The Dragon Mother

The day had been an uneventful one for Lacina, she had spent it wandering the forest, snapping up a deer or two when she got hungry. Her scales, a pale purple in color, shimmered when the light hit, reflecting a veritable spectrum of colors. Beginning to spread her wings, a noise reached her ears. Even to Lacina’s keen ears, it was faint. It sounded like crying. Sniffing at the air, she smelled something that she hadn’t in a long time; human.

Lacina folded her wings against her back and began walking towards the human. The crying got louder, it sounded like a very young human. The smell got stronger, along with something else. Blood. As the trees thinned, Lacina found herself in a clearing she had never been in before. She typically stayed further in the forest, avoiding humans at all cost. They had killed her mate some years ago, leaving her with a resentment of the species. This clearing was still too far from a human settlement, though, she could tell. The ground was overgrown with weeds and flowers, vines clung to the trees, and there was absolutely no trace of human interference. That is, except for the one in the middle.

In the center of the clearing, a small human toddler sat, crying. She had black hair that was full of twigs and leaves, pale skin that was covered with cuts, scratches, and bruises, and pale green eyes full of tears. Her face was flushed, her clothes tattered. She was far too thin and looked like she’d been lost for several days. The child held on to a filthy teddy bear like it was the only thing left in the world. The scene disgusted Lacina.

The toddler suddenly quieted, turning her head to stare up at Lacina. “Ma-mu-mama?”

A low growl started in Lacina’s throat, moving to escape through her bared teeth. I am not your mother, child. Go away.

The toddler’s tears started gathering more in her eyes, overflowing and streaming down her cheeks. It was rather annoying. Unfortunately, as soon as she started to turn to walk away, she felt something start clinging to her ankle. Looking down, she realized it was the child. She had run up and grabbed onto her.

Get off, Lacina told the child.

The toddler just shook her head, continuing to cry. It seemed to be getting louder. “No!”

Lacina sighed. Clearly, this child was not going to let go and a dirty, bloodied up toddler would be, quite frankly, disgusting. Then, as suddenly as the child had grabbed her, an idea came to her. This young human would make an excellent meal once she had healed and grown up a bit. It would just take quite a large amount of patience, but the human lifespan was nothing compared to a dragon’s. It would be a rather sufficient revenge against humans. A life for a life, her mate’s life for the toddler’s. For now, Lacina would have to act as the mother that the child needed. And if she changed her mind, she could always send the child away.

What is your name, Child?

The toddler sniffed and stared up at Lacina, her grip slightly loosening on the dragon’s ankle. Her eyes were wide, the tears slowly starting to stop. “Nu-nu-No-ina.”

Lacina let out a long sigh. Come with me, Noina. I will take care of you.

Lacina turned around, making sure Noina was following as she began to walk. She walked very slowly through the forest, but it wasn’t long before she felt a poke on her ankle. Looking back, she saw Noina yawning.

What is it? Lacina asked, trying not to sound annoyed.

“I’m tired. . .”

Well what do you want me to do about it?

“Up!”

. . .why?

“Cause tired, up!” Noina insisted, holding her arms up.

Fine, Lacina replied, bending down and lowering her head so that Noina could climb onto her neck. Once Noina was secure, her arms wrapped around one of Lacina’s spines, she stood up and began walking again.

It was a long journey to Lacina’s cave, through the dense forest and up a mountain. As she walked, the trees got thicker, making it harder for the dragon to navigate. The noises of the forest during the day were slowly replaced by nocturnal animals as the sun began to set low over the horizon. When the trees grew too thick for her to walk through, Lacina crouched and spread her wings, launching into the sky. She heard a scream behind her and felt the grip on her spine tighten. She couldn’t help but feel a little smug, she didn’t intend to make Noina feel very comfortable.

Lacina swooped through the sky, careful not to let Noina fall, but also not letting her get cozy, either. At the speed Lacina was flying, they reached her cave before the sun had even fully set. She landed, lowering her head to let Noina off, but Noina just gripped her spine tight.

We’re here. Get off, Lacina ordered.

Noina shook her head. “No!”

Resisting the urge to growl, Lacina sighed. And why not?

“Scared. . .”

You’re safe here. Get off and you can get some rest. I’ll get us some food.

“But. . .”

No buts, Noina. You need to rest so that you can heal up. And eat you later, Lacina added mentally.

Noina finally slid down Lacina’s neck. Lacina’s cave was a large, but humble one, but still cozy, at least by dragon standards. A gigantic bed of animal skins lay on the floor towards the back, just enough to give her a soft cushion to sleep on, a small pile of bones sat in a corner, remnants of meals past, and the opening was large enough for three dragons. She used to share it with her mate before he was killed.

“Why dark?” Noina asked.

Because I don’t need to light a fire to see, but I suppose I can gather some wood for you, Lacina answered, gently nudging Noina towards the animal skins. Now go, get some sleep. You need it.

