literature

Freedom Pt 5. (Dragon tf)

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Hex. Wakey wakey!” The growl came softly, and Hex jumped forwards in surprise, opening his eyes in the dim light and spun around. Behind him a green scaled dragon hunkered down, wings clasped tight in the low space, blue eyes sparkling with amusement. “What was that? You okay there little brother?

Don’t want you waking me up the way you usually do Nessie” He growled back sulkily, pulling his red scaled tail close around him in the low cave.

I don’t bite that hard” She grinned, showing sharp fangs in her snout. “Anyway, you’d sleep all day if I didn’t.

I wouldn’t, I just don’t know how come you don’t sleep more.” Hex grumbled, and padded softly towards the caves entrance, a small hole they could just about fit through. An adult human couldn’t, but that wasn’t their aim, the den was just dry and warm and concealed.

I just sleep harder than you do, so it counts for extra.” Nessie growled and followed him through the little entrance. Outside Hex blinked a few times in the sunlight and stretched his wings and neck, loosening himself up.

Sure little sis, whatever you say.” He smirked. They had had debates for days over which would be the little one and which was the big one, him with clever arguments and logic and his own age, and Nessie by pinning him down with her greater size. Eventually they had just started to call each other little as a joke, neither could really win. “Blood day right?

Uh-huh, race you!” She screeched and pounced away, through the tall pine trees on their hillside. Hex hissed in annoyance and chased after her, crimson wings half raised for balance. The forest was empty here, just an expanse of pines and streams in a broad valley, a lake in the centre. It was a while away from the clearing, the meeting place, but that was only helpful, it meant they didn’t actually know where the two dragons den was. Anyway, the valley was free of roads and humans, there was only one old shack they had found that was long abandoned.

And no humans meant the hatchlings didn’t need to hide. They could chase and hunt and try to fly from ridges freely, screeching loud enough to scare flocks of birds from the trees. Hex had meant to try and go farther, to explore, but the valley was nice and isolated, and it was still close to where Morag, Nessies mother had left them. If she came back then they both agreed they needed to be close by.

It was the same clearing they reached after a couple of hours chasing. Nessie could have beaten him there easily, but she was too eager to try and ambush him along the way, hiding in wait until Hex ran past and she lunged out. They were both panting as they reached the empty ring of trees.

You should go veiled this time. You’ve never had to veil in weeks.” Hex argued, toungue lolling from his pointed snout with weariness.

Not a chance, I can’t kill him if I’m veiled. And a lady needs privacy.” Nessie snarled back.

Lady?” Hex teased, then jumped away when she lunged. “No way Nessie, Ladies have manners and rules and stuff, you’re too much fun.

She glared at him, and Hex guessed she was wondering if that was an insult or a compliment.

“Sorry Hector, Nessie, I’ve had to change the deals conditions and bring someone. I hope you don’t mind too much.” A mellow human voice called, and the two dragons hissed and jumped around, scanning the treeline. Brian didn’t even try to hide, the dark skinned doctor strode out from the shadows smoothly, dressed up as a camper with a big backpack and his white smile bared.

Can we kill him now?” Nessie asked earnestly, her eyes narrowed. Plumes of smoke drifted up from her jaw.

And let them find out where we are and capture us? Just have to deal with it, wait and see.” He growled back, ignoring his own impulses at seeing Brian. The man was familiar, he had been his last doctor after all, the last liar, and his too friendly, easy confidence did nothing to change the dragons opinion. Plus he knew he didn’t like being called Hector.

“Try and stay calm, you two will actually like this.” Brian exclaimed and walked closer, then paused and peered over his shoulder, “Hey, come on mate, nothing to be scared of.”

“But they were talking about killing you…” A child’s voice said hesitantly from behind a tree, and Hex jumped slightly. Humans couldn’t understand their snarls and hisses, could they? No, he hadn’t even been able to understand them at the beginning, even as a dragon.

“I’m still alive amn’t I? They just don’t like me very much for some reason, they like to be very careful.” Brian said in a grand understatement, though his eyes did flicker over to Nessie nervously. “Come on out, Shen, I’m sure they’ll like you.”

