Revelations: A dragon's tale

by jimbrony

Chapter Three

Ten years came and gone as the tribe lived their lives. Everything was the same as it had always been for tribe of bison. That is except that one of their tribesman was a baby dragon named Black Claw.

He had just started a growth spurt and was now came up to some full grown bison’s shoulders.

Timber Hoof, who was now a full grown bison, had helped raise him as much as possible. Black Claw and him were the closest of friends. Timber Hoof was like a big brother to Black Claw. He had taught him the way of the bison as if he was one of their own. When they were both younger Black Claw would follow Timber like his own shadow.

One day the tribe had set up camp near the White Tail Woods and Timber Hoof had gone to gather kindling, so naturally Black Claw did too. As they were walking Black Claw asked, “Timmy, where did I come from?” “You were given to me by a creature like yourself. Believe it or not, you started out as an egg.” “I know that. Everyone’s told me a thousand times of how I came to be. What I mean is who are my parents? Where are my parents? Why haven’t I seen more dragons like myself?”

“I wish I had the answers to those questions little brother,” Said Timber, “but I was never given any information on where you came from or who you’re parents are. I was just told to take you to my tribe and that you were to be a great gift.” Timber said smiling.

“Hey Timmy?” “Yes Black Claw?” “What did this other dragon look like?” asked Black Claw. Timber thought back to a decade ago to his chance meeting with the dragon. “Well to be perfectly honest, he looked exactly like you. Except he was extremely tall and lean muscled, towering over any creature I’ve ever seen and he had wings.” “Oh.” said Black Claw, “Do… do you think he might’ve been my father?” “He may have been. Although I can’t see why a father would want to abandon his young.”

Black Claw hung his head and sighed. Timber shoved Black Claw playfully with hoof, “Hey, hey enough of that. Lets get you back to the camp and I’ll see if maybe I can scrounge up some of those turquoise stones you seem to love so much.”

“Thanks, but I’m not that hungry.” Black Claw said still looking depressed. After a couple more minutes a loud growl could be heard from his stomach. Timber gave him a look and said, “Is that so?”

Black Claw blushed and said, “Well… maybe just a little bit.” They both laughed as they began to exit the woods.

They were almost back to the tribe when something caught Black Claw’s eye. A white bunny was hopping merrily towards the woods. Black Claw had seen hundreds of bunnies before, but for some reason this one looked different. This one looked… delectable.

He wasn’t even thinking as he started over towards the bunny, just walking at first and then jogging. Soon he was at a full sprint as fast as his small legs could take him. The bunny looked delicious and he had to have it.

“Black Claw what are you…” began Timber. Black Claw came to about 12 hands away from the bunny and leapt. He grabbed onto the bunny and it tried to get away thrashing about and making a high pitched cry.

Black Claw sunk his razor sharp teeth into the poor bunny and it stopped moving. Black Claw tasted tin and it was delicious. At this point Timber was awestruck by what he was witnessing.

CHOMP.

Black Claw was devouring the poor woodland creature bone and all. He was savoring every second of it.

CHOMP.

“Black Claw!” Timber yelled and made a mad dash towards him. He made it to him and swatted the little remains of the bunny that he had had in his claws. Timber turned Black Claw around getting ready to give him the scold of his life. What he saw horrified and sickened him.

The slits of Black Claw’s eyes had become narrower then usual. His face and claws were smeared with blood all the while he was still chewing. He swallowed and looked around for the remains. When he found them he made like mad towards them.

Timber leapt over him, standing between him and what was rest of the bunny. “WHAT HAS GOTTEN INTO YOU!!!? STOP THIS AT ONCE!!!” roared Timber while holding Black Claw back with a hoof. Black Claw tried to get past him and after he found that he couldn’t he bared his teeth and growled.

SMACK.

The force of blow made Black Claw hit the ground dazed. He was starting to black out when he heard the sound of a small stampede making its way towards them. The last thing he thought of before the darkness took him was how good that bunny had tasted.
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Black Claw came to inside a teepee. There were voices outside and he began to listen. “I knew he was going to do this! I predicted it a decade ago right before the little demon took my sight!” said Black Hoof. “Right now its small creatures, but what if he gets a craving for bison? What then?! Right now we can control him, but if he gets as big as the creature that you described he’ll rip us all to shreds!” said one of the tribesman. “It’s just a one time thing. When he wakes up I’ll have a talk with him and make sure he never does this again.” Said Timber.

