"...-ack?"

"Jack?"

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.

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A shock surges through my body and im brought back into the land of the living. Taking in a deep breath to fill my lungs with air i can feel that they had changed. My lungs had changed, before they felt shriveled or incomplete. Now they feel almost normal.

I dont know where i am or how i got here. I had awaken in a tightly small prison i couldn't even move in. Not only that but i felt so weak, weaker than i had ever felt before. Even as my body is covered in pins and needles from having my soul pulled back into my body i can feel that i am still just as weak.

Is this my punishment? Tossed like garbage and forced to experience death? Just to be shocked back to life? Am I going to die again?

I was broken out of that prison I couldn't get myself out of. Who broke me out? I couldn't breathe in there and someone helped me.

Or I should say something.

I dont know what it was that helped me but it didnt sound human, and it sounded big. There were multiple big things, monsters. Growling.

I couldn't even open my eyes to see them.

Slowly the sensation crawling through my body fades away and feeling returns.

My body. Another thing wrong with all of this.

Something feels so wrong about my body. It feels so different than normal, its shape feels all wrong and every muscle i had been familiar with is different, wired differently, new muscles too. Too many limbs. Limbs that are wrong now. My skin feels wrong. My mouth feels wrong.

What has World done to me? Could that thing really do something like this?

I feel warm. Im being held against something warm and rough. I can hear a heart beat.

My eyes dont feel heavy anymore. When i open them i find myself being held against a wall of yellow scales. The light here is dim but a nearby source is keeping wherever i am from being black.

Turning my head I find out that it can rotate 180 degrees now. My neck is abnormally longer…

My heart skips a beat at the sight of two giant dragons sleeping. And im being held against one!

So these dragons saved me from my prison? Why? Just for a small snack to eat later?

I have to get out of here! I dont want to die again!

Quickly i take in the environment i am in. It looks to be some nobles house. Everything looks too nice and clean to be anywhere else. And everything looks way bigger than normal? What the hell is wrong with this place? Why are there dragons here? How did they break in? Why am i here?

There are two giant doors, one is open just a crack. There is also a window with closed curtains, lite up by morning light.

No signs of damage but that door is definitely my escape route.

But how am i going to get out of this dragons claws? Ive never been this close to a dragon before, hell ive only seen a dragon once in my life! And it was through a spyglass watching a few miles away as it massacred a stronghold.

At least i have a few tricks up my sleeve.

Concentrating on casting a slight of hand spell i pull magic from my core to fuel it. Instead the magic i attempt to pull is wrong now. The magic i'm familiar with is so different, it feels like trying to read a foreign language. Unable to understand it the magic slips from my hold and the spell fails to cast.

What the hell? Where did my magic go?

I search for my magic but the wrong one is all there is to find. Looks like spells are out of the equation for now. Ill have to do this the old fashioned way.

putting my hands up against the dragons side my heart drops at the sight of claws come up instead. Another reason that my body feels so wrong.

Slowly i push against the dragon's scales. Soon im able to slip free and I fall on my side on the soft mattress. Attempting to stand on my two feet makes me lose balance due to my tail, my scaled tail, a tail i can feel like its an arm. And I have wings too, hanging limply and dragging against the mattress as I crawl on all fours to its edge. I feel like I can move them but its connected to muscles my brain isn't familiar with. Same for my tail which is in the same condition.

The mattress ends and its an easy step down onto the carpet since it isn't held up on pegs nor a bed frame.

The pads of my clawed feet meet soft carpet and i stumble my way quietly towards the door. Upon coming up to the door i stop and nearly jump out of my skin at the sight of another dragon! There's a hole in the wall between the two doors where the dragon is standing. Its the same size as me with black scales and red eyes. fear, alert and surprise are the emotions it is somehow showing.

A dragon showing fear? Ive never heard of one capable of it. And how is it showing such emotion? It feels so spooky and unnatural how i could read its eyes too as it takes in my appearance as it take in its.

But something else is wrong with this dragon. Its body looks so thin and frail. Its legs wobble where it stands. Its wings and tail hang limply and dead-like.

It then slowly dawns on me who this dragon is.

There is no hole in the wall. Its just a big mirror leaning against the wall.

This is why my body feels so wrong.

"I-i'm a dragon?" The words slip out from my mouth, or my muzzle, or my maw?