The child stepped out hesitantly, revealing dark hair and eyes above a tan face, maybe six or seven years old Hex guessed. He took a few steps forward, eyes fixed on the dragons, and then wandered over to hide behind Brian’s legs. “There, don’t worry lad, you’ll get used to them.”

What’s he on about? Nessie? Am I going to have to veil and ask?” Hex growled, watching cautiously. Why was it that Brian always knew things and never let them know any more?

Dragon. You’re a dragon too.” Nessie growled quietly, and stalked slowly closer to him, sniffing as she did. The boy peered out and nodded slowly, then froze as she dashed over, shrieking “Three! Three hatchlings, three dragons! He said he’s another dragon Hex! ANOTHER DRAGON!

Hex took a moment and then jumped and crawled over quickly too, then paused when he saw the boy shying away, terrified by Nessie. He had grown used to her, but then, she was a dog sized monster covered in horns and hard scales, reaching high on the childs chest, not particularly reassuring, “Hey, don’t worry Shen, we’re nice. You’re safe, don’t need to be scared. Quiet down a bit little sis.

Sorry Shen, don’t worry, I don’t bite.

She does.” Hex growled, earning a glare from the green dragon. “But she won’t bite you. You might get licked a lot though

The boy nodded nervously and extended one hand, resting it on Nessies head and she kept hissing to him, mainly just excitement to meet another one. Hex felt the same excitement, this was only the third dragon he’d met, but Brian had brought him. Brian the warden, the liar, the breeder, the dealer, he wasn’t supposed to bring dragons to them, he was meant to try and confine them.

“I really am missing entire conversations amn’t I?” Brian chuckled and knelt down beside Hex, swinging his rucksack off. He reached in and drew out the needle, a large implement, and eased it into the red scales quietly, “Don’t clench, remember? You’ll be wanting an explanation I suppose. Shen’s going wild here with you. He’s like you, more or less, same idea, kept in a hospital, kept veiled and minorly ill, under the hunters radar, safe.”

Hex snorted a puff of smoke, fixing an eye on the man. Safe was one way of putting it, but torture would be another one, always trapped and sick. “Your little deal caught their attention. Shen had the same problem you did, the riots cut him off from potion and he turned, had a bit of a panic at suddenly being a dragon. We decided it was best for him to have company of the same sort, he was not happy on his own, and you are well experienced with what he’s been through.”

It wasn’t the truth, Hex could tell that much, but as for what the real reason was, he couldn’t tell. Brian only kept that warm smile on and swapped out a vial of his blood for an empty one, then pulled the plunger back to draw out more of the liquid. Still, he watched Shen more as the boy tried to guard himself from being licked by Nessie. He was similar, built scrawny, small, another runt as Nessie called them, not allowed the space and freedom to grow properly.

“You were interested in the other children like yourself, thought you’d be happy to see another.” Brian muttered, and Hex hissed at him and nodded, he was happy. Just scared too. “Well then, as long as you three don’t starve or anything, we’re fine. You seem to be eating enough though, theres a little chicken in the bag too for him.”

“Why are you taking his blood?” Shen asked quietly, “He’s not sick is he?”

He? I’m here remember. I know English.” Hex snorted, “The bloods a deal. Apparently he sells it, and he gives us a bit of veil and clothes and things for it. If he’s been taking yours then you should get him to pay you.

“No, he just gave me potion, medicine thingy, to make me stay a person. But I’m not really a person, its like a disguise.” Shen dropped his voice, as though it was a big secret, thought he supposed it was.

“Yes, veil, remember? You’ll be a dragon with these two though, they’ll be like a big brother and sister.” Brian explained carefully to him.

“Sister? But sisters are girls?”

What? I’m a girl!” Nessie snorted and nuzzled him, pushing him roughly but playfully, “Can you not tell I’m a girl!?

“Sore…” The boy mumbled suddenly and collapsed on the grass, curling up. For a second Hex was about to snap at Nessie, then he saw the child’s body start to change, the tan skin of his neck stretching and thinning, bit by bit.

