A Dino Tamer In Fairy Tail

Kael awoke to the soft rustle of movement within the hut. He blinked groggily, the golden morning light spilling through the cracks in the wooden walls. Sitting up from his makeshift bed on the floor, still disgruntled about losing his rightful place on his own bed, he found Erza awake, sitting cross-legged on the bed, looking her sword.

Her red hair caught the sunlight, making it gleam like fire, but her expression was distant, almost hollow. She had barely spoken since last night. Kael decided not to press her. After all, it wasn't like he was an expert in comforting traumatized strangers.

Instead, he yawned and stretched, catching her eye briefly. "Morning. Sleep well?"

Erza glanced at him, her gaze sharp as ever. "It was… adequate," she said curtly before returning her attention to her sword.

Kael chuckled under his breath. "Glad my bed met your high standards."

She paused for a fraction of a second, but then continued sharpening, pretending not to hear him.

Bobo, always an opportunist, waddled over to Kael, squawking loudly for attention. Kael reached down to ruffle the dodo's feathers. "Alright, buddy, I hear you. Breakfast first, then work."

Erza's eyes flicked toward the dodo. "You keep that creature as a companion?"

Kael grinned. "Bobo's not just a companion. He's my alarm clock, food thief, and emotional support… bird. Bobo, you are my wife to this point." he said to himself mentally.

The faintest hint of amusement crossed her face, but she quickly masked it. "It's… strange."

"Yeah, well, so's waking up on a beach with no idea where you are," Kael replied lightly, standing up and grabbing his spear. "Speaking of which, I need to hunt. Food doesn't magically appear, you know." He hesitated, then added, "You're welcome to join if you feel up to it. Could use an extra pair of hands... or a sword." He wasn't going to let his chance pass him by, with someone like her with him he was planning on hunting a little bigger today.

'XP is mine'

Erza looked at him, her expression unreadable. "You're trusting a stranger with a weapon?"

Kael shrugged. "You've had it all night, and I'm still alive. Besides, if you wanted to hurt me, you could've done it by now. And I'd rather have you on my side if something big shows up."

She considered this for a moment before nodding curtly. "Very well. I'll assist."

---

The two set out shortly after, leaving Bobo behind to guard the hut. Kael led the way with his spear, keeping an eye out for tracks or signs of game. The forest was dense, the canopy above filtering the sunlight into patches of green and gold.

As they walked, Kael tried to make conversation. "So, Erza, you from around here?"

Even knowing the anime a bit, he hadn't watched everything but he still knew some things about Erza. Also, if he acted like he knew things about her it would be weird.

Her silence stretched for a moment before she answered, "No."

Kael waited for more, but it became clear she wasn't going to elaborate. He sighed, pushing a branch aside. "Right. Mysterious and aloof. Got it."

She glanced at him. "You ask a lot of questions."

"Yeah, well, I like knowing who I'm working with," Kael replied. "And you don't strike me as the small talk type, so I'm improvising."

For a moment, he thought she might snap at him, but instead, she said, "I don't remember the last time someone treated me like an equal. It's... unusual."

Kael blinked, caught off guard. "Equal? You're the one with the sword. If anything, I'm the underdog here."

A faint smile tugged at her lips, but it vanished almost immediately.

They continued in silence for a while until Kael spotted a small herd of Parasaur grazing near a clearing. He held up a hand to stop Erza, gesturing toward the creatures. "Those'll do. Just need to get close enough for a clean throw." Kael was looking at the information from the nearest parasaur.

---

Description: The Parasaur, is a medium-sized, herbivorous dinosaur known for its distinctive head crest that curves backward like a horn. Standing roughly 7 feet tall at the shoulder and measuring about 30 feet in length, its body is streamlined, with strong hind legs for running and smaller forearms for foraging. Its skin is a mix of earthy greens and browns, ideal for blending into the forested environment.

Taming Condition : 

-Level 6

-Calm it by approaching without being detected and feeding it berries.

Trait: "Speed" - Slightly improves host speed.

Special Trait: "Scout's Alert" - Detect nearby things within a certain radius.

Obtention chances: "Speed" = 40%, "Scout's Alert" = 5%

XP Reward: 200.

---

This creature is huge, but as long as they act before it they can take it down. Alone he can't kill one yet but with Erza, it's possible knowing her strength, as for taming he never took the risk because if he messes up he would be dead.

Erza studied the Parasaur, her sharp eyes scanning the herd, it was the first time she had seen such a creature, being rather impressed by it."You're not strong enough to take them all down if they charge."

"Wasn't planning on it," Kael said with a smirk. "Watch and learn." Normally, by eliminating one they should leave them alone.

