Cassiopeia

“Hurry,” Cass screamed as she soared through the darkened sky. “Higher, Gabe, they can still see you.”

Pumping her wings as hard as she could go, Cass prayed silently to the Gods to make it. Up this high, the storm was roaring in full force, the swirling wind pelting her hide with ice crystals as she inched higher yet.

“I am trying”, Gabe called out from below, the strain in his voice evident.

“Come on, you can do it, faster, faster,” Cass urged, as she flew into another wet cloud. Fat droplets of rain blurred her eyes as a second flash of lightning illuminated Gabe underneath her. He was twenty feet lower and not catching up.

“Just a little longer; Come on”, Cass shouted, “We can lose them around that mountain.”

Gabriel swung his head around and saw that they had covered only half the distance across the bay, the twinkling of lights from the harbour now almost imperceptible. They had lost two of the four large hunting ships to the churning waves. The third one was currently on fire, courtesy of Cass, but was still in pursuit. Its whitewashed hull, ghost-like, burned on its southern end, causing it to tilt to one side. The dry wood crackled in the night air.

The lead ship was several paces ahead of the ghost, and twice the size, its speed came as an unwelcome surprise as it bore down on the fleeing dragons. The wooden beast had large planks of deep mahogany and dark red sails embossed with two emerald sea snakes. Its captain was a human called William Malvil and, if his reputation is to be believed, he was a master dragon hunter.

 Flapping his wings harder still, Gabe’s glossy black membrane stretched until it was translucent. We aren’t going to make it, he thought numbly, but Cass still could.

“Oh, hell no”, Cass muttered as she saw Gabe’s shadow bank left back toward the boats. Positioning her violet wings close to her scales, she dove straight down at the water. She was always the faster one and as she pulled up at the last second, her tail skimming the waves, she overtook Gabe. Cass opened her mouth and poured dragon flame onto the hunter’s ships. Sparks flew along the wooden rails, yet did not catch on Malvil’s ship. Lighting illuminated the sky showing no damage to the Sea Snake.

What dark magic is this, Cass wondered, swooping past to fill the ghost ship with flame once more, which happily lit up as Cass’s fire burned stronger and faster, its grey mast already tipping into the sea in surrender.

“Cass! Watch out!”, shouted Gabriel, who was now facing Cass, frozen in midair. The sight was a horrendous mixture of flame, smoke, and rain. It was chaos and confusion as the shouted orders from the captain were drowned out by screams of burning men. Another flash of lightning caught a six-foot harpoon flying directly at the violet dragon. Cass rolled right narrowly avoiding being skewered and screamed once more, “Get going! We will make it!”.

“You, should, not, have, come, back, for, me,” countered Gabe, swallowing large gulps of air between words.

“Stop talking and just fly!” Cass yelled back. Exhaustion was flowing through her bones at reckless abandon now and she did not trust herself to speak anymore. Peeking back, she saw Malvil’s ship had stalled next to the sinking ghost ship, fishing out its broken sailors before they could be devoured by the sea.

Gabe and Cass flew the rest of the way in silence. The dark cloth sling that Cass carried around her neck wriggled softly. After rounding the mountain, Cass finally let out a breath, not realizing she had been holding it captive. Ahead, a large stream was winding its way from the base of the mountain into the forest beyond.

“Let’s travel a few leagues up the river,” Cass told Gabe, “Then we can work out what to do next.”

“Fine,” was all Gabe muttered refusing to look in Cass’s direction.

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 Cass knew Gabe was furious. He had not wanted her to go on the expedition in the first place. If he had it his way, she would never leave the glen. Ever since they were little Gabe had shown a brotherly affection for Cass, trying desperately to keep her out of trouble while she tried to talk him into some.

Always together, many of the other dragons in their clan referred to them as “the twins”.  Her dark violet scales blended just as well with the night sky as his matte black. Their difference in size was barely noteworthy as Cass was larger than most other female dragons of her age and Gabriel slightly smaller than other males. Their respective mothers journeyed to the breeding grounds the same year and so they hatched inside the nesting cave as a group of six, the biggest clutch in decades. Cass broke free first out of the six, with Gabe a close second and that is how it has been between the two of them, Cass plowing headfirst into any dangerous adventure with Gabe close behind keeping her safe.

