Life can be cruel as a Dragon | Rio's Story

Chapter 4. don't give up

Rio slept soundly, covered by the leaves and branches of the bushes. Gale, the wind spirit, was long gone. he was all alone again. slowly it was morning, the sun hadn't risen yet, when soft footsteps came closer and closer. squeaking and yelping almost giggling could be heard. Rio was still asleep, and the footsteps stopped. Suddenly there was a commotion and screams and growls. you could hear bugs being eaten by someone. but who or what ate it? These creatures lived by the swamp, by the four lakes. they came here to hunt. they walk on four legs, with a long spiny tail, a long tongue that was forked at the end, on the sides of the head were skin folds that surrounded it like an umbrella. poisonous saliva dripped from their mouths. they were like hyenas and like Rio, juvenile. they were a little smaller than him, but still strong and outnumbered our little dragon. there were three of them and they didn't have anything good in mind... when they were eating, Rio woke up, he didn't notice them yet. he came yawning from his hiding place. too late. now they had seen him and turned to him.

"Well, who do we have here?" said the probable leader of this little pack. the other two stood behind him and giggled.

"a dragon, yes he is a dragon Mitch!" said the somewhat stupid looking one standing behind him.

"I can see that myself, idiot!" Mitch hissed. they began to circle Rio.

"What are you doing here all alone? No parents to take care of you? Such a shame" Mitch said sarcastically.

Rio glared at them all and growled between his teeth "It's none of your business! What do you want from me?!"

The pack giggled. one giggled way too long and got slapped for it. It was quiet and the troop was still circling around him. "Well, well, unfortunately you're in OUR territory, and for that..." they all stopped and formed around Rio. "Well how do I put it?" Mitch pretended to think about it. Then he got serious "you will now suffer for this" and with this sentence they all attacked Rio. he tried to fight back, also injuring one, but he was outnumbered, and Rio had no idea how to fight. They hit him with their spiky tails, scratching and biting him.

As he lay motionless on the ground, Mitch said "that will teach him a lesson, if I see him again, I'll kill him!" the other two laughed evilly. they disappeared with the rising sun.

Rio laid there. he kept fainting. Clouds gathered and rain pelted down on him. Rain mixed with his blood and formed a puddle. they had caught him well; he had scratches all over his body and a big scratch over his right eye. he couldn't open it, it was swollen. the wound was deep. He couldn't get up; he was too weak. the rain got heavier, and thunder rumbled across the country. Lightning flashed across the now black sky. would this be the end of Rio's story?