When Tickling A Dragon
. . . . .
For future flamers, here's my artistic license.
I own nothing but my imagination, so take what you want; just give me an honorable mention in the notes.
Please bear with the intro; dreams tend to be a little confusing.
. . . . . .
Icy rain pelted my skin, soothing the bruises and washing much of the mud off as I lay curled up against the tree. My body hurt so much that I didn't even want to think of sitting up, let alone going back to my aunt and uncles.
"Let us off at the playground!"
That had been all my fat cousin had to say after the fiasco at the zoo. Caught between him and Piers, I never had a chance.
They'd dragged me to the back corner of the neighborhood playground, which had a lovely thick copse of trees, making it a favorite spot for Dudley's gang to beat up other kids.
Both had thankfully gotten bored, or exhausted, fairly quickly and wandered back home, but that had still left me in a bruised heap. Worse, Dudley had also smashed my glasses almost as soon as he'd knocked them off my face. Aunt Petunia would be annoyed with me for that. Especially when I told the doctor what happened.
It was nearly dark now, and to no surprise, no one had bothered to come looking for me after all. Not that I could complain since aunt Petunia would have just hissed at me to get up in her shrill voice. Vernon would step on me. Possibly even by accident.
I closed my eyes and imagined being free for once. Free of the Dursleys. Free of Dudley's gang. Free of Little Whinging.
The idea was so lovely I never even noticed drifting off despite the cold rain. I did notice how nice the small grove smelled. The rich earth mixing with the trees was much better than my cupboard. There is an oily scent from car exhaust, but it's muted, probably thanks to how far we are from the road.
It really is a very nice scent. I thought as I dreamed about exploring a forest by it alone.
The rich smell of the trees intermingled with the sharper scents of the bushes and sweeter ones coming from flowers, all mingling with the healthy decay coming up from the ground.
The scent I liked the most was the rain.
Even now, the feel of it running through my hair was no longer quite so cold as it passed through the thick mass, never quite reaching my skin. It tickled, though, and I suddenly had the urge to shake vigorously.
Water whipped away in shimmering arcs, and my ribs protested the motion enthusiastically, dragging a grunt of pain from me.
It came out as an oddly high-pitched yelp, and when I tried to rub my chest to ease the pain, my arm contorted even more painfully as if someone had just tried to rip it out of its socket.
Caught off guard, I fell onto my side, and I barely managed to bite down on another yelp as my bruised ribs hit the ground.
Once the pain subsided enough for me to think, I frowned, not remembering getting on to all fours in the first place. Soft whines echoed from my throat where a groan should have been despite my clenched teeth.
That was when a massive shadow came from nowhere to settle down beside me. Green eyes set over a narrow black-furred muzzle full of ivory-colored fangs gazed inquisitively down from where the wolf lies easily on its stomach.
It's hard to make out the details in the strange twilight filling the grove, but I could tell the beast beside me was huge from the shadow of its head, which looked a big as my chest. Other than its size and distinctive eyes, the only other notable trait I could make out was at the center of the beast's forehead. A twisted patch of white amidst the black that could be a lightning bolt but looked more like a claw or talon.
The beast nuzzled me gently with its nose, licking my head and ears affectionately as I tried to stand. My limbs felt awkward as I forced them under me, trying to get back on to my hands and knees. That's when I noticed my hands weren't hands at all. They were large paws covered in black fur. Yelping in surprise, I straighten my limbs so quickly I actually jump almost a foot into the air.
The landing isn't pleasant.
The wolf was by my side in an instant, mouth lolling open in a wide grin as he jumped playfully on my side with his front paws before lowering his head to rub it affectionately against mine. Excited yips and snarls filled the air as it darted about as he tried to get me to play.
You'd think it was a puppy. It was an amusing thought as I watched the beast jump about. It's enormous for its age if it really is a puppy; the bloody thing was even bigger than I thought.
I tried to stand again, leaning heavily on the wolf who, finally, stood still. Just as I made it to my feet, I realized I could see the actual tip of my nose in front of me. It was a little strange, especially with how it blocked a portion of my vision, but at the same time, my eyesight had suddenly become incredible at the same time.
