A Bronze Rising: The Theatre
I slammed my palm into wooden wedge again, breaking the stone with a resounding _crack!_ The large slab broke away at last, sliding down the gradient a short way to land with a heavy thud on the level dirt below the ledge face. I took a few deep...
A Bronze Rising: Out with the Old
I rested in the yard as the humans scurried about their tasks. At first most seemed to mill about aimlessly, their usual routine completely upturned. It only took the humans living on the estate a short time to get used to taking orders from Tobias...
A Bronze Rising: Long Due Reward
Sir Ronald lay in a bloody heap on the ground, his face broken beyond recognition. Richard had continued beating the once proud noble long after it was clear that he was dead. Tobias had once tried to get the lieutenant to leave, but a look had sent...
A Bronze Rising: The Knight Falls
The man, this Richard looked at the opponent who completely outclassed him with open contempt. I'd made a fool of him this day, but it couldn't have ended any other way, the men had no ranged weapons and we were in a wide open field. The advantage of...
A Bronze Rising: Smoke and Fire
The boy sat on a boulder, the saddle where his hands were bound out before him and between his legs. I walked stiffly over, the bolts where they pierced my flesh stung more now that the battle rage was passing. I didn't ask if he was injured because...
A Bronze Rising: Battle, Such as it is
The boy had been brutalized, that much was clear. The sight of the bruises on his face and arms, his once crisp uniform torn in several places and his hands bound to the saddle of the horse he rode made my fire bladder hot. The boy was my property and...
A Bronze Rising: A Short Night
Dragons are very capable of remaining still for very long periods of time. In fact, most large dragons hibernate for extended periods throughout their lives. The heart slows, breaths become deeper and more prolonged. The eye lids droop down but don't...
A Bronze Rising: The Gate
Tobias approached the front gate following the wall to his left. He felt foolish tramping through the forest undergrowth in his father's war regalia. How many people had his father killed while wearing this? 'None,' Tobias chided himself, 'It's a...
A Bronze Rising: Father Issues
I moved my hand just in time, catching the large bolt in the fleshy pad between my thumb and first finger. With the range less than fifteen feet, the heavy crossbow packed enough power to punch through the scales on my palm. Ruby dragon-blood -...
A Bronze Rising: Returning Home
That morning I did not hunt. I slept in past dawn instead. I wanted to be well rested and not weighed down with a belly full of meat in case there was to be fighting done. However, I did not expect there to be any bloodshed today... except possibly one...
A Bronze Rising: Funkin Farn
"Tell me more about this... what did you call it? 'Funckin'?" "No, it's pronounced Pumpkin, Puh." The human lad explained about his staple crop. The human syllables were difficult on my thin, scaly lips, particularly, "p's" and "m's." "And they are...
A Bronze Rising: Fresh Meat
My weight caused my talons to sink deep into the soft turf as I flapped my wings madly. It was a difficult task to land without using one's front legs. Still flapping to keep my body upright, I lowered the young man with a single hand to the ground,...