Kinana wandered for a while, not running into many cultists. The unlucky few she did run into had the honor of being devoured by her magical translucent snakes. She wasn't rageful, per see, but she would be lying to say that watching the people responsible for hurting her daughter writhe in pain wasn't somewhat satisfying.
Eventually, with help from her snakes, she finally found what Kina had told her about. She found herself facing a handful of cultists who relentlessly, and foolishly, threw themselves in her path to try and stop her from entering a large cavernous room a few meters ahead of her.
Kinana summoned her strongest snakes and in a matter of moments, the poor mages were decimated. She strode into the room and looked as she quickly scanned the room for other enemies, she saw just what the cultists had been guarding.
She was a young adult dragon, judging by the sheen on her scales and the small horns poking out of her skull. She was of dark coloration but what immediately drew Kinana's attention was the shredded bits of skin that hung from her wings.
"Oh my - " Kinana began and upon her words, the dragon recoiled, wrapping her wings and tail further around the next thing Kinana noticed.
Dragon eggs. Dear Ankserham, so many dragon eggs. Kinana had heard the tales of missing eggs that Erik had told her of and how Levy had explained what these eggs would be used for. She had expected it - but it was still startling to see so many clutches of eggs so far from home being guarded by a terrified and trapped dragon with chains.
"Hey," Kinana soothed as she crept forward, a hand outstretched.
"You will not harm them," the dragon hissed angrily as she curled protectively over the eggs.
"Wouldn't dream of it," Kinana nodded, trying to smile and look as unthreatening as possible.
"You may have taken their magic, but you will not have their lives!" she wasn't even listening to Kinana anymore, her eyes filled with rage.
"Hey... hey, just wait for a moment please," Kinana soothed. "I'm not here to hurt you or any of those little guys. I just want to help. I mean... you don't think I beat up those weirdos at the door for the hell of it, do you?"
The dragon regarded her, wary and afraid.
"It could be a ruse," the dragon hissed.
"That would be a very dedicated ruse," Kinana giggled, sitting down a few feet away from the dragon. "My name's Kinana, what's yours?"
"...Cathro," the dragon admitted after a moment, her eyes never leaving Kinana.
"Cathro... how long have you been down here?" Kinana asked.
"... A long time," Cathro murmured, shifting her wings a bit to better settle herself.
"How did you get down here?"
"That... that human caught me in a trap of metal. I could not flee and... to make sure I could not get away, they ripped my wings and put me in chains like some wild beast," Cathro's fury was apparent.
"I'm sorry," Kinana murmured.
Cathro snorted, her tail curling around the nest of eggs she guarded. The eggs were all dull in color now, Kinana had to assume that the spell had already drained the magic from them... but what did that mean for the hatchlings inside?
"Are... are they alive?" Kinana asked gently.
Cathro lifted a wing and leaned down to the eggs, flicking her forked tongue over a few, her eyes glaring Kinana down.
YOU ARE READING
The Dragon Parents
FanfictionSequel to The Dragon Father This story takes place years after The Great Dragon King, Acnologia's, death. His protegees have moved on but keep him always in their mind, especially as they raise the future Dragon King's and Queens; their children. Un...
