Chapter 103 - Chapter 105

Dragon with his three new acquaintances was travelling on the back of Orlando. Just from the fact of how big he was, four people could easily fit on his back.

"So... What are your names?" Dragon asked while sitting on Orlando's head. That was his favourite spot to sit on.

"I'm Cassie, and these two are Grace and Noah." Cassie the eldest among them answered for herself and the other two.

"I see, and why were you hanging out among pirates?" Dragon wore a cheeky smile, trying to garner a reaction from Cassie.

"We didn't mean to be there. We got caught in an unexpected storm and it pushed us where we didn't wanna go." Cassie got a chill down her spine when she recalled the look in the pirate's eyes.

"Good thing I got there when I did." Dragon said. And he intentionally left out the part where he suspected his excitement of acquiring flight, was the cause for the storm. He chose not to reveal himself as the one that accidentally brought the kids to where they ended up.

"Yeah, but I didn't expect you to have someone like Orlando. I have never seen anything like it. Where did you find him?" Cassie very much enjoyed the feeling of the eagle's fur.

"On a mountain top. We had a little confrontation and then he pretty much became my best friend rather quickly."

Dragon did a quick summersault and landed on the back of Orlando. Noah and Grace hid behind Cassie because of the freakishly tall height of Dragon.

"So, tell me about yourself. Are you three siblings?" Dragon's eyes scanned the children.

"Yes, we are. I am the eldest and Grace is the middle child and Noah is the youngest."

"You don't have to be so afraid of me. I won't bite like those pirates probably would. I am just a big softy, just like Orlando here." Dragon started petting Orlando while giving the kids a warming smile.

"There's our village!" Cassie stood up and yelled suddenly. In the distance, there were a few igloos stacked together with a simple snow wall around them all.

"Orlando buddy, take us there, and try not to scare the living hell out of them all." Orlando did a turn and he started to head straight for the tiny village.

Down on the ground, inside the little water tribe village, everyone was running around like headless chickens. The four tall guard towers around the village had spotted a massive creature heading their way. There was only one person inside the village that still had a calm and collected expression on his face.

"Man the walls, and bring the woman and children inside the chief's hut." A man stood on the wall of the village and overlooking his people. He was the chief of the village and he was also the only one that would stand a chance against whatever this creature was.

"Yes, chief!" A young man answered and set out to make it happen.

"Give me that." He said to the guard beside him, and he received the binoculars.

'an eagle? What's it doing here?' He wondered when he saw the massive shadow approach the village at a quick rate.

"Are my kids still out on the sea?" He turned to one of his men,

"Yes, chief."

"Good. At least they're not here for this." He moved his hand and the snow below their feet hardened a little to make a better foundation.

'As the chief, I swear I will protect this village with my life." He said and hardened his will as well as the ground underneath him.

"Tell the men to prepare to fight. This will not be easy." The guard nodded and jumped down the wall.

"YOHOOOOO, DAD WE'RE OKAY, IT'S CASSIE!" A very familiar voice reached his ears and he curiously looked over at the eagle with his binoculars.

"WHAAAA!" He almost lost balance and fell off the wall from what he saw. On top of that massive eagle's head, he could see his eldest daughter standing and waving.

Everyone, stand by! No one is attacking this creature yet, my daughter is on it." He yelled out to the village.

Orlando approached the village and he zoomed passed it to display his majestic body. He circled the village one time and then slowed down and hovered in front of the village walls.

"Cassie, is that really you?" He yelled up towards the creature that was hovering above the village. And barely a second later, three shadows came flying off the eagle's back.

"aaaaaah, not again!!" Cassie and her two siblings were nose-diving towards the ground. Their father that stood on the wall freaked out and he ran to catch them, but they were all spread out in the air.

"Do not worry, I would not harm them." A man had appeared beside him and the man waved his hand and the kids started to slow down. Now instead of nose-diving, they were slowly being carried over to the wall by the passing icy winds.

"Thank heavens you three are safe." The village chief said and ran over to his children. They made a safe landing on the ground after the winds caught and carried them over.

"Who are you and what the hell did you do to my kids!" He snapped his head around and glared angerly at Dragon. But Cassie jumped in and defended Dragon before a fight broke out.

"Dad, he saved us. We got caught in a storm that took us to the pirate territory. And he saved us just before a spear would have pierced me." Cassie said in a hurry to not let his dad develop some misunderstanding.

"hm, I see. I suppose I owe you thanks for that." He put his hand out and the two men shook hands.

"It was nothing at all. I was just in the area so I thought I should step in." Dragon smiled and they broke off the handshake.

"What's your name?" He asked Dragon as he looks over his children bodies for any injuries.

"It is pretty common to introduce yourself first. But I don't mind. My name is Portgas D Dragon. It is a true pleasure to meet you." Dragon cubbed his hands and bowed.

"hm, the names Connor, thanks for saving my kids." He didn't look at Dragon when introducing himself. He was fully focused on his kids and not the freakishly tall man standing behind him.

"I'll excuse myself. I will see you later, Chief Connor." Dragon said before jumping back up onto Orlando. The eagle made a wing flap and flew away with Dragon on his back.

Connor turned his gaze away from his kids for a moment and stared on the man standing on the departing eagle's back. 'A genuine master. It's been so long since I've seen one.'

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End