Kael crouched low, creeping toward the nearest Parasaur. His spear was poised, his movements slow and deliberate. Erza hung back, observing silently, her sword resting lightly in her hand.

The Parasaur lifted its head, ears twitching, and Kael froze. For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath. Then, with a sudden burst of speed, Kael lunged forward, hurling his spear. The weapon struck true, piercing the creature's side.

The Parasaur let out a startled cry, stumbling but not falling. The rest of the herd scattered, their thundering footsteps shaking the ground.

Kael sprinted forward, grabbing his spear and preparing to deliver the final blow, but the Parasaur turned, its eyes wild with fear and pain. It reared up, ready to charge.

Before Kael could react, Erza was there. She moved with fluid precision, her sword flashing as she struck the Parasaur's leg, bringing it down. With one swift motion, she ended its suffering, her blade striking clean and true.

XP GAINED : 200

Level Up ! Attribute your stats points !

ignoring the notification, Kael stared at her, wide-eyed. "Remind me never to piss you off." He knew she would kill it easily but that easily ? Her magic and strength are terrifying...

He doesn't even know if he'll be able to use magic like her later on, but he hopes so anyway. Take Over magic wouldn't be so bad when combined with his system.

Erza wiped her blade on the grass, her expression unreadable. "You hesitated. That could've gotten you killed."

"Yeah, well, I'm still alive, thanks to you," Kael said, grinning. "Teamwork makes the dream work, right?"

She didn't respond, but her gaze softened ever so slightly.

Without further ado, Kael began to cut the meat from the body so he could bring it back to his tent. Erza didn't sit idly by either and took charge of bringing the food.

This whole maneuver lasted several hours for Kael who doesn't care about sorting the fat from the meat, he just wanted to get out of here as quickly as possible because all it took was for one carnivore or whatever to come here and both of them would be dead.

Kael adjusted the last slab of Parasaur meat on his shoulder, grunting under the weight. "You know, for a herbivore, this thing's got a lot of meat. If we stretch this right, it could last us a week."

Erza walked a few paces behind him, her sword sheathed but her hand never far from it. She scanned the dense forest, her sharp gaze darting to every rustle or sound. "You'd best hope nothing follows the scent back to your… shelter. Leaving such a large kill unattended might invite predators."

Kael glanced over his shoulder, smirking. "Thanks for the vote of confidence. Good to know you're worried about me."

"I'm not," Erza replied curtly, though there was a faint glimmer of amusement in her eyes. "I simply don't want to deal with unnecessary battles because of your lack of foresight."

Kael chuckled. "Sure, sure. Let's pretend you're not secretly impressed by my survival skills."

Erza didn't respond, but the smallest tilt of her lips gave her away.

As they neared the hut, Kael adjusted the meat again, wincing slightly. "I'm gonna feel this in my shoulders tomorrow. You're surprisingly strong for someone your size. Ever think about carrying the next one?"

Erza raised an eyebrow. "I carried half the load and dealt the final blow. What exactly did you contribute again?"

Kael blinked, then grinned sheepishly. "Moral support? Charismatic leadership?"

She rolled her eyes but didn't reply, which Kael decided was as close to a win as he was going to get.

When they finally reached the hut, Kael dropped the meat onto a makeshift wooden slab outside, wiping his brow. "Home sweet home. Well, home for now, anyway. Bobo! We're back!"

The dodo waddled out from behind the hut, squawking loudly and flapping its stubby wings. It beelined for Kael, pecking lightly at his leg.

"Alright, alright, I didn't forget about you," Kael said, bending down to pat Bobo. "Though if you keep eating like this, I'll have to put you on a diet. Can't have you getting too plump to run."

Erza crossed her arms, watching the interaction with a raised brow. "That creature seems overly dependent on you."

Kael shrugged. "He's loyal. That's more than I can say for some people I've met." He glanced at her meaningfully, though his grin softened the jab.

Erza huffed lightly, shaking her head. "I doubt loyalty will keep it from becoming a predator's snack if it wanders too far."

Kael straightened, mock-offended. "Hey, Bobo's smarter than he looks! Aren't you, buddy?"

Bobo squawked in agreement, pecking at the dirt near Kael's feet.

"See? Genius," Kael said smugly.

Erza's lips twitched, but she quickly turned her attention to the meat. "We should prepare this before it spoils. Do you have proper tools?"

Kael scratched the back of his head. "Uh… 'proper' might be a stretch, but I've got something that'll do the job. You're welcome to pitch in if you're not too busy judging my survival skills."

Erza gave him a flat look but stepped forward, rolling up her sleeves. "I'll assist. Efficiency is key in situations like these."

As they worked, Kael glanced at her. "So, Erza. You've got some serious skills with that sword. Who taught you?"

