Something to Live For

Smaug had been having a good day. He woke up, and he had been surrounded by his gold like usual, and then he had morphed into his human state, admiring his reflection and adding flecks of gold to his brunet hair. He had then gone back to his dragon form, yawning and falling back asleep. He woke up again after around an hour, and morphed into hatchling form, running around and climbing pillars in the small form, flying around the cave much easier as a child than in his large adult form. He had practiced breathing fire from the small form, something he had been working on for a long time. He could make a great deal of smoke, but no flame yet. It was when he tried to change back his day had gone to shit. He couldn't turn back. It wasn't working. He just couldn't do it. He was stuck. Not only that, but the little dragon, about the size of a pony, could hear someone in his cave, and he didn't know the smell. Mind slightly more childish in this form, the dragon let out a frightened whine. He was very susceptible to being killed like this, unable to protect himself. What if the dwarves came and took his gold? Smaug sniffed. The person had brought more gold into his cave, but he still couldn't place the scent. Smaug whined again, but gathered his courage and ran towards the noises, growling as loudly as he could. He got over the closest gold dune, but tripped on the way down, coming to a sliding stop before a small creature.

 

Bilbo carefully picked his way over the mounds of gold, wincing every time the gold shifted loudly under his feet. He was searching for the Arkenstone, when suddenly a loud snarl ripped through the air. Terror seized him as he turned to face the angry dragon running at him, even when its claw caught, sending it tumbling down the golden hill, sending showers of coins in all directions. The dragon was smaller than Bilbo had imagined, but it was no less terrifying even as it slid to a stop at his feet.

 

Smaug looked up, eyes flashing. He went to roar loudly, but all that came out was a small squeak. He narrowed his eyes to slits, as he took a few deep breaths in through his nose.

"What are you?" He asked, trying to stand but his feet were clumsy and it took him a little while. Once he was standing, he bared his teeth as much as he could, though it felt weird trying to do so in his young form. He felt too vulnerable in front of the mini thing, but he had pretend he was in control of the whole situation. He repeated his question, letting smoke hiss out of his nostrils. "

What are you?

"

 

Bilbo stood frozen, cringing away as the beast stood up and....squeaked at him? He cracked open an eye, his fear dwindling as he watched the dragon—a drakeling, he corrected himself as he looked more closely—struggle with its limbs and stability. It was clumsy, but still a dragon, and Bilbo wasn't about to defy it. "I'm a hobbit!" he exclaimed fearfully. "A hobbit!"

 

Smaug's ear twitched. A hobbit? What is a hobbit? Smaug puffed out some smoke, and let it engulf the so called hobbit. "More a thief," he growled, though his voice was too quiet and high pitched for his liking. His golden eyes were narrowed still, and he tried not quiver. New creatures were normally nothing to the dragon, but this new creature had found him in a rather untimely state. "Am I correct? You have come to steal from me?" His lip curled up dangerously, though inside he did not feel very threatening.

 

"I—no! No, of course not!" Bilbo denied feverishly. He shook his head and took a few steps backward. "I've just....I've come to see if the rumors were true, oh Smaug, the....magnificent." Not quite as magnificent as the stories said, though, which did make him feel better because he thought he could probably outrun this creature.