“About time, I had been hoping the veil would have dropped before you came.” Brian remarked calmly, though Hex watched in terror. The change was always gruesome, it seemed even worse happening to a little boy though, his torso thinning and lengthening with audible clicks as his spine turned back to its true length. A lump protruded from the bottom, growing into a tail, still the pink strange skin, and his neck reached nearly as long, with his head and arms and legs looking strange on the elongated body. Those turned quickly too, his head swelled forwards, nose flattening into a pair of slits on a rectangular muzzle, and the black hair retracted away. His mouth suddenly became full of needle like teeth and a lengthy forked tongue.

No…but.. theyre dead…” Nessie hissed in confusion, and Hex barely had time to wonder before the boys legs changed and shortened, the hands sprouting claws. Shen wasn’t like them, he realized, his feet tore free of the shoes but they weren’t paws, they were clawed dextrous looking talons, and his body was still thinning, growing longer, serpentine. His wings grew a little further down it than their own, a bit back from his shoulders, turning from fleshy lumps to strangely small arms with membranes between long fingers. The scales and spikes were last, a sudden breaking and splintering of the skin into grey-blue scales, and pieces of bone jutted out along his spine.

“Well, I guess I’m going to have no idea what you’re talking about now.” Brian  commented, while Shen blinked a few times, lying on the ground. He definitely wasn’t like the other two, he looked more like a snake had grown some limbs and spikes, like a blue Chinese dragon.

I thought those were extinct.” Nessie growled, then bent down, nuzzling at him with concern, “Hey, little brother come on, up you get! We can play properly now!

Little was the right word, Shen’s body was long, longer than Nessie, but thin with small legs, barely thicker than Hex’s neck. The wings looked the oddest, almost added like an afterthought, far too small to fly. He thrashed for a second, entire body convulsing, and then he seemed to find his feet and pushed up onto the sharp talons. “There you go, can you walk? Don’t overthink it. Just foot at a time.

Shen nodded quietly and started walking a claw at a time, eyes fixed on Nessie. Brian tugged the needle free of him, and Hex jumped a little in surprise, then hissed. “Calm down there, that’s all the blood for today. I’ll come back in a week to see how Shen is, he’s stronger than you think.”

He stood up and stowed the vials of dragon blood away, then took a burlap sack out and dumped it before him. “There you are. Feel free to have a conversation next time, it is rather hard to tell how you are recently Hector.” He smiled and hoisted the rucksack over his shoulders, then turned to look over towards Shen, still stumbling quietly, “Shen, Nessie, I’ll be back in a week. Take care to stay hidden.”

Bye bye Brian.” Shen growled quietly, paused in his movements to watch the doctor walk back off through the trees.

See! You can talk! I’m not mad about you not knowing I’m a girl Shen, we’re friends!” Nessie insisted, grinning, and Hex was sure he saw her relax as soon as the doctor was out of sight.

Friends? Okay. Do you have any food?” He asked, and Hex tore the sack open, then pulled a chicken leg out, throwing it over. There was a canteen in the bag too, and a set of small clothes, in case they needed to disguise themselves as human again. They really needed to learn to remove the clothes before changing back, he noted, looking at the ripped up remains of Shens outfit.

It’s not cooked?” Shen asked quietly, sniffing at the leg.

It’s not meant to be, we can eat raw, its nice. I’ll eat it if you don’t want it.” Hex growled, and picked up the sack in his jaws. Shen looked at him and the meat blankly and then snapped it up and gulped it down.

Eeeh, its cold” He groaned, but licked his chops anyway, “Is there more?

Lets go put this away, I don’t like staying out here too much.”  Hex told him, and they started stalking off through the trees, back towards the valley. Shen fell into a walking rhythm after a while, but every time Nessie tried to teach him to run he just tripped over his own body, so they stayed slow. It gave them the chance to talk too, or for Shen to ask questions, whenever they asked him something he stayed quiet.

How come you two have big wings? Am I just too little?

You’re a river dragon! Mum said they all got hunted down, like unicorns, but I guess she was wrong. She used to say your kind were too nice and quiet, they didn’t fight back enough.” Nessie growled, and Hex nodded. That explained her surprise when he unveiled himself.

Mum? Did you two have a mother in hospital?

No, I wasn’t in hospital like you, only Hex was. I grew up with my mum, but she’s not around just now. She’s being a big distraction, drawing hunters other places so they don’ search for us here.” Nessies head dipped sadly, and she blew out a cloud of dark smoke, “I can’t wait for her to come back, once she loses them. I want to sleep under her wing with you two, I miss sleeping like that.

