Litwolf689's author's note - dodges random objects thrown by angry reviewers
I'm sorry! I am so sorry that it has taken another 7-8 months for this chapter! I'm sorry! My problem is that I only write when I feel inspired or the chapters suck. That's why I'd rather do one-shots and songfics instead of chapter stories. I'm a terrible author! I'm sorry!
Well, here, FINALLY, is the last chapter to Reunions and Partings. Thanks to all the reviewers for putting up with me for so long. I hope this was worth the wait!
Reunions and Partings
Chapter 3: The Hatching
By Litwolf689
20 years later
Normal POV
Bowen rode on his horse out to a spot he knew very well, a spot that he made sure he visited as often as he could: Draco's cave, where the egg of the last dragon on Earth rested.
Things had gone well for Bowen and the rest of the kingdom after Enion had been killed. All the leaders of the villages in the kingdoms assembled and talked about what needed to be done to improve the kingdom. It was decided that a council would rule from now on, not a king. When everything was talked out, old rules were changed and new ones were made, villages were fixed, prices were lowered, and other changes occurred that allowed everyone in the kingdom to be happy.
Bowen tried to stay in touch with his friends but it had been difficult. Kara was given the job of being the head of her village after the battle. She had married and had several children of her own. Brother Gilbert had also become wrapped up in his own work. He had become the head of his own monastery and had spent a great deal of time writing down his journey, the battle, and other things. He had gotten much better at writing, which was a relief to everyone.
Now, almost 20 years from the day Draco had died, Bowen approached the cave to gather the egg, just as he had promised his friend. Though he had come to the cave as often as he could to watch the egg and make sure it was alright, the knight of the Old Code felt excitement flow through him as he dismounted his horse and walked into the cave.
Bowen walked down the familiar path to the cavern at the back of the cave with only a blanket in his hand. Memories of the "dream" he had shared with Draco floated to his mind. He had told Kara and Brother Gilbert about it and they were amazed. Bowen had been worried that they would doubt him but they fully believed him, much to the knight's relief.
Bowen stopped at the entrance to the cavern. The egg lay in the center, still surrounded by the leaves and other plants that kept it warm. It also received extra warmth from the sunlight shining in from the hole in the roof.
Bowen's POV
I walked into the cavern and crouched next to the egg. As usual, I ran my hand over the egg to make sure there were no cracks and sighed in relief when I felt none.
I reached forward and grabbed the egg with two hands, one on each side. I lifted it from its nest. This was the first time it had been taken from its nest. The egg in my hands shook as the dragon inside shifted, almost as if it was surprised from the sudden movement.
I quickly wrapped the egg in the blanket I had brought with me, not wanting too much heat to escape from it. The egg stopped shaking as the unborn dragon stopped moving and settled down.
I held the egg in my arms, amazed to the fact that I was holding the only chance of dragons ever coming back to the Earth.
I smiled as I stood. "Let's go, Drake," I said to the egg as I walked out of the cavern. "Its time to take you to your new home."
Outside, I mounted my horse, turned in the direction of Brother Gilbert's monastery, and galloped away from the cave. As I rode, I completely covered the egg with the blanket to cover it from view. The last dragon egg would be worth a lot to some people and they would be willing to do anything they could to get their hands on the egg. With this thought in mind, I urged my horse to go faster and did not relax my grip on the egg until Brother Gilbert's monastery came into view.
I stopped in front of the gate and called out a greeting. The monks inside answered my call and let me in. I left my horse with a young stable boy and a monk led me to Brother Gilbert's chambers.
I entered my friend's chambers, with the egg still clutched tightly to my chest and looked around. "Brother Gilbert?" I called out when I did not see him anywhere in sight.
"Bowen? Is that you?" I heard the monk call back to me as he emerged from behind a pair of bookshelves.
I smiled. "Yes, it's me," I said. "It's been a while."
Gilbert's eyes were filled with surprise as he walked towards me. "Yes, it certainly has. It has been far too long indeed." He said as he shook my hand. "Please come in. I imagine you must have something very important to tell me because you did not even send a message of your arrival."
