noveltune Chapter 12 It's Time to Go
Chapter 12 It's Time to Go
Over the next few days, Will deliberately led Daenerys and Shadowflame deeper into the swamp, into areas that were less frequented by humans.
He taught Daenerys to identify edible plant roots and berries, to set simple traps to catch waterfowl or small animals, and to build temporary shelters using reeds and dry branches.
Daenerys studied very hard, and although she was clumsy at first, she made rapid progress.
She seemed to see all of this as some kind of "trial" or "learning" in order to stay by Will and Shadowflame's side and to become a "useful" person.
Shadowflame had also grown accustomed to Daenerys's presence.
It allowed her to observe herself at close range, and occasionally accepted the prepared small fish or frog meat that she offered as "offerings." On one occasion, when Daenerys almost slipped into a deep puddle, Shadowflame hooked her skirt with its tail and pulled her back.
This incident brought Daenerys's affection and closeness to Shadowflame to a new level. The way she looked at the little dragon was as if she were looking at a guardian angel—if the angel looked like a miniature version of the Black Reaper.
Viserys did indeed come looking for them.
On one occasion, near a fishing spot where Vell and his companions had once stopped, Daenerys spotted Viserys hiding behind some reeds in the distance, peering into the distance.
He looked even more haggard and disheveled, his eyes filled with suspicion and uncertainty. He wanted to approach but dared not. Finally, after Yingyan impatiently blasted a small stream of scorching air towards his hiding place, he retreated in a panic and disappeared.
In the following days, he was never seen again.
He seemed to have completely disappeared from this area, perhaps out of fear, perhaps to seek "assistance" elsewhere, or perhaps... he encountered something else.
Will didn't delve into it, and Daenerys, after her initial worries, seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
Beyond the nominal blood ties and the heavy pressure of "restoring the kingdom," Viserys brought more unease and harm.
But Will knew he couldn't stay in the vicinity of Braavos any longer.
The appearance of Viserys is a signal.
Moreover, Shadowflame's appetite increased dramatically as its size grew, and the food available in this swamp began to become scarce.
Xiaolong's wingspan is already close to one meter. Although it cannot actually fly yet, it can already generate a considerable amount of wind when it flaps its wings, and it can barely glide a short distance at low altitude.
It needs more open space and more abundant prey.
"We have to get out of here." One evening, after another simple dinner consisting mainly of fish and sour berries, Will said to Daenerys, who was carefully feeding Shadowflame a piece of roasted lizard meat.
Daenerys's hand trembled, and the lizard meat fell to the ground, where it was quickly snatched away by Shadowflame.
She looked up, a flicker of panic in her purple eyes: "Leave? Where to?"
"South." Will spread out a rough map he had drawn on the bark he had peeled off with charcoal over the past few days—a general area determined mainly by the sun's position, the direction of the water flow, and the occasional distant ship horns. "Along the coastline, away from the area directly controlled by Braavos. Find more remote fishing villages, or uninhabited islands. Food might be plentiful there, and it would be easier to hide."
He paused, then looked at Daenerys: "You... can go back to Viserys, or wait with Governor Illyrio." He offered a choice, though he knew she would most likely not choose it.
Sure enough, Daenerys shook her head violently, her long, silver-gold hair arcing through the twilight: "No! I won't go back! I'm going with you! And with Shadowflame!"
Her tone was resolute, even carrying a hint of hurt and distrust: "You said you'd survive first! I can help! I... I can do a lot of things now!"
She eagerly listed the skills she had learned in the past few days, her purple eyes fixed on Will, afraid that he would refuse her.
Will looked at her in silence.
The girl's face looked particularly vivid in the afterglow of the setting sun, her stubbornness and dependence so distinct.
Bringing her along means more responsibility and potential risks.
but……
Shadowflame finished the meat that had fallen to the ground, strolled to Daenerys's feet, rubbed his head against her calf, then looked up at Will, his dark gold vertical pupils blinking as if to say:
Take her with you; the meat she feeds is alright.
The last bit of hesitation in Will's heart dissipated.
He sighed, his voice still calm, but with a hint of gentleness he himself didn't realize:
"Then let's pack up. We'll leave before dawn tomorrow."
Daenerys's face instantly lit up with a huge, untroubled smile, like sunlight breaking through the clouds. She nodded emphatically, "Yes!"
She immediately sprang into action, beginning to gather their meager "belongings"—the tattered canvas used as a blanket, a few homemade makeshift tools, and some dried fish and berries as provisions.
Their movements were swift, as if they were not fleeing, but embarking on a great adventure.
……
The journey south was longer and more arduous than expected.
They trekked along the broken coastline, avoiding the occasional fishing village and scattered merchant ship tracks, mostly traversing rugged reefs, dense coastal jungles, and barren sandy land.
Food sources became unstable. Sometimes they could hunt seabirds or fish that washed ashore on the mudflats by Shadowflame’s keen eyesight and increasingly powerful breath attack. Other times, they could only rely on wild fruits and shellfish that Daenerys found to fill their stomachs.
Freshwater is an even bigger challenge, often requiring venturing deep inland to find streams or collect rainwater.
Shadowflame's growth rate did not slow down due to ample exercise and hunting; on the contrary, it became even more robust due to constant consumption and replenishment.
Its body length is nearly 0.7 meters, and its wingspan, when fully extended, exceeds 1.2 meters. Its black scales gleam with a cold, hard metallic luster in the sunlight, and dark red patterns, like veins of lava, flow faintly beneath its skin.
It can already glide short distances, close to the ground or water, and although it cannot yet truly take flight, its flapping and landing already display considerable power.
Its control over the flames is also more refined, its breath is more concentrated and the temperature is higher, and it can occasionally even spray out two or three small but fast scorching flames in succession, accurately hitting small prey that are moving quickly.
Daenerys's changes were equally significant.
Months of hardship and arduous travel washed away the last trace of the pampered air that belonged to the former royal princess.
Her skin was tanned to a healthy honey color, and calluses formed on her hands and feet. To make it easier to move around, she cut her originally smooth, silver-gold hair short to shoulder length with a stone slab and tied it behind her head with grass stems.
She learned to act silently and efficiently, her eyes became sharp, and she had an instinctive alertness to danger.
Her dependence on Will only increased, but it was no longer the cautious admiration of her; it was more like a partnership of fighting side by side, even though she still stubbornly believed that Will was her "brother" and her hope for the future.
She took meticulous care of Shadowflame, always trying to save the best food for the little dragon, and even clumsily tried to wipe Shadowflame's scales with the soft seaweed she collected.