Even with glasses, my eyes had never been all that great, but now I could make out things as fine as the texture of the bark and leaves, even in the dim twilight currently filling the forest.
Beside me, the wolf growled playfully, then nipped at my ears before jumping back. Caught by surprise, I tried to tell him to stop, but all that came out was a sharp growl. Undeterred, the wolf jumps at me, shoving me with his paws, toppling me all over again.
The process repeated for what felt like hours but eventually led to me not only being able to stand comfortably but even jump and run with some degree of grace as I raced my new friend about the forest.
A heavy mist had formed while we played, adding an extra sense of mystery to the woods as I chased after my new friend's black flanks as he darted between the trees at incredible speed.
He vanished over a large boulder, and I didn't hesitate to follow. I cleared the eight-foot height just as easily, front paws catching the smooth lip with ease, not losing an announce of momentum. I still wasn't fast enough, and my friend had already vanished in the bare heartbeat I'd lost sight of him.
In the distance, a long eerie howl penetrated the thick mist and twilight-lit woods. It was a call to join his hunt. My stomach growled, and I raced to join him.
Faster and faster, I ran, the tangled brush, frequent boulders, and fallen trees no obstacle in my pursuit. I'm quick to pick up his scent. It's thick and musty and spoke of good health and power. His prey was fainter and much more pleasant, driving me on even faster.
Then she screamed.
She was young. Very young, utterly terrified, and very, very human.
In that moment, panic gripped me, and I charged recklessly through a thick bracket, breaking into a small clearing overlooking a large ravine.
She was even younger than I'd feared, younger than me even, and I could all but smell her fear as she ran towards me, away from her hunter. Her once fine green dress was heavily stained from the forest, and her white-blond hair was tangled with leaves and even a few twigs.
Most importantly, it wasn't my friend that was hunting her.
It wasn't even a wolf. Oh, the head was almost right, but the creature is remarkably human-looking aside from its thick grey fur and oddly shaped legs.
I never slowed. Pale-colored eyes met mine as the girl spotted me, and she stumbled. A deep basso roar echoed from the monster as it celebrated its success.
I lept, clearing the top of the girl's head effortlessly, and slammed head-on into the monster, sending both of us to the ground in a tangled mess right at the edge of the ravine. I lunged for its throat opening a ragged gash, but the thick fur and muscle kept me from reaching the artery.
Fire flared as the monster's claws caught my shoulder, ripping three jagged lines in return. Yelping in pain, I shoved free of the tangle before the creature could get a proper grip.
I managed, but not with another shallower rake closer to my back legs. Despite the pain, I forced myself between the girl and the monster. It snarled viciously at me, outraged by my interference coming out in a blood-curdling rumble.
My chest rattled, my shoulder and sides aching as I answered in kind.
The beast's anger faded ever so slightly at the sound as it looked at me almost inquisitively, clearly confused. Any chance, if there'd ever really been one, to lead it away vanished as the girl behind me moved.
Reminded of its prey, the Monster lunged.
Out of options, I rammed my uninjured shoulder into the beast's leg, throwing my entire body against it. In a lifetime's worth of luck, the beast toppled over my back and crashed into the ravine in an uncontrollable roll, rapidly vanishing into the mist below.
Staggering to the edge, I listened to it fall, each meaty thump or wet crack kindling just a bit more hope that it was all over. I kept listening well after everything went silent; ears pricked for the slightest sound, but nothing came.
Eventually, the pain of my wounds started to set in, forcing me away. With nowhere else to go, I limped towards the girl. She was still staring at where the beast had fallen, a dazed look on her face. Just making it to her side left me panting for breath.
Despite the pain, I crooned softly to the girl and tried to smell for injuries over the scent of my own blood. There was but to faint to be anything more than a handful of bad scratches.
I brushed my nose against her cheek, startling the girl, and storm grey eyes widened behind silky blond bangs as she met my eyes. I stepped back to not scare her further, but surprise shifted rapidly to panic. "Don't- don't go." Her grey eyes became a stormy mix of emotion as she reached out to me.
