Dragon Boy

Chapter 1: Hatching

   I raced through the trees, swatting branches out of my face and flicking leaves out of my hair. My arms pumped, my legs ached but I wasn't fast enough. Harder, harder I ran. I had to get there in time, I had to. Sunlight illuminated patches of leaves and wind rustled the bushes. I flew through the woods, waiting for the brook to tell me that I'd arrived at the cave. There it was! I sprinted faster and danced across the stones dotting the water. I touched the tough rock and slowed. My legs slowed to a stop, letting my breath catch up with me and I slowly circled to the cave entrance. My home faced the dry, barren wasteland, and it's back was to the beautiful forest that provided me with all I needed to survive. I closed my eyes and pictured what would be waiting for me inside the cavern. Then I went in.

   It was hatching day. The eggs of the mother dragon that had taken me in nearly a year ago were about to hatch and I wasn't going to miss it. There they were, pushed into the center of the cave, where a single beam of light illuminated the nest. Their mother paced around them nervously, snorting smoke gently. She was agitated. Their egg-incubation time was typically 10 months, and they were nearly a month late.

   I ran up and placed my hand on the top of her leg, where it joined her body; the spot that encourages relaxation on a dragon. She turned and calmed. Sit down, I told her. She grunted, a small flame sparking in the air, but did as I suggested. Problem, she told me, and pointed to the darkest egg. It was navy blue, covered in bumps and lumps. 

  Before I go on, something must be explained. See, I do not verbally "speak" with this dragon. Dragons are telepathic. They can communicate by sending their simplified message into the mind of another, and with careful practice and excellent instruction, a human being can speak to a dragon. Among their own species, dragons use their own language, a complicated and confusing compilation of sounds, gestures and snorts. But I have learned to communicate with my "friend". I simply think the phrase I would like her to know,  and it is in her mind. But I have to will it, or else everything I thought would end up to her knowledge. The majestic dragon I'd found in the cave had sent me messages, and I slowly progressed in sending them back. Then, I learned her name (Heralth)(1), her story and everything about dragon life.

  I returned my attention to Heralth and her eggs. The darkest one, that she'd pointed out seemed fine to me. I looked at her and cocked my head in question. Can sense, she said. I trusted her, so if Heralth's instinct told her that there was something wrong with the egg, I believed her. I  bent to examine the egg when Heralth's tail intercepted me. She scooped me up and pushed me behind her strong leg. No, she warned. Must not disturb the process. 

   We watched in expectation as the glossy, turquoise egg began to shiver. It wobbled and hovered until it hesitated, and clunked onto its side. It hit the ground, vibrated for a second, and slit open, a clean cut exactly in the middle. A tiny, baby dragon hatchling was curled up evenly in one half of the shell. It was lean, small and obviously a water dragon. It looked exactly like its egg; teal and green swirling together like waves. Its webbed claws were pulled up under its chin and sharp teeth meant for ripping apart fish were barely visible through its sleek snout. Its eyes were open wide and moving fast, taking everything in. The hatchling generally had a very afraid look about it.

   Heralth snorted flame and lifted her lips, showing her gums, the dragon equivalent of laughing. She calmly changed colours to match the baby dragon. The hatchling saw this, and came out of his shell, quite literally. He slipped around his egg, lifting his webbed claws higher than necessary and slapping them down on the ground with a satisfactory whap. He noticed his tail and froze. The hatchling pawed at it, then realized he could move it. He raised his tail and accidentally hit himself in the head with it, then seemed surprised when his whole body turned a dark seaweed green.