Chapter 3
The Dawn of Heartbreak
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Excellinor's words struck him violently as if he had just been shot with an arrow. His father was the only person who understood him, the person who always had his back and told him things were going to be alright in the end. Now everything he cared about was gone in the shattering heartbreak of that moment.

"No…" The child stuttered while walking slowly backwards. "He can't be dead! He can't!!" He screamed as tears poured down his pale face. All because his 'friend' had betrayed him. The small dragon had guided his father and small armada to attack outcast island. Alvin now had no one except his abusive mother who didn't love him in the slightest bit. How could someone do this to him? How could he survive with nothing?

Naloth had escaped the dragon that prevented him from moving and ran as fast as his small, scaly legs would carry him. This was all a mistake. The poor dragon didn't intend for this to happen, he only wanted a friend. He wanted to talk to Alvin, to get him to understand, but how could he possibly get close to someone who thought he was a traitor?

Flying through the darkening sky, Ator looked down upon his son who was running at fast speeds toward his only friend, in order to make amends. The grown dragon no longer cared if his son returned, only that he never wanted to see Naloth's face again. Sorventh, Naloth's older brother, watched his sibling dive out of his talons and run away with wide, golden eyes. Despite wanting to yell at his brother for leaving, Sorventh simply let him go.

A swift beat of wings and the grey Deadly Nadder followed his father and the rest of clan back to their hideout. Alvin was left all alone outside as the sun went down, fading into darkness. Tears continuing to fall down his cheeks, the child's sobs grew into silence.

He was the only one who truly cared that his father was deceased. Everyone else simply mumbled about how they would now have to be led by a kid. Excellinor didn't even seem to mind that her husband had just died. In fact, she actually seemed to be pretty peaceful about it, making it known to people that she would be leading them until Alvin was older.

The boy sank to his knees, against the brown grass blades that had been burnt to almost nothing. Even his home was destroyed. Nothing was ever beautiful on outcast island, but you would tend to miss something too if you had it all your life and then one day it disappeared.

A slight shimmer reflected of familiar green scales as the raven haired boy looked up. The golden, sympathetic eyes looked up at his friend in sadness. "Alvin I-"

"Don't speak to me…" The human choked on his own words. "Just go away."

The Nadder's head bowed lower in shame as if he had just been hit. "I didn't mean-"

"It's all your fault my father's dead!" Alvin shouted at the top of his lungs. "You led them here and they destroyed him!" The dragon winced, not knowing his friend's father had gotten killed in the process. Naloth was fixing to open his mouth and explain but Alvin was too furious for explanations. His mind only filled with hatred at this terrible world that ripped everything he ever enjoyed away from him.

"Go on…" The boy paused waiting for his new enemy to leave, but the dragon refused. "I said scram!" The scream echoed in the Nadder's ears before he started running for his life. Ator's old words from Naloth's childhood played in the dragon's head. 'Dragons don't cry.' He had said, but tears welled up in the small creature's eyes nonetheless.

The sobs turned silent, muffled by the exhaust that was creeping into the boy's body. After awhile, Alvin had drifted into sleep with silent tears still making their way down his face. The burnt grass felt rough against his smooth skin but he ignored it.

Thin eyelids snapped open to reveal the bright, green eyes underneath. A menacing breath of air hit the boy's face and growling noises followed the sharp gust. A long reptilian snout sniffed the human child's face, not liking it one bit. Alvin tried getting up but it was if he was paralyzed to the ground. His mouth opened to call for help but no sound came, not even a squeak.

Staying there, his mind raced in a million different directions. He was going to die just like his father had, in the vengeful talons of a beast. Its claws raised to strike the poor, defenseless outcast. In a few seconds it came down upon Alvin in furious rage. Alvin closed his eyes, terrified of what was to come. The sharp pain never reached the boy, instead the child jolted awake, breathing heavily. It was only a nightmare… a savagely realistic Nighmare.

The night sky was still livid with stars, telling Alvin he hadn't been asleep for long. He decided to go inside and sleep in his normal bed. The steps creaked as normal as he staggered up to his room. Eyes darting to a small wooden dragon that him and his father had carved, made him feel uneasiness again. Alvin grabbed the figure in shaking fingers and placed it in an open drawer. After shutting it, he laid in his stiff bed, not checking the sky's view as he did every other night. Instantly sitting up, he realized there was something in the bed that was under him. The raven haired boy lifted his dragon watching journal into his unsteady hands and opened it. Memories of the days that he spent dragon watching with his father flooded back into his mind and only made him feel more helpless. Anger suddenly clouded his head and he ripped the Deadly Nadder page out of the book and threw them both to the ground. His burst was soon over and sadness crept back into his face, crying himself to sleep again.

