Climb to the Dragons Den 3

Climb to the Dragons Den 3



The way of life



Darkness, a strange feeling that means differently to every being. Darkness can bring death, can bring comfort when the eyes close letting the mind wonder. For Shawn, darkness was a scary feeling, one he never wanted to never feel.



Shawn's memories slowly returned. He remembered the hatchling clearly but had a terrible headache from when he hit his head. Suddenly a strange feeling started to tingle throughout his body. The first thing he felt was something warm against his side and a light weight was on his chest. Shawn, unsure of what this strange feeling was, slowly opened one eye, then another. At first Shawn's sight was fuzzy but it slowly cleared. He was laying beside the dragons small pile of treasure. Rays of sun light flashed in his eyes from a crack in the ceiling while also making all the various metals shine brilliantly.



Shawn's ears picked up a steady rhythm of breathing that was not his own. He picked his head up to look around and there snuggling against his side, was the green dragon hatchling. His spiky back was resting on Shawn's side but his long neck was twisted and laid flat on his chest. No matter how hard Shawn tried he could not help but to smile, it was just too cute to have a dragon hatchling cuddling beside him, but he shook his head to clear the feeling. Shawn could not afford to sit around like an idiot as a dragon hatchling charmed him.



Shawn looked around, finding his gun on top of the pile of treasure, a new shiny thing for the hatchling.



"No!" That's my gun and I'm going to need it!" thought Shawn.Shawn also spotted his pack and flash light added to the pile neatly and with care.



Shawn moved his free hand, his other hand was under one of the hatchling's fore claws. Reaching for his six shooter, Shawn stopped as he felt the hatchling move. The dragons head lifted off his chest and stared him in the eyes. Shawn hardly breathed as the dragon stretched its neck, his muzzle bumping his nose. Smoke trailed from the hatchling nostrils as it sighed, burning Shawn's nose with its heavy sent. The hatchling sniffed his face, then lick his check with its snake like tongue. Shawn backed up against the pile of treasure finally getting his gun. He held his hand steady, not daring to level the gun at the hatchling.



The hatchling's ears suddenly pricked up, it hastily stood up on all fours and raised its head, sniffing the air.



"What is it?" Shawn asked the hatchling, not expecting an answer of course. The hatchling squeaked happily and bolted down a tunnel. Shawn was left alone, confused as he quickly grabbed his pack and flash light. Shawn made up his mind, he was going to leave the cave, there were three tunnels, one tunnel leading to the entrance where Shawn came from, another where the hatchling went and the third, Shawn was about to explore.



Shawn did not get more than a meter when the ground shook and the air vibrated as a ear shattering roar blasted from one of the tunnels. Shawn's soul shook in fear, he knew that roar as he had heard it before in the tunnels. The ground shook each time as the mother dragon charged down the tunnel. Shawn did not have much time, he quickly checked his gun. He only had two shots left. Shawn could feel the rage that was emanating down the tunnel as the dragon stormed on almost in sight of its lair. She had the sent of the human, and revenge on her teeth meaning to sink them into the humans chest and rip him in half.



Shawn took a chance; he dove for the pile of treasure, clawing his way into it. The pile of treasure was not big, but it had enough room for Shawn to cover himself with different kinds of metals, hoping that it might help cover his sent. A second after Shawn stopped moving he saw a terrifying sight from a reflection in a mirror that was conveniently placed in the pile allowing him a great view of the dragon.



She was all black, fifteen feet high and twenty feet long with a wing span twice that of its length, Shawn's awe at the mighty beast was short lived as he noticed the gruesome wounds. She was covered in dried blood, her front leg looked broken as she limped in the room, Shawn got a view of the dragoness' shoulder. The shoulder where his bullet was lodged in. Shawn winced at the sight, blood continued to flow from the wound at a steady pace, it was swollen and puffy. Her beautiful black wings remained unharmed from what he could tell. One wing had a smooth bullet hole in it, but it was slowly healing.



The dragon ran while limping into the center of the chamber, eyes glowing with hate and nose flaring as its nose filled with the sent. The green hatchling came skidding after its mother slamming into its back leg. The black dragon growled and sniffed the air again, and slowly turned its head to face the pile of treasure. Shawn gulped.



She slowly made her way towards the pile, as the hatchling ran about the cave, seemingly looking for something. Shawn had no doubt that both dragons were now searching for him, and he knew it was only a matter of time before he was found.



Shawn slowly cocked his gun, pulling the hammer back. He did not want to shoot this creature again, but he would if she tried to kill him. It was common sense, this mother was going to kill him, why shouldn't he defend himself?



Shawn held his breath as fear mounted inside of him, the dragoness swiped at the top layer of treasure skattering and smashing most of it. The hatchling wailed in protest and went around collecting the spilled treasure. Another sharp claw went up to strike down the middle of the pile. Shawn closed his eyes waiting for the swish of a talon to mark his death.