Coming closer to the mirror I open my mouth and get a good look at it. Sharp draconic teeth and a pointed tongue. Closing my mouth i try to make facial expressions but stop when i see the dragons in the bed.

Two dragons sleeping together, one white and one yellow. Their wings cover each other like a blanket.

Lovers?

On the ground by the bed is a towel with broken egg shells on it. In the claws of the white dragon is something i hadn't noticed before, a little baby dragon.

Oh no. Is that their kid?

I need to leave. Now.

I then notice that the yellow dragon is looking at me with one blue eye open. A shiver crawls up my back.

Going to the door i put an arm through it and pull it more open so i can pass through. As it opens its hinges let out a slow yet loud creak that has me scrambling to just push my body through.

The white dragon wakes up too and opens its eyes while the yellow dragon starts to get up. Both of them see me slip through the door.

My claws meet the glossy hardwood floor of a short dark hallway. The door i came from is at its end and i can see 5 other doors. The other end of the hallway opens into a bigger room which i make my way towards as quick as i can. My legs are already burning and i dont like how brittle my bones in them feel as it affect my speed, making me alarmingly slow.

The door I left behind opens with a creak and a second set of claws clacking like mine is heard.

Looking back shows the yellow dragon is following me. Big, black slitted, blue eyes watching me.

Our eyes meet and the dragon suddenly stops, face changing from curiosity to… concern?

I lose my balance, stumble, and fall onto my side. Big claws then gently grab me. Panic fills me and i struggle to break free, but the dragons grip is way stronger than my weak body.

Exhausting myself, I stop and accept my death as I am being lifted towards the dragon's mouth.

To think, a legendary bandit like myself dying without being able to at least fight. Powerless.

I expect its mouth to open as i near it but instead i pass it and go hire. I'm then placed on its head and let go. Before my brain can process what is happening the dragon starts moving. On its way in the direction I had been heading.

I quickly lay myself flat on its head so as to not fall off. The dragon even tries to keep its head steady.

What is going on?! Why am I not dead?!

Is it just playing with its food?

If so then what was that concern it showed?

How did it even show that emotion? Animals don't make facial expressions!

The dragon comes to the end of the hallway and it opens into a dual-purpose room. On the right looks to be a living room with two couches, a fireplace, a low table, and a carpet. Above the fireplace is a weird looking black, glossy, rectangle thing.

On the left is a nice looking kitchen with a marble top and an island. The kitchen top has odd looking objects and there is what i can guess is a big icebox with a metal surface. Definitely has to be a nobles house. The place is too nice and clean!

The dragon then uses the end of its tail to touch a lightly glowing rune on the wall. The place is light up with light and my vision goes white and painful, making me squint.

A Rune? Isn't that type of magic rare? and it's being used as a light?

As my vision adjusts I'm picked up again. My claws meet a cold, hard surface and im let go. My vision returns and I see the dragon is looking down at me, its eyes making little movements as it takes in my appearance.

Something about all of this feels off or something. It has that feel about it that makes me feel like its intelligent. I mean sure, all the stories and tales tell of dragons being capable of emotion and a well of knowledge. But those were old stories and all of the recent ones tell of dragon as fierce murderous machines capable of felling kingdoms. They were animals, monsters, filled with rage.

If that's true then why does something about this dragon feel… human? Or at least human-like.

Take in its appearance too, its body is covered in scars of many shapes and sizes. There's even a scar running down an eye, making that eye have a small squint. Two short Brown stick-like horns pointing back with blunt ends, yellow scales and blue eyes.

The dragon then turns away and opens a cabinet and then the icebox. As it turns away i spot a very nasty big scar located on the center spine of its back. A scar that looks like it should have either killed it or disabled it.

Closing the icebox it turns back to me and puts a bowel in front of me. With a weird not glass looking canteen thing it pours water into the bowel.

I then realize how dry my mouth feels. But is it safe to drink? What if its poisoned? Ive learned to use a poison detect spell a long time ago but i cant use my magic.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

Looking up at the dragon to see if its offering it gestures to the bowl and makes a growl. A non-threatening, weird growl.

Kinda like a language. Is it speaking to me? Did that growl have a meaning behind it? It had this sort of complex sound to it…

Everything going on feels so alien and unnatural.

