Vivial: A Dragon's Tale

   Vivial is a small dragon for her age; only 4 feet tall. Also Vivial cannot fly. Her mother was gunned down by soldiers in the Human-Dragon War, being mistaken for an enemy vessel. Her father flew away after his mate died, never to be seen or heard from again. She lives alone in her mother's cave by the ocean.

   The other dragons in the clan are cold towards her, but still bring her a goat or a sheep every week. Occasionally the clan "forgets" to bring her food, and hopes that she starves. She hasn't yet.

   Only one dragon, Lukathis, cares enough for her to attempt to teach her to fly. Lukathis is strongly built, and a middle sized dragon with a murky past.  He gave up teaching her to hunt after she almost gutted him thinking he was a deer. The flying lessons are not going smoothly, but Lukathis thinks she should have the option to secede from the clan, and be able to fly far enough before they kill her.

   Today was Vivial's 56th lesson, and they were still on square one. "Vivi! Spread your wings!" called Lukathis. Vivial looked at him in anguish, "What if I fall and die?" She cried. "You wont fall! Just spread your wings and jump!" Vivial did as she was told, she spread her speckled green wings, and pounced of the cliff. She glided for a short distance, then plummeted into the deep blue water.

   "Apparently she will fall." Lukathis muttered as he flapped his wings and swooped down to retrieve his student. He pulled Vivial from the still water brought her to a large flat rock, and wiped salt out of her eyes. She started to cry. "Vivi... it's really okay, we'll try again tomorrow." Lukathis said reassuringly to the sobbing dragon. He flew her up to her cave and got her some leaves to lay on. "We'll try again tomorrow," Lukathis repeated, as he swooped out of her cave into the peach colored sky.