11 Bondng with Dragons

Running back into the town, I head toward the village's healer. Climbing some stairs that looked as if they'd break on each step taken, I made my way up towards the small hut on the cliff.

"Hey Gothi can I get some medicine for wounds?" I asked as she began doodling in a box of sand on the ground with her staff.

"Why do I need it? Oh, no reason, you can never be too careful you know. I mean, you already patched me up so I thought I could get some medicine for later in case they begin to ache again." I said, smiling in hopes she believed me.

Gothi squinted her eyes at me, sighing before going into her hut to grab a cloth and other items, which I assumed was the treatment I asked for, before stuffing them into a satchel.

"Thanks a lot, Gothi you're the best!" I shouted as I took the bag before carefully running down the steps as I made my way back to the village center. 

Stopping by the fish stall, I bought a few decently sized fish, as well as taking some water in a skin pouch before sprinting toward the forest. 

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As I walked I couldn't help but notice how scenic the forest really was when I was not fighting for my life. 

Sighing to myself I walked for a while as I finally reached the cave where I'd left the Skrill. Entering the cave I see the Skrill sleeping, as I begin approaching closer it jerks awake, turning its head toward me and snarling before realizing who I was and snorting at me.

"Nice to see you too." I sarcastically tell it.

Snorting, the dragon looked at the fish I'd brought with me, slowly getting up still injured from our fight, it began walking toward me.

"As promised I brought you the fish." Holding out one of the fish I tossed it to the large dragon as it caught it in its open jaws. Quickly consuming the large fish it turns back to me, grunting for more as I give him the rest of the fish I had bought.

I watched as the Skrill began to move closer to eat the fish. Moving toward the dragon's torso, putting the bag down before opening it. As I did this the Skrill looked up, growling at me as I took out the medicine.

"Try not to attack me. This medicine will help you heal faster. Unless you want those cuts to become infected." I told the Skrill as it snarled at me before proceeding to chow down on the fish again.

"Good." Taking the medicine I carefully applied it across the cuts and bruises, before bandaging them with the cloth I had.

"There, that should do it." Wrapping the cloth a final time I took a step back before sitting on the ground, taking out the pouch of water I had and drinking some.

"Want some?" I asked the dragon that lay beside me. Grunting the dragon opened its mouth. Taking it as a sign I began pouring water into its mouth as it drank, probably from dehydration now that I thought about it.

After emptying the whole pouch into its mouth, I stared at the dragon taking a real good look at it. And I have got to admit it looked amazing now that I could really study it up close.

'This dragon, there must be none like it.' Thinking to myself I slowly lifted my hand towards its head. The Skrill looked at me grumbling a bit before letting me place my hand on its head.

"Wow… how can your skin be so smooth but hard at the same time?" I asked it not really expecting an answer. As I brushed my hand across its skin. "Sorry, I did this to you, though you did kind of try and kill me." I laughed at the dragon before it swished its tail forward hitting me in the back of the head.

"Ow! Hey!" Turning back to the dragon I saw it grinning and making a sound that resembled laughter. "Very funny, anyways I'll be back later, I'll be seeing you soon." Leaving the cave I began walking back to the village, smiling in satisfaction with my progress with the Skrill.

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[Somewhere Else in the Forest]

'I can't believe this… Eugene just left me to fend for myself... against a Night Fury no less?!'

I walked through the forest, my thoughts running wild as I carried a shield in hand per Eugene's recommendation. I brought a fish with me as well, just in case I could try and tempt the dragon not to immediately eat me.

Finally reaching the clearing where we had previously spotted the dragon, I entered through a small crevice. As I made my way into the cove, I threw the fish into the clearing whilst hiding behind my shield waiting for the dragon to appear.

After waiting a little bit nothing happened. Coming out from behind my shield I moved forward only for my shield to get stuck between the rocks. Going underneath the shield I tried pulling it out, giving it a few tugs only managing to wedge it in further.

