The shaman, Hrashiran, could be the most patient Raptor in that village, but three days of hearing the weird noises was more than enough, especially when he was awoken by it every morning. He did not expect the three to use the horn so many times.

It could only indicate some things. Either the dragon was busy, or she refused to heed their summons. Given what they had done, Hrashiran leaned to the latter conclusion.

He exited his hut, intending to tell the three to stop. He needed someone to accompany him, however, so he called the Raptor that he knew along with the trio.

"Keeshar! Are you there?" said Hrashiran.

Keeshar, the green scaled Raptor with yellowish feather plumes and abdomen scales, came to the old dark, blue-scaled shaman. He approached Hrashiran, spear on hand, as he kneeled to greet the old Raptor.

"I am here, shaman," said Keeshar.

"Take me to where that sound comes from. I always consider it a sound of friendship, but they threatened to turn in into something I loathe."

Keeshar could only hear the noise faintly, but he understood why his shaman would be annoyed by it. So, the young Raptor guard nodded, and guided the old shaman by his arm towards the jungle path.

The path seemed so calm with none of the bigger, more dangerous dinosaurs roaming about. It was clear that the dragon's influence had made the path safe, even if the Raptors did not need it. However, she had lived for far longer than Keeshar or even his shaman and she had regular counsel with the shaman.

She would know that the shaman's eyes were failing him. This was a gift that she gave to the Raptors, much like how she gave the shaman a gift of languages so they could understand each other. She had, and always was, the Raptor's guardians.

"Keeshar," said Hrashiran as they walked, breaking Keeshar's thoughts. "Have you thought about it?"

"About what?"

"About them, and your desire to go with them. I know you have those thoughts ever since you met them. I also know that you enjoy the company of Jamie Hines, along with Henry Holden and Sarah Holden."

"Is it really that apparent?"

"My boy, I have seen you grow until these eyes can do it no more. You are already an accomplished hunter and a village's guard, but your destiny lies beyond this island."

Keeshar was unsure, and it showed. His subtle chirping noise was caught by Hrashiran's sensitive ears.

"You have doubts," said Hrashiran. "Tell me."

"I do not doubt who they are, shaman, and what their intentions are. I know they are not here to bother the Raptors, nor will they exploit us in any way. But...are they really going to brave the seas beyond this island? I know I want to go with them, but I do not want to go to death with them."

"It is an understandable doubt," said Hrashiran with a nod. "But they will not go to their deaths."

"What do you mean by that?"

"The time has come...for our guardian to face her own past." Hrashiran let out a cough. "She needs a reason to go home, and that reason comes with the cold steel ship from the west."

"Will the villagers be willing to let her go?"

Hrashiran chuckled. "She is prepared for this eventuality. She knows we cannot be dependent on her, or else we will turn against our god, Arkasi. She respects our traditions more than any outsiders will. Then again...while we have accepted this, she might not. Good thing some young rascals are foolish enough to demand it from her. I heard it was an amusing sight."

Keeshar did witness the moment the dragon dropped the three werewolves into the sea. He could not help but chuckle, especially since he could hear one of them, Hans, shouted, "I can't swim!"

They walked through the peaceful path until they finally reached the eastern beach. This time, Keeshar could hear the awful-sounding noise the horn made, and even he felt uneasy when it sounded so frequently.

"Hello there!" said the shaman after the two approached them. "Would you mind stopping your horn blowing? The dragon has more patience than I do."

"Ah," said Hans, who quickly stopped before he blew another one.

"We are very sorry," said Adeline, apologetic. "I suppose we chose to bear the sound in the hopes that she will respond."

"It has been three days since you start this. It is time to stop. She will not come. Also, I will appreciate if you return it to me."

Hans sheepishly nodded and returned it, feeling a bit guilty for causing such annoyance.

"Now, young wolves," said Hrashiran. "I know you want her as your guide, but maybe you should start thinking about her own opinion of you. As of now, you are simply nuisances. Temptations. If she is too annoyed, she might end up killing you. Do not tempt fate too much."

"Then, what are we supposed to do?" asked Ulster. "She refused our offer, she didn't listen to our call, and she had no qualms about killing us. We are out of options here, shaman. Unless we can get her as our guide before the week is over, this is the end of our journey."

"You can always try again."

"With her trying her best to stop us? I don't think 'trying again' will yield a different result," said Hans.