The first night with Noina was surprisingly easy. After Lacina returned with a rabbit and some wood for a fire, she found Noina sound asleep on the animal skins. Lacina settled in to get some sleep herself, putting the wood and rabbit down.

Over the next few days, Lacina got Noina cleaned up and healed. The small child began putting on weight and getting healthier, too. As Noina healed, her personality started to emerge. She lost her clinginess, becoming more outgoing and excitable. She was also quite the doting child, trying whenever she could to help. Unfortunately, something began to happen to Lacina that she didn’t expect and blew off the plan; she began to get attached to Noina. It wasn’t something she had even noticed at first, it had grown gradually over time. By the time Noina was all healed, Lacina didn’t want to eat her anymore. The attachment was mild at that point, but it was enough to make sure that no harm would come to the small, human toddler. At least not from Lacina.

Noina’s black hair was soft now, free of any dirt, grime, or leaves. Her green eyes shone with adoration for the dragon who had taken her in and she boasted new clothes that Lacina had stolen from a small settlement far from the cave. Her pale skin was clean, all scratches, cuts, and bruises perfectly healed. She had made toys for herself out of the bones of the animals she and Lacina had eaten.

Noina spent her days mostly inside of the cave, but sometimes she would get to go out with Lacina. As she slowly got used to flying, it became less scary. Lacina grew more and more protective of Noina as well, if she got so much as a scratch, she would stay in the cave until it got healed.

Suddenly, before Lacina knew it, Noina was growing up. She was no longer the toddler that she was when Lacina had found her. Noina had learned to sew, cook, and even make basic tools. She had made herself a dress out of deerskins and her hair had grown down to her waist. She cooked for herself now, that way Lacina could have her food the way she wanted. Noina had also learned to forage, that way she could eat more than just forest animals. Lacina was like a mother to Noina, she had raised her, protected her, and taken care of her.

“Mama?” Noina asked one day.

Yes, my child? Lacina replied, raising her head from the floor of the cave.

“Are there other dragons out there? I haven’t seen any.”

Why yes, of course. Dragons tend to be solitary creatures, though. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen another one.

“Wow, that’s kind of sad. . . Why?”

Why are dragons solitary? For a couple reasons. The first being that dragons are particularly violent creatures and could fight each other. It’s safer for all of us to be separate unless we have a mate. The second being that it’s easier for humans to find us if we’re all together. Humans are dangerous, my child. They take and they kill regardless of what it is. It’s far safer to avoid their detection.

“Oh. . .but. . .I’m human, Mama,” Noina replied, looking down. Could she really be part of such a deadly species?

Lacina shook her head. You are not like most humans, my child. You have been raised to be empathetic towards dragons. And I am not alone, I have you.

Noina nodded, leaning into Lacina. The cave had been upgraded since she was a toddler, now it had a regular fire pit and cushions for sitting. Noina had also made herself a bed, but she usually slept curled up against Lacina, the giant wing acting as a blanket. Noina’s sewing supplies were in a little basket set by her bed, along with crude tools made out of bones and rocks. She had managed to do quite well for herself lately, making sure to help her dragon mother wherever needed. She loved living with Lacina, she couldn’t remember a time before her, but Lacina had told her that she had found her in the woods, lost and abandoned, as a toddler. Whatever her life had been before, Noina didn’t want to know. She was happy where she was. Of course, things were about to change, they just didn’t know it yet.

Far off, in a village, a crowd was gathering. The people were anxious, the village leader said he had news. At the front of the crowd was a couple, a pale man with black hair and brown eyes and a woman with green eyes and blonde hair. They looked incredibly worried. Stepping onto a pedestal was a stout, balding man. He commanded the attention of the whole village. The random mumbling and conversation stopped as everyone turned to look at him.

“Ahem,” he began, clearing his throat. “After ten long years of searching, we have finally found Norina!”

“Are you sure?” the black-haired man asked.

The village leader nodded. “Yes. She is with a dragon up in the mountains. It’s several days’ journey to get there, but we must go. Norina is likely being held captive, it’s lucky she’s still alive, but she might not be by the time we arrive. It’s crucial that we hurry. I need volunteers to come with me, who is willing?”

Several men raised their hands, including the black-haired man up front. The number was meager, but hopefully it would be enough to get Norina back. She should be thirteen by now. Who knew how much the dragon had manipulated and brainwashed that poor child? She needed to come back home where she belonged.

“Good luck,” the green-eyed woman said, gently squeezing the shoulder of the black-haired man. “Bring our daughter home.”

He nodded. “I will.”

“Preparations will begin immediately, we leave at dawn,” the village leader instructed. “Let’s get ready!”

