THERE BE DRAGONS!

Chapter 12: Another Shocking Surprise

Adair snapped his head up and stared at the lost one sharply but before he could question him, T-Bone spoke up first.

"Dark Kat was a dragon?" He blurted, his tone an equal measure of shock and doubt.

"You saw him change?" Adair demanded, equally doubtful.

"I saw him come out of the mountain. Since Dark Kat works alone and trusts no one but his creeplings, it couldn't be anyone else," the golden stated knowledgeably.

Adair frowned suspiciously then moved swiftly to loom over the hatchling, catching the golden by surprise. The red dragon coldly asked, "...and just who are you to know this so well? You're far too young to be out alone in the first place."

Feral tensed at the hint of a threat in the older dragon's tone but didn't back down. He was furious at himself for falling into this position. He knew better!

'Curse me for a fool! I shouldn't have let my sense of duty overwhelm my caution. Why didn't I just leave quickly, change form, then meet them here? What was I thinking?' He ranted to himself.

The only thing he could think of for his irrational behavior was his intense need to meet another dragon which had succeeded in high jacking his good sense at a really bad time. He should leave...now...before the elder began asking questions he didn't want to answer. His eyes flitted away, looking for an out.

Adair caught the furtive glance and moved instantly, swiftly swinging his right wing to swat the hatchling off his feet. The golden hit the ground on his back, wings splayed. Before he could lunge back up, Adair was on him, pressing the younger dragon to the forest floor and using his paws to pin the wings down.

Panic stricken, Feral immediately used his enforcer training to kick out with his feet, sending the adult flying backwards off him but again, he underestimated the skills of the elder. Honed through many battles over the centuries, Adair was a seasoned warrior and no hatchling, no matter their training, could match him, even when he was wounded.

Which was why Adair recovered from the kick so quickly and easily snatched the golden by the tail just as the hatchling was taking his first flap of wings toward freedom. He yanked the golden back to the ground...hard, pinning him once more to the ground but face down this time. Adair held the golden's wrists in each paw while his legs crossed over each ankle, allowing his heavier body mass to effectively prevent the hatchling from rising.

Now firmly pinned, young dragon's terror over rode any sense he'd had, sending him into a blind panic, struggling madly to tear himself free. Adair waited patiently until the golden finally realized he couldn't escape. It took more than five minutes but eventually, the hatchling ceased struggling, leaving him trembling and panting, eyes wide in terror.

Lowering his head until it was close to the golden's face, Adair, flashing fangs, hissed coldly, "who are you?"

Feral could only whimper in fear, turning his face away and closing his eyes. In his mind, he was back in the past when either his father or grandfather would punish him for some transgression.

Adair frowned in concern. There seemed to be too much of a fear response to such a simple question...anger or refusal he expected but outright terror...no. A sudden feeling of pity swept through the red dragon.

Though he needed to find out how this dragon knew so much about Dark Kat and where his family was, he didn't want to terrorize the hatchling to get it. It was possible the golden might be a get of Dark Kat's but then why aid the enemies of his parent? What was his motive? None of this made any sense. And then there was the question of how a hatchling possessed the fighting skills he had witnessed.

Changing tactics, Adair softened his tone,"I'm sorry to be so harsh with you, young one but you must admit your knowledge about Dark Kat is suspicious as is your fighting skills. Who are you hatchling? Where is your family?"

Watching from the sidelines, T-Bone had been taken aback by his partner's rather brutal treatment of one that had helped them. He wondered what the importance of who the dragon's family was but, assumed, it was because of the plan by the dragons to bring their lost ones back to the community. However, if this was how Adair was going to go about it, T-Bone didn't think anyone would be coming forward any time soon.

Byron and Comack eyed the scene critically. The hatchling's behavior disturbed them, but it bothered Comack more than his friend as he had, unfortunately, seen this kind of reaction before. It was about fifty years ago, but he would never forget it.

A father had beaten and punished his hatchling so severely both emotionally and physically, that the youngster retaliated by becoming a vicious rogue that had to be destroyed. Investigations into why he'd behaved as he did had uncovered the father's heinous treatment. This warned the communities to be more alert for possible abuse and to put a stop to it swiftly.

