Chapter 1
Centuries ago, my kind was hunted and trophied by humans. We were their greatest conquest. I don’t know why their sport started, but it became such a popular sport they killed nearly all of us. There are some in hiding, but we only survived by seeking out the witch to give us the ability to shift.
This idea came from my mother. She is the reason we are not extinct. It has been well over 150 years since their hunt was extinguished, but there are few who still believe in the old stories.
We once owned the sky, the sea, and the land. Now we hide in dark crevices. Some have managed to learn how to tolerate humans and live among them. I am not one who could overlook this. The reason being I am the oldest to live.
My age ranges somewhere at about 430 years. I quit counting long ago. No reason to celebrate another year alone. My mother and father were killed for their sport. Humans are a heartless species in my opinion. They didn’t care who they killed. Children were lost, families were destroyed, careless and mindless murder.
I was once again hiding in my cave behind the falls. Every once in a while, I would host a person or two to allow them a safe place to lay their head until they found an alternative. It wasn’t my favorite thing to do, but being I am the oldest, it was a necessity.
Our population was slowly growing, but it was few and far between. This wasn’t the ideal environment to have and raise children. The kids are unpredictable as to when they will shift first and if they can keep their heat off the radar.
The humans had developed their radars well enough that their government could track our fire signature. Suppressing our fire was very painful, uncomfortable, and it weakened us significantly. I was able to maintain most of my strength through meditation.
Living behind the falls allowed me several advantages. I didn’t have to suppress my fire as much as I would without the help of the water all around me. It was also a great hiding place. I’ve been here for easily 100 years.
Every once in a moon I would come across a Lycan, werewolf, or vampire. Usually that was when I was wondering about the woods. I hadn’t had any find me in the fall. This wasn’t a place they would need. Therefore, I never visited.
My home behind the falls was quite nice. I had most of what someone would have in an apartment. I have cooking wear, but usually I use my own fire to cook. In my home, I could stretch my wings, but flying was out of the option. We can suppress our fire and still fly, but with everything going on it would be stupid to do so. Someone sees us and says something to the wrong person and we have a whole new problem.
I envy the werewolf and Lycan worlds. They don’t have to hide. Actually, neither do the vampires. They have their own kingdom in tunnels built under the earth all over the place.
Werewolves have their own kingdoms and packs. They are away from humans. We were discovered, because we ruled the sky.
Every morning I sit out on a ledge and watch the sun come over the horizon. How I missed flying in the sky.
My days were usually filled with wandering. That all I have done is wander. In our history we would find our mate, but at this point. The likelihood my mate was dead was astronomical, with the chances of us meeting.
We are able to identify others of our kind by a smell only the supernatural can detect. We smell like sulfur. Shockers as we are dragons.
I felt the need to stretch my wings. Summoning my dragon skin, I shifted. My scales were a metallic color with blue specs all along my spine. My eyes were yellow and gold and those of a reptile.
Allowing my body to fall on the cold stone, I spread out all my limbs. Shifting and keeping our human skin was hard. Our dragon bodies felt cramped and stiff when we did get to shift.
The feeling of being in my true self lulled me to sleep. I usually slept during the day. My dragon eyes were hard to hide. I could only keep them as human eyes for half a day at a time. And I couldn’t lie. The night called to me like a life-long friend.
Waking from my sleep, I find the moon to greet me. Shifting back, I changed my clothes, and headed out. I slip out onto the ledge that allows me to come and go from my cave. The opening isn’t noticeable unless you’re climbing the rocks. They are wet and that never happens. Humans are too fragile. They can’t grip the rocks like I can. My claws allowed me to grip the rocks with ease.
I climbed down and to the pool below. I used the unrecognizable path I had built to get to the ledge without having to get wet every time I left the cave.
I wore a black hoodie and pulled it over my head. Put my hands in my pockets and began my night walk. This was not just because I like the walk, but I had to make sure humans were coming into my territory. As soon as they moved closer, I was going to be moving out.
I walked very irregularly all over the forest in the case I was ever followed.
Tonight, wasn’t unusual for the most part. I came across a werewolf family that was trying to use the forest to get to another pack. I helped them find their way. They had the cutest little pup.
This thought made me melancholy. I so wanted a family, but after the first 120 years of my life I started losing hope. Now I don’t care if I ever find my mate, because the likelihood I would ever find her wasn’t going to happen.
My walk continued for a long way until I felt like I was thorough in my perimeter inspection. I had to walk just as chaotically back to my place.
However, what was very unusual was the smell of sulfur I picked up on my way back. I followed the smell until I found the source.
A woman laid at the edge of the water. I could hear her desperation for air. Cautiously, I checked my surroundings and then went to her after the area was cleared.
As I got closer, I saw a purple blanket in her arms. Nestled sound asleep was a beautiful baby girl. I leaned down to the woman and placed my hand on her arm.
“Who has done this to you?” I asked.
“No,” she gasped. “Focus on her. She needs you. I…” She coughed. I could see blood coming from her lips. “I’m not going to live any longer. Please take her.” She pleaded with me.
I carefully took the little girl from the woman. Holding her close to my chest, I watch as she snuggles closer into my chest. My eyes go back to mother.
She is smiling as she laboriously breaths. I can see her color weakening. She grabs my hand intimately.
“Please love her. Love my Ember.” With that I saw her life leave her.
Now I am trying to figure out what the hell to do. I can’t leave her here. They would find her and it would call attention to this area. It wasn’t far from my cave.
When dragons pass, they turn to ash with the fire of another. I had to figure out how to get the three of us up to my cave.
After contemplation, I realized the only way I was going to get us all up there was by flying us up there. This was very risky but if I did it quickly, I could get us up there in about 2 minutes. I couldn’t flap very hard or risk being heard.
I placed the baby near her mother and shifted. With my front claws, I gently picked the baby up again and with my feet I picked up her mother.
Upon entering my cave, I placed the mother off to the side of my cave so I could go place the baby on my bed. I made a pillow fort around her and went back to her mother.
I placed her mother near the entrance of my cave and said our ancient incantations for sending her to Hestia, our goddess. Focusing on my fire, I allowed just enough to come forward so I could properly send her. I blew the softest of breaths to her body and watched as it consumed her.
The sight hurt my cold heart. I had to do this for my mother and my father. Now to a complete stranger who had to leave her little one.
I don’t know how long I sat there. My eyes were entranced at the scorched earth beneath her body. Her ashes have long left and gone with the water.
What brought me out of my focus was the babbling I heard from the back part of my cave. I followed the sounds and came upon a wide-awake little girl. From my examination, she has to be about 4 months old. What caught my attention about her were her eyes.
They were different. Their appearance was no different than I expected, but it was like they could see my soul.
As she saw me learning over her, she giggled and reached up for me. Hesitantly, I pick her up and cuddle her close. This felt right. Like she was meant to be here. As I fell deeper into her eyes, I caught myself.
I had to stop. She had to understand the world for what it was. Weakness gets you hurt. Love gets you killed. This world wasn’t kind or caring. I would raise her as my own, but to trust none.
