People often always write long authors notes, like I do in my other books, but not in this one. Unless I have to add something. So anyway, RC out. Booya!

The wind is howling loud and cold off the coast of Dragon Island. In the depth of winter, all us dragons are cowering in the Inferno Mountain, only going out to bring food to feed the Great One. No one dared not to feed the Great One. She was the queen and we all obey her. She makes us do it. She draws us to her. And no one can resist her. No one.

My mother is sick. The frail old Night Fury has caught Freeze, the deadly illness. Nowadays, she can only just bring large enough prey to feed the queen. She has been threaten with death by The Great One many times. But death is so near to her now, in a few moons time, The Great One will not have to kill her. She will be gone already. But I cannot let my mother down. I must be strong. As Night Furies, we have to maintain our reputation and I will not be the first of my race to cower when fear is upon us. I can already fly and I will soon be living on my own so she will not have to care for me any longer.

I get up from the cold stone floor and stretch my legs as I watch the opening to the Mountain for signs of my mother coming back from the hunt. She's always gone and I hardly ever get to see her. I wish I could be like the other young hatchlings, playing with their mothers when they return, hearing stories and legends past down from generation to generation... But I'm not saying I'm scared without her! Night Furies don't get scared.

After a short amount of time, I start to get bored. I gaze around the cavern at the thousands of dragons swarming over the rocks. All of them struggling to survive with The Great Ones expectations. Why does she do this to us? She's big enough to hunt for herself. Though I don't speak these thoughts out loud. I'd be sentencing my death by doing that. So instead I keep them to myself.

A low growl sounds behind me and I spin around.

[Waiting for your mummy, little baby?] comes the mocking snarl of Flicker in Dragonese-the language us dragons speak. (sorry guys, the funny square brackets mean that they're talking in Dragonese) The young dragon is a Monstrous Nightmare, the same age as me. He has flaming red colouring, long, hooked talons and giant fangs. Much like those of other Nightmares. Though we were born in the same season, he is a far bigger and bulkier then me.

[Yes. I am waiting]. I raise my chin a little higher as I reply, to see that I don't look undignified.

Flicker snickers in an evil way. As he does, his friends Doom and Dread - a Zipple Back - come up behind him and smile wickedly. They're green and brown in colour, with sun yellow eyes. The standard colouring for a Zipple Back.

[Does this wittle bittle dwagon still need his mother?] asks Doom in a babiesh tone.

[Can he not do anything for his own?] asks Dread.

They all start laughing and I look at the ground in embarrassment. This is slightly true. My mother hasn't even given me a name yet, let alone teach me to hunt or any other skill. But I can't expect her too. She's so old...

Suddenly, without warning, Flicker swipes me across the face and sends me sprawling. I see stars in my eyes and I blink rapidly to clear them. My head is spinning as I stagger to my feet. Wha-what...

[You Night Furies think you're so tough and that no ones gonna bother you.] hisses Flicker as he sheathes and unsheathes his talons, [think again.]

Doom and Dread take turns to bite at my feet as I stand up and I jump desparatly to avoid them. Like a flash of red lightning, Flicker spins around and trips me up with his long spined tail. I crash to the ground, defeated. Several other dragons mingling around have stopped to look at the scene unfolding before them but none lift a claw to stop it. Here in the Mountain, it's fend for yourself.

Flicker towers over me, a dark shadow. [you see? You guys aren't top dogs. You're a disgrace to the name of Dragons. Even your mother can't defend the pride of the Night Furies.] he spits as he moves closer to my face.

My rage is boiling over. He can hurt me, tease me, bully me but he may not insult my family. I do something I have never done before. I shoot a small fast burst of burning blue flames straight at Flicker. It goes right into his open mouth. There is a smell of burning flesh. He reals back in pain with a shriek and coughs out clouds of smoke. I'm flabbergasted myself. How did I do that? But what I know is that this fight is over. I guess we aren't so fireproof on the inside.

