I wonder if this is what dying feels like.

There wouldn't be any hunting for me anytime soon. Visiting my treasure was also a hopeless dream. In fact, getting out of my lair would be a miracle in itself.

I didn't think I was really dying, but the pain in my stomach was trying its best to kill me. My stomach was heavy and felt as if it was full of boulders grinding against each other. Just like that one time I got curious and went on a self-made quest to find out if different colored rocks tasted different as well. It was a very long time ago, of course, well before I was an adult. Not even a youngling, really, a hatchling… if you give or take a few years.

Long story short, I learned two things that day: first was the dire consequences of eating a large amount of stones weighing almost as heavy as myself. What the elders had done to force them all out is still too painful to think about.

The second thing was, actually yes, the colors do change the taste of the rocks a little.

Well, this time I knew I hadn't eaten anything that resembled the walls of my lair. So, the only culprits I could think of were my regular meals, which consisted of what I'd hunted and what was gifted to me.

Groaning, I tried to recall the last time I'd fallen weak to sickness. I didn't know when for sure, but I could remember spending several days in my small cavern in the Hive. My friend had kept me company in those days, while my mind was clouded with drowsiness and unnatural heat, without any energy to muster for hunting. It had taken quite some time for my friend to convince me to eat the prey he had hunted. Even as a starving dragon, I was prideful.

This time, there wouldn't be any worried friends to fuss over me, or any elders to scold me half-heartedly while they found excuses to stop by my cavern to check on me. I would have to overcome this sickness alone, it seemed. While I wasn't too worried about starvation or death—not realistically at least, starving to death would take a long time—it still felt miserable to be cramped all alone in my cave, with nothing else to do. It had already been a day since I was stuck here. Boredom was the enemy of the mind, sickness its main accomplice.

Naps came easier, at least. When there was nothing else to do and my bones throbbed alongside my heart, my eyelids were heavier than ever. I could achieve the closest thing to a winter sleep—months after its expected time—and I couldn't even enjoy it… How ironic.

I sighed and crawled even deeper into my cave.

Next time I opened my eyes, there were many voices and familiar smells coming from the outside. It took me longer than usual to register who they were, and by that time they were already sticking their tiny heads into my cave.

"Hey, he's here!"

"We found him!"

"See, like I told you, Edith, he is in his cave."

"He didn't leave! Now we can play with him!"

"Is-is it safe to go in? Let's go back, please, we shouldn't be here…"

"Why did you follow us then, Henry?"

"I-well, someone has to call for help if something happens, right? I'm faster than all of you."

"Then you should wait right here while we go inside, okay?"

"Do-don't leave me alone!"

I could see the small bodies of the human younglings, and hear their bickering among each other. Did they walk all the way from their village to my lair? The forest can't be safe to pass in this cold for little humans.

"It's dark in here. Be careful where you step."

"We should've brought torches. Ed, don't go wandering off. Edith, hold my hand. Oh, he-hello there. We couldn't see you at the beach today. And you weren't there yesterday either, so I was wondering where you went instead… but it's okay if you're here. I mean, you don't have to come down every single day, of course."

"Tom, I don't think he can catch anything you're saying."

Oh, it was suddenly dark again. No wait, my eyes had closed on their own. I pried them open to focus them on Tommy where he stood near me. What was I thinking just now? Oh yes, it was too cold for the younglings to be walking outside.

Had they come here to warm up a bit? My cave was nowhere near on the way to the coast...

"... Anyway, I came here to bring your food, and these guys just followed me again. I noticed them halfway, but I couldn't leave them in the middle of the woods. It's going to be dark soon, so I'll just leave this right here and… Are you listening to me?"

"You make the Birdie sleepy, Tommy."

Opening my eyes was harder this time, but I managed a slit. Tommy and the others were gathered farther inside my cave while my eyes were resting. I could smell the meat Tommy brought with him, but couldn't bother to lift my head up to properly look at it.

"Why isn't he moving? Tommy? What's wrong with Birdie?"

"Maybe he's bored of us and just wants to sleep."

"That might be true… But wouldn't he at least take the food, Flyta?"

"He could be full. Or he doesn't want to eat any rabbit today."

A rumble rose from the depths of my stomach with a new wave of pain. It felt full of rocks and empty at the same time. Younglings voices sounded excited about this new development, however.

"Did you hear that?"

"It was like thunder! Or an earthquake!"

"I don't think he's full."

"It was so cool! Do it again."

At least someone is having fun, I thought, watching them move with excitement.

"He could be ill, maybe. Or just very sleepy. Just leave the food here, Tom. He can eat it when he wants to."

"He's ill? Tommy, is he ill?"

"I don't know Edith, maybe, I don't know. I'm not a healer."

"Let's get mommy! She can heal people. She can help Birdie!"

"I don't think mom could help him or would want to help him. It's not exactly close to the village here. We can't tell her we came here either, okay? She mustn't know, Edith, or she won't let us outside ever again. Do you understand?"

