Zutara Week 05

By Lil Black Bird

Aka Shin Yuy

5- Mythology

Part One: The Little Dragon Prince

"Once upon a time there was a little Dragon Prince. His scales burned red like hot coals, his mane black as night and his claws and wings were bright like copper. He was clumsy, foul tempered, and was looked on as the 'bad egg' of the family. He was smaller than many other Dragons, and his heart was not as vicious as the rest of his kin. For this was before the time Man and Dragons got along.

His Father, the King of Dragons, wanted to wage war against Man and put them in their place beneath Dragons for all time. The Dragons had many allies and one of the Dragon Generals, The General of the East, suggested sacrificing some of them for the sake of bringing down the walls of the great human cities. The Little Dragon Prince told him it was wrong. That they should not sacrifice creatures who put such trust in the Dragons for the sake of a small victory in a war that shouldn't be happening.

The Dragon General of the East challenged the Little Dragon Prince to a fight and the Prince accepted. But when he flew into the arena, its walls filled with the most important Dragons in the land, his heart sunk. Before him in all his terrible glory was his father, the King of Dragons. The Little Dragon Prince coiled up and bowed low, begging for forgiveness and informing his Father he would not fight him.

'You insulted my General in my House. You insulted the divine war, which I have begun. Thus you insult me and all your kind!' the King of Dragons bellowed. 'For your insolence you shall be punished.' With a great claw, he wounded his own son, leaving a terrible and horrid wound on one side of the Little Dragon Prince's face. Then with a great wind he summoned his Lightning, and struck his son with it. The King of Dragons used the Lightning to take the shape of the Dragon away from his son, turning him into a Boy. 'Forever you will be marked the worst of all Dragons. For your love of Man you shall be one until something eats you or you die of old age. You are banished from our kingdom and are no longer my son.'

'Father please forgive me… give me a chance to redeem myself.' The boy begged, falling to his knees and crying. There was nothing more the Prince had wanted than the love of his father.

'If you can capture the Kirin and bring it to me to devour and become the most powerful creature under Heaven, you may return again as my Son and not a lowly human.'

The Little Dragon Prince swore on what was left of his honor that he would do as his King wished and set off before his wounds were healed or he had learned to walk the way men do.

'My Prince wait!' the Little Prince turned to see the Dragon General of the West flying towards him. 'My Prince please do not do such a foolish thing.'

'My … My King gave me an order and I must obey.' He replied, his heart hardening so he would not feel the pain of rejection.

'Then permit me to go with you, My Prince. You know little of the world of Man and I can show you its ways. Please let me help you.'

The Little Prince's heart was not hard enough to ignore the pleas of the Great General and he agreed. The General used his great claws to cut his tail off, for a Dragon with no tail was not a dragon, and could choose a shape until it grew back. The Great Dragon General of the West became Human.

'Do not call me General my Prince when we are on the road and among Men. Mankind holds family very high in regards. You are my Nephew, and I your Uncle.'

'As you wish… Uncle.' The Prince replied, finding the word pleasant to the tongue 'I guess we need names too.'

'Then I will be… your Uncle Mooshie!' Uncle replied. 'And you will be Lee. It is a common name for Men.'

'Then you are Uncle Mooshie… and I am your Nephew Lee.' The Prince… now Lee, nodded.

'The tomorrow, my Nephew, we leave for the world of Men.' Mooshie patted the boy's short black hair and laid down on the earth. 'Sleep now for it will be a long journey."


"What happened next mom?"

"Didn't you hear Uncle Mooshie?" the woman laughed and tucked the covers up higher on her son. "It is time for all good dragon boys to sleep. I'll tell you more tomorrow."

"Awww…" the boy pouted, cerulean eyes starting to tear up.

"Pout any further and I'll pull your lip right over your head." She teased, tugging at it. Her son pulled the covers above his head to guard himself. She leaned down and kissed his forehead. "Sleep well my son."

"G'night mommy.' He yawned and curled up beneath the covers, dreams of being a dragon dancing in his mind.

TBC