"Scala, what on earth have you done?"
Bee stood there after unlocking my door and stared in disbelief at the ashes of my horde.
It had been days since he had bothered to open that door that had remained closed. The small hatch swung outwards from my side too, but had remained locked from outside when I hadn't pushed eggs through it for him.
Instead, I had pushed them off the ledge.
They were nothing but a runny mess of sloppy yolks and scales smashed in a pile that had attracted wildlife to devour the offerings.
"Scala" he breathed in disbelief when he finally checked the ledge and the fate of his prizes "what have you done?"
"Obviously what it looks like" I snorted back without lifting my head from the nest.
Bee ran his hands through his hair in worry. He looked to me then to the door as if he were waiting for someone else to come bursting through it.
"We needed those, Scala."
"Well" I snapped now and lifted myself upwards to tower over Bee "I can see what you obviously care for more then."
He saw my bared teeth and turned from the ledge to inspect the ash pile.
"Why?"
"What does it matter?" I hissed to him "you can't understand a thing I'm going to say to you anyway. What use is an explanation that you won't know?"
"It's the bullet, isn't it?" Bee's eyes flicked to the wound that was already starting to grow a thin layer of skin over it "I panicked, Scala. I didn't kn..."
"ITS NOT THE DAMN BULLET!" I screamed and powered towards him to have Bee press his back to the wall in fear "LISTEN TO ME, DAMN IT! I'M LONELY!"
"Scala..."
Bee reached a hand out towards me to touch my forehead while tears snaked down over my cheeks. He wiped one that dripped from my nose then rested his hand there.
"I'll get someone to remove it for you today."
"Get out."
He didn't move which only made my anger rise. The fool had no idea. He only had a one-track mind, and that was infuriating me. I didn't want to hear or see him anymore.
"GET OUT!"
I shoved him to the door roughly. Bee stumbled and fell to the floor, scrambling back up to quickly let himself out and lock the door behind him.
He lifted the hatch outwards to peek back inside as I glared at his face. I could feel the fire licking inside me again in its desire to be free.
There was no way I was going to hurt the man. I just wanted distance.
"Scala..."
"Go away, Bee."
When he didn't move, I let the fire loose to dance across the stone again. Bee immediently dropped the hatch when he saw it, and locked it up before he scurried away.
I should have known sooner. When I was younger, I was doted on like a prized possession from afar until the carers realised I wasn't as dangerous as they thought. I slept in a shoebox beside a bed as a baby, and then in a sock drawer when I outgrew that.
I was carried everywhere and passed through many carers when they left the mansion to venture elsewhere. Bee was the one who had been here the longest in his young life and often carried me.
As soon as I outgrew being carried, I was given my room that I still lived in today. The door was kept open so I could still run to someone familiar if I got scared.
But then I grew again. My shoulders didn't fit through the door anymore and I had to rely on the ledge to get around. It was where I first learned to fall many times before I could fly.
And then the eggs started coming. And with that came the fire breath that would help heat them and keep life inside them alive when I would be blessed with that.
I used to push them off the ledge, like what I was doing now, but that was out of fear rather than stubbornness. But then Bee convinced me to let him and the others take them so they didn't go to waste.
And that's when thier focus shifted from me to those damn empty eggs.
They didn't care about me enough to learn my language or give me proper care. I could care for myself now that I was old enough. I didn't need to have a voice to them; just a steady supply of empty eggs.
There were no other dragons around these skies to keep me company or hear me for the first time in forever. It was just me.
When I started hoarding toys, I could see the dissapointment each time the door was opened for collection. I suppose they were hoping I was going to gather riches like my mother did; like all dragons in their tales did. But it was just another thing they didn't care about.
And if I did collect human valuables; what then? They would move me aside to rake it out each day too? I would be obedient and let them take my own possessions from me because it benifited them more?
I was going to change things before I let it carry on too long and develop into something worse. I was going to focus on myself, starting with a new nest and new horde.
The room was completely bare when I left it on the search for something new to decorate it with.
Everything laid crumpled at the bottom of the ledge amongst the crushed eggs. It was unsightly, but I was sure the humans would be picking thier way through the mess sometime soon to try and salvage what they could.
The hunt for new things was one filled with constant trial and error.
First was the crushed leaves blanketing the ground. The different colours certaintly made the dark room look striking. Thier soft texture was easy to pile up too into a mound for my new nest.
But the leaves rotted and tore underneath me. Instead of staying together, they spread like litter and messed up the whole vision I had.
I spent a week trying to make it work, but nothing could make them stay like I wanted. They were just too flimsy.
So, over the ledge they went.