~

Coming down the stairs, Alvin's faded, green eyes looked to his mother, who was making breakfast for once. An unpleasant smell graced his nose, making him wrinkle it in disgust. Food on Outcast Island was never pleasant. Alvin would've thought that someone would have formed a funeral for his dad, but he was mistaken. No one saw the need to do so.

"I got tired of waiting for you to get up, and fixed breakfast myself." Excellinor muttered bitterly. The child jumped, not expecting anything to interrupt their silence. 'Thanks…' was all Alvin could muster up. A small bowl of unappetizing, green soup was laid in front of the boy. It took all he had to take a spoonful, much less eat it all. "You're going on a hunting trip." The witch stated plainly eating hers without being disgusted.

"Today?…" Alvin looked up in confusion. "But why?..."

"Because we're low on food. Usually your father would go, but seeing as he isn't here…" she cooed. "That means you're going with the men instead."

"But I can't hunt!" Alvin protested.

"Well then you'll be learning." His mother responded rather quickly. Alvin's shoulders sagged in defeat. This wouldn't be a problem for most boys. They'd probably be happy to go. But for Alvin, killing an animal, no matter if food or sport, saddened him. He knew that if he went, he'd be the laughing stock of the whole trip.

~

Naloth smiled through his sleep, dreaming of him and Alvin having countless adventures and fun times. His crocodile jaws stretched as he yawned, sticking his light, pink, forked tongue out. Blinking his golden cat eyes he looked around himself. Everything that happened seemed to fall on top of him all at once. Alvin wasn't his friend, only someone who despised him. The dragon put his head on the cold floor of the cave he chose to stay in the night before. If someone looked at the beast, they'd be able to see the defeated look in the dragon's eyes.

He looked to the sunlight pouring in the cave entrance. Where could he possibly go? He couldn't go to Alvin, he'd just get filled with more screams of hatred. He couldn't go home, one of Ator's followers might be liable to kill him. Ator might have been his birth father, but he was no longer his dad. At this point, all Naloth wanted to do was see his mother. What would she tell him to do? The Nadder could see why his mother had left his family now. He understood completely. His father was ruthless, cruel, and even slightly demented. Ator could not be trusted.

A sudden noise made the spines on his tail and crest spring up out of fright. There was something outside.

~

Alvin fingered the soft wood of the bow that rested in his hands. He couldn't shoot to save his life, but at least he didn't want to hit anything anyway. A forceful hit met his back and sent him sprawling in the dirt. "Loser." The older teenage boy above him smiled. The smile was eery and twisted in itself, but his teeth were sharpened to points just like some of the tribe's adults, which added to the effect. A nervous shiver went up Alvin's spine. These were the kind of boys he had to hunt with?...

~

Cautiously, Naloth crawled through to the opening of his hideaway. Looking to the left, there was nothing, same with the other direction. A slight rustling sound still remained, however. The sound grew louder, implying that whatever it was, it was getting closer. The frail dragon backed into the safety of his cave, finally seeing what was there. Two, almost glowing, red eyes, jagged canine teeth, a slobbery mouth that emitted a loud howl of triumph, it was a wolf.

~

A deer silently sauntered through the woods, not expecting to bump into a small group of armed adults and children. All arrows were drawn back, except one. Fjalar, the same teenager who had tormented Alvin earlier, noticed this. "What's wrong Alvin?… can't bear to kill a defenseless animal?..." He purred in a whisper. Everyone lowered their arrows and looked to the gangly raven haired child. Alvin's eyebrows raised in terror. "Say... Why don't we just make you kill it?... You are our future leader of course..." The adults exchanged glances but did nothing about it. Alvin was pushed forward with all eyes on him.

~

The gray wolf advanced in a stalking manner toward its prey, while licking its lips. Naloth's mind raced. What should he do? Roar? Bite him? Shoot him with spines? He thought of numberless tactics he could use, but instead he just stood there, frozen in fear, not even able to run.

~

Alvin swallowed and looked ahead at the deer. The most respected people of the village were waiting on his one shot. If he didn't make it, then they might not have any food. They might happen to have the misfortune for this to be the only deer in sight. People could starve because of this one shot of an arrow. Alvin slowly loaded the bow, fingering the burnt out feather on the end of the arrow. His eyes closed then opened, looking at his target in terror. The bow string was pulled back as he thought about just how hard this was. All focus in the forest was on him.