"Okay, I won't tell mommy. Or no playing with Birdie."

"Yes, no playing with Bird-the dragon, okay?"

"We should leave before it's dark. Come on, Henry, Ed. Your parents will start to wonder where you are."

I heard Tommy leave something on the ground and walk towards the entrance as my vision went dark again.

"I will go and ask Thorn about it. Come on guys. Let's go back. And… you just stay here and rest, okay? It's warmer inside."

When I opened my eyes again, it was dark outside and there was a small white rabbit near my claws. I forced myself to get up and eat Tommy's gift, so he wouldn't see it was left abandoned on the ground if he decided to visit my cave again.

***

Something was close. A human. Alone. Not one of the younglings.

I've seen this one before, I thought sluggishly as I tracked him with my half open eyes.

He bowed his head slowly, then entered my cave after he met my eyes. I remembered his face, covered with fur around the mouth, from that time in the forest. That seemed like a long time ago. He was with Tommy and the dogs and the deer… The unusual human who had copied my 'no harm' sign, both before and now.

"You worried the kids, I hear."

As he slowly approached and muttered, I came to realize that this human was also the same one from the shore, who had been keeping watch from afar on the younglings' training. No wonder his smell felt familiar.

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"I thought I would have a few days to myself when I saw the shore empty. Never imagined the boy would try to find you on his own. Should've known better."

But why was he here? He'd never come into my cave before with other humans as far as I could remember. There weren't any weapons in his hands, either.

"I keep telling the boy I'm not his nanny, but there's no stopping his mouth once it starts going. Apparently something's wrong with their pet dragon, he kept begging me to take a look. What does he think I can do?"

He must've been following the younglings on their reckless trip through the forest. Or had that been a part of their training as well?

"I have to say, you are the most baffling thing I've ever seen. No casualties, no forest fires, not even a single house smashed so far…"

He stopped near my head, where I continued to lay watching him. My tail curled up minutely with curiosity, but gave up when it took most of its power. Fortunately, it seemed the human wasn't hostile—at least so far. I would be very annoyed to be forced to move if he decided to attack.

He gave a long, examining look at me. With one step and then another, all careful and slow, he moved closer to my neck. I let out a questioning rumble, what was this human trying to do?

"That's it, easy, easy… I will do no harm if you won't, alright? Now let's see… I might be a bit rusty."

I couldn't fully see him where he stood now, but there wasn't any hint of an attack in his moves. He only seemed to lean close to my body without touching.

"I don't understand… Just what is your intention here, on this mountain, living so close to humans? With no treasures in your cave, not raiding villages, even letting people barge in here as they want…"

Ah, I see. This one's a lot like Tommy. They just like to keep rambling on their own.

I felt a faint touch on my lower neck, close to my heartbeat, and a spreading warmth followed it. Warmer than Tommy's hand had been, which was the only comparison I had for the touch of a human. I also thought I saw a blue glow, what was that?

"But what I want to know the most is… why in God's name aren't you in hibernation?" I heard him whisper.

A tingling sensation spread from the point of touch, it didn't hurt and passed as soon as it came.

"Well, good news for the kids. You've caught something mild, probably the mountain fever. Alas, it's nothing deadly. To be honest, it'd be one less of a pain in my side if you'd perish quietly."

After a bit more of incomprehensible grumbling on his own, the human with the dog scent was in my view again. He gave me an overall look—which I reciprocated—and shook his head side to side. I felt that if he had a tail like mine, it would be swaying with confusion, but that may just be my imagination. I knew I was confused, but too tired to scrutinize.

The odd human left as he came, carefully and without a fuss. He never turned his back to me or took his eyes off, but nor did he shout at me while running around frantically.

I thought it was a much deserved break.

***

I heard the telltale sound of human chattering coming from the clearing. It was dark behind my eyelids, but my instincts were telling me it wasn't long until dawn.

“Home, sweet home, right?”

“That’s the cave freezing our asses off every winter, you bastard.”

“If you find us a safer place to bring our shit to, be my guest, Slade.”

“You know what, I say we get off this goddamn mountain for once, and find ourselves a nice little family cottage, kill the head and keep his wife. Be a lot warmer, won’t it?

“And wake the whole village while we are at it, right?”

“Just because you can’t do it silently, doesn’t mean—”

“Shit, stop, stop! Look.”

Their voices came to a whisper. The group wasn’t too big, I guessed there weren’t more than ten humans outside. All of their voices and smells were unfamiliar. This, of course, could only mean one thing for me. More disturbance.

Is it too much to ask for some quiet when you are sick?

“Look at the footprints. Someone has been here recently.”

“There were more than one. Prints look fresh, a day old at most.”

“We’ve been found out?”

“Shut your mouths. You three keep watch here, rest of you follow me.”

Even as the sounds were subdued, the slow footsteps were still clear to my ears. I felt a human stepping inside as their scent wafted in. It was strong, so blatantly human, yet… there was something else mingled with it.

Blood and metal.

A whisper came.