Watching the golden cower beneath Adair, made Comack fairly certain this hatchling had suffered some type of abuse at the paws of someone, most likely a family member.

Adair was coming to the same conclusion when the golden beneath him continued to tremble in terror. He absolutely loathed that kind of parenting as it tended to foster hatred rather than respect and love.

Sighing, Adair decided a gentler method was required. He carefully released the hatchling's wrists then raised himself up and off the body. The golden was so traumatized, he failed to notice he was free and remained trembling and frozen in place.

That made Adair angry. It was plainly obvious to all that this poor creature had indeed been brutalized and Adair's attempts to control then question him had only exasperated his condition.

Shaking his head, Adair sank back on his haunches, using his tail for balance then, despite his multiple wounds that hurt and still bled, he leaned forward and dragged the huddled form of the hatching into his arms insuring the wings were carefully folded before pressing the male's face and body against his chest.

Lowering his head, Adair began gently grooming the golden's face to soothe him adding a hum from deep within his chest to further help calm the youngster.

Feral shuddered in terror as his body was lifted. He thought for certain more punishment was forthcoming but when nothing like that happened, he was confused. His bewilderment increased when a warm tongue began to lick and clean his face while a soothing hum backed by a deep pounding of a strong heart beat against his ear that was pressed against a powerful chest.

Still too afraid to open his eyes, Feral lay still and tried to reconcile this gentle treatment to all he could remember from his past but the closest he could come was a very distant memory of warm female paws hugging him close and singing to him. That gentleness had been ripped away from him while he'd been barely twenty to be replaced by brutal punishments, cold treatment, and strict obedience from his father and grandfather.

He breathed in the scent of this dragon giving him comfort and was amazed at how wonderful it felt. Even though this same dragon had pinned him to the ground, the elder apparently hadn't intended to do him harm, merely make him stay so questions could be asked. It was a lot to take in so he let his mind go still and simply enjoyed the marvelous sensation of being cared for.

Gradually, he was able to relax. A strong desire to hoard this wonderful feeling began to grow in him. Pulling his arms free, he reached up and clasped the elder's neck tightly and nuzzled his face against the powerful red dragon's cheek. Scenting blood, he instinctively used the natural healing agent in his saliva to lick the cut he found there.

Adair sighed as his painful facial cut was soothed and healed by the hatchling. It showed the youngster was still compassionate and caring, despite the harshness of his upbringing, much to Adair's relief as he continued his own ministrations toward the golden in his embrace.

Feral knew this moment had to end and the very thought made him moan in anguish...to lose this amazing feeling of solace and return to the loneliness and longing his life had been since he was orphaned, was more than he could bear.

The way the young golden was clinging to him and the anguished whimper that escaped his lips, sent an arrow of pain and sorrow through Adair's heart. If this hatchling's family still existed, he personally, would remove the youngster from their care. No one should be allowed to abuse someone this way. The way the poor thing behaved, it must have been a very long time since he'd experienced any kind of gentle touch.

A strong surge of protectiveness swept over Adair and without thinking further about it...he made the decision to take this hatchling under his wing and be the mentor the golden needed. One more lost one brought back into the fold.

"Ahh, little one, have thee been ill treated? How awful for thee but fear not, I will not let thee be alone or mistreated ever again. I, Adair promise to care for thee and be thy mentor, teaching you the ways of dragon kind," Adair said, softly, speaking in old English.

Feral blinked in shocked surprise, desperate hope swamping him. Though the words were old and ones he'd not heard since his youth, hearing them spoken now to him was something he'd never dreamed would happen in his lifetime. He'd heard that special promise made to others in his youth and had prayed for it himself, but none had come forth to end his torment and his father nor grandfather had given him the promise, but now, it was finally being offered and he was left speechless.

With tears welling up in his huge golden eyes, he tilted his head upward to stare into the ruby ones, searching for a lie, but finding only gentle regard and concern there.

