Topic: Lessons of Love and Revenge: A Story of Two Dragons

Wolf Wings

Date: 2007-07-10 16:41 EST
This is a short story that i wrote a while ago and actually finished. If i had any friends on here, they would tell you that i am terrible about starting stories and never finishing them. . . . It is kind of romance-ish but with no sexual content. Will be posting the other chapters as soon as i have time.

One note of warning. There is a very slight bit of nudity in the first chapter but i am not descriptive about it. Consider this a warning and i apologize if it is against the rules.

Wolf Wings __________________________________________________

Chapter 1

Together they flew through the air, Waylera urging Ceirre to continue. "Come on. We can't stop now. We must find somewhere safe." She stretched out her long sinuous neck and rubbed her head against his jaw in a caress. Blood continued to drip from his wounded leg and she could tell that he was having a harder time of it.

"I'm trying," he said breathlessly. His wings strained to keep him aloft and she could see him concentrating hard to retain his dragon form. His eyes were dim with pain and weakness.

Waylera worried and nudged him again. "You can't Shift yet. It is not safe."

"I know. I just . . . I'm tired." He closed his eyes for a moment, fighting his pain.

"I know but you have to wait before you can rest. Just continue to fly with me for now. Please."

He blinked and stretched his neck to rub his own head against hers. He didn't say anything just continued to concentrate on flying and remaining a dragon. Some humans had been brought to wonder why so few dragon skeletons were ever found but had they asked a dragon rather than hunt them, they would have been told. When a dragon weakened and grew ill or neared his or her demise, their form shifted and turned into that of a human, a body that was much easier to maintain and care for in illness. The only time they retained their form in death, was if they died instantly or when they died without weakening greatly from the illness or from wounds and blood loss, as Waylera feared was occurring with her mate.

The winds blew hard upon their backs, blowing them she knew not where. She had no definite destination in mind, just a safe place where she could tend him. Preferably somewhere where she would be able to find herbs to help him. Suddenly she felt him falter in the air and when he regained himself, his wings beat more slowly and he was drifting down from the height that they flew at. She nudged him but this time received no response. "Ceirre" Ceirre! Please, Ceirre."

His eyes opened momentarily, his head hanging limply down on his long graceful neck. "I'm sorry," he said then his form went hazy and he Shifted. Suddenly human, he plummeted toward the earth.

"No " Waylera screamed even as she dove, her wings straining to overtake him. She grabbed him by both arms and strained to gain height moments before they would have hit the treetops below. She held him as close under her as his weight would allow and shifted her grip on him carefully to hang onto his shoulders rather than his arms. She felt him reach up momentarily and grip a talon but it was only a moment later that his arm went limp.

She saw a town ahead but landed in a clearing nearby, lowering him to the ground while she hovered, then landing beside him and Shifting her own form to press her hand against his leg wound to try to stem the flow of blood. He groaned and looked up at her. "Just go. There is little . . . time left for me."

"I will not leave you. Don't even ask that of me. There is a town near here. There will be someone there to help you." The words came swiftly with a desperation unusual for her.

"We have . . . no clothing." He took a few breaths. "We can't go there . . . like this."

"I don't care." She had noted herself that them walking into the town naked as the moments of their births, only more so without scales, would draw attention but it was true that she did not care. She would walk naked through a city that held all of the beings of the world to save him. By the time the bleeding slowed, he had passed out. She pulled him up against her and stood, his unconscious form a dead weight in her arms.

It was not a long walk to the town but it was slow because of her need to practically carry him. He weighed more than she but her strength was still closer to that of a dragon than to that of a normal human being. She came within sight of the town and breathed a little easier. "We're almost there," she said though she knew he would not hear her. "Please don't die. I don't want to live without you." People noticed them and came at a run. Waylera had already come up with a reason for their nakedness and explained as soon as they neared. "We were robbed along the road. They took everything. Even our clothes and supplies."

"Are you all right?" One of the townspeople asked as she took Ceirre's other arm. "Were you molested?"

"I am fine and no, I was not but my husband was injured protecting me. I had nothing to bind the wound with and he has lost a lot of blood. He needs a healer quickly."

"Come, this way. The men are beginning to stare."

Waylera blushed but did not even try to hide herself, too concerned about Ceirre to bother. They entered a large house and placed him on a bed by the wall that seemed ready for such a purpose. It was higher than normal, likely to allow more ease in treatment. The woman who had helped her, handed her a blanket from another bed and she wrapped it around herself absentmindedly, her whole concentration on the shallow up and down of Ceirre's chest as he breathed.

The woman got some water out of a pot on the stove and bathed the blood from Ceirre's leg, grimacing at the wound but continuing to clean it carefully then bandaging it tightly to stem the flow of blood that had begun again. Waylera noticed when she finished and took the blanket off of herself to cover Ceirre. The woman went into another room and came back with another blanket and a long tunic. She handed the tunic to Waylera and added the blanket to the cover over Ceirre.

"May I ask your names?" the woman inquired of Waylera, who would not take her eyes off of Ceirre.

Waylera pulled the tunic over her head. "I am Waylera. My husband is Ceirre." She pushed his blonde hair from his eyes. His face was pale and she had to take a breath to steady her voice.

"I am Heera. The healer for this village. How long ago did this happen?"

Waylera shook her head. It felt like forever. "I am not certain. Perhaps an hour. Two at the most. We were resting in a clearing some distance away when we were ambushed. They came upon us unawares and had us under guard before we knew what had occurred. When they went to harm me, Ceirre went after them and was injured. We managed to escape and they did not pursue us. They already had what they wanted." At least, she hoped that they were not following. She had no way of knowing for sure but if they were coming, Ceirre was in even more danger. He would never be able to protect himself. They would be far behind however and the only trail they had to follow was the periodic drops of Ceirre's blood. That would slow them even more. Perhaps three days worth of time. Four at the most.