I sought after sticks next. Birds used them for thier nests in the trees, so surely they would be the perfect material for mine?
Sticks were too small and fiddly though, so i had to use fallen branches or young trees for mine. They wove together perfectly and created an amazing pattern. But when i went to snuggle down into it, the whole nest cracked and broke under my weight.
I was losing hope when i threw it out at the start of the new week. Again, i was on the hunt for the perfect items that were alluding me on my hunt.
I decided to clear my mind and parch my throat with some water at the river I dived down to.
The water was clear and glistened from the sun dancing across its surface. It was uncontaminated and fresh, babbling along the rocks it rolled over further down. Each side of the river was lined with trees that spread thier canopies of leaves above to cast the area in patched shadow.
It was serene. If i hadn't of found the room in the mansion, i would have made a home here amongst the river rocks.
Rocks. That was it!
I scooped some up into my jaw and marched proudly from the water's edge. As i did though, i heard a strange noise in the skies.
It sounded like the rhythmic flapping of large mats. The carers liked to flap thiers over the edge of the balcony to beat the grime from them until they were clean.
I followed the sound of the noise while keeping my eyes glued to the leaves above. When i broke from the trees and into a field of dried grass and wildflowers, i found the source.
It was another dragon.
Its dark blue scales glinted in the sun when it spiralled downward through the air with one of the limp spotted creatures in its claws. Light blue was flecked across it to make it look like it was glittering when with each twist that linked up into a dive back into the air.
The membrane of both its wings was also the same deep ocean blue as its scales, and rippled effortlessly to keep its large frame airborne.
The dragon looked like it had killed the limp creature with trauma rather than the blunt force i worked with.
I gawked at it in awe as it started to head back in my direction. I saw it's light blue eyes harden when it spotted me on the ground staring up at it.
The body of the creature it clutched came crumpling before me when it was released. I heard bones breaking from the impact before the dragon came crashing down into it to tear at its side with its claws.
"What is a little thing like you doing out here?" it spoke and left the body to approach me.
I dropped the rocks before i swallowed them. The warm voice with its edges of roughness was definately male.
It made me melt inside just seeing the sheer beauty and size of him taking interest in and circling me.
He ran his head down to his back underneath my chin when he passed me. I kept my eyes locked on him and forgot what i was meant to be saying.
"What's your name, White Scales?" he asked again, stopping before me now to stare at me.
"Scala."
His head reeled back and he frowned.
"Thats a bit on the nose, don't you think?" he chuckled softly now.
"Just a bit" I smiled back "how about you?"
"I'm Barebone" he puffed out his chest proudly.
He really didn't have to try and impress me. I was already swooning and jittery just by the sight of him. He was the first one who could understand me, let alone another of my own species.
"This is my river, Scala" he boasted before his eyes flicked down "and you are stealing my rocks."
"And your water" I smirked cheekily before laughing.
"This is 'Barebone River'; it literally is my water" he replied blankly to make me burn with embarrasment at how oblivious i had been "but i'll let you go just this once if you show me your nest. I'll even share this cow with you."
M-my nest? Was that personal? It seemed like it was. I didn't even know this male and already he was wanting to inspect my lair and bring food back to it.
Just like a good mate would.
No. Now was not the time to lose all sense of dignity. I was going to keep my composure and remain level-headed. Even if he was testing me every chance he got.
"We'll take some more rocks for your nest, since you are already stealing them" Barebone spoke, running the length of his tail under my chin as he walked from me to the trees to secure them.
I scooped mine back up and took the lead when he returned with a full mouth and collected his cow to follow close behind.
I had never been embarrased by anything before as much as i was with my empty lair. Barebone threw the cow down and poured out his rocks beside mine that we arranged in a pityful pile. He looked around the emptiness then inspected the barricaded door.
"No eggs, no nest, no horde" he commented "are you grieving, Scala?"
Grieving. It sure felt like i was grieving something i hadn't even lost most days. It was all reflected in this empty shell of what once was a place of happiness.
"I just want someone to listen to me, like you are" I muttered back "and hear me."
"I understand what you mean" Barebone nodded "there's only so many times you can say the same thing before it doesn't sound like words anymore."
"Yes!" I gasped back.
I saw his smile and felt his side press against mine again when he nudged the meal towards me.
"I'm surprised you aren't mated yet."
I almost choked on the leg i was chewing on.
Where had that come from?
"I mean, the choice of location isnt exactly my ideal" he looked around at it "terrible, actually. And having a door right there leading to humans is a big no for me. The saving grace is the cold stones. Perfect for eggs of a water dragon."
