Unexpected Family

Rising from slumber, forest green eyes blinked, a dusting of sleep drifting away and clearing their vision. From the position up high within the side of the mountain, the sounds of the forest below echoed up to him. His great bulk shifted slightly, scales scratching along the smooth walls of his cave. He had found this cave nearly a century ago, as a much smaller dragon, and it had been a much needed shelter for him. Wounded at the time from an arrow some human had shot at him, he had been barely flying when he crashed into the side of the mountain, landing awkwardly on a small outcrop of rock and mud holding a single small tree. After laying stunned for a moment, he had raised his head, finding a small crack in the mountain and after crawling towards it, found it lead to a small cave. Over the decades he had melted parts of the rock, scraping it from the walls and floor, slowly expanding his cave, leaving a smooth bowl shape perfect for his now fully grown bulk.

Feeling slightly restless he decided that a late night flight was in order. Winter was setting in, and the way the cold air and frost reacted to his body heat never failed to entrance him. Watching steam curl up and around him, shrouding him in mist. Rising and arching his body into a stretch, he allowed his wings to losses against his body, not quite enough room to stretch them fully. One day he would expand his home again, but, then he had been saying that for some time, so maybe not.

Stepping through the archway that now led out of his cave, the crack in the wall long since transformed, he avoided to magnificent tree that blocked his cave entrance from view, as always, thankful that he missed the shrub of a tree when he first landed here. Flexing claws into the edge of the rock and fully spreading his wings, he took a deep breath, scenting the icy air, finding no danger, but there was a faint scent on the wind that was oddly familiar.

Powerful legs jumped, and wings snapped open to catch the air, banking slightly to spiral down to be level with the tops of the trees, occasionally flicking at them with a talon. As he flew, he listened to the silence of the woods. There was something so comforting about a silence that held so many sounds. Slowly slinking through the trees, the native animals quieting as he passed, his green scales glinting in the fading sunlight. The familiar scent grew stronger, and he pulled his lip back slightly, a small growl slipping from his throat. Human. He might be unable to hear them, but he could smell the leather and pelt. It had been many years since any of the native tribes had come this close to his mountain, all of them knowing to stay well away. He was not some tame dragon, one who would allow the two legged ones to ride them, wearing saddles and prancing like a pony for treats. He would burn this human presence and remind them what fear was. Hearing the wail of a human allowed him to pinpoint their location, and folding his wings in, he dropped through the canopy of trees, landing with a snarl. The expected running and screams of “save yourselves” however did not come. Instead there was a small hiccuping sob from much lower than expected. There, sat by a hollowed out tree was a very small human. Beside it lay a dead horse, clearly dying from the arrow in its side, although the bloodied handprint on its rump seemed to indicate that this tiny offspring of the humans was placed on the horse and sent away from some kind of fight. Small tearful eyes looked up at him, no fear or hate lay there, just lost confusion and sadness. An instinct he didn’t know he had rose up in him at the sight of those eyes, and one clawed paw reach out, deadly serrated weapons carefully slid under the child, scooping them up. That this child could easily be held in one paw found this recently discovered protective instinct growing a swelling within him. Shaking his head he lifted the child up, holding it securely, before turning and launching himself skywards, using the hole in the canopy he had made coming down. Wings lifting him higher, he made a decision that he never thought he would, and banked toward the East, heading to the closest human village.

As he drew closer, the smell of death and smoke grew stronger, and the he remembered how ofter the humans would kill each other. Now assuming the worst, he dropped lower, wings batting the smoke away where it had settled around the village. From an aerial view it was clear that there was nothing left alive here. Some buildings were burning others splattered in blood, and bodies left where they were cut down. Landing heavily, only using three legs didn’t make him as smooth as normal, he took a deep breath, nose wrinkling at the acrid scent that over powered the death.

Orcs. One of the few things he hated more than humans. They had no respect for any life, burning and murdering everywhere they went. Incensed, the thrust himself into the air again, consciously stopping from flexing his claws in rage and crushing his precious cargo. Following their scent was easy, but not quite as easy as flying above their newly made camp. A steady stream of fire from the air permanently ended the threat of this group of orcs, and it was to a symphony of dying screams that he flew back to the village. Once back on the ground, he looked around before putting the child on the ground so that he could look around. Moving to the largest house, one that was only slightly smaller than him, he peered through one of the upper floor windows, seeing a pile of the sleeping furs the humans used. Reaching a decision he never thought he would, he broke through the window, reaching in and hooking his talons into the bedding, dragging them out with him. As he did so, a startled scream came from within the pile. Placing the bundle on the floor outside the house he watched it rustle, before a slightly larger human stumbled from them, sobbing, and backing away to the wall of the house. Stepping back and trying to look at unthreatening as a 40 foot dragon can look. This new human had longer fur on their head, but did not look as though they had seen more than 10 winters, definitely not fully grown. Suddenly his human fell into his back foot, it had stood up and toddled over, clearly unused to walking. It rested both hands on his back foot, using him to balance. Twisting his long neck around, he gently picked up the youngling, teeth griping the furs wrapping it, and lifted it in front of him, placing him between him and the other child.

“Rory!”

The other human took a step towards him, clearly recognizing the baby… Rory. The higher voice of the older one made him think that it was a female.

“Can I go to him?”

Raising his head, he nodded to her and she jumped forwards, checking it… him over. As she picked him up, mumbling Thankyou over and over again. Both these children would not survive here alone. Humans keep their young with them for at least 15 winters, and even then, they tend to stay in the main village. He made a decision then that he had sworn he would not do. Internally cursing this protective feeling that was rising back up in him, he gripped the bedding again, before reaching a paw out, laying it flat in front of the two.

“You want us to go with you?”

Nodding, he appreciated that he could at least communicate with this small human, and that her fear had abated.

“Can I grab some more things than just bedding?”

Sighing, and feeling resigned to be a pack horse for this small humans he nodded. Darkness had truly set in now but it did not take long for her to run through several of the houses, slowly filling several large bags with things.

Once done, he held out a paw again, helping her hook the bags onto his smallest claw before she picked up the small one and shuffled them both closer. Deciding to get it over with, he scooped them up, closing his paw around them both, careful not to crush either of them. Her startled squeak brought a chuckle rumbling out of his chest. Launching himself into the air he flew back toward his cave, trying to make sure his ungainly landing was at least smooth. Hobbling into the cave, he placed his cargo down and settled down as far to one side to watch. She started taking things from the bag, handing the small one what looked like a carrot, and he happily started to chew at it. While he was distracted, she removed different furs and material, making a nest for them. Suddenly he let out an almighty sigh, hot air filling the cave as he realized something.

He would now actually have to finish expanding his cave.