Wish people wouldn’t hunt us. Meanies.” Shen snarled and blew out a cloud of steam. Hex had to agree, if there just weren’t hunters then they wouldn’t need to worry about anything beyond food and sleep. Nessie had said there were barely a hundred of them, though there had to be a handful of other hatchlings in the breeders hands, sick and trapped and bored and safe, kept veiled. That was something strange.

Sis, you remember you said you had tried to hatch your siblings eggs? How come almost no eggs hatch? You said your mum had had five clutches and just you?

I don’t know. Mum said they needed kept warm and safe, she liked to breathe on them sometimes. But all the others were dead beats, I broke one accidentally once, there was one inside but he wasn’t alive. He was slimy and burnt and dead and stinky. All of them were like that, the ones before me and after me.

How come we hatched then? Hex thought to himself, puzzling over it. As far as he knew his mother hadn’t been around when he hatched, the breeders had just veiled him quickly and kept him human. Had he just been the lucky one of his brood? Had they had another fifty of his siblings who didn’t hatch? It didn’t feel right. Another question to try and ask Brian next time. As well as why he had really let Shen go with them….

They spent hours crawling through the valley until they reached the shack, a crumbling, overgrown building near the lakeside, its windows broken, walls stained with damp, and weeds growing in the cracks. Hex pulled the other few chicken legs out of the sack and then jumped with it into the ruins. The place still smelt musty and dark inside, no traces of any other animals, but he went slowly. The attic was overrun with bad tasting bats and things so he stowed the sack with the other few bags in a cabinet downstairs. They had enough clothes and veil to disguise themselves for a couple of days now, if that was ever needed.

Hey, come on lets play now!” Nessie growled from outside, and he obeyed, rushing outside to see the two jump from a wrecked jetty into the lake.

Wait up! No fair, you got a headstart!” He growled and ran along the wood carefully. Nessie laughed and twisted around in the water, diving beneath the surface with powerful strokes of her tail. Shen was even faster, he wove over the surface for a few moments, snake like, steering with his little wings and then plunged down. Hex growled and clasped his wings shut then jumped in after them, gasping at the cold water all around while struggling to paddle with his legs.

No, no, use your tail! Stop doggy paddling!” Nessie called as she surfaced again, breaking the water smoothly.

Its not my fault no one taught me” Hex growled, but tried to follow the advice, clutching his legs close and thrashing with his tail. He flipped over instead and flailed with his wings to get the right way up, while Nessie kept laughing.

Side to side, not up and down Hex! Steer with your neck!” She hissed, and he gathered his legs again, but spread his wings out over the waters surface to stay afloat while he pushed with his tail. “You’re meant to dive! Come on, bet I can catch a fish before you!

Shen chose that moment to dive back up, his neck breaking the water with a fish clasped tight between his teeth, while the rest of his body twisted and turned underneath to keep him afloat.

How… right Shen wins that game.” Nessie hissed in surprise, before Shen swallowed the fish down and looked at her in confusion.

What game? Noone told me there was a game.

To catch fish” Hex growled, paddling closer. “How come you can swim so well!?

I don’t know. I was just hungry.” the dragon muttered, then dove down out of sight again. Hex watched in awe, Nessie was a good swimmer, but Shen hadn’t swam before and he was far far faster. After a while both tried to teach him, but Nessie eventually just said to practice more, and Shen couldn’t even explain how to swim. He just said it was natural, didn’t understand why Hex had such a hard time with it.

Because I’m a…. not river dragon little bro. I don’t like being all cold and wet in here.” Hex growled at him as Shen paddled around him in a broad circle.

Cold?” Shen hissed in surprise, and Hex wondered if he was being mocked by a six year old.

They spent most of the day in the lake, playing chases and hiding and catching the occasional fish until they were exhausted and lay down on the beach, soaking up the sunsets rays.

Come on, lets get back to the den” Nessie yawned eventually and hauled herself to her feet, shivering a little in the cold. Hex nodded and followed, nudging Shen up to his feet.

The house?” He hissed curiously, glancing back along the shoreline to the small wreck.

