"I was nervous as all get out," he continued. "But you know what helped me? Practice. Lots and lots of practice. You just need to keep at it, Saffron. You'll get there."
Saffron looked at him skeptically. Drogath was one of the best fliers in the clan, with decades of experience under his belt. It was easy for him to say that she just needed more practice.
But as she watched him fly, she realized that he was right. He moved through the air with such ease, such confidence. Saffron felt a flicker of determination in her chest. She wanted to be like that, to feel that kind of control over her own body.
"Thanks, Drogath," she said quietly. "I'll keep practicing."
Drogath grinned at her. "That's the spirit. And hey, if you ever need any tips or pointers, just let me know. I'm always happy to help out a young dragon like you."
Saffron smiled back at him, feeling a warmth in her chest. Drogath could be gruff and intimidating at times, but he had a good heart. She was glad to have him as a mentor.
As the sun sank lower in the sky, the dragons began to make their way back to the clan's main cave. Saffron followed the others, her wings feeling heavy and tired. She was ready to collapse onto her bed of rocks and sleep for the rest of the night.
But as she landed inside the cave, she realized that there was still one more training exercise to go. The clan leader, a fierce dragon named Tarragon, was waiting for them in the center of the cave.
"Attention, dragons!" Tarragon bellowed, her voice echoing off the walls. "We have one more exercise for the day. I want each of you to practice your fire-breathing. We'll be working on accuracy and range."
Saffron groaned inwardly. Fire-breathing was her weakest skill. She had never been able to produce a strong, consistent flame like some of the other dragons. She usually ended up coughing and sputtering, producing little more than a feeble wisp of smoke.
But there was no getting out of it. Saffron stepped forward with the rest of the dragons, feeling a sickening knot of anxiety in her stomach. She took a deep breath and tried to focus on the task at hand.
The dragons formed a line, each taking turns unleashing a jet of flame at a target across the cave. Saffron watched as dragon after dragon produced a powerful burst of fire, scorching the target and leaving a trail of smoke in its wake.
Finally, it was Saffron's turn. She stepped forward nervously, feeling the eyes of the other dragons on her. Tarragon was watching her closely, her eyes narrow and calculating.
Saffron took a deep breath and tried to summon up the fire inside her. She focused all her energy on her throat, trying to coax out a steady stream of flame.
At first, nothing happened. Saffron felt a cold sweat break out on her scales. She tried again, concentrating harder this time.
A tiny flame flickered to life at the back of her throat. Saffron felt a surge of excitement. She was doing it!
But then the flame sputtered and died, leaving Saffron coughing and gasping for breath. The other dragons snickered and muttered under their breath.
Tarragon glared at Saffron. "Pathetic," she spat. "You call that fire-breathing? You're a disgrace to this clan, Saffron."
Saffron felt tears prick
YOU ARE READING
Wings of Destiny
FantasySaffron is a young dragon struggling to find her place in her clan. She longs to be accepted by her peers and to prove herself to her elders, but she can't seem to shake the feeling that she's different somehow. As Saffron grapples with her insecuri...