Shawn waited for what seemed like an eternity, he slowly open his eyes, the dragoness still had her talon in the air, leg shaking from the strain and pain. But she was no longer looking at the pile, her attension was driven to the floor, to the blooded and torn wrapping. Her eyes lit up with anger as she realized what this rag was, it was what carried the sent of the human, She looked at her hatchling and growled loudly at him. The hatchling dropped a silver spoon from its mouth, leaving it to clatter on the floor. It wailed and looked at the floor as its mother scolded him in its rough dragon tongue, which was mostly growls and grunts to the human ears.



At first Shawn was confused as to why the hatchling was treated so poorly by it's mother. The mother looked one last time at the pile and then lower its leg, letting it again dangle by the floor, careful not to put any weight on it. She roared again and then opened her maw and sent a river of flames that ingulfed the bloody rag in an instant, leaving ashes where it had once been. Shawn started to understand what just happened. The mother dragon, seeing the rag so close to the pile must of thought that its hatchling had gone out of the cave to get it, thinking that her hatchling ripped it from Shawns torn and dead body. Shawn finally could breathe again as the mother dragon limped over to the cave wall and leaned heavily against it.



Shawn watched as the dragoness slowly slide down the cave wall, blood streaks marking her desent. She slumbed to the cave floor and slowly curled up, her eyes closed and she fell asleep. Shawn was still scared to move, seeing her blood on the wall made Shawn feel terrible, if he only had not gone to this cave they would both, him and the dragoness be unharmed.



Shawn remained in the pile as the hatchling tirelessly picked up every single piece of treasure and placed it in the pile. The last rays of light drifted from the cave to be replaced by total darkness, Shawn could hear both the hatchling and the dragoness sleeping, their breathing heavy in Shawn's ears. Every muscle in Shawn's body ached from staying curled up for too long, but he knew he had to move eventually. He would wait until morning to get up and out of this cave, and end this nightmare.



Shawn was awoken from his uneasy sleep by some continues yelps, growls and whines from the hatchling. What a pesky bugger Shawn thought as he looked at the mirror. The first lights of dawn found their way through the cracks in the ceiling. Shawn's eyes widened as his eye focused on the hatchling, more importantly on the hatchling's mother. That dragoness' shoulder was still swollen and dripping blood, her leg was out on a award angle as she laid flat on her side, back against the wall. Her left eye was swollen shut, her right one was closed tight. Her breaths came in short gasps, her chest heaving and wheezing. She laid still like death as her hatchling tried vainly to rouse her, nuzzeling her head and nipping her ears. Whining and wailing all during all of it's effort.



Shawn was heart broken, he desperately wanted to help the mother dragon, he could not stand seeing such a beautiful beast so helpless on the cave floor. What would happen to the hatchling if the mother died…because of him. Shawn could not bear to watch any longer, he slowly crawled out of the pile, being as quiet as possible. The hatchling's ears perked up, the hatchling turned it's head to look at Shawn. Its eyes beamed with hope, it squeaked happily and scrambled toward Shawn's way claws scratching the floor in its hast.



Shawn did not know what to do as the hatchling charged him, he backed up slipping his gun away so it would not fire, or more importantly so he would not fire. The hatchling jumped at him wrapping its arm around him in a strange dragon hug, Shawn fell to the floor from the weight of the hatchling, his bag breaking his fall. Shawn grabbed at the hatchling's powerful shoulders and heaved with all his might, he rolled onto his back with the motion throwing the dragon to his side. The green hatchling got right back up and, with its powerful jaws clamped down on Shawn's pack and started to drag him across the cave. Shawn tried to get his feet under him but the hatchling's speed stopped him from doing just that. He skidded to a stop directly in front of the wounded and unconscious dragoness.



The hatchling bumped his back from behind knocking him into the dragoness. Shawn under stood perfectly, the hatchling wanted Shawn to help it's mother. Shawn got three more bumps in the back each time knocking him into the mother's muzzle. Shawn could not help but be intimidated. This dragon was huge, and could kill him so easily if it woke up. Shawn rubbed the hatchlings head with his palm to stop him from bumping his back.
Shawn sighed and looked at the small green hatchling. Its eyes was full of sorrow, but a sliver of hope was present. Shawn gathered his corage and gently placed a hand on the dragoness' head. She was burning hot to his hands, Shawn being as gentle as he could inspected the wounds of the mother dragon.



Moving from head to tail, Shawn was in awe as he examined the dragon's body. Shawn could feel the raspy breaths of the dragoness and knew he did not have much time. Shawn dropped his bag on the ground along with his gun and took out his flash light so he could see better. Even laying on her side she was as tall as Shawn was high, even topping him by a foot or so. This was going to be hard.