No, Shen, follow. It’s more hidden.”  Nessie said wearily, and started trudging up beneath the high pines. The land climbed steeply after a while, and it was a bit of a relief to see Shen struggling on the land again after he had been such an ace in the lake. He was slower and clumsier than the others, even tired out so it took a while for them to reach the small hole in the hillside.

It’s dark in there…” Shen growled suspiciously, cocking his head.

It’ll be dark out here too, and it’ll only be us three in there. It opens up a bit.” Hex told him and clasped his wings shut on his back to squeeze through the small entrance. It didn’t open up much really, maybe a bit smaller than a normal room, and much much lower though that wasn’t a concern. Shen followed him and sniffed and poked around for a second before lying down, and Nessie came in after him. “See, we all fit nice and snug.

The long dragon nodded and yawned, revealing long fangs, then shifted a little and lay still. Nessie curled up beside him, wrapping her tail and neck around close together with a wing over them. Hex always guessed that was how Morag must have slept too, it felt right to imagine sleeping in the centre if Nessie had been well over ten times larger. He lay down beside them as well, stretching his wing out to cover them quietly, and faded off to sleep without a word.



He woke slowly, feeling uncertain. Something was wrong, it took Hex a few seconds to register what. Heat, it was too hot, his wing felt like it was boiling. He jerked it away out of old instinct, a fear of heat that wasn’t needed anymore, and opened his eyes, peering around the den for a few moments. Nessie and Shen were asleep still, they were the source of the heat, wisps of steam rising from both like a sauna, and their scales looked…sweat and shiny almost.

He was awake and Nessie wasn’t.

He gasped quietly and stood up, watching the two. They…this wasn’t right, their breathing seemed too shallow, and they were shaking a little.

Nessie. Nessie, wake up! Nessie!” He growled, and nudged at her fearfully. She moved slightly, still feeling boiling hot, and Hex push harder, and snarl, “Nessie! Shen! Wake up! WAKE UP!

That roused Shen, and the younger dragon lifted his head then groaned, peering around blearily. “Sore…. Feel bad…

Whats wrong? Youre all hot and sticky and boiling up!” Hex growled urgently, placing a paw on the dragons head like he had seen doctors do. It didn’t really tell him anything.

…don’t know, just feel bad all over. Its sore, sore, sore.” Shen murmured, sounding hoarse somehow, and then growled and curled up tighter as if that would make the pain go away.

Hex growled in puzzlement, and then turned back to Nessie and nipped at her tails tip, prompting a screech of surprise and a hard kick in the snout. “What was that for? Urgh…why do I feel bad?!

To wake you up, you’re both shivering and burning up and I don’t know what to do!” Hex hissed in worry, trying not to panic. She’d know what was the matter, she’d known about dragons her whole life.

I don’t know, this feels horrible. I feel like I’m veiled, its sore all over.” She whined and curled up more, “You’re the old one, you know what’s wrong right big brother?

No. Hex paused and felt tears sting his eyes. No, he didn’t know. But he couldn’t tell them that. “Just stay still and try and get some sleep Nessie. There, hold tight there and close your eyes, you’ll feel better. Shen you lie down, don’t get in a knot. Imagine trying to untie you!

He laughed a little and obeyed, stretching out alongside them, but Nessie groaned and hissed, “It’s too sore to sleep! I can’t…

He sighed and nuzzled at her gently, comfort wouldn’t do it all for her though. “Here, c’mon! When I was veiled I was sick for nine years and I slept every night. Just doze off, remember there’s three of us now! Three. Once you pair get well we can go swim again, and this time I’ll beat you both. You’ll be well…you’ll be well….

The sounds and growls ran together after a while, and Hex found himself not quite singing- they weren’t capable of that- but humming the same sounds over and over to them in a constant thrum. It took a few hours to even realize they were asleep, still hot and sweaty and shaking, but a little more at ease he thought. It was soothing anyway, and he kept the sound up, watching over the two, waiting for them to get better.
Another dragon hatchling added, Shen, to bring them up to three. Better number eh? It took a while but I'm getting onto another plot now, I like where its going. Lots of fun writing the characters too, especially Nessie, the others would all be pretty boring and responsible on their own, whereas she's crazy. Thanks for reading, please leave feedback!
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Ray-D's avatar

I wonder if Shen has a tracker.