“NO! It took him ten years to show his true colors, it might take another ten for him to do it again. We should exile him while he’s still small.” said a female tribesman. “No, we can’t do that.” said Black Hoof. There was a brief silence, everyone dumbstruck from the bison that was openly appalled by the dragon, now showing him mercy. “We need to tie a boulder to him and throw him down Ghastly Gorge. Then, if he survives the fall, he can’t find his way back after we’ve moved on.”

A chorus of approvals and hoof stomps were heard from outside the tent. Black Claw started to cry. Not because of what his fate might deal him, but because of his guilt.

He had killed that poor creature. Worse he had enjoyed it. He had savored the feeling of consuming it. Not just its meat, but its life. Now he felt remorse, more so than he ever had. Why had he done it? He was fine a second before, and then BOOM he was a completely different dragon.

Black Claw got up from the ground and made his way out of the teepee. He had stopped his crying and was ready to deal with his punishment, no matter how bad it may be.

As he stepped out of the tent none of the bison took notice of him. “I’m sorry.” he said. Still none of them noticed him, all of them still arguing with Timber about his punishment. He sucked in a gulp of air and yelled, “I’M SORRY!”

This time the crowd of bison stopped what they were saying and looked towards him. Timber looked at him with a look of concern. Some of the bison looked at him with faces of outrage. Black Hoof had a look of anger also, but he was actually looking over Black Claw, he hadn’t really figured out how tall Black Claw was yet. The rest of the bison’s faces hurt Black Claw the most though. They had faces of fear. He had scared the bison that had helped raise him and he couldn’t feel more horrible.

“Get the rope! We’ll tie him up and drag him to Ghastly Gorge tonight!” yelled Black Hoof. Some bison started to move immediately, trying to find some rope to bound the small dragon. “NO! Stop! He won’t do this again. Isn’t that right Black Claw.” Timber asked as he turned his head towards the black dragon.

Black Claw had his hung low and didn’t answer. He knew that if tasting meat made him feel this bad that he never would again, but something was stopping him from defending himself. He felt that he had done something wrong and needed to be punished for it. At the moment he hated himself and wanted any sort of justice he could find. The idea of being thrown down Ghastly Gorge sounded horrible to him, and if it killed him… well then it was a life for a life.

Timber and all the other bison took Black Claw’s silence for something else entirely than what was going through the young dragon’s head. They took it as a yes. A yes that he would continue to devour defenseless creatures. A yes that he would enjoy it. A yes that he would eventually move his way up to bison.

A bison grabbed Black Claw and began tying him. Black Hoof said, “Make sure to make the rope tight. We don’t want him to escap-” “Stop.” Said interrupted a leathery voice from behind the crowd. The word was very faint, but it held the most authority any of them had heard in months.

Flowing River made her way to Black Claw, the crowd parting for her. She had been bedridden for weeks, too weak to walk very far without any help. If Timber Hoof was like a big brother to Black Claw, then Flowing River was like a grandmother. She had always been there for him when he needed a shoulder to cry on. She had always slipped him a turquoise stone when Timber had said it would spoil his dinner usually saying something like, “You’re only this young once, you might as well enjoy it.”

Black Claw had raised his head to look at the ancient elder, tearing up as he watched her walk towards him with her raggedy old hips shaking.

She got six hands in front of Black Claw and said, “Untie him please.” “You can’t be serious River! What if he bites you too? You can’t take that right n-” “Shhh” said Flowing River, too weak to scold Black Hoof, one of her favorite past times for years now.

The bison that had started to tie Black Claw up had immediately untied him as soon as River had asked. Flowing River looked at Black Claw in the eyes for the first time that night. She had a smirk on her face and whispered, “Oh little one, what am I to do with you?” She gave a light chuckle and tears began to fall off of Black Claws face. “I enjoyed it, Flowing River.” Black Claw said choking up, “I killed that poor bunny and I didn’t feel anything but joy! Let Black Hoof do what he wants with me, but PLEASE don’t hate me.”

