Inferno Legacy: Loyalty of the Dragon (Book Two)

Chapter 3

            “Dragons eggs can only be damaged by powerful magic, beyond the capabilities of even our worst enemy, I’m sure,” Inferno commented, but Cody ignored him.

            Avalsmokes looked very guilty and answered sadly, “I didn’t mean to do anything to it, and it’s just…amazing.”

            “It’s gold, to anyone in our village it would look amazing!”

            Aval looked sorrowfully down at his feet and said, “I’m sorry, I’ll wipe off my blood quick.”

            “There’s no need,” Cody explained with a sigh, “Dragon eggs absorb blood so that they can test a person and see if they are its rider.”

            Sure enough, the blood slowly vanished as if it seeped into the earth and Aval’s eyes widened as he asked, “So, it’s learning all about me right now!? That’s so cool!”

            “Come on; let’s go before we get into trouble. I’m sure it will be fine there: I don’t want anyone touching it again,” Cody said with a shiver as he began walking back towards Inferno.

            “Cody!” Avalsmokes suddenly shouted as he tackled his friend in alarm.

            Cody pushed Aval off of him and growled, “What is it? You don’t have to go and tackle me like that!”

            “But the egg, it moved!” Aval shrieked in fear, Cody’s worries obviously getting to him. “Oh Cody, I must have hurt it somehow, you were right.”

            But Cody just watched the golden egg with interest. A sly smile tugged at his lips and he pushed Aval back towards it, feeling his heart about to explode out of his chest with amazement and glee. Avalsmokes hadn’t hurt the baby dragon at all. In fact, he had caused just the opposite to happen. His suspicions were confirmed when the egg began to do an oddly familiar rocking motion, very faint but definitely moving. Inferno seemed to realize what was happening as well, so he settled next to his rider and watched the egg with proud interest.

            The egg continued to shake for a minute or two longer, Aval seemingly unable to move even an inch the entire time. Then, a cracking sound flowed through the silent cave, echoing slightly off the walls as a tiny snow-white talon poked out of the egg. It withdrew for a moment, and then another crack split the air and a tiny golden head emerged, followed by the beginning of a long neck.

            The dragon hatchling was even more brilliantly golden than the eggshell, if that were even possible. It had short but thick horns that curved backwards slightly, exactly opposite to Inferno’s own horns. The ridges above its eyes had small spikes protruding from them, and a tiny trail of similar spikes flowed at a sharp angle from the base of its muzzle down its long neck. Inferno’s spikes stuck almost straight out, but the hatchling’s practically laid on top of its skin with their angle.

            Soon the rest of its body slid from the shell, breaking it many more times along the way. It was a stunning gold from nose to tail-tip. Its body and build was very similar to Inferno’s but the hatchling had a wing-like fin just behind her wings, nearly half the size of the leathery wings. It also had a fin at the end of its tail, almost as large as the other fins. Its eyes were hazel, a beautiful mixture of the stormy blue that Inferno possessed in his own eyes, but with the faintest traces of lush green, the hue of a beautiful summer day.

            Everyone was speechless as they watched the dragon hatchling. Its curios eyes focused on Inferno for a moment before it turned to Avalsmokes and stared at him for several heartbeats. Then slowly, ever-so-slowly, it padded up to him and leaned towards him. When their faces were only an inch apart, the dragon let out a soft sound like a growly purr and rubbed against its new rider’s check affectionately.