I hesitated, if only because I knew I was covered in blood, even if it didn't show. The three claw marks on my shoulder were particularly painful, and I could feel the slow but steady trickle beneath my fur running down my leg. I took another step back, and pain or possibly fear flashed in the girl's eyes like a lightning bolt. My gut clenched in sudden guilt, and I hesitantly stepped back to her side.
The storm settled, and the girl smiled at me, tentatively offering her hand. I sniffed it gently, enjoying the underlying herbal scent the forest and dirt failed to cover. It's a warm, interesting scent that verges on the edge of spicy. More importantly, it was almost painfully familiar.
So fixated on her scent, I didn't see the hand coming until it brushed against my cheek, small fingers slipping through the stiff pelt. I flinched and tried to jump back, but my injured limb finally faltered, and I ended up sprawling across the girl's lap instead.
Pain lanced up my shoulder from the gashes dragging a yelp of pain from me, and my limbs flailed as I tried to right myself.
The girl gasped, no doubt finally seeing the blood as it coated her dress, and she tried to hold me still with surprising strength. " Don't move; you'll make it worse." Her voice was more desperate than confident.
"LYRA!" A man shouted off in the distance.
"UNCLE!" She shouted back. "I'M OVER HERE; I NEED HELP!"
I heard the rustling of someone charging through the underbrush at what had to be a reckless pace for a human, and it didn't sound like he was alone.
The tension racking the girl's body slowly dwindled as the footsteps drew nearer. I half expected her to pass out as they rushed up to us. She didn't, and I could just barely make out the face of a tall, pale-skinned blond man as he caught her about the shoulders in a tight hug. "Merlin be praised; what happened, Lyra?" He hissed out between heavy gasps for air.
Despite his clearly winded and slightly bedraggled condition, calling this man handsome would be like calling Vernon fat. Accurate, but a grotesque understatement all the same. The difference is only augmented by his apparent lack of regard for the fine material of his clothes. At a guess, I'd say it would be a coin toss whether Vernon would get as equally dirty for Dudley's sake, and his clothes couldn't even be half as expensive as this man's.
Lyra shared many of his features, including her hair and nose. "It was a werewolf, uncle; I don't know how it got through the wards, but it had my scent; I would have died if this dog hadn't helped me."
The other man, the one I still couldn't see, whistled in admiration. "That's no dog Lyra, bloody things a wolf or at least a crossbreed."
"Thank you for clarifying that, uncle Severus; now, could you please heal him before he bleeds out." The girl replied testily.
I heard this uncle Severus chuckle, followed by his footsteps as he made his way around us. A strange tingle washed across my fur, tickling the skin beneath it, making me squirm. Lyra gently tightened her hold in response. "You need to stay still."
"He's sensitive to magic; I've barely done more than a light diagnostic; most occulmens aren't this talented." The man stated, clearly impressed.
"So he's not just a wolf?" The man still holding the girl asks, clearly just as fascinated.
"Definitely, but I'll be damned if I can guess what else he is," Severus answered, clearly half-distracted. "Bloody beast has a magic core worthy of a talented Animagus, but he's too young that he wouldn't be more than nine or ten as a human."
The fire in my shoulder and side began the fade, turning into an aggravating itch, then an annoying tickle before finally fading to nothing. "Full of surprises this one; I've seen veterans squirm more from lighter wounds."
"I know that isn't a shot at that time back in the Black Forest." The blond man stated imperiously, but he was also fighting a smile.
"Didn't mention any names, did I, Marius?"
Lyra ignored the older men as she helped me back to my feet. While the pain was gone, my head was swimming, making standing even on four limbs something of a trial. Still, I managed to get my first look at the man who healed me.
The first thing I notice is that, if possible, he's even paler than the Marius, but it's probably because of his hair. It's as black as mine, contrasting violently with his skin. Beyond that, his most distinctive feature is his prominent hooked nose, overlooked by a narrow pair of jet-black eyes.
Despite his somewhat unfortunate features, he's nearly as broad-shouldered as the blond, if better hidden by his plain, somewhat faded black robes when compared to the blond man's finer silver and green ones. Their also distinctly loser giving them a flowing quality to their appearance.
