The Divide

"I was

reaching because you were staring like you were going to eat me." Terrin said defensively

"Eat you?" The dragon looked liked it was surprised. "You wouldn't even prove to be an appetizer." The dragon laughed in Terrin's head. Terrin swallowed roughly.

"Well leave then." Terrin's hand still hovered over his sword. The dragon squinted at Terrin before raising its 'arms' an spreading its wings. He raised his tail an straightened up on its hind legs so it was nearly standing erect. It slammed its tail on the ground and pushed off with its legs. It flapped its wings several times but it's eyes opened wide in shock.

It hovered for a moment an made it only a few feet before it screeched an fell to the ground. He hissed and raised his right wing. A long cut run from almost the bone that served as his arms all the way down until it almost split the wing in half.

"My wing! You retched creature!" The dragon

hissed and turned to face Terrin

again. It opened its mouth and revealed a row of large, LARGE, teeth.

Terrin picked up his sword and stood in a position where he could fight.

"It was an accident, I was a little busy falling from the top of a cliff to notice where my sword was going!" Terrin yelled at him.

"What were you doing anyways? Last time I checked humans can't fly!" The dragon shouted back at him in Terrin's head.

"Oh we cant? Gee I wish someone had told me that!" Terrin said sarcasticly. Silenced passed between the two a moment but neither stopped their menacing stances.

Finally the dragon relaxed.

"There's no point in fighting, it will only add to our troubles." The dragon said quietly.

"Fine." Terrin put away his sword.

"Now how do I get back home?" Terrin asked the large reptile. The dragon looked up at him with an almost shocked expression on his face.

"There is no way up to the human lands other then flying." The dragon said, as if Terrin should know this.

"Look, I'm Prince Terrin. I'm kind of a big deal up there and if you don't get me back

up there then there is going to be a problem."

Terrin said.

"No you look, I'm Zantoranzin, and I can't fly. So your not getting back up there." The dragon motioned his head up the cliff.

Terrin sighed and plopped down on the ground again. He laid his head in his hands and sighed.

"What am I going to do? My uncle is probably telling my father some lie about me falling over the cliff and into the claws of one of your kind." Terrin muttered. The dragon made a scoffing

sound that wasn't in Terrins head. He

didn't know dragons could scoff.

"You think you're the only one with problems? Look at my wing. I can't fly. If I can't fly I can't hunt, if I can't hunt I don't eat, if I don't eat then I die. Kind of like you humans." The dragon, Zantoranzin, said inside Terrins head. Terrin hadn't thought of the damage he'd done to the dragon.

"Don't you just

breathe fire on stuff?" Terrin asked.

"How often does stuff hold still while you burn it alive?" Zantoranzin squinted his eyes in annoyance at Terrin. Terrin hadn't thought about that.

The dragon fell back on his haunches and Terrin thought it looked kind of funny, a dragon falling to the ground exactly as he had.

"There is a path up to the humans land. But it's far. And you would never make it." Zantoranzin said.

"Where is it?" Terrin jumped at the chance, any chance.

"To the east. Along the coast line." Zantoranzin said.

"No there isn't. The divide goes all the way out a good distance into sea." Terrin said.

"Yes, but there is a series of very small islands that go around the cliff and over to the humans side. But again, you could never make it." Zantoranzin said.

"How do you know what I can and can't do?" Terrin stood and glared at the dragon. Zantoranzin stood and stretched his long neck so he was looking down at Terrin.

"I know you can't because it's at least a weeks walk from here. And the islands are too far apart for you to swim to, AND on the way there, as well as on the islands themselves, there are dangerous things that that sword couldn't protect you from." Zantoranzin said.

Terrin tried to

object but could think of no objection. He sat again dejectedly on the ground. Silence came between them again and soon Zantoranzin stood.

"I must see if I can make it to the lava pits." He began walking but looked very uncomfortable and awkward doing so.

Terrin felt almost lonely, knowing he was leaving. "Well I have to try and make it across the islands." He said trying to show the beast he was not helpless. The dragon turned and looked at him for a moment.

"I wish you luck, human." Zantoranzin said and turned back towards the west and headed towards the lava pits.

