Samantha Edwhan

Alita's Youth

Chapter 12

Autumn 2838

“I have an idea,” Korbin said.

“What's that?” Alita asked.

They were walking through the forest. They were on the farthest edges of it, as far from Tribe-Ali as they could get while staying under the trees.

“We should do a courtship dance,” Korbin said. “It would really prove our love for each other is true.”

“A courtship dance?” Alita repeated. “What's that?”

“It's a type of instinct based dance done by couples. It's not exactly a thing over here, but in Hiza Calndom, it's a bit more known. Two dragons dance together, no music or anything, and their movements are perfectly mirrored, in a way,” Korbin explained. “Basically, if I turn left, so would you, and we'd be facing opposite directions. There's circles and steps and wing movements; it's a really involved dance.”

“Have you seen it before?” Alita asked.

“Once,” Korbin said. “But that was before my mother and I came to the Tribe. Do you want to try it?”

Alita shrugged her wings. “Sure, why not.”

Korbin smiled and raised one of his wings. Alita copied him. When he turned, so did she. But her movements were a half second behind. She watched for anything that would suggest what the next move would be. He raised a foot and she did the same, still lagging behind.

Am I supposed to be feeling something? Alita wondered. Where are these so called ‘instincts’ I'm supposed to be having about this?

When she felt Korbin’s tail twine around her leg, Alita knew she couldn't keep going. She sighed and pulled back, ducking her head.

“I'm really sorry, Korbin,” she apologised. “I can't keep up. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do.”

Korbin sighed and folded his wings. “It’s been almost a year since we started dating. I thought you'd be able to do it by now.”

Alita ducked her head even lower. “I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me.”

“Take some time to figure it out,” Korbin said. “If something is holding you back, you should sort that out so you can be truly loyal to me.”

“But I am loyal to you!” Alita insisted.

Korbin frowned. “Are you? You can't even do a courtship dance. If you were truly in love with me and loyal only to me then you'd be able to do it.”

Alita stared at him, unsure how to respond.

“Why don't you go figure out what's holding you back?” Korbin was already turning around. “I'm gonna do some hunting.”

With that, he leapt to the air, broke through the trees, and flew away. Alita stared after him for a long moment before sighing and beginning her trek back to the beach.

She chose to walk back, rather than flying. It felt like too much effort for how heavy her heart felt. She found herself facing the ocean and just stared at the horizon.

Things used to be so easy, she thought. Back when I was young. Back when everyone was young. There was no sneaking around, no disappointing each other. Just me and my friends playing on the beach.

Alita remembered Evelyn with a wistful smile, but it fell just as quickly. She had never come to visit. Perhaps her life in Hiza Calndom was too busy, or perhaps it was just better than here. Alita no longer worried about that. Sure, she still missed Evelyn, but with each year, it felt like they would never see each other again. She wondered what Evelyn would think about her relationship with Korbin.

She'd probably hate me for breaking Tribe Law, Alita assumed.

Liam was still upset with her too. He barely spoke to her now. When he did, it was only to look like they were still friendly, so that no one else would catch on. At least he was keeping it a secret.

“Alita?”

At the sound of her name, she turned and saw Matthias standing nearby. Cloe and Erika were just behind him. None of them looked happy.

“We need to talk,” Matthias said.

“Is something wrong?” Alita asked.

“You tell us,” Erika said. “You're the one sneaking off all the time.”

“You barely spend time with us anymore,” Cloe added.

“I-I’m just busy with hunting.” Alita forced a smile.

Matthias’s frown deepened, as did Erika’s. Cloe’s ears drooped and she shot them both a glance.

“We know you've been sneaking around with Korbin,” Matthias said.

Alita blinked. “Wh-what?”

Erika pushed past him and glared at Alita. “We know about your secret relationship and your sneaky little rendezvous. Don't try to deny it.”

“I-I don't understand. How do you know?” Alita asked, taking a step back.

“Like Cloe said, you've barely hung out with us lately,” Matthias explained. “Erika noticed that you were gone a lot and I noticed you and Liam weren't exactly getting along.”

“But you know what really helped us piece it all together?” Erika raised her head, flexing her wings and shoulders. “When Kyle, of all dragons, said that Korbin was too busy to hunt with him most days.”

Alita’s ears dropped along with her mouth. Of all dragons to let it slip, it was Kyle? Did he even know what he was saying? Did he know Alita’s friends would figure it out?

“Alita, we've been your friends a long time,” Matthias said. “We all got along so well because our families were different to everyone else’s. But we never broke Tribe Law.”

Erika joined in. “If we keep hanging out with you and this gets out, we'll look bad too. Everyone will think we're breaking Tribe Law as well.”

“But you're not,” Alita said. “And Chieftain Clyde will know you're not.”

“That's not the point!” Erika snapped. “Dragons who aren't Chieftain Clyde will think we are.”

“You have to choose,” Matthias said. “Us or him. If you think he's really worth the risk, then we don't want to be involved.”

“Honestly, it would be better if you had moved to the Calndom to be with him,” Cloe said.

Erika waved a wing. “It's too late for that now. You have a choice, Alita.”

Alita gaped at them. What could she say to that? What should she say to that?

I love my friends but I love Korbin too. Don't make me choose, she thought desperately.

She couldn't voice any words to respond to them. After a long moment, she hung her head, unable to voice a stance either way.

“I see,” Matthias said, his voice guarded. “Well, it was nice being your friends.”

Alita glanced up to see them all walking away. It took everything in her not to burst into tears.

I've lost my brother and my friends, Alita thought to herself. What else am I going to lose because of this relationship? Is it even worth all of this?