"Is there...is there a way for us to actually make her listen? To make her change her mind?" said Adeline. "Do you have a suggestion, shaman?"

"You already knew her plight," started Hrashiran. "The dragon is trying to distant herself from her tormented past, burying it away. I knew that, when she came to this island, she still had a desire to return and exact her revenge, but after three generations, she became comfortable with her loneliness that she forgot why she taught us her gifts in the first place. She knew she would return, but that desire was buried deep in the comfort of this island. Your request makes her remember, but she refuses to get out of that comfort. Thus, she chose to acknowledge that her own home has betrayed her."

"Blimey," commented Ulster. "I never thought even a dragon can have that kind of psychological lock."

"But three generations are a long time, even for a long-lived dragon. Whoever wronged her must have already died. You need to let her know that the past is the past. We are content with her guardianship, but we can't let her die here not knowing what her own land has become."

"But what if that land is still hostile to her, and in addition, to us?" asked Hans. "She will regret ever following that desire to return home."

"Unless she came from hell itself, I doubt it," said Hrashiran. "But if it is still unreceptive, we will always accept her here. Then again, she must see her old home for herself first."

"We got your point, shaman," said Adeline. "But we still can't summon her."

"There are times where you must not rely your courteousness and be bolder," said Hrashiran. "You must go up to her lair on top of the mountain and demand her audience. She will not refuse."

"What?" said Hans in disbelief. "That simple?"

"Not if you consider what she did to the mountain, and the dangerous weather she created for protection. In any case, that is the best way to let her know you are serious of going to her homeland and confront her past."

The three agreed with Hrashiran's suggestions, knowing it was a better way than trying to call the dragon down. They were so fixated with calling the dragon they forgot that she lived on the island. The shaman's mention of a mountain path proved that she did not live in a completely isolated remote region.

"Shaman," said Hans, after much pondering. "Is there anything else we should be worried about on the way to the mountain? Maybe dinosaurs or the inclement weather?"

"The flying ones make their nest on the other side of the mountain and they rarely, if ever, get to the side where the village is. What you must be worried about is the storm she created. I once went up there as a rite of passage. Fortunately, the dragon respects our tradition enough that she kept Arkasi's shrine visible. However, beyond that path is where she lives."

"Luckily, we are geared up for a possible winter storm," said Adeline. "And being werewolves, we are doubly protected by the freezing cold. I think we can manage this."

"Then let Arkasi guides you through this perilous journey," said Hrashiran. "Be careful."

"We will. Thank you, shaman."

Hrashiran nodded and smiled, followed by Keeshar who watched as the three young werewolves started to walk back to the jungle, leaving the two Raptors near the beach.

"So, Keeshar," said Hrashiran as the trio disappeared into the jungle. "What is your choice?"

"My choice? Oh. Well...I still have time to prepare myself."

"You should. This will not be as easy as a jungle hunt," said Hrashiran. "Now, I suppose we can enjoy the white beach and converse with the fishing tribe. I can feel the warmth already."

Keeshar nodded and led the older Raptor out into the sun, as he contemplated his decision.

***

The trio returned to the ship to gather their winter equipment after telling Jamie of their intentions. The captain did not want them to act hastily, but he knew it was their choice.

Without delay, knowing that they had a tight schedule, the gathered their camping equipment and started their ascent to the only mountain of Raptor island. The Raptor shaman and some of the villagers suggested that they followed the path to the shrine and made a camp somewhere nearby to acclimatize. They did so, following a path behind the shrine to the Raptor god, Arkasi.

The path was well-made and easy to follow due to the signs. As they got higher in elevation, the vegetation that was so apparent before started to become bare, until it was nothing but unsheltered, barren rocks with occasional dry grass along the way. The three kept following the path for four hours, stopping to rest somewhere along the way and admiring the view from the hill, including parts of the Ternor continent not covered in clouds and even the Blackjack, still trapped in ice.

The tropical climate of the island made the time more predictable, as they had found during the days camping on the other side of the island. While summer on Ternor, or more specifically, Tragoria, meant longer days and shorter nights, the tropical climate meant that it was summer all year long, with a monsoon weather, as Ulster gathered from the Raptor villagers, comprised of half of the year where it rained almost every day.

