Korbin related that the hunting party came upon his parents while they were out at dusk searching for mice to feed their chicks. While out they spied a rabbit and his father dove and caught it. He stayed on the ground and dispatched the rabbit with a quick nip to the jugular. His mother joined him and it was while they were tearing apart the rabbit that they were ensnared with a net. His father broke a wing trying to get free and then because he was useless to them he was killed by one of the hunting party. He never saw his mother again and never knew of her fate. Rhupert was the only one of the nest owlets that survived and so he had vowed to repay Leonid for the loss of his family.
Rhupert never got a chance to avenge his parents and so was quite willing to help in the downfall of Nepharious. According to Spot, Rhuperts demeanor seemed to have improved somewhat at the thought of finally bringing down the castle's inhabitants and that he would be joining us for a chat after dark that very evening in the cave.
"He was quite happy to hear that there was still a dragon up here, mistress. He didn't believe us at first and thought that we were trying to fool him. I got a nick in my tail from the grumpy old bird before he believed us. It was Bones that finally convinced him. I still can't believe the old coot bit me!" Spot said while trying to reach his tail to lick it. Feeling sorry for my rotund familiar, I picked him up and held his tail around to his face so he could take care of it.
While Spot was occupied with his tail, Bones filled me in on a few more denizens that had agreed to help with the alarm system. There is Tit and Tat, who are twin field mice and Joco, a retired and stubborn old mule that free ranged between the castle and the village. Korbin had yet to return with his recruits. While sitting with Spot on my lap my stomach rumbled rather loudly. A snack just wouldn't do it this time. I haven't been out of the cave in quite a while and I was sitting here ravenous.
"Bones? What is the weather outside?" I asked.
"It is beautiful outside, Mistress! The sun is shining quite brightly. Why do you ask?" he replied.
"Well I am starving and that just won't do! I need to eat as a dragon. I may look like a human but there are needs that I cannot take care of in this form. Fresh fish and red meat are what I am craving! It would take too long for you to bring me enough to eat. It is time for a weather spell!"
Spot moved from my lap seeing the look in my eyes. "Please be careful Mistress. I know a place you can go that is north of here. In the mountains there is a lake in a hidden valley that is full of fish and there should be plenty of deer too! I don't think the knights venture that far north this time of year as the snows are still melting and sudden flooding can catch them too unawares."
While he was giving me advice I was steadily moving for the front door. "Just tell me what I need to look for to find my way." Then I repeated the spell I knew all too well:
Sun, warm and bright,
Clouds, fluffy and light,
Listen and hear my plight,
Fill and darken, full of fight,
Grant me rain within my sight!
Clouds, fluffy and light,
Listen and hear my plight,
Fill and darken, full of fight,
Grant me rain within my sight!
As the sky slowly darkened my excitement steadily grew. Outside! I wanted this even more than I had realized until now. It had been weeks of planning and learning and no time for myself. I was glad Korbin wasn't back yet, as I needed to shed myself of the clothing I had made of some of the skins in the storeroom before transforming.
In the other room Spot was giving me what to look for on my flight to the lake in the mountains. "You need to look north and fly to the tallest mountain you can see. From there you will see a single spire that stands alone that is slightly east. Turn in that direction and when you pass it there are two Twin Peaks about a league beyond. Behind those peaks is the lake and valley you are looking for. Good hunting, Mistress!"
By now the clouds had gathered to their fullest and I was ready. With a single bound outside of the cave, I spread my wings and was off. It felt good to be in the air again. I rose above the cloud cover to gather the warmth of the sun and to see if the mountain Spot had described showed through the clouds. It did and I headed in that direction. Spot gave me good advice and before I knew it I was at the Twin Peaks. The cloud cover here was sparse and I could see the ground cover. Thick majestic oaks lined the lower valley floor and they in turn, changed to pine and spruce at the higher elevations. Around the lake grew thicker vegetation with clearings here and there.
I landed on one of those clearings closest to the lake. I could see tracks where the local wildlife came to drink. The lake itself was crystal clear and blue from the reflection of the sky above. I dipped in one front foot to test the chill of the water. It felt cool and refreshing and with a laugh I leapt up in a single bound and dove in. Coming up for air my stomach reminded me again of my mission here, food. Diving back in and using my wings as large paddles I pulled myself out into deeper waters.
The lake was alive and teaming with fish. The first few I came upon were gobbled in single bites. Diving even deeper I came upon some larger specimens schooling. With a quick lunge I gathered several in my maw and headed back to the bank where I dropped them on the ground to pick over as I pleased. This was just the first course and it brought out more hunger.
Leaping back into the air I scouted out some of the tracks I had seen back into the forest. About a half league in I came up on a partial clearing that was filled with wild flowers and tall grasses. Feeding there were about 10 doe and off to the side keeping watch was a large stag. Since I was so high up he had not sensed any danger. Folding my wings and diving straight at them, I caught the stag completely off guard before he could bugle an alarm, and with a single talon I pierced one of the does spines, killing her instantly. I felt sorrow at the loss of life but my hunger needed to be sated. I left the stag to herd off the rest of his does out of danger.
Carrying her back to the lakeshore was easier than I thought. I marveled at my strength in this form. It was clear to me why the humans could fear us as they did. Dragons were things of their nightmares. Killing machines. I wondered how I could change nightmares into a kinder reality. "Humans have no idea that we are thinking creatures. They have no idea that we have feelings or empathy. This is another mission I must undertake if I am ever to survive without looking over my shoulder for the next knight to appear. They see us a raw, larger than life creature that is only out to harm their way off life. I understand why my father had no patience for them but he never sought to prove them any different. I can correct this way of thinking, I know I can!"
After a sating meal of stag, I dove back into the cool lake to wash myself clean of his smell and blood. It felt good to feel full and not to have my hunger gnawing at me. By now the sun was starting to recede down behind the Twin Peaks and I knew I needed to head back. I regretted having to leave this little paradise, but there were more pressing matters that needed my attention. I was just turning to leave when I was startled by a noise behind me.
"New dragon in the forest, I see. My, my, aren't you a pretty one. You must be what has the domestics all in an uproar. "
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