Sky Serpent

Prologue: The Squishy

The high star shone its radiance over the land, unhindered by clouds, and roamed over Firroth Sky-Serpent's murky brown scales embroidered by yellow, dark green, and maroon markings. His long, lithe body slid over the air like oil over water, his whip of a tail making up most of his length. His powerful, stocky legs were tucked securely against his sides and broad wings filled with air as he glided fluidly over the sprawling forests below. He basked in the warmth and very much enjoyed how the star made his scales shine with their own beauty.

Birds stirred in the shadow of the great predator and he took pride in the way they fled in flocks. Sometimes they took flight just to circle around and land again, which prompted the dragon to follow suit to harass the unintelligent winged vertebrae he was forced to share the skies with.

Then he heard it. With a tilt of his head he swooped lower, trying to catch the faint sound once more. The closer he came to the noise the more it took on the forms of cries from a creature Firroth was barely familiar with. He banked left and saw it: a pink, squishy figure sitting amongst animal hides and even had some of it stuffed in its mouth, muffling its whines for attention. There was no place to land nearby so Firroth settled for a small clearing just big enough to land in and snaked his way between the proud oaks. For a dragon such as he to walk among lesser beings was uncommon but Firroth found himself making the occasional exception if only to sate his curiosity.

He followed the muffled cries of the squishy creature until he came to tower over it. His sides pressed against the trees with every breath they were so close yet he endured for the tiny creature. He lowered his crocodile-like head eye level to it and sniffed, nudging at it and toppling it over. The squishy creature squeaked and cried harder, clutching at the animal skins bundled around it. Firroth snorted a puff of smoke out of annoyance and the creature traded its cries for coughs and whimpers. Its squishy framed trembled before the lithe dragon and Firroth seemed pleased with its behavior.

While the dragon pondered over what to do with it - or why he should really do anything with it - an image of his companion popped into mind. It had been a while since he brought him something back and a mini version of him should suffice. After all, his kin tended to die for such squishy things but the logic behind these sacrifices baffled him. Firroth was still young in his kin's eyes and, though old enough, never considered the possibility of finding a potential mate and raising fledglings of his own. In fact, Firroth had never seen a baby dragon before, being the youngest of his brood.

The squishy creature seemed to grow tired of the staring contest Firroth was attempting to hold with it and its tiny brown eyes drooped. His mind made up, the dragon gathered the squishy creature in the folds of its animal skins and leapt at a nearby tree. Branches snapped under his feet as he scrambled for purchase. The tree bent and wobbled, the climb made even more awkward by the use of merely three feet instead of all fours, but somehow Firroth found enough footing for a strained take off. Well, more like a leap. He ended up having to bounce off another tree to remain airborne. His precious cargo swung in his claws in the air and for a while no noise was heard from the squishy. He put leagues between him and the forest before he heard a strange, deep belly sound. Almost like a squishy version of the sound his companion often made when he was amused.

He risked a look downward and noted the squishy's flushed cheeks and wide grin on its chubby face, lips pulled back to reveal bare gums and one single tooth. What an odd creature the squishy was! Even those who chose vegetation over meat had teeth, so how did the squishy creature consume food? The animal skins swung with Firroth's fluid movements and it was the rocking motion that seemed to be the caused of the squishy's amused noises. He continued to swing the creature back and forth, back and fourth, earning more deep belly sounds of glee, and for a moment Firroth enjoyed the sounds the squishy made, until a sound he didn't enjoy interrupted the dragon's fun. He chanced a glance downward and realized with horror his sharp claws were tearing through the animal skins bundling the squishy and keeping it safe from harm.