Terrin began walking towards, what he knew to be, the east.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'God-forsaken uncle. God-forsaken dragon, god-forsaken rock!" he thought as he walked and kicked a rock that dared be in his path.

He had been walking for hours and felt like he had only traveled an inch. He kept his sword drawn and occasionally heard things stalking him in the dense

jungle-like swamps. He stuck close to the wall

of the cliff and used it for guidance.

He couldn't even see the coast from where he was and knew the dragon had been right. It would take him days to get there and by then his uncle would have already had the throne, if he planned on doing what Terrin thought he would be doing.

He heard a rustling in the trees nearest him. He

turned and brought his sword up and

prepared to strike. Glowing yellow eyes peered at him from the leaves at the top of the tree. He swallowed his fear and gripped his sword tighter ready to fight off anything that drew closer to him.

A loud screech pierced the still air and Terrin screamed as the beast came towards him

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Zantoranzin walked along and sulked. He was hungry and was trying to hunt when that human had fallen on him. He stopped and lifted his wing and glanced at it. The wound had stopped bleeding but it would take a long time to heal. He growled a sigh and kept

walking.

He heard things in the swamps next to him but did nothing. He knew nothing would be so foolish as to attack a red dragon, even an injured one.

The part of his wings that he used to support his weight while walking were already sore. He groaned and sat down. He would never make it to the lava pits at this pace. He felt lonesome and his 'arms' hurt. He stood again and was about to start walking when he heard a shriek. He turned his head and thought he heard a humans scream. He rolled his eyes.

"The foolish human hatchling has already gotten himself in trouble." He said to himself. He began walking and he heard another screech.

'It sounds like a harpy....' he thought to himself. 'He would never be able to fight one off. And they usually come in pairs.'

He hesitated a moment longer before turning and running as best as he could towards the sounds of the fight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The creature tried to scratch at Terrins eyes with its long bird-like talons. It missed when he rolled away and used its feathered arms to circle around for another swipe. Terrin took the opportunity to run back the way he had come. He dropped his sword and felt relieved when the excess weight had gone. He dashed as fast as he could hoping to out run the creature.

Zantoranzin ran as fast as his body would allow.

'I am not built for running!' he thought to himself. He gave a small jump and flapped his wings as best as he could. He glided a short distance and then fell back to the ground. He tried again and when he 'landed' this time he landed on his hind

legs. He began doing small frog-like

jumps that were slower then flying but faster then running.

Terrin ducked his head as the creature tried to rip it off his shoulders. She screeched again and extended the razor sharp talons out. They grazed the spot where neck met shoulder and he could feel blood dripping. He looked back and saw she still chased him. He turned forward only to see the large red lizard, Zantoranzin, right in front

of him. He stopped and nearly ran into

the great beasts 'arms'.

Zantoranzin drew in a breath and the bird-woman stopped and tried to turn. Zantoranzin dug his claws into the ground and exhaled, sending out a large wave of flame. Terrin could feel the blazing heat that the fire above him produced. He was glad he was as close to the dragon as he was, where the flame could not reach him. The bird-woman screeched and tried to flap

away. Terrin smelled her feathers

burning and saw much of the skin and feathers on her back had burned away. She did manage to get into the swamps before Zantoranzin could pursue her.

Zantoranzin closed his mouth and smoke leaked from the sides and out his nose. He snorted and a large puff of smoke came out of his nose.

"Good riddance. Awful creatures, those harpies." He said in Terrins head. Terrin sighed and plopped down on the ground for what seemed like the thousandth time that day.

"I'll never make it to the islands." he said.

"If its any consolation to you human I will never make it to the lava pits." Zantoranzin said, sitting in the same place he had been when he singed the harpy, but was now looking at Terrin.

"Stop calling me human, My name is Prince Terrin." Terrin said. He looked up at the beast and realized he wasn't a prince to him. "You can call me Terrin." He grumbled.

"And you may call me Zan." He replied. "I will make you a deal, Hu-....er...Terrin." He

corrected himself.

"I will help you get to the islands if you can help me catch food, by the time you get home my wing should be healed enough to fly." Zan propositioned. Terrin looked at the beast. His large maw filled with teeth and his sturdy tail. Even the single finger-talon on his bat-like wings were wickedly sharp. He would have no problem defending himself and Terrin. But he would

have a problem sneaking up on prey. He

wasn't exactly sneaky when he walked.

