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Chapter seven- An Encounter

I hadn't the time to think. How dare this creature threaten a female! How dare it threaten my friend!

I was scared to death and enraged beyond belief all at the same time. The whole world seemed to slow to a crawl. I was no longer Nimbus, but rather an omnitionate observer. I watched as Nimbus, his yellow eyes burning with rage, leapt forth. I saw the biped turn, an expression of both fear and surprise crossing it's strange face. It's movements were erratic and grotesque.

After what seemed like an eternity, Nimbus collided with the creature, knocking it to the ground. The world came back to normal speed, and I was Nimbus once more.

For a fraction of an instant I could do nothing. The creature beneath me had a strange, loose hide that was neither fur nor scale, and as I grabbed at it it tore around my claws.

The creature tried to raise the silver object it held in it's hand, but before it could Celsko grabbed it's arm, and the creature shrieked in pain as her teeth sunk in. I readied my claws to kill.

Then the whole world exploded.

A defining blast went off beside my head, like that of a thousand thunder-cracks. My vision became blindingly white, and I heard nothing but a high-pitched screech.

I reared up blindly and fell on my back. The world around me was swirling, the colors, washed out. As I lay there I had one thought on my mind and one thought only; Celsko.

Ingrained in every male dragon's being is a feral, animalistic trait; to protect females at all costs, that includes death. Have I not stated to you that no drake could ever harm a female? And is it not clear to you, dear listener of my story, that undoubtedly my broken mind lacked this very trait? I would care not if I killed a female, such as my brother's mate. Yes, isn't it all so clear to you? So it is through this that I come to the conclusion that it was not this trait I felt as I thought of Celsko. No, never did I think that I must protect her because she is a female, rather, I felt I must protect her because... because...?

I cared for her?

Is it even possible? I care for nothing, not even myself! And yet, as I lay on the ground, watching the horrid creature rise to it's feet, every fiber of my very being screamed at me to protect my friend-- because she was my friend!

I rolled to my feet, all senses strangely returning to me. Celsko was huddled next to me, and I spread my wings out wide in an effort to look larger that I was. We couldn't fly, I knew that; too many branches. We must hold our own.

The creature now stood, it's silver dagger of death hanging limply from it's wounded arm, which was bleeding profusely.

"Celsko! Run! Run for your life!" I growled, eyes still fixated on the animal, whose jaw suddenly dropped, seemingly in awe.

It opened it's mouth and said two words.

"Holy fuck!"

It was my turn to gawk. How could this... this animal possibly know our language? Dragons are the only beings able of communication, the Provider had always told us that! This was nothing but a filthy beast, hearing it speak the language of sophisticated beings was near insulting to me. My ears, sensitive as they are, must be deceiving me! A broken mind you say, but no, for the creature continued to speak!

"No fuckin' way!" It spoke, it's voice gruff yet awe filled, it's face beholding an expression of both fear and confusion.

We glared at each other in a standoff, neither dragon nor beast seemingly knowing what to do. The entire time I gave a low growl at the creature whilst simultaneously trying to figure what it could possibly be. It had no fur, aside from the top of it's oddly small head, which bore no horns or ears. It's feet were a dull white and had no toes, rendering them useless, or so I thought. The creature's face was a pale white, a stark contrast to the rest of it's body, which was covered in a baggy, multicoloured material which I could not put a name to. Overall, I found the creature to be utterly pathique, and the only thing that stopped me from tearing it to pieces was it's silver stick of death.

After a few moments of silence it again spoke.

"Can you... understand me...?" The animal asked fearfully, it's face beaded with sweat.

I lowered my head and growled louder.

"Yes..." A voice murmured beside me. Celsko stood next to me in a calm yet extremely cautious manner.

Her presence caught me completely off guard, and I glared over at her with a questioning look.

"We can understand you." She continued.

"Whadda 'bout him?" He (The creature was obviously male) shouted, gesturing to me with his silver stick.

"Yes... Nimbus can understand you." She answered.

"And you're... dragons?"

She nodded.

The creature ran his hand across his brow, wiping away the beads of sweat that had formed there.

"Nah... that ain't fuckin' possible! We wiped you bastards out hundreds of years ago! I... I must be high!" He slowly lowered his silver stick, but still kept it poised. "You... you fucks are extinct."

