Madison Raes

The Story of Icarus

The vermin had shot him down 20 leagues ago. Luckily, he flew close to a river and fell into it as an escape. They had gotten crafty, scarily good at hunting his kind for being so small and weak. Icarus shifted uncomfortably, the wound trickled blood slowly. How shameful to be lying here when he belonged in the sky. He needed time for his magic to heal him and unfortunately the wooded area seemed the safest place. He huffed and shifted his wings, stopping his movement suddenly at the snap of a twig. A low rumble began deep within his chest as he prepared for whatever may come. He didn't think the humans could follow him so far and so fast being as slow as they were. The rumble abruptly stopped when he beheld a small human, staring at him wide-eyed and bearing its teeth. "Are you proud of yourselves to see me in such a state?" The small human's mouth fell open as it took several hesitant steps towards him. "Back away you filthy mongrel," he growled, laying his head down between his mighty paws. The tiny human did not listen. It instead continued its tottering journey towards him. It smelled like a man, but with that sweet smell of innocence. No ounce of fear. A man child then. Its hair at the top of its head was wild, dirt smudged every space of tanned skin. It wore a filthy, tattered piece of clothing. Lost? Or abandoned? Icarus wondered. Either way he figured, the small thing would not last long in the wilderness. One less dragon hunter then. The toddling thing finally reached him, placing his small hands between his nostrils. He huffed a breath that ruffled the child's hair. One of the most beautiful sounds Icarus had ever heard came out of the child's mouth. A laugh, he realized. He didn't know humans could make such noises. He had only ever heard them scream. Yet, here this small human was making a noise as beautiful as the wind on his face and the sun warming his scales. The child looked at him expectantly. Icarus chuckled at the look, the movement causing the child to fall. The familiar screaming came with tears but the small child looked so pathetic, Icarus felt a twinge of guilt. The child sniffled and said, "Bad Birdy!" He wailed and pointed his finger at the dragon. "I'm sorry little one," he responded, bemused. A mighty dragon being swayed by something as small as his claws. One flick of his claws and the thing would be dead, however it trusted him. Implicitly. "It okay Birdy." The child said, wiping his teary face with a dirty arm. Icarus grimaced at the filth. "I am no bird, Child. I am a mighty dragon!" He huffed again, sending the child into laughter as the air ruffled the child's clothing.