A story about Sang, the first ever female to receive the mark of a dragon. Entering a world where males reign supreme, she struggles to prove that a woman has what it takes to be a great rider. Even if the dragon she's paired with is stubborn, moody...
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Sang
Walking through the forest to visit Gideon, I felt a shiver run down my spine. That was either a telltale sign that I was being watched, or that something unpleasant was about to happen. I paused and strained my ears in hopes of hearing approaching foot steps. Hearing nothing but calm wind pushing through the pines, I turned around and scanned my surroundings. I could only see tall trees, rocks, and an endless amount of dirt.
I hadn't arrived in the Xynnar Forest yet, but no villagers ever came out that far unless they were lost. Not letting myself get too worked up over it, I took a deep breath and kept my senses sharp as I continued my travel.
As I stepped foot into a large clearing filled with an array of purple wildflowers, I found myself stopping dead in my tracks. I smiled broadly. The pegasi tensed up when they spotted me and stopped grazing on the grass. A familiar looking one let out a whinny and trotted in my direction.
For a moment, I let a memory take over. A few years ago, when I went out hunting, I found an elusive creature in a cruel bear trap. I didn't think twice before I released him. It took a few weeks until he was able to travel, so I spent that time nursing him back to health. The Pegasus were incredibly skittish creatures and tended to stay far away from humans, but during that time, we formed an unforgettable bond.
I giggled happily as Arrion affectionately rubbed his nose against my face and let out a loud, honking snort. I wrapped my arms around his neck and stroked his tangled white mane. "Hey, buddy. I missed you."
Looking past him, I watched as all the others began to quietly approach, seeming intrigued by their companion's behavior. Happy that Arrion remembered me after all this time, I gave him a kiss right between his eyes.
Although I couldn't communicate with them, it was said that they were able to communicate with one another and often times other animals as well. They were being hunted down by humans for their wings and sold for a mighty coin. Some even captured them and attempted to tame them into their own personal pets. It pushed them into being the endangered species that they were.
Due to the quietness of the woods, the snapping of a twig breaking in the brush sounded like a tree being ripped from the ground. I whipped out one of the knives from my boot and spun around to defend myself and Arrion and his companions.
"Oomph! Luke, you fucking- oh, god. Tell me that's not what I think it is. ARGH! Spider! Fucking kill it North!"
Cackling reached my ears.
"You two need to shut the hell up!" Said a deep, grumbling voice.
My brows rose. If those were hunters, they certainly needed to brush up on their skills. I was actually surprised I hadn't detected them sooner. I relaxed my defensive stance and leaned back against Arrion's tense body, still not dropping the knife. Whoever these people were, they were definitely not a threat.