He could have easily gotten hurt, or worse, Cass inwardly chided herself as they landed to the right of the clearing. Here the stream had opened up into a deep clear river flowing with a gentle but steady wind. Out of the rain finally, Cass shook out her massive violet wings flinging raindrops in all directions.

Slowly, she shrugged off the cloth sling, plopping the rosy-cheeked toddler it held unceremoniously onto the pine floor. Its bright hazel eyes stared up at the gigantic creature.

“You shouldn’t have taken it,” Gabe spoke from the tree line. He had finished his first perimeter sweep for any potential danger and now had started dragging fallen logs into a pile. He still hadn’t looked in her direction.

“You know as well as I do, why I did it,” Cass replied.

“They are not going to bring Lyra’s egg back.” Gabe said for about the seventh time that day, “You see how they breed. One human means nothing to them.”

Cass knew Gabe had a point. Instead of returning triumphantly with the missing egg, she had only succeeded in bringing the hunters after her and by extension the whole colony.

“I’ll go back,” she said aloud, speaking to herself, then added for Gabe, “You must return home and tell them what happened.”

While Gabe continued to draw up dry timber for a fire, Cass busied herself with sorting out a meagre meal for the two companions, all but ignoring the human child. The forest floor crunched as she lumbered between the elms. He shouldn’t be here, she muttered to herself. He should be home, courting Andromeda and taking his turn on the watchtower. He should be hunting with Valour and swimming with Freda. Guilt gnawed at Cass’s bones as she searched for their supper.

Several yards deep into the wood, Cass came across a thin game trail which ended in a shallow rabbit hole. Blowing flame into the hole, she wedged her snout into the heated opening and extracted four charred hares. A small offering, but would at the very least, ease some of the pains latched to the side of her belly Cass had been feeling all too often of late.

Back at camp, the once noiseless child started kicking up a fuss. Her face scrunched up turning a reddish hue before a loud howl escaped its lips. Knowing little of the appetite of humans, but assuming it needed to be fed, Gabe gathered a fresh pile of honeysuckle from the northwest corner of the glen. It fell silent as the large black dragon approached, then made a small sound of pleasure as he placed the flowers by its delicately small fingers.

As the moon crested the treetops, Cass returned and brought the four hares over to where Gabe now had a small but warm fire going and dropped two at his feet. She did not relish the task she now set upon Gabe’s shoulders. She imagined the hostile faces as Gabe informed the elder council how much she had failed them. But it must be done, and in the morning light, she would set back off toward the village for a second time.

Cass consumed the hares in a single bite, and tried once more to bring Gabriel around to her view. “Gabe,” she started, “I …. am sorry.”

At this admission, he looked over. Through the dim firelight, he watched as Cass stared at the stars winking into existence as the night grew dark. “You scared me, Cass.” He admitted. “If I even think about what might have happened”, he trailed off.

“Look, I know. I’d love to tell you that things will change. That I’ll change. But I, I, just can’t,” Cass said quietly.

“Let me come back with you then,” knowing in his soul she will refuse and he will always abide by Cass’s will.

“No.”

“No?” he repeated.

“I am sorry Gabe, but I need you. I need you to take this human child to the colony. Tell the elders what happened and keep everyone safe.” Cass explained.

Watching the human child foolishly start to move closer to the flames, Cass swept out her tail, gently pushing it back into the shadow of the forest. “I’ll take the first watch.”

 “Wake me in three hours,” Gabe told Cass nodding his head. Moving his wings to cover his head, he soon fell fast asleep. 

The usual comfort of darkness was not to be found that night. Each creak and snap sent Cass’s head darting back and forth in the moonlight. Their fire was doused, and a slow chill crept in among the trees. Owls could be heard hooting stories throughout the wood, while the river continued its slow march south.

