When I was a baby, I was given a necklace of a dragon's tooth from my Ma's side of the family. Apparently some of my ancestors were dragon tamers. Some even had dragons as mates. Legends said that if a dragon fell in love he would be able to turn human. I didn't believe it though. Until one day where everything changed.
Tall Pines was a small, quiet village filled with around 200 friendly, beefy men and women. We were mostly hunters, but some farmed. My family were at the bottom of the anarchy of the town. We weren't anything special. My Pa wasn't a good hunter and neither was my Ma. Our neighbors helped us out with food for a bit. But most of it went to my younger brothers and my Ma. I was turning out to be a good hunter. I had just learned how to use a bow the day the dragon came.
Dragons were not a usual appearance around Tall Pines, they mostly stayed to the north, in the mountains. In deep lairs filled with gold. Or so legend always told.
First the winds came. People took no notice of it as they went about their day like any other. Then came the deep and distant roars like thunder in the summer. People started to look to the skies just as he came over the hill. Brilliant blazes appeared from its nostrils and mouth as you run into the woods to get away from it. You heard people screaming and the dragon flapping it's magnificent wings.
I heard the snapping of burning wood and bows flinging arrows at the dragon. I heard it cry out in pain before I watched him fly over me and crash land ahead of me. I was terrified but interested. Was it dead? Is it injured? I shake my head clear and run in the direction of the dragon. Once I spot it, I creep low in the woods.
It was breathing fast and groaning as if in pain. It seems unaware of its surroundings as you walk up to it and check for injuries. Its eyes fly open and it jumps forward and snaps is huge jaws at me.
"I'm not going to hurt you," I say in a quiet voice, "I want to help." It looks down at me and growls slightly.
"Why would a puny girl want to help such a hideous, murderous, monster," his deep voice thundered through the woods as I jumped back a little bit.
"Because I care about all living things," I snap back. He doesn't move as we hold each other's gazes. He glares at me as I take another step forward and examine his body for injuries. His left wing is broken.
"How will you help me? A whole village is coming for me," he sighed and set down his head. I look around and remembered a cave that I had found when I was younger.
"There is a cave not far from here, you could crawl," I said as I started walking in the direction. I heard him get up and follow me slowly with a slight limp. He was taller than the trees and his head was bigger than my family's hut. I walked ahead of him a few paces and we got to the cave in 10 minutes. He quickly crawled inside and I followed him deep into the cave.
"I'll bring you food daily and help heal your wing," I said stubbornly and began to walk out before I turned around, "I'm Threda by the way."
"Thank you Threda for showing me such kindness today," he dipped his head, "I do not have a name, not that I remember anyways." I sat there for a moment thinking of a name for him.
"Leviathan. Levi for short," I smile as I continue walking out, "I have to go and see if my family is okay, if I don't go they'll think something is wrong." Just as I reach the entrance to the cave I hear Levi shift and lay his massive head down.
"Levi," he let's out a chuckle, "I like it."
