at the corners of her eyes. She had been hoping for some encouragement, some words of support, but instead, she had been humiliated in front of the whole clan.
She tried to keep her head up and not show any weakness, but it was hard. She could feel the weight of everyone's judgment on her, and it made her feel small and insignificant.
"Maybe we should give her a break, Tarragon," Drogath spoke up, stepping forward. "She's still young, and fire-breathing is a difficult skill to master."
Tarragon snorted. "I'll give her a break when she earns it. Until then, she needs to learn to keep up with the rest of the clan."
Saffron felt a surge of anger. It wasn't fair. She was trying her best, but she couldn't help it if she didn't have the same natural talent as some of the other dragons.
But she didn't say anything. She knew better than to talk back to Tarragon. The clan leader was fearsome and respected, and challenging her authority was a surefire way to get in serious trouble.
So Saffron gritted her teeth and stepped back into line. She tried to focus on her breathing, on the feeling of air rushing in and out of her lungs. She tried to push the shame and frustration out of her mind and concentrate on the task at hand.
She took a deep breath and tried again.
This time, the flame came out stronger. It shot across the cave and hit the target dead on, leaving a smoldering hole in the rock.
The other dragons cheered, and Saffron felt a surge of pride. She had done it. She had proven that she was capable, that she could keep up with the rest of the clan.
Tarragon looked surprised, but she nodded approvingly. "Better," she said gruffly. "Keep working on it."
Saffron felt a small smile tug at the corners of her mouth. Maybe she wasn't the best fire-breather in the clan, but she was getting there. And with a little more practice, she knew she could be just as good as the rest of them.
As the training session came to an end and the dragons dispersed to their sleeping caves, Saffron felt a sense of exhaustion wash over her. She had worked hard today, harder than she had in a long time. But she also felt a sense of satisfaction, of accomplishment.
She crawled into her sleeping cave and curled up on a pile of rocks, feeling the cool stone against her scales. She closed her eyes and let out a deep breath, feeling the tension leave her body.
She knew that tomorrow would be another hard day of training, of pushing herself to be the best dragon she could be. But for now, she was content to rest, to let her mind and body relax.
As she drifted off to sleep, she couldn't help but wonder what other challenges lay ahead of her. But she knew one thing for sure: no matter how hard it got, she was determined to face them head-on.
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...