Groaning to myself I walk over to the fishing picking it up before walking out further into the open. Looking around I saw no signs of the Night Fury. About to give up and leave I hear a low growl, turning around slowly only to spot the dragon perched on a rock.

Gasping, I watch as the dragon crawls down the rock before sniffing the air. Breathing a bit heavier than before I stretched my arm that was holding the fish out toward the dragon in hopes that it would take it.

It looked to work as it started to inch its way closer to me before abruptly jumping back and growling at me while looking at my vest. Quickly opening my vest I slowly grab the knife I had, only for the dragon to snap at me, making me stumble back a bit. Going a bit faster this time I take the blade out dropping it on the ground before kicking it into the lake.

After doing this the dragon sat on the ground appearing more docile towards me than before. Stretching my arm out again I offer the fish to it once more. The Night Fury came towards me again slowly opening its mouth toward the fish.

"Huh, toothless? Coulda swore you had-" Before I could finish my sentence the toothless dragon's teeth appeared suddenly before it snatched the fish from my hand devouring it in a few bites. "Teeth…" I watched as it finished the fish, licking its lips before slowly moving towards me.

"Uh, um, no, no, no. I-I don't have anymore." I told the dragon as I stumbled over a rock, falling before crawling back against a large rock. The Night Fury then proceeded to gag before spitting out the tail of the fish it had just eaten.

"Uugh." I looked at the fish in disgust before the Night Fury leaned back sitting in an upright position, staring at me. 

Panting a bit I held the regurgitated fish tail in my hand as me and the dragon stared at one another. It then glanced at the fish, then back at me.

My face dropped as I looked down at the fish and then back at the dragon before sighing. Holding the fish up to my face I glanced at it and then at the dragon a few times before taking a bite out of it.

It was gross. It was slimy and tasted horrible. Holding it in my mouth I try to sound happy trying to offer the fishtail back to the dragon. With a low grumble, it motioned me to finish it. Groaning, I tried swallowing the fish, gagging as it went down. I took everything in me not to puke right there.

Once I got it down, I groaned again before shaking my head with a shiver. Smiling at the dragon as it squints at me before trying to mimic my smile. Honestly, it did a pretty decent job, but it was weird.

Getting up I reached my hand towards it only for it to bare its teeth and me, snarling before flapping its wings leaving me standing alone. I watched it from a distance as it began to spin around in a circle while breathing out a stream of fire, heating the ground beneath it before laying down.

Wanting to get a better look at it I followed it before sitting down next to it. As it turned to me it didn't seem surprised by my existence, groaning as it covered itself in its wings, as its tail hid its face from me. 

Scooching closer I glance to see if it's asleep before reaching my hand to touch its tail. As I'm about to reach the tail it suddenly lifts it, staring at me as I quickly get up and walk away.

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Now sitting on a rock, my hand on my cheek, I used a stick to draw the Night Fury in the dirt. As I was drawing, the dragon came up from behind me watching as I sketched it. Hearing it stomp away, I heard the snap of a branch. Turning, I see the dragon carrying a large tree branch in its teeth as it begins making lines in the dirt.

Once it was done it growled approvingly at its work. As I got up to inspect what it drew I stepped on a line. As I stepped on it the Night Fury snarled at me, not liking the fact I stepped on its hard work.

Flinching I lifted my foot off the line, and the dragon stopped snarling at me. Stepping on the line again it went right back to snarling. I did this one last time, before stepping over the line and smiling at the dragon.

I begin stepping over line after line turning my body as I focus on getting out of the labyrinth of lines. Once I was out I felt my back hit the dragons. Turning around I'm compelled to reach my hand towards its head, as I reach for it it begins snarling at me, causing me to back off. Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes and slowly stretch my hand out.

As I waited I could feel how close my hand was to the dragon, and then I felt it. The feeling of the dragon's snout, and the heat that it brought. I felt it all in the palm of my hand. Looking up I slightly rub its nose before it opens its own eyes, snorting before dashing off.

Looking in the direction it ran off to I looked at my hand in awe that I was connecting with a dragon.

"Wow…"