The Fiery Crown Cycle: A Dragon's Rebirth

Chapter 92

Aiden glanced back at the white form happily digging through the pile of remains, then lifted his gaze to the canopy above. The nest was so large and the leaves so dense that no sunlight could reach the nest floor. He flexed his wings, and with a powerful beat, launched himself from the nest.

Whoosh!

He burst through the canopy into the bright, warm sunlight. The comfortable heat washed over his scales. He angled his head down, his slitted, crimson eyes taking in the sprawling forest below. Tucking his wings in slightly, he dove.

CRACK! SNAP!

His powerful body crashed through tree branches, his momentum carrying him down into the dense woods.

SWOOSH!

His claws dug into the earth, carving a deep trench a hundred yards long before he slid to a halt. His wings folded against his back as he surveyed his surroundings. The forest here was much like the rest, though the trees were thicker and taller, some towering a hundred yards into the sky. Beneath their shade grew a thick carpet of shrubs and smaller trees.

Rustle, rustle!

His head snapped toward the sound. A gray shape with long hind legs was sprinting away at incredible speed. It was a rabbit, one the size of a large dog. Those legs look delicious, he thought, but quickly dismissed the idea. Today, his goal was not small game.

He was still bothered by his last, unsatisfying attempt at a barbecue. That bland meat was an insult to his abilities. He was certain he could create a far more delicious meal. His gaze swept the forest floor. There had to be seasonings here somewhere.

He began to walk, his massive claws pressing into the soft earth, his head swiveling from side to side. It didn't take long to make his first discovery.

To his right stood a large, broken dead tree. Clustered around its blackened trunk was a host of white, umbrella-shaped mushrooms with slender stems. Seeing the dense rings of fungi, a grin spread across his maw. He hadn't expected to find something so quickly. This forest was truly rich with resources. He would surely find plenty of ingredients today.

He reached out and snapped the trunk, lifting it with ease. The white mushrooms were firmly attached. He brought the log closer to his snout, examining them. He didn't recognize the species, but that hardly mattered. These will be perfect for an egg soup, he decided. They'll add a nice, savory flavor. The thought of them being poisonous was laughable; a tiny mushroom could hardly harm a dragon. The Heritage contained no records of a dragon ever being poisoned by fungi, so he dismissed the possibility entirely.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

He carefully plucked the mushrooms from the log, placing them in the palm of his cupped left claw. After a few minutes of work, he had a respectable pile. That should be enough.

With his claw now full of mushrooms, he could no longer crawl on all fours. He rose to his full bipedal height and continued his search, his powerful hind legs carrying him deeper into the forest.

Hm?

His gaze sharpened. About fifty yards ahead, in a small patch of grass, grew a cluster of green plants. They had long, tapered leaves with smooth edges, and a thin, white membrane covered the base of their stems. Aiden recognized them instantly. Wild onions. Perfect for adding a savory kick.

He strode over to the patch. Reaching out, he simply dug his claws into the earth and scooped up a large chunk of soil, plants and all. He brought the clump of earth to his snout and sniffed. The pungent, sharp aroma was unmistakable. His eyes widened in delight. Another ingredient, so soon.

He sat down on the ground, his thick hind legs splayed out to either side, his tail resting behind him. He placed the clump of earth on the ground before him and began to gently crumble it with his claws. The soil fell away, revealing the white, bulbous roots of the onions, with fine, beard-like rootlets hanging from their bases. Yes, definitely wild onions.

He sat there for some time, patiently separating the plants from the dirt. Once he had a small pile in his claw, he decided it was enough for now. He pushed himself back to his feet and resumed his wandering.

After another half hour, he had found nothing new, though his left claw was now filled with an assortment of colorful mushrooms he'd picked along the way. Alright, that's enough,

he thought. Time to head back.He spread his red wings. With a single, powerful beat, he launched himself from the ground, crashing through the branches of any trees in his path as he ascended into the sky.

The location of his lair was obvious. The colossal mountain dominating the landscape was impossible to miss. He turned and flew in its direction, his gaze still scanning the forest below. Two seasonings were good, but he hoped to find more.

He was flying on a whim, but a few minutes later, his casual search paid off.

Below him was a clearing, devoid of large trees, filled only with low shrubs. In the center of this clearing stood a single “small” tree, about fifteen yards tall. That wasn't what caught his eye. The tree was laden with dense clusters of small, red berries.

His eyes narrowed to slits. It can't be. Am I truly this lucky today?

He folded his wings and dropped from the sky, landing with a gust of wind that flattened the grass around him. He stopped before the small tree and brought his snout close, sniffing the berries. A sharp, pungent aroma filled his nostrils.

His eyes widened. It was exactly what he thought it was. Flamepepper berries. A superb seasoning.

He reached out his claws and began, with painstaking care, to harvest the berries. He held his cupped left claw underneath a cluster while using the two longest claws on his right hand like a pair of scissors, delicately snipping the stems.

The sight was somewhat comical: a massive red dragon, nearly the same height as the tree, harvesting the tiny fruit with the utmost concentration. But he couldn't help it. This tree was a treasure, and he had no desire to damage it, not even a single branch.

An hour passed in this meticulous work. Finally, he looked down at the pile of red berries heaped in his claw. Yes, that should be enough.

With these ingredients, he was certain he could now cook the most delicious barbecue imaginable. A surge of confidence bloomed in his chest.

He spread his red wings.

WHOOSH!

With a mighty beat, he left the ground behind. He soared into the sky, his destination set.

Back to the lair.