Unicorn Lost

Presents

O	"Oh, great!" Kathy grumbled as she braced her hooves against Stan's fingers, "Another dragon!"

Stan's eyes burned and he glared at the newcomer. "WHO ARE YOU TO DARE CHALLENGE ME?!" he bellowed, making small rocks slip loose from the canyon walls.

The strange dragon, its scales shimmering like burnished brass, slipped behind a weathered pinnacle of stone. "THOU SHALT NOT PASS!!!" it thundered back, in a strangely feminine-sounding voice.

Kathy felt Stan's claws closing around her as he retorted, "I AM THE MASTER HERE!! I SHALL PASS!!"

The strange brazen dragon moved a little further, but kept itself half-concealed at all times. "YOU ARE NOT EVEN THE MASTER OF YOUR OWN DESTINY!" it hissed.

Stan blinked, and seemed to wince in pain.

"WHY DO YOU SLAVE FOR A MERE OGRE?!" the brazen dragon went on. Its odd intonations sounded like a very old man, or a woman, or a child pretending to be full-grown. "WHAT POWER HAS THIS WRETCH OVER THEE THAT YOU CAPTURE THOSE OF THE ELDER RACE?!"

Stan swallowed hard, and a gobbet of spit tumbled from his jaws and plummeted hissing to the ground.

"ARE YOU A COWARD, THEN?" the brazen dragon continued mercilessly. "HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THE TENETS OF OUR ANCIENT CREED?"

Stan seemed to tremble. His wings rustled like those of an unhappy bird.

"ARE YOU A TRAITOR, THEN?" the mysterious dragon demanded, as it peered at the Red Dragon from behind its rock.

"I AM NOT A TRAITOR!!!" Stan exploded. "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO QUESTION ME! I AM THE GUARDIAN OF THE BARREN NORTHLANDS! I HAVE KEPT THIS LAND SAFE FROM HARM FOR A THOUSAND YEARS!!"

"YOU ARE A TREE THAT ROTS FROM WITHIN," the brazen dragon sneered, "AND LIKE A ROTTEN TREE, SHALL FALL!"

Kathy felt the heat of Stan's gorge as the Red Dragon heaved a furious breath, "I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!" he roared, "BUT I'LL MAKE YOU EAT THOSE WORDS--AND THEN I'LL EAT YOU!!"

The Red Dragon looked down at his captive, cupped in his scaley paws. "Listen," he told her, "I have to go settle this chap's account. I'm going to set you down here on this pinnacle. You've got to promise me you won't do anything--you know, stupid...like try to run away, or anything."

Kathy sat in his paws like a kitten and blinked her blue eyes up at him. "Who, me? Run away?" she repeated in an innocent, breathy voice.

Stan cocked his head and pursed his leathery lips. "I wouldn't want you getting hurt," he told her, "When two dragons rumble; things...get hurt. It's not just for the M...the Ogre that I want to keep you safe. I feel...kind of responsible for you...you being so fragile and all."

"I'm tougher than you think," Kathy said.

"Just PROMISE you won't run away," Stan insisted.

Kathy glanced over her shoulder at the lurking brazen beast in the rocks. Then she peered over the side of Stan's thumb, at the tiny can of haggis far below. "I promise," she stated most sincerely.

"Good," said Stan, with a toothy smile.

"I HAVEN'T GOT ALL DAY, YOU COWARD!!!" screamed the brazen dragon.

"KEEP YOUR SCALES ON!! I'M COMING!!!" Stan roared back. Then, with infinite delicacy, he set Kathy down on a plateau of stone barely large enough for her to turn around. The top of this natural pedestal was almost level with the dragon's eyes. "There," he said. "You should be safe here til I get back."

"Whoa! Hold on!" Kathy shouted as the dragon turned away. The Red Dragon snaked his neck to look at her between his wings. She looked over the side. "Not to be a pessimist, but...what if you lose?" she wondered nervously. "How can I get down?"

Stan looked indignant. "I won't lose!" he assured her. Then he pulled all the spines on his neck and back erect, dropped to all fours and charged the brazen stranger.

-page oo47-
written by Nightstar.

Copyright and Credit:
  · Florence from "Freefall" © Mark Stanley.
  · Magic Gardener © Hortmage.
  · Jeanette © Jeanette Isabelle.
  · Kathy from "Carry On" © Kathy Garrison.
  · Kamida © Guest #1.
  · ToraKiyoshi - Writer.
  · Tiger_T. - Writer.
  · White Pony from "Cross Time Cafe" © S.Kidwell.
Return to Top of Page