Raven and the Dragon

Thwarted

Claude

My anger is getting the best of me as I watch Raven with some smelly rogue wolf walking around town. I followed her to this Colorado town high in the mountains. She thinks I am still searching for her. Looking for one’s Beloved is a simple spell from which Raven cannot disguise herself. I am sitting in some café overlooking the forest and mountains surrounding us. Raven is chatting with this infernal man acting like they are old friends.

I sip angrily on coffee as she giggles again. ‘Why can’t she be like that with me?’ I grumble to myself. ‘I have done everything to make her mine,’ I sigh as I watch her. I am in disguise to not alert her to my presence, but that damn wolf keeps looking back at me.

“We should leave, Raven,” The wolf says to her.

“We will,” Raven grins at him, showing off her perfect teeth. Everything about her is so perfect. She is supposed to be mine forever. My heart and soul ache for her. “What is your hurry, Jesse?”

The wolf glances my way, “I have a bad feeling.”

Raven looks around, and her eyes land on me, but she doesn’t seem to recognize me. She averts her eyes to look at the wolf, “Okay, we’ll go.”

The wolf flags down a server and pays the bill. He glares at me as he walks past with my Beloved. Raven seems oblivious to my presence as I follow them around town. They head into a little antique shop. I wait out front, pretending to be looking at my phone while smoking a cigarette.

A large man in a ratty t-shirt walks by me and looks at me with reptilian eyes. I shudder as the temperature seems to drop as he passes. He glances into the shop and appears to be staring at Raven, my Raven. I had noticed him around town the last few days. He seemed just as intent on having Raven as I was.

He looks at me one more time before disappearing down the sidewalk. Minutes later, I swear I see a black dragon flying overhead. “No,” I say outloud as the dragon’s shadow darkens the sky for a moment. The tourists are oblivious to it as it appears to be a cloud to them. “That’s all I need is a f*****g dragon,” I mutter.

The door of the shop opens and Raven walks out with the rogue. She is smiling as she cradles a box in her arms. Jesse has his arm around her shoulder. He gives me a toothed grin as they walk by.

“Asshole,” I whisper. “You wn’t win,” I say as they walk across the street. I flick my cigarette away and move in the opposite direction. I have to implement my plan before Raven gets away from me. It takes me five minutes to walk back to the cabin I rented for a few days. It sits on the outskirts of this town idden by the trees. It smells of sage and other herbs I have brought to brew the potion I need. I go outside and harvest some white moss I spotted, “This should work.”

I chant in a lost Celtic language as I stir the brew. I will have to douse it on Raven as I chant the correct spell and she will fall into my arms and be mine. It’s sort of illegal as forcing love is deemed unethical. But I am beyond caring. Raven is mine and meant to be with me. If I have to force her than so be it.

I steep the mixture and then blend it before letting it sit overnight on the stove while I practice the spell. I clap my hands as I conclude the end of the spell. “Okay,” I breathe out. “That should do it.” I retire to the creaky hard bed and stare at the ceiling. Images of Raven in my arms flash through my mind. “I love you Raven Starsky.” I say out loud. “And after tomorrow you will be Raven Moonstone,” I smirk at the thought. “We shall have no less than five children,” I ponder as I daydream.

The next morning I awake from dreams of Raven dancing in my head. I quickly dress and then call my contact. A friend of my father’s has been helping me keep track of Raven. He is able to shift into insects and other small creatures that escape notice.

“Good morning, Cricket,” I greet him.

“Claude,” Cricket hisses in a high pitched voice. He is a thin man with no hair on his head and strange green eyes.

Father told me that Cricket is a rare species of elf that most thought was extinct. “Sorry to wake you so early,” I say to him.

“I was already awake,” He resplies. “Let me guess, follow the girl?” He screeches.

“Yes,” I respond.

“She went home with that werewolf, you know?” Cricket states and I shudder to keep myself from exploding.

“I figured as much,” I sigh. “My beloved is a bit of a hussy, I know. But-“

“I will keep an eye on her,” Cricket hisses and the line goes dead.

I shake my head while I gather my supplies. I stop to look at myself in the mirror. I am wearing a pair of khaki pants with a black shirt and hiking boots. But the face staring at me isn’t my own. “Okay, let’s get this done.” I grin at myself and rush out of the cabin.