"He'll be okay. What he needs most now is rest. You should get some sleep. I am sure it has been a trying day."

"I am not tired. I am merely worried about him. I have every right to be so."

"Of course." Heera brought over a chair and put it beside the bed he was in. "At least sit down. There is nothing more we can do for him for the moment."

Waylera sat down and took his hand into her own. Her fear for him was growing less now that there was help for him and her anger was rising to the fore. Dragon hunters. She despised them like no other creatures on the earth and now they had wounded Ceirre. She would get them and they would not live to harm another dragon. A dark rage settled on her mind but she controlled it for the moment. Her mate needed care and she would see to him first. She would not leave until she knew for certain that he was on the mend. Then and only then would she go to hunt the hunters. She would not let them go unpunished.

Heera left for a while but Waylera hardly noticed. If she could have willed Ceirre better or taken his wound onto herself, she would have but that was not possible. He lay there, breathing shallowly and she watched each time his chest rose and fell, reassured more each time. She began to hum quietly then to sing, her voice a pleasant sound in the near silence. She did not even hear when Heera entered and stood listening to her. She sang on, hoping that somewhere in his subconscious mind, he could hear her and know that she was there for him. The sound of a floorboard squeaking made her notice Heera and she stopped singing suddenly.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know you had returned." She felt oddly embarrassed at being heard even though Ceirre had loved to hear her singing.

"No. Don't be sorry. It was beautiful. I have never heard a more pleasant singing voice in all my life."

"Thank you. Ceirre has said the same thing."

Heera walked over and held out a tray to her. "Here. Eat something. It will do you good. You can't help him by making yourself ill."

Waylera sighed and took the tray from her. "You are correct. It is merely my worry that has stolen my appetite. I have dealt with injuries before but never in one that I love so much. I live for him. I would die for him."

"As I told you before, he will be fine. I am also sure that he would prefer you to live rather than to die for him. Especially, if he loves you as much as you love him."

Waylera could not speak for a lump in her throat. She could only nod in acknowledgment.

"Eat. We will talk later. The council will want to talk to you."

Waylera looked up. Her voice, when she answered, was decisive. "They will wait. I refuse to leave him for now." The flash in her eyes told Heera that it would be a bad idea to press the matter.

"I will inform them of such. Now, eat."

Waylera took a deep breath and nodded. Heera smiled before walking out the door again.

When she was gone Waylera sighed and tried to eat some of the food that she had been brought. She finished the bread and took a few bites of the stew before putting it aside. She had eaten the day before and her kind required less food than humans. Carefully, she moved onto the bed and lay down beside Ceirre, pulling him against her. Feeling his breathing and hearing his heart beat. She heard Heera come back in and other footfalls besides hers and looked up, almost growling but catching herself before she made a sound.

"You would not go to them so they decided to come to you," Heera said then stepped back and let the council step past her.

There were five men who had entered the room. One stood slightly forward of the others and she focused on him as she stood and put herself between the council and Ceirre, more out of instinct than out of fear of them. "May I help you?" she asked as politely as possible.

The leader spoke in a voice that said he was used to making the best of situations. He did not seem to mind having to come to her rather than her coming to him. "We have heard that you were attacked on the road here. Were you able to see the culprits" Enough perhaps to put us on their trail?"

"I did not. We were too intent on making our escape and then my husband was wounded and my attention was on him. I am afraid I did not pay a lot of attention to them."

The man nodded. "That is understandable. Would you be able to lead us to where they attacked you?"

"It is too late. They would be long gone by now and I would not want anyone else to get hurt." That and I want them for myself, she admitted silently to herself, the dark rage within her pulsed briefly before calming again, waiting for its moment to surge hot once more.

"We have had little trouble with road-bandits of late and I apologize about the humiliation that you have suffered. We would like to offer you supplies to replace what you have lost."

"We have been traveling with a minimum of supplies. Clothes and food for a few days is all that we had."

"What' No horses or anything."

"No. We were using our own limbs for our transportation."

The leader looked back at a man standing not far behind him with a somewhat hostile look upon his face but the look vanished when the leader turned. "See what I mean, Darnel" Not everyone will capitalize on generosity."

The man muttered something so low that even Waylera could not hear it.

The leader turned back to her. "And what coin did you carry."

Waylera thought for an instant then said, "I am not completely certain. We had a small amount of coin with us for supplies that we could not gather from the woods but otherwise not much. Perhaps fifteen or twenty gold at the most."

The leader looked back at the man behind him again, an almost triumphant look on his face. "We shall replace it for you. I hope that your husband recovers swiftly." He gave her a short bow.

Waylera nodded in return. "I thank you. It is more than would have been needed."

"Nonsense. You will need it when you continue on. Rest well, my lady." He turned without another word and the rest of the council followed, most taking another look at her before turning except Darnel who walked out with a stiff back. Waylera was the only one who heard the talking erupt from outside when they had closed the door.

"Now. That wasn't so bad, was it?" Heera asked then continued before Waylera could answer. "I see you ate a little at least. Better than nothing at all. Has he moved?" Waylera shook her head. "To be expected and nothing to worry about. Were you resting?" A nod and she continued. "Good. You can go right ahead and get back up there. If you need something, I will be in the other room. Just knock on the door.? And without saying anything else, she bustled out of the room.

Waylera stood there for a moment then turned around and looked down at Ceirre again. She went back to the other side of the bed and climbed up once more.

Wolf Wings

Date: 2007-07-10 16:46 EST
Chapter 2

Waylera woke early in the morning before the sun had fully risen into the sky. She jerked awake, realizing that she must have fallen asleep and hurriedly checked Ceirre. He was breathing, still shallow but not as weak. His heart was beating, she even thought that it might have been stronger than the night before. She sighed in relief then checked the bandage on his leg. It was dried to the wound from blood that had seeped through but not wet from it any longer. She smiled and fought back tears of thankfulness before lying back down and holding him close again.

