The Hidden World

Taste Of Trust

Birds were chirping peacefully in the lonely forest. Green eyes followed the pair of birds with envy when they shrieked out of the tree. The creature started wondering why they were fleeing, but it already heard the footsteps itself. Reluctantly it pushed itself up on four feet and crawled behind a big rock to hide. Eventually curiosity won over and the creature climbed onto the boulder and observed.
A young human, it sniffed, probably about 19 or 20. It tilted surprised it's head. Just about it's own age.
Finally a brown head peaked into the cove, very carefully. The black dragon couldn't help but to be surprised. Didn't that scrawny human know fear like the others of his kind?
Eventually he stepped completely into the cove, a fish tightly at his chest. The dragon's stomach growled and it licked it's lips longing for food.
The human walked in the cove, probably looking for the dragon. The boy smelled like nervousness and fear, but not as bad as any Viking. Why?
The dragon decided it didn't care and hopped completely onto the rock, eying the human carefully. The kid walked curiously in the cove and searched for the dragon. When he had almost passed it, the creature opened it's wings dangerously. The human noticed the dragon almost behind his back and shrieked up, clenching the fish against his chest. The dragon jumped off the boulder right in front of the Viking. Immediately it was taken in by the amazing smell and sniffed into the air. It loved that kind of fish, but couldn't eat it anymore, since that fish only lived in the sea, not in this stupid lake.
Quickly it decided not to attack the boy, maybe he would decide bringing it temporarily fish.
Carefully the dragon neared the young adult, opening it's mouth so the human could place the fish in there. Eventually it snapped out of it's uncontrollably hunger and realized how careless it had been. It regretted it's mindless actions and found himself backing away. It growled at the human when it had sniffed the smell of metal bound to wood.
Somehow the boy seemed to know what was bugging the creature. He opened his vest to reveal a little dagger. The dragon knew very well how dangerous that little sword could be. With it's own head down eating the food, the boy could easily thrust the knife in his neck.
When the human reached out for the knife, the dragon snarled a warning. He flinched, but in a matter of seconds the dagger was in his hand and finally on the ground. The dragon didn't show it's confusion, instead it insisted with a wink to the side with his head to get rid of the weapon. The boy did as he was told and kicked the dagger away into the lake with his right foot
The smell of weapons disappeared as he was disarmed and the dragon sat down calm and curious. It realized, the human seemed as confused as the dragon was.
His hand with the food reached out. The creature lowered it's ears, carefully sneaking up to the long awaited food. It had hungered for months, unable to hunt it's food while bound to the ground. Some days it had had more luck than the fish in the lake, or the mice on the ground. Though it wasn't enough for a whole dragon. Even a Terrible Terror wouldn't have been satisfied.
Again it opened it's mouth, studying the human when he would finally place the fish in it's mouth. For some reason the teen decided to hesitate.
"Toothless? I could've sworn you have-"
Said dragon was tired of waiting. In a matter of seconds it retracted it's teeth and snatched away the fish.
"-teeth!" The boy gasped shocked, not having expected to lose his fish this very second. The black creature swallowed the fish and licked it's mouth in satisfaction. This had been too good. It's gaze found back to the boy and a thought struck it. Maybe, just maybe the boy had something more left. It was a foolish idea, the creature hadn't smelled anything, nor did it look like the boy could stuff a fish somewhere. It was the hunger speaking. The dragon neared the boy with a friendly warble, checking if he had by any chance anything left.
"No no no." The brown haired Viking repeated frightened and backed away, tripped and fell to the ground. He pushed himself further away until a rock caught him. He shrinked into the ground and starred rather terrified in the eyes of the dragon's.
"I don't have anymore." He whispered the obvious. Looking at the scared fragile human, the black creature felt painful guilt. That poor human brought a gift to the hungry creature and that was it's way to thank? It's eyes rolled up and it started gagging, dragging the confused look of the young Viking on him. Eventually it vomited half of the fish onto the human's lap. Satisfied with it's work it pushed itself back and sat on it's butt with a 'plump'.
The young Viking grabbed the globby fish with a look the creature couldn't explain itself. More however, the human didn't seem to know what to do with the gift. Or maybe he was unsure if he could accept such honour? That ought to be it.
The dragon glanced at the fish and back at the human, telling him to eat the fish and not to worry.
The human looked shocked at the fish and back at the dragon. Yep, definitely the second option. His relieved sigh must've been another indication for being honoured. At least the dragon guessed so, it wasn't too familiar with human emotions beside fear, shock and anger. In the meantime, the little human showed none of these.
Slowly the human bit into the fish. The dragon chuckled at the tiny bit the human made, but was happy that the teen enjoyed it's gift. The boy held the bite between his cheeks and looked rather funny. Before swallowing his bite he offered the rest to the creature.
With a nod the dragon signalled, it's all yours.
Of course it was hungry, but it was it's thank you to the little human. It wouldn't take that for sure.
The boy snorted in discomfort, pulled himself together and swallowed the piece. He gagged, almost vomiting like the dragon, but eventually it disappeared behind his throat.
The young adult shuddered, and the dragon couldn't help but lick it's mouth, wishing it could've eaten the fish. It started wondering if the human had liked it after all, didn't seem like a fish eater. The creature didn't come to think more of it, as the human did something weird with it's mouth.
It wasn't fear, it wasn't shock nor anger.
Nothing the dragon did know.
Curiosity won over it and it lifted the corner of it's mouth to imitate the child. The boy stunned in amazement when he witnessed the dragon's first gummy smile. The creature became more confident and it's smile became bigger and brighter.
Curiously the human reached it's hand out for the dragon. The creature saw the unknown body that used to hunt and slaughter it and it's kind for almost 20 years. Panic took over it and it growled at the smaller being. It's pupils narrowed and it took off, flying as much it could with it's damaged tail.
Back on the ground it shook it's head in disgust, not believing it actually imitated a human being. As always the ground was cold and it burned it lightly before resting down.
A chirping sound made it lift it's head up. That stupid bird was still preparing it's nest. It's ears indicated another disturbance. To it's left the young adult was sitting and waved at it when being noticed. The dark creature sighed in annoyance, changed it's legs so it could cover it's eyes with it's remaining tail fin. Still it didn't relax. It suspected the boy to do something stupid, like try touching it again, since it appeared as curious like the dragon itself.
Just for precaution it lifted it's tail and caught the human just before he could succeed. The boy jumped up and walked away in defeat.
The dragon took no chances and stood up as well, climbing up the tree to hang down like a bat. It covered itself with it's wings, making it's surroundings pitch black.

