Dragons & Panthers (T'Challa Udaku)

Chapter Eight

Jelani looks at the various requests coming in as she assigns jobs to the various teams. She rolls her shoulders before looking over at Bunmi who is sleeping on a pillow, soft purr like sounds leaving her. Jelani smiles before returning to the laptop screen. Suddenly, a crash like sound fills the air and she rolls her eyes.

"This egg keeps falling off this damn mantle. About to chip my wood floor."

She enters the living room and stares at the medium size dragon in her living room.

Calm scarlet eyes sit concealed within the creature's bony, scaled skull, which gives the creature a rather intimidating looking appearance. One small central horn sits atop its head, just above its wide, angular ears. Large fan-like skin and bone structures run down the sides of each of its jawlines. Its nose is thick and has two enormous, slitted nostrils and there are small horns on its chin. Rows of large teeth poke out from the side of its mouth and give a slight hint at the terror hiding inside. A huge neck runs down from its head and to its body. The top is covered in radiant skin and a row of fan-like growths runs down its spine. Its bottom is covered in thick scales and is coloured much lighter than the rest of its body. Four powerful limbs carry its body and allow the creature to stand tall and mighty. Each limb has 5 digits, each of which ends in long nails seemingly made of crystal. Slender wings grow starting from its shoulders and end at its hips. The wings are scythe-shaped, a specialized layer of skin is all that's visible inside and armour-like scales grow on top of the wing's primary bones. Its wide tail ends in a curved talon and is covered in the same radiant skin as its body.

Jelani walks forward, raising her hand up to the nose of the dragon and gently strokes it.

"You are a handsome dragon," she says softly making it release a small growl-like sound. "I think I shall call you Siamak."

Siamak grunts and she chuckles as she strokes his nose.

"While I would Love to let you leave this room I fear you'll break the steps."

Siamak looks at her before disappearing, a black ring with a red crystal sitting where he once was. Jelani picks it up and slips it on, gently stroking it as she goes upstairs. She returns to work, peace sweeping over her.

<>

T'Challa looks at the file of Jelani again as he sits in his office. Shuri had added the note that she appears to hold the ability to breathe fire and may not be human. T'Challa opens the book on his desk. It is filled with old legends and myths of Wakanda that aren't told anymore. He looks at the table of contents and one title catches his eye: "How Dragons Came to Be". He flips to the story and begins to read.

Long Ago, a while after Ra created the world and Bast became the guardian of the Wakandan people, a child was born to a couple of River and Golden tribe descent. The daughter had the prettiest skin anyone in either tribe had ever seen. It was the colour of soil after the river flooded, a dark brown that shimmered when the sunlight or moonlight would touch her skin. Her eyes were a bright black, a twinkle in her eye as if a star lived in them. And her hair was the blackest hair anyone had seen, with tight coils that held their shape. Because of how she looked, the couple named her Layia or "Dark Beauty".

The couple raised their daughter in the ways of the time, training her on how to manage a house but also to participate and function in the politics of the tribe. Layia proved to be an intelligent and kind soul. The farm animals loved her and the tribe elders doted on her. Many were her friends and she was always helping anyone who asked.

One day, the son of the high priest saw Layia while travelling back to the temple and fell madly in love with her. He sent her lavish gifts but she would return each one, politely declining his offer of marriage. This enraged the man who had never been denied anything in his life. In his anger, he prayed to Petbe, the God of Revenge, and cursed Layia. Petbe, hearing the man's prayer and seeing his offering, answered his prayer and struck Layia with a terrible illness.