"Human Speech"

"Dragon Speech"

'A direct quote from the current character's thoughts'

Today had started like any other. The Queen had summoned us from sleep and sent us on another early morning raid. Flying out of the fire-mountain that was our nest, I reached the front of the raiding party. We were all tired, but I wiped the dazed look from my face and began organising the group into a flare.

The older, wiser and more battle-proven dragons flew to my left and right creating a V formation. The younger, less experienced dragons then formed another two formations that led off from the outer trails of mine. I glanced back and set a steady pace that matched our slowest flyers. The flight to squish-nest-with-flying-rocks passed uneventfully, and I considered it a good omen.

As we arrived, I prepared to do my job and gained altitude, leaving the rest of the dragons to descend upon the squish-nest. Once I was at a comfortable height, I picked a target, drew my powerful fire into my open mouth and dove. The passing air fed the flames and quickly increased the strength of the fireball I was about to unleash.

The stupid squishes began to shout warnings and cower in fear as my increased speed caused the air passing over my wings to create a screeching sound. I released the fireball and began to ascend, riding the heatwave it created as it decimated a rock thrower. I revelled in the fear that rose from the squish-nest.

I used my momentum to charge another fireball and swung round onto my next target before climbing to safety and recharging my fire. As I glided through the twilight, I noticed Little-Squish, he was the smallest squish I had ever seen, and he loved trying to bring me down. Everything was going so smoothly. I decided I had the time to give him a real show. I knew he'd never catch me, but he deserved some respect for his determination.

My fire had recharged, so I folded my wings and dived right past him, blasted another rock thrower and quickly climbed, spun like a leaf and rolled like an ocean wave as I dived on the final rock thrower. My fireball hit the target, and my pride caught up as I flew in front of the flames. I heard the swish of something flying, and my wings collapsed, pinned to my sides.

I unleashed curses that would make a Rock-flyer blush. My pride had made me stupid, and now I was going to pay the price. I released an anguished roar as I accelerated toward the ground, struggling against the stupid squish thing that held me. I watched as my fear sent disarray and confusion through the flare. I heard one of the older dragons sound the retreat as the forest canopy swallowed my helpless form.

The descent was painful, branches poked and prodded. I pulled my tailfins shut and closed my eyes. The ground was quick to strike, and I ploughed along, leaving a deep trail in the dirt. Shadow-flyers are tough, but the impact was harsh, and my world went dark.

When I awoke, I thrashed wildly. It was gone sunup, and the Queen's was screaming demands in my mind. I uttered apologises and struggled against my captor. It was some sort of vines tangled together with heavy things. I continued to struggle until my breathing became laboured.

When the Queen abandoned me, I let out a defiant roar of denial and rested my head against the ground. Her final message told me she had determined my fate to be death by starvation. A sorrowful croon escaped my jaw, and I growled at my own self-pity. But my resolve faded, and the river burst, my pitiful cries harsh against the silence. I slowly drifted into a restless slumber.

I don't know how long I had slept, but the side of my head was distinctly wet and warm… It felt like something was curled against me. What creature would be stupid enough to seek refuge within the scales of the terrifying Shadow-flyer? I nudged it away, my aching muscles forcing a small groan from my jaw.

It recoiled faster than a Whispering Wurm. Had it not realised what it was curled against? I fought off the pain and pried my eyes open.

"Little-Squish?" I exclaimed. The silly creature was Little-Squish. A small chuckle escaped my lips. I watched him clear his vision. The terrified gasp that followed was adorable. I watched him with glee. At least I was going to have some entertainment before I died.

Or he might just kill me? Well, I was going to die either way, so it didn't really matter. Wait, had he moved?

He was sat against the rocks, terror in his eyes, barely moving. Had I broken him? Maybe his tiny squish brain couldn't handle my awesomeness? I briefly forgot about my situation and tried to stand. Reality was quick to bring me back to the ground. I landed with a huff, the vines biting at my scales.

When I looked back to Little-Squish, he had moved, slightly. The terror in his eyes had been replaced with sorrow and pity. How dare he pity me! Me, a Shadow-flyer, the harbinger of doom!

"I did this." He said.

'Wait, what?' I froze, and my head rose off the ground. 'He brought me down?'

I couldn't comprehend it. Somehow Little-Squish had finally caught me. A flash of light yanked me out of my stupor. Little-Squish was stood right next to me and had pulled out a squish-claw from somewhere within the furs he wore. I tried to move away, but the vines had tightened, entrapping me beneath his gaze. All I could do was close my eyes and bow my head to Little-Squish, submitting myself to his mercy.

What happened next, I couldn't really say. One moment, I was waiting for his tiny squish-claw to tear through my scales, the next? I was free! The squish-vines snapped, and I attacked, pinning him to the ground. I could feel him squirming beneath my claws, desperately trying to escape.

