Category: Writers Block
She had been hunting since early morning, before the sun crept over the ridges and peaks of the snow laden mountains,deer her usual pray were almost extinct and her need was desperate,she also needed to find a mate but males were now as scarce as food she turned then hovered in the frigid air she had but one choice to raid the farms in the more fertile valley.. her old home range was now out of bounds and she and others like her, were in exile
Her copper wings glowed and caught the sun as it emerged over the smallest peak, she watched it briefly before climbing to a safer height,as the farmers had quickly learned how to defeat the dragons and she had seen far too many of her kind die, through hatred and fear. She shivered as the air froze on her giant body lean through years of deprivation and struggle "I hope their away today yesterday was frightening" she spotted the sheep nibbling on fodder dropped on the snowy ground and her stomach groaned in anticipation of a meal "thank you and no one is about" the dragon selected a victim and swooped down lowering her curved black talons to grip its woolly hide the sheep saw the huge shadow and panicked but in spite of her size the dragon was faster and unhampered by treacherous ice. Her talons brushed the ground as she closed in for the kill then she drove them deep into the warm flesh and twisted her body, just in time, to avoid crashing in to a large outcrop. With the prey secure she lifted in to the sky and raced back to her lair as spears and screams of derision flew about her and echoed around the valley.
As the last spear narrowly missed her vulnerable belly she decided to call their bluff and lead them to an abandoned cave formerly occupied by a dangerous black dragon but he hadn't been seen for months nevertheless the farmers weren't entirely convinced by the reports of his death and were reluctant to go within 1/4 of a mile of his cave. Lyra flew fast but with a gnawing hunger reverberating through her stomach and the voices growing more distant, she looked under her left wing and saw it was safe to land "at last! I'm exhausted they are more daring than usual I wish..if Malduin was here they wouldn't stand a chance"
Lyra ripped open the carcasse and fed voraciously as so often happens she'd been unable to really enjoy her meal, the kill was eaten on the run and she always wanted more but she was lucky this sheep was a large ram and as she devoured the pink meat, her long blue tongue indulgently licked particles of flesh from her lethal fangs "ohh he was delicious I can't remember the last time I fed so well" she stretched to ease the weight of her bloated belly and licked up the blood along with some snow "now I can sleep and dream what a luxury" Lyra could afford to relax as her fires were healthy and she felt strong enough to fight back against an attack from the irate farmers.She scanned the sky for any sign of another dragon as usual it was full of nothing but clouds and the beautiful sun. She lay down on the snow as it emerged in a golden glow deepening the copper colour of her immense body Lyra knew she would dream about Malduin all she had to do was wait..
Malduin was the most audacious of all the dragons and his sheer bravery in the midst of an attack, had impressed Lyla she had hoped to mate with Malduin and hopefully raise a dragon to maturity, but one morning he had left mysteriously and without warning. Lyla had searched for the black dragon for days until hunger, fatigue and despair had driven her back to her lair. She stirred as images of Malduin awoke her need to mate, in 2 days she would be receptive and the search for a suitable male, would begin and end in failure
The only available males were old ,immature or weak, she had no interest in them but at 10 years old her internal clock was ticking and she couldn't afford to wait forever. Lyla awoke to find a fresh thin layer of snow on her wings she licked it off and stretched it was early afternoon and the farmers would be sharpening their spears they had already killed or driven away 5 dragons their hatred grew out of ignorance and Lyla knew there was little hope of a reprieve
She heard the crowd before they became visible they're angry voices carried on a cold easterly wind,Lyla also heard the clatter of numerous spears and the rattle of knives.She rose to her feet and tested the strength of her fire on the carcass, as the bright red flames shot from her mouth, an indignant raven cawed at her as she narrowly missed its tail "well move I haven't time to play games and you had better be going soon,... neither of us are welcome here" she sighed deeply and extinguished her fire as the voices grew nearer,the crowd numbered around 20 the settlement couldn't really spare so many young men, but an attack on dragon of Lyla's size and experience, required every man who was able "the devil will be tired and she might even have been sleeping if luck we'll be able to surprise her" a expression of doubt came from the back and several men turned to see who had made it "dozhe moi! we'll sneak up on her alright a dragon who can see around corners and speak to ravens, and understand them,... you are mad she has already seen us" Lyla had flown to Malduin's cave she watched the rabble from the entrence and blew smoke from her nostrils as a warning, the settler who had doubted the sanity of their mission realised they were in mortal danger "if she swoops from up there she will kill everyone of us!"
