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Rose had finally managed to capture the hated American Dragon. He was now bound to a tree, awaiting his fate. She smiled and her heart hammered in her chest as she yelled out a battle cry and ran towards her nemesis with her spear.
"Rose! Stop!" the dragon called out, panic evident in his voice. A split second later Rose's spear was embedded deep in his chest.
She watched the blood ooze from the dragon's chest with wide eyes. How had the beast known her true name?
Suddenly, the visage of the dragon began to melt away. "What the...?" Rose mused as she pulled off her hood.
The face of the dragon was now gone and replaced with a new one that made the bottom drop out of her stomach. Her hands flew to her mouth to stifle the scream that threatened to escape her throat. Tears flooded her eyes as she used her dagger to cut the rope that had bound the dragon. "J...Jake?" she sputtered, dropping to her knees next to the scarcely breathing boy.
"Rose...." Jake managed to whisper as blood leaked from both corners of his mouth.
Rose's breathing sped up as she pulled the blood coated spear from his chest. "I...I don't understand, why are you here??"
"This...is my human...form...." Jake replied with great effort.
"I...I didn't know. Oh god, Jake. I'm so sorry!" Rose replied as sobs racked her body.
Jake lifted his fingers towards Rose's face, but the effort was in vain as his tired muscles forced him to drop his hand back down. "I-t's...okay. N-not...your fault. Should've...told you...sooner...."
Rose touched Jake's hand and felt panic tightening her chest when she realized his fingers were growing cold. "Jake...no! Don't leave me, PLEASE!" she cried, throwing herself on his chest. "I'll quit being the huntsgirl! I'll do anything!!"
"Can't...help it...." Jake closed his eyes for a second in pain, then reopening them with tremendous effort. "Rose...I...I love...."
Rose's eyes snapped open when she realized what he had been about to say. "Wh...what did you just say?" No answer came to her. She sat up at looked at his face. His eyes were closed, never to open again. "Jake? Jake?!" She checked his neck for a pulse...nothing. She sucked in a breath and the tightness in her chest became unbearable. "No...this can't be right...no...JAAAAAAAAAAAKE!" she wailed into the night. But the only ones who heard her anguished cry were the wind and the trees.....