The Hunter and His Dragon

An Old Memory

A/N: Somewhere in the distance, maniacal laughter ensues. (JK, hope y'all enjoy).

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Several Years Ago . . .

The dragon swooped low to the ground, letting his bicolored wings brush the undergrowth. With the plain landscape here there was no need to worry about the expansive trees elsewhere. The shift from dragon to human was as painless as ever, but the new skin still felt strange. The puddles he passed by reflected his sturdy stature and clear eyes. Moonlight danced overhead with the bopping fireflies and crickets who played their own special orchestra to whoever their audience was for the night. They were extra loud this year. The mating cycle had reached maximum capacity as it would every few years time.

A sweet voice called out to him, playing it's own soft melody. A smile on his face, the dragon shifted into human form made his way over. The terrain slopes down here. The grass gave into the temptation of dirt and grit. Piles of chipped rock lined the path into the source of fresh water. The air was warmer here, though it was not to par with the sweetness of that voice. The dragon let himself be lulled by it, humming along to its gentle tune. How could such warmth be overshadowed by the dark anger of someone he could care less for. In life, there were those who wanted peace and those who wanted war. Sometimes it was hard to see where the line would inevitably be drawn.

With this in mind the dragon made the rest of the journey down. The pleasant roar of the waterfall splashed in his ears as sprigs of weeds grew around his rubbery boots. Like human skin, clothes were a strange addition unique to human form. Thankfully the dragons never had to toil over their own. Imagining them in their heads would suffice. The large stone sat in the same place it was last time, sparking a growl of amusement from his lips. She had moved it back after the exercises previously. The woman stopped her melody when she met his gaze, eyes twinkling with a light few humans carried.

"I was wondering when you would show up."

He nodded. "Sorry I made you wait so long. My father—"

"Isn't the most fond of humans, yes. I know." She cut him off.

He smiled. "I cannot thank you enough for being so understanding."

She tilted her head back in laughter. "Come now. You don't have to be so serious."

"I know. But it would be foolish of me not to recognize your status queen."

Red stains blossomed on that narrow face. Hands fisted in the hem of the dress the young woman wore. The lavender scent in the air put him at peace. The woman had a habit of smelling like flowers, an after effect of loving gardening. "Thank you, but such pleasantries are unnecessary. We are friends. Nothing will ever change that."

His expression darkened. "Not even your self-righteous husband?"

She sighed. "I know he's been up to no good lately, but I swear, I took no part in this."

The dragon growled, hackles raised. A strange light raked its way out into the open. It was a powerful color, reflecting the dragon's own status. "I know you would not harm dragons, but him on the other hand . . . he is an extension of the power both of you hold. Two warring sides will only result in bloodshed."

"I want peace just as much as you do." She stressed. Her expression was pinched with pain, as though the idea of otherwise physically hurt her.

"Then prove it."

The woman was dumbfounded. "How do you expect me to do that?"

"I know you can do it because I believe in you. You are the only one he will listen to. The fate of the dragon world is in your hands. Do not fail us. Do not fail me."

A shaky nod. "I will endeavor not to my friend."

Little did they know the consequences of this exchange. Consequences that would ensure chaos for decades to come upon the dragons and the humans of the world.