Swallowing hard he stuttered haltingly in a low, deep voice, "You'll be my mentor?" Adair nodded solemnly. "I've no one. My grandfather died a long time ago...I...I have been alone for over twenty years. My family said...said...I was never to trust other dragons or...or reveal myself..." He looked anxiously into the other dragon's face for reassurance that he hadn't done anything wrong.

Adair was stunned. This hatchling had been alone without guidance or the company of dragons for a very long time and yet he had managed to not only survive but to retain a core of goodness within him and not turn rogue as so many did in the same circumstances...that spoke of an iron will and determination...something he admired. However, the youngster did have a lot of misinformation to overcome...Adair sighed as he realized how much work he faced mentoring the golden. The first step now, was reassuring him.

"Be easy! You have done nothing wrong. Those fears your family taught you were based on a very real danger of being killed by hunters. Is this what happened to your family?" Adair asked, softly.

"Yes. My grandfather was the last to care for me and then he was killed when I was seventy."

"I'm so sorry, little one. That is a terrible thing to have happen but if your family had been apart of a community we could have protected you better but if something still had happened to your family, someone within the community would have taken you under their wing and cared for you. You would have never been left so alone," Adair told him, gently. "You see, fear is what kept them away and fear is what destroyed them in the end. Now, I have an important question to ask you...have you ever felt like you're missing something in your life...a feeling that you should belong somewhere but you didn't know how or why?"

The golden stared at him in shock. Could he read minds? He'd felt that way nearly the whole time he was orphaned and even a little when he'd still had his grandfather but it wasn't until he saw that dragon flying over the city some weeks ago, that the question became a constant in his mind. Perhaps this elder had the answer he sought? Overwhelmed, he could only nod mutely.

"The reason you felt that way was because it's in a dragon's nature to belong to a community. We are driven by instinct to seek each other out and live together. It's simply unnatural and unhealthy for us to do otherwise," Adair explained, patiently.

Stunned, Feral asked, "so, because my family feared being found by hunters, they chose to cut themselves from all contact with dragons thinking that might protect them in some way?"

Adair sighed. "That could be their reasoning my young one, I really don't know for certain. I'm truly sorry you had to experience that kind of wrong thinking and fear for so long but now you're under my care and I'll teach you what it means to truly be a dragon. But that's for later, right now, I still need answers from you...," Adair began then winced as his body complained from the position and his wounds.

"Oh...I'm sorry you're hurt and I've been taking away the time you need to have your wounds treated," the golden apologized, mortified to have caused the elder even more discomfort. He quickly but carefully pushed free of the elder's arms and stood beside him as Adair straightened to ease his cramped muscles.

Adair smiled at him then winced again. The wounds, though healing fairly quickly, still hurt and oozed blood. Byron and Comack quickly rose to their feet and hurried to his side. As Byron began on a deep laceration on the red's right arm, Comack gave his friend a concerned and annoyed look as he gently pulled on the left wing to reach a nasty rip.

"You should have allowed us to treat you immediately, Adair. You needn't have suffered this long," Comack scolded, lightly.

Adair gave him a meek smile but didn't respond, returning his attention to the golden who waited anxiously before him. Sighing to himself, he realized he was left in a quandary. He needed to know who this dragon was but at the same time, dragon kind had guarded their Kat identities for a reason. He grimaced mentally. This protective stance definitely had its shortcomings and this was one of the growing number of them.

Today's incident was a serious case in point. Clearly, this rule would have to go as the lack of knowledge on what a dragon did as a Kat and who they were was detrimental to the safety of dragon kind. This old defense mechanism's failure was shoved in their faces when Dark Kat was nearly able to destroy them simply because no one knew how to reach Adair nor knew he could have forestalled the fight in the first place if the community had been aware he was one of the SWAT Kats.

But years of ingrained response to the directive had prevented him from doing that very thing so he certainly understood how hard it was going to be to make the others even consider revealing their Kat persona to each other. However, knowing the threat to dragon kind was increasing should have made him break that rule, when he first broached the subject of revealing themselves. Well, no point in beating himself up about it. Now that he had more evidence of how serious this problem was he made himself a promise to give Trimaris a comm unit as soon as possible.

