The dragon of mordiford

THE DRAGON OF MORDIFORD

Chapter one

There weren't always dragons in the valley. Or wyverns as some might call them. They used to only reside in the hills and forest. You have to understand I wanted a pet more than anything else. I had begged mother for one until she was sick of the mere subject of animals. I could never have anticipated what came next for the little town of mordiford.

One bright sunny day I was being more troublesome than usual, mother sent me out to play. The forest had always been the place I loved to go. My favorite spot was a small stream a ways into the forest. As I walked through the forest the birds were singing their songs as sweet as honey. The melodies drifted through the trees and as they touched my ears a part of me awakened, the part of my soul that belonged to the woods. It was the part I liked most about myself. The part that was free. I came upon the stream that I loved so dear, the water was running down over the stones, singing its part in the melody of the woods. The wind rustled the trees, swaying them from side to side. I had always believed the trees had spirits, as well as the rest of the forest. Each one different but each one needing the other to survive, playing their separate role in the unity of their existence.

As I was sitting on the sand listening to the melodies I closed my eyes, reveling in the beauty and peace. I heard something out of the ordinary. My eyes snapped open, what was that? Looking around I tried to place what was different. Seeing nothing I closed my eyes again, everything sounded normal, I was just letting my imagination get to me. There, there it was again, a faint clicking noise, like an animal. But it was a sound I had never heard before, different, odd. This time it was consistent, tap. Tap. tap. What was it that could make a sound like that?

Slowly I crept, through the bushes, closer to the sound. The trees were getting thicker. As I got closer the sounds became clearer, chirping along with the tapping. Was it a bird? I crouch behind a tree and as I peer around it I cannot believe my eyes. There, by a small patch of flowers was a small creature. I had never seen anything like it. It had a long snout and small wings that you could see right through. They shimmered in the sunlight that peered down through the trees as if also curious of what this creature was. The sunray lit up the colors on the small animal's body, so vibrant, swirled through each other as if the creator had taken a paintbrush and painted it over and over with every color he could find, some colors I had never seen before.

In awe, I sat there transfixed behind the tree. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever laid my eyes on. Slowly, I came out from behind the tree, scared to death I might scare it away. It stopped as soon as it saw me. Looking me straight in the eye she turned toward me. I froze, my heart beating inside my chest was the loudest thing I ever heard, my breath tearing from my lungs at an incredible rate, wishing I could slow it down. It felt like an eternity that she looked me in the eyes, somehow it felt as if she was reading my mind.

She had big, brown eyes. Eyes that held wisdom it seemed. As I looked into hers it seemed as if we had known each other from another life, there was a connection there that I had not yet felt in the short life I was now living. Until now. It seemed she felt it too. She moved closer, curious as I was. Her long snout turned toward me she started sniffing, never breaking eye contact she sniffed the air around me, grunting slightly as she did so. Finally, she seemed happy that I was a friend and not a foe. Her grunts turned into little sounds that I could only describe as little chirrups of joy.

Satisfied she wouldn’t bolt anymore I trusted myself to move. Slowly I bent down so I was level with her and reached out to touch her. Hesitating she backed up not sure about the gesture. Slowly she crept up to my hand, looking at it she sniffed a couple of times, content that the hand was also not going to hurt her she let me touch her snout. Still a little hesitant at first but crept closer as I rubbed her head. Closing her eyes and making little grunts of pleasure she crept even closer. The creature's skin was soft and cool. The river of colors rippling under my hand. I touched her wings, they were cool as well but so thin I dared not touch them too much. “ Hi there,” I whispered. Her eyes opened and she smiled, not with her mouth but with her eyes. I could feel the joy radiate from them and a slight twinkle was set in them. I smiled back and instantly I knew we were going to be fast friends.

Suddenly an idea popped into my head! I would take her back and show mother! Surely she would fall in love with her as I had. Then I would, at last, have a pet. There was no way anyone could say no to those beautiful eyes and those vibrant colors.