When i didnt take a drink the dragon tilts its head a bit in confusion. It then goes to say something but stops at the sound of a door opening from the hall.

Another dragon walks in from the dark hallway. Its scales are white, green eyes and ram-like horns. Its eyes zero’d in on me and it smiled. How can an animal smile? But this one also has that same intelligence in its eyes.

It then started to make those weird, language-like growls to the yellow dragon who would answer back. The white dragon approaches and looks to me and then the bowel with a look of thought.

I'd leave if I could. But it looks like there is no escape. No exits and I'm too weak and small to make any. The best thing to do for now would be to play along and try not to anger these unnatural dragons. I'll slip out the first chance I get and… and then I'd…

The dragon picks up the bowel of water and while making eye contact with me it takes a sip. It then passes it to the yellow dragon who does the same. The bowel is then placed in front of me, just under my chin. Both of them are watching me.

Were they trying to show me that the water isn't poisoned? I mean I am pretty thirsty and they aren't dying. Does poison even work on dragons? So that means it won't work on me either, right? I do seem to be stuck in the body of a dragon.

Looking down at the water I could see black-slitted red eyes staring back.

How do I even go about drinking it? Ram and yellow just drank it like a human but i can't lift it. Do i just drink it like a dog or do I dunk my muzzle in and drink?

I decide to go with the second option and cool refreshing water fills my mouth. I keep my nostrils above the water.

As I drink the two dragons start doing their growl-talk to each other as they watch me. I of course watch them back as I don't trust them.

Ram then walks around the table and opens the front door. I'm tempted to make a break for it but dropping to the floor would probably break my legs, the dragon would just close it and they are both way faster than me. I'll have to find another way.

Ram leaves and closes the door behind itself, leaving me with yellow.

Once I'm done drinking, yellow takes the bowel and puts it in the sink. The dragon then reaches for me with a claw and I hold still. It didn't hurt me before so it won't hurt me this time, right?

Picking me up im placed back on its head. The dragon fills the bowel up with water and holds it with its mouth before walking back into the hall. The dragon takes me back into the bedroom and i see a white dragon laying on the bed.

Wait. Isn't that ram? Didn't I just see it leave out the front door?

No. Wait. This one has different horns. It's a different dragon. This one has antlers and looks to be just waking up. Blue eyes open and look to yellow, giving a small growl that yellow answers back to.

“Grrll rrgghh rrr.”

That's what they sound like. Weird forms of growls.

Yellow puts me down on the mattress followed by the bowel being placed next to me. Probably for their hatchling.

Again I feel that I shouldn't be here, considering I'm in the same room with two parent dragons and their kid. Doesn’t things like this with animals end poorly?

Yellow lays back down with antlers and I leave the mattress. My claws meet the carpet floor and I walk up to the mirror. I and that black dragon in the mirror meet up at the wall and we sit down.

Its so wild to be in the body of a dragon. Standing in the mirror and expecting to see a human on the other side. No messy brown curls. No gray eyes staring back.

My eyes wander away and to what's behind me. Yellow and Antlers are in a conversation, they would glance at me here and there. I look lower and see the little white dragon is just now waking up. Blue eyes open and it yawns before clumsily falling of its fathers legs. Its picked up by antlers and placed down next to the bowel, to which the little dragon began to drink.

I looked lower and to that towel covered in egg shells. It looks like there's more eggshells than one egg would make, or at least judging by the baby dragons size. About two eggs worth of shells. If that's true then there's a second kid dragon?

I quickly scan around their reflection, searching for the second one, but couldn't find it.

Where is it? Why aren't the kids together?

And then my eyes stopped on that black dragon in the mirror. The only other hatchling sized dragon in the room. The second egg.

The realization hit me as all the dots connected. The prison, the two eggs, the dragon taking care of me, the lack of aggression, waking up in a dragon's body.

I'm the second hatchling. These are my parents.

Or at least this body’s parents.

How? Why? Is something like this really possible?

What had World done to me?!

I can feel the panic rising. The fear. The anger.

I had a family. I had a life I loved. Both torn away.

Suddenly I'm gently picked up and carried back to the bed. Antlers lays back down and I’m sat down. Both of the dragons' faces were now up close and… nuzzling me?