The more predictable time meant that it would be dusk after they reached the shrine. They took their time to enjoy the sunset before they set their camp in a clearing near the shrine, they noticed a small hut and a Raptor taking care of the shrine of their god. As they anticipated, he was surprised by their presence, but after being convinced by Adeline that they were visitors from the village, he acknowledged it and returned to his work after telling them about the path beyond the shrine.

"You can barely see the path after you enter the snowy area," said the caretaker. "I suggest you go up there when the sun is fully up, but not during midday. You'd want to get back down before it gets dark. As you noticed from the way up here, we don't maintain torches."

And so, they heeded the advice and rested for the day. Hans realized that they only had two days left to go, and the fifth day would be the day when they either get up there and convince the dragon or go back in failure. They had no time left after wasting three days of fruitless attempt to summon her.

On the fifth day, they packed their camp and left it there when they returned. They looked towards the mountain and its stormy cap, feeling a bit disheartened by it. Adeline, however, saw this as their final, decisive challenge.

"We can do this," she told herself and the others. "This is the first challenge of the new land, represented by the dragon. Come on and show her we are adamant of our request."

"Well," said Hans. "We might as well go and be done with it. You ready, Ulster."

"Not as much as you two," said Ulster. "But let's do this."

The three nodded, acknowledging each other's drive to move forward, before they started their trek to the snowcapped summit.

The path leading to the summit was easy to follow, but once they got to the freezing, snow-covered area, it suddenly became hard for them to follow, even with a barely visible sign. They soon found that, beyond the first sign, there were none other, meaning that no Raptors had ever gone beyond that sign. Fortunately for them, the path was easy to follow, yet so dangerous due to the very apparent cliff.

Adding to their problem was the slippery pathway made from the same ice the dragon let out, which was far more durable than a regular ice that even their ice picks could barely pierce and latch on them. The slippery condition, and the darker area due to the persistent cloud, made the climb so dangerous.

But they pushed on, fueled by the possibility of calling the dragon and test whether the shaman was right. It started to become more dangerous to climb as they reached the cliff, with their ice picks started to fail them due to the durability of the unnatural ice. They almost slipped off the main path several times, but by being vigilant and also taking care of each other, they managed to catch on one another before they could get into trouble, especially with a rope that was tied around their waists and linked together.

The cliff, unfortunately, was the last obstacle they needed to face. After a harrowing experience where they were forced to scale through the side of the cliff when there were no defined and safe path (using Adeline's very limited knowledge of mountain scaling) and the natural agility of a werewolf, they managed to reach to the other side. By this point, their paws and their claws were freezing and numb, even with fur covering them. It was below freezing temperature that even a werewolf wearing winter fur coat could not bear it.

After the cliff, they followed the (still slippery) path and finally found a cave after a short climb. They quickly got in, thinking that it would provide them with a warmth. But, to their disappointment, the cave was not their salvation.

The cave was an ice cave devoid of warmth, and the freezing air that threatened to stop them was stronger in that cave, being the source of the cold temperature outside. Ulster was the first to realize what the cave was.

"It is the dragon's cave," he said. "Her lair."

By this point unsure if they were doing the right thing, they had no choice but to press on, knowing that it was too far to turn back.

The cave was vast, but not extensive. In fact, after the entrance, there was only a cavernous room that was dimly lit. The room was too big for werewolves or Raptor, but was a perfect place for a dragon to inhabit. It was also devoid of warmth, which did not help, especially after braving the icy, below freezing temperature outside.

They soon heard a voice.

"Welcome to my lair, little ones," said the dragon's voice. "I want to be surprised, but I am amused by your stubbornness."

"Thank you," said Adeline. "But our visit here has a purpose."

"Yes, I know your intentions. I have heard you blow that horn for three days straight I am tempted to go down there and snatch it away from you, but alas, it is a gift I gave to the shamans before the current one, Hrashiran. I never thought you'd risk coming up here, but here you are. I have no choice but to honor you."

An orb of light floated to the ceiling, lighting up the cave somewhat and made the dragon visible to them. She was sitting on the far end of the cave. Now that they were not stunned by fear or by a hasty need to ask for her help, Hans could finally see her appearance better.

The dragon had a glimmering azure blue scales, possibly to indicate that she was the master of ice. Her eyes were bright blue, almost white, like ice. One of her horns were broken off, which explained the horn the shaman had.