"Fine." Terrin rose. "But we leave now." Terrin walked in the direction he had been running from and heard the dragon fall into step behind him. There wasn't enough room between the edge of the swamp and the edge of the cliff for them to walk side by side and Terrin was glad for that. He didn't want to have to look at the monster he needed help from.

Zan decided not to mention his hunger for now and give Terrin time to think.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun had set several hours ago and Terrin knew he should stop and rest but he couldn't, he had to get back to his land. Zan's footsteps behind him were heavier and slower and he knew the dragon was tiring too.

"We might as well stop here for the night, it's as good as any spot." Terrin

finally said, when they reached a part

of the cliff that had made a small dome. The dragon stooped low and crawled inside. He curled around so he was in a crescent shape that still left room for Terrin. Terrin walked towards the swamp instead of the cave. Zan looked up and watched him curiously. Terrin gathered a decent amount of sticks and twigs that had fallen from the trees and brought them back to the small cave. He set them a good distance away from where the two would sleep and looked at Zan expectantly.

"Could you give me a hand here?" Terrin gestured to the sticks.

"Why do humans fear the dark?" Zan asked and blew a small burst of flame towards the twigs and they quickly began burning.

"We don't." Terrin said.

"Then why must you have a fire?" Zan smirked.

" Because, for warmth and to keep various creatures from getting near us." Terrin said.

"Ah, so you don't fear the dark but the creatures in it." Zan chuckled.

"Quiet." Terrin muttered and fell asleep. Soon the fire died out and Terrin was woken by his shivering and chattering teeth. Zan slept peacefully next to him with long deep breathes. Terrin thought about getting more wood but that would mean he would have to wake Zan to start the fire. And the old saying 'let sleeping dragons lie.' came to mind.

He huddled into a closer ball and tried to breathe warm air into his hands. His heavy armor was meant to keep off painful attacks, not the cold. He heard Zan's breathing quiet and knew he had woken.

Zan stared at the human shivering and shaking on the dirt and felt sorry for him. He knew humans were warm blooded but they still often got cold, as they had no fur to keep it away. Zan slid his tail along the dirt until he reached Terrin and brought him closer to his warmer body. He knew his kind naturally produced heat more then other creatures and he felt Terrin stop shaking.

"Thank you." Terrin whispered. Zan stared at the body of the prince a moment longer before lowering his head and going back to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Terrin woke and found himself clutching Zans tail in his sleep. He sat up and saw the dragon was awake but only looking at him.

"Sorry." Terrin said and released his tail.

"That's alright. You were cold last night." Zan pointed out.

"Yes, thank you for that." Terrin thanked the beast again. "We should get moving." Terrin said and stood. Zan stood as well and Terrin heard the dragons stomach grumble.

"Ok, we should find something to eat first and then get moving." He said when his own stomach replied. Terrin

found he was becoming use to deciphering the dragons facial expressions. Though he could not move his mouth in the way humans could he had a way of speaking with his eyes. And he could tell now that the dragon was smiling.

Zan crawled out from the hole in the cliff that made the small cave and stretched. He let out a sound that Terrin assumed was a yawn.

"Your wing is healing fast." Terrin pointed out.

"Yes, it would heal faster if I could get to the lava pits. But that is not on the way." Zan said in Terrins mind.

Terrin grabbed his sword and motioned for Zan to follow him. He heard the dragon lumbering behind him and after they were a decent way into the swamps he told him to stay

put.

"I'll find something and push it down towards you." Terrin disappeared farther into the swamps until Zan could no longer see or hear him. He crouched low and listened carefully for the sound of anything approaching

Soon he heard what sounded like hooves coming his way, and human feet following behind them. Soon a deer like creature jumped from the shrubs in front of him and had no time to stop before Zan opened his mouth and bit the horse sized animal.

Terrin came out from the same shrubs in time to see the tail of the creature slide down Zan's throat. Zan shook his neck and the scales shook back and forth.

"Will that due?" Terrin asked the lizard. Zan

nodded his large head once.

"I do not usually expend that much energy. I should be fine." Zan said. Terrin began walking back to the divide they followed.

"What about you?" Zan asked.