The human child, now fast asleep inside the bundle of cloth, snuggled close into Cass’s side. Its warmth was like a smooth stone heated among a bonfire’s hot coals. Cass who was not known for her own warmth looked down at the child puzzled.

Finding her before midday was not the plan. The two dragons stalked around the human village coming in from the west at sunrise. It had better coverage than the bay-side and they had every intention of sussing out where the dragon’s egg was before the humans became the wiser.

Gabe had advised Cass to stay hidden until the cover of darkness, which left the anxious violet dragon an entire day to lay in wait.

“Dragons are by nature patient creatures,” Gabe reminded Cass, reminiscent of their mentor Shadowfell, to which Cass snorted crossly, but begrudgingly agreed, contenting herself with the exploration of the nearby caves searching for food. 

Nothing interesting lay within the first three caves Cass ventured into, the copper stalagmites jutting from the floor making the inner tunnels unreachable. Stealth is key, she grumbled to herself as she resisted the urge to pound the mud-laden spirals into the earth. Boredom hovered its unwelcome weight along her spine as she withdrew from the caverns and journeyed back up the hill to Gabe.

A human cry had caught her senses halfway back. Cass abruptly stopped and listened to the wind. Coming from her right, she turned toward the noise. A few yards ahead, the hillside revealed a grassy meadow filled with the sweet scent of poppies. There, a human child dragged a rather large-looking burlap sack. It crossed her small body and hung on her left; half filled with the same wildflowers that surrounded the child’s feet.  No other humans were in sight as Cass slowly stalked into the meadow.

 The child yelped at the sight of the threatening dragon. Dropping her bag, she stumbled over rocks trying to escape. Cass caught her in seconds. She hoisted the human upside down by the cuff of her pants and dropped her into the flower sack. Slinging the bag around her neck, Cass growled, “Stay put. If you move, you will fall. And if you fall, you die.”

Seemingly cowed into obedience, the human child remained still and hidden for the remainder of the day, that is until Cass dumped her out into their makeshift camp post-storm battle later that eve.

Unable to sleep, Cass spent the hours on watch staring at the constellations above. The human child slept curled up between Cass’s talons, making small whimpers like a mewling pup. It’s pity, Cass told herself, as she felt her heart soften slightly at the sound. Humans are locusts, swarming by thousands and leaving only destruction in their wake. They hunt her kind for sport and steal their offspring. They are evil things and deserve all that sprouts from their vicious deeds.

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 The morning sunlight shot down between the trees as the first arrow reached Cass. Jolting awake, Cass looked around in horror. Gabe was covered with fine silver dragon netting securing him to the ground with heavy metal weights. His mighty roar echoed off the stone and back into camp.

It took Cass precious moments and three more arrows in her hide to make sense of what was happening. Dark human soldiers lined the perimeter, each one sporting a longbow in hand aiming directly at the dragons. On their backs, a quiver held the barbed arrows favoured for dragon hunting, and long single-edged blades balanced on their hips. Clad in dark green, they blended into the woods as they silently awaited the next command.

“RUN!” shouted Gabe. “GO! NOW! CASS! GO!”, his deep voice giving way to sheer terror. Standing next to her best friend, Cass saw with alarm, was Captain Malvil on horseback. His white stallion snorted white puffs of smoke in the morning chill while stomping its two front hoofs menacingly.

Desperate and angry, Cass let out a massive burst of dragon flame at the captain, but it did not reach its mark. Two feet in front, it hit a massive invisible wall and flowed up and away disbursing into the cloudless sky. It was then that Cass noticed the small, hooded figure just beyond the line of soldiers standing on a boulder, arms outstretched. Its cloak, the same dark green as the bowman, was lined with fine gold thread and clasped around the neck with a large snake brooch.

Cass looked around wildly, searching for any means of escape. The human child started screaming at her feet. Her arm, Cass saw, was embedded with one of the barbed arrows.

“GO!” roared Gabe, breaking back into Cass’s attention.

With a final look, tearing her heart into two, Cass grabbed the child with her talons and flung herself into the sky. Arrows whizzed past as made her second escape from the dragon hunter and his men.

