Beasts Within

Pt.2: Intent

I kept up my flame, despite how deflated I had become. A conflict of mother and son, if I even was hatched from the same nest. Irrelevant! I spat out another flame of the growing monstrosity, then flew past her, getting her focus away from the ship that had yet to leave. From my height, I saw Neil carry that metal man in his front paws, half jumping, half flying up the hill to return the man to its rightful place.
Forgive us, masters, it was only for the best intentions.

Above me, the enraged beast spewed an onslaught of terrible flame. My focus had not been aligned, and she bellowed this rage upon me, scales scorched from the outside in. All the energy had been destroyed from within me. Now a quick whispering breeze washed against my backside in this rapid descent.


A terrible screech echoed from the skies when I reached the ship. I turned to look back in the moment my mother plunged downward. What she raced after wasn't me or the metal man. It is Aton. A trail of dark brown smoke followed his rapid decline.

The object left with the metal man, probably never to be seen again, that doesn't matter!

Wings spread far, I glided with direct focus up to Aton and caught him. His weight pulled me down, flight became a hurdle. In a circling motion I lowered the both of us to come to rest on the grassy slope, away from the flames at the caverns entrance. I placed a hind paw on a stone to keep from sliding down into the burning cavern at the bottom of the hill.

Abruptly, mother crashed down and used her massive wings to stir up the wind and cease the flames' existence. Now a portion of the field revealed smoldering ashes as she stood at the cravens entrance again. This time her eyes had returned to a soft yellow. She stood alone in somber contemplation of what had been done.

Mother carried Aton into the cavern by the first downpour. She intended to bring him further into the caves, but I stopped her with a glare and a low growl, teeth barred. Gently, as if another being had taken habitation in her mind, Mother placed Aton's scorched body outside my room. Afterwards, she left for her room in the furthest corner, perhaps to find an oil spread or a glowing crystal to stabilize his body. I doubted she would do that. Aton wheezed; I came around to his sight.

"A. Aton. That was one hell of a fight." I said, unable to hold back. In the midst of senses, I wailed a shill aggravated tone. The walls vibrated and shook immensely. When the first cry ceased its echo, I filled the air with another shrieking noise, over and over again until the skies heard me. Until my head and eyes were coated in pain.

Aton wheezed again; his gaze remained focused on me.
"That was one hell of a fight... " I said again, my head dropped low. Depressed, at a loss of something else to say.
His paws stretched out; cracking of old scales twisted the air. I begged him to stop, he didn't. Softly, I huddled under his neck. He held me in a half embrace, croaking in stiff agony that he couldn't move any further. Right then, the world blackened for me. My gaze diverted to the caverns entrance where the rain continued to pour their music in contribution to the moment. Carefully I whispered to Aton, his eyes narrowed in disapproval, but I said it must be done.

Slowly I got out of his embrace. He lay there on the stone-cold cavern floor as hurried into my room and came out again with that heavy woven blanket. From one corner I bit into it and I dragged over his body. Once he was fully covered, I gave him another comforting nudge.
Mother appeared in time to see this gentle care for my brother. Like I said, I will always be at his side. Even if that means I have to go for a little while.
When she placed down a bundle of odd supplies. I stared at her. A majority of my senses hated her, feared her. She sensed that and lowered her head in formal apology. Quietly I stepped away, backing out of the cavern, and when I came out into open sky, I turned away from our home. I began to sprint through heavy droplets of continuous downpour as I raced up and past the shadow of the great tree, then flung myself over the cliff's ledge.