Imperial

Chapter 21

I awoke to the soft trickling of water. With a groan, I flared my wings only for a a sharp pain stabbing at my wings. Suddenly uncertain, I tentatively blinked open my eyes, taking in the soft blue glow emanating through the cave. Kronx's cave.

Hesitantly, I shuffled my wings, this time ready for the sudden pain. Even so, a soft whine escaped my throat.

"You're awake!" A melodious voice murmured in relief. From the corner of my eye, I could see the red and god drake slowly approaching me, using his mottled gold wings to slice through the water. "Even Kronx was getting worried. You've been out for a few days!"

"Where... Kronx?" I rasped, struggling pronounce each word.

"Hunting," the red dragon said simply, his gaze darting towards the entrance of the cave.

Satisfied with his answer, I sank lower into the water. Hunt. How tempting it was, to fly out of the cave, and hunt! To simply spread my wings and soar on the wind, swooping down on a large elk. To taste warm blood and flesh on my tongue. Just at the mere thought of food, my stomach rumbled.

Now draped on a slap of rock beside me, Rutilus winced sympathetically.

Aside from the gentle trickling of water, not a sound was to be heard. Somewhere in the distance, I could have sworn I heard the echo of thundering wing beats. Even so, it would be a while before the dark blue dragon returned.

Not keen on the idea of waiting around until he came back, I climbed to my feet carefully. My body ached from lack of movement, but even that did not come to compare with the throbbing pain in my wings whenever I moved it. How many bones had been broken?

"Go into the water," Rutilus suggested, "Kronx said that it would help."

Following his advice, I retreated into the grasp of the warm water. It flowed over my wings, soothing them, and I allowed myself to relax - even if only for a few moments. "Did he say how long it would take for them to heal?"

There was no way that I'd be able to spend the passing days in the water. As calm and soothing as it was, I needed to hunt, to fly! To feel the wind whip past me as I streaked across the sky. But there was no way that I'd be able to do that while my wings were broken.

Anxiously, I awaited Rutilus's answer.

"A few weeks," the red drake answered hesitantly. "Not very long compared to our huge life spans. But a few weeks without flying is almost unbearable." He shuddered, flaring his wings as though to make sure that they were fully functional.

Rutilus was right - a few weeks without flying would drive me crazy. Even now, as hungry as I was, I could feel the urge to fly; to stretch my wings and soar on the breeze. To think that that urge would increase over time, hungry or not.

Only a matter of weeks ago, I had been labouring on endless fields for humans. Forced to do work - the sky had not been an option. And other than longing to fly and escape, I had never needed to fly. Never had an urge to fly into the air. Too think that flying every day, even if only for a few weeks, had caused that.

Yet again, Rutilus flared his wings - he was restless. As though flying was just as appealing as it had been for me.

"What have you been doing these past few days?" I doubted that either dragon had been waiting for me to wake up the whole time. Surely Kronx had taught Rutilus more - perhaps he could breathe fire now, too.

The red drake shuffled nervously. "Nothing, really. Well, at least most of the time while Kronx was dealing with Foruthe," he sighed, wings drooping ever so slightly. "Aside from a few hunts, I've been in here the whole time. Kronx didn't want to leave you in here alone."

For a few moments, I considered what he had just said - that he had been in here, with me, for most of the time.

"But the time he was here," Rutilus continued with a flick of his tail. His molten eyes shone brighter in excitement and anticipation. "He taught me a few things, under the condition that I asked no questions."

My head whipped towards him, amber eyes wide. Kronx had finally started talking about his mysterious past and dragons! Eagerly, I inched towards Rutilus ever so slightly, needing to know whatever the dark blue dragon had spilled so far.

Understanding my silent request, the red and gold dragon did not hesitate. "I'm an imperial," he told me, his golden eyes gleaming with excitement. "Kronx said that I'm an imperial - bigger and stronger than most dragons. Apparently, the increasing amount of gold on my wings was a giveaway, but he did not really know for sure until yesterday."

All at once, Rutilus fell silent awkwardly, avoiding my gaze. He did not want to explain whatever had happened yesterday that confirmed that he was an imperial. As curious as I was, I doubted he'd tell me.

"If he's right about the Dragon King, then I don't think that that's good," I murmured softly, recalling what Kronx had originally told us of imperials a few weeks back. That if found, Rutilus would more or less be forced to serve the Dragon King.

Rutilus did not respond. Did not need to, as massive wing beats reverberated closer and closer, echoing through the tunnel leading to the outside world.

Kronx was back.

I had barely turned my head towards the cave's entrance when the dark blue dragon streaked through the cave. Despite his massive size, Kronx swept around the cave, not even so much as brushing against the cavern wall. Flaring his magnificent dark blue wings, the ancient dragon came to a halt, carefully landing on the smooth rock by the far wall.

Nostrils flaring, I sniffed the air. Blood, warm blood. Food.

My stomach growled in hunger. Embarassed, I hung my head as the dark blue dragon turned his attention towards me.

"Your awake," his sonorous voice reverberated through the cave. Intense silver eyes sliced through the cave, examining me carefully. "I was right in thinking that I'd need to take some food back here."

For, resting beside his black talons, was food. A whole deer.

Unable to take my eyes off it, I slowly crept forwards. Its alluring scent called to me, encouraging me to move faster as I hauled myself onto the smooth rock.

Now almost directly above me, Kronx rumbled in amusement. But I paid no attention to him as I snatched the deer away, tearing into the warm flesh almost immediately. Despite not having reached my stomach yet, swallowing the flesh and blood was instant relief from my hunger. 

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1165 words

Hope you enjoyed!

The end of the term is approaching; two weeks left. Next week, all of my assignments are due, and the following week I have my block exams. Fortunately, I only have four, spanned across Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

To put it simply, any updates in the next two weeks may be a bit late, but after that, I'll have a lot more time to right more! :)