To my readers, who are at this point, few in number, thank you! I'm new to and I'm just learning the ropes, so I ask that you have patience with my foibles.

My first chapter is more like a prologue to the real events of the story, and the M rating doesn't apply until several chapters later, after Benrel has Impressed his lovely green. If you want
to stick with me until then, many thanks. This story has been brewing in the back of my mind for months, and only now am I starting to put it into actual words. Hopefully you will enjoy it.

=) Johnny Stickles (=

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The small rock cottage stood out on the edge of the fields. A small banner bearing Fort Hold's colors fluttered slightly in the night breeze, and inside, the soft snores of children could be heard. It was a comfortable if not large in the cottage. The living area and the kitchen were the same, and a large pot sat at the back of the banked fire, to simmer overnight. The coals still glowed orange and would send out small sparks when it fell apart. Two boys shared a room, all of different ages, the youngest, Selven, only five. The oldest child, Benrel, was eleven. They slept soundly after a hard day spent out tending to the crops from the crack of dawn. Thread was due to fall in a sevenday, and with luck, the crops would be ripe for harvesting in a few days.

Benrel was out in the middle of a Fall! He didn't remember how he had come to be there, but in the distance he saw the hazy grayness in the sky that meant Thread! He had to get back to the cottage, underneath solid stone where the deadly ribbons could not reach him. Behind him, he heard the hissing of Thread eating through crops, and with the horrible screams of the runnerbeasts he knew that someone had forgotten to send them to the stables. He ran toward the cottage, but no matter how fast he ran, it was the same distance away! It was as if the house was moving away from him! He saw dragons appear from between to protect the crops and the cottage from Threadfall, and he cheered! He danced and cavorted, and gave another gleeful yell! But the yell died in his throat and turned to a scream of shock and horror as the dragons soared down upon his house and breathed fire onto it. The rocks of the stone cottage turned red, but inside the wooden supports began to burn and blacken, getting weaker every second as the flames ate away at them. Benrel ran inside, screaming for his parents, his brother, telling them to get out, get out! But he could not find them in all the smoke, and his breathing became ragged as he choked on the acrid smoke that was filling the air. He ran outside, yelling, crying, screaming to nobody.

"Help! Somebody, please help! My house! It's on fire! Please!"

*******

Benrel's eyes opened slowly, his breathing heavy. The smell of smoke was thick in the air, and for a moment, he thought he was still dreaming. But in an instant he realized that this was no longer a dream, and he panicked. What happened? Had Thread fallen early, and dragons flamed the house? He looked around, and in the thick smoke he could barely make out his brothers forms. They were asleep, but coughing, unaware that they were killing themselves with each breath. Benrel went to them, shaking them, telling them to get up, to please wake up! Selven woke first, and was groggy, unaware that he was actually awake.

"Selven! Selven, look at me!" Benrel had to shout to be heard over the crackling of all the wood now burning in the house. "Go outside! Wait outside and don't come back in!" Selven eyes grew large at this statement, and finally realizing that the air was filled with smoke, began to cry. "Go Selven! I need to wake mum and dad! Go!" Benrel cried.

Selven ran outside, crying, hugging himself as he saw his house burning up. Inside, Benrel was running to his parents room. He reached their door, and when he grabbed the handle, his flesh was seared by the superheated metal. Bracing himself, he tried again, but though the handle turned and burned his hand, the door was swollen shut from the heat. He banged on the door, hoping to wake them.

"Wake up! Mum! Dad! The house is on fire!" Benrel managed to say, though it ended with a ragged cough. He continued pounding and shouting, yelling as loud as he could though the smoke filled his lungs. The smoke was too much, but he had to wake his parents! Crying now, he pounded with all his might, but his parents didn't answer, and the door did not budge. The heat was unbearable, and the smoke was choking him. The house was quaking while the fire licked away at it's supports, weakening it every second. Benrel pounded on his parents door one last time, and with a hacking cough, and a choking sob, left his parents.

Benrel ran outside, and saw Selven crying to himself and staring at the house. He went to him, and pulled him close, hugging him tight. They both stared at the house, not knowing what to do. Suddenly, the house gave a great shudder. It shook, and swayed, and gave another groan. Then, with nothing more than a creak, a crunch, and a crack, the house collapsed.

Too late came the hoof beats of runnerbeasts and the helping hands of those from Fort Hold. The brothers had survived, but were now orphans.