Lawrence Blackbart
Drifting high in the sky, casting a shadow that caused all the creatures of the forest to cower away with sheer terror, Dometis simply idly flapped his wings. His muscles burned and strained after several days of endless, restless travel. His mind clouded over, thoughts randomly appearing and fading. Unable to hold a single thought for more than a few minutes, he started to lose concentration and flap clumsily. His eyelids felt heavy, drooping, drifting closed, the effort to reopen them increasing by the blink. His movement’s clumsy, flaps becoming smaller and smaller until he was practically gliding.
SCRREEEEEECCHHH!
His eyes shot open, realising ting too late that he was just skimming the canopy of the forest. He couldn’t flap for fear of a wing snagging on a branch. Time was critical. He had to act fast. He gulped and cursed for getting himself into this mess. He flared his wings, killing his air speed. Almost stalling, he folded his wings, tucking them close to his body. Knowing what was to come, he braced for impact with the ground and trees. He crashed through the canopy, smashing leaves and snapping branches like twigs. Once through the canopy, Dometis realised just how ancient this forest was. The trees towered well above him, perhaps even taller than he was snout to tip, perhaps double or more! Suddenly a clearing of sorts opened up, not huge and flat with nothing in the way, but rather a small narrow area littered with smaller trees. An ancient tree had fallen, taking several surrounding saplings with it. He decided to make the most of the situation. Titling his tucked wings up just enough for them to be effective enough to brake and slow him down. He dared not unfold them completely, as they would surely crash into the surrounding trees, possibly breaking the bone.
Perhaps he would have landed upright and on his paws, if it wasn't for his lack of energy. Instead, his huge, heavy tail hit the ground, and he bounced around painfully. He listed to the right, and his front right leg caught on a small tree he hadn’t noticed and he went tumbling tail over horns, ending up in a huge cloud of dirt, dust, and leaves. Once the debris had settled and the air cleared, all one could see was a large jumbled mess of a dragon. The entire scene may have been quite comical to an observer, but to Dometis, it was a serious matter. The dragon just sighed, too tired to untangle himself. He was hurting all over; however, thankfully, nothing felt broken or seriously injured. His eyes slowly drifting to a close, he fell into blackness.
Dometis awoke late the next morning, an enormous pain in his neck. A cramp, but he had expected that, given the awkward angle he slept on. He untangled himself and rolled over onto his belly. He enjoyed feeling the forest floor under his paws and between his talons, a feeling he hadn’t felt for the past few days. He got up and arched his back, unfolded his wings, stretched his front paws out in front of him as far as they could go, raised his tail over his head, like a scorpion ready to attack, extending his neck and rolling from side to side, working the cramp out. As he stretched he roared with satisfaction and pleasure of muscles stretched and ready. Finished stretching, he readied himself for a flight. He aligned himself perpendicular to the length of the fallen ancient tree. He didn't normally do vertical take offs, but he had no other option. He flapped hard a few times and jumped into the air and flapped hard and fast, and he began to rise. Once clear, he angled his wings to add forward thrust, and he flew off in search of food.
He really needed food. During his trip, all he had had to eat was the occasional bird that got a little too close. This was, however, not nearly enough to satisfy his dragon sized appetite. He flew fast and low, every single one of his senses on full alert for anything that would provide a decent meal. Something wafted across his nose. It smelt like food. He angled himself so he would be flying toward it. Unable to make the smell out, he continued on in search for the thing.
Seeing what he had been chasing, he sighed and dismissed it. A tiny little rabbit bounded along, not even worth lowering his altitude for.
Then, a flash! Something caught his eye. He banked hard left, to catch up with the thing. He caught sight of it again and glided silently, so as not to alert it to his presence. This one was entering the final few minutes of its life. The thing he was stalking was a fully grown stag, and this one looked plump. Dometis's maw watered as he pictured himself tucking into such a delightful meal. He pushed those thought out of his mind, saying to himself "Concentrate now. You've got to catch the thing first"
It would be all too easy to let rip with a jet of flame, but that would also probably burn down the forest. Something he didn't want, so he glided along, silently, stalking his prey, waiting for the right moment. He chuckled to himself "And so the hunt begins"
SCRREEEEEECCHHH!