Her hands paused briefly, then resumed slicing the meat. "No one worth mentioning," she said quietly.

Kael frowned but decided not to press. "Fair enough. Guess that makes you self-taught, then. Impressive."

Erza didn't reply, but the way her shoulders relaxed slightly told him she appreciated the comment.

After a while, Kael broke the silence again. "You know, you're not as scary as you look. Once you get past the whole 'silent warrior' vibe."

Erza glanced at him, her expression unreadable. "And you're not as incompetent as you first seemed."

Kael grinned. "Wow, I think that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me. I'll treasure it forever."

She shook her head, but her lips quirked upward for a fleeting moment.

By the time they finished, the sun had dipped low in the sky, casting long shadows over the forest. Kael leaned back against the hut, letting out a satisfied sigh. "Not bad for a day's work. I'd say we make a pretty good team."

Erza sat nearby, her sword resting across her knees. She didn't respond immediately but eventually nodded. "Perhaps."

Kael smirked, closing his eyes for a moment. "I'll take that as a yes."

---

The soft crackle of the campfire filled the silence between them as twilight settled over the forest. Shadows danced on the walls of the hut, and the smell of roasting meat drifted in the air. Kael leaned back against a log, tossing a stick into the flames.

"So," he began, breaking the silence, "what's the plan for you now, Erza? I mean, you've got the sword and the scowl down, but no offense, you don't exactly scream 'long-term survivalist.'"

Erza, sitting across from him, glanced up from her blade, which she had been meticulously cleaning. "And you think you do?"

Kael grinned. "Hey, I've made it this far, haven't I? You're still here, eating my food and taking up my bed, so I must be doing something right."

She gave him a sidelong glance. "Your confidence is… astounding."

"Thanks. I work hard at it."

Erza shook her head but said nothing, returning to her sword. The firelight glinted off its polished surface, making it appear almost alive.

Kael stretched, his spear resting against a nearby tree. "Honestly, I think you've got me beat, though. The way you took down that Parasaur? That was… terrifyingly efficient. Not sure if I should be impressed or scared."

"It was necessary," Erza said simply, not looking up.

"Still, you've got skills. Bet there's a story behind them. Or maybe a dozen."

It was an attempt to get her to talk to him about her experience at the Tower, he still wanted to try to soothe her heart, she was still a child after all. Plus, he was 1 year older than her, making him the eldest, which big guy wouldn't take care of the younger ones? His parents don't count of course...

She hesitated, her fingers tightening on the hilt of her sword. "Some stories are better left untold."

Kael caught the shift in her tone and backed off, his grin softening. "Fair enough. We've all got stuff we'd rather forget. Just saying, if you ever need an ear… well, I'm a great listener. Bobo can vouch for me."

The dodo squawked from its spot near the fire, as if on cue.

Erza's lips twitched, almost imperceptibly. "Your companion seems to tolerate you more than most would."

"Yeah, well, he doesn't have much of a choice," Kael quipped. "It's either stick with me or fend for himself, and let's be honest, Bobo's not exactly apex predator material."

Bobo squawked again, puffing out his chest indignantly.

Erza actually chuckled, a soft, fleeting sound that caught Kael off guard. He stared at her, wide-eyed. "Did you just… laugh? Is that even allowed? That's pretty cute."

Her expression immediately hardened, but there was a faint blush on her cheeks. "Focus on the fire before it dies out."

Kael smirked, leaning back again. "Whatever you say, boss."

Apart from that, there was something that was bothering him.

The forest was unnaturally quiet. Too quiet.

Kael frowned, his hand tightening on his spear. He had been on edge ever since the kill. Erza had said it herself, predators might follow the scent of the Parasaur meat. But it wasn't just the silence that bothered him. It was the feeling. That prickling at the back of his neck, like he was being watched.

Erza seemed to sense it too. She was standing now, her sword drawn, her eyes scanning the darkness beyond the firelight.

"Something's out there," Kael muttered.

Erza nodded, her stance tense. "Stay alert."

The crack of a branch shattered the silence, and both of them spun toward the sound. Bobo let out a panicked squawk, darting behind Kael's legs.

Kael's heart pounded as he stepped closer to Erza, his spear at the ready. "Any idea what we're dealing with?"

A low, guttural growl answered him from the shadows.

Kael's blood ran cold. He knew that sound. Both sharp and terrifying, he heard this sound from afar before, but this time it was less than far. No, it was even right next door.

From the edge of the firelight, two glowing eyes appeared, followed by a sleek, feathered body. The Raptor stepped into view, its head low, its teeth bared in a silent snarl.

"We're cooked" Kael didn't even think.

They are truly cooked.