The Nightmare tries to advance on me but erupts in another fit of coughing, while Doom and Dread try to hid their snigger. I could even see some of the other dragons had a faint smile in the corner of their mouths.

Flicker glares at me with one twitching eye when he eventually gets his breath back. [Next time runt. Next time.] he snarls and coughs one last time. He shoves Doom and Dread to get them moving. [Come on. We're outta here.] he looks over his shoulder and his raging eyes bore into me one last time before he disappears; swallowed up by the masses of dragons in the cave.

Well that went better then expected. And that burn is going to leave a mark in his attitude. For A LONG TIME. But his rage is going to last that long as well. I just have to hope he will not take it out on me... I now realize what I have gotten myself into and it isn't good. Surly he will be back sometime? I guess I must learn how to use that fire blast if I am to be able to defend myself.

As the gaze of the dragons that were watching the events drift away, I settle down on the ground with my paws tucked underneath me. The hard rocky floor is uncomfortable and the sharp points poke into me but its the best I can get. I lay my head on the ground, an eye on the entrance of the caves as I sit. The minutes drag on that I am waiting for. The minutes turn to hours. Slowly but surly, my eyes grow heavy with sleep. I give a long yawn and close them completely. After the previous events, all I need is some rest...

I jerk awake from the sleep that was never meant to be by the frightened shrieks and squawks of the other dragons. What's happening?! I also start to shriek along with the other dragons. Natural instinct. What's going on?

All heads are turned to the center of the cave. Where the Great One sleeps. This only happens when...

Then it dawns on me. I stare out over the huge hole in the middle. Hovering over it is a crooked old Night Fury.

[Mother-] I try to call out but the words don't form. Like being stuck in a dream and all you want to do is scream; but you can't. N-no! How! Why! No!

Suddenly, the queens voice thunders through out the cave. It's a bone-jarring, rock-crumbling boom as she roars with all the strength of the great God Thor himself. I flatten myself to the ground and try desperately to cover my ears with my paws.

[IS THIS ALL YOU BRING ME!?]

Already terrified dragons are fleeing the caves in fear of what is going to happen. My mother is barely keeping air borne. Both because of her frail wings and The Great One's rage.

[It's the skyless-land-prisoners!], mother pleads. [They are too strong! I cannot get enough food!]

Another roar rumbles the ground and dragons are flying up in shrieking clouds of talons and wings to escape. This can't be happening! I am standing dead still on the spot, my legs ridged and unable to move. My vision is going blurry with rare dragon tears and I feel like I'm going to pass out.

[THIS IS NO EXCUSE!] the queen booms. Then, is see a giant, blue-scaled hand reaching out of the smoke of the pit. It is the biggest hand I have ever seen with claws the length of ten huge Monstrous Nightmares! It must be larger then the most gigantic boulder in the world! And its wrapping around my mother, trapping her like helpless prey.

[NOO!] I scream, my voice returned. But it's too late. The hand is already dragging her down with her crying out for mercy. But she will never get any from the Great One.

I dive forward off the rock ledge that was our home. I flap forward as fast as my short wings can carry me over the resting place of the Great One. I try to dive down to my mother, my eyes watering at the speed that I am traveling, my wing fluttering. But my mother disappears beneath the smoke. And her screams are drowned out. All that I hear is the unknown whirring sound and the snap of a tail.

[NOOOOOOO! MOTHER, NOOOOOOOO!] but it is in vain. She is gone.

I hover in the air, my eyes wide in shock and absolute pure terror. My body feels like it is going to crumble into a thousand pieces.

[No...]

The resounding bellow of The Great One rumbles up from the red-toned pit over the shrieks of the other fleeing dragons. [These Night Furies are becoming too much of an issue. Dispose of the young one. He may have a negative impact on our system,] the deathly tone of her voice is inaudible to me. I don't register a thing.

