novelraw Chapter 93
Chapter 93
The dark opening of the lair loomed larger as Aiden approached.
Whoosh.
His hind claws touched down first, his body landing solidly before his great wings slowly folded against his back. The lair was unchanged. One intact Ridgebolt Bird and one half-eaten carcass lay peacefully on the stone floor, one of which was missing its head.
Aiden's gaze shifted to an open space nearby, where six of the seven purple eggs were neatly arranged. Six, he noted. Azure must be on her final trip.
He looked down at the pile of ingredients he'd gathered and began to sort them with his claws: a mound of mushrooms in a rainbow of colors, a pile of pungent wild onions, and a heap of bright red flamepepper berries. The plan was simple. First, an egg soup. Then, a proper roast.
For an egg soup, he would need a pot. He looked up at the stone wall of the cave. That would have to do. He also needed firewood.
He finished separating the last of the wild onions, pushed himself up, and walked to the wall. Standing tall, he lifted a red claw. With no resistance at all, as if slicing through butter, his talons sank into the solid rock. He began to carve.
Scrape, scrape…
Stones flew, and a pile of rubble quickly grew on the floor.
CRUNCH.
With a final pull, a massive, circular stone pot, fifteen yards wide and six yards tall, came free from the wall. He held it in both claws, inspecting his handiwork. It was a bit lopsided, but still mostly round. It would serve its purpose.
Whoosh…
The sound of beating wings came from behind him, followed by the soft thud of a landing. He turned. Azure was back, the last purple egg held gently in her claws. Her slitted, azure eyes were fixed on the giant stone bowl in Aiden's hands.
What is he doing? she wondered. Is that… a pot, like the ones the short-lived species use?
“You're back,” Aiden said.
The blue dragon nodded once in reply, walked over to the clutch, and carefully placed the final egg with the others.
Aiden set the stone pot on the ground and filled it with the wild onions and mushrooms. He looked up at Azure. She had settled onto the floor, her tail and head resting on the stone, but her azure gaze remained fixed on him. Their gazes met.
A draconic smile split Aiden's maw. “Do me a favor. Take these ingredients to the river, wash them, and bring the pot back full of water.” He puffed out his chest slightly. “I'm making a grand feast for you and Bianca today. I promise it will be delicious.”
Azure nodded again. He seemed to be in exceptionally high spirits; refusing was not an option. Besides, she recalled the barbecue from the sub-plane. The red dragon's cooking was, admittedly, quite good.
The blue dragon pushed herself up and walked toward the pot.
“Fine,” she said, her voice a low rumble. It was a single word, but it was enough. She stood before the stone pot, which was a bit large for her, wrapped her claws around it, and carried it to the mouth of the lair.
Whoosh.
With a beat of her wings, the blue figure flew off into the distance.
Aiden watched her go. Now, for the firewood. That, at least, will be easy. This was a forest, not a desert. There was more firewood than he could ever possibly need. He walked to the edge of the cliff, spread his wings, and dove toward the forest at the base of the mountain.
*****
“Aow-wu. aow-wu.”
A cute, cheerful, girlish hum echoed through the great nest in the canopy. A white figure was happily digging through what little was left of the bone piles, its white tail wagging joyfully from side to side. Behind her lay a large cloth sack, nearly seven yards long and almost completely full. Scattered around it were several weapons that pulsed with faint magic. From the open mouth of the sack, one could see the glint of countless gold and silver coins, mixed with beautiful jewelry, some magical, some mundane.
“Aow-wu. aow-wu.”
Her head bobbed from side to side with the tune. Her claws pushed aside the last of the remains. A small, dark red pouch came into view. The moment she saw it, her shining white eyes seemed to glow. She snatched it up, carried it over to her large sack, and tore it open.
Tinkle, tinkle…
The sound of more gold and silver coins falling into her hoard was music to her ears.
“Aow-wu. aow-wu.”
Still humming her happy song, she looked up at the now-flattened piles of remains. All the treasures had been found. A flicker of disappointment crossed her face; she wanted to keep digging for gold forever. But the feeling vanished as soon as she looked back at her enormous bag of loot.
Aow-aow! I'm rich! I'm richer than Aiden and Azure! I'm the strongest, aow!
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
She gathered the last few magical weapons from the ground and stuffed them into the sack. Pulling the drawstrings tight, she picked up her hoard, stood tall, and with a great beat of her white wings, launched herself from the nest.
Whoosh…
She burst through the canopy. Looking around, she saw the obvious shape of a mountain in the distance. That was the lair. She began to fly toward it.
Halfway there, a thought struck her. Oh, right! Aiden said to take a bath, aow! I almost forgot, aow!
She angled her head down and saw the great river snaking through the forest below. Folding her wings, she dove. Just before hitting the water, she tucked her wings in completely.
SPLASH!
A huge plume of water erupted as the white dragon plunged into the river. Underwater, she kept her wings tucked in, her claws holding her precious treasure tight against her chest. Her white tail swished back and forth, propelling her upstream against the gentle current with ease.
*****
Nearly half a month had passed since Garruk had fled.
He had never stopped, not for a single day. He couldn't. He understood the magnitude of his failure. That herd of deer was vital to his tribe, its milk an irreplaceable supplement for the clan's whelps, allowing them to grow strong and healthy. To lose the entire herd under his watch was a death sentence. The Chieftain, to preserve his authority, would surely have sent warriors to hunt him down.
Garruk knew this with absolute certainty, and so he ran.
Now, he felt his body failing. His throat was a raw, searing agony, as if it were being torn apart from the inside. He needed water.
