The Boy and the Beast

Arrows sticking out of its scaley hide, dark green blood trickling out from each pin prick, the young drake soared through the sky. The large creature heaved up and down in an even more exaggerated fashion than normal. This was partially due to the wounds it received in the last night’s battle, but mostly due to the heavy wagon securely grasped by its large talon-like claws underneath its enormous, yet graceful frame. Approaching the rocky mountain range it called home, the golden light of the morning sun shown in its face and beat him to the cave entrance of his stony refuge.

With enormous flaps of its translucent violet wings, the dragon grasped at the heavens as if to pull down the last of the morning stars to make the final assent to his sanctuary. Taking great effort to alight on the large stone outcropping in front of the cave entrance, the young drake made sure to place its treasure down with the upmost of care. What had drawn the drake to attack the carriage below as it hunted the skies in the obscurity of the night was unknown to the beast. Though, how the moonlight flitted and shined off the golden embellishments of the royal wagon surely had something to do with the mystery. It had already gorged itself on several sheep and while still hungry for more meat, a deeper hunger arose in its heart when he heard the commotion of armored horses, and the scent of gold filled his nostrils.

His instincts took over, no thought or plan in its mind, it dove down into the blackness of night, descending through the low hanging clouds and erupting onto the convoy with the silence of the greatest predator onto its prey. The soldiers, once awoken to the threat loosed a volley of arrows, before a swift sweep of its green cedar-like tail sent them skyward. A man and woman jumped out of the wagon wildly waving their claws, the dragon did not know, and he quickly dispatched them as well. Grasping its prize, the gold clad coach, he took off as quickly as he landed.

But now that he was back at his hollow, his blood slowed, his eyes no longer gleamed, and the precious cart somehow looked dull in the dawn’s light. He nosed at it, and it rolled slightly towards the cave, stopping suddenly as one of its wheels caught on something. That thing happened to be a large golden chest, one of many. The gold laden wagon now joined an assortment of other treasures, chests, barrels, crates, and even mounds of gold and jewels. The drake looked around at its treasures and he wondered why it was he gathered those things. They were not good to eat, for he had tried that when he was first compelled, in his inner being, to go after the first treasure. They did not provide warmth, like the large trees he felled and set ablaze in the winter months. And they did not provide or create any happiness at all once they had been attained and brought back to his home.

The dragon’s mind slowed as the fog of sleep was approaching. The rising sun to its back, the drake took a final look down the mountain range to secure its safety and he slowly lumbered towards the entrance of the cave. As he did, his large tail naturally swayed, and it inadvertently bumped into the golden wagon, setting it loose from the chest it rested upon. The carriage rolled forward with some speed and bumped into the edge of the cave’s entrance. The brute paid no mind to the sound of gold and wood clattering upon the cave wall. However, the sound that followed that commotion set the dragon on edge. For from the inside of wagon came a sound the drake had never heard before, a child crying.

Slowly slithering its head and long neck towards the wagon, body low to the ground, and wings folded behind its back, the dragon cautiously approached. The noise became louder and as the dragon’s sharp muzzle was near enough to lick the carriage, he breathed deeply smelling its contents. It’s strong scent of gold was nearly overwhelming, but he caught another distinct odor. As it pondered the new scent, the door slammed open, banging into its sensitive snout. Recoiling backward the drake lifted its head high flinging its wings out wide ready to attack. A moment passed, and nothing happened. The great beast relaxed ever so slightly, then he saw a pink fleshy lump, wrapped in purple, roll out of the wagon’s door. More of the noise came from the maw of the tiny creature and the dragon knew not how to respond.

The monster let out a deep rumble from its throat in response that reverberated into the cave and echoed back out onto the ledge where boy and beast stood. The young boy’s eyes shot towards the creature and the noise he made changed and the child, struggling to his feet, waddled behind a nearby chest as quickly as he could muster. The dragon folded his wings and curiously moved low to the ground, gently nuzzling the treasure chest out of the way. The boy and the beast stood eye to eye, with nothing in between.

The boy looked back and forth between the creature’s two large cat-like eyes. The dragon’s eye’s softened, and it’s slit pupils dilated and became round, deep, and welcoming. The drake’s throat burned, and it let out a brief burst of air, akin to a cough, and light grey smoke blew right into the face of the small boy, tussling his hair, catching him off guard. This caused the little creature to make another unfamiliar sound in response, a giggle. The boy moved, stumbling on some coins, and slowly closed the few feet between the pair and raised his hand to the young dragon’s snout. The drake flinched, but then stood frozen, as for the first time he was touched by a human.

