2 Chapter 2

I stretched as I woke up, trying to make sense of the eeriness of the silence around me. Where…? Oh yeah, I died and woke up here, as a baby dragon. Ah…! My dragon mother isn't here! And the storm has stopped! I started to panic. Had this amazing dream turned into a nightmare?! I don't want to be an orphan again, not if this is a second chance at life! I made an attempt to talk but could only squeal, screech, chirp, and squeak. I can't speak yet! I began to despair when I heard the heavy beat of leathery wings. Talons clacked on ice as she returned. I lay there in shock as my heart rate slowed.

"Here." A small rabbit was dropped in front of me, already dead. "I brought you some food." I blinked at it in confusion. Food? Does she want me to eat it raw? How much of it is edible? "Sorry, this is all I could get. I'm not too used to the cold of the north." Not used to the cold? Is it really that cold? I hadn't noticed. Oh, now that she's in the light, I can finally see her beautiful scarlet scales and golden eyes. "You don't look like you're shivering though, so it's fine." I looked back at the rabbit. I don't want it raw… "Hmmm…" My eyes snapped back to her to see a glint in her eyes. She inhaled and blew out a tiny stream of flame that engulfed the rabbit. When she stopped, it had been roasted perfectly, the scent making my stomach growl. I didn't know I was so hungry! I attacked it with so much ferocity I was surprised. I'm definitely not human anymore...I can't even eat nicely. Or it's just because of my hunger. Hey, wouldn't this be my first meal? "I thought so. What a surprise. I thought I would be the only one in this family who wants cooked meat." Was it her mother's intuition? Only way to explain it unless she was simply testing. "Now then...I noticed you're having a hard time walking. I'm not too sure of a hatchling's normal habit, but you'll have to get stronger than that, considering who your father is." She took a single step forward to gently pick me up by my spikes. A dragon's fangs can retract? Cool!

I then wanted to know what she was trying to do. "It's too slick in here for you to learn." That is awesome! I don't even have to say something but think it, and she knows I have a question or problem! She didn't fly but crawl down the startlingly huge mountain. I didn't realize it was this large! She set me on a stone platform close to three times her size and blasted it with fire. "Come on, get to your feet. I'm sure that once you learn to walk you'll know how to grip the ice." She nudged me with her front left paw. The force was unexpected and made me stumble away. Ugh! I know the basic idea of standing and walking, but I can't put it to use! Out of pure frustration and rage at my own disability to even stand, I found my balance at last. "Yes! You can do it! Come over here!" Filled with relief and joy, I tried to run. I almost fell multiple times but managed to keep going.

With a loud bugle, my dragon mother scooped my up in her paws and held me against her chest. I can hear her heartbeat. "I'm so proud of you!" With that, she put me back down and told me to do it again. She had me repeating the whole day until I could sprint without the slightest little problem. Got to say, for a day old dragon, this is impressive. I ran circles around her and hopped onto her proferred paw. "There you are. Come, let's go back to the nest." She climbed up to the cave and placed me inside, beaming with pride. She made a double-step and paused. "I should have gone for more food for you. I'm sorry there's so little here." Her expression and tone made me want to be human so I could wrap my arms around her properly and give her a mighty hug. "We should sleep. I'll find food while you dream." She lay down and gave me space to sleep by her head. I closed my eyes to find that being a baby meant my energy reserves were way lower than I was used to. In other words, I fell asleep Immediately.