They are nuzzling me and making warbling noises. That panic went away like smoke in the wind, going away faster than anything had in my life.

I don't like this. They were being too nice.

I step away from this and they stop.

“Rff grrtfg.” Antler growls something to Yellow who nods in agreement.

To think. I worked hard to get to where I was. I am even considered a legendary bandit! It's not easy getting a title like that! Sure, my gift is what kept me alive to get there but that doesnt mean I didn't earn it.

And now? How could I keep doing what I know as a dragon? One sight of me could get me hunted. And how can I build another family? The one I had was perfect, we all cared for each other.

I am brought out of my thoughts by something bumping my side. Looking over I see it's the hatchling bumping me with its nose.

Seeing that it has my attention it sits up and its tail tip moves from side to side. It then stands and looks like it wants to play.

Yeah, no. I'm not the type to ‘play’. I'm a 34 year old man, not some kid.

At seeing that i'm not interested it gains a look of sadness, making my heart twist.

“Fine…” I mutter under my breath and turn to it. My body is already aching from everything that's happened but maybe I have some energy left.

-_-_-_-

“I wonder what set him off?” Galderus muttered to Selen as they watched their hatchlings play tag. Or should they say one is playing tag while the other is just playing along, not really moving too much.

“Maybe he was scared by his own reflection?” Selen answered back. At least she hoped that's all it was, what Kemok told them yesterday has her worried that there was more to it. But maybe she is overthinking it.

The both of them watch their two hatchlings play for a bit. It wasn't long till Kyn fell onto his side in exhaustion and Kain stepped closer to his brother wondering what happened.

“When did you say Kemok left to get the meat for me?” Galderus asks as Selen picks up Kyn with her tail to bring him close to her. Kain makes squeaks of protest as his brother is taken away but Galderus distracts him with his claw.

“not long before you woke up. He should have been back by now considering the store is a block away.” Selen holds Kyn close to her chest. She glances at the half empty bowel and wonders if she should refill it.

“Maybe there's a line? Hey, no damaging my scales, mine aren't as tough as your mothers, Kain.” Galderus lifts his claw up out of Kains reach who had been biting too hard. “Maybe we should take this to the living room. I can make us coffee.”

“I would love that.”

With that they collected their hatchlings, Kain on Galderus’s head and Kyn on Selen’s. Together they left the room and down the hall. In the living room Selen sat down on the couch and Galderus gave her Kain before taking the bowel she brought with her. Bowel in mouth he goes over to the kitchen and puts the bowel in the sink before getting started on making fresh coffee. On the living room side Selen grabs the remote and turns on the tv, changing the channel to the news station.

Feeling Kyn move on her head, Selen picks him up and places him on a cushion on the coffee table. The black hatchling looks to have caught his breath.

Selen felt… very relieved to see him not struggling to breath anymore. That mammal thing Kemok told her to do looks to have worked wonders. If they hadnt had Kemok come over would her hatchling have…

Selen shakes her head to clear the thought. Her hatching is fine now, there's no need to dwell on the what if’s.

Speaking of Kyn, he is looking at the tv above the fireplace in wonder and curiosity. And Kain? The white hatchling next to her was pawing at her side but now has stopped and is looking at the tv in confusion.

She picks him up and sets him down on his own cushion next to Kyn on the table. Her attention is then brought to the news anchor on the tv. A silver dragon with equally silver eyes wearing a tie.

“-of more undead activity spreading closer to the city’s eastern wall. King Alborian has raised the number of guards on that side and sending more forces to push back the growing threat. Last week a village that the king had fortified to hold them back had fallen, leaving only 2 surviv-.”

“Sounds like bad news.” Galderus hands her a fresh cup of coffee and he joins her on the couch with a cup of his own.

“I should be out there helping…” Selen glares at the tv and takes a sip.

Galderus frowns and shakes his head. “I know you would be able to help if you could, but if you did then who would watch our hatchlings? They can't raise themselves.”

Selen sighs but nods. She understands that, Galderus couldn't do it with his job and even if he could she would be useless if she went to help. Not that they would let her if she tried.

The thought of not being able to do anything weighed down on her soul.

Galderus could see her wanting to do something so he tries to cheer her up.

“Hey, you kn-.” but he's interrupted by the front door opening.