"You are right, Brother Gilbert. I come on the most urgent of business." I glanced around at the mess that filled the room. "I hope I have not interrupted anything important."
"No, no, nothing important at all," he assured me. "Besides, anything of any importance can surely be out aside for a moment with an old friend. Now, what kind of business brings you here?"
"Let's sit down," I said, gesturing towards a table. Gilbert nodded and sat in one chair as I sat in the other, on the opposite side of the table. I watched him for a moment before asking: "Do you remember that dream I told you and Kara about?"
Gilbert slowly nodded. "The one with Draco? How could I forget? Why do you mention that dream?"
Instead of answering his question, I simply lifted the egg from my lap and gently placed it on the table, pulling the blanket away so Gilbert could see it. Gilbert's eyes widened with surprise. "Is that Drake's egg?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly with awe. He looked up at me. "Has it been 20 years already?"
"Very nearly," I answered. "It will be in a week. I brought the egg here so you could have some time to prepare."
"I appreciate that, Bowen," the monk said as he stood up. "I will begin preparations immediately." With that, he turned and walked out the door.
I laughed at his seriousness and, with the egg in my arms; I followed him out the door.
A week later
"It's almost time," Gilbert said, his voice full of excitement as he walked towards me. I acknowledged him with a nod and turned my gaze back on the egg.
A week after I brought the egg to Gilbert, both of us were in the basement of the monastery, which was a library containing the oldest scrolls in the monks' possession. Gilbert had showed this place to me and we both agreed this would be the perfect place to hide Draco's son. With the help of the few other monks who would know what lay beneath the monastery, we had pushed some of the bookcases back to make room for the growing dragon. Candles were lit to give us light as Gilbert and I waited for the hatching to begin. We had also drawn back the curtains of a window to allow us a view of Draco's constellation.
The egg now lay in the nest of blankets, which, thought huge now, was big enough to allow a full-grown dragon to lay down comfortably. As Gilbert sat down next to me, the egg started to shake. Gilbert held his breath, as did I as a single crack formed on one side of the egg. From inside came a low growling sound.
"Come on," I whispered as another crack appeared in the egg. "Come on, Drake." The egg continued to shake and cracks kept forming. The growling sound turned into a high-pitched chirping sound.
From inside, the dragon smashed against the egg and a piece came off from the top. The small dragon peeked his head out of the top and took his first breath. He cried out. Drake blinked in the blinding light and looked at his new surroundings.
The monk reached forward to lift the dragon out of his containment but I held him back. Shaking my head, I said, "He must do this on his own."
Almost as if he realized he would not get help, the dragon started to rock against egg. We could hear his tiny claws scratching at the inside of the egg, trying to free himself.
The egg wall that kept Drake back from the world finally gave way to his claws. The egg broke into pieces as the hatchling came tumbling out. Drake lifted his head and began to cry again. I was amazed. I was amazed that this tiny new life was the only hope the dragon race had. I could not believe a whole race's fate had fallen on this small creature's shoulders.
He was lighter in color than Draco, which I assumed he got from his mother. Drake had his father's dark eyes, which looked up at us expectantly. His tail lashed back and forth and his small wings opened and closed, showing his irritation. His claws, which had been sharp enough to break through the shell of his egg, dug into the blankets that surrounded him. Drake was about the size of a full grown cat, which was bigger than I had expected him to be.
As Brother Gilbert and I continued to watch him, Drake opened his mouth and gave another pleading cry. Shaken from our daze, I picked up a spare blanket and reached toward Drake. I hesitated a moment, worried that he might attack me. The hatchling, however, did not seem to mind me as I gently placed the blanket over the dragon's back. Gripping him on his sides, I lifted Drake and placed him on my lap.
Drake gave a contented sigh as I wiped the liquid of the egg from him. Gilbert moved closer, a bottle of warmed milk in his hand. He gave me a questioning look and, at my nod, presented the bottle to Drake. The newborn leaned forward, sniffing it. Upon realizing what it was, he grabbed the nipple with his mouth and happily drank.
Gilbert smiled at me. "I can't believe he's finally here," he whispered.