 Cass flew most of the day, only stopping twice to quickly gulp down water and let the child take care of necessities. At the first pause, Cass had broken the tip of the arrow protruding out of the little girl’s arm so as not to cause her greater injury as it hung limply at her side. The child’s tears dried on her face in long brown lines on dirt, her voice long since gone. The bruising and dried blood circling the wound was puffy and began to have a sour smell to it. Cass considered pulling the arrow back out, reversing its trajectory but thought the healers could contain any aftermath better than she.

“Hold on”, were the only words she spoke to the child, and she repeated them inside her head for her friend. I am coming, she thought, projecting her mind back to Gabe. I’ll save you. And then punishing herself again, It’s all my fault.

The glen had come into view shortly before dusk. The sun shone its last orange and red rays of light as it passed behind the rolling green hills. Three dragons could be seen swimming in the clear lake as Cass flew overhead approaching the cliffs. Her family’s eyrie was located on the south side along the highest ledge, but that was not Cass’s destination. She listed right and landed in the field in front of the largest cavern.

Spotting her daughter before anyone else, her mother’s bright blue form quickly descended and landed next to the tired violet dragon. Cass, beyond exhaustion, slumped into the grass.

“Cass? What happened?”, her mother spoke searching the sky for her daughter’s black shadow. “Where is Gabriel?”

Silence stretched as Cass opened her wing to reveal the injured human underneath. Her mother’s next words caught in her breath as a growl escaped her lips.

“What have you done?”, she asked her daughter.

“Please help her,” Cass spit out as she fell unconscious. And as she lay on the grass, her chest rising and falling, the three barbed arrows slowly began rising out of cracks between her scales. Dragon magic worked itself through Cass’s soft tissue and muscle pulsing outward at the metal until they dropped free onto the ground coated in the blackish-blue blood.

Other dragons had started to arrive at the commotion. Among them, a smallish red dragon wearing a feather headdress manoeuvred his way to the front of the pack. Shadowfell looked at his pupil with sharp eyes and determined Cass was in no immediate danger. His eyes then slid to Cass’s mother, who stood protectively in front of a small human child.

“Bring her to me”, the red dragon spoke, the gathering crowds’ mummers dying at his command. The blue dragon stepped aside and allowed the child to walk forward.

“It is okay, Kailani”, Shadowfell assured her as he saw the pleading look in Cass’s mother’s eyes. He lowered his snout to the girl and let out a cooling puff of white smoke. She shivered slightly as the tingling sensation of dragon breath danced across her arm. Then, in one single motion, he clamped his jaw onto the barbed arrow shaft and pulled it free.

“Thank you,” the child quietly whispered, her face showing relief even as it still possessed a fearful disposition.

Ignoring this, Shadowfell looked out at the gathered dragons. He nodded in the direction of two large males congregated at the back. “A meeting will be held to decide what must be done; Come,” he said as he turned and walked back into the darkness of the cavern.

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 It was five hours later when Cass regained consciousness. The damp grass beneath her body smelled sweet as the moon shone down onto the valley floor. Hunger pained her sides as she shifted her weight into a seated position. To her right, Cass’s mother sat on a wide flat boulder patiently waiting for her daughter to wake.

“Freda,” Cass breathed bringing up the name of Gabe’s mother.

“She is in the cavern with the rest of the council”, Kailani spoke. “They will need to hear what happened, but first speak to me, my shining star. Tell me of Gabe and how you came to be in the company of a human child.”

Cass looked up. “I took her. They took Lyra’s egg, and I could not sense where they hid her. I tried with all my strength, but I was not strong enough. I am so very sorry, Mama. They must be hiding her with magic. We were attacked and they took Gabe.” Tears filled Cass’s eyes but did not fall, blurring her vision. “The humans had a mage with them. I could see the power radiating off him. But I could not stop them. Gabe told me to go, and I did not want to. He screamed at me, and I was so scared. We need to save him, Mama. We need to go; We need to go now.” Cass clearly agitated, started raising her voice as she spoke, emphasising the urgency. “I need to go back, I need to save him,” She yelled.