Yes, dragon kind had been defending themselves for centuries but with the advent of technology, their abilities could be matched or conquered by the better armed Kats. Hence the need to know who among them was good with technology besides himself. This young dragon was going to be the first case where revealing out weighed secrecy.

So, he eyed the golden for a moment before saying carefully, "it has been traditional as well as necessary for dragon safety to never reveal our Kat persona's to each other."

The golden stared at Adair in consternation. "I wasn't aware of that rule. No one mentioned it during my youth. My hiding my identity as a dragon was ingrained in me by my family to protect us from hunters. We never took dragon form and were strictly Kats for all our lives and since my family's death, I've never come in contact with another dragon so it was never an issue. So, you can see why its really hard for me to be standing revealed as a dragon before you all in the first place. Now you want to know my Kat persona too? I just don't know if I can bring myself to do that," he said, uneasily.

"Yes, well I can certainly understand that but there really isn't a choice here. I need to know how you knew about Dark Kat and what training you've had because I have a duty to the community to protect it and you are an unknown. I can sense you have a good heart but that isn't good enough when there are suspicions hanging about you. So, you can see there doesn't seem to be any other choice here," Adair said patiently.

The golden continued to stand, uncertain and uneasy, his long prehensile tongue coming out to lick his lips nervously as he tried to come to a decision. Adair didn't rush him. This was an important decision and the hatchling must make it on his own.

T-Bone moved restlessly, wanting to say something but feeling he had no right to in this circumstance. They really needed to get out of here. It wouldn't be long before the enforcers found them also there was the injured dragons on the jet to consider. He was about to speak anyway when the golden dragon made his decision by the simple expediency of altering his form.

The tabby pilot could only gape in shocked surprise. There stood Feral of all people. Adair, Comack, and Byron were equally speechless. It took Adair several seconds to find his voice again.

"Well, hell! No wonder you acted so strangely when I dropped Dr. Viper off on your flight line. You were trained to be afraid of dragons that weren't family."

Feral could only mutely nod his head in embarrassment, looking away nervously. Trying to regain his composure under so many eyes, he scanned the area for any dangers as he'd been trained to do. He swept his gaze briefly over the dead dragon then eyed the single SWAT Kat standing near a big tree and staring back at him in consternation and surprise.

For a moment he paused, anger and embarrassment filling him as he realized his humiliation then neediness had been witnessed by the vigilante. Having them know he was young and a dragon was a weapon in their paws. If they wanted to, they could make his position as Chief Enforcer even more unendurable than it already was. His fists clenched as he fought to keep from lunging at the SWAT Kat, wanting desperately to take out his anger on the arrogant tom for putting him in this untenable position.

To help him keep his temper under control, he turned his gaze away from the tabby and searched the area again. He was missing something...but what?" Still treating the red dragon, the other two dragons...another gold like himself...and a copper colored one eyed him curiously as they worked. He gave them a respectful nod as he could tell they were older than him, though not elders.

Continuing his search of the clearing, he noted everyone's position and that's when he figured out who was missing. Looking back over at the SWAT Kat, he stared beyond him at the Turbokat then back at the tom.

Frowning, he asked, "where is your partner, SWAT Kat? Is he waiting in the jet?"

"No, he's right here with us," T-Bone answered, lazily, a small smile tugging his lips.

"But there's no one here but dragons and you...wait..." Feral stared at the dragons as a sinking realization sank into his brain then what Adair had said about Viper helped him make the connection. Turning to stare at the elder, his mouth dropped in shocked dismay.

"Kat's Alive! You're one of the SWAT Kats!"

Adair was a little surprised that Feral had put together the pieces rather swiftly and came up with the correct answer. 'Well he's not so thick between the ears after all,' he thought.

'Okay, better not underestimate him from now on since he couldn't be stupid and make his way up the ranks the way he did,' he reminded himself, ruefully. Time to confirm the youngster's accurate guess. Adair allowed his form to take its Kat persona since Comack and Byron had finished healing him as best they could. His injuries translated into nothing more than bruises and soreness in his Kat form, the more serious injuries having been healed during the transformation.

