A Dragon's Tail

The Dragon Hunters

Dragons can live hundreds of years, and time passes slowly in their eyes. Falcor was born 100 years before the age of men, and was still rather young when he met the boy. Falcor reminisced of this day, now a proud 600 years old. The boy was long gone and his memories mildly faded, the pain of the boy's death still stung but less. Dragons mourn a very long time. But this is how he remembered that day.

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Dust motes stirred in the wind and filled the clearing. Shouts of men tore apart the silence, and an anguished roar was heard to all within ten miles at least. As the dust cleared, it uncovered a terrible scene.

A large dragon lay sprawled across the dirt. His skin was a beautiful, nutty shade of brown, with large green eyes . These eyes were full of pain and terror, and frustration that he was powerless.

Dragged into a cage and muzzled, tied, watching as the men approached at times to taunt and poke. Falcor resisted the torture as long as he could, refusing to moan or shriek when they stuck him with their pointed sticks. But he eventually broke..Even dragons have a breaking point.

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The boy watched his father and the men poke the dragon, poke it until it bled and twisted the wounds. He thought they would kill it quickly, humanely, for it's meat and hide. But this..this was wrong. nothing should have to suffer like this for so long. Tears ran down his face. Ever since the death of his mother and most of the villagers, his father's band of men had become barbaric and wild, drinking blood and killing for sport. He had to help this creature- he just had too.

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Who are you? Why are you hear? More sport at my expense...

I want to free you, and join you. I want to leave this place forever.

Perhaps we can make this work. You and I will escape. I am Falcor, but what to call you, boy?

I am Jesse.

Jesse cut the chafing cords and pulled open the entrapping cage. The lock was old and broke easily under Jesse's pressure. Falcor had been unable to break it, he was too weakened from his imprisonment. He limped out of the cage and leaned his large head against Jesse, sending waves of thanks into the boy's thoughts.

Jesse climbed Falcor's back and settled between his wings, gripping the spikes on the dragon's neck. They ran as hard as Falcor could until they came to a cliff on the other side of the clearing. The men were mostly asleep, but some gave chase, shooting wildly and screaming. Tears ran down Jesse's face as they leaped off the cliff and left his father behind. Falcor felt the boy's sadness, but also relief and a sense of new freedom.

Falcor climbed into the sky and they flew away from that place of death and pain and fear.         

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Jesse and Falcor traveled many years together in the forest, the sky, everywhere, enjoying their freedom. Eventually Jesse returned to a human settlement. Falcor always kept a distant eye on his boy, watching as he married, had children, had grandchildren. The only time he was close to Jesse again was when he died. Falcor sat with Jesse and his family as he breathed his last, and was there as his friend was buried. After, the pain was so intense. Falcor hadn't felt anything like this before. 

Every year on Jesse's birthday, a dragon could be seen next to the flowered grave. He would sit for hours with his eyes closed, talking to his friend. Tears fell from the great green eyes, streaking down  the brown scaly cheeks. This is where Falcor sat as he thought about his friend, his boy, his companion...his Jesse.