I wanted so much to kill him. But I couldn't, the dragon's code forbade it. He had defeated me, entrapped me with his squish-vines and then shown me mercy. If I killed him now, I would be cast out, even if he were just a squish, no nest would accept me.

But worst still, I was the last of the mighty Shadow-flyers, the uncatchable harbingers of doom. My respect and position had been destroyed by a mere squish, and now I owed him my never-ending servitude. Gah! What was a female supposed to do? I poured all my hatred into a roar.

"I hate you!" I screamed. He fainted, whether from lack of air or fear I knew not. Satisfied with the result, I turned and leapt into flight. I didn't want to be anywhere near Little-Squish when he woke up.

Unfortunately, while falling from the sky hadn't resulted in any serious injuries, my struggling had expended valuable energy. My body screamed in protest, and I fell for the second time today. I locked into a glide and crashed to the ground in a small cove. Just great. Not only did I need food, but now I was trapped where I probably wouldn't find any! Was I cursed to be killed by Little-Squish? Even when he obviously didn't desire to kill me?

With no immediate source of food, I dragged myself to a sheltered area and laid down. Now that I was alone and unable to move, thoughts began to flow through my mind. Starting with my future. I doubted the Queen expected me to return, nor would she likely accept me back into the nest. I'd be lucky if she didn't eat me as soon as I flew into the nest. My best chance was to stay here and await the fate that I had been given. If I were lucky, Little-Squish, the destroyer of my reputation, would accept me as his servant. The last Shadow-flyer, pet of Little-Squish, the smallest squish to have ever lived. Oh, it was deplorable. I'd rather have my head mounted on a stick.

While processing my thoughts my, I mindlessly moved my foreleg to try and remove the liquid from my head where Little-Squish had been crying. Dragons might not have tears, but I understood what they were. As I bought my foreleg towards my tongue, I paused, an odd scent caught my attention. I was sure it was a dragon scent, but I hadn't seen any dragons.

I looked around, trying to track the scent, but my confusion only grew. The only traces were on my foreleg and head. It didn't make any sense. The only thing that I knew had touched me was Little-Squish, and that was a ridiculous thought. Little-Squish wasn't a dragon, my own eyes had confirmed as much.

Then I recalled some crazy tales that I had heard from some of the more adventurous females in the nest. Stories of a male-dragon-squish. I'd assumed that they had eaten some overripe cod and gone a little loopy. Now it seemed to make more sense. My Little-Squish, playing hard to get.

I didn't know what to think. Little-Squish couldn't be a dominant male, he didn't have the confidence. And yet he had not merely rejected the other females, he'd outright ignored their submission, deemed them unworthy of his recognition. Such an insult to a dragon's rank and reputation was not taken lightly.

My face contorted with an angry growl as I briefly considered that he might have similarly insulted me. Had he deemed me not worth the effort required to kill me? No, he had freed me, and surely that had taken equal effort? He had ruined my reputation, and my submission had doomed me to be his lesser.

But then again, was my reputation destroyed? He hadn't recognised the submission of the other females, but he had recognised mine. Surely that showed that I was of greater respect than them? To be recognised by the dragon that had disregarded all others? Even if he was just a squish?

I didn't particularly like the situation, but it wasn't a disaster, and the irony of it was quite amusing. I was trapped by honour into a situation I did not want, but other females could only dream of. I wonder how many of them would give their tail fins to have even half the recognition Little-Squish had given me? I was tired, but my chest puffed out proudly as I pictured their envy.

The sound of my hunger quickly deflated my pride, and I broke from my thoughts to inspect my temporary prison. Steep stone cliffs rose around the edges, and a few trees dotted their jagged edges. Inside of these walls was a peaceful but empty area covered in grass with a single tree standing tall aside a small pond. I pushed myself onto my paws and advanced towards the water.

I could see a few fish, trapped like me. I cautiously dipped my head towards the water and waited. When a fish came close, I lunged. It barely escaped my jaw. In desperation, I jumped into the cold water and chased it to the other side, capturing it in my claws.

As I climbed out of the pond the fish began to wriggle back in, I quickly dipped my head and swallowed it. It wasn't much, but it would keep me alive for another day. I shivered as the cold seeped through my scales. I shook my body dry and walked to the remaining sunlight, collapsing in exhaustion as it warmed me. Maybe tomorrow I could escape?

I closed my eyes as the sunlight faded and drowsily listened to the evening-song. The birds sang joyfully of a day well lived, and the bigger insects hummed along. It was a simple song, but it was calm and reassuring. One of the many things that Queen had prevented us from enjoying.

The term 'squish' is stolen from another fanfic which I really liked; unfortunately, I can't remember the name. If you know what it's called, could you remind me?

This "borrowing" of ideas may be spotted occasionally in my stories. And I'm not trying to steal other people's hard work so I will try to give credit when I can remember. In fact, I hope if the authors those fanfictions read mine, they will see it as praise of their great skill because they wrote something so amazing it became part of my headcanon.