"I'm a fire one though."
"Terrible then" he dismissed immediently.
I could tell he was lacing seriousness with his cheeky smile. Barebone saw me scoff at him and held back his laughter.
"What about you then, Mr 'know-it-all'? What do i need to improve according to the master?"
"You mean, according to the one who has successfully rasied three broods already?" he boasted again proudly before seeing my sadness "you need a nest. I'll let you take my river rocks to complete it. You can stop them from rolling over the place by using larger slab ones at the bottom. I'll take you to them."
He saw my smile and gestured to the emptiness of the room.
"Next, you'll need a horde. You aren't going to be attracting anything but moths here with something so bare and basic. I don't know what fire dragons like, but shells and ocean pearls are a winner for mine. I'm always having to chase off some silly human who wants them, so i know it's going to draw in a good mate."
I hung onto his words while i filled my stomach with the delicious meat we feasted on.
"Next, you'll need someone to actually come here and take interest. You can do everything else right but fail on that one thing. Most dragons like thier nests and hordes away from thieves, so this location is going to be tricky, but not entirely impossible."
"That's good to know" I nodded as hope filled me again.
"Then you'll dance."
"Dance?"
"Well..." he shrugged "...it's more like falling, but it's what happens before they decide. Nest, horde, location, dance."
There was silence between us as we ate.
"I can teach it to you if you like?" Barebone glanced at me "but you have to understand that i'm only doing it to help you, not actually mate with you."
"N-no, of course not" i agreed, bowing my head to hide my embarrasment again "thank you for doing all of this for me."
"I'd hate to see another dragon die out because of something so simple" he replied as he twined his tail around my body.
At that moment i heard the barricade on the door being tampered with. Barebone focused solely on the noise and quickly withdrew his tail.
I could see his instant nervousness and tried to calm him from taking off.
"It's most likely Bee" I soothed him "he said he would be bringing someone around to remove my bullet."
"Bullet?" he finally peeled his eyes from the door to look at the wound i turned to him.
Bee entered slowly, followed closely by Monty who held a large bag. I saw Bee's face light up when he looked up at Barebone beside me. It then fell when he saw the mutilated carcus of the cow there too.
"I'm not really comfortable with this" Barebone muttered to me when they carefully approached me.
He backed up to the ledge and away from me while Monty rummaged through the bag he dropped beside me.
"Please" I begged Barebone "stay with me. I don't know how much its going to hurt."
He looked so ready to leave. His wings were partially spread and his body leaned out over the ledge to get away from Bee who marvelled him from my side.
"Look at you, Scala!" he encouraged and patted my side "snagging a handsome river dragon!"
"Relax" I chuckled to Barebone who went to protest "i know that. Let him live in his fantasies."
Barebone rolled his eyes at me then softened his tense stance to closely watch Monty approach me with large pliers.
He pulled up the scales around the bullet hole, making sure to place each one in his bag that he pulled a needle from. I panicked at the sight of it and went to pull away from Bee who tried his best to calm me.
The needle itself looked like a glistening metal rod. It was so huge that it easily made Monty look small compared to it. He had to hold the tube with both hands to even carry it.
Barebone watched in silence when i turned my head from the needle to look at him. I could see his teeth bared now as i whimpered my way through the insertion around the wound. It only took a few moments for the area to become numb to Monty's testing jabs so he could start gouging at it with the pliers he ripped and twisted through me.
He looked so brutal doing it too. Blood pooled over my scales while he foraged for the bullet that i watched with curiosity.
"Humans are so...barbaric" Barebone commented with a grimmace "and you can't feel that?"
"No."
"Look at him!" he pointed out "he's throwing his fat little body around just searching for the damn thing!"
I laughed down at Monty grunting and straining to tear the bullet free. From the way he was yanking back on it and throwing his weight behind each tug, it looked like he was going to blow his back out.
"Shut up, you two!" Monty grunted at our laughter, heaving one last time "one dragon is bad enough, let alone two of the bastards."
He held the bullet up triumphantly to drop it into his bag. He stabbed some bandage into the bleeding hole to staunch it, wiping his hands off onto his shirt.
"Urgh. Not even a shred a decency" Barebone still grimmaced and turned for the ledge "burn over the hole when they are gone so you don't bleed out."
I nodded back and watched him drop from view before sailing upwards with a loud screech that startled Monty.
"Damn dragons" he commented as he ushered Bee from the room and out the door that he secured shut behind them.
I smiled at the door before returning to my unfinished meal that i continued while my heart soared as high as the clear skies i looked to.
Damn dragons, indeed.
ns 15.158.61.8da2
