FSE

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This story begins with a dragon. An ordinary dragon who just ate a wolf who tried to make the dragon's cave his own. Now not wanting to have flies bug him he went to a nearby river and washed the blood away and tossed the remains of his meal in the water. He carried as much water back with him and cleaned up the blood on his stone floor. Which he kept especially shiny. Sense he is the only dragon he ever sees anymore.

None wonder out of their caves at great distances or fly around like the days long past. Now it is hide in your caves and hope some human doesn't come along. It has been a decade sense he came across another and he knows where the remainders are as they know where he is. One day he will seek companionship if it does not find him. When his loins burn to hot to stand and the risk is worth the reward. As the last time he sought such companionship with a distant neighbor.

Unfortunately a human had found her cave and she no longer lives there. He gathered what he could carry of her remaining precious gold for when she comes for it if she does. Now she lives fifty miles further and the risk is greater because a human group of dwellings reside in the path. As he made his way threw the wood he heard a rustle of the fallen leaves which caught his attention. It made a noise which he did not recognize from the local animals.

It was distant and he was in a thicker part and hidden, but to a dragon no amount of hidden makes you sure of anything. Especially one who was just challenged by a wolf. A creature that a dragon could usually easily handle. An animal long sense made scared of his kind. Now he sees it was taking refuge from a threat greater than he. One he once thought would not find him in these woods that were far from any human dwelling.

He wishes he was among the stone so close to his color hide as he laid down. It was all he could do to not draw attention to himself as the rustling drew closer. There were three running he determined. One being chase by the other two. In a small split of two trees he sees the chase end in one of them fall and the other two get on her and do all they can to bring her pain. All the while the whaling of pain and suffering brought back the memory of so many being slain.

With the new nest forty-three were left assuming they survive the first years. Which highly depend on food. Which is in vast short supply where they were. He would raise them here himself where the humans rarely dwell but the journey is too treacherous for a grown adult. Little alone three young. He watched with hatred, pity, and a small wish he could be the attackers. Yet he would be known or there would be a chance of it. A chance he was not willing to take.

The female will likely not be missed because of where she was. The other two likely would. He watched till they finished and left her bleeding and dying. For an hour he watched her unmoving as he was after they left and was joyed by their great triumph. Making sure she does not get free and left for the predators. It was dark before he saw the body stir. By then the predators have caught her scent.

As head predator himself of the woods, only second to the humans, he moved silently out of hiding. Moved slowly closer to the female silently awaiting her fate. He had never tasted human before and was curious about it. He will likely leave a bone or two in the area. Perhaps let the others awaiting for him to leave have her as he only takes a limb. A momentary slip of concentration of his expected meal made him step on a dried twig. It almost echoed in the near black darkness. Only the moon threw the trees showed a faint image of him to her as she looked in the direction. Yet there was something wrong with her eyes. " Who is there?"

The dragon stopped moving and went low again. Out of defensive instinct he has developed over the first years of his life. She turned her head to the sky. " An animal that just found it's dinner. I could have only hoped for a rescue."

He moved a little closer by almost dragging his body on the ground. Until he was a few feet away. He was not particularly hungry but this was a delicacy he may not have again. He wanted to savior it. He wanted to remember every detail of his catch. The way she looked. The way she smelled. The way she seemingly stared at him with eyes that did not see. Amazingly she curled her lips upward before speaking, " Thank you for watching out for me."

He brought his head back surprised. Which saved him from discovery as he saw a fire approaching. He moved as quickly and silently away as he could to where he was before. By the time he was watching again she had been freed by another pair of humans. Both in the shells that aided in slaying so many of his kind. " Are you all right my lady?" The one in charge aiding her with her removable fur said. She was happy to hear the familiar voice. " Yes, my loyal knight. They only had their way with me."

The one called knight knelled and drew his metal sharp stick. " I failed to protect you. End my shame."

He held it to his neck she pushed it away from him. " Perhaps another time. When we are behind safe walls. Now where is the one that was here before you."

Knight looked up confused. " My lady, there are only the beasts of the wild here." She puts a hand on his shell. " Perhaps it was my imagination of a guardian angel that kept those same beasts at bay while you searched for me. Let us go."