The men who were leaving spent all night gathering materials; weapons, food, skins full of water. Many of the wives helped by preparing food, getting clothes, folding blankets, and packing bags. The woods and mountains could get cold at night, the men who were going needed to stay warm. As the sky turned from black to gray, the village men were finishing up their preparations. Bags had been packed, water skins filled, and food prepared. While the children were still sleeping, men said goodbye to their wives. The women of the village snuck extra food into their husbands’ packs as they hugged them goodbye. They wouldn’t see each other for at least a week, there was no telling who would return home since they were going off to fight a dragon.

Off to the side, Norina’s parents were hugging.

“Stay safe,” her mother said. “The dragon could be incredibly dangerous.”

“I will be, Darling. I’ll be home with Norina in no time,” her father answered. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“Alright, men! Let’s move out!” the village leader called.

Together, the men of the village left for the woods, going after the dragon that had kidnapped Norina all those years ago. They were determined men, ready to sacrifice anything in order to get the missing child back. The journey was long and arduous, taking days to trek through the forest. In order to supplement their food supplies, the men hunted forest animals and foraged for edible plants. When the trees got thicker, they knew the mountains were close. Climbing up to the cave would be a challenge, especially since none of the village men were mountaineers.

Meanwhile, up in the cave, Lacina raised her head, sniffing the air in suspicion.

“What is it, Mama?” Noina asked.

Humans, Lacina answered. They’re coming.

“What? But how did they find us?”

I don’t know, but stay behind me. I’ll take care of them.

Lacina stood up and faced the cave entrance. A low, deep growl started in her throat and moved up to her mouth, showing through her bared teeth. No one was going to hurt her or her child.

Several men climbed into the cave, looking exhausted but ready to fight. The stout, balding village leader walked forward, looking up at Lacina. “Give Norina back, dragon.”

Norina? Lacina asked, realizing what had happened. Noina was a small toddler when she had been found, she probably couldn’t say her name correctly. Lacina stooped her head low, level with the village leader. Why?

“Because she’s my daughter, that’s why,” Norina’s father said. “She’s been missing for ten years.”

Norina poked her head out from behind Lacina’s rear leg. “. . .who are you?”

“Norina. . .” he replied. “I. . .I am your father. Please come home with me.”

“But I am home. . .”

She is my child. I am the one who raised her. You don’t get to call yourself a parent if you weren’t there, Lacina growled, turning to Norina’s father.

“That’s because we haven’t been able to find her since she got lost ten years ago! Now let her go! I’m going to take my daughter home!”

“Calm down,” the village leader said. “We don’t know what this dragon has done to poor Norina, it probably brainwashed her into thinking she is a dragon. We might have to take her by force, whatever it takes.”

The village men hoisted their weapons, an assembly of pitchforks, scythes, and swords. Flashbacks hit Lacina like a much larger dragon. A group of humans just like this had killed her mate. The blood, the screams, it was terrible. And if these humans hurt Norina in the process. . . She stood back up straight, her mind made up. Fine, take Norina. She belongs with other humans, not with me.

“It can’t be this easy,” one of the men said. “You’re just going to. . .give her back?”

Yes. Take her. Norina, go home.

“But. . .Mama! I am home! With you!” Norina insisted.

“Mama?” Norina’s father spoke up, sounding hurt. “Your mother’s at home, Norina. This-this monster is not your mother.”

“My mama is not a monster! I’m not going with anyone who calls her that!”

You really should go, Norina. You belong with them. You are not a dragon, Lacina gently instructed. Now go, you need to go home.

Tears began to fill Norina’s eyes. The crowd of men lowered their weapons, surprised. Why was she crying? Shouldn’t she be excited to go home? The extent of the dragon’s manipulation had gone further than any of them had expected. She didn’t even want to leave.

“Mama. . .don’t make me go with them, you said humans take and kill! What if they kill you after I go with them?!” Norina cried. The tears overflowed, pouring down her cheeks. “I don’t want to go!”

I. . .alright then. You’ll stay here with me, Lacina conceded. As long as you’re happy.

“She can’t stay here!” Norina’s father shouted. “Norina, you need to come home, with me! Please, your mother and I miss you so much.”

“My mother is right here!” Norina insisted. “Go away!”

“If you won’t come with us, we’ll just take you,” the village leader insisted, but before he could take a step forward, Lacina roared.

Don’t touch her, Lacina snapped, stepping forward. You humans are awfully close to the edge. I recommend leaving before I make you.

“We aren’t leaving without Norina,” her father insisted.

Fine. I guess I’ll make you leave, Lacina conceded, swiping her front leg to knock the men down. She turned around and swung her tail, pushing the men off of the edge. Their screams echoed as they fell, but it would be too far a fall for Lacina to hear them land. If they were lucky, they’d only be injured.

“You. . .you knocked them off,” Norina mumbled.

They would have taken you if I didn’t, Lacina told her. Or worse.

“Oh. Okay. You were right, Mama. Humans are scary. . .”

Yes, they are. Thank you for staying here.

“Of course, I love you, Mama.”

Lacina lowered her wing over Norina. She was very glad that Norina had wanted to stay. They would get to live their lives far from humans, together.