Feral could only stare in dismay and shock that who he'd considered a young and brash Kat was really a very powerful and old dragon. The old adage, 'big things can come in small packages', had never been more truer than right now as he tried to reconcile the strength and power of an elder that had so easily over powered him, gave him comfort then promised to be his mentor, with the small compact form of Razor.

"Unbelievable! You're a dragon? And an elder?...uhm...exactly how old are you?" He asked, badly shaken.

Razor eyed Feral in mild amusement, this situation was just fraught with humor. "I'm four hundred and fifty-six years old."

Feral moaned to himself. 'Kat's Alive! I've insulted and threatened an elder dragon with arrest numerous times. He has a right to punish me severely for such a transgression,' he thought fearfully. But there was no feeling of animosity coming from the SWAT Kat. Instead, Feral was amazed when all Razor did was lean closer and ask in a gentle, but amused voice, "...and how old are you my little hatchling?"

The dark tom blushed furiously and muttered, "...uh...I just turned ninety last month, sir." It felt so weird to behave respectfully toward this person whom he long held antagonistic feelings toward. The incongruity of it was really hard for his mind to accept.

"Really, well you're not as young as I feared at least," Razor mused, aware of Feral's discomfort toward his Kat persona but not commenting on it.

T-Bone sputtered, "you're ninety...wow! You don't look a day over forty something." Frowning, he looked over at his partner and asked, puzzled, "how does that compare to Kat age?"

"About eighteen, nineteen-something," his partner responded, shrugging.

"Really, wow, its hard to look at him and think 'young teen' when he looks so much older in that form," the tabby commented. "It's even weirder to realize I'm actually older in comparison. Maybe that's why he's such a pain in the tail and stiff necked, he's a little uncertain and way too cocky for his britches," he snorted in amusement.

Feral blushed with humiliation at the way the tabby was making fun of him. He earned the respect he got as a Kat. It wasn't right that he could be put down this way just because he was young in dragon terms.

But some moments later, Feral's mouth dropped in shock at what T-Bone said next,"as amusing as that seems to me, seriously, I can't deny I'm impressed by how much he's been able to do all by himself for being such a young dragon. No matter how I feel about his methods of discipline and running the enforcers, the truth is, he is a good enforcer and has legitimately gained the respect of his troops. However, what's going to be difficult from now on is trying to treat him as if none of this happened. I mean...I can't forget he's actually a very young, inexperienced dragon. How do I treat him now?"

Razor eyed his partner thoughtfully. T-Bone was right. They had a history with Feral and knew him as a well trained and experienced enforcer and though they treated him with derision a lot, they did know he wasn't really a bad enforcer just a temperamental one. But now, knowing what they knew about the big tom, things had changed.

"You're right buddy. I suggest you treat him as you've always done though I would remember he is a good enforcer even if he's acts like a bone head sometimes. I, on the other paw, have to remember to treat him as Chief Enforcer when we're SWAT Kats then switch hats when I'm an elder," he said, thoughtfully.

Turning to Feral, he added,"it will be just as hard for you, I'm sure, Commander. You have the right to continue treating me the way you have so as not draw the wrong kind of attention to us both but never forget, as dragons, I am your mentor and will be obeyed. Got it?"

Taking a deep breath and letting it out, releasing the tension and fear he'd been carrying about this very thing, Feral said, "yes, sir...understood." He was still stunned by how T-Bone had actually complimented him, in a round about way, and had truly wanted to help them work together as best they could. His worries about T-Bone using his vulnerabilities against him was no longer a concern, he realized. It changed a lot about how he thought of the tom.

"So, that answers how you were certain about Dark Kat and how you are a fighter though still a hatchling," Razor said, shaking his head. "I was certainly right about needing to know who you are. Your position could be very important to dragon kind as we try to come out of hiding. You and I have much to discuss, Commander but at the moment we need to get out of here before your enforcers arrive."