After a very little more discussion they were gone the way they came. The dragon waited to be sure before leaving his place of hiding and going home. Over the rest of the night the dragon could not sleep and only after deciding to see the human again did he finally get his rest.

Not knowing why himself he brought a little gold along with him. Just enough to keep under his tongue and not be discomforting. He followed the trail back to a less traveled human path. It had fresh horse tracks and dung around it leading to the east. It was at least a days travel for them and he could risk to fly to get ahead of them. Knowing he knew this wood better than any other and no human dwelling resides for several miles. He took a long path to avoid detection and landed again before night fell again. There were five humans in the small group. Two new ones. A male and female and the three other ones.

By watching and listening to them for sometime he determined the female he was about to eat was called Lady and the other was named Maid. One he knew as Knight then the one without the metal shell was Driver. The last was Mercenary. He learned many new words and some of their meanings. He was glad he came to see her again. This was informative and entertaining for him. As he watched them rest he grew more aware of what surrounds them.

Only one of them were awake. Not enough to fend off the other humans on the other side. For some reason he picked up a large stick and threw it into the brush on the other side of their resting spot. Or camp as they called it. The one awake followed the piece of wood with his eyes and saw the other humans where it landed. The fight was very entertaining and informative. The side that won had only Driver died as the others were all killed.

He felt a little proud as he watched from a new spot of safety. Sure they would not find him. Mercenary went threw the others furs for any kind of different things they value in silence as the others took care of the other one. By digging a little bit in the dirt and putting the body there and marking the tree. They must know the animals will eat the fallen one when they leave. As soon as they were done with their things they began to talk. Knight began with, " We only live because someone threw a log at our attackers."

Lady then said, " Do you believe me about another watching out for us now?"

The dragon grew tired and went to a place he knew he could rest in secret before doing so. When he awoke before the sun rose he caught his meal in the nearby river and likely saw the carcass of the wolf from before. The humans were still in their camp as the sky brightened. Knight stirred first then Mercenary and finally the two females. The human bodies of the dead taken away by the predators who favor easy meals and would risk being so close to living ones. He watched as they set raw meat over fire and in a piece of metal and the smell of it whetted the dragons mouth.

So much he was tempted to reveal himself for a bite. As soon as they ate and were ready they continued to move. The dragon kept his distance as he followed. As the day wore on the dragon lost track of his own safety and were following beside of them and closer than he would have normally done in broad daylight. Till the woods ended and he left his cover without realizing it and still looking at them. They noticed him quicker than he could get back to the safety being hidden brings. Knight charged him with the horn that had ended so many of his kind. He barely had time to get out of the way.

He had no choice now. He must get rid of the evidence and witnesses. Burn the wooden thing the two females were in and kill them all and take their bodies away to the other predators. Make it look like those other humans did it. He lands strangely on the wooden thing and manages to take hold of Mercenary before he could act. The bond to the animals pulled and they stopped. The two females leave it. Maid trying to pull Lady away. She resists and looks toward the dragon. " Why attack us now guardian angel? Did we anger you? Did we sadden you?"

He looked toward her while setting the now dead Mercenary down. He moved very close to her head with his mighty jaws. She raises a hand and he moves away a little bit then lets her touch him. She immediately recoiled her hand as the dragon moved to gently grab Lady as Knight came closer again. He set her down as soon as he could land and backed away a little and moved his head by her hand by her waist and started rubbing against it.

She gently puts her hand under his eye again. Something had happened to the dragon he did not understand. He felt he belonged with Lady. He leaned forward and slowly put his head at her feet as he saw Knight do. She put a hand on the back of his head and he waited before she lifted it before raising it. He saw Knight approaching with his sword and the dragon backed away. " Wait." she said calmly and Knight stopped moving. " Are you going to leave me Angel?"

The dragon hesitated as it started to turn away then back. " Lady."

it strained to say. " Angel secret."

Then the dragon started to walk away. As he did he got the gold out of his mouth. He walked back and set it in her hand. " Gift."

He then left to prepare to leave his home for a new one. Perhaps he will go to one that would like his company.