The Dragon and the Baby Chicken

The Dragon & The Baby Chicken

The door creaked open from a far off place where the waking world pulsated like an artery and was curious. Light spilled in through the growing crack and laid itself languidly and with no consideration upon the dragon's face. The dragon's eyes crept open and swore they would not be like the waking world. Not for a moment.

A squeal drowned out the creak of the door and the curiosity and the compassion a tired old dragon had to spare.

The loud thing in the cave scurried hither thither but did not leave through the open door.

So the dragon decided to have done with it and swung its neck down and went for the loud thing, hoping it wouldn't have ill effect on his digestion.

"No! Wait!"

The thing struck a wall and the dragon lowered its head to the thing's level to have a look before crushing it between teeth made for grinding. Breath blew steadily into the thing's face.

What brings you into my dwelling, morsel?

"I was lost!" it shrieked, shedding tears of terror.

What is your name?

"I en't got one! I'm just a baby!"

A baby what?

"Chicken!"

Aah... Well then, Morsel. You are not lost, but instead you are my prisoner.

"What"

"So why do you sit at a table like a human?" Morsel asked at supper.

This is where the king sits and sups.

"Where's the king?"

Don't be rude. I am king.

"Why?"

Long ago--

"How long?"

Long! Hush! Long ago... Long ago, I came to this place as a trophy and a gift to the mountain people and the mountain King. A baby dragon.

"You were small?"

I was at least middle aged then, but I fit in their cage and was pulled by their horses, so I suppose I was not my own to call.

They brought me into the keep of the Castle and presented me before the High Mountain King, and the High Mountain King demanded that I entertain him. It was just a human child king, dwarfed by his own throne. This throne.

"Are you a small dragon?"

Small of temper for a nuisance.

The boy asked I blow fire.

"Can you blow fire?"

All I could blow was glass, and that required resources and preparation and patience this boy king did not have.

"Do you bleed silver?"

What do you know of dragons? You're young. How would you know? From where do you come, in fact?

"My mother told me of dragons. And of pixies and sprites and dwarves and humans. Then she was still and I was forced to leave her alone. Only for a time."

How did you come here?

"Up the mountain pass from the farm just down below, where I was born and raised."

Raised from what?

"An egg."

Morsel would be captive of the dragon for as long as the dragon lived, he was certain. The dragon was peculiar. Listless, but watchful.