Outcast

4. Alone

Riyah was now sixteen years old.
After years of scavenging for food and living off the winding muddy water of a stream that flowed inside the cave he now called home. It was a miracle. No a curse. That the boy was still alive.
The witch had cursed him into a monster that no matter how much he suffered he couldn't die.

The dirt covered teen had nothing anymore. No family. No friends. Nothing. The ratty clothes on his back the only things he could call his. Despite those deplorable facts the small boy was determined to survive and make something of himself. Monster or no the boy of only sixteen years of age wasn't going to give up.

In the dark cave Riyah had started to gather makeshift necessities in order for him to be comfortable. The golden light he saw every morning through a large opening in the cavern was his wake up call, candles he had stolen from the village in desperation were scattered on the frozen rocky floor, and other food he had hunted in his dragon form in a pile near a fire in the middle of the large cavern. No matter if he could hunt animals from the forest as a dragon every night he would light a fire and cook the meat as a human. The half monster was set on not loosing grip of his true self.

He always slept in the corner of the cave in a small dip in the earthen rock. His bed was straw he had 'borrowed' from a nearby farm a couple miles east.
It was comfortable enough but he still ached for the warm bed at his old home with.. His parents.

Riyah shook himself from his slumber and from yet another nightmare as he sat up in his pile of straw. His now inhumanly green eyes still cloudy from sleep he stood and went to the wide opening of the cave and basked in the warmth of the breaking dawn as the sun rose over the shadowy treetops.
He stood there for a second in awe.

" Another pretty morning. Heh. Mama would've loved the view.. And papa too."

Riyah shook his head again as if the longing thoughts could disappear if he just willed them out of his mind. His mouth was a line as he wiped his eyes as tears threatened to spill.

But they didn't. No more tears seemed to come anymore. He felt numb.

" Well. Might as well hunt. Maybe go to the village later. I'm running low again." He said to himself running a hand through his matted white blonde hair.

Riyah glanced over at the empty space where his stock of food usually lay and heaved an annoyed sigh at having to go kill for food. Wrapping his rough fingers around his crystal necklace he forced himself to transform into the large white dragon.

Neon green magical light surrounded him and enveloped his body lifting him into the air slightly before he was shifted into the majestic beastly reptile.

He was now a large snowy scaled dragon his emerald colored eyes the only feature that was recognizable.

With a huff, tendrils of grey smoke bursting from flared nostrils, and a whip of his long tail he unfolded his leathery silver wings as he started to pad out of the cave. His senses now heightened a hundred fold he stepped outside into the bitter snow covered cliff.

Unlike the hole he had crawled into at the beginning, the downward spiral of being thrown from his own house and disowned, this was the opening to the large cave. The cliff overlooking the village and the elaborate castle nestled on the mountain parallel to the spot he stood on. A constant reminder of the monarchy that ruled over the minuscule kingdom. But that was none of his concern at the moment. Food was.

He spread his wings wide and ran at a steady pace towards the edge and let the freezing wind lift him into the air smoothly. He glided in the sky over the bare tree tops which were starting to be coated in a thin but vibrant green.
The snow had started to melt and the only few months of warmth were coming slowly but surely.

Riyah would have smiled if he wasn't a dragon in flight. The pleased grin came out as a grimace of sharp dagger like teeth. He did love the Bloom. It was his birthday on the first day of it.

The pleasant natured dragon tensed when an unfamiliar scent hit his sensitive nose. He quickly dived for the trees and transformed back human in a green flash. Riyah perched in the branches looking down at the source of the smell. A large carriage and well groomed horses galloping in front.
Humans. No not just humans.

The Royal Guard.

His heart lurched in fear and his eyes widened as he hid in the leaves hoping they won't notice him from the high altitude where he hid.

"No way.." He whispered to himself as he noticed not just the Royal guard but Royalty himself.
The prince.
The prince himself nearing his cave.
No he wouldn't let that happen.

He leaped from his perch and flashed back into a dragon claws unsheathed and growled menacingly as he dove to attack. Riyah wouldn't let anyone nor even a prince tear away his home again.

Never again.