Heera awoke shortly after the sun was fully up and came into the room but Waylera didn't even look up and she thought her to be still asleep. Waylera watched her when she was not looking. The woman moved with the ease of confidence and Waylera decided that she liked that trait. The woman seemed to know what she was doing from what Waylera had seen the day before but when she came to check Ceirre Waylera sat up, feigning having just awoken.

"Good morning," Heera said, brightly.

"Good morning. It seems I fell asleep."

"That is a good thing. Making yourself sick or exhausted will not help."

"It seems that there are a lot of things that will not help."

Heera chuckled and checked his leg. "Well, there are. Did he sleep well?"

"I think so. His heartbeat is not as weak as it was but he hasn't woken up. He will though. It is merely waiting now that is important. That and for him to rest."

"Correct. Do you think that you could get him to eat something?"

"Some broth perhaps. Strong but not too thick." Heera nodded and went into the kitchen. Waylera lay back down with Ceirre. "Just get well now, my heart. Please get well," she whispered. She brushed the hair from his brow and kissed his cheek.

When Heera came back with a bowl of broth Waylera sat up and pulled him up against her, holding his head like an infant. She took the bowl from Heera and coaxed him to drink. When he had finished most of the bowl, she put it down and laid him back down. "That is enough for now. We can give him more later. He is not one to eat a lot and I do not want to give him too much at once."

"You know him best."

Waylera nodded and lay back down beside him again.

"I have to go for a while. One of the villagers is pregnant and due to deliver."

"We'll be fine. I will be staying here with him, so there is little reason for you to be here."

Heera went over to a cabinet and pulled out some bandages. "When you are ready to rise, there is water staying heated on the stove and you can use these to change his bandages. Wet them first so the blood that has dried unsticks from his skin."

Waylera nodded though she knew what to do, taking the instructions meekly.

"I will check in on you when I can. There is more broth on the stove as well."

"Thank you."

Heera nodded then threw her cloak around her shoulders and left.

Waylera lay with Ceirre for a while longer, liking the warmth of his body against her own. She didn't want to get up and so stayed where she was. Ceirre merely breathed and lay there. Finally, Waylera got up and went into the room to get the water that was on the stove and found it still nicely warm. She took the pot out into the main room. Automatically, she glanced at Ceirre then went and picked up the bandages from the table. Looking around she found a cloth and wet it in the water then applied it to the bloody bandage, saturating it throughly before beginning to unwrap in from around his leg. When she came to a part where it was not as wet, she saturated it again and unraveled some more. Finally the last of it came off and she used another part of the cloth to wash away what blood there still was. It was no longer bleeding, nor did it begin again when she bathed the wound.

When the last of the blood was gone, she rinsed the cloth and hung it where it could dry then put a fresh bandage on his leg. She covered him with both blankets and lay down with him once again. If there had been any true privacy, she would have curled herself around him in her dragon form but that had to be dispensed with.

She sang for him again. A ballad of dragon love that spanned the ages. He stirred slightly and she continued to sing, watching him closely, almost afraid that it was not true. His eyes opened slightly, barely wide enough to see through and the first thing he saw was her. His hand moved aimlessly and she took hold of it and put it to her cheek. She fought against the tears that wanted to flow from her eyes. He tried to sit up but was too weak to do so. She put her hand on his chest to deter him.

"No. Don't try. You need to rest." She pushed his unruly hair from his brow once more and kissed him. He settled back again and was soon fast asleep once more. She hugged him close and felt his hand run along her arm before he settled into sleep again. She picked up the song again, singing it quietly for him. His breathing deepened slightly, perceptible only to someone who had been watching closely for some time. She couldn't bring herself to move or take her eyes off of him, afraid that if she did something would happen.

Heera came in and saw the tears glimmering and hurried to check him but Waylera stopped her before she could touch him and shook her head.

"He's fine. He woke up for a moment. Don't wake him," she said in a whisper.

Heera smiled her understanding and stepped away to gather a few things. "I am glad for you," she said in a whisper. "I will be gone for a while again. I merely needed a few more things for the woman I am tending."

Waylera nodded, still nestled close to him, not moving away. "We'll be fine."

Heera nodded and left once more.

Waylera settled down and was soon asleep holding him. She woke up occasionally to gaze at him. The sun grew higher and higher and she longed to fly with him once more but knew that the possibility of activity of that sort was some days hence, more than a week perhaps. She was going to hate leaving him for even the amount of time that it would take to track down the dragon hunters but that was one task that she would not delay now that she knew he would be healing and getting well in her absence and not failing. For now she would rest with him however. She still had two days or more before they could possibly arrive here, if they were even on their way. If they were not, she would still find them and make them pay. A dragon's rage, the hunters were soon to find out, was not something that one should incur.

An almost frantic knock sounded on the door and woke Waylera from one of her periods of slumber. She glanced at Ceirre to be sure that it had not woke him then hurried over to the door so they would not knock again. She opened it just as they were about to.

"Where is Heera" My son isn't breathing." It was a woman holding her son in her arms. She was nearly hysterical. His lips were blue and it seemed that he had slipped into unconsciousness.

Waylera took him from her and placed him on an empty bed, examining him quickly and finding that something was blocking his airway. "She is away with someone. A pregnant woman." Without another word she lifted the boy into her arms and tried to dislodge the blockage. The mother continued to cry, watching worriedly and Waylera heard Ceirre stir but there was nothing she could do about that if she were going to save the child.

After a moment, the blockage flew out of the boy's mouth and she put him on the bed to check for his breathing. Feeling none, she took a breath and blew air into his lungs. They rose and she took her mouth away for them to fall again then blew again. Soon she was relieved to hear him cough and take a ragged breath. The woman was beside herself and grabbed him into her arms. Waylera went over to Ceirre and found him watching her.

