Shadow Spinners

Chapter Two

~Lo! if we were taller then our shadows.~

--Lucy Maud Montgomery, author of Anne of the Green Gables

I watched the sun rise. I hadn't imagined the color of blood was so beautiful and twisted. The forest bathed in the treacherous, warm glow. How deceitful, that consciously this glow warmed you yet physically it did not. I starred at it in wonder, locking it in my memory. Will this happen again? Will I ever see the like of it again? I hoped so. I was blissfully ignorant.

It was morning now yet I did not tier. It was pleasant and clear and the beauty of the forest seemed exhilarate me in a giddy way as I walked in calmness. Plentiful were the birds—yet didn't gossip like others. They had an eerie undisturbed silence. I didn't notice nor care, how was I to know how birds acted?

I decided I would walked beside the first stream I saw next time, I was growing thirsty again. My last drink was taken during the twilight of yesterday.

I walked on and on. I was careful not on step into fiend's territory, it was a skill I didn't even know I had. I supposed I knew so little about myself—as if I was in other's body—which I admit, chilled me. It was an experience I wouldn't care to remember. What foolishness was I thinking about? I was myself, me—nothing would change that. Right. Right? I asked myself seeking reassurance.

I reflected.

No. Terribly no. A wave of coolness filled and gripped my chest as I acknowledged this; I looking down at my well wore footwear. To ease myself I presumed knowing that much about me was enough. However, inside that gnawing tooth ached to know.

Suddenly looking up, I stopped myself before I took another step. It was silent—the whole forest. Only my steps echoed.

Something is wrong!

The revelation was so clear to my ears they were ringing. An immediate reflex took me to the side of caution. I hide under a tree.

Why? I did not know. I did not know anything. All I could do was trust myself which, oddly enough I found hard to do.

I knew nothing yet I relied on a side of myself I knew hardly of! Distrust—Yes, quite a jest— I even do not trust myself!

I cleanse to mock myself. It happened so fast.

It seemed that the light across the forest dimmed. No, 'dimmed' would not be the right word. Not to describe the sudden change that occurred; a ripple of tremor and shiver that swept throughout the forest.

Was it my imagination that suddenly everything—birds, trees, wind, grew muted in silence and suppressed a shudder? Was it my imagination that the darkness substituted the wind, like a dark gray flow of gossamer and that feeling; as it flew through a being and filled it with a cool shudder full of numbness? Was it my imagination that through that swift, phantom breeze, the air grew heavy with fear?

Was it my imagination that I thought it a shadow?

No.

I felt that tiny sent of life in the darkness. What could have laid such a shadow? Unconsciously I closed my eyes and asked the alien but fellow darkness. No answer, however I could feel a yearning; this thing was searching for something. What? But again there was no answer to my plea.

Did I dare look up? The instinct that I had relied on so heavily answered a plain, determine "NO."

With a solemn, intent face I looked up, through the lace of branches and leaves and what I saw sent a shiver down my spine-like a rock disturbing sedate water-and made me realize my defenseless state. A Dragon. A huge, jackass, mistake-of-God, Dragon.

I turned cold.

What was minutes felt like hours. When is it going to go? I stiffened and didn't dare to move for caution that those sharp eyes might notice me. And I wager they would notice if they only felt the weight of my glaze so I tore my eyes away from the fascinating creature.

Then, suddenly those massive wings flapped hard—so that the trees quaked—and the creature turned a sharp half-spin and landed with boneless grace I thought till now not possible to muster in such a large beast. The magnificent dragon beamed rage and hatred that was so full of pure power that it was felt and vented off like heat waves. It took no seer of Darkness to see that.

It opened it's mouth and spoke fuming with fury and loath, booming, "YOU WILL PAY! I WILL SEEK YOU OUT! DEATH BE HORRID FOR YOU"—venomously—"HUMAN! I WILL TAKE BACK WHAT YOU STOLE! IF I DID NOT PRIZE MY POSSESSION WHICH YOU WHOLE--IF YOU WERE NOT SOMEWHERE IN MY FOREST I WOULD SEETH YOU WITH MY SMOKE ALONE AND MAKE YOU DIE SLOWLY! COME FACE ME!!!"

I covered my ears—dung myself in the ground and yet felt ever word bellowed into my very bones. Trees fell down. At last, infuriated and raging the Dragon breathed fire that lassoed into the sky like a whip.

I had thought fire was the same color of blood and the sunrise. How mistaken I was. This fire was white. A white that was so hot it looked cool, flew like water, and didn't flicker. The beast elapsed into the air and away; sounding his bellowing voice into another part of his territory, searching.

Delirious, I stood up on weak legs, feeling as if in a dream. What was that!?! I could only be thankful of my luck. (I knew I was a human) and if that monster saw me he would have certainly put a horrible death on me without a moments thought.

It was obvious that a human had stolen something very valuable from this dragon and this dragon had come seeking revenge. This knowledge didn't intrigue me but only made me move my legs in haste.

To where? I did not know. I didn't know anything.

All I knew was that this dragon would be more than happy--and willing to share his ample anger with a defenseless human, like myself. And that a complete lucky fool or a cunning, dangerous human being wanted by an enraged dragon was in the same area as I.

An area I wouldn't mind to lengthen and abandon entirely between us.

Oh, how fool-hearty I was; I didn't know I was doing the opposite.

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R2R

Lady Crysania Majere~ Yah Allah! You've made me ssooo happy! Thank YOU! I so happy you thought it was good! DarkAngelB~ ^_____* Hehehehe………Lloyd is coming alright! Hope you enjoyed this chappie too! I'll be sure to see your stories. *o* Wanderer~ 0.o Ohhhhhh…!!! I was sssooo thrilled when I first read your review. I am going to see if you have any stories! Aerena~ Thank you so much! You have no idea how that brighten my day! I adore you, you always review no matter how sticky my Legend of Dragoon stories are! Your like I sister I never had! (but I've heard their pretty mean—but you know what I mean!) I'll see if you have some more stories to review when I have some time, I promise.

~Muslima