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| Written and as told by Kath '''McGill''' | | Written and as told by Kath '''McGill''' |
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− | | + | Taken Down as per Owners Request |
− | hapter six…
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− | Cormie was surprised to hear a hushed whisper from the old dragon whisper in her ear “You don’t look much like a monster to me.. but, then I am old and my eyesight is failing some what. My hearing is quite good though- better than most dragons and I heard the rumble of your belly from across the den. Your from Beatri’s clutch aren’t you? Unless I miss my guess there is something very wrong for any hatchling to be as hungry as you are to have wandered so far from the den.” She watched as he lowered his shoulder. “Climb up on my back, I believe it is past time that I called upon your mother. No doubt Othelh means to cause more trouble. Hold onto my wings and stay low so you don’t bump on the roof of the tunnels.
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− | Doing as he said Cormie marveled at the speed that they moved to where her mothers den was. Ahead of them they could hear Othelh’s voice loud and shrill accusing Beatri of stealing from the food stores. Cormie hung on as his pace quickened. Other dragons hearing the noise poked their heads out of the caves long enough to see him coming and with respect bowed their heads as he passed.
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− | “THIEF!!” shouted Othelh, “I suspected this long ago now I have proof – the penalty is Death!”
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− | “SHE DIDN’T STEAL ANYTHING!” Cormie heard her older siblings shout above Othelh that was followed by a cry from one of the hatchlings as Othelh swept them out of the way with her great wing.
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− | Beatri had only the strength to lift her head as Othelh charged forward. Too weak to defend herself, or her children, she could only wait as the larger older dragon moved over her to strike a killing blow that she had known would come for many months. “Run children” Beatri gasped. There was only one thing that she could possibly do, and to do it, she needed her little ones out of harms way.
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− | Othelh’s long neck snaked forward as her jaws opened wide reaching for the base of the neck behind Beatris skull. It was one of the dragons weak points, death could happen in a few seconds if crushed with a dragons massive teeth. Rolling backwards at the last second Beatri’s jaws closed over Othelh’s tender nose, much like Cormie had snapped at Othelh’s tongue when her jaws had threatened her. Othelh bellowed in pain thrashing about the den sending Beatir’s hoard flying through the air. Beatri felt herself be battered by the thrashing, she knew if she held on long enough the pain would drive Othelh mad.
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− | “ENOUGH!” bellowed Cyrisullie before closing his jaws over Othelh’s neck himself to make her stop. Beatri let go and lay gasping for breath.
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− | “I do not believe Beatri would have stolen enough for her children and neglected herself so, nor does she seem to have the energy to have accomplished leaving the cave for any length of time. How is it that her needs have not been seen to?” Cyrisullie demanded. Othelh wouldn’t answer. It was the largest of the hatchlings Agryua who spoke up.
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− | “The meat has been getting smaller in the bowl they bring every day. Almost to nothing. Cormie taught us how to hunt rats to keep us from being hungry, but there isn’t enough meat that the dragons bring to feed even one hatchling any more.”
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− | “I only withdrew the food when it became apparent Beatri was defying my orders in regards to feeding that monster of hers. Hunt rats?” There aren’t enough rats in these caves to feed a mouse! She had to have been sending them to steal from the caves if she didn’t do it herself and she is responsible for them.” snorted Othelh.
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− | “There are rats, lots of them!!” said the hatchlings in a chorus of voices. “We can show you!!” said the hatchlings with confidence in their voices. With the hatchlings gamboling at his feet they lead the way to the fisher. Agryua poked his head in and in a second there was a loud /squeek as his small jaws clamped down on a rat. He with drew his head and dragged the rat into view. Dropping it he poked his head in again, and again, each time coming out with a rat. “There is a lot of them in there” he said at last. Cryisullie lowered his head and turned it to regard what was in the fisher. “Bless my scales” he said at last. “Very well, bring what you have hunted back to your cave.”
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− | Othelh was stomping back and forth in the hatchlings cave. She should have just struck with out warning, but, she had wanted to vent her anger at this younger dragon to make a lesson of her-… Something wet hit her in the back of the head. She turned and was blinded for a second as something dark landed on her nose and she was hit again with a small object.
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− | “Rats’ Cyrisullie said almost a bit smug. “Hundreds of them. They’ve found their way into the back caves of where we keep the meat for the wyer and they have been breeding all this time. That’s the source of the food disappearing Othelh, not the hatchlings. They scatter when an adult enters. The hatchlings foot falls are too light to startle them. I can only conclude the hatchlings left the safty of the cave because they had no choice but to find food elsewhere. What orders did you give Othelh?”
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− | Othelh didn’t answer.
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| [[Category:Stories and Tales]] | | [[Category:Stories and Tales]] |