The Rise Of The King

Chapter Three

When Fern and I returned to camp, Koda had recently called a meeting. We quietly filed next to our parents. My father was back, but he was sitting rigidly and had a coldness in his gaze as he looked at the elderly dragon. My mother was sitting next to him, her shoulders sagging a bit. She didn't look like she wanted to be here. I sat down next to my father, he gave me a little glance and his nostrils flared slightly.

Koda was standing neatly on his rock ledge, his wings folded perfectly. He was trying to look like he wasn't exhausted. He cleared his throat.

"Spring is beginning again, so it's time to schedule hunting patrols in the lowlands rather than the mountains."

There was a murmur of approval, even from my father. I know he liked hunting in the mountains, because of by the off chance he might run into a mountain dragon patrol would lead him to a battle. Fern was definitely right about my father's thirst for a quarrel. I could see it in his eyes, and the way his claws dig into the earth.

"The next hunting patrol will consist of Boulder, Arrow, Ash, and Claw. Hunt towards the creeks, the elk and deer should be traveling down from the mountains back to their bedding areas."

My father smiled a little, as he stood with the others who'd been called. I saw relief in my mother's eyes as my father left camp with the party. Koda watched them disappear into the woods and looked back at the rest of us below him.

"As for everyone else, carry on as usual."

Dragons melted away to their dens, or into the forest for a walk. Koda shakily walked down from his ledge and retreated to his den. Mother went to our den, so I followed her. She lied down and wrapped her tail neatly around herself. I sat down next to her, as she sighed.

"I'm sorry, Saber."

I laid my ears back a little.

"For what?" I asked.

She looked towards the ceiling for a few moments.

"For having this life for us."

I stared at her, heavily confused.

Before I could ask what she meant, she started speaking.

"I could have saved him. I could have fought off Claw," I froze at her words, "I was so weak when I used to be so strong."

She looked at me with a seriousness that made me feel like I was going to vomit.

"You're strong, Saber. Stronger than I ever was. Stay strong, for me, please."

Tears trembled in her gaze. I looked at her and nodded slowly. She smiled a little and licked my cheek. She rested her snout in my hair, and breathed in, almost like she was capturing my scent. My mother had always kept my hair short, so it wouldn't get caught in tree branches and didn't have to be cleaned often. I hadn't noticed it before, but my mother had a scar in her ear, on both sides. Like an earring had been ripped from both.

We sat in silence for a few minutes, the time going by extremely slow. I could feel her tension. She wasn't always like this. I remember her being happy, her and my father smiling and acting like they loved each other. I remember being extremely cold after that is when they changed. Father became blunt and acted as though we're war prisoners. My mother uses snide remarks toward him to cope with her own feelings. I didn't understand their whole relationship. I don't understand why they can't go back to the way things were.

-

Several days passed, and I felt the anger and tension between my parents more. My father was extremely irritated, and constantly lashed out at me and my mother. He'd come back from the hunting party with fresh wounds on his back and shoulders from an attack from a dragon who'd been hunting in our territory. No one in the party saw the attacker, but they saw my father's wounds and started searching for the trespasser. They never found one.

My father offered a walk with my mother. He was calm, and spoke with a kind twinge in his voice. It bothered me. My mother had glanced at me before agreeing. They left me in the den, where I debated to myself to follow them. I waited a few minutes then followed their scents through the forest. They walked for a mile or so, before they were off the territory lines. I followed downwind, making sure they couldn't catch my scent. I didn't trust my father at all.

They stopped in a clearing, where they started talking. I crept closer to freeze at their words.

"-I was waiting for this to happen." My mother said, staring at him with a fierceness I'd never seen before. My father looked at her as he tail tip twitched slightly.

"All you Azaars have caused me unspeakable pain; of course you decided on this. I've been waiting for years, Claw." She snarled, getting inches from his face. My father stared at her, he stayed silent as she spoke.

"The only good thing I got from you is Saber. Everything else was hellish and should have never happened. He doesn't deserve this life! His roots are twisted with poison from your genetics. If that carries over, I pray for all those who come in contact with him."

She was crying now, her voice shaky.

"I hope the best for him, I pray that he tears out your-"

My father lifted his claws in one fluid motion and slashed my mother's throat. Her torn throat gurgled for a moment before her legs wobbled and gave out below her. I stared at her twitching body. I laid my ears back as I held back the urge to cry or charge into the clearing. My head spun as my vision grew unfocused, I couldn't breathe. Claw stood over her, and my stomach twisted in disgust as tears rolled down his cheeks as he whispered, "I'm sorry, Eliza."

—-

I'd snuck my way back to camp, dazed. I felt like I was going to vomit I'd pass out. My legs were heavy, and my head throbbed. I couldn't cry, the tears unable to pour out. My breathing was so ragged. Once in camp, I could feel eyes on me but I didn't look at them. My heartbeat rang in my ears. I could hear Fern's voice, but it was impossible to understand what she was saying. She struck the side of my jaw with her shoulder and stared at me with alarm in her eyes.

"Are you okay?" She demanded.

I stared at her, my pupils trembling. Everything around her was just colorful noise, which hurt my eyes. I stepped back from her a little and she just asked me the same thing again. That's when I realized Koda's voice was there too.

"Saber, speak son." He said, calmly.

I inhaled deeply, trying to control my heartbeat and breathing. By the time I did, a commotion arose in camp. Claw busted through the entrance, my mother's limp body draped over his back. Fresh cuts were on his face and shoulders. His eyes were wide with alarm. Fern stayed by me, but everyone else ran to his distress. I watched as he panted, lying my mother on the dusty earth.

"Claw what happened?" Koda exclaimed, mortified by my mother's body.

"We were ambushed by the rogue from a few days ago, he's still hunting on the territory." He rasped.

I felt rage boil in my small body. I choked on my own breath as my father made eye contact with me. I could see his crime hidden by the tears and grief. I walked forward, letting the tears fall. I fell to the earth, rubbing my snout against her cheek. Claw laid his ears back and joined me. I felt a shiver when he touched me. How could he do this?