A Dragon’s Time: Chapter 1

Chapter 1

In the secluded Timewing Cliff homes of Crisam, a raging storm was sweeping across the coast, blanketing the rocky cliffs with icy rain, and causing enormous waves to engulf the entire beach. Ed’an and his mother, Mrs. Time, were in a large alcove, with other rooms branching off from the main cave, waiting for Ed’an’s father to come home.

Ed’an has a black body with a sparkly blue chest and blue eyes. Ed’an’s mother has a black body with a sparkly purple chest and purple eyes. Ed’an’s father has a black body with a sparkly red chest and orangey-red eyes. 

Ed’an had been sitting, peering outside, gazing out into the tempest, watching the roaring waves, waiting for his father to return home for dinner. That morning, Ed’an and his mother had caught an enormous cow for them all to share. It was really rare to find such big prey because ever since the hivewing queen and her minions took almost all the land of Crisam all to themselves.

Her subjects had been ravaging all of the resources of Crisam and making it almost impossible to find food, much less go outside, for the fear of being caught by some hivewings, and be dragged of to face judgement of their royal court, for, as much as everyone could tell, “trespassing on Hivewing territory.”

So the last of the Timewing civilization have been forced to the outskirts of Crisam, fighting to keep the Timewing Cliffs a secret.

There used to be other kinds of dragons, but they weren’t so lucky, and were wiped out by the hivewings. It was so long ago that no one remembers what they were called. 

Except the Flarewings. The Flarewings were the most advanced dragons, and the best flyers of any tribe. They lived high atop Flaritause mountain. They were the holders of prophecy, ancient artifacts and their special army strategy. They could take out any force.

But when the hivewings came to Crisam, the Flarewings were wiped out, brutally slaughtered by the best Hivewing fighters, their mountain taken by the Hivewings, and it had been getting harder and harder to get resources ever since. It had been a mystery why they had been wiped out. A murder of even a single Flarewing killed by another kind of dragon had never happened before. Ed’an was educated. He knew how to read and write; he knew the history very well because of all the history scrolls and maps they had. He always loved when his mother would tell him the story of the wisps. They didn’t do it around his father though because when they did he would ramble on about how the wisps weren’t real and how the “real” history went. He always ignored him, rolling his eyes. But when his mother would tell the story of the wisps, Flarewings and when Crizam was in peace and the Hivewings hadn’t gotten there yet, he would drink in the words and close his eyes imagining what it would be like to feel grass, see the blue sky instead of a thick overhang of clouds always looking like it was going to rain, and actually have food for once.

Ed’an was so excited that they would have a proper dinner and would eat well tonight. Ed’an turned away from the cave entrance just as his father flew into the warm, rain scented cave tinged with the smell of rotting seaweed. He shook himself like a wet bird while he walked into the cave, scattering water droplets all over the floor.

“Hey Dad, look what me and Mom caught for dinner,” Ed’an said, puffing his chest out proudly.

“Hmm? oh yeah, cool,” Ed’an’s father said, not looking at the oversized prey.

“Well? Come and eat,” Mrs. Time said commandingly.

Mr. Time looked as if he had some kind of oil, or ink on him. Ed’an didn’t want to ask. He looked like he had a long day.

They all gathered around the carved stone table in the middle of the main cave, and bowed their heads saying a silent prayer to the elders for giving them something they could be excited about. They weren’t used to eating this much, usually there was enough food for only one of them to eat the whole day. There were all skin and bones.

They started to eat the humongous cow, becoming satisfied when they realized that they could eat until they were full. When they were, with about a third of it left, they shared the rest of the cow with the small community of dragons, giving a piece of it to even the smallest dragonets. Ed’an didn’t have any friends because Ed’an was afraid his father would disagree with his choices.                               

Ed’an was very satisfied with how much food he had eaten. “Ed’an, time to go to bed now. Me and your mother have something to discuss,” Ed’ans father said.

“Awwww, why? Can I pleeease stay up?” Ed’an whined.

“No. It’s already late, and we are going out early to hunt tomorrow,” Ed’ans father said.

“Okay…” Ed’ans head hung as he walked over to his sleeping cave, but as soon as he heard some mumbling in his parent’s cave, he decided that he wanted to spy on his parents, and stood at the entrance to the cave where they were.

“WHAT!?” Mrs.Time shouted, half trying to be quiet, so Ed’an didn’t hear what they were saying.

“Yeah. It’s almost finished. I’ll need a test subject soon,” Mr.time said eagerly, tapping his claws on the stone beneath him.

Mrs.Time’s eyes opened wide.

Ed’an didn’t understand. Test subject? For what? he thought, not sure that he wanted to know the answer to that question.