I nodded my agreement. Taking the bottle from the monk's hand, I stood and walked to the window with Drake, holding him like you would hold a cat. As I stood at the window, I searched the sky. My eyes easily found Draco's constellation. "Well, Draco," I said softly. "He's finally here. Your son has arrived at last."
Drake emptied the bottle and looked up at the sky. I saw his gaze lock on his father's star and I felt a shiver run through his body. Looking down at him, the little dragon's eyes looked slightly unfocused, as though he were in a trance. A moment later, though, he shook himself awake. Drake turned his head and looked at me. There was a kind of understanding in his eyes, as though he knew the very secrets of my soul.
Drake broke his gaze away from mine. He gave a slight growl as he laid his head against my chest and instantly fell asleep.
I turned back towards Gilbert. "He will do great things, this dragon," he commented as he gazed at the sleeping hatchling. "Maybe not in our life time, but he will do great things."
I looked down at Drake. "I believe you are right," I whispered. "He will be as great as his father. He will bridge the connection between humans and dragons. He will do great things, in more ways than one."
Drake's POV
Dark…
Warm…
Soft…
Silent…
Home…
My soft liquid nest was the first thing my mind recognized as I woke up. It never changed. I felt no need to explore the world around me. My nest was the only thing I needed. It was home.
Suddenly, my warm nest that had been my home for as long as I could remember became my enemy. The darkness was lonely; I wanted light. The small safe space in which I lived became crowded; I wanted to stretch my body. The warmth that had held me for so long became an unbearable heat; I wanted to cool my scales. The silence was deafening; I wanted to hear my own voice.
I thrashed against my confinement, no longer my home but a prison. I felt my legs unfold from under me to strike out against the hard surface that caged me in. I stretched my head out and hit the top of the... well, I did not know what held me against my will, but I hit the top of it.
I growled as my claws hit the surface again and again. I smashed my head against the area that blocked me off the rest of… whatever was beyond this wall. I hit the top again and I heard something break above me. I thrust again and suddenly I was out.
Light surrounded me, blinding me. I cried out in fear and surprise. For a moment I thought to retreat back to my nest but I feared that if I did, I would be stuck down there forever. So, instead, I closed my eyes against the bright light and then opened them. I did this several times before I could keep them open long enough to see where I was.
I looked around me. The place where I was was dark, with little dots of light filling the space. Two forms rose up before me. They moved slightly and watched me. One reached toward me. I held my breath in fear before the other stopped him. The second figure spoke with the other; I could feel the vibrations in the air.
Though my head was free, the rest of my body was still imprisoned. I hit my legs, tail, and wings against walls of my cage again and again. My claws tried to find a hole in the surface to tear at and they found their mark. A piece of shell came free and my claws suddenly felt no boundary. Encouraged by my breakthrough, I continued to thrash and claw until the rest of the shell fell away.
I lay on a soft surface. I felt joy as my wings gently beat at the air around me. I dug my claws into the soft surface beneath me. My eye sight had become less blurry and now I could see more details of the figures before me. I could tell they were staring at me and I stared right back.
After a moment or two, I felt rumble in my stomach rumble. Confused, I raised my wings and moved my tail to get the attention of the two creatures that were not the same as me. When that did not work, I cried out.
The two figures turned their focus towards me. One figure grabbed something and started to move towards me. I felt fear again as the object was dropped on top of me. I found, though, that it was soft and comforting; its surface very similar from the one I laid on.
The tall creature moved toward me. My first thought was to back away, but I saw no reason to fear him; I sensed that he did not want to hurt me. I felt something grip me by my sides and lift me into the air. A second later, I felt the ground beneath my feet once more.
The creature that held me started to wipe my scales with the soft object while the other smaller creature held something out to me. I took a hesitant sniff of the thing and come instinct told me that I should accept what he offered me. So I grabbed the object in my mouth and drank the delicious liquid that was inside.
The creatures that were not like me talked some more. While I could still not understand what they were saying, the sounds they were using were becoming clearer to my ears but before I could focus completely on the sounds, I was once more lifted into the air and moving away from the smaller creature.
