From Soldier's Rifle, To Dragon's Wing's (2012 Watty Awards)(Book 1)

A New Beginning

A loud knocking on my door roused me.

"No ones home." I declared, rolling onto my back.

"Jack, get up and come on, you're going to be late." Sorrel said as she entered the room and looked down at me, smiling slightly at the sight of me.

"You've got briefing starting in about 30 minute's." I rolled onto my side and starred at her quizzically.

"briefing?" I asked.

"Yes Jack, now get up and meet me at room 315. And hurry." she said sounding a bit excited.

She then turned and left. I lay in my bed for a few more minutes before getting out. I stood up and started to stretch. Lowering my front half to the ground like a cat. After a few moments of this, I turned and started to walk toward the door, my reflection in the mirror catching my attention. I then turned and approached the mirror, and started observing myself, starting from my head. My muzzle was about 6 inches long, my eyes were a weird mixture of green and gold, and I had 4 gray horns protruding out the back of my head. My ears reminded me of a cats, or a dogs. They stood like radar dishes. I watched as I moved them around. Folding them back and snarling to look like a mad dog. Letting them flop to the sides to express annoyance, The folding one and letting the other stand. I quickly swapped them smiled. It were kind of cool having ears like this.

I smiled and turned my body so that my right side faced the mirror, and started to look myself over. Going from my chin, along my stomach, to halfway down my tail where there were dark red scales that mixed perfectly with the black scales covering the rest of me. I then opened my wings and was surprised that the outside membrane was black, but the inside was dark red.

"Man, I look good." I said smiling at my reflection.

I then shook my head to wake myself up as I remembered what I was supposed to be doing. I yawned as I began to walk to the door. Only once I had reached it did I realize, there was no doorknob. I turned my head quizzically to the left as a memory of Sorrel pushing against it reached my mind. I then started to put my weight against it, and was then rewarded with a click.

The door opened quickly, and I was sent face first onto the ground. A few people, who were passing by started to laugh at me. I quickly stood up and started to silently laugh at myself as they passed by. Then it hit me.

"Wait, where's room 315?" I asked myself as 2 men came around the corner of a door. I walked over to them, trying to get there attention.

"Hey do you know where room 315 is?" I asked. One guy then pointed toward the way they had came from and said,

"At the end of the hall, to the right".

"Thanks." I said as I turned and started to walk that direction.

(I wonder what they're briefing us about.) I thought to myself as I reached room 315. I leaned against the door, with less force than before. There was a click as the door opened. I looked inside curiously before entering. The room was huge, and was full of maybe 30 to 40 dragons of all colors, and sizes.

"Wow." I said in amazement.

"Jack, there you are." Sorrel said, cutting me from my observation.

"Come with me." she ordered, wrapping her tail around one of my horns. she then began to lead me through the crowd, onto a stage, and through the closed curtains.

"Sorrel!" a loud voice commanded, making Sorrel stop abruptly and causing me to run into her. A man around 40 to 50 years of age approached us. His hair was short and was a mixture of gray and brown. His eyes were blue and he stood about 6.1.