"Well done . . . my love," he said, his voice barely audible.

"There was little else I could do, my heart. He would have died elsewise."

"I would have as well. If not for you." He was barely able to speak and could not raise his voice above a whisper but she heard him as if he were yelling to her from no more distance than they were apart.

"I would not have lost you for the world. Now rest, my love. I must finish checking him." He nodded almost imperceptibly and she kissed him briefly before going back to the woman and getting her to lessen her grasp on her child. She would not take the child from his mother's arms now.

The boy, she realized now that she had time to look at him more closely, was young. Probably not even three years old yet. He was conscious now and the color was returning to his face and lips. She looked swiftly around the floor and found the object that had nearly killed him: a small round ball made of wood. She knew young children's propensity to put things in their mouths and in this case he had accidentally swallowed it and it had lodged there. She picked it up and handed it to the woman who looked at it with loathing but took it none-the-less. "He will be fine now, madame, though his throat may be sore for a few days. Some tea with honey may help a bit with that."

"Thank you. Thank you so much."

"Be sure that he has no more toys this size or smaller. We would not want him choking on one of them again.?

The woman nodded and hugged her child against her once more. Waylera helped her to her feet and towards the door. Waylera waited there until she walked away then went back inside to Ceirre, who was once more asleep. She climbed up with him, felt him reach for her, and snuggled close. He sighed contentedly and she smiled, reaching up to kiss his cheek before lying beside him again.

Wolf Wings

Date: 2007-07-10 17:02 EST
Chapter 3

"Don't go. Wait until I can manage, then we can go together. I don't want you going alone," Ceirre said quietly but sincerely.

The morning sun shown brightly through the windows, making him seem less pale than he really was. The hunters would be getting closer and closer now. Only another day or two away if they were tracking them and it would take longer than that for him to be well enough to Shift and fly. Waylera had already spoken to Heera and created a few spell vials. The last thing she had to do was convince Ceirre that there was no stopping her.

"You know the trail will be gone by then or so faint that I may never find them. They must pay for what they did to you and I will be the one to confront them." She sat down on the edge of his bed.

"I was not that badly harmed."

"You nearly died, my love. If that is not badly harmed, I know not what is. You yourself were ready to die and felt it near. You may not remember but you told me to go on without you. That you did not have much time left." He had little memory of the time after he had Shifted and fell and before he woke up to her voice and face. Waylera had told him already of their arrival and her story of what had happened to the two of them. He had not liked the fact that she had walked naked into the town but there was little he could do about it.

"I don't want to see you hurt. There were five of them to our two and they overcame us. What will happen if it is you alone against them' What use will there be of you saving my life if you lose your own" I would not want to live without you any more than you would want to live without me."

"They caught us by surprise that time and will not do so again. I will be the one tracking them this time and they will rue the day they harmed you for a rather brief amount of time."

"Can you not wait for me?"

"My love, I would but they could be on their way here already. What if they came here, demanding where we are" These people are simple. They would not be able to fight them. You are not well enough to fight them and won't be for a while yet. I am the only one who can and then it would still be just me against them but I would have to worry about the villagers and you. If I go now before they can get here, I won't have to worry about either."

"I don't like it. It is too dangerous. Too much of a chance."

"So is life but we continue that. You know I have to do this and you know that I have to do it alone. You are in no shape to help or to stop me and you know it."

Ceirre stopped and sighed. "I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I am going. The rage is upon me and you know that it must be heeded otherwise it will take control of me. Neither of us want that."

"Be careful. Do not let your rage grow hot. It will lessen your intelligence and will only make you more vulnerable. It is bad enough as it is without you not paying attention to your own danger." He reached his hand out to her and she moved closer to take it in her own.

"I know. I will take all precautions." He pulled her to him, with no resistance on her part, and kissed her soundly. They remained that way for a few long moments then separated. "I must talk to Heera before I go. She will need to know that I am leaving for a while. I will see you when I return."

He kissed her one more time before reluctantly releasing her. "Just remember to be careful. That is all that I ask."

Waylera nodded, then went outside to talk to Heera, who had gone out at her request.

"I will return as soon as possible. The vials I gave to you hold a magic that will send a message to me when you pour it upon it. The larger one, the one with the red ribbon on it, will send something as large as a person to me. If something happens with Ceirre, send a message to me first, informing me that you will be sending him, wait until you receive a message from me whether or not it is all right. If I agree, send him. If I do not just do your best. Do not tell him that you have the one that will send him to me. He will want to be sent and I do not want that. I will return the favor to you and repay you."

"There is no need for that."

"Need is not always a motivator. I want to do it. I'm not sure how long I will be gone. Hopefully, not very. Send a message once a day to inform me of how he is doing. In the morning. If there is anything I need to say in return, I will send you a message but I do not foresee much need of it."

"I will."

"Thank you for everything. Be well." Waylera jogged away out of the village, her own two feet still her mode of transportation. When she came to the place where she had landed with Ceirre she stepped into the bushes and shed the clothing she was wearing and Shifted. Her gold-dipped silver scales gleamed in the sunlight and she allowed herself a long languorous stretch before she took flight. She returned as swiftly as she could to the clearing where they had been attacked and easily picked up the hunters? scents. All five were instantly imprinted on her mind. They had taken off in the direction that she and Ceirre had flown, tracking them, as she had suspected, by Ceirre's blood. She took to the air again, following the exact course that they had flown before and quickly gained on the people, their tracks growing more and more fresh.

She was able to see the tracks from the air and when they grew to be so fresh that she was certain that they had but recently passed, she landed and followed them on foot, going swiftly and silently despite her size. They were on foot and going slowly to not miss anything and she could soon hear their chatter. A dark but highly refined light shown from her eyes. The animals around her continued their songs. They knew that she was intent on other prey.