Something brushed against my ears, and I looked back at Lyra, realizing the girl was petting me. Her small hands trail from my ears across the thick fur covering the back of my neck. The sensation isn't entirely unwelcome, but it does make me feel somewhat awkward. I'm not a dog, after all.
When her hands got too close to my throat, some instinct raised my lips in a soft growl as I pulled my head away.
She pouted but didn't press her luck. Marius chuckled and held out his hand. Instead of smelling it like I think he expected, I just look at him. Something about my expression sent Severus into a coughing fit while Lyra giggled, quickly covering the sound and her mouth with her hands.
The man, in turn, looks so perplexed that it took him a moment to notice the other's reactions. When he did, he stiffened for a moment before chuckling lightly with a shake of his head. "Should have known the cheeky girl would attract a kindred spirit." The mutter emerged with a distinct note of fondness as he rose to his feet, pulling Lyra up with him.
"Can he come with us?" Lyra all but pleaded.
Her uncle shrugged. "That's really up to him, Lyra; he could very well be as wild as they come."
I'm not, not that I have any way to tell them that, so instead, I huffed and brushed my head against Lyra's stomach. She laughed in delight, and I felt her fingers running along the back of my neck once again.
"I suppose that settled then," Severus commented dryly. "I hope Dobby doesn't mind cleaning up all the fur."
Marius grinned. "Or feel too much like a potential snack."
Lyra laughed and continued to pet me. "I doubt he'll be interested in eating a house elf; Dobby will probably look too weird to him to be appetizing."
"Worst comes to worst, Dobby will just toss him our dinner and run the other away." Marius retorted playfully.
A snort exploded from Severus's lips. "I didn't realize Dobby was quite so petty as to leave us to go hungry."
"Never underestimate any creature's vindictiveness when he knows he's been wronged." The blond man spoke in a pompous tone that had both Lyra and Severus chuckling.
I, on the other hand, spot an opening. Pulling away from Lyra, I nipped sharply at the man's hand, only just barely missing. Marius jumped with an unmistakable yelp as he jerked away from me. I don't bother to follow.
Lyra and Severus were now all but falling over with laughter. Lyra actually leaned over me as she tried to breathe.
Marius was quick to compose himself before looking me dead in the eye. "This is war, understood?"
I only grin and sit, leaning against Lyra as I do. The girl looked over the moon with satisfaction.
"Honestly Marius, if you're going to declare war on something, pick a creature with wits equal to yours." Severus drawled when he finally recovered his decorum.
"The bloody beast started it." The blond wasn't whining, or his cultured accent hid it.
"I know, and I said equal." Severus shot back dryly.
Lyra tried to muffle her giggles into my thick fur. It didn't work, and Marius grew a distinctly pained expression at the evident betrayal. Finally, he raised his hands in surrender. "Fine, even I can see where this wind is blowing."
"Good, because we need to get this one home before Narcissa comes hunting for us," Severus replied crisply, one hand squeezing Lyra's shoulder firmly.
Marius didn't shiver, but his spine notably straightened at the name. "Of course, come along, dear; we really shouldn't be keeping your mother waiting, you coming beast?"
I answered with a sharp huff.
"Sounds like a yes," Marius looked towards his niece. "Can you walk, Lyra?"
She nods. "Yes, uncle," She answers firmly.
Neither her words nor evident confidence was enough to convince her uncle, his entire demeanor shifting with surprising swiftness. "Speak up if that changes; you should be crashing at any moment."
His words were prophetic as we barely walked for more than ten minutes before she started to lean heavily against my side. Severus didn't bother to wait for her to speak. Instead, he simply scooped her up in his arms. Her protests are faint and slightly slurred as she fights against the sleep pulling her under.
I vaguely wondered why I wasn't feeling the same, if not worse, but brushed the thought off as I followed the two men. All the while, I keep my ears pricked for any sound of the monster returning.
None came, and soon the brush began to rapidly thin as the forest gave way to the sight of a rather impressive gothic-oriented mansion.
From the lack of a proper pathway and the rather austere grass and gardens covering the space between the forest's end and the beginning of the house's veranda, this must be the back. I reasoned even as we crossed the well-tended grounds.
An attractive blond woman in grey dress-like robes burst from the house, a man clearly related to Marius on her heels.