Since, Dark Kat is in dragon form, I will be taking the body with us. Before we leave, I'll finish the job of destroying the mountain completely. That will bury any evidence to the contrary about Dark Kat and destroy all his bombs, creepling factory, and anything else he had in there that could threaten all of us. When you write up your report you can say truthfully that Dark Kat died under that mountain. No one needs to know he was a dragon because that would lead to some ugly problems for us all if that got out," Razor ordered. "You will simply report that he was killed in the fall of his hideout as were the creeplings which is very true since the mountain did collapse completely shortly after I and Dark Kat fought."

"Oh Goddess! I don't think any of us thought of that!" Byron exclaimed. "Glad you did, though. Oh, and by the way, Commander, we have a small boat load of ninjas waiting pickup on a mountain peak. I'm sorry but I had to deposit them somewhere so I could return to the battle," Byron said. "Why don't I just go fetch them now and bring them here?"

"Good idea, Byron. Hurry, we'll wait for you," Razor said. Byron nodded and took flight.

All this was happening far too fast for Feral. When he could get a word in, he strongly objected to one of Razor's orders, "Wait a minute! I can't let you just destroy evidence like that nor take the body! How do I prove Dark Kat is dead without it?"

Comack gave the hatchling a disapproving look while Razor's eyes narrowed angrily behind his mask. Here was Feral's first lesson in obedience. Altering his form instantly, Adair leaned over Feral's Kat form threateningly, lowering his huge head so it was directly in front of Feral's suddenly frightened face.

"I can cut you some slack because you've been alone a very long time but don't make me teach you something I know your family instilled in you about obeying your elders," he warned, flatly.

Feral swallowed in fright. 'Damn him for a fool! After being told what was expected of him and telling Adair that he understood, he turned right around, took a stance as Chief Enforcer and dared to contradict his mentor!' He cursed, angry at himself.

Lowering his eyes and showing contriteness, he said, "I'm sorry elder. I didn't mean to question your orders. Forgive me, this will be hard to get used to considering our positions in the Kat world."

Adair continued to stare at the shivering hatchling for another moment before relenting. Feral was right, this was going to take some time adjusting to and he was sure there would be many more correction incidents to come. Nodding his head and stepping back, Adair rumbled, "you are forgiven and yes, this is going to take time. We'll talk more about it later. Meet me thirty miles above city hall at around ten this evening and we'll begin your lessons. Meanwhile, do as I have ordered and let's get out of here."

"Yes sir."

"T-Bone..." Adair called to his partner but paused and pricked his ears toward the right of them, all the dragons were doing the same.

"It's my four enforcers that parachuted down with me in this area. It looks like they've finally reached my location," Feral told them, quietly.

"We'd better clear out of here...ahh...here comes Byron with your prisoners," Adair said, seeing the gold dragon head toward them then land a boat with six frightened black clad Kats in it, next to the group. "Well, Commander, we're off." Adair, leaned closer to Feral and whispered in his ear. "Remember, we're finishing off the destruction of the base so you should take your group further away to keep them from getting hurt."

Feral bobbed his head in understanding. Satisfied, Adair strode over and grabbed the tail of Dark Kat while Byron and Comack grabbed an arm each and lifted so the corpse was not dragging on the ground then they all hurried off toward the Turbokat, T-Bone having left ahead of them to open the jet.

The cargo door stood open when they arrived, so they hurried inside where they could finally drop the body in the center of the deck. Sushimi and Meris gave hoots of pleasure at seeing their enemy dead.

Then, as the cargo door closed and T-Bone went up to the cockpit, Adair took his SWAT Kat form. The group just shook their heads in amazement.

"I would never have believed it. You...one of the SWAT Kats," Sushimi said.

"Yeah, well..." Razor blushed. "are you guys okay delaying our return home? We need to finish destroying the mountain fortress before we leave the area," he asked the pair.

"Oh, we're okay, a little sore but nothing we can't endure until we get home," Meris said, cheerily.

"Making sure that deadly hideaway is finished is far more important Adair. It is no trouble waiting for that to be done to your satisfaction," Sushimi said, gravely.

"Thanks. I'll hurry!" Razor flashed them a smile then headed back up to the cockpit.