Second chapter!
The wind from the west was warm through the layer of fur that lay slick along his body and nearly lifted him from the ground with it's strength.
It would be a perfect place to come and practice riding the air currents.
It was a shame the elders didn't use it for such, especially when life would have been far easier on them.
When the whole of the group that was supposed to be learning in a glade and sheltered area of the valley it was hard to get anything done when everyone was distracted by deer or other animals or when someone started a game of water tag in the lake.
True to his nature Bumblebee didn't help in calming down matters but if he was going to learn anything flying was high on his list and to do that he needed to have everyone else at least somewhat focused and calm and as far as he saw these wide grass lands were his answer.
But the elders refused to even acknowledge the area.
It was easy enough to sport from any of the ridges that huged the valley and should be more than obvious from the air.
So that left the question: If the area was so calm and perfect than why they never chose to use it?
Bumblebee never did much like the older dragons opinions, or them in general, all that much. The youngling could easily tune them all out and miss nothing important to himself, and deal with far less of a head ache from certain arrogant or obnoxious adults that made him seem almost tolerable!
Though he didn't like the elders there were a few he enjoyed and could call friend. One was a male nearly a generation older than he and a training clan guardsman.
Optimus was a trusted person, second only to a burly drake by the name of Bulkhead, and someone he went to often when he needed to know something
When he had asked the older dragon to the reason the elders ignored such a place Optimus had given a very strange look.
It was something of confusion and worry.
When he explained Bumblebee had found that long ago the elders had placed the area off limits. No one was to even enter the area and it had been such for generations. The reasons he knew of were foggy but when Optimus had ever heard anything in regards to the plains it was always those quiet murmurs and growling of demons and dark things beyond it's borders.
The bright little youngling had listened and thought all the talk of stories was silly and wanted to go speak to the clan voice himself but at this Optimus had advised against, heavily. Punishment of being restricted to the nursery wards and being put under watch was enough to put that idea from his mind.
Still it bothered him that the spot wasn't used.
Oh well.
It was a waste on their part that made it such a haven for the fledgling.
For even if he couldn't use the area for flight he could run freely over the expanse.
Without much use of his wings running was a way he could fly over the ground. The way he could go blank and let his body work without thought. The way he could loose himself all to easily and just be free.
Out in this open stretch of flat earth he could just run and run and run.
He could pick any direction and just shoot forward without having to change track or think about obstacles.
It was heaven.
It was peace.
It was... totally different than what he was used to?
As his eye had roved over the blurring ground he covered certain things began to ring off.
The long weathered grass stalks of the plains he had run were beginning to thin and sparse. The earth, once soft and supple top soil, had become firmer under foot and more and more rock was beginning to show itself through the dirt.
In any of his time exploring this ground had he ever seen this bit.
Turning his beak up and giving just a quick glance at the sky it showed he had been running longer than normal.
Usually he was able to slip away from the nursery and clan by midday and run until he reached the wolf rocks in the plains where he would turn around and head back to head off to flight lessons. The round trip went from midday to early evening.
Now as he looked to the heavens it must be well past that time for the sky was burning with the oranges and purple hues that came about near sunset and the terrain showed he'd run far further than any other time.
Nervously his tailed swayed, the fur running his spine bristling. He was in so much trouble! Already he would have missed flight lessons and his absence would have not gone unnoticed. His haven would be revealed and the youngling would be nursery bound for months, even years, to come!
Looking back the way he came nervously Bumblebee than turned and stared forward. His gaze followed the ever thinning grass and flat earth that steadily began to become rocky and ridged and sloping as it lead towards a series of long and towering jagged figures that he knew could only be and immense mountain range.
Nervously the golden hued dragon spun about and gathered his options. If he turned around and began to run it would be night before he made the halfway point and ever since day one he had been taught someone of his size should never travel at night unless they had learned to fly properly. And with his muscles beginning to tingle from the long run and his wing still pretty much useless to him that was not a good thing.
Looking to the shadowed range beyond offered no more pleasant options than turning about. It was unfamiliar territory and easy to get lost in. And the ominous air that hung about it's peeks offered no more comfort. Though a couple things made it more appealing.
It was closer than home and somewhere along the rocky terrain Bumblebee could more than likely find a dug out or over hang or cave to settle in before nightfall where he would be safe and protected.
Sighing and giving a low growl of concern the youngling shuffled his paws and stared out to the eerie landscape in trepidation.
Optimus' stories had spoken of harm coming to those that ventured to far into the plains. That demons lived upon it's land and would take no pity on outsiders.
Demons came out at night and maybe this was were they slept in the day.
Waiting until the sunset to slither out and ravage any unwitting trespasser.
Someone like him.
Shaking his head furious Bumblebee glared forward. No no and no. Those were stupid stories to scare hatchlings into following rule and an old dragons superstitions. There were no demons that could hurt him. No boogieman to go bump in the night.
The worst he may have to face in this terrain was a feisty mountain lion or a wandering bear at best. Nothing he couldn't handle.
So with the setting sun painting the sky bloody to his front and his assurance of safety and that he was already in for punishment no matter what the fledgling stepped into the long shadow of the mountains and into the realm of red eyed demons.