I was reborn as a tiny flickering flame. I felt weak, yet encompassed by this blazing inferno of fire and storm, the other little flames beside me, all around me, and I felt safe. I felt at home. The inferno fed us tiny bits of itself constantly, and even its mightiness began to waver with the amount it was providing.

The storming inferno gave away, thinning over a long time and breaking apart. There was a surge, and the inferno, now a very large fire with a powerful tempest pushed as the other force sucked and I was being dragged out.

I resisted as much as I possibly could- not enough- never enough against these great forces. I bucked and squirmed against it- a tight, squeezing sensation forcing me out of my home. I bit out, desperate to clutch onto anything- something. I just wanted to stay safe and alive and I couldn't be not out there never out there. My teeth closed around something soft and vulnerable. I held on desperately- too desperately, as it was torn away from wherever it came from.

I was dropped against many soft materials, wet and not the only one wriggling about. I felt the presences behind me, even under the strange slick smooth and though soft, were strangely scaly. The slick wasn't the only thing though. There was something warmer, stickier pooling at my belly.

Quickly it felt as if it was lapped away and there was a whine of pain and what sounded like someone chewing on a piece of meat before it was swallowed.

I cried out, high pitched and sharp. It was a cry that sounded familiar- not in sound or noises but in tone. Like a small animal calling for its guardian's help.

In response to my high, keening cries, a soft noise drifted, turning larger and larger until all noise settled. Whatever was above me was large enough to turn my world darker than it already was and what felt like a tongue lapped at me. On this tongue, I smelt the blood of what was a part of my little brood and I cried even louder.

This time it crooned, purring and rubbing a part of itself against me in comfort. I settled and fell back asleep.

I wasn't quite sure how much time had passed, but the seemingly invisible crust in my eyes seemed to dissipate day by day, and I could feel small little pinpricks against my scales, and small sounds, playful in tone. I still mewled in protest, giving out a cry. Every time I did it, the little nuisances were removed from my side. Eventually I opened my eye to the world presented before me.

I let myself call for help when I was met with a huge imposing lizard and its small little hoard.

When the thing approached, I hissed out. The giant lizard looked surprise for one moment before it aver a long soft crone. It gave me a soft, gentle nudge with its snout against mine. She was so large compared to me- humongous really. She could kill me with a flick of her razor-sharp claws and could crush me with her jaws, and those teeth- long and sharp- could pierce through my soft little body easily.

Instead she opened her jaws and roared powerful and filled with such fire and storm I quaked.

I found myself roaring right back, a tiny little fire and two ice chips scraping together.

Daughter she had roared at me, and so I learned my first word

Mother, was my response, and so I discovered my second