Rustle…
What was that sound? His vision was blurring.
Rustle, rustle…
It sounded like… water!
Primal instinct took over, driving his exhausted body forward. He scrambled on all fours, crawling toward the sound. Water! I need water!
Rustle!
The sound grew closer.
Rustle! CRACKLE!
He burst through a thorny thicket, the branches tearing at his fur, but he no longer cared about the pain. He cared only for the promise of water.
RUSTLE!
He crashed out of the undergrowth, and a great, wide river spread out before him. A delirious joy erupted in his chest. He scrambled the last few feet and collapsed at the river's edge, plunging his snout into the cool current.
The water had a faint, metallic sweetness—the taste of his own blood mixing with the life-giving liquid. He didn't stop, his throat working frantically, drinking until his stomach was bloated and aching. Only then did he cease, rolling onto his back and lying spent on the riverbank.
The gnawing thirst and hunger were finally eased. He stared up at the white clouds drifting across the sky, his green eyes filled with a deep, aimless despair. He had escaped the clan's territory, but where could he go now? What was he supposed to do?
SPLASH!
A colossal white dragon's head erupted from the river, its scales glittering in the sunlight.
Splash, splash…
Great white wings broke the surface.
Hm? Something's on the shore, aow.
The white dragon's head turned, its eyes locking onto the yellow-furred gnoll lying on the bank.
Gnoll = Dog = Favorite food!
In that instant, Bianca's eyes began to glow. Aow-aow! Today is my lucky day, aow!
Hearing the commotion behind him, Garruk instinctively rolled over and looked toward the river. The sight that met his eyes robbed his limbs of all strength. A dragon. The white dragon from the massacre.
His heart plunged into a pit of utter despair. He knew, with the last shred of his consciousness, that his exhausted body stood no chance of outrunning it.
The dragon's tail swished, propelling her to the bank. Bianca placed her two sacks of treasure on the shore first, then dug her claws into the mud and hauled herself out of the water. She looked at the unmoving gnoll, her head tilting in confusion.
Why isn't it running, aow? Is it stunned by my powerful and magnificent presence, aow?
That had to be it. As the first of the three dragons to acquire wealth, she was clearly the strongest. It was only natural that this gnoll would be awestruck.
Well, since it's being so sensible, I won't eat it just yet, aow, she decided magnanimously. I'll let it live a little longer. I'll let Aiden roast it for me later, on a spit, aow.
This lowly creature is truly fortunate, aow, to receive the mercy of the great white dragon, Bianca!
She scooped up her sacks with her left claw and the limp gnoll with her right. Her white wings spread, and with a powerful beat, she launched into the sky.
*****
THUD!
Aiden dropped the last armload of logs onto the growing pile in the lair. The firewood was now well-stocked. He glanced up at the sky. Azure is taking a long time. What's keeping her?
In a shallow part of the river, a blue dragon stood frozen, holding a clump of wild onions, her gaze fixed on the last few mushrooms as they were swept away by the current. Azure had been so focused on washing the plants that she hadn't noticed the river's water level rising. By the time she realized what was happening, the current had washed over the stone pot, carrying the precious mushrooms away.
The mushrooms are gone. A knot of fear tightened in her stomach. Aiden was so excited about his feast. Will he beat me?
He will definitely beat me!
She couldn't go back like this. Her blue head turned toward the forest. There was only one option. She had to find more mushrooms.
She recovered the stone pot, placed the remaining onions inside, and carried it to a high, dry boulder on the bank. Leaving it there for safekeeping, she entered the forest. She had not gone far before she stopped. At the exposed roots of a massive tree, twenty yards wide, grew a host of small, colorful mushrooms. They were even more vibrant and beautiful than the ones Aiden had gathered.
*****
Aiden had just finished arranging a few stones to serve as a stand for the pot when he heard the sound of wings. He looked up.
A white dragon was slowly descending, landing upright. Bianca was back. She was clutching two large sacks, from which a faint magical aura pulsed. So that's the treasure she brought back, he thought, pleased. Good, very good.
But what was that in her other claw? A dog? No, it looked like a gnoll. It seems the fool picked up a little snack on her way back.
“Aiden! I'm back, aow!”
Bianca walked forward and opened her claw, presenting a half-dead, whimpering gnoll. “Aiden, can you roast this for me, aow?”
“Fine,” he replied, deciding it could be the fool's payment for a job well done. “Put it on the ground.”
“Aiden, you're the best, aow!” After offering her praise, Bianca settled down with her two sacks and immediately began to count her coins.
Aiden looked away from her and glanced at the gnoll on the floor. It was trembling violently, consumed by fear. Hm? Wait a minute. Those eyes…
“Lowly creature,” Aiden said in the Common Tongue. “Open your eyes. Wide.”
Garruk understood. Looking up at the terrifying dragon head, he forced his eyes open as wide as he could.
Within the gnoll's green irises were two faint, deep-green rings. They were subtle, but they were definitely rings, and the faint magical pulse they emitted was real. This gnoll was born with a pair of magic eyes. D-rank Delay Magic Eyes, from the looks of it.
His curiosity satisfied, Aiden's interest in the gnoll vanished. Now, I just see a piece of meat. If I'm going to roast it, it needs to be seasoned first.
He grabbed a handful of Flamepepper berries and dropped them in front of the gnoll.
“Eat them,” he commanded.
The gnoll's body shuddered violently. Then, with trembling hands, he obediently picked up the red berries and began to stuff them into his mouth.