"Revelation"
Chapter One: Dawn of the Black Dragon

Jane and the Dragon belongs Martin Baynton and Weta: Any Crossovers or Cameo's you find within this piece are purely done out of respect to those who originally conceived them.
If you like the story, or even if you don't. Honest reviews are always welcome.
This particular plot-bunny was originally conceived by HeatherTheHuntress: and was adopted with permission.

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While flying patrol a dark spot in an oddly shaped clearing drew Jane's attention and she signaled the green dragon with her knees urging him to circle lower so she could get a better look.

"Oi, is that Gunther?" Dragon called back. His louder voice was less likely to be snatched away by the wind than hers but still he pointed his sinuous neck and banked in the direction of the familiar figure struggling to control his prancing steed.

"I do believe your right." Jane shouted back, "Come in for a landing."

"Landing…Right!" the dragon acknowledged and coasted into the edge of the clearing.

"Need help Gunther?" Jane asked smugly.

The grey mare shied dangerously under the inexpert handling of the dark-haired apprentice-knight. Finally he was forced to dismount and give his full attention to soothing his fractious steed. "You have helped quite enough thank you." Gunther growled, "—and it is a wonder I was not killed. It was your bloody great shadow that spooked my mount in the first place."

"Was not!" Dragon defended petulantly. "Do not blame us if you are not cut out to sit astride a barrel, let alone something as wildly complicated as a horse." Dragon rolled his eyes. "You were already having difficulty when we first spotted you, my shadow was miles away. You short-lives have no eyes for detail. It was probably just that dirt-clod that you saw.

"That so called dirt-clod IS a rather large hill and there is something about it that strikes me as odd." Gunther conceded. "Maybe it is an ancient barrow grave like Sir Theodore was telling us about."

Jane frowned at the idea "I would think they would be covered with grass rather than made of raw earth. Someone must have put it there recently. I do not remember seeing it the last time we came this way."

Gunther shrugged. "Maybe YOU just did not notice it before. Perhaps it looks Different because one of the local farmers stripped the sod from it so he would have extra fuel this winter. Or, maybe it was something more sinister, like grave robbers. Perhaps we should check it out to make sure the remains have not been disturbed; Unless you are afraid…You are not too afraid to check it out ARE you Jane?" He goaded looping the horse's reigns loosely around a tree branch.

"That is precisely what WE planned on doing." Jane announced brazenly, not even bothering to dismount from Dragon she merely urged the beast closer as Gunther approached the mound on foot.

Suddenly, a great serpentine neck reared up revealing what they had taken for an earthen mound was in fact great black dragon. As accustom to Dragon's presence as Jane was this one seemed an all together different kind of beast; Menacing…dangerous. Her mind froze with shock for a few heartbeats, she might even have screamed.

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"LEAVE." The stranger demanded forcefully. The spirited mare jerked her reigns free from the branch and bolted. But he received no response from the other three. He let out an ominous growl; "Leave or die!" The dragon's cold golden eyes squinted and he showed his fangs dangerously. He did not warn them a third time. He lashed out with his massive tail and sent the dark haired rider sprawling. Lurching to his feet he let out a beastly beast roar; "NOW!"

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Dragon was beside himself with confusion. He had long imagined what it would be like to find another of his kind and long despaired that he was in fact the last. Now in one instant his world had been turned upside-down. He was not alone…he was rejected. Tears stung dragon's eyes as he arched his back and with a great leap took to the air; wings pumping and the wind in his teeth, Jane had all she could do just to hold on.

"What are you doing you crazy great lizard!" she screamed at him, "We have to go back! Gunther is still down there! We can not leave him behind!" Dragon did not respond. He was so consumed by emotion he did not even hear her.

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Drake heaved a great sigh, grateful to be alone once more. Well mostly alone anyway. He took one great talon and set it on the back of the inert rider. The quilted grey doublet would be little protection if he chose to bear down, even a little, the frail human would be no more; Pinned to the earth like an insect in his master's collection box. What was to say he should not do just that? Stinking humans; disserved to die for all the pain he had been forced to endure over the years.