The wizened bison lightly cackled at that, “Young one, I couldn’t hate you. I love you.” She said smiling. Black Claw started crying and hugged Flowing River as tight as he thought he could without hurting her.

“How could you love something that killed another living thing, ferociously I might add, in cold hard blood?” Black Hoof asked.

Flowing River looked back at Black Hoof giving him a scornful look saying, “Black Hoof, I know you can’t see him, but he is a predator. He has sharp teeth and claws. This was bound to happen some day, and I’m glad it happened now instead of in the later when I won’t be able to help him.”

The whole tribe got a solemn look on their face. They all knew Flowing River’s time was coming, and fast with how she’s been acting. Black Claw though had no firm grasp on what death was. Yes he had taken the life of another living creature, but he didn’t even know that particular bunny existed till he happened to notice it and snapped. “What do you mean?” asked Black Claw.

Flowing River flashed him a smile and said, “You’ll know soon enough, Black Claw.” She looked towards the tribe, “Could one of you start a campfire?” asked Flowing River, “I want to talk to Black Claw, and I’d like it to be in a similar place to where I met him.”

Three bison started on the task immediately. “Black Claw, Timber? Could you help me over to the fire? I’m afraid I’ve grown weak from all this commotion.” They both helped her walk towards the fire, one on each side.

The fire was already ablaze when they got her set down. Timber sat on one side of her and Black Claw on the other. The rest of the tribe had already gathered around the campfire and were watching Flowing River intently.

“Come here, little dragon.” said Flowing River. Black Claw moved close enough for Flowing River to pull him against her with a foreleg. “Tell me what you feel right now Black Claw.” “I… I feel horrible. I took the life of an innocent creature and I didn’t feel bad about it till I’d woken up!” said Black Claw, “I don’t want to do it again, but it happened so suddenly that I wasn’t even thinking. I was… I was just doing.”

Flowing River didn’t say anything, still waiting for Black Claw to continue. “I’m so confused. I can’t explain why it happened at all and I’m scared. I’m scared that I’ll do it again or something worse! Please tell me what I should do?” Black Claw said looking at Flowing River.

Flowing River was looking into the fire as if she’d find Black Claw’s answer in it’s dancing flames. She turned towards Black Claw and looked at him like she was looking through him into his soul and said, “Inside all of us there are two wolves battling. There is a good wolf and an evil wolf. The evil wolf is greed, jealousy, anger, lies, and arrogance. The good wolf is laughter, kindness, honesty, loyalty, and generosity.”

Flowing River had stopped talking and was still looking at Black Claw. “Which one wins?” asked Black Claw.

The intensity in Flowing River’s eyes softened and she lightly smiled, “The one you feed.”

Black Claw gave a confused look towards the fire before his eyes widened with enlightenment. “I think I get it. The one you feed is the one you become! If you do bad things, then you’re feeding the evil wolf. If you do good things, then the good wolf takes over.” Black Claw said smiling.

“Is that what you meant Flowing River?” Black Claw asked.

Flowing River didn’t answer. The tribe had seen the life go from her eyes before she closed them right before Black Claw had asked his question. They had all been expecting it to happen soon, but not at such an inappropiate time. “Flowing River?” Black Claw asked looking at her face for guidance, but only finding the soft smile she donned in her last moments.

Timber had gotten up to try pull Black Claw aside and try to explain to him what was going on. Black Hoof had beaten him to the punch though. Having gotten up when he heard Flowing River take her last breath and made his way towards him. He felt for his scaly hide, and once he had found it, moved his hoof up to Black Claw’s shoulder and said, “She’s gone son.”

“What? No she isn’t she’s right, here.” Black Claw stated. Black Hoof sighed, “No boy, I mean she’s passed away. Dead.”

The last word hit Black Claw like a bolt of lightning and stunned him. He was silent for a moment and moved his hands to Flowing River’s body and lightly shook her, “He’s joking isn’t he Flowing River?” Black Claw said beginning to tear up, “Tell him you’re not dead!” He said as his voice to began to crack.

Timber finally moved over to Black Claw, gently picking him up, and putting the small dragon on his back. He carried him away from the crowd now surrounding Flowing River’s body.

The last thing the tribe heard of Black Claw that night was him crying on Timber’s back saying that he’d rather been thrown down Ghastly Gorge. This punishment was just too much.