"Father," I cry as I rushed toward him.
He opened his eyes and looked at me. "Pukio, son."
I touched his snout with mine. "You are hurt."
"I am," Father agreed, "but so are you."
I looked at the spike sticking out of my shoulder. I grasped it with my teeth and pulled it out as I bit back a whimper. I tossed the spike to the side and looked at my father. "I am alright, and you will be as well."
My father weakly shook his head. "My time has come. I will be in eternal flight soon."
I touched his snout again. "No, you will get better and teach me your path. Just like you promised."
He shook his head again. "You are to follow your mother's path now, but promise me something first."
"Anything," I promised.
"Promise me that you will fly further than any Night Fury before you," Father requested.
I raised my head proudly and stood on my back legs. "I promise, Father."
"You have come far in knowledge, my son. You are a survivor and a blessing of the gods to our kind," Father stated as he closed his eyes.
My mother stopped licking my father's wound and started to push me out of the cave. "Come, young one. We must cleanse your wound. Your father is about to take his final flight."
I allowed myself to be taken away from my father, for it is Night Fury tradition to never watch someone take their final flight.
As we sat by a stream of hot water, a mighty roar is heard over the island. I looked up in the direction of the cave I grew up in and a see dark figure taking flight.
I whimpered at the sight because I knew that my father is gone and never coming back.
"Night Furies do not whimper or mourn. They push the emotions down and move on," Mother chided as she cleaned my wound.
I hang my head, embarrassed, "Sorry, Mother."
As hatchlings we Night Furies are taught that emotions and pain are weaknesses and should be ignored. Our parents help us by not showing any kind of love toward us. Sure, they give us kind words sometimes, but the words are empty and meaningless.
Because I was raised differently, I had all my emotions and felt pain. Like at that moment, I wanted to cry from the pain in my shoulder, but could not because my mother would get mad and would not let me out of the cave until I reach the age of eight.
"Are my dreams really impossible?" I asked.
In the way of the Night Fury, a hatchling's dreams are their destiny. When the hatchling turns into a youngling, the dreams stop, and the parents begin to mold the dream into a reality. In my dreams, I am surrounded by dragons and humans. Every dream was full of different dragons and humans, but there is one constant. A boy with weird-looking legs. He was in every dream.
When the Night Furies heard of my dream, I was told to dream something else because it was impossible. Since I could not dream of anything else, I was being forced to take the path of one of my parents. I was going to take my father's path, but I can not anymore at this point. So I am going to have to follow my mother's path.
"Night Furies do not socialize with other dragons or humans. Yes, your dreams are not possible," Mother answered.
If only she knew about the Skrill I talked to once in a while, I thought to myself.
"If I was a Monstrous Nightmare, my dream would be possible," I said.
"Do not be so silly. Monstrous Nightmares are not smart enough to make their dreams a reality," my mother pointed out.
"Can I be a Skrill then?" I asked. "They do not have destinies. They just fly around shooting things with lightning."
"You can not be a Skrill," Mother said. "You were born a Night Fury. A Night Fury, you will remain."
I could sense that I was upsetting my mother, but that did not stop me from talking.
"The Great Elder says nothing is impossible," I argued.
My mother stopped cleansing my wound and roared. "The Great Elder is a fool. Your dreams are impossible. You will accept that fact, Pukio. Do you understand me?"
I cowered, for my mother had never once roared at me, but I deserved it. I pushed her too far on purpose. Now she was angry at me.
I hung my head. "Forgive me, Mother. I spoke out of term. I will stop thinking about my dreams and follow your path."
"Go back to the cave," she growled. "We will discuss this tomorrow."
I gave her a quick bow, then ran through the forest with no intention of going home.
The sun was rising when I reached the beach on the far end of the island. I looked out at the water and spread my wings. I knew that my dreams are possible. I just had to prove it first. After that, I would come back.
I turned to look at the forest for a second, wondering if I should wait until I was older. I quickly dismissed the thought. If I did not leave then, I probably never would have. "Sorry, Mother."
I looked back at the ocean and took to the sky.
As I soared away from the island I had called home my whole life, I could hear my mother roar out that I am missing. I did not bother looking back. I just kept going until I could no longer hear the cries of my mother.
Author's Note: I hope you guys are enjoying the story. Let me know what you by leaving a review, I'd love to hear what you guys think.