And yet…Who is he to judge all humans by his experiences. That one brief glimpse of the strangers seemed to imply things in this kingdom were quite different than he was accustomed to. Despite their necessary departure it seemed as if the young human with the red mane viewed the immature green as companion rather than mount and that was unusual to say the least. Drake snorted sending a puff of smoke curling up into the crisp autumn air. It had not been right that humans judged him and found him guilty of deeds done by others of his kind generations before he had hatched. No one cared that he had done nothing yet still spent most of his life as a slave. Someone should pay," Drake reasoned. "But if he were to take revenge on this starveling youth from a distant kingdom that would make him as great a criminal as those he despised. Better to let the creature wake, prove its malicious intent…as doubtless he would, and then eat him.

Yes, Drake reasoned, that was much more 'civilized.' But it would not do to stay around here waiting for those two interlopers to return. They would surely object…and that would be…messy. The great black dragon used his snout to flip the unconscious form over, coiled his tongue around one leg, drew the body onto his maw closing his fangs carefully to form a cage. With an awkward spring Drake left the newly made clearing and clawed his way into the sky. Taking off from the ground was painful His leather wings had been pierced with many flaming arrows as he made his escape. But once in the air he could coast and glide with relative ease…and matchless grace. Drake knew the wounds would heal just as so many others had over the years. Then, it had been a matter of survival, but now, he had all the time in the world.

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The young apprentice knight woke disoriented. He blinked but his staring eyes met only darkness. Is it night already? Gunther wondered straining to see if he could make out any familiar star patterns far overhead. But there were no stars. "Where am I?" he lay unmoving his ribs ached horribly and he racked his brain trying to piece together exactly what had happened. "I was riding back to the castle after spending several days in town with father. A dark shadow or something spooked Daisy and I was having difficulty controlling her. Then I saw Jane and that blasted dragon…DRAGON! His mind screamed and it all came pouring back… It was going to eat me! Then his heart skipped a beat…maybe it DID eat me. That would explain the lack of stars. Maybe he had been swallowed whole and was even now inside it slowly being digested. The thought made him wretch. Gunther rolled over onto his hands and knees. It felt like stone beneath him rather than sand or dirt. This was not what one would assume the inside of a dragon would feel like. But then again he had never been inside a dragon and had never heard of any who had and lived to recount the adventure.

Gunther groped about blindly like a mole exploring his surroundings with his hands; straining his ears for any clue. It may have merely been his imagination but it seemed he could hear deep raspy breathing and the steady thud of a heart beat. It could not be his own for the organ in his chest was pounding at a much faster pace. In point of fact it felt like a bird fluttering wildly trying to escape the cage of his ribs. I am not going to die…I am not going to die…I am not dead. He told himself nearly frantic.

Drake had no difficulty seeing in complete darkness. He watched the pathetic human crawling about the floor of the cave. He almost pitied the creature, almost. But Drake had spent nearly a century chained in a warren such as this; shut away from wind and sky, alone but for the humans who tortured and tormented him; Forbidden to associate with others of his kind. The black dragon knew all too well what it felt like to be lost in the dark. But there was no need for darkness now. With a quick intake of breath he shot a jet of flame into a pile of kindling he had collected illuminating the cave in a shower of sparks. The human, dazzled by the sudden brilliance squealed in fear, reared to his feet, and bolted into the nearest side passage like a frightened rabbit. "You can not go that way." Drake called after the retreating figure but really could not be bothered to pursue him. If the creature fell to his death it could hardly be blamed on him. The great dragon stretched one forelimb and idly nibbled on a talon.

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Gunther panicked. There was no other way to describe it. He only unconsciously registered seeing the darkness come alive with golden eyes as large as serving platters and the cool gleam of fangs, thick as his forearm and as long and as cavalry sabers. That, paired with the shock of going from impenetrable darkness to searing light in a fraction of a second, triggered some primal fear that sent the young apprentice knight fleeing for his life. Farther down the winding tunnel his footsteps slowed. Blind flight was hardly the sensible thing, especially over unfamiliar territory. But now that he had slowed, and considered his circumstance for a few heartbeats, it became clear he was in a cave…and it was lighter than it had been. It figured that should he continue in the direction he had been traveling he would likely come to an exit.

The light intensified and Gunther felt a spring return to his step at the prospect of emerging into the world once more. He had come only a short distance more when he burst into full sunlight only to see the path he had been following, fall away in a shear cliff. Hundreds of feet below a beautiful valley yawned temptingly before him. The warm sun picked out silver streams and sparkling waterfalls. The virgin forest clothed in autumn splendor took his breath away. But there were no signs of habitation and no going any farther. His only option was to turn around and go back the way he had come; back to the cavern where the monster doubtlessly waited.