Chapter two

I, Shadowfall, wake to the sunlight streaming in from the trees overhead. It is severe weather season, so the warmth is almost unbearable, after the chilly weather yesterday. I rise and stretched, I have to hunt, and in this weather that will not be difficult. I drop into a hunting crouch. The soft grass beneath my claws is a temptation to lure me back to sleep. Then I hear the rustling of prey in the bushes and my senses are focused. I catch several rabbits and a willow warp: a prehistoric like bird. As I sit down to eat my cache, I see a griffon staring hungrily at my catch. “ Come and share with me!” I call, “ I caught to much anyways.”

“Are you sure?” the griffon asks, slinking out of the bushes, “ I hurt my paw, and it’s a bit difficult to hunt.”

“I’m sure.” I confirm, even though the griffon’s limp is an obvious fake, “I would be glad to share.”

“ Thank you.” The griffon says. As I settle down to eat once again, I lift my wings high to show that I am host of this meal. I get half way through my third rabbit when I hear a rustling in the bushes. I swivel my head in that direction. I almost choke on my rabbit. Sitting there, in the bushes, is a female, middle sized, human. She does not have the bulkiness of the Hiltons or the barbaric look of such. Her eyes find mine and she lets out a gasp of terror. The griffon hears, and he turns his head and growls when he sees the producer of the noise. I immediately jump up and rush over to the girl. Apparently she is frozen with fright, for she does not run. I make it to her and lightly place a paw on her chest. I then lift my head to the griffon.

“ This is my meal griffon, I’ve shared with you enough.” The griffon rears, up as if to attack, only to drop back onto all fours when he realizes my size and strength. The griffon slinks into the bushes, glaring at the girl and me the whole time. As soon as I thought the griffon cannot hear me I said, “Do not fear, I will not harm you.”

“But you said you’d eat me.” the girl trembles as she speaks.

“That was a lie to get the griffon away.” I assure her. “The griffon sees you as a rare meal, I on the other hand, do not.”

“Than you won’t eat me?” the girl asks.

“No, of course not.” I say, amused, “ I care more about what you have to say, than what my taste buds do.”

“Oh,” She says, still sounding suspicious. “My name is Hannah.”

“ My name is Shadowfall.” I say, hoping she will trust me now. I see that she is considering something- I hope it is trust- so I soar up into a tree overhead, and grab a cluster of berries witch I know are edible. I drop back down and see Hannah gazing at me with a curious look on her face. “ I didn’t think that you ate rabbits.” I say bluntly not knowing what else to say. She examines the berries, takes a bite, and ends up eating the whole cluster. She then lies down beside me, and falls asleep.

I lie there thinking over the events of today, where did this girl come from anyway? The island had long since been declared impossible to leave. Therefore it should be impossible to come to. I also regret making the griffon unhappy, the griffons and I had been overall friendly with each other since my childhood. It now seemed as if we were mortal enemies. Not good at all. The griffons, for some, unknown reason, are higher ranking than the dragons. Which means that they could easily arrange for me to go and live in the polar wasteland. Prey is near to impossible to find there. I do not want to end up in the polar wastelands. Not ever. Its like freeze weather, permanent.

I should probably apologize to the griffon and let him eat the girl after all. But, I’m afraid that I have already told her that she can trust me. Plus, my better judgment tells me that I’m not the kind of person to hand over an innocent soul to anybody to be eaten. Let alone to be eaten by a griffon! The way they tear their meals apart is completely barbaric! No, I would face the griffon and tell him he could not eat her- or die defending the girl. I hope it would not come to that.

I wake up before Hannah, the bright sunlight reflecting off the snow outside. I wonder if Hannah will mention last night? If she doesn’t then I won’t. I think to myself. To be honest I myself had not been able to sleep without Hannah laying under my wing. I had even tried the old method my parents had taught me when I was young: counting bones. Oh well, all had worked out in the end. Hannah stirs and sits up, we exchange the usual “good morning”, but there is something odd in the air. It could be the fact that yesterday we had defeated the greatest villain of all time, flown him over one hundred miles and put him in prison. Now that is just a guess but…..

Hannah once again asks me of thing unknown, I answer her as best I can. Then she asks to go check if Bookem is awake, apparently she is as hungry as me.

I go and walk up the long hallway, following the scent of last nights stew, and see that Bookem is awake. Awake and cooking. Funny that I did not smell it.

“Oh, good morning Shadowfall.” Bookem said in his quiet feeble manner. “Why don’t you go wake up Hannah?”

“Sure.” I mumble, yesterday I had really very rude to the old elf and I hope to somehow make up for it. I pad slowly to my room and stand in front of the door, dumbfounded. Um…. I finally bang my head against the door, hoping Hannah opens it on the first knock.

She does, and I am shocked to see a long silky garment draped around her. She looks absolutely beautiful. I tell her so as she shuts the door. I am about to tell her that breakfast is nearly ready, when there is a knock on the door. Hannah opens it up and there is Bookem himself. He gasps when he sees Hannah in what, apparently, was his late wife’s ‘dress’. Hannah blushes and goes into the closet. Odd.

Bookem ushers me out of the room and into the hallway, on the way to the kitchen I scent another dragon. I bound ahead of Bookem and rush into the kitchen, growling. There I see an ice dragon, a species I had only heard of. It’s scales seem almost see through, a silver blue that would rival ice’s beauty. It’s eyes look almost evil, gleaming a red orange. And there are icicle like spikes protruding from the pointed head.

“Do not worry Shadowfall,” Bookem says, “This is my delivery dragon, Iceclaw. He is the only one who can survive the cold out there for long.” he turns to Iceclaw, “Iceclaw, I am going to need you to deliver some meat, whatever kind you dragons like, and some vegetables fit for your dear queen who is, in fact, who I am going to serve it to.”

“What? The queen is here? The legend of the boy is true?” Iceclaw demands in a thickly accented voice. He must be from the Walson mountains.

“Yes, to answer all of your questions is yes.” Bookem replies.

Iceclaw looks dumbfounded.

“Yeah, she’s been in my care for about the past moon or so.” I say, wanting to impress this dragon. “I found her stranded and alone and took her in.”

“Wow, you are going to be one important dragon you know that?”

Iceclaw says, giving me satisfaction.

“Yes he is,” Bookem breaks in, “Especially since he was the one who brought in the Dark Lord.”

“You caught the Dark Lord?” Iceclaw sounds disbelieving.

“Well, me and Hannah.” Then realizing that he did not know Hannah, I added, “The queen.”

“Our leader is going to be queen.” Iceclaw sounds disgusted, “A female.”

“Hey have you got something against Hannah?” I demand, wondering how, before he had even met her, he could not like the sweet soul that is now my best friend.

“Well, nothing personal…” Iceclaw begins.

“But she is a tad young.” Bookem finishes.

“Young!” Iceclaw exclaims, hushing his voice, “How young?”

“I don’t know, around ten or eleven I guess.” Bookem replies.”

“She is young but intelligent!” I say indignantly.

“Obviously not intelligent enough, because this conversation in no longer private.” Either I am imagining things or that is a threat.