She caught sight of them finally and slowed, slipping into the trees to pace them. None saw her as she leapt from the trees and she had two of them down before she returned to the trees. They barely knew what had hit them before she had disappeared again. Chaos reigned for a few moments before they checked their team. One was dead, the other not long for the world. They waited there with the dying man, then took the time to bury them both. They were on edge now and Waylera waited and watched for her next opportunity from the concealment of the trees.

They moved off, warily looking to each side and behind as well as ahead. Waylera paced them again, slightly ahead and deeper into the trees, going by sound instead of by sight. They came to dried drops of blood often enough for her to be certain that they were indeed after herself and Ceirre. Her rage pulsed strongly but she retained control and looked towards them again. She realized that this had to be their only means of tracking a dragon, wounding it and then following the blood trail. Otherwise, the dragon could get away in flight, not leaving any trail at all for them to follow.

They grew wary at a curve in the path, knowing that whatever had attacked them could be waiting there but she stayed back, knowing that the danger of attacking them there was too great. They relaxed slightly after they rounded the bend and saw a clear stretch of path and that is when she attacked once more. She managed to kill only one this time before she had to dodge back into the trees to avoid an arrow shot at her.

After burying the dead man, they went a short distance further to a clearing and made camp, wary now and fearful. She stayed back, watching from the shadows. They knew now what sort of creature was after them. Their glimpses of her had been enough for them to know that the hunters had become the hunted and they knew the formidability of their opponent.

The night passed peacefully for them though neither of the two left slept. When one of them began to drowse off, she threw a stone to the other side of the clearing and both were jerked instantly into keen-edged awareness.

They will be tired tomorrow, Waylera thought to herself. She smiled in the darkness and prepared herself to watch throughout the night. She would take no chance of them sneaking off while she slept. Even in the dead of night, she was able to see them perfectly and an occasional stone or harsh growl kept the men jumping and on edge.

Wolf Wings

Date: 2007-07-12 07:17 EST
Chapter 4

In the morning, a message appeared in her hand and she read it while the men packed up what little they had used during the night. Heera said that Ceirre was continuing to improve and Waylera smiled. Then she thought of something and crept away and took flight. It took only a moment for her to realize how close they were to the clearing where she and Ceirre had landed which meant that they were less than a few hours away from the town. She returned to where the people were packing and heard one of them suggest that they give it up and leave but the other nixed that idea, knowing that it would do no good to assuage what they had already done. They were going to continue on and find the place. She had to finish this.

Suddenly she heard them stop and she stalked closer to find that they had indeed found the clearing and the tracks that showed her Shifting. They could easily see the tracks leading away.

"What now?" one of the men asked the other.

"We have to finish it. One or the other of them will be after us until either they or we are dead. I would bet a good amount of gold that the one who killed the others is the one that we did not injure. Likely the mate of the other one."

"We should split up. The bastard can't get both of us at once then and will have to worry about the other of us. "

"We'll meet up later if we both survive. Good luck and go carefully. Be assured that the creature looks for our demise."

They separated, neither heading for the village this time and Waylera had to make the decision whom to follow. She went after the one who had cursed her and made the least of her intelligence. She moved silently after him easily able to pace him then get ahead of him. As he was rounding a corner in the trail she suddenly stuck out her trail and tripped him, gratified to see him fall forward to his stomach. She stepped out onto the trail quickly and roared. The man screamed in a manner that satisfied her more than she would have imagined. This was the first time she had ever felt gladdened to scare someone so much.

She spoke to him then, in a voice as calm as death. "You harmed my mate. You came near to killing him." She paused long enough to sink one of her talons through the bones in his leg and he screamed. "You called me a "bastard" and thought that by splitting up, you would confuse me."

She sunk her talon through his other leg, bringing another scream. "You underestimate me greatly. You are supposed to be the hunter. Not the hunted." She shook her head and smiled a deadly smile. "Poor fool. Now you will never live to know that a dragon is not one whom you should enrage." Her smile dripped acid that sizzled as it hit his stomach and began to burn its way into him. His screams increased in pitch and intensity. She stopped for a moment and listened until his screams decreased to moans of agony. She was somewhat surprised that he was still conscious but not exactly angry about it. "You know . . . I am not evil. I merely want revenge for what you and your companions did to my mate. That acid will continue to eat through you until you are dead. A long and painful way to die. Lucky for you, I am going to be generous. I will merely kill you now instead of watching you die slowly."

He looked at her with wide eyes and she gazed at him impassively. Finally she lifted one hand and placed it on his chest, her talons extending over his throat. "I would say to never do it again but that is not at all likely to even be possible." She sank her talon into his throat without warning. It went through the vein then severed his spine, killing him instantly. The acid on his stomach continued to sizzle and spurt but he was now beyond it.

She took to the air then and returned to where the other had split off. She landed and found the tracks, following them swiftly. It took her a few moments to realize that the man was slowly curving his route to lead him to the town. She increased her pace but knew that she was far behind him and that he was still running and if not there at least close to the town. She decided to fly there but landed on the outskirts, staying within the tree-line.

The door opened at Heera's and the man stepped out, with Ceirre ahead of him. Waylera's eyes widened then narrowed and she snarled softly. Ceirre was barely able to stand let alone walk on his own and she could see him struggling to not fall. Her heart ached for him but she remained within cover, watching the man with a deadly intent. Heera rushed over from another house and said something that Waylera could not hear and the man struck her hard enough to knock her to the ground but not really injuring her as Waylera saw when she sat back up and glared at him, said something else, and spit on the ground at his feet.

The man watched the woods around the village intently but missed seeing her. She felt like charging in and attacking, the rage in her growing hot, but knew that the dagger the man held was not something to go against when it was held to her loved one's throat.