Kemok walks in with a wrapped package of meat in his mouth. He closes the door and puts the package on the kitchen table. “I'm back. How are the hatchlings?”

“They are fine. But they could use some breakfast.” Galderus says as he gets up and goes to the kitchen.

“What took you so long? Line at the checkout?” Selen asks him.

“Yah, sorry for taking so long. There was no line but on my way back I ran into the oddest dragon I've ever met.” Kemok slides the packaged meat across the kitchen island where it stops in the waiting claws of Galderus on the other side.

“Oh? What was so odd about this dragon?” One of Selen’s ears perk up in curiosity and she looks back at him.

“He was wingless and wearing a set of full-plate armor covered in illegal runes. I went and told a guard when we were done speaking.”

“I wonder how he got so far into the city without being spotted sooner.” Selen wondered and looked to the news that is now talking about weather. Had the king pulled that many guards to the eastern wall? No it wouldn't need that many.

“maybe he is an azakan dragon and didn't know the runes were illegal?” Galderus asks as he opens the packaged meat. Fresh red meat is revealed, perfect.

“he wasn't an azakan. There were stumps where his wings should be.” Seeing fresh coffee in the maker, Kemok goes to make himself a cup.

“Poor guy. Did he say anything to you?”

“Not really. He seemed nervous even though he was bigger than me. When we parted ways he started following me for a bit so I searched for the nearest guard. I Haven't seen him since.”

“Well it's good you got back safe, Kemok. I'm sure the guards will have it handled.” Galderus looks at his brother with worry. Was it a criminal? But Kemok doesn't look too bothered by the experience so it must be fine. “Wanna help me make breakfast after we feed the hatchlings, Kemok?”

“Sure.”

Galderus takes the meat and brings it back to the couch. Sitting with his wife he puts it on the coffee table between Kain and Kyn. He then lines up a claw to the meat and cleanly slices it in half.

“Do you remember the first time you had raw meat after you hatched, Galderus?” Selen asks him and takes half of the meat. It's sitting on its opened paper packaging so she tears it in half so both halves of the meat has something to sit on instead of dirtying the table.

“Not really. Hard to remember something that happened 6,000 years ago.”

Kain catches sight of the meat as Galderus slides it in front of him. Curiously the hatchling sniffs it before his instincts kicked in and he sinks his teeth into it.

“I remember. It's the first and last time we feel what our ancestors felt. I remember seeing the meat my parents put before me and a feeling took over. I remember my body moving on its own to eat.” Selen slides her half of the meat before Kyn. The black hatchling who had been staring at the tv turns to look at the meat. He then lurks forward to bite into the meat but suddenly snaps back before he could.

Kyn then takes a few steps back with wide eyes and shakes his head, his red eyes glued to the meat.

This confused Selen. She had felt what her hatchling is feeling but why is he fighting it? How could he be fighting it?

Kemok watches from the kitchen as he sips his coffee.

Galderus pulls his attention from Kain to watch.

Kyn shakes his head again and is able to regain control of himself, he looks away from the meat. Not daring himself to see if it would happen again.

“I haven't seen a hatchling do that before.” Kemok comments as he forgets his coffee on the island and comes over to stand next to the couch.

“Is he okay? It won't cause him problems later will it?” Galderus asks with worry.

“How can he fight his instinct? When I felt mine it happened before I could even react.” Selen slides the meat back further from Kyn, not wanting to risk anything going wrong.

“It might have something to do with his troubled development. Maybe we should take him to the hospital tomorrow. We have a scanner that's currently broken but it'll be fixed by tomorrow.” Kemok watched the hatchling and felt surprised that Kyn looked to be processing what had happened so fast and knew what triggered it. Hatchlings mentally grew up fast, usually able to speak within the first week. It's the first day after hatching that they don't have a full consciousness. But Kyn is visibly showing awareness.

What could that mean for Selen and Galderuses hatchling? Did that mean Kyn would grow up smarter? Would he have a shorter life? Kemok didn't know the answer but he would have to ask a fellow doctor tomorrow who would know.

“We’ll bring him in tomorrow then.” Selen tells him.

“I'm sure it's fine to break tradition for Kyn, right? It doesn't have another purpose?” Galderus asks and both Selen and Kemok shook their heads.

“No, it's just tradition.” Kemok tells him.