Archer paused to catch his breath, his mind reeling from his dream the night before. He had gotten goosebumps when he had stumbled upon a small creek he had never seen before. The symbolism of water was highly regarded in Loni folklore. It symbolized difficult emotions and the ability to transmit messages from long distances. Communication and turmoil. And it had been present in his dream. The symbolism was not lost on him, even in the moment as he stood staring at strange creatures swimming through the deep blue barrier that kept him from touching the hand of the beautiful woman of his dreams.
Fire, now that he thought about it, was symbolic as well to the Lonis. When a Loni dreamt of fire, that usually meant that they were going to experience great difficulties. Usually a hard task and tumultuous changes were in store. Fire purged, but it also destroyed and made way for things to be rebuilt. While it could be far worse to dream of boulders and lightning storms, the wall of fire could mean that it would be far more difficult for him to find Tanna than he had originally thought.
Archer groaned loudly. He would have to put a collar and a bell on his friend when he returned. That way it would be easier to find him if he ever got lost again. The thought was enough to give Archer the boost he needed to leap over the creek.
He was approaching the city much more quickly than he was comfortable with. He wanted nothing to do with the humans. All of them that he had encountered were selfish and oblivious to the struggles of their own people. That proved enough to him that they would not be able to be trusted with the plight of his kind. If they were too egotistical to show any compassion to their own kind, how would they ever be able to care about dragon shifters? The Guardians were proof enough that humans were incapable of selflessness.
You’re not alone.
The mysterious woman’s voice echoed in his ears and Archer sighed. Why would that come to him now? Was he being too hard on the humans? He didn’t think that was true. But he heard the woman of his dreams for a reason. He was going to be among the humans; the least he could do was make the best of it.
After another few hours of walking, Archer was in the downtown area, moving discreetly so as not to be seen. He had disguised himself as a normal human, but the clothes were uncomfortable and he couldn’t wait to get out of them. Still, he felt like he was far too out of place. He had to get to the police station. If the Guardians were anywhere, they would be there, and he would find out what had happened to Tanna.
Suddenly, the unmistakable smell of the Guardians hit Archer like a ton of bricks. His stomach dropped painfully and he became alert, ducking behind a parked car to try to get eyes on his target. The small group of shifters who were left in the Kersh clan had been trying their best to stay away from every area they knew the Guardians inhabited, particularly in the city, but now that they had made a move in the ruins, it was time for the leader to investigate.
The Guardian ducked into a blue car and Archer raised his eyebrow. The car had the scent of the forest on it. He checked the wheels and sure enough, they were caked in mud. If he followed it, there was bound to be a chance to catch up to his friend. Tanna wasn’t within smelling range, but Archer was sure that following this Guardian would be the key to his friend’s whereabouts.
It was good to finally have a lead, and Archer set to work on following the car. The Guardian was fast, but Archer was fast, too. He had to be careful not to get hurt and to make sure that no humans saw him on the run. If that happened, it could lead to unbelievable danger for the rest of the clan that had stayed behind, and it would be his own fault. Fortunately, he had always been very sneaky, and his ability to move without anybody noticing him had led to a very satisfying childhood full of the spoils of incognito adventures to the mess hall.
Soon, Archer was back in the woods where he felt he belonged and able to follow the car down one of the few dirt roads that were paved into the area. It wasn’t a spot he felt familiar with, but being out in nature felt much safer than being in the city. He relaxed and was able to follow the car leisurely through the winding country roads.
The trees began to become more and more sparse, until Archer realized it was going to be impossible for him to hide any longer. He would have to be careful. Instead of trailing the car right beside it, he ultimately hung back, hoping the driver wouldn’t be able to see him. He tried to use his heightened senses to listen to the car and keep it in range, and when he could tell that it had turned left, he followed it.
Eventually, the car arrived at a tall, creepy farmhouse that looked essentially abandoned. An ice cold chill erupted all over Archer’s body. The house looked terrifying. In the back, there was a tall, ominous barn with peeling pale red paint. It looked like the farm had been abandoned for years. And yet, that’s where the Guardian was pulling in.
Archer was ready to bound toward the building, sure he could take on just one Guardian, but a line of men immediately walked out the door to greet the man in the blue car. Archer cringed. He would have to come back with help. Otherwise, there was bound to be more trouble than he could deal with. It was time to regroup and come up with a plan.