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A big yawn was the first indication. It opened it's wings and green eyes fluttered open. A familiar smell reached it's nose. That couldn't be...
The dragon was on the lookout for the responsible creature and found the little human sitting on a rock. Why would the human spend it's whole day in the cove with it? Did the Viking have no life? Quietly it jumped on the ground, glad the boy didn't notice it. It waddled calmly to the boy. There was something in his hands, no metal though. The dragon wasn't paranoid, it knew to well a scrawny Viking with a stick couldn't hurt it. Lead by curiosity it joined the human and looked over it's shoulder. He didn't seem to notice the big black reptile behind him. The green eyes widened in surprise when it looked into a mirror. There was it's face on the ground. Why? How? How was the human doing that? It felt pure satisfaction when the boring ground developed into a picture after the stick touched it. The stick.
The dragon walked away and looked for a similar stick, but noticed quickly they wouldn't withstand it's grip. A small tree dragged it's attention. It pulled the young tree out of the earth and walked back to the boy, warbling proudly of it's discovery.
It placed the stick on the ground and moved along, a line being created in the ground. The creature spinned and hopped in amusement. It stopped to acknowledge it's work and looked at the human. The boy was witnessing it's drawing with amazement. The dragon returned back to work and continued it's line. It hesitated. There was clearly a point needed. It draw a point before it continued it's line. Satisfied with it's work it settled down and looked proud at the human. Was he amazed? The dragon guessed yes. The boy stood up and walked mindlessly, stepping on it's drawing. The creature growled offended, the boy lifted it's foot. Out of curiosity the boy stepped again on the same spot and the creature growled again. The next step landed beside the line and the boy smiled encouragingly at the dragon. It tilted it's ears happily, having already found a liking in the small unknown creature. Somehow.
The human danced his ways out of the dragon's master piece. With every step he came nearer. The dragon closed it's eyes, telling itself to be ready. When it opened it's eyes, the small creature was already beneath it. The dragon saw it's own breath brush away the boy's brown hair. He turned his head and looked into green eyes, almost the same colour. They were this close, neither of them minded. That was until the human reached out again his hand. The dragon showed it's discomfort and even snarled when the boy didn't stop. This time the boy understood. His hand retreated and he thought about it. He looked on the ground and sighed softly. His hand reached forward. The dragon opened it's green wide eyes in surprise. The hand came nearer, without the human looking.
He was no threat.
Not at all.
He was trusting his hand this far to the dragon. It could certainly bite it off, he should know that.
So why did he know it wouldn't?
The dragon didn't understand, only saw the small hand nearing it's nose.
Only a breath away the hand stopped and floated in the air.
The creature studied the hand calmly, the harmless as peaceful boy so close to him.
Without thinking any further it placed it's nose against the warm palm. It smelled the unique scent and felt something it had never felt before.
A taste of trust.