Disclaimer: I OWN nothing & CLAIM nothing!
Many miles away, two figures look out from the cover of their temperate forest home; something was lying motionless in the grassy clearing. "What is it?" A small gecko said to his companion, a giant anteater. "Geeze, it's a dragon!" The gecko cried as he jumped back. "He's only a little guy, I want to help him." The anteater said as he hoisted Aeolus' small, frail body onto his back. "Aesop, this is a dragon, they eat guys like us!" The gecko said as he scurried behind his large, lumbering friend. "He's young, Velius, I bet we can train him not to." Aesop replied as he gently laid him down by the edge of a river & splashed the young dragon's face with the cold, mountain water. Little Aeolus slowly came to & strained to focus his vision. "We found you passed out in the meadow, you almost died." Aesop said. "Then why didn't you let me alone? I can't go back home, I have no where to belong anymore." Aeolus said as he slowly got to his feet & began to leave once more. "So, you're an outcast, So are we. Aesop was kicked out of his home village because he preferred fruits & berries to ants & termites. I was shunned because I'm green instead of brown." Velius said.
Three years went by like seconds & Aeolus had grown from a gangly youngster to a robust & handsome young adult with his father's brilliant golden coloring & his mother's stunning crystal blue eyes. Dragons were omnivorous, eating everything from some plants, berries, & fruits to small animals, but when possible, large prey is preferred. Since Aeolus' arrival, Velius & Aesop no longer had problems with predators stalking them. Later that day, Aeolus was foraging in the meadow when Aesop & Velius came tearing up to him. "Aeolus… a dragon… is approaching the woods!" Velius said as he clutched the stitch in his chest. "I'm on it." Aeolus said as he took flight. He landed in front of the trespasser, blocking her way & let out an earth-shaking roar as he reared on his hind legs. "See, I told you he's come in handy." Aesop said as the dragons battled, Aeolus was shocked when the female pinned him to the ground & prepared to strike with an ice beam. "Callistus, is that you?" Upon hearing her name, Callistus backed off. " Callistus It's me, Aeolus."
"Aesop, Velius, this is my old friend, Callistus." "Pleased to meet you." Aesop said as he bowed. "Likewise, I'm sorry about trespassing; I was looking for food & came upon this place." Callistus said as she turned to Aeolus. "I heard from your mother that you & your father were killed in the stampede." She said as Velius & Aesop left them to catch up. "What exactly did Antigonos tell the clan?" Aeolus said hesitantly. "Just what I told you, why, is there more to it?" Aeolus shook his head as they walked together. "You're alive & that means that you're the rightful heir!" She said suddenly. "I'm not going back… ever." Aeolus said quickly as he made himself comfortable on a huge, fallen redwood. "You have to go back! Antigonos has let the griffins overtake the sacred lands, if you don't do something all the clans will starve!" She said. "That's not by problem any more, sometimes terrible things happen & there's nothing you can do about them, so why worry?" Aeolus said calmly. "Because it's your responsibility, & your duty!" "Now you're starting to sound like my father." Aeolus said coolly. "At least someone in this conversation does." She retorted, with a threatening growl, he turned on her. "Look, you just can't show up here & tell me how to live my life! You don't even understand what I've been through!" He said, his eyes were glowing & blue flame leaked out of his mouth as he talked, she knew better then to push him any further.
Aeolus landed in the meadow, still fuming. "What would going back prove anyway? I can't change the past!" "No, but you can learn from it." A deep, quiet, voice said as a large, aged white dragon landed beside him. "You may not remember me; I christened you at your birth." "I don't remember you, but I know who you are." Aeolus said. "I know who you are as well, you're Aurum's boy." "You knew my father?" "I know your father, yes." Argos replied. "I hate to be the one to tell you this, but he died a long time ago." Aeolus said as he bowed his head. "He is alive, & I can prove it to you." Argos said as he led Aeolus to a small pool created by a recent rain. "Look hard." He said, Aeolus was shocked to see the proud image of his father replace his reflection. "He's always lived in you; but you have forgotten who you are & so you've forgotten him. You must look deep within yourself & take your place." Argos said. "But… going back would mean facing a past that I have been running from for so long." Aeolus said, Argos promptly cold-cocked him straight between the horns with his tail. "Geeze! What in the hell did you do that for?!" Aeolus said. "It doesn't matter; it's now in the past, that's your way of thinking, is it not? But, like I said, you can either run from it or… learn from it." He said as Aeolus dodged another swing of his tail. "So, now what are you going to do?" "The right thing." Aeolus replied as he took flight.
"Aquila!" Antigonos yelled into the ranks of dragons, Aquila carried herself with pride past the griffins as they snapped at her heels, trying to intimidate her. "Why hasnt your hunting party returned yet?" "Antigonos there is no more food in the western region, all the herds we well as the other cragon clans have moved on, & so should we." "We're not going anywhere!" Antigonos replied heatedly. "Then you are sentencing us to death... you can't do that!" Aquila replied. "I' am the grand ruler; I can do whatever I want!" Antigonos replied. "If you were half the leader Aurum was…!" "I'm ten times the ruler Aurum was!!" Antigonos roared as he back-handed Aquila with all of his strength, a mighty roar was heard as a magnificent dragon descended from the sky & gently helped Aquila to her feet. Antigonos backed away in fear. "Aurum? Is it really you?" "No, mother, it's me, Aeolus." A series of hushed whispers spread around the dragon clan. "Now, give me one good reason why I shouldn't rip you apart, Antigonos." Aeolus said as he advanced on his uncle. "Come now, Nephew, I was just standing in as ruler, no one knew what happened to you &…" "Then it's time for you to step down, Aeolus is the rightful heir." Callistus said as she appeared with Aesop & Velius on her back. "It's your choice, Antigonos, step down, or fight." "Must there always be violence? I would hate to have the blood of a family member on my hands." Antigonos said with a sinister smile. "That isn't going to work anymore, Antigonos, I've put it behind me." "What about your loyal subjects? I think that it's high time they know who is responsible for Aurum's death." He replied. "I' am." Aeolus said as he bowed his head in shame.
A collective gasp issued from the clan, Antigonos took the opportunity to leap onto Aeolus & pin him to the ground on the edge of the ledge overlooking the once lush & prosperous kingdom. Fear creeped into Aeolus' crystal blue eyes as Antigonos' claws tightened around his throat. "Ah, thats the expression your father was wearing before he died. before you join him I want you to know that I killed him." In the blink of an eye, Aeolus had Antigonos pinned on the ground & his talons threatened to squeeze the life out of his uncle. "You… you wouldn't kill you're uncle, would you?" Antigonos said in a small voice. "No, but before I banish you, I want the clan to know the truth." There was a long pause before Antigonos spoke up. "I 'am... but it was the griffins' idea in the beginning." Antigonos said. " If you ever return to this land, I will kill you." As Antigonos slinked behind Aeolus. Suddenly, Antigonos turned & lunged at him, Aeolus met him with a vicious whip of his tail that sent him falling to the bottom of the mountain. "Ah, my friends." He said in relief as the hoard of griffins, fifty strong or more surrounded him. "Friends??? I thought he said that we were the enemy?" Charon said to her companions, Artemis & Chaos. "Yeah… that's what I heard." Artemis said, Antigonos' screams echoed around the mountains as they closed in on him.
Some years later, Argos, ruler of the North slowly made his way to the end of the ledge, he held up a newly hatched dragon chick to the cheers & roars of the animals below as proud parents Aeolus & Callistus looked on from behind.
fin