Dragon's Isolation - Miranda Martin Page 0,15
to the bivo.
It roars back and charges. I don’t wait for its approach, I run for it too. I cock my fist back, and when it’s in range I swing, punching for its forehead. My fist glances off the hard bone of its skull, and the alpha slams into me. The wind rushes out of me, and I’m knocked backwards, flying through the air.
CRACK!
I hit the stone wall of the enclosure. Stars dance in my head, and the bijass swells, primal instincts taking over. The alpha backs up, pawing the ground and snorting, preparing for another charge.
It runs, thundering forward, so I roll to one side.
It hits the wall with a resounding force, the tusks and horns scraping against the stone. I grab the horns and twist, forcing its head to one side. It fights against me and I roar, accepting its challenge.
It twists its head back and forth and I lose my grip. It runs away, putting distance between us. The herd it’s protecting huddles on the far side of the large enclosure, docilely awaiting the outcome.
Shaking my head I try to clear the stars still dancing in my vision. The fog over my thoughts leaves me seeing red as they slowly pass. The alpha paws the ground, preparing a fresh charge.
A smile spreads across my face. A challenge. An opponent to be vanquished.
“Get out of there!” the human male yells, but I ignore him.
He is weak. I’m the dominant male by far.
The alpha charges, and I run too. The ground rumbles as we race towards one another, the distance closing fast. The bivo’s head grows larger and larger, dominating my vision. It lowers its head and when it does, I leap.
With my wings spreading, I glide up and over the top of its head. As I pass above it, I slam the thick part of my tail between its eyes. There’s a loud crack, a mewl, and the alpha drops.
I close my wings and drop on top of it. I place my foot on it and roar to the suns above challenging one and all. None can stand against me. I am the dominant predator of Tajss.
Inside the raging storm of the bijass I see myself acting, but I can’t stop myself. I exert myself, fighting to take control, and at last, I’m able to push the fog down. Mentally I climb out of the bijass.
The human male appears on the far side of the wall as the bivo herd moves closer, mewling in acceptance of their new alpha. The human male stares with his jaw slack and eyes wide.
“Are you okay?” he asks.
Shaking my head to clear the last of the fog away, I try to answer, but the words don’t come out. I know words, there is one I should say but I can’t recall it. I snap my mouth shut and nod instead. Words. What are the words?
Oh!
“Fine,” I say, walking towards him.
Something has changed. Something is missing but I can’t put my finger on what. There’s an emptiness in my thoughts that resonates deep in my soul, but whatever it is, I can’t remember, and it doesn’t seem that important, really.
“That was incredible,” the human male says.
“Who are you?” I ask.
The frown on his face and the way he works his mouth makes me think I’ve said something wrong. He finally shakes his head.
“I’m Al,” he says. “You know me, Shidan. Why are you acting like you don’t?”
“Of course I do,” I say, but the name means nothing to me. The emptiness in my thoughts pulses like maybe I should know him.
My scales itch and I can’t stand the way he’s looking at me, so I jump the wall and walk closer to him.
“Woah!” he says, holding his hands up. “Don’t forget the quarantine. We have to keep our distance.”
“Right,” I say, but I have no idea what he’s talking about.
Amara. Malcolm. My mate and my child. Images of them drift to the forefront of my thoughts. I need to get back to them. They are mine to protect. I don’t know why I’m out here without them, but a male should never leave his mate unprotected. It isn’t wise.
“I can finish here if you want,” Al says.
I stare at him trying to decide what he means. What is it he wants to finish here? I look around and there is no meat to butcher, no hides to tan. There is nothing but this strange wall of harvested stone penning in a herd of