Let's take a quick break!" Lugo turned and yelled behind him, and pulled the horse to the water.

Tsugi crossed his arms, leaned up against a giant rock. He watched as Ruzo plunged himself into the spring and splashed the children, erupting a joyous laughter out of them.

"You should learn to relax a little too." Lugo leaned on the rock next to him.

Tsugi continued to watch the children laugh and play. "How'd you do it?"

"Do what?" Lugo stuffed some rhodiola rosea in his mouth.

"Make her smile?"

"I don't know." He chewed on the plant, sucking up the saliva that developed in his mouth. "I'm a talker, so I just talk."

Tsugi turned to look at Lugo.

"Wa?" Lugo said through his teeth, biting down on the leaf.

"I never thought I would say this, but..." Tsugi placed a hand over his chest and bowed his head.

"Thank you."

"Uh...you're welcome? Wait...what are you thanking me for?"

"For being you." Tsugi turned back towards the spring.

"You know?" Lugo took a swig from the waterskin. "I could get used to this side of you."

"Don't." Tsugi frowned and walked over to the saddles on the ground. "Let's move!"

"You know, you sure are bossy for a ten year old." Lugo walked over and picked up a saddle. "I feel bad for your future wife...or husband, I don't judge." He placed the saddle on his horse and cinched it tight. "Although, getting to know you over the last week or so, I think you will end up alone." He chuckled, fixing the halter onto his horse.

"That's how I prefer it."

"Why? Wouldn't it be nice to have someone to share your world with?"

"No." Tsugi helped the women and children into the carriage.

"What?! Why not?!"

"Ruzo!" The dog came running over, shaking and splashing water everywhere before climbing into the carriage. "Because, people always leave." He shut the carriage door and mounted Sayi.

"That's only because you are still young. You will find someone one day and you will change your mind." Lugo mounted his horse.

"Let's go!" Tsugi urged Sayi forward with Lugo right next to him. "You say that, like you are so much older than me but we are practically the same age. And I am pretty sure I am not going to change my mind."

"When that day comes, we will see if you say the same thing."

"Are you always this relentless?"

"You know it!" Lugo turned and chuckled at the annoyed look on Tsugi's face.

"WATCH OUT!" Kildo shouted.