From what Shawn could tell most of the wounds are on her right side. Shawn assumed her left side was mostly intact due to the fact that it was her right side she was laying on when the cave fell on her. Shawn knew all to well what was causing her the most pain; it was the bullet in her shoulder that was sapping her strength. Shawn placed the flash light's end in his mouth and carefully walked towards the dragon's head. Using the up most care he placed both of his hands on the base of the dragon's neck, by her head Shawn could feel her pain filled breath as it ran from her mouth to her lungs, her neck was, like the rest of her body, hot to the touch. Her neck was also very well muscled, Shawn was sure that she could kill a bear just by wrapping it with her neck and squeezing hard enough. Shawn held his breath and heaved himself on top of the dragon's neck. Shawn spread his arms out as he slowly made his way up her scaly neck. He was surprised by how smooth her scales were.



Finally Shawn reached her wounded shoulder, he grimaced as he got his first good look at what his shot did. Their was one clean hole in the middle of the dragon's shoulder blade, the bullet went through the muscle, some arteries, and embedded itself in the bone. Shawn went down on his hands and knees as the dragoness trembled in pain. Blood pulsed out of the wound with every massive heart beat. Shawn patted her neck.



"It's going to be alright, I'm going to do what I can" said Shawn. Shawn was a good six to seven feet off the ground, he looked to the hatchling, he was laying on the floor watching. "I need some tweezers or something similar so I can get the bullet out, do you have one in the pile?" Shawn waited a second and shrugged his shoulders as the hatchling tilted its head at him not understanding. "It was worth a try."



Shawn looked to the ground and was about to jump. He fell backwards landing on his hands, fumbling into an awkward position. Shawn stood dumbfounded as he stared at the hatchling. It's tail wagged from side to side as it sat before him, with a full size medical kit at his feet. Shawn looked in awe at the hatchling.



"Oh my god how did you get this—wait it doesn't matter" said Shawn as he looked at the hatchling again and shook his head. He reached for the kit as the hatchling jumped to the ground and nuzzled his mother head. The first thing Shawn pulled out was a rectal thermometer…he smirked trying not to laugh as he threw it to the ground.



"What the hell is that doing in a medical kit" said Shawn giggling before turning back to business. Shawn shifted through the rest of the supplies seeing a lot of wrapping. "Good I'm going to need it."



Shawn also found a small kit to make a cast and other medical supplies along with some tweezers. Shawn grabbed the tweezers and went to the wound, blood still dripping from it. Tweezers in hand, he prayed to whatever god was listening, and slowly inserted them. The dragoness lurched in pain, almost throwing
Shawn off her, the wound was deep as the bullet went all the way to the bone. Then he felt it. Grabbing the bullet firmly in the tweezers he closed his eyes and yanked with all his might.
A roar of pain was his only warning, the next thing he knew he was flying through the air landing heavily on the pile of treasure with the bloody bullet clenched tightly between the tweezers.



Shawn jumped back on his feet and ran to the still knocked out dragoness. Shawn as fast as he could grabbed some rubbing acohol and poured it on the wound, the dragoness yelped loudly then fell silent panting all the harder. Shawn wrapped the wound with several layers of bandages. He then moved to the broken leg and over the next three hours made a nice cast, thanks to the kit. Shawn slumped against the dragoness' side, extremely tired, his head moving up and down as she breathed. Shawn moved to her head and placed a gentle hand on her, right between her eyes; she was still burning. Shawn looked at the hatchling getting an idea. He bent down and looked the hatchling in the face.



"Hey you see that bucket?" asked Shawn as he pointed to a metal bucket on the pile "Fill that with water and bring it back to me". The hatchling stood up and ran to the bucket grabbing the handle in it's teeth and ran through the tunnal that the mother had stormed out of. Shawn waited only a few minutes before the hatchling was back with a bucket full of cold clean water. Shawn grabbed the bucket from the hatchling and took a sip refreshing him self before pouring half the bucket in the dragoness mouth then the rest on her head.



Shawn dropped the bucket. And made his way to his pack he picked up his gun and flash light which had fallen to the ground when he flew off the dragoness. Shawn was far to tired to get out of the cave today, he would wait until tomorrow then make his escape. Shawn looked one last time at both the hatchling and his mother. She was breathing easier already with her hatchling curled up against her chest. Shawn closed his eyes smiling, he had done his part.



Shawn was awoken by the hatchling, nuzzling his arm. Shawn bolted up thinking the mother was awake, in reality, she was. The hatchling ran to its mother rubbing on her neck like a cat would, as his mother slowly lifted her head. Shawn stood as still as stone, not daring to move. The black scaled mother first looked confused at her arm, seeing it wrapped up in some strange white bony stuff that made it imposable for her to move that arm. She looked around the room and spotted Shawn. Her eyes were full of shock, then hatred as she scrambled to her feet. Stumbling a couple of times due to the cast. She roared baring her teeth as she into stared into Shawn's eyes.



Shawn instinctively reached for his gun.