The Dragon's Maiden (COMPLETE)

First Flight

The creatures of the forest called him Fire. He never knew why. Until the day he first turned. Until the day he first learned of pain.

On his first transformation he knew he craved something. Wanted something.

Stretching his wings wide Fire saw his forest from above for the first time. And for the first time Fire saw something more than trees.

A village. On the edge of a lake. Many houses dotted the lake's shore. And creatures Fire had never seen before moved about.

Their limbs resembled his limbs. His limbs when he wasn't this. For the first time Fire wondered if he was what they were. Creatures like him.

Flying down he felt himself land. A scrawny wyvern come to play in the village square.

He was curious. They were terrified. For Fire was the first dragon men had seen in an age.

One step after the other the young dragon looked among men and craved to know them.

Walking towards one in long garments he felt a sharp pang in his head.

A large rock.

Followed by another.

Then another.

Then a screech escaped Fire's throat as he felt the stabbing pain of three sharp spikes make a home deep inside his back side.

Twisting on his scaly heels the not quite fully grown creature turned to the men responsible.

He roared.

And that was the first time the young dragon tasted fire. It was power incarnate. Heat, smoke and the taste of stale air.

And Fire suddenly knew why the creatures gave him this name. For he was living fire.

And the village around him burned.  And the people screamed. And Fire's magical green eyes locked with a man's as a large stone stumbled from his hand onto the ground.

Screaming into the air, fire bearing fruitlessly into the grey sky, the young dragon took wing. The bloody wetness of his backside ached with every flap.

He left the village of men behind. Flying to hide away into his cave once more.

Feet touching the grass Fire felt his body twist and turn and suck into itself. The bloody pitchfork fell to the ground with a thud.

Screaming Fire felt at his open wound.

Holed back up in his cave he remembered all their faces. But there was only one he found himself yearning for. The one in the long garments.

This is when Fire planned what he would do.

One day he would be stronger. And on that day no one would dare hurt him. The day he first learned of pain was the day he swore it onto others. And it was the day he learned he wanted more than pain as his payback. He wanted them to pay for his loneliness.