The most prominent part of her appearance, however, were the presence of writings on each of her limbs, her neck, and her tail. They seemed to be runes of sorts, one that Ulster was unable to understand and could possibly originated from her homeland. They seemed to wrap around her limbs and up to her body, like snakes or chains. It was more prominent on her tail, as there were five rings of the runes instead of the wraps around her limbs. They were hard to notice in the darkness, or when they were clouded by fear before.

"Tell me, little ones," she said. "Why did you risk your lives climbing up here just to meet me? Is it stubbornness? Is it to talk to me? Or is it stupidity?"

"Can we say, 'all of them'?" said Hans.

She chuckled. "Yes, of course, you would. Otherwise, why would you be here. I suppose you're here to ask me to be your guide. I would shrug it off as a joke, but after seeing you here, who had undoubtedly risked your lives to meet me, I cannot regard it as a joke. You do have the desire to go to my accursed land, even if you have to trade it with your limbs or even your lives."

"We signed on this journey because we know of the risks," said Adeline. "In fact, we have a low chance of finding a new land before knowing the facts about you. This expedition could end up becoming yet another failure, but still a success in showing the prowess of an all-steel hull steamship."

"Well...honestly, I don't want to die like that," said Ulster. "But, uh...maybe we're pushing it a bit too far?"

"Nobody is willing to die unless they have nothing to lose, spectacled one," said the dragon. "And even if you know the risks, there are parts of you that want to preserve that life. I can tell that no one in your crew are that suicidal. I can tell so, because I once tried to kill myself in the sea. Yet, I survived, and the kind Raptors of this island accepted me as their own. It felt like a second chance for me.

"Nevertheless, I, too, understand Hrashiran's argument about me evading my past. He has convinced me, time and time again, to go back home, knowing that it isn't right to not be able to do something about it. I must admit that I was scared to go back, both because I almost died reaching this land, and also because returning home meant that there is still a chance that my departure will be the final moment of my freedom."

"Is...is your home really that bad?" asked Hans. "Is it really hell on Earth, as the shaman claimed."

"Not as exaggerated as he gave it flair, but for me, it is close. I have the proof all over my body. You have noticed those runes. Those are the scars of a magic that bound me, and it stung to this day. It is a curse, and a humiliation, that I must bear, knowing that I, a dragon, ran and left everything after I...lost my young. And my mate. It is a brand from my enemies. Dragon slayers. Practitioners of a foul anti-draconic magic that not only kill, but let my kind die in agony and suffering."

"Why would they do that?" Hans' voice started to be filled with sympathy.

"It is their way, and their amusement. They have this feverish, almost cultish, belief that dragons are the blight of this world. A beast too dangerous to even roam the land where they once ruled. They cursed our intelligence, and they would do anything to see those supporting us be eradicated, to end the age of dragons. They have failed, but they are stubborn, driven by a twisted desire that is borderline, or simply outright, sadistic."

"If that is the way you said it...then you have a point," said Adeline. "They have no rights to meet us. If it is that painful and dangerous for you, I doubt they even want to acknowledge our presence."

"I chose this island because it is populated by a race still untouched by technology or magic, unlike Main, and unlike yours. I started to accept that this is my home, and I will die here, never to return or see any civilizations. That is, until your ship came. It is a peculiar metal ship, different from those on my land and certainly more advanced than those before it. I was struck with fear, feeling that they finally found a way to chase me down through the ocean, not knowing that it came from the other side. It's...traumatizing. To see humans again...it's so..."

"We are not," said Adeline emphatically. "I assure you; we are not here for you. Yes, the people of our land are not perfect. Lycans like us are always blamed for everything that is wrong. I know the feeling of being regarded as a dangerous being, even when I am a noble of considerable class."

"And that is why I know your feelings too well, dragon," said Hans. "I may not experience such injustice, but nevertheless, being shunned upon for being a werewolf is enough to make you scared that they would turn on you and your family. I live in a cage that is the human form, and I will never be free unless I am with my own kind, the beasts of the forest."

"That is an honest declaration if I ever hear one." The dragon's head then slowly lowered itself. "You made your points with the virtues you are strong at, little wolves. The virtues of courage, emotions, and knowledge are strong in each one of you. I have no choice but to honor it."

"So, does that mean--"

"It will be difficult to leave a place I declared home, but in the end, even I must admit that there will be time I must go home and confront those who wronged me. This time, however, I will not be alone. Climb on my back. You have earned my respect."

