The Lost Dragon and the Found Child

Crying. It was an unnatural sound in those woods. Birds, insects and leaves shaking in the wind were constant. Huffing of animals or padded feet on grass were next. However, this was a different sound. Something that belonged in the human settlements.

Alidor was slow to approach, his curiosity piqued but cautious all the same. He knew well enough that this sound did not come from a fierce hunter. Alidor’s kind - though strong of scale, grand of size, and bearer of heat - were often turned from the predator into the prey where the humans were concerned. Though the humans bore no heat, they had ways to control it. Though they bore no claws, they wielded tools that could slash for them. They were not ones to simply ignore.

Alidor stood frozen, his many green spikes and horns helped to blend him to the surrounding trees as his sharp eyes laid upon the crying creature. A small thing, sitting on the ground as it continued to wail a cry of anguish. Alidor could recognize the human was not fully grown, its limbs were as short as one of his own paws. The hatchling was covered in those materials the humans don, only its head and naked paws peaked out from the different material. This was odd considering the humans Alidor often saw were covered head to toe with shiny stones and metals, only their hate-filled eyes peering through. The young one’s odd flat head was bare, flushed red against its pale flesh and covered in wet flowing from its eyes.

Though the high pitched wailing was unnatural amongst the trees, it struck something in Alidor. Something wrong, but familiar.

This was a creature alone. Alone and in pain.

He cast his eye around, ears keen to the sounds beyond the crying, the echoes from the rocks, any shifts beyond the whisper of the wind in the grass and leaves. No. This little one was truly alone. Alidor knew the humans were cunning and cruel, but to abandon a young one? Was it left here? Was this a ploy? A trick?

With one last glance around, Alidor stepped one heavy, scaled claw out of the shadows of the trees and approached the crying human. It wasn’t until Alidor lowered his head down towards the young one’s ear that the human realized it was not alone but instead in the presence of a dragon. Alidor’s nose passed along the human’s skin, past its face and its bright yellow fur on the top of its head. Alidor took in the little one’s scent. The rags on its skin held the peculiar smell of the human herds, an aroma of herbs, mud, musk and fear. There was no sharp sting of blood and although the pounding of its heart was loud, there was no damage to the hatchling’s body.

Alidor moved to the other side of the young one, sniffing down its body to its lower limbs that were splayed across the dirt. As the dragon finished his search, his large nostrils huffed against the young one’s hip. Suddenly, the little human let out a cheerful noise much different from before. It was short but a high screeching that hurt Alidor’s ears from so close. He couldn’t help stepping back, his wings flaring out instinctively from the sudden sound. The young one froze at the abrupt movement, then the hatchling clapped its hands together as it let out another joyful call.

As the dragon began to slowly walk around it, the little one grew still. Alidor took in the surrounding scents, thankful the small creature’s irritating cries had quieted finally. There were no other unfamiliar scents besides that of the child fumbling to this unknown space.

Alidor was observing the area the child came from, not quite the direction from the human settlement - where did this little one come from - when there was an abrupt jerk on one of the spines from his tail. With a deep growl Alidor whipped his tail away, spinning quickly to find the little human’s hand right where his tail had just been.

Alidor watched the human warily until the hatchling bared its teeth and moved to its odd stance on two limbs. The little one then staggered towards him. It was getting too close and Alidor could not help taking a step back. But the little one was not deterred, showing no fear. Before it could touch him, he hopped over the young one, his dark green wings outstretched for balance. He had only just landed when again he felt a tug at one of his spines. This time Alidor did not switch his tail away but instead turned his head to watch the little one. It reminded him of the hatchlings from his flock, so curious, willing to bite at anything they could get their mouths on.

Before they were hunted down by the humans.

Alidor flicked his tail away again. This time the hatchling fell with the movement, sprawling in the dirt, grass and sticks. It wasn’t long before the wailing started again.

Alidor huffed a little cloud of smoke from his mouth. Yet even though the tantrum was familiar, Alidor could not help but to lean his head down and nudge the hatchling’s head which was shoved in the grass. As the hatchling turned its head, a sudden waft of dirt, grass and salt reached Alidor’s nose. His mind raced with images of the hatchlings from his flock, all of them long gone before their name day.

Alidor became lost to images of wings too small to glide and claws not yet sharp. He was so transfixed in his memories, that it was from that unprepared moment that two small paws were suddenly shoved up his nostrils. Alidor gave a great huff with a jerk of his head. This time the hatchling was not phased from the hasty movement. In fact it was encouraged, the high shriek sounded again with its hands flailing energetically and reaching for Alidor persistently.

This human was no dragon. That was the only thing Alidor was certain of. And yet, a hatchling was still a hatchling, no matter the creature.

With the smell of brine and clay filling his nose, Alidor lowered himself next to the hatchling. Even laid down, Alidor’s shoulder was still taller than the little one’s head. Not knowing if it would work, Alidor put his large muzzle against the hatchling's head and gave it the image of climbing onto his back, just as he had done for the whelps of his now deceased flock. After Alidor pushed the imagery, there was a moment of stillness then the hatchling human moved to climb his back. With a shove of Alidor’s snout, it was able to climb between his wings, not without a couple kicks against his wing membranes. He growled at the little one with a fake bite at its face. Eventually the little one stilled.

As Alidor rose to his four paws, the hatchling made a human noise. Something articulate that humans used to communicate. Alidor had no idea what it meant and ignored it. The hatchling was quiet as Alidor walked through the trees and brush, abandoning the place the small creature had been found. Then something tickled at Alidor’s thoughts. As little paws scratched across his scales, the tickle turned into the idea of trees and a question of their path was presented before him. Upon his mind was a flash of two other grown humans that shared the little one’s bright fur. The hatchling made more human noises with its mouth, but Alidor only responded to the questioning image.

Alidor thought of his nest, his isolated home ever since his family had been hunted and slaughtered. He imagined the path to his eroded cave and pushed the image to the hatchling with the feelings of warmth and home.

With that soft imagery, the little one settled on the creature’s back, its tight claws loosening and its limbs gently circling Alidor’s neck. The hatchling was quiet and it was moments before Alidor realized the little one was no longer awake. The weight and security reminded Alidor of his nestmate’s own litter and when he had carried them around, many years ago.

Alidor adjusted his wings to properly support the hatchling, protecting it from falling. As he made his way home, he found comfort with each step knowing that his empty cave finally had a chance to become a home once more.