Within the Dragon's Heart (Under editing)

Ch. 5

About three minutes later, Cuidightheach had finally gotten the deer clean. Now all he needed to do was cook it. Marina looked at the pile of guts of the ground and cringed in disgust.

"Why do we have to kill them?"

Cuidightheach looked at her more a moment, 'So, she doesn't know everything. I guess that makes sense, for she is only five. I think.'

"We have to kill them for meat, so that our muscles can grow and develop, meat gives our bodies energy and nutrients that living things need to survive." he had turned his attention back to the deer, hoping that his explanation had made sense to her.

"What about the things that eat plants?" She was intrigued by this subject and wanted to know more, more about how living things functioned.

"Well, that's a different way of getting energy. I will tell you more once we get to the top of the mountain." pausing, he continued, "Would you like to learn to cook?" Marina's eyes lit up with curiosity, nodding, she rushed to him and waited for instructions.

"Well, someone's excited." He teased, "Hold on!" He warned as he grabbed her by the back of her clothing, tossing Marina onto his back.

Squealing first in fear then in delight she landed on Cuidightheach's back with a muffled thud. She clambered to get a good hold on some of his neck plates with ridges, as he walked to the entrance. Reaching it, he turned his head back to look at Marina. She had positioned herself between his two shoulder muscles and was hanging onto one of his neck plates. The deer hanging from his mouth, still dripping blood.

Getting right up to the edge he dug his talons into the sides of the cliff and spread his wings wide. Crouching he launched himself over the edge and into a steep drop.

Marina screamed with adrenaline pumping through her veins. The wind whipped her chestnut hair out and behind her. The air was chilly as it was almost dark, it felt like needles against her now red cheeks. Cuidightheach flung his wings open as the trees hurtled towards them. Marina clung to his back, making herself as flat as possible. The screaming subsided as she looked around at the tops of trees blurring past them with amazing speed. Slowly pushing herself up, she looked around in aw. There were no words that could paint the picture of what she saw. Up above the trees where the air is clear and crisp, the setting sun cast it's luminescent rays of brilliant oranges, reds, yellows, and a little bit of purple across the vast expanse of trees and carpeted the sky with fiery clouds.

Marina was speechless, all she could do was stare in wonder, at a sight that could draw in minds, stopping time in its tracks. The rushing wind whistled past her ears as the tips turned red from the biting cold. As the damp air penetrated Marina's trance, she shivered as the cold took hold of her body. Whimpering, Cuidightheach climbed higher with great looping circles.

Landing on the top of his mountain, Marina slid from his back onto his wings and to the ground. Staring at the setting sun, with its dancing colors. She looked up at Cuidightheach in wonder, he stared straight ahead and watched as the colors were consumed by a dark, velvet veil, speckled by shimmering stars that shone as unanswered wishes.

Shaking off his thoughts he turned to Marina with happiness streaking through his eyes like shooting stars across the night sky.

"Well? What do you think of your new home?"

"I..I..can't...it's amazing!" She breathed

Smiling a toothy grin he then turned and dropped the deer up against a tree. "Let's begin with the meal so that you won't be hungry later." she nodded and walked over to him, full of new energy and wonder, what else could this beautiful beast show her, what other secrets were hidden behind those emerald eyes.