They looked desperately for cover and found very little the mountainous landscape was unforgiving and only the dragons and ravens, knew the best places. Lyla growled deep in her throat, stoking her fires for the battle ahead the raven a large belligerent male, flew off,he intended to dive bomb the settlers and hopefully drive them off. She watched as he gained height then descended with his glossy black wings folded back and talons skimming the air.Normally Lyla would have enjoyed his bravado and aggression but that black shape hurtling to earth reminded her of Malduin and the pain from it was acute
Her companion meant business and his aggressive nature was another source of superstition, the settlers believed the stories of collusion between dragons and ravens, and the great black birds had suffered as a result Alin swooped and spun above them they couldn't fed him off it seemed as if a whole flock of ravens had joined the attack.His talons caught 3 in the eyes blinded they screamed then fell to their knees, with their blood gushing onto the dirty snow "lets leave this is madness!" the others agreed and began to organise themselves as the doubter glanced back he saw a sight he would never forget unseen Lyla had flown upward and now she descended with blinding speed as flame and a roar flew from her gaping mouth the settlers were transfixed. Seeing her chance Lyla lifted herself up then at the last moment, she slammed her muscular scaly tail into the injured men they were broken, nothing more than a collection of shattered bones, the rest scattered in all directions followed by the heat of Lyla's fire and Alin's sharp curved beak
Lyla chased them for 3 miles before landing on a nearby boulder her fires were still high but she had had enough for now. Alin continued harrying and attacking the terrified men, then he turned back and landed beside Lyla ."They will not be so keen the next time" the raven's rasping voice was filled with malice and hunger as his dark brown eyes strayed to the broken bodies,he met Lyla's gaze with a enquiring expression "they taste quite good y'know and we can't be choosy up here" she considered the feast and agreed "here I will help you as you helped me" Lyla let down her left wing so Alin could climb on to her back .
"They are right about us hmm?" he jumped onto her wing and hopped up onto her shoulder taking care with his talons "it is a friendship born out of suffering we both know loss and grief"
Lyla abruptly rose into the cold air she needed the cleansing pain of the wind to sweep away the grief of losing Malduin. Alin swayed and gripped her tough hide she didn't complain,the occasional nip from his claws, was insignificant, compared to the ache buried deep inside of her. She scanned the valleys for any sign of a dragon however weak or undesirable they might be.If any males had been near they would have joined in the fight to prove themselves worthy of Lyla's attention but 3 had died trying to impress her, she had consoled herself with the thought {our race is better off without these creatures they would not have survived a serious battle}Lyla landed and turned over 1 corpse with her claws the flesh was already partially frozen,she took a deep breath and exhaled in fire to defrost the meat. Alin flew down and complained "you've ruined it now damned dragons always showing off with your fire" the dragon glanced at him her eyes were amber slits and the black vertical stripe had narrowed until it was barely visible Alin hopped around worried and annoyed "well get on with it!" Lyla blew smoke from her nostrils and ripped a hunk of meat away from the man's stomach "eat it's going to snow so we will have peace for a while"
No sooner had she predicted it than the snow began Alin shook the cold flakes from his feathers and pecked healthy red marrow, from the settler's shattered rib cage, "hmm he's good this one some are really tough" Lyla studied his the sky and saw a flock of ravens descending to join their friend they called to Alin, who answered,he then tore out a deep blue eye and flew with it to his mate. Lyla was touched by this macabre show of affection again it reminded her of Malduin and how he would often give her the heart of anything he had killed, to a female dragon, that was love
Alwin took the gift in mid flight then the ravens flew close so their wing tips almost touched seeing their open exchange of trust and commitment Lyla wondered, why these intelligent and resourceful birds,were so maligned and distrusted "need I ask they have followed and fed with us for years" surveying the man's remains she felt disgusted with herself her voice was barely audible but her anger was growing "maybe he hadn't wanted to take part in the attack,and now his family's hate and fear will intensify Malduin where are you!" Alin jumped at her sudden anguish then asked his mate if she had heard any news of Malduin but as ever the answer was negative "he can't just have disappeared a dragon like him..no I won't believe it until I see his corpse"
Lyla glared at Alwin and considered burning her "IF that happens,you will be lying beside him, if you say that again!" The ravens shifted uneasily and shook snow from their wings Alin calmed the dragon despite this, he could see that her mood was deteriorating "we should go there's still enough light to hunt..Lyla we will return when your gone..." the Dragon acknowledged him then turned away to her cave they watched go dejected and disillusioned "we must find Malduin we have done nothing but wish for far too long" Alwin partly agreed with her brother...
"Yes we have and struggled to survive in this frozen place! now when I go into the valley I think its a dream" Alin drew closer and gently straightened the ruffled feathers on her neck, Alwin cawed and reciprocated his gesture "our destiny is with the dragons how else will we survive my love"
"Yes we have and struggled to survive in this frozen place! now when I go into the valley I think its a dream" Alin drew closer and gently straightened the ruffled feathers on her neck, Alwin cawed and reciprocated his gesture "our destiny is with the dragons how else will we survive my love"
Alwin sighed and forced her beak into the untouched body "hmm and look what we are reduced to scavaging from the men who try to kill us" she ripped open the man's arm and feasted on his stiffening flesh Alin was full and wanted a drink, but the streams were frozen, he attempted to take off and failed, Alwin and the others berated his greed, while Alin hopped away to sate his thirst.