A cricket’s chirp cause me to turn to the man named Cricket. He stands in front of me wearing on a pair of linen shorts. “She is heading for a hike on Bear VCreek Trail,” He tells me. “The werewolf is with her of course.”

“Thank you Cricket,” I nod and hand him a twenty dollar bill. “Buy yourself a nice breakfast.”

Cricket takes the money and grins, “Good luck with your girl.” He then turns himself into a bumblebee and buzzes away.

I look on my phone for Bear Creek Trail. I call a Uber and they take me to the trailhead. I look around and see no sign of Raven. “Come on baby,” I mutter and head up the trail. I hate hiking and curse and spit the whole way. I pulls my rune stones from my pocket for help and find she isn’t far from me.

A shadow passes over me and I swear I see that dragon flying overhead, “She’s mine,” I say while glaring at the soaring beast. It’s distant roar echoes through the forest. I hear Raven up ahead and see her sitting on a log with that damn werewolf.

The wolf sniffs the air and looks toward me. I try to stay hidden as I pull out my potion and prepare myself for the spell.

“We should get going,” Jesse tells Raven.

“AlreadY?” Raven complains. “We just sat down, Jesse.”

He pulls on her arm, “I am sure, let’s go.”

Raven shrugs and rises to her feet and takes a sip from a waterbottle. I use the momentary distraction to rush forward toward them. Raven gives me a startled look but it’s apparent she doesn’t know it’s me.

“You,” Jesse yells.

“Who is that, Jesse?” Raven asks.

I take the top off the potion and wave my hand over my face revealing myself to her.

“Claude?” She screams. “What the fu-“

“Hello beautiful,” I grin and attempt to douse her with the potion but Jesse pushes her out of the way. I watch in horror as Raven stumbles and hits her head on a rock knocking her out. “Look what you did, you buffoon,” I yell and try to step toward Raven.

Jesse pushes me, “You won’t touch her. She is mine,” He growls.

I push back, “Look what yo did,” I gesture to Raven. I step toward her again and the wolf pushes me back again and I drop my potion and watch helplessly as the vial break. “f**k!”

“What is that?” Jesse asks as I glare at him.

Dark clouds form overhead as I let my anger get the best of me, “It’s a storm of trouble for you, wolf,” I hiss and raise my arms to summon lightning. It strikes the wolf, who howls out in pain.

He shifts into a dirty brown wolf that lunges at me. I punch the wolf in the snout, but he is relentless. I am desperate to check on Raven as blood pours out of the wound on her head. “I have to check on her,” I yell at the attacking wolf.

A thunderous roar shakes the ground causing the damn wolf to freeze and look up as a massive shadow further darkens the sky. A house-sized dragon lands a few feet from us and opens its mouth. I can feel it’s about to breathe fire on us, and I leap out of the way. The smell of cooking meat fills my nostrils as Jesse’s wolf is incinerated. The dragon looks at Raven and gently bumps her with his snout.

“She’s hurt,” I mention, and the dragon snarls at me.

Raven stirs as the dragon sniffs her. “What?” She mumbles, but her eyes remain closed.

I attempt to approach her, but the dragon turns its attention to me. “She’s my beloved,” I state.

A large black claw swipes at me, and I manage to dodge it. The dragon gathers my unconscious beloved in another claw and then flaps its massive wings. I watch as Raven is carried away by the black dragon.

“f**k,” I curse as it disappears into the clouds.

“Moonstone,” Loki Fray’s voice says behind me, and I turn to him.

“What?” I hiss with annoyance.

“Where is Raven?” He looks around. “Cricket told me she was out here with some wolf.”

I point to the ashy remains of the wolf, “The wolf is dead, and a black dragon carried Raven off.”

“Quit lying to me,” Loki hisses and begins to glow.

“What are you doing?” I ask as he grins darkly. “Oh, are you trying a spell on me, Fray?” I laugh. “You could never complete one in school-“ I am interrupted when Loki launches a ball of gas at me. I cough as I fall to the ground, unable to move.

Loki kneels beside me, “You will never bother Raven again,” He cackles as I struggle to move. “Oh, don’t worry. You’ll be able to move again when I am done with you.”

“What are you going to do?” I breathe out with great effort.

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” He laughs and waves his hand over my face, and everything goes black.