Then, like a snaking shadow of death, a slender, limbless shape emerges from the smoke. But I remain motionless from shock and horror. It's abnormally large head and rows and rows of glistening teeth don't awake me from my trance. Its those eyes. Empty like they have been drained of all happiness; white as if denied the light all it's life. Those hell-like eyes snap me back to reality. Then before I know what I am doing, I twist in mid air with a flick of my wings and fly as fast as lightning itself to the opening in the mountain top. I need to get away from here! Far away! And never come back!

I burst outs into the evening, where the last remaining dragons are fleeing. The moment I do, the wind blows me side ways. I spiral out of control and tumble through the air. All I can see is the white white white of the blizzard snow. I try to open my wings but the gale pins them to my side, useless as I roll in the air. A huge sea stacks loom up in front of me. I throw myself to the left and dodge the boulder before I realize I'm flying belly skyward. I flip myself over so I am not flying upside down. I screw up my eyes at the wind that is beating at my face. I can't see anything! Where am I going!? Which way is up?!

I flail helplessly in the vicious storm. Open your wings! I scream at myself. I lift them just enough to be able to navigate my way around the treacherous sea-rocks jutting out of the ocean taller than a Zippleback. I look down and see water. I'm over the ocean. My reflection is flashing by on the shining surface. But I hardly have a split second to admire it. I'm blow off course again by another burst of wind. I have no idea where to go!

After what seems like hours of fighting the wind and willing my wings to not freeze off, I see a light in the distance. It's a small fire in the crevice of another sea-rock. But this one seems to be shaped into something I can't make out in the blizzard. Then I see it. The island. Somewhere to land! I bank to the left and sore towards the land, the wind whipping at my face. I give out a roar of anguish and flap on last time, pushing with all my might. It propels me enough to be flying over the island. Below me I can just make out tall, spiky trees and some funny looking structures that I know not what they are. Maybe they are the caves of those skylesses I have heard of. But I have no time to wonder. I have to keep pressing on.

Suddenly, something goes whizzing past my head. I jerk back in shock and look down. On the ground, some strange creature is holding a stick topped with flames. What is it? I can't see! But a gust of strong wind pushes me forward and I am left the question myself. What was that thing that flew by? What's going on?! I don't even remember why I'm here!

I'm exhausted from flying so far. I have to stop! But where?! I move my gaze all around what is below me but my eyes are growing heavy again and I can't think straight. The cold is freezing me right to the bone, like it's over coming me. Finally, I give in as I black out. I fall down down down. Straight down. I don't even feel it when I hit the ground.

Sunlight. That's the first thing I feel, shining brightly through gaps in the tall pine trees. And then the twinge of discomfort, a painful throbbing in my head. I slowly open my eyes with an agitated groan. Where am I? Blinded by the light momentarily, my eyes soon adjust and I gaze around my surroundings. Birds are tweeting and whistling in the branches above. It's an early winters morning. I slowly heave myself to my paws, my tired legs and wings complaining in distaste of having to work again.

I would admire the beauty of the day, how the Ones Above have blessed me with this, but then I remember why I am here, what happened back at the Dragon Island. I hang my head woefully, all good thoughts gone, whisked away like a leaf in the autumn winds.

How could I have let this happen? I ask myself despite knowing the answers, I could have saved my mother! I could have done something! But now she's gone.

Then, as I sit their defeated and weak, I feel a new emotion rising up within me.

Hatred. Pure, hot rage. It's boiling in my stomach, filling my whole being. I can feel my eyes flaring with anger. This is no one else's fault other then...The Skylesses. They prevented my mother from bringing enough food. They prevented her from meeting The Great Ones expectations. And they shall pay with blood. I will avenge my mother!

All that has happened, all my previous worries are now the past. That was a long time ago. I have changed in these two days. I am no longer the poor, helpless young dragon who once cowered in the caves. I am the terror of the skies.

I lean back my head and give the un-earthly shriek of the most vicious of all the dragon species.

I am THE NIGHT FURY! And they shall TREMBLE before me!

(Please leave a review to tell me if I should continue)