"Lyra!" The woman shouted even as she snatched the girl from Severus's arms.
Lyra pouted tiredly at her. "Mother," She protested, clearly not ready to wake up despite her earlier confidence.
The woman only held her daughter tighter, and I couldn't tell if she was rocking her child gently or barely keeping herself from shaking. "Thank the old ones your safe."
The man said nothing as he rested an arm across both his daughter's and wife's shoulders, head bowed to rest against the crown of Lyra's head.
"Aye, she had our lady's favor this time or possibly even the Huntress' given her savior," Severus stated, the drawl replaced by something I can't describe.
The man and woman looked up, confusion written clearly on their faces. Marius and Severus both point at me.
Lyra's parents stared at me for a long moment. Long enough that I sat and looked up at Severus.
The dark-haired man looks away, covering his mouth with a hand as he does as if yawning, but I can see his smile from where I'm standing.
"This. . . animal, it saved Lyra?" The man's voice was slightly deeper than his brothers, but that could be from the undoubtedly intense emotions he was no doubt keeping in check.
"He has good taste if a questionable sense of humor," Marius comments dryly. His dignity was clearly still smarting from my little prank, not that his humor helped.
"He saved Lyra." The woman nearly parroted her husband, her blue eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"Cost him the better part of a pint of blood if I had to guess, given how much Lyra's wearing," Severus adds, gesturing towards the girl.
Lyra's mother nearly threw the still-drowsy girl into her husband's surprised arms. Ignoring the girl's protests, and her husband's shock, she took in the dark splotches covering the girl's dress, turning the beautiful grass-green fabric nearly black.
The most prominent is centered right in the girl's lap, the cloth still damp enough to reflect a faint scarlet sheen. Some of it had even stained the front of woman's robes, the scarlet fluid showing easily on the grey material.
"Donum Sanguinis." Again, the strange words had a note I was unfamiliar with as I watched Narcissa quickly wrap Lyra back into a tight embrace with a sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob.
"Momma?" Lyra finally lost the poise she'd managed to hold even through her exhaustion. The softer endearment slipped out as her mother gently stroked Lyra's hair, even as she left gentle kisses across her daughter's temple.
"The old laws, dear one," Her mother explained. "Blood freely given, for good or ill, must be returned." She laughed brightly at her daughter's sudden dismay. "Not literally, dearest, not this time, but for all intents and purposes, you're his ward as much as our daughter now."
"Narcissa," her husband snapped.
"Oh, hush, Lucius, what do you expect the beast to do?" Narcissa chided.
"It's the principle of the matter," Lucius replied with stubborn fervor.
"That only shows just how little history you know," His wife replied, clearly enjoying herself. "Dozens of famous wizards and witches have been saved by such familiars since the round table." Long graceful fingers ran through Lyra's hair as the woman spoke. "Our child has been shown favor beyond our wildest dreams, Lucius; just be happy for her already."
Happy was clearly the last thing the man wanted to be, not that I blame him. The obvious straw to break the tension turned to look at him, grey eyes pleading silently. Lucius sighed and nodded. Lyra nearly squealed in joy as she threw her arms about her father's neck in a tight hug.
"What will you call him?" Her mother asked.
Lyra pulled away from her father, thoughtful eyes darkening in their cloudy depths. They light up barely a moment later. "Corvus."
Snape chuckled. "You're naming your wolf dog after the wolf bird?"
"Yes, he's smart enough, besides he has that white talon on his forehead." She might have been on to something there if I was only a wolf.
"A fitting name, dear one," Narcissa praised her daughter, then moved gracefully to stand only a few feet from me before offering a small smile. "Welcome the ancient house of Malfoy, young Corvus."
IIIII
And there's chapter one for you.
. . . . .
PLEASE check out my work 'Crest under the Ashes' on Fiction press; the link is in my bio, or just type the title into fictionpress's search bar.
. . . . .
Corvus: Raven constellation though in modern English, it means crow.
Lyra: Represents either the vulture or eagle on star maps and is frequently referred to as Vultur Cadens or Aquila Cadens
Donum Sanguinis: Gift of Blood.
More information on Google, all translation errors are their fault.