The Deadliest Viper

Chapter I

Gingko's first memory was of darkness. She writhed, but something was holding her. She tried to scratch at that something, but the hard stone that she hit did not react. Gingko did not know that she was being kidnapped in her egg, stolen from her mother's grasp. She did not know that she was about to be presented to the SandWing Queen, as a gift. She did not know her father was dead. She did not yet know her own power. All she knew was that she didn't like it.

Gingko lashed her tail, and her tail barb hit home. There was a loud crack, as she was dropped onto something soft. She cried out, but no one responded. She did not know she just hatched from her egg. She did not even have a chance to open her eyes, when she picked up again and this time she could not move at all, except for her breathing.  She was kept in silence for a long time until she was again thrown onto something soft -  Gingko did not yet know it was sand. 

She blinked open her eyes. Before her stood a giant dragon, towering over her. She flattened her wings against herself, making her look smaller. Gingko did not know that this was the queen of the SandWings, Queen Sphinx. Next to the gigantic queen stood a small dragon, about twice as big as her, but still small. That was Princess Serengeti, Queen Sphinx's only daughter.

"So," Queen Sphinx's voice boomed through the room. "This is a SandWing-RainWing hybrid? Looks purely SandWing to me." She glided down her throne, looming over poor, terrified Gingko. "Komodo," she called to a big SandWing nearby, apparently her guard. "Take this dragonet to the dungeons." She swished her tail. "Half-tribe dragons can never be trusted."

Gingko did not know what the queen was talking about. She did not yet know how to speak, but the way Queen Sphinx said the word 'dungeon' she suspected it would be something bad. And so she fought back. 

Komodo started to trot over to her but abruptly stopped. Everyone in the room had puzzled or frightened faces. Gingko did not know that she just turned invisible. Anyhow, she took this as an opportunity, and she lunged toward the Queen Sphinx, digging her talons into the flesh. The queen was taken by surprise, as she did not expect this tiny dragonet to attack her. But the shock was only for a split second. Queen Sphinx collapsed, her eyes glazed, and was on the ground dead.

There was silence for a moment. Then in a flurry of wings and talons, nearly every SandWing fled, all except Princess Serengeti and some guards. She was standing over her mother's dead body, and instead of grief, excitement shone in her eyes. But she too was also frightened of Gingko's power. 

"Guards," she shrieked. "Banish this dragonet from the Kingdom of Sand at once!" Before Gingko knew what was happening, two bulky dragons bounded forward, grabbed her wings, and carried her out. She tried to bite at them, but she was carried at too far of a distance. She was then thrown away, and she heard doors slam shut behind her. She began to cry out, looking for anyone who would help her. 

A patter of wingbeats came toward her. Gingko fell silent, her ears straining to hear what it was. The sand in front of her shifted, but there was nothing that she could see. Suddenly, a dragon solidified out of thin air, causing her to jump in alarm. Without realizing what she was doing, she turned invisible again, but the strange dragon seemed calm. 

"Gingko," the dragon called. "I'm your mother!" Gingko did not know what the word 'mother meant, but it sounded so soothing, that she turned visible again. She trotted over to the dragon's side. "Mama?" she whispered, snuggling into the dragon's warm belly.

"That's right," the dragon murmured back. "I'm Buttercup, your mother, little one..." She looked down at her dragonet. "Come on," she urged. "Let's go home." And so they took to the sky, flying to the rainforest. However, none of them were aware of Gingko's power.