We approached a large opening in the wall. The creature rearranged his hold on me so I was looking up and out of the opening. As he spoke again, I finished drinking and looked up.
The black hole in front of me was cover with tiny little white lights. I gazed up at the lights in awe, wondering how they stayed up there. One light caught my eye. It seemed to dance under my gaze. I suddenly felt sleepy but my eyes would not close. I felt my mind leave my body to seek a world of dreams…
I woke to feel warmth all around me. Something was curled around my body but in a comforting way. A warm breeze beat down on my body. I lifted my head to look around me.
"Now look, you woke him up. I told you not to disturb him." The soft, affectionate, and feminine growl came from above me so I looked up.
I saw two creatures towering over me but they were not like the others I had been with a little while ago. These two were even larger and they were the same as me. I felt no fear, though; only a sense of love, safety, and kinship.
"It's not like I wanted to wake him," said a deep male voice from over me. "I just wanted to get a better look at him."
I heard the female, the one who had wrapped her tail around me give a deep sigh and turn to look at me with her blue eyes. "Hello, Drake," she whispered to me.
I gazed back at my mother, for I finally realized that she and the other dragon were my parents. My father now dipped his head to watch me too. I tried to speak to them but all that left my mouth was a high pitched squeak.
"Don't worry Drake. I know you're too young to speak and maybe even to understand," the laughter was evident in my mother's voice. "But all you have to do right now is listen. Just listen and remember" My head bobbed up and down in a nod to show I understood.
She lifted her head and started to sing. The note sounded almost like a purr that echoed against the cave walls. A moment later, my father joined her; his deep tenor a direct opposite of her higher soprano. When I picture the dragons singing, I picture it a little different than from when Draco sang to Tara in the movie, but you can think of it however you want
Along with their changing notes, came pictures to my mind. Quick flashes that showed only to my mental eye. I realized that my parents were showing me what was to come in my life, what may occur.
As my parents reached the end of the song, a final image came to my mind. A sound from above me, like that of a gate opening. I moved forward to greet my visitor, either a young skittish monk-in-training or the wise master of the monastery.
As I reached the end of the tunnel, the scent of the human came to me and I stopped. This scent was new, not that of any of my few visitors. I turned the corner to see who it was and…
That was when my mother and father's song stopped. I whined in frustration. I tried to cling to the images but they were already slipping away from me.
I cried out, wanting the larger dragons to continue the song. They both laughed and my mother ducked her head to touch her snout to mine. "Don't worry, my son. You will understand all in good time."
I turned my head to my father, hoping he would help me where my mother refused. He only shook his head and said, "Listen to your mother, Drake."
"We must leave soon." My mother said quickly, the sadness clear in her voice. She nuzzled me and I moved closer to her, not wanting this moment to end. "I'm sorry we cannot be with you when you need us most, but we will always love you. Never forget that."
She pulled away and my father quickly filled her place. His breath was warm on my scales as he leaned close. "All will be well, my son. We know that you will do what you must."
He pulled back and both my parents gazed at me for a moment longer. My mother gave a shaky side and a small nod. "Its time."
"Good-bye Drake." My parent's words echoed in my head as I drifted off to sleep once more.
I woke to find my self back in the tall man's arms. I turned my head and looked him face-to-face for the first time. His face was gentle but firm. His beard had not been shaved in a while. His eyes looked upon me with kindness. His name suddenly came to my mind. 'Bowen'
I felt myself relax as understanding filled me. This man would help me in the coming days. He would help to teach me and protect me. I knew I was safe with him.
Exhaustion suddenly swept over me. I laid my head down, growling in a way of saying good-night. Then I slept.
The End!
Well, what did you think? I hope you enjoyed it. Sorry things were a little rushed at the end.
I am so sorry that things took forever! This is why chapter stories are such a pain for me to write. I am very busy with school and Girl Scouts, so I don't have a lot of time to write and when I do have time, I have no inspiration. Sorry!
Thanks for hanging around between the long periods of no updating and thanks for taking the time to read and review my story!
THANKS AND SORRY!
