Printed from https://writing.com/main/interactive-story/item_id/1631885-Fantasy-Tickling-Adventure/cid/2030087-Why-should-I-lift-so-much-as-a-claw-for-yo
“Troll spit.” You curse under your breath. “Because I can help you out of here. You scratch my back, I scratch yours, right? We can get outta here but we need each other.” The dragon remains motionless before snorting and rolling its eyes. “What do you want to be a prize to be gawked at? I thought dragons were free spirits. Did I get the one dragon in Zenith that wants to be a pet?”
The dragon snorts again with what you can only assume is disdain and a puff of smoke or steam, you can’t tell- you don’t remember if tickle dragons were fire breathers, billows from its nostrils and evaporates into the moonlit night. “You know nothing young human. I long since stopped caring where I was and who I was with.”
You slump back against a pole, stuck in the earth for gods know what reason and stare up into the night sky. Just your luck. An apathetic dragon. You look down at the chains that restrain your ankles and come to the same conclusion for the hundredth time. No chance- not on your own. Well that’s it then. Whatever borrowed time you’re living on will expire shortly. And then…
You try not to think about it and close your eyes as tears begin to well up.
“They took everything.”
You look across at the dragon as it stares at you. “Everything.” It says again. “They destroyed the nest. They slew my sire and my dam. They took my brother.” Its eyes darken and narrow. It occurs to you that this dragon must be younger than you thought. Or maybe tickle dragons spend longer as nestlings. But either way…
“You’re all alone in this world aren’t you?” You ask.
A mournful rumbling escapes the dragon in response to your question. “And why would you care human?”
You offer the dragon a sad smile before saying, “Because I'm alone too.” The dragon does its best to cock its head to one side as if in curious and urging you to go on. But you won’t. Not here. Not now.
‘Took my brother…’
A faint, stupid, crazy and unworkable notion works its way into your head. “Your brother? What was his name? Is he still alive?”
For a moment the dragon looks uncertain. Then, deciding that it wouldn’t hurt to share the information says, “Fenrir is alive. Of that much I’m sure. But the world is vast. And we are small.”
“What happened to the free spirit of the dragon the bards always sing about?” You ask. “You help me? I can make you a deal. Help me escape. Help me escape from these troll bags. And I’ll help you find him. No matter how far we have to go or how long it takes for us to get to him.”
Curious, the dragon examines you suspiciously. “And what do you get out of it?”
You smirk as if the answer were obvious. “Me? I never have to know what these flesh-mongers were going to do to me.” For a moment the dragon seems unsure- maybe it doesn’t believe you, afraid that once it cuts you lose you’ll bolt. “You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.” Once more the dragon snorts and once more a cloud rises from its nostrils. “Do we have a deal?”
Printed from https://writing.com/main/interactive-story/item_id/1631885-Fantasy-Tickling-Adventure/cid/2030087-Why-should-I-lift-so-much-as-a-claw-for-yo
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