Aithusa sat quietly in the corner of the cave, keeping out of Kilgharrah's way or, at least, trying his best to. Living with the old dragon had proved to be fairly difficult for Aithusa. He never wanted to play or talk and was never any fun whatsoever. Sometimes Aithusa thought that Kilgharrah actually disapproved of having any enjoyment at all. The only thing he occasionally muttered under his breath was always too low for Aithusa to hear, but he often caught were the words, "Young warlock."
Aithusa supposed that he meant Merlin, that strange boy who he seen only once. If he was very important, he certainly didn't look it.
Aithusa yawned, showing two rows of sharp, white teeth and rolled onto his back, kicking at the air. He hated being cooped up inside a cave. He wished he had another young dragon to play with. He was just so bored. Surely no one had ever been this bored before. He was going to die of this insane boredom any day now.
It had been about two weeks earlier that Kilgharrah had taken Aithusa for an outing. They had flown high and far, reaching the pale mountains that could be seen in the distance from the cave's entrance. Aithusa remembered chasing deer and tearing up bushes. Neither activity had impressed Kilgharrah, but he hadn't told him to desist.
Kilgharrah had grown increasingly warm-hearted to his small companion. Aithusa was a miracle in his old eyes. But he was at a loss when it came to parenting. Aithusa seemed constantly twitchy and energetic. What was he supposed to do with him? Should he teach him magic and the ways of the dragons, or was it still too early? He expected that Aithusa would misuse any magic he learnt, so Kilgharrah tried to teach him about dragons and explain that they were the last.
Aithusa figured that Kilgharrah was just confused. There had to be more dragons than just the two of them. Where would all the others have gone? They couldn't all be dead. Dragons were huge, powerful beasts of magic. How could any creature kill a dragon? Why would they? It didn't make sense.
It didn't make sense because Kilgharrah had never told Aithusa about Camelot and how he had been imprisoned there for many years. He never spoke of his personal history, and Aithusa never thought to ask.
Shaking all the dust off his scaly coat, Aithusa sniffed the air, his nostrils twitching with each breath. There was an unfamiliar scent in the air. Standing on his hind legs, his mind began whirring with curiosity. His claws clacked on the rocky floor as he crept to the cave's mouth, spreading his wings and preparing to take flight as he did so.
"Where are you going, young dragon?" Kilgharrah's voice cut through Aithusa's excitement, bringing him up short.
"Just for a short flight," he lied, hanging his head. "My wings feel cramped and I need to stretch them."
Kilgharrah appeared from deeper in the cave and smiled fondly at the white dragon. The exuberance of Aithusa's youth had, at first, exasperated him, but now he found that he couldn't imagine life without him. The toothy grin spread wider across his face and Aithusa relaxed.
"You may go," he said, his great voice echoing through the winding cavern.
"Thank you, thank you!" Aithusa yelped and immediately leapt into the air, catching himself on his wings and sending a spray of sand into the cave.
Finally, he could follow that smell!
It curled through the sky, leading him further and further from his home. At first, he thought it was a strange scent, but it only took him a short while to realise that it was an emotion he was sensing. As he gained on the source, the smell transformed into a melancholic despair, and Aithusa considered turning back. He found it difficult to believe that so strong an emotion could be emanating from one being. Perhaps a caravan had come under attack and many people had been injured.
No. This was different. This was something special.
He had not expected to find a human woman lying in the leafy litter of the forest. Her dark hair was tangled and her expression was pained. Aithusa hung back, in the shadows, his cautious side taking over. He had only ever seen one human up close in his short life, and that had been Merlin. Merlin had not looked like he was very special, but he had had power rolling off him in waves, just as this girl did! But they did not share the sadness and… the evil.
Creeping closer, Aithusa studied her nervously. Her pale skin was scratched and there were leaves caught in her hair. Was she breathing? He couldn't tell.
Becoming agitated, Aithusa accidently flicked his tail and rattled a near-by bush. The woman stirred, frantically lifting her weight onto her hands and pushing herself away from the ground. The shook with the effort, and her scared, green eyes froze when she spotted the dragon.
He had broken his cover. There was clearly no going back now.
Aithusa reared back and squealed at her. Shivers of anxiety and fear ran down her spine and she began backing away.
This woman needed help. Aithusa cocked his head at her and waited. She was panting now and holding her hands over her face.
Seeing no other possibilities, Aithusa decided he would help this woman. She was so cold. So alone. So weak… What harm could she do?
Please review! Especially if you're an Aithusa fan too! He is just the cutest character ever! Feel free to criticise, so long as it's constructive. :)