"I saw some fruit back towards the cliff, I will eat some of that." Terrin said. Zan had a hard time turning around in the dense trees of the swamp but finally managed to follow Terrin.

"I thought red dragons liked their food burned?" Terrin asked as he shoveled a handful of berries into his mouth.

"We do. But I was hungry and it was already in my mouth." Terrin thought he heard the dragon chuckle. He smiled and kicked a rock on the ground in front of him.

"How old are you human?" Zan asked. Terrin turned his head to look at the dragon that lumbered behind him and looked

down at him.

"I'm twenty-five. How old are you, Dragon?" Terrin said the last part sarcastically.

"My kind do not measure our age in years, but in events." he replied.

"That's right, I read about that. That you live to be so old keeping track of years becomes difficult, so you go by memories." Terrin thought out loud

"Yes, I was still a hatchling when the Draco-human war started." Zan said.

"I wasn't around at the beginning of the war. So you're several hundred years old." Terrin stated.

"Yes. I suppose so. Though I am still young for my people, I understand this time is a great deal for Humans." Zan said.

"We don't live long. Definitely not as long as Dragons." Terrin said.

"Yes, there's a saying among my kind, 'Time is like the wind, it lifts the light and leaves the heavy'." The dragon recited the line.

"What does that mean?" Terrin looked up, confused by the great beast's words.

"That is one of those sayings that no one remembers where it started. It is said that's why some dragons fly and live so long. We care not about time spent or lost. While humans concern themselves with saving

it and losing none, they remain ground-bound and young." The dragon said, looking straight ahead.

"Why did the dragons start the war?" Terrin asked. The dragon stopped walking and looked down at Terrin.

"We did not start this war. The dragons were here long before humans ever set foot on this land. The world was ours and ours alone. When the human's came they slayed us for our scales, claws, wings, and horns. We defended ourselves when Dragon-hunting became a human sport," Zan spat the last word, " Humans used our scales to create their armor, and our claws, teeth, and horns as weapons against us. They even decorated their villages and homes with our wings and heads. They began selling dragon meat as food. They wiped out the Green

Brood and now Lestrazar is alone." Zan grew angry and smoke poured from his mouth and nose.

"That is not what human children are taught in school. We were told that when we arrived here, the dragons attacked us and wanted us to leave. They attacked our villages and killed thousands of us. That they are mean and cruel creatures, unable to think or feel emotions like remorse." Terrin

said.

"It is not true and I was there to confirm this! My mother was slain by humans when I was very young!" Zan yelled. It sounded like he was crying in Terrin's head but his eyes showed no tears.

"What about your father?" Terrin asked.

"Dragons are not raised by their fathers. Once we are hatched we are raised in a clutch with other young. Raised by a group of other dragons, Our mothers keep

track of us but our fathers are never known, but they are there. Watching over us." Zan explained.

"I'm sorry about your mother. Mine was killed by a dragon." Terrin said. Zan snorted and looked at Terrin.

"I apologize human. If you do not mind my asking, what type of dragon?"

"A serpent. In the sea." Terrin said and looked ahead to where he knew the sea would be but could not see it over the tall trees of the swamps.

" Ah, I see." Zan nodded his large head.

" What?"

"Humans often mistake the Atren for being cruel and evil, and that they only mean to attack humans." Zan explained.

"Don't they? I have seen many ships destroyed by them." Terrin said.

"Have you ever seen one?" Terrin shook his head. Zan's eyes smiled and a small laugh echoed in Terrins head.

"They are quite large. Larger then a Tunell." Zan said. " They do not mean to attack your ships, but after all you are sailing in their home waters. Often times your ships will scrape their backs. Look at our scales, Terrin. They only go one way. If they are scraped the wrong way it can be

quite painful. Many of them get angry and only try to defend themselves. I have heard of humans nearly sailing into their nests as well. If I had a brood with young I would protect them with ferocity as well." Zan lowered his head so he was eye level with Terrin as they talked.

"I've never thought of that. Have they not ever heard of a warning shot, though? Those water blasts are quite a pain

I hear." Terrin

laughed.

Zan shook his neck, something Terrin noticed he did when he was annoyed or uneasy.

"Yes I know, Anzin and Atren do not get along well." He laughed.