The three still hesitated, but in the end, due to the freezing temperature, they decided to quickly climb the dragon's back. She helped by lowering her wings for the three to climb. Despite the coldness of her scales, and the air around her, they felt a sense of warmth and renewed hope from the dragon. In fact, as they walked out of the cave, the freezing temperature was gone, along with the crystalline ice covering the walls of the cave, as if to symbolize the thawing of her cold heart as the resurging fire of hope was lit by the three young werewolf explorers, each of different background, and of virtues that the even the dragon could respect.

The dragon had always flown out of her cave only when summoned by the shaman. Personally, she did not like doing so, but she was indebted to the Raptors and had vowed to teach them how to not fear the predators of the island. This time, however, was the first time she flew for herself, and in addition, for the explorers who risked their lives trying to recruit her. She was amused by it all.

She walked out, thawing the ice around the cave and clearing the skies. She opened her wings, showing their aged look. The tip of the thin, skin-like membranes of her bat-like wings were ripped and withered, almost like old, decaying fabric. Adeline saw this and wondered how she could fly despite it all.

"Hold onto me tightly," said the dragon as she lowered her head, preparing for flight. "It will be a short flight, but for the inexperienced, this will not be comfortable."

The three followed her suggestion and held onto her hard, but slightly loose, azure blue scales. It felt like ridges on the side of a mountain for scaling and acted similarly to the reins of a horse. They also held each other, in fear of falling. Ulster, unfortunately, trapped by his pursuit of knowledge, caught the dragon's oft-remark and said, "Pardon me, but...inexperienced? You mean there is--"

His question was cut short when the dragon beat her wings and took off. The sheer pressure of her rapid ascent threatened to knock them all off her back. The speed of her flight was also beyond compare. The three almost lost their grip despite of holding with all their strength. In fact, Ulster, due to the distraction earlier, almost got thrown off if it wasn't for Hans' quick reaction by holding his hand with his strong werewolf grip.

Fortunately, just as the dragon said, the flight was short. While it took them hours to get to the summit, they reached the Blackjack's landing in mere minutes. She decided to land on the beach near the ship where she found a big enough area to accommodate her. The dragon's landing was accompanied by a strong burst of wind that stunned the sailors near her. Her sudden appearance surprised the crew and the passengers that were already comfortable with the beach.

Her landing was also followed by the abrupt thawing of the ice around the Blackjack, unceremoniously shattering while the crew, including Jamie and Henrietta, were still on the ice. Some fell into the sea, while others fell into the sand. Jamie, unfortunately, fell into the sea as he was working at the ship's stern, trying to free the propeller.

"Oh, curse me furry self!" he exclaimed as he emerged from the water. "What the bloody hell is it now?!"

"Ah," said the dragon. Hans could see her surprised look slowly turning to one close to mischief. Even an old dragon like her could still be playful, which made Hans smiled.

Some of the passengers, who saw the dragon landed, were both in shock and awe upon her presence. Michael, one of the passengers who was stunned by her landing, saw her up close and said, "Holy mother...that's one hell of a beast!"

"I never thought it'd even consider landing here!" said Cillian. He soon noticed the werewolf trio. "Wait. You three rode on her?"

"Believe me," said Ulster as he cleaned the sand off his shirt (Hans released his grip just as the dragon landed on the beach). "You will appreciate a saddle."

"Oh, do not consider that notion, spectacled one," said the dragon. "Though I might consider it one day. In any case, I present myself to your people, little ones. I am the dragon that delayed your journey, but the valiant efforts of these three convinced me to reconsider my selfish reasons. For that, I must apologize."

"So, you're joining us, then?" asked Jamie with a surprised expression on his wolf face.

"As a guide, to the best of my abilities," said the dragon. "Prepare your ship to sail. This island may be an adopted home, but it is a home, nonetheless. I will be brief."

The dragon then led out a roar that was intended to call. No one seemed to understand it, but the shaman, who had heard the roar a couple of times, understood what it meant. So, he summoned Keeshar, and said, "It is time. Gather the villagers. We will see to her departure...and yours, too."

Keeshar, who had decided that he would join the Blackjack as an ambassador for the Raptor Island, nodded, and returned to his families and friends in the village, each of whom gave him a blessing that he would really need in the long and unknown journey ahead. Hrashiran then sat, waiting for Keeshar.

"Things will be different around here," said Hrashiran with a sigh. "But it won't be a frightening one."