“Hush now child, all will be decided in good time. We will not let humans harm Gabriel. Once you have spoken with the elders, they will have a plan. We must trust in the wisdom of the council and keep faith in our Gods.”

 The cavern was lit with large oil-soaked torches that lined either side of the inner hallway. The crushed stone was warm and soft, trapping the dragons’ heat inside the entrance. Voices that could not be heard outside, were now floating quietly in the air, the tone sombre and serious. Cass made her way forward, the lamps casting shimmering purple light as they bounced off of violet scales.

“Ahhh, Cass you have woken,” Shadowfell said as she entered the large sunken meeting circle. “I trust you are feeling better?”

“Yes”, replied Cass. Dragon sleep had its own mysteries that even the most gifted healers would be hard-pressed to explain.

“Come now, it is time for you to explain all that has happened since you left.” The red dragon gestured to Cass with a wave of his claws indicating she was to enter the platform erected in the middle of the room.

Cass then proceeded to recount the last three days’ events beginning with her decision to go against colony orders to retrieve Lyra’s stolen egg and ending with her falling into the grass only hours ago. The hall was silent as she spoke, her voice sad and angry.

Valour was the first to speak. Leader of the dragon’s hunting pack, he sat to the right of Shadowfell.

“So, it is what I have feared," his voiced boomed, his gaze staring intently at Cass. The vein above his left bulging. "The time has finally come when humans have forgotten to fear us as they have for centuries. It is something I have been warning against for some time.” He looked at each elder in turn assuring their undivided attention. “I’ll choose my top warriors and we will leave at dawn.”

“I am coming too,” Cass spoke up, attempting to hold her head high.

“You will do no such thing,” Valour spit out.

“But he is my friend, and it is my fault,” she cried back.

“Exactly”, Valour growled. “You have already made a mess of things, now let us, once again, clean it up.”

No doubt, he was remembering any number of times Cass had gotten into trouble taking Gabe with her over the years. She hung her head in shame and could not bring herself to argue back. The meeting soon adjourned leaving a feeling of defeat settle in Cass’s stomach as if she had swallowed a lead weight. Journeying back outside, she took off from the ground and made her way back to her family’s eyrie.

Surprise filled her at the sight of her mother sitting with the human child quietly feeding her blackberries. She stood watching them for a few moments allowing herself to remember a time when she was young, and her mother showered her with warmth and attention. Since Cass reached the age of maturity, things had become strained between the two dragons. Not fulfilling her duties to mate was always at the back of her mind as she caught eye contact with her mother. Your time will come, shining star, Cass would hear Kailani whisper into the moonlight, when she thought her only daughter asleep. Words that gave Cass both strength and heart ache. One day Mama, she’d reply in her head. One day I’ll make you proud.

Careful not to disturb the sight, Cass stole one last look at dragon and child and jumped off into the dark. Soaring higher in order to hide her shadow among the clouds, Cass reckoned she had a few hours before sunrise to give herself a head start on the hunting party. She could not just sit idly by worrying about what might be happening to Gabe at this very second. She had seen the large dragon’s skull that had been mounted on Malvil’s ship and she would be damned if they lifted one black scale off of Gabe’s hide.

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 Dawn brought dark clouds and the obvious stench of rain. Keeping well above, Cass rode the easterly winds making good time. Twice Cass dove down into the trees at the sound of passing wings.

The sun was descending as Cass reached the southern bay. Pinpricks of light emanated off the village, be-speckling the atmosphere as if they were lights hung from a Christmas tree. The wind was cooler as she flew over the salty water, light spray reaching up in a mist. Cass kept her eye on the outer ridge where the village lay.  A handful of boats docked in the harbour and as Cass got closer she saw the unmistakable shape of a dragon’s wing attached to the largest ship’s mast. The ship in question was none other than the Sea Snake and Cass shook in horror that the wing was matte black. Roaring in mighty anger, she flew directly toward the ship. Rain started to drop as she descended from the clouds. 

"You're dead," she bellowed locking eyes with the captain and released a molten strain of dragon fire.