Silently she raged but could figure no way to rectify the situation. A few moments later she managed cool her rage, bringing herself to a fine line of calm that could instantly shatter into a precise killing mood. It wasn't long before the man returned to the house, taking Ceirre with him. Waylera sat staring at the door until she saw Heera going into the woods towards the clearing where she had first come from. She went through the woods and reached the clearing just before Heera. She remained hidden until the woman arrived then called to her quietly. Heera looked up then took an involuntary step back.

"It's all right, Heera. It is I. Is Ceirre all right?"

Heera sighed and stepped towards her. "He is for now but I am worried about him. He is still healing and the wound could break open. Also, he is still weak and can't even protect himself. I tried to help and the man hit me and warned me that he would kill me if I tried anything."

"I won't let that happen if I can do anything about it. I plan to kill the man as I have killed his companions."

"You and Ceirre were not attacked by bandits on the road, were you?" Waylera shook her head. "You were attacked by that man and his companion. How many were there?"

"Five at first but the others are dead. I killed them for harming Ceirre. I will kill that man as well, even if it costs me my own life though I will do all I can to live. If he had spoken to me rationally and made a decent apology, I likely would have left him go. He seemed more intelligent than the others by the way he spoke but now he has threatened Ceirre directly and shall die at my talons or my teeth, whatever it takes. They are not bandits and never were. They are dragon hunters. They hunt my kind for the profit that can be made by selling various parts of us."

Heera shivered then said, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It will happen. One can not do anything about it. I normally do not even think about them nor do I really blame them when they attack dragons that raid human settlements and kill people but these ones harmed Ceirre who has never harmed anyone and for that I will take revenge. It may be hypocritical but that is how it is with me."

"What will we do?"

"I don't know. I do want you to get in the house and make sure that he does not harm Ceirre any more if you can. You know how weak he is and making him walk now is a torment. If this goes on for more than a day, I still want you to send me a message in the morning. I will be watching from the trees for an opportunity to do something."

"Be careful. I don't want any of the villagers hurt."

"Neither do I. I will do my best to not let any of them be harmed. This man is dangerous. Know that. He is scared but not to the point of hysteria. He is intelligent and wary. He was able to know that Ceirre and I are able to Shift our forms. I think he also knows that Ceirre, due to his wound and weakness, is unable to Shift."

"Why can't he 'Shift'?"

"When my kind weakens greatly, our forms become unstable and Shift to that of a human. A creature with less mass and less blood to loose. A creature that is far more easily maintained and cared for. If they die in that form, they remain that way. That is why so few dragon skeletons are found. When we are strong, our form is held unconsciously and without difficulty but, after being weakened to the point of uncontrolled Shifting, it takes a certain amount of regained strength to be able to Shift back into dragon form. Ceirre is not yet to the point where he can return to his natural form. Right now he is vulnerable." Waylera settled herself, crouching lower on the ground, still partially concealed in the brush.

"I'll do it. If he will let me back in the house, I will not leave Ceirre. I will pray to the gods that nothing and no one is harmed."

"Thank you. Be careful."

Heera nodded and returned to town while Waylera continued to stalk around in the brush. She did not see the man come out again but she did see Heera return to her house and she was obviously able to convince him to let her inside. That was the one good thing that happened that day. Waylera found no opportunity to make a move against the man and she settled in the woods as close to the house as she could when night gathered. She could barely hear the pointed statements from the man or the brief arguments from Heera. Ceirre was silent but she was aware of him more than either of the others. His scent carried through the open windows to her and she breathed him in every time. "I'm here, my love," she said into the slight breeze, a whisper that could not be heard more than a few inches away. The wind was blowing the wrong way for him to catch her scent but she knew that he had caught it earlier and even managed to spot her when the man had been looking another way. He knew she was there and unharmed. Her scent alone had told him that much and the sight of her had told him that she was still in control of her rage. If she hadn't been, nothing would have stopped her from going after the man at first sight of him.

Wolf Wings

Date: 2007-07-12 23:45 EST
Chapter 5

Waylera woke early and took the remaining dark hours to stalk around the town and check on things. All was quiet at this hour. She heard someone turn over in their sleep and another cough but otherwise little more than a few small cats on the prowl, though they sensed her and kept their distance.

At dawn, Waylera returned to the woods behind the house. She heard movement from within and a short while later, the message from Heera appeared in her hand. She read it then read it again with a smile.

The hunter, I believe his name is Oren, has threatened the villagers and given me an ultimatum. If I do not help him hurt Ceirre, he will kill the villagers one at a time. This has given me an idea. The potion you gave me to send him to you looks like any other potion or essence. I will give it to him and tell him that it is a contact poison. If he asks why I have it, I will explain that it is helpful in some cases when used orally. While he is pouring it on Ceirre, I will escape through my room. When we are both clear you will not have to worry about going in. There is no one else here in the house. If I do not hear from you by noon, I will accept "for the villagers sake", and thereby get both Ceirre and myself out of here. He has not harmed either of us. Be careful and be ready. We will come.

Waylera liked the idea and it would be effective in getting Ceirre and Heera away from the man. Then she would be able to get to him and he would be the one to pay. She roved the woods around the town until the sun neared its peak then she went back to the area behind Heera's home. Shortly thereafter, she saw the back window open and Heera slipped out. When she entered the trees, Waylera called to her quietly. Heera spotted her and came over silently.

"Did you give it to him?"

"I did and went into my room under the pretense of not wanting to see one of the men I had helped to heal harmed before my eyes."

"Now we wait." They did not wait long. Suddenly, with a shimmer of the air, Ceirre appeared. He was lying on his back with both his hands and his ankles tied. With a quick flick of her talons, both were cut and she Shifted and held him to her. He responded instantly and hugged her in return.

"Are you all right?" Waylera asked backing off slightly and looking him over.

"I'm fine. Though I worried for a moment."

"I'm sorry. I had no way of telling you before we did it," Heera explained. "I asked Waylera beforehand but otherwise, it was more-or-less a quick decision."