“Hand over the fire.”

A sudden brightness of a small fire came to life, and then I was glad I had kept my eyes closed, or else the light would've felt like nasty thorns in my eyes.

But this did nothing to keep my ears safe from their screeches, of course.

"Aargh!"

"What the-what the fuck is that?!"

"Fuck this! There's a bloody DRAGON in our cave!"

"Get out, just get out!"

"Move it, you bastards!"

"Don't yell, you morons, you'll wake it up!"

Thankfully, they decided to continue their argument outside my cave, gradually moving away. I guessed they were headed towards the forest. Why would any human prefer to be amid frozen bare trees instead of their cozy lairs, I couldn't think of a reason.

***

A scream. Distant.

It came from somewhere inside the frost covered woods. I was on my feet and crawling out of my lair before I even opened my eyes.

I knew that voice. Of course I did, I've heard her almost on a daily basis, but never heard this bone chilling sound before.

This wasn't one of Edith's happy screams.

It came again, but this time it was another hatchling. It sounded terribly similar to sneaky Ed's quiet voice. What could make him yell like this?

I was already at the peak of the rocky hill on top of my cave, trying to locate the direction of the echoing yells. It was somewhere around noon, but the clouds didn't give the position of the sun, neither did they let its heat touch the snowy earth below. The small, fragile bodies flashed in my eyes. I had to be quick.

There!

I jumped with a power I didn't know I had a moment ago, and I pushed against the wind. Within a heartbeat, I was flying over the forest towards the source of the screams. Somewhere between the village and my cave, obscured by the trees… I couldn't see them. There were snow and branches in the way, the wind howling in my ears, the snow dust rising from the ground.

What gave away their position was Henry's scream.

"LET ME GO!"

I saw him for a moment between the trees, he was running like I've never seen him run before.

Then I saw what he was running from. Not some monster like I'd imagined, or a predator, it was another human.

Shouldn't they be safe from humans? Why would the hatchlings run away from an elder?

There was no time. The hatchlings were in danger. I had to reach them. There was no sign of the others, and I had already lost Henry out of sight.

Nowhere to land!

Everywhere was covered with trees. There was no way to get to the forest ground and reach them other than smashing through the—

The idea turned into action in a breath, and I dived fast. I aimed a little farther from where I'd seen Henry, couldn't go any closer with the risk of crushing him, then let my weight drop on top of the grove.

The poor trees didn't stand a chance. Their branches fell apart beneath my feet, their bodies split into pieces.

I landed on top of the debris and stepped onto the frosted ground. The sound must have been heard by the humans, because their voices rose with panic—and oh, there were more than one—which made it all the easier for me to find them.

"Look out! It's that dragon!"

"Shit!"

"Why is it here? It's supposed to be sleeping!"

I made my way over to Henry, my eyes locked on his small, trembling body where he fell down. Through the web of trees, I squirmed where I could pass, and shattered them where I couldn't, my eyes locked on him. I didn't bother with the other humans and whoever Henry was running from, I was going to stand between them and him.

"Don't let them escape! If they make it to the village—"

"Move while that thing is distracted!"

"Grab the blonde one, go!"

I made it to Henry and stood over him and if he was hurt. He looked frozen in fear and pale, but I didn't smell any blood on him. Carefully, I lowered my head and nudged him on the side.

To my surprise, he didn't recoil from my sudden presence—not like before—instead, he curled closer to me with his arms in his front.

What's wrong with you, little Henry?

I tracked his stare across the woods and found a human. If there was still a hope in my mind that this was all an elaborate hunting training thought out by a twisted human mind, I lost it when I saw those eyes. They were of a hunter, and the little ones… were the prey.

They were hunting the hatchlings.

My blood froze in my veins, my mind stopped in the face of this, this… Something so blatantly against the Law, against nature and all the instincts of the living.

The pain in my stomach was forgotten until that moment, but it reminded itself with a sudden flip inside, almost as if it was trying to escape the wrongness of the scene.

My tail curled protectively around Henry. I bared my teeth at the human across the trees. My nostrils flared and took the scents in.

I couldn't keep the growl behind my throat, because I'd recognized those humans' smell. It was heavy with blood and metal.

Nothing alike the humans from the village. These were strangers among humans, outsiders I've never seen around before, filled with insolence to lay their hands what wasn't theirs.

My frozen blood was now scorching fire and smoke was rising from my nostrils. I swiped my tail to crash down whatever obstacle I had between me and the disgusting humans. Now that I got rid of the trees, I could see the rest of the hatchlin—

HOW DARE YOU!

One of them had Edith. Her pale fur was wrapped around a vile hand, her face covered in tears. The other one had sneaky Ed with an arm wrapped around his neck. His mouth was struggling for air.

Whatever had made them stop in the middle of their filthy acts before, they shook out of it and started to get farther away. With the two little ones in their hands.

Not while I was alive.

My wings unfolded to their full size.

I roared and the frozen earth trembled beneath.

All I saw was the prey ahead of me.