Dragon Hunting

I slow the car right down though I hadn’t a clue what I was going to do.

“Turn! Turn!” He urges me. “It’s getting away!”

Closing in fast there is indeed a right turn ahead, not even a road but a trail of two parallel tire ruts through the grass leading into the dark forest to the North. I know I ought to stop to discuss it with Lucian but the urgency in his voice told me that this might just be a once in a lifetime opportunity. I had to admit, I wouldn’t mind seeing a real dragon.

The car’s brakes were as good as it’s engine and without a squeal of rubber I bring the Porsche to a near stop to turn down the trail. Lucian’s eyes are locked dead ahead as he nearly vibrates out of his seat in excitement.

“A dragon in Pennsylvania!” He exclaims. “Dad is going to want to know about this. Hurry Jacob, hurry!”

“I’m going as fast as I can.” I say as we hit the tree line and plunge into bush. The headlights illuminate the thin trail ahead good enough though I wish I had time to stop and take my eye drops for better all around night vision. “You sure this isn’t dangerous?”

“Well, I mean, if it doesn’t like us it could kill us in a second. Obviously.”

“Err, obviously.”

He laughs. “They’re not monsters like what you’re thinking about. I guess they are quite curious and philosophical. They can be generous if they take a liking to you, so I’ve heard.”

“You guess!? So you’ve heard!?”

“It’s not like I’ve actually met one.” He replies. “Don’t worry. We’re Devlins. That name means something to dragons. We’ll be fine.”

I sure hoped he knew what he was talking about, he certainly spoke with confidence. I drive on as quickly as I could safely do. Leaves and branches scuff along both sides of the car yet Lucian seemed to have no care about scratches or dings.

“There!” He points as he sways left and right trying to get a good view of it. “Damn, lost it again.”

“I can’t see a fucking thing. What am I looking for?” I ask.

“Something white like moonlight with a dim glow of its own.” He says. “I don’t think we’re too far away though. It seemed to be coming down for a landing.” We both try in vain to peer through the canopy and tangled limbs of the beech and poplar trees that dominated the foliage. “Damn it, I can’t see it anymore. Stop. Stop the car.”

I pull the SUV into an area where the trail naturally widened and bring it to a stop then put it into park. Turning off the lights and the engine the pair of us sit and look and listen.

“Over there.” He whispers. “It was coming down there.” Lucian is just a dark shape in front of me yet I can see him just well enough to see one of his little horns sprout from his head as he returns to his true form. I suspect it is so he can see better.

I am already reaching for my bag. “Just let me get my drops in.”

“Sure.” He replies as he cautiously opens the door. The nocturnal sounds of the forest and fresh night air pour into the cabin. “This is so exciting.” I hear him mutter to himself. I couldn’t disagree. My heart was already pounding with anticipation.

“If it’s big it will need a break in the trees to land.” I say as I fish the little vial out of a side pocket of the bag. “We should look for a clearing.”

“Good thinking.”

“Er, you didn’t bring any weapons or anything, did you?”

He laughs quietly. “No. A gun or a knife wouldn’t help with a dragon anyway.”

I hadn’t brought any either. I did have Trixie’s gift but the best I could manage with that is a short club with the consistency of dense rubber, hardly a weapon to slay a dragon with. I apply the drops and blink them in as I await the blindness to fade. The black and white night vision soon sets in allowing me to see out to roughly 100 feet as clear as if it were day.

“Okay, I’m good.” I say as I get out of the car. I walk around to his side. “Should we…call out for it or what?”

“Hmmm. They tend to be loners. Nah, let’s see if we can find it first.”

“Fair enough.” I pat his shoulder. “Let’s go hunt a dragon.”

He grins from ear to ear and gives me a firm nod. Side by side we venture forward. My eyes wide, my ears straining, every sense reaching out I try to look for little discrepancies that would give away the supernatural. Nothing out of the ordinary tips my senses, though my heart drumming in my ears didn’t help. I couldn’t believe we were sneaking through a strange forest in search of an actual dragon! God I loved my life. Pushing though the underbrush isn’t so bad thankfully though it did mean we weren’t as quiet as we wanted to be. In our searching we naturally fan out but are careful to stay within sight of each other. After a couple of hundred yards we come back together under the boughs of an enormous poplar.

“We’re going to get lost.” I whisper. “Night vision or no.”

“Yeah.” He admits. “I wish Bron was with us. I want to see it!”