"I do not blame you." He turned back to Waylera. "Are you all right, my love" If I am not mistaken, he is the last one left. That means you already faced the other four. Were you injured?" He was looking her over and nothing was hidden from him.

"I am fine. Not a scale damaged. They never even hit me. Now it is my turn to finish this. While he had you, I was unable to go after him. Now, I am going to make him suffer." She stood up and went to move back and Shift but he caught her hand to stop her.

"Wait. I just got you back. I don't want you to leave yet." He managed to stand up. "I still do not want you hurt."

"You know I have to do this."

"I know but you can let him stew for a while. We can watch to be sure he does not escape. You know how hard waiting can be on the nerves."

"It would be best if we got this over with. You still need rest. Heera has the people of the village to think about."

Ceirre paused to consider that, then agreed. "Just be careful. He will be more dangerous now that he has been backed into a corner. He has no exit."

"I know. We have hunted predators often enough. Let us move you a bit further into the woods then I will go and make a finish to all of this." With her support, they went further into the woods and she made sure that he was comfortable. Heera followed in silence. When Waylera settled him in a copse of trees, Heera sat down as well.

"We'll wait here for now, my love. If you are not back before dark, I am coming to find you."

"Midnight. Give me until midnight before you come."

Ceirre looked at her for a moment then sighed. "All right. Until midnight. But I am not waiting a minute more."

"Agreed." She kissed him then moved off, slipping through the trees. He watched after her for a few moments, then settled back, seemingly calm. Heera settled herself as well, though she was more on edge.

Waylera went to the tree-line and took a look around before stalking forward. She stayed behind Heera's house to prevent anyone in the village from seeing her and alerting the man, Oren. When she reached the house, she could hear Oren pacing back and forth inside with occasional stops which she took to mean that he was looking out the windows. She paused to debate her mode of entering then climbed through the window into Heera's room and listened at the door. Oren was still pacing and now she could hear him muttering to himself.

"Why was I so stupid?" he was saying. "I know better than that. She complied too easily. A contact poison would work the same on the inside as it would on the outside." There was a sound from outside and she heard him rush to the window and look out. "Calm down, she wouldn't come in plain sight. She would wait. There's too many people out there right now." She heard him jump at another shout from outside. Ceirre had been right about him stewing. He was very jumpy and talking to himself. She wanted to laugh at him but remained silent while she listened.

"I'm dead. She will kill me without a second thought. She will hunt me for all eternity." Not exactly true but close, Waylera had to admit. "I've got to find a way out of this." She knew that she was not going to allow that to happen if she had any say in the matter. She heard a chair creak as he sat down and when he spoke again his voice was muffled as if his face were in his hands. "This was all a mistake. It felt wrong from the start and I knew it but refused to acknowledge it. It's my fault. My men, my entire team, are dead and it is all my doing. I could have stopped it before we had even attacked but I didn't. I got cocky and it cost them their lives."

Waylera could hear his remorse but refused to feel any compassion for him. He knew what he had done and knew that she was going to kill him. She let out a tight breath, almost a snort. The sound in the other room ceased and Waylera cursed herself.

She heard the chair creak again then a single footstep. "You can come out, dragon. I know you're there." She went out and shifted instantly upon doing so. A dagger sliced through the misty air of her form. A moment later she was solid and dragon and she knocked him on his back on the floor. He reached for his sword and she stepped on his wrist, breaking it with her weight. He clenched his teeth to keep from screaming. She stepped on both of his legs then and was satisfied to hear them both snap. He passed out and she settled down to wait. She had all the rest of the day before she had to finish it.

He was out for nearly a half hour and she watched him come to with a ready awareness. He opened his eyes and tried to back up when he saw her but let out an involuntary cry because of his broken wrist and the pain from trying to move his broken legs. Waylera smirked and stood up to move closer once more.

"I am going to take my time on this. You do know that right' I have until midnight before my mate comes to be sure that I am all right. I am still debating whether or not to let him have the pleasure of killing you or if I should kill you myself. What do you think?" She waited a moment but he said nothing and so she continued. "On second thought, he might want to allow mercy. He was always better at that than me. Perhaps mine is a darker nature but it has served me well in my lifetime."

She ran a talon along the outside of his arm and a fine cut opened in its wake. He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes but did not utter a sound beyond a strained groan. Somehow that was more pleasing than loud screams.

"I do have one question, though. Out of curiosity. Why did you become a hunter" It is not exactly an occupation conducive to long life."

The man opened his eyes slightly and swallowed hard. "My father was a hunter." He took a breath. "He taught me. He was killed by one of your kind." His voice was strained. Waylera looked at him impassively.

"Too bad. Following in your father's footsteps this far is going to cause you to have the same end as he. Now. I am going to do something that I would not otherwise do. I am going to kill you swiftly despite my inclinations. My mate needs rest and the woods are not the best place. Do you have any last requests?"

Wolf Wings

Date: 2007-07-18 23:51 EST
Chapter 6

"No. There's nothing and no one." He looked away from her. "Just do it."

She cocked her head and looked at him. "No begging" No questions" Nothing?"

"I am what I am. . . you are what you are. I am not going to change. Neither are you. I am ready to die and have been for years. I knew when I began that this might be my end. I prepared myself then. I will not beg. I don't need to ask questions. Just do it."

"You are probably bleeding internally anyway. Your arm is already dark from it. Soon you would die from it."

"Will you just get it over with' I don't need details of how I would have died or how I will die. I am ready. There is no one. Nothing. You don't need to wait anymore." His tone was venomous through the pain.

Waylera's muscles relaxed slightly. "How can one with so short a lifespan be so ready to die?"

"You can't be having second thoughts now."

"Answer me and I will end your pain. I will do it swiftly so that there is no more."