His eyes shot open, realising ting too late that he was just skimming the canopy of the forest. He couldn’t flap for fear of a wing snagging on a branch. Time was critical. He had to act fast. He gulped and cursed for getting himself into this mess. He flared his wings, killing his air speed. Almost stalling, he folded his wings, tucking them close to his body. Knowing what was to come, he braced for impact with the ground and trees. He crashed through the canopy, smashing leaves and snapping branches like twigs. Once through the canopy, Dometis realised just how ancient this forest was. The trees towered well above him, perhaps even taller than he was snout to tip, perhaps double or more! Suddenly a clearing of sorts opened up, not huge and flat with nothing in the way, but rather a small narrow area littered with smaller trees. An ancient tree had fallen, taking several surrounding saplings with it. He decided to make the most of the situation. Titling his tucked wings up just enough for them to be effective enough to brake and slow him down. He dared not unfold them completely, as they would surely crash into the surrounding trees, possibly breaking the bone.
Perhaps he would have landed upright and on his paws, if it wasn't for his lack of energy. Instead, his huge, heavy tail hit the ground, and he bounced around painfully. He listed to the right, and his front right leg caught on a small tree he hadn’t noticed and he went tumbling tail over horns, ending up in a huge cloud of dirt, dust, and leaves. Once the debris had settled and the air cleared, all one could see was a large jumbled mess of a dragon. The entire scene may have been quite comical to an observer, but to Dometis, it was a serious matter. The dragon just sighed, too tired to untangle himself. He was hurting all over; however, thankfully, nothing felt broken or seriously injured. His eyes slowly drifting to a close, he fell into blackness.
Dometis awoke late the next morning, an enormous pain in his neck. A cramp, but he had expected that, given the awkward angle he slept on. He untangled himself and rolled over onto his belly. He enjoyed feeling the forest floor under his paws and between his talons, a feeling he hadn’t felt for the past few days. He got up and arched his back, unfolded his wings, stretched his front paws out in front of him as far as they could go, raised his tail over his head, like a scorpion ready to attack, extending his neck and rolling from side to side, working the cramp out. As he stretched he roared with satisfaction and pleasure of muscles stretched and ready. Finished stretching, he readied himself for a flight. He aligned himself perpendicular to the length of the fallen ancient tree. He didn't normally do vertical take offs, but he had no other option. He flapped hard a few times and jumped into the air and flapped hard and fast, and he began to rise. Once clear, he angled his wings to add forward thrust, and he flew off in search of food.
He really needed food. During his trip, all he had had to eat was the occasional bird that got a little too close. This was, however, not nearly enough to satisfy his dragon sized appetite. He flew fast and low, every single one of his senses on full alert for anything that would provide a decent meal. Something wafted across his nose. It smelt like food. He angled himself so he would be flying toward it. Unable to make the smell out, he continued on in search for the thing.
Seeing what he had been chasing, he sighed and dismissed it. A tiny little rabbit bounded along, not even worth lowering his altitude for.
Then, a flash! Something caught his eye. He banked hard left, to catch up with the thing. He caught sight of it again and glided silently, so as not to alert it to his presence. This one was entering the final few minutes of its life. The thing he was stalking was a fully grown stag, and this one looked plump. Dometis's maw watered as he pictured himself tucking into such a delightful meal. He pushed those thought out of his mind, saying to himself "Concentrate now. You've got to catch the thing first"
It would be all too easy to let rip with a jet of flame, but that would also probably burn down the forest. Something he didn't want, so he glided along, silently, stalking his prey, waiting for the right moment. He chuckled to himself "And so the hunt begins"