Crowned By Fire

Chapter 1 - Ravena

Light shone through the spots where the tree cover thinned, making the beaten-down path look like brown granite. Bird song carried on the wind, the melody was as playful as the birds themselves. The river beside the trail lazily flowed over smooth river rocks. I crouched behind a tree and eyed the doe I had been following for the entire afternoon. The ground started to shake and I looked down to the ground to see pebbles bouncing and shaking like girls dancing in the street.

The deer's head shot up and she bolted. I tried my best to shoot her with my bow while she ran away, but I missed and hit the tree beside her. Something big and fluffy tackled me from behind.

"Fafnir! I told you to stay at home! You scared away our dinner," I scolded the dragon. He sat back and let me up off the ground, grooming his sunset-red fur. My hunting tunic was dusty. I tried my best to wipe away the dirt, but my attempt was fruitless.

The dragon was a sight to behold. His red fur seemed to glow in the waning sunlight. His shiny white claws dug into the soft brown dirt. The leathery part of his wings glittered and sparkled, and his white horns reflected beams of light.

Fafnir looked into my eyes, his gaze filled with sadness. I shouldered my bow and tugged the arrow out of the tree. He started to walk away, but I hopped onto his back. Fafnir turned his neck and stared at me in confusion.

"Well, since you scared the doe away, I think it's only fair that you find food so we don't starve tonight."

The dragon slumped and begrudgingly lowered his snout to the ground so he could sniff the soil. His long, furred ears rotated like an owl trying to find a mouse in the underbrush. Fafnir tensed underneath me, signaling he had the trail. His wings unfurled and we launched into the sky.

The thrill of flying always caught me off guard like I was in the sky for the first time again. The wind whipped at my face and tossed my hair around like seaweed in a tsunami. The clouds dampened my clothes like I was standing in a drizzling rain.

Fafnir looked back at me and his mouth curved into something that resembled a grin. I giggled as he dove to the ground, spreading his wings at the last moment. I landed and my gaze immediately fell on the doe.

She looked nervous, seemed skittish, and sounded terrified. I couldn't blame her, she was just scared half to death a few minutes ago. I almost felt sorry for the poor beast as I quietly pulled my bow from my shoulder and grabbed my lucky arrow out of the quiver at my side. I slide the arrow with the red and black feather fletchings into place and raise the weapon. I place my thumb at the corner of my mouth and aim at the doe. She looked down at the ground and started nibbling at the grass, and gave me the perfect shot at the sweet spot just behind her shoulder.

Thwack!

The string slips from my fingers and the arrow flies through the air like a falcon let loose from a cage. It hits the sweet spot. The doe lets out a cry and thuds on the ground. I smirk and slide off of Fafnir, then walk over to the limp carcass.

I quickly gut the deer, my least favorite part of the process. Pulling put the organs and getting blood all over my hands was not appealing, to anyone. After I wipe my hands of with a strip of cloth, I place it on my dragon's back and jump on in front of it. Fafnir jumped into the air and we soared through the sky until I spotted the mountain. Near the top, there was a dark spot and Fafnir lined himself up to land on the ledge. His claws made little ticking sounds as they hit the cold, hard rock. I patted his neck and dropped off of his back, pulling the deer carcass with me. Dragging the doe across the rock leaving a trail of blood, I make my way up to where the fire pit is built.

"Ravena! You're back, I was starting to think that the wild boars had gotten you,"

I turn and see Vivalda jogging toward me, followed by her purple dragon, Haku. Viv's long black hair was braided in the back, with purple flowers woven throughout. Her shed dragon scale chest gaurd shined over top of the faded umber of her tunic. I pull her into a hug by her waist and smile.