A burning welled inside of him, but not his throat, deeper, in his chest. It felt like the feeling the night before, the instinct to grab the golden carriage, to do, to move, without thought or reason. It wanted to feed the tiny creature. It looked around the stone ledge, and finding no food—for it had eaten its last saved cow three nights earlier—it began to heave. The drake threw up a half-digested sheep and nosed it forward to the child, which had backed away when it began the revolting process. It did not know much about humans, but knew they tilled ground to eat things which were grown. Looking around at its treasures its eyes locked on a barrel which smelled particularly sweet to the creature’s keen sense of smell. Knocking the barrel over with its front paw, it spilled its contents, dozens of ruby red apples. The boy excitedly shuffled over to the apples and grabbed one in each hand. Feeling a sense of pride, the fire in his chest stoked, the dragon consumed the rejected sheep carcass as the boy gnawed away at the two apples.

When the two unlikely dinner companions finished their meal, the dragon trudged into the mouth of the cave. Raising its large head backwards, it noticed the small child did not follow him, though looked at him intently. Turning around, the drake laid its scaley belly on the cool stones of the cave floor finding relief, and stretched out its neck to meet the boy in the light of day. The boy leaned heavily upon the dragon, and the dragon curled around the child gently. The boy and the beast slept and rested deeply in each other’s presence.

The dragon’s slumber was violently interrupted as he woke to a bolt of pain which jolted through his large muscular neck. Alarmed, the terrible lizard raised to its feet in panic. Doing so, he flung his visitor to the floor, arrow in hand. The drake had forgotten about his guest while he slumbered. Had forgotten about the battle the night before. Had forgotten about the arrows lodged in his thick hide. The boy dropping the arrow to the ground began to cry, having banged his knee on the stone floor as he landed. In a worried response, the dragon kindled fire in his throat and then quickly extinguished it with a coughing noise, and blew light grey smoke at the boy’s face. The boy did not giggle as before, but his cries become gentle sobs.

Looking beyond the mouth of the cave, the sun was just beginning its decent to the horizon. The stars would be out in minutes, and the protective vale of darkness would cover the night sky. The dragon felt a pang in his chest. It resided in the same place as the pride from that morning. He looked at the sobbing boy and knew not how to comfort this little creature. Resolving within himself with all the thought and purpose he had ever known, the dragon decided to act. With a gentle rumble vibrating his chest and echoing off the cave walls, the dragon took care to walk past the little boy. Standing on the edge of the stone platform outside of the cave entrance, the drake unfolded and stretched out his wings. Looking to the small child, the beast reached out with his bottom claws and grasped the boy as gently as he could. Looking down at the boy, he looked deeply at the frail creature and then leapt off the mountain ledge.

Wings beating rapidly and then smoothing out finding the air currents, the young drake soared through the silvery night sky away from the mountain range. Passing over dark forests, he flew over gently rolling hills, and eventually saw the multicolored squared farmland where the humans lived. On this clear and crisp night, the dragon’s keen eyes saw firelight and smoke rising from a chimney at a lowly farm cottage. Silently circling over the homestead, the dragon and the child gently touched down just feet from the cottage’s front door.

Letting out a deep rumbled that echoed in the valley, scaring sheep grazing in the pasture next to the home, the dragon made his presence known to the humans inside. In a moment a young man came out holding a scythe and pitchfork yelling loudly. Placing his back paw forward, the drake carefully unfolded his claws revealing the young boy. The farmer confused, called into the house, and was joined by a young woman. The little boy looked to the young couple and looked back at the dragon. There, the boy and the beast locked eyes one more time. The dragon coughed and blew light grey smoke blowing the little child’s hair. The child giggled, and then turned and waddled towards the young woman. Picking him up quickly and then moving behind her husband, the couple looked dumbfounded at the gigantic beast standing, wings outstretched in front of their home. A low sound reverberated and rumbled from deep within the dragon’s chest. “Protect him,” the dragon uttered, broken and softly.

With a large burst of wind, the dragon was gone, and the new family took refuge within their home. The dragon’s heart was heavy as it flew aimlessly that night. It neither hungered, nor craved anything. The night soon passed, and the young drake flew back to his abode. But as he climbed higher into the mountains and saw his treasure gleaming in the early morning sun, he saw a dark shadow cast against the glare of the morning’s light. He let out a terrifying roar and wheeled higher and higher in the sky so that he might descend swiftly on the intruder. But as he soared down, his keen eyes and nose detected, this was no intruder. For on the ledge, sparkling brighter than any other treasure there, was a female dragon.

THE END