"What... do you mean?" Celsko asked, cocking her head.

"It means that I'm on fucking shrooms! You don't fucking exist is what it means!" He shouted, waving his arms erratically.

Celsko and I exchanged glances, not knowing what to make of it. What ever could he be talking about? The creature was obviously mad beyond reason.

Celsko began to creep towards him, a daring move that had me suck in a sharp breath and yelp.

The creature too seemed to be quite scared at her sudden advances. Still though, he said nothing, instead keeping an icy glare fixed upon my friend. I was waiting, waiting for him to merely flinch, giving me the excuse to pounce and tear him limb from limb. What pleasure it would bring me, feeling my claws and face coated with hot blood.

Despite a great bit of fear, and a certain lust for blood, I still possessed curiosity. Everything about the creature was intriguing, and I soon found myself taking a few tentative steps towards him.

Before I had gotten within ten paces the creature suddenly raised his silver stick and pointed it at me.

"Stop!" He shouted at me. "I don't want you comin' any closer. Take one more step, and I swear to God I'll blow your fucking head off!"

"You needn't fear him." Said Celsko, who now stood a mere five paces from the creature, examining him carefully.

---

"Humans," The Provider had told us, "Are an utterly stupid breed. They're brutish, greedy creatures who lack the most basic emotions such as remorse, love, and kindness."

"What do they look like?" Asks a young whelp who sits as near as he dares to his greatness.

"Well now," Dear Leader says with a chuckle, "they're tall, taller than you or I, and quite fat."

He pauses to think, his mind, so superior to ours, working hard to recall memories from days gone by.

"And their faces are horribly ugly. They possess little intelligence, mostly communicating with each other through grunts. Always do they lust for wealth, thus acquiring great hordes."

A remark is made about how wealth is not needed when all are perfectly equal. The Provider further backs up this claim. He goes on to explain how our glorious species has driven them back to the far reaches of the earth after The War. The War, oh such a glorious victory for our glorious species! How valently our forefathers fought the marauders and scum! They tried to take our land, they did, and we had given them what fer! Oh, such glories have we!

But the human that sat in front of me was nothing of what our Dear Leader had told us.

His name was Louis Bekker, and he was from a far-off land known as New York.

Though incredibly strange, the little man was quite intelligent, offering an answer for almost every question Celsko had asked.

She had been eager to talk, whereas I had sparsely grumbled more than my name. It had taken quite some time for Celsko to calm the beast, just as she had calmed that crazed fuck Nimbus earlier that day.

Eventually he had sat down and pulled a little white stick from a little compartment on the strange, blue material that stretched from his waist to his ankles (Jeans, he had called it.). He placed the stick in the corner of his mouth, holding it between his square teeth (No good for tearing apart flesh!). Then, to our horror and amazement, he produced a small silver rectangle, which contained a tiny flame. This flame he held to the white stick. The stick smouldered and gave off a nasty odor, making my nostrils, eyes, and throat burn. Louis seemed to like it though, inhaling and blowing it out again. When Celsko asked what he was doing, he replied that he was "havin' a smoke."

Almost everything the man did Celsko had a question about. Once she had been told what "jeans" were, she asked him what he wore on the upper part of his body. This was called a "shirt". He had also been wearing something he called a "jacket", but it had been torn to shreds when I had tackled him. He had used something he referred to as a "Pocket Knife" to cut the jacket into strips, which he had tied around the wounds from Celsko's teeth. Before he had done that though, he had retrieved the thing containing the strange liquid. The thing was called a "bottle", and was made of something called "glass". The liquid in it, "whisky".

I vaguely recalled The Provider telling us at one time that whisky was all the humans drink, but I didn't ask the man.

Now the three of us sat, he on one side of the fire, Celsko and I, blissfully close, on the other. The little man was enthralling my friend with his petty human words, things I cared not for.

"Well these..." He mumbled nervously, pointing to the strange markings on his forearm, "Are what we call 'tattoos'. It's just ink that's been... injected into the skin."

It all made no sense to me.

"Can I see them?" Celsko questioned.

Louis Bekker frowned, then apprehensively said, "Sure..."

He stood and slowly walked towards us. When he had come within three paces a low growl rose up in my throat. The man froze and took a step back.

