Dragon Blood

There weren’t always dragons in the valley…at least not until I brought them here.

The sun was coming up between the mountains, while a rolling mist danced on top of the lake. The two moons were still visible far off in the distance and the air was cool. The purple sky was always eye-catching in the early hours. The dragons were stretching their wings as they woke. Water sprayed from the backs of some of the ones that were bathing as they shook it off; causing fights among the young ones, who didn’t seem to approve of cold morning baths. The purple sky would fade into a pale orange in about an hour. That’s about the time they would take to the skies to find food and bring it back to the nests. They would return with small living creatures for the whelps, to help teach them the hunt. It was an amazing thing to watch, from a distance of course. You didn’t want to become their breakfast.

The dragons wouldn’t hunt the Rumtoec people of Erilia. Truth be told, they didn’t like the taste of people. I knew this because I grew up with them. They were still wild creatures though and as such, should be given their space, as one unfortunate young man found out. Luckily for him, he escaped with his life, after he got too close to a thunder of dragons. (This is what a group of dragons are called.) A young dragon pierced his leg with a tooth trying to play with him. His blood trickled into its mouth and he immediately spit him out, almost giving a disgusted look. The dragon, being that of a curious age, got close enough to smell him. He curled back his lips and flew off. Luckily for the man, it wasn’t an intentional bite, and he made it back home to be stitched up and tell the story.

As I had said already, dragons were not here in the valley. They weren’t on this planet at all. They were from my planet, Tinnania, where I once lived. I lived with the Mogund civilization there. The dragons were being hunted there and were almost extinct. I felt a unique connection with them. I could feel their pain, and their numbers were shrinking. I felt I had to do something. These creatures were majestic and beautiful and did nothing to hurt this race of people; the same people that took me in when my parents abandoned me shortly after my birth, I was left at a doorstep with a note pinned to my blanket. It read: Keep her hidden, and be warned, the dragons will come for her when she reaches ten years of age. Nobody knew who left me and soon the search for them ended as quickly as it started. At first they did as the note said, and I was hidden away. Then at the age of three, the only parents I knew, got too nervous to keep me and I was left at the doorstep of an orphanage in the middle of the night. Another note was pinned to my shirt. This time it simply stated: Be warned, the dragons will come for her when she reaches ten. As I neared five years of age, I started to feel the connection growing stronger with the giant beasts. I had many dreams where I flew with them on their backs. I always felt happy when I woke up.

I never really felt like I belonged on Tinnania, and it was more evident that I wasn’t a true Mogund. I wasn’t sure where I was from, but things started to change in me as I reached ten. Things I couldn’t explain.

As predicted in the notes, I was searched out by one of the biggest dragons around. And in the middle of one of the darkest nights, I had a strong urge to go outside. As I walked out the door of the orphanage, I heard a rush of air as the blackest and largest dragon’s wingspan suddenly swept past my head by mere inches. Even though I didn’t feel scared, I froze in place as I didn’t know what to expect. He circled around in front of me and landed on enormous claws. His eyes, as deep and dark as his scales, were looking straight into my soul. Without movement, without sound, and without hesitation, he spoke to me. I heard him in my mind.

We have found you at last. We have been looking for you.

I wasn’t afraid and walked over to his side. He lowered his wing and I climbed up onto him, just like in the dreams. It had all, in that moment, became clear of who I was and what my future was to be. He told me everything. He told me my birth name. He told me the truth.

I was born from a human mother and a dragon father. I was hidden away to protect me from death and to save the remaining dragons.

There weren’t always dragons in the valley…I brought them to this land to save them.

My name is Catalina, I am half human, and half dragon and this is my story…