TAW Tales: How to Train Your Shifters (#1)

~ Chapter 13 ~

TOOTHLESS! I screamed, tearing down the beach.

The Shockjaw pelted after me, bounding on it's powerful legs and flapping it's wings whenever it jumped so that it propelled forward several metres.

I skidded to a stop as it flew over me and landed with a heavy thud in the sand in front. It reared onto it's hind legs again and roared, flaring it's wings.

I-I mean you're not toothless at all, I stammered, skittering backwards. You-you have l-lots of teeth. L-Lots of huge white teeth! EEP!

I dodged to the side as the Shockjaw's mouth opened again and it shot a ball of purple electricity into the ground. The sand flew up in a dust cloud as the ball exploded into purple sparks, and I turned tail and pelted in the other direction.

NIGHT! I howled as I ran, feeling the thundering of the Shockjaw's paws behind me. WINTER! EVEREST, LUNA, MOON, ZERO, ANYONE HELP!

There was a flapping sound behind me and I swung around to the other side as the dragon dove down in front of where I'd originally been heading, throwing up more sand. I tore into the shelter of the trees, my fur catching on some of the brambles and leaving amber and white burrs.

I heard the Shockjaw gather breath ad instinctively dodged to the side as another ball of purple electricity blasted the ground, inches from where I'd been. Desperate to escape the sea-dragon's relentless blasts, I shot off between the trees, weaving around bushes and ducking under branches.

My heart skipped as I heard the thundering of the Shockjaw's paws behind me as it crashed through the undergrowth in it's eager pursuit.

I rounded a corner and screeched to a stop. In front of me was a massive stone cliff, way too sheer to climb. I whipped around, praying that I could escape before the Shockjaw caught up, but the dragon burst from the trees, it's teeth bared as it crouched on all fours.

It lashed it's tail a few times and made a rumbling noise in it's throat that I knew meant it was gathering breath for a shot.

Desperately, I backed away, tucking my tail in and folding my ears back. The Shockjaw reared up and opened it's mouth wider. I could see the purple glow at the back of it's throat as it got ready to shock me.

Then it paused and glanced upwards as a rain of rocks tumbled down from the cliff face, thundering to the ground on either side of us.

I yelped and ducked to the side as a massive boulder bounced next to me, and the Shockjaw gave a strangled yowl as it disappeared under a hill of rocks. I felt the ground rumbling beneath my paws and realized that that was what set off the avalanche.

Then, suddenly, the tremors stopped and the rocks ceased to fall, save only a few tiny stones clattering down the cliff face, the sound echoing in the sudden stillness.

I swallowed and slowly uncurled myself from where I'd huddled on the ground and slunk towards the rock pile that was once the Shockjaw. The stones remained unmoving and I cautiously sniffed the edge, hoping despite myself to scent the warm presence of life.

There was nothing.

Then the rocks I'd sniffed erupted and I squeaked, scrambling backwards. The jaws of the Shockjaw snapped shut inches from my nose and the dragon let it's head drop to the ground, as if the effort needed to break it's head free had exhausted it.

I stood only metres from it, quivering, feeling it's breath on my coat. But slowly, I felt my fear give way to sympathy. It just looked so pitiful lying there, it's body hidden underneath tonnes of rocks and it's head resting on the grass, eyes lowered and ears drooping.

Finally, my curiosity got the better of me and I crept forward, one paw-step at a time. The creature's eyes darted up to glare at me and I paused as it writhed, growling and snapping at the air.

There's not much point struggling, I said to it, my shaking voice betraying my fear. You'll only exhaust yourself.

The Shockjaw narrowed it's yellow eyes and emitted a low, rumbling sound from it's throat, but it let it's head drop down onto the ground again.

I flicked my ear nervously and skirted around the pile of rocks, conscious of the Shockjaw's eyes on me. At last, I reached the edge of the forest and looked back.

I felt a a tug at my heart as I saw the creature lying there, half-buried in rubble. It's long tail snaked out from the rocks, drooping, as if the Shockjaw had given up. I couldn't just abandon it!

I sighed and turned back.

The dragon opened it's eyes as I approached, carrying a curved piece of bark that I'd filled with water fro a nearby stream. It didn't lift it's head, but it's yellow eyes flashed as it watched me place the make-shift bowl down in front of it.

I'm going to nudge this towards you, I told it. So please don't bite me.

Carefully, every inch of my pelt tingling, I nudged the bowl towards the Shockjaw's mouth, knowing perfectly well that I was in striking distance as I did so.

Once the bowl was only a few centimetres from the dragon's snout, I jumped backwards, out of reach once again. The Shockjaw blinked at me, almost gratefully, and lifted it's head to lap at the water.

I panted, letting go of my fear, and sat down to watch it. I'll have to get the others out here to help save it, I thought, watching the sea-green dragon drinking.

When it had finished, it licked it's mouth like a dog and tilted it's head at me. I tilted my head back at it. Then, with a contented sigh, it tucked it's head around the rock hill and closed it's eyes.

I gave a little smile.