"You ask why I am ready to die. If I tell you, you have to never tell anyone of my story." He winced and took a breath. She nodded, curious despite herself. "When I was a child, my father was not around. No one knew where he was or even really who except for a name and a face. My mother died when I was young and I was taken in by the people of the town and stayed at the Inn. I was worked like a slave there and lived little better.

"I was abused and hated and mocked. Then one day, my father returned. He found that my mother was dead and he found me. He took me from there. I had no education. No skills. Nothing. He taught me everything he could and took me as a partner. I owed him everything.

"Then one day he found signs of an enormous black. We went after it with our team. He thought we could take it. Turned out he was so wrong. He took a direct hit from its breath weapon. Died very quickly. Two others died with him. Three of us survived and managed to get away. One more died of his wounds before we could stabilize him.

"I snuck back to the clearing where we had fought the beast. It was gone. My father's body had been torn apart. Not even eaten. I buried him there and swore over his grave that I would continue his legacy and one day kill that black. I tried and was fully willing to do so. I even did for a while. Then I met Kalena. She changed me, so much for the better. I stopped hunting for her. I owned a stable and kept horses for hire and for sale. She helped and I was content to let my father's memory rest. We had a daughter. A more beautiful little girl I have never seen. We named her "Faraya" for my father, Faren.

"She was just past three when the dragon came. A red. It attacked our village. I was away buying horses. I returned to ruins. The ashes were long cold. I went to our home. It too was ruined and inside that ruin I found the bodies of my wife and daughter. My wife had tried to protect my daughter with her own body but the falling ceiling had killed both of them. I found the dragon's tracks all around the village. I went after it alone without thinking and somehow managed to survive. I had kept my lance and other gear that I had always used. I found it in the rubble of my home and used it."

Unconscious tears flowed from Oren's eyes. He had had to pause often in his narrative from weakness, pain and grief. Waylera said nothing, hesitant to invade on his emotions. He continued while she listened. "I vowed on my very life and the souls of my family that I would never stop hunting again. It was the only meaning my life had left. I didn't care about the money I made by selling things to magic users. I was in it for revenge. The money was secondary. A means of living to kill more. My life has gained me nothing.

"You ask me why I am so ready to die. I am sick of it. Sick of living for one death after another. Sick of carrying on when there is nothing ahead of me but more of the same. Sick of living without anyone." He focused on her, his eyes clearer than they had been the entire time. "Do you love your mate?"

Waylera had to pause before she could answer, the question taking her completely by surprise. "More than my own life. I would die for him. I would die to save him pain. If he had died, each and every one of you would have suffered a long and slow death if I had to abduct each of you separately and take you somewhere to be able to do it. I would have hunted for the rest of my life if need be to be sure that each of you were dead. Most of your men died quickly. If Ceirre had died, I would not have allowed that. I would have made each of you suffer as I would have suffered in my heart." Her voice filled with her conviction and a trace of the rage she had felt. A rage that had now cooled.

Oren nodded as if satisfied about something. "I am ready to die. I am ready to join my family in the afterlife. I have been ready for a long time and just never took the time to realize it. Your mate is lucky. To have one who loves him so much is a gift unlike any other. I had the same at one time. And now she is gone and has been gone for years. I have lived without her with so much pain in my heart. Pain that never went away or diminished. Do you understand now" Do you understand why I don't care that I die?"

"I do understand and I promise you that I will bury you with honor. I won't leave your body to rot on the ground and be eaten as just any carrion. Your death will be swift, without pain as best I can. A talon through your heart that has hated so much. Has loved so strongly."

Oren nodded. "My lance is there against the wall." He gestured with his good hand. "Bury it with me, please. That no more blood be spilled with it. No more revenge taken with it. No more pain caused by it."

"I will. I regret that we had to meet this way." And to her surprise, she truly did regret it.

"I do not. I'm ready now."

Waylera nodded without a word and placed her talons over his heart. A quick flex sent two of them deep into his heart, bursting it and with a small sigh he died. A single word seemed to be said in that sigh. A breathless and grateful "finally". Waylera had to turn her head away from him in that final moment. When she looked back, his face was peaceful at last. No more pain was written in his features. She Shifted her form then took the bedroll and blanket from his pack and wrapped him securely in them. She carried him out into the woods then went back inside and took his pack and lance outside with her.

She Shifted once more then and dug a deep hole in the warm soil. With care she placed him into it followed by his lance at his side and then his pack at his feet. She pushed the soil back into the hole over him. A single tear slipped from her eye. "Rest easy now in the peace that you could not find in life." Nearby she saw a wild rose bush in full bloom and she uprooted it and replanted it in the newly disturbed earth above the grave.

She left then, not once looking back and returned to Heera's house. She cleaned up what blood had been spilled and then left once more. She Shifted as she entered the wood to make maneuvering easier and ran to the place where she had left Ceirre and Heera. They looked up as she parted the tree branches and a look of relief instantly crossed Ceirre's face. He stood carefully as she rushed towards him and swiftly looked her over before she reached him, then held her close.

Heera gave them a moment, then asked, "Is it over" Is he dead?"

"He is. It is finished. Come. Let's go back to your house. It has been a long day and Ceirre still needs to rest.? She hugged him close again.

Together they headed back, Waylera supporting Ceirre. Somehow she knew that she had been changed that day. Changed in a way she doubted she would ever understand completely. Only knowing that it was for the better.

The roses she planted above the grave grew year after year, reminding her when she went there of what lay beneath them and what had brought him there to his final resting place. Ceirre never knew her attraction to that place. She didn't tell him where she had taken the body nor the story Oren had told her. Their friendship for Heera grew and hers for them. Each had a different lesson from those first days together and each remembered it until the days of their deaths. One short lifespan and two long. Mere years and centuries. Lessons of life and love and even a lesson about revenge.

End ______________________________________

Hope you liked it as much as i liked writing it. Comments are welcome and appreciated. :)

Wolf Wings