The Hunt

The dragon looms over me. It's reptilian stink is almost solid and makes my eyes water. It's breath feels burning hot on my skin. I think maybe some of what I smell is my own hair getting singed. I am completely helpless. Why doesn't it kill me?

Unnerving, its eyes locked on me, its sibilant voice inside my head. It's angry, demanding, but also... curious? And (this is crazy, but I feel sure of it) it is afraid.

What of?

I gaze back into those golden orbs, and it feels like they could swallow me. There's more, something tickling at the back of my mind. It said, What are you doing here?

It recognises me.

"Have we met before?"

It stares. Blinks. In that moment, it seems almost human. I feel, for a second, like I'm looking in a mirror. Although I'm just a scrawny human, and this gigantic lizard could not be more different.

You really don't remember. Your kind is weak, your mids are weak.

"Umm. Sorry."

It snorted.

We are kin. Our mother left you here for me.

I thought of my mother, and I couldn't see her hiking these barren peaks and picking through this loose rock.

She left many here. All too little and weak to survive. Some had scales. One had a tail. Another had wings. She couldn't risk the King finding out her true nature.

"My mother lived in the village. She was never anywhere near the King."

Not that one. The one who birthed you.

My mind raced.

"Did the Queen know? Is that why she chose me for this?"

No answer, only a non-committal snarl.

"My true mother, then. Did she know what I was?"

No. She had no idea of your lineage. She thought you an ordinary human pup, only small and weak.

Its eyes narrowed. Your kind values what we despise.

Weakness. It thinks me weak.

You are stronger now. You might be the right one to continue her legacy.

"Are you-" my voice cracks. I try again. "Are you going to kill me?"

Not today. Do you know the rules, pup? Be at the castle by dawn.

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Word count (excluding notes): 366

Submitted on 24th August at 23.56

*Quick Author's Note*

First, and most importantly: thank you for reading!

The story behind the story:

I aim to write these so that you can enjoy them as stand alone stories, or one after the other. If you'd like to do the latter (they're all very short):

One

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Seven

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A Year of Stories: I'm writing a story every day this year. This one makes an 237 day streak. I'm also putting them in my Index post.

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