Again, it caused no damage. Closer, she looked and saw the hooded figure that was in the forest standing just behind the captain. His lean human face contorted in total concentration as she swooped down in singular focus. 

Kill the mage, kill the captain, she thought, as a familiar roar echoed from the beach. 

"Gabe," Cass thought immediately banking left. 

She found herself only seconds later landing on the rocky shore, breathing hard, and desperately scanning the air for another sign, any sign her friend was still alive.

The familiar scream pierced the night air once more, coming from the cave along the far end of the beach. Hastily, Cass quickened her steps to reach him. Once inside, and hearing no humans, she slowed down, allowing her footfalls to gently sink into the sand and dissipate seamlessly. Water dropped from the roof above as Cass crept along the winding path. Up ahead, a single torch revealed a windowless cell showcasing a dark mass within. It shuttered against the cool wind as Cass whispered, "Gabe? Is that you?".

A wingless black creature tentatively drew up its head. 

"Oh Gods, Gabe, how could they do this to you," Cass said. 

The dead eyes of the black dragon just stared at her. 

"Tell me, how do I get you out? Is there a key?", Cass asked as she searched around the room for an answer. 

"Just leave," she heard him speak. 

"Absolutely not", Cass countered. "And really, how could you even say such a thing? Don't tell me you have given up. Dragons don't surrender", she reminded her friend another of Shadowfell’s teachings. 

"You must go." Gab quietly spoke. "These gates are dragon-proof, crafted by the dark mage. Touch the bars, and you burn Cass.” Scorch markings surrounding the cage door spread out along the blackened stone walls. “You must leave; I need you to leave. They are coming", he added ominously. 

A hush fell between them as the unmistakable footfalls of humans reached the dragon’s ears.

“You won’t be able to open it,” the hooded figure said as he descended into view. A shimmering veil surrounded the mage, and behind him stood Captain Malvil, his face a mixture of triumph and contempt.

“I shall have your wings ne…”, the Captain’s words were cut short by the thunderous cry of the hunting pack’s arrival. Racing back out into the open shore, the dark mage’s arms cast out in front, he kept muttering under his breath. Cass drew up her strength and righteous anger and followed the men. 

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­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Landing simultaneously upon the rocks the three large dragons scanned the beach. Two humans were seen exiting the cave.

 "Ho! there, mighty beasts, hear my call", the young mage cried out from under his dark hood. "There need not be any more bloodshed today. I give you the same choice that I bestowed upon your kin. Serve your human lords faithfully and live in peace."

Dragon fire was Valour's response. As before, the flame bounced off an invisible shield pouring harmlessly away.

Anger seethed inside Cass as she watched the scene unfold from the cave’s entrance. She could not see a way out. They would die fighting this day, she would never see her mother again, and it was all her fault. Tears burned her eyes, and she felt helpless. They will come after the colony and with no one to warn them, everything will be destroyed. 

A long keening howl escaped Cass's lips. The dragon hunter and mage turned back toward the violet dragon. As they stared her down, the promise of death dripping off of Malvil’s blade, they did not see Valour lift his left wing to reveal the stolen child sitting cross-legged underneath. She was whispering while pulling off soft petals from the handful of roses in her grasp. No, Cass thought, not whispering, chanting. 

The shimmer began to fade around the humans and that was all the encouragement Cass needed, taking those few meters in seconds, she leapt onto the mage. She ripped his arms clean off leaving him bleeding on the rocks, while Captain Malvil, scourge of dragons, stood frozen in time. The little girl continued her chanting as Cass moved back into the cavern, destroying Gabe’s steel door and releasing her friend.

“Let’s go”, Cass said to her wingless mate. “Come outside; Trust me.”

Gabe would never refuse Cass as he gathered his strength and ambled outside. Speechless, he closed the gap between himself and the hunter looking down with malice.

“Do you know what makes a dragon?”, he whispered to the captured captain.

Malvil did not respond.

“Wings?,” Gabe supplied, raising a heavy eyebrow. “No, not wings.” He watched this man’s face gather fear. “No guesses?”

It was the little girl who spoke. “Fire.”