“Listen. From here I can see two potential clearings. There.” I point to left. “And there.” I point straight ahead. “I think that one’s a pond. You go left and I’ll take the other, we’ll meet back here. If we don’t find anything we head back to the car.”

“Fair enough.” He nods. “Good luck.”

“Back atcha sweetie.”

He steals a cheeky kiss before padding off in his designated direction. I focus on the other clearing and make my way forward. Weaving through the trees I make good time and before long I step out into a wide open area. It wasn’t a pond though there was a narrow stream that snaked down the middle of the clearing. And there, right in front of me not even 50 feet away, was the creature I sought.

For a moment my breath catches in my lungs and I feel a surge of adrenaline fuel my fight or flight instinct. It must have heard me coming because it was staring straight at me!

It was…beautiful! Though nothing like what I expected. It resembled a great lion…though not really. That was simply the closest thing I had at mind to compare it to, though the longer I looked at it the less lion like it seemed. It had a mane of gold and a stout raccoon like tail that ended in a tuft of the same metallic tone but the rest of it’s feathery fluffy fur was a gleaming platinum with darker silver tiger like stripes running up and down it’s long thick body. It’s face was more bear like than feline, really closer to a red panda than anything given the pattern of gold and platinum. It’s intense eyes had the hue of a rich pure copper. Most striking of all however are the two large elegant feathered wings folded over its back. As Lucian had described the creature had a slight glow all its own, though the moon’s light shining down from above made it positively luminescent.

It tilts its big shaggy head and looks me over.

“Ahem.” I clear my throat and wrack my brain, I hadn’t prepared myself to actually talk to it. “My name is Jacob Devlin. I understand that you are a dragon.” I say in my politest tone. “It is a pleasure to meet you Sir…er, or Madam.” I cringe at my bumbling attempt at an introduction.

It approaches on silent bear like paws, each as wide as a dinner plate. I muster all of my courage to stand still as it gets close. It’s enormous head is at shoulder height for me as it walks, but when it stops it raises its head higher to stare me eye to eye. It’s wide maw could surely crush my skull in a single bite. A month ago I would have run screaming, but my experience with my twin and my fight with my big brother had hardened me to such terrifying things as this. I look past the powerful exterior to address the intelligence within.

“Uhh, what…what is your name?” Despite my trembling limbs I do what I can to try to remain cordial.

“BRRRFFF!” A growl rumbles through it deep chest. It leans in and plants its muzzle into my hair and takes in a great snuff of air. Then it starts to sniff me all over my head and shoulders. “RRRFFF!” It snorts a hot breath that blows my hair back once it is done.

“Uh. I…hope I smell good.” I hasten to add awkwardly. “Not good to eat! Ha ha ha! I mean…uh…oh boy. Can you talk?” Where was this philosophical mind that Lucian had described? Maybe it was just a language barrier. “So, I’m told that…” It nudges me roughly forcing me to stumble to the left. “Hey.” I say. “No need to shove.” As I reach out in a gesture of peace the dragon snaps up my right arm in it’s jaw. “Hey!” Certain I am about to lose that limb I pull against it but I am hopelessly overpowered by it. Thankfully it doesn’t crunch down but simply holds me by the elbow in a firm grip. I try to keep my cool. “Okay, uh, is this some sort of greeting or…”

“RRRFFF!” It growls as it turns and walks back toward the stream.

“Gah!” With my arm held tight I have **** but to be dragged along with it. Walking at its side I start to try to parlay again until I see what it was leading me to.

Laying in the water, her head and shoulders propped up against the opposite bank, is a tall powerfully built woman of incredible beauty with eyes that glowed like sunlight. She tries to speak but an unearthly gurgle is the only thing that escapes her lips, a shaking hand reaches toward me. Blood streamed from her mouth and a wicked looking wound lay wide open straight across her gut sending a dark glimmering streak of blood down current. She wore only a simple white dress with a gold rope belt. Lying beside her side is a sword shattered into pieces. It is a gruesome sight but what scared me right down to my bones…are the two great white wings that lay broken beneath her. Wings not dissimilar to those of the creature holding me now!

She was an angel! A fucking angel! Sworn enemy and hunter of demons! And this thing holding me was no dragon, it was her pet. Some winged warrior beast of a celestial nature. I needed to get Lucian out of here…NOW!

My eyes widen in terror and my heart drops as I hear rustling rushing closer through the forest.

“Jacob!” I hear my brother’s lilting voice call out excitedly. “Did you find it?”