"Nimbus!" Celsko chirped, giving me an angry look, "He won't do anything!"

"It still has it's silver stick! I don't want it near us!" I growled, narrowing my eyes.

"What, my pistol?" He retorted, "Here, I'll just... put it down."

His hand fell to the silver stick, which sat firmly against his hip in a small, leather pouch. Gingerly, he pulled it out and placed on the leaves at his feet.

Even without his pistol, I still didn't want Louis Bekker near me. More importantly, I didn't want him near my friend.

But I could do nothing.

With great circumspect, he came forward. Both Celsko and I were sitting, therefore he stood taller than us. I did not like this one bit, so I stood on all fours and tried to make myself look imposing, even though I my head was only slightly higher than his.

Slowly, he kneeled by Celsko and held out the underside of his fore arm. Both he and I flinched as she drew her head frightfully close.

I too was rather curious. I knew full well how stupid I was for it, but I brought my head down next to her's, and tried to make sense of the markings up and down the man's arm.

It took me a moment, but I soon realized that the markings were of a bird in mid flight.

After a minute, the man withdrew his arm and stepped back.

"May I ask one thing?" I murmured, "Why are you here, Louis Bekker?"

He looked at his feet and awkwardly fidgeted.

"I done somethin' real bad," He grumbled quietly, "Collin said this was the only place where they wouldn't find us."

"Us? What do you mean 'us'?" I snapped.

He looked up and opened his mouth, but then closed it, bit his lip, and furrowed his brow.

"Look," He paused, "Come back tomorrow, you'll see-- and I'll know I'm not fuckin' crazy."

We looked at him, then at each other. Celsko turned back to him and smiled, her fins perking up.

"I don't see why not, Louis Bekker. We would be honored."

Yes, yes, honored! Honored to be in the company of a fucking human! What a fucking disgrace for a drake, to be in the company of such a creature! The Provider tells no lies, and no matter how civilized this beast acts, he is nothing more than a fucking savage unto me! He'll stab you in the back, Celsko! Stab you in the fucking back, you ignorant cunt! And when he does will I defend you? No, I'll be laughing at your fear!

Nimbus put a smile on his ugly face and agreed that it would be an honor. I knew what this animal was up to! Yes, yes, saw right through his lies! He had come to destroy the colony, and it seemed that he had brought Celsko under his influence. If I was a drake of honor I would do what needed to be done and kill the both of them right then and there, for the good of the colony it would be! Why not go all the way and kill yourself while you're at it, you worthless scum! For the good of the colony, yes, yes! No great loss? Yes?

As the two talked I sat and thought these pleasurable thoughts to myself. I would kill him first, snap his spine like a fucking twig. Then Celsko, yes Celsko. How would I kill you, oh creature of my lusts? Tear your throat out, like that of Quartzite's? That's what a fucking traitor gets, and you're no better than a fucking traitor! Come to think of it, you're lower than a traitor, dear Celsko in all your beauty. You are a traitor and a hypocrite and a half breed! Half mountain dragon and half aquatic, less than a true dragon! Hasn't The Provider always told us that half breeds are not true dragons? Hasn't he? Something less than a traitor does not deserve to die a quick death, but rather something long and horribly painful. Vivisection perhaps? Rape? Take your pick!

I clenched my jaw and tried to drive the thoughts away. I thought of her and I as whelps, froliking in the alpine meadows, chasing rabbits.

An hour passed before I realized that the sun was sinking low, and suggested to Celsko that it was nearing curfew and that we should be getting back.

"Curfew?" Asked Louis upon hearing this.

"Yes, curfew." I rumbled irritably, "The Provider wants all dragons back by dark."

"Who's 'The Provider'?"

"Our tyrant of a leader." Celsko growled, flexing her claws.

I gasped at this. Indeed she was a traitor! Spreading such slanderous lies about our dearest leader!

"You mean to say there's more of you...?" Asked the man, his eyes gleaming with interest.

"Yes." I replied venomously, "But Celsko and I must be going now."

I stood and stretched my wings, as did she after a pause.

The man regarded with a look of awe and ran his fingers through his hair, muttering something about mushrooms.

We, or rather she, bid the creature goodnight, and walked slowly into the darkening forest.

Oh Celsko, in all your beauty, whatever shall you do about Nimbus in all his ugliness?