Friday Flash: Ashes and Embers

Second to last. Continuation to The Trap.

The shapeshifter child sat huddled against a corner, the only thing left of the burnt house. Ashes and the smell of sulphur floated in the surrounding air. Somewhere a woman laughed: a shrill sound, cutting through the heavy silence. His hands lifted to shield his ears, but he could still hear her.

A flicker of movement caught his eye. Something was circling the corner and him. Claws scraped against wood behind him. Before he could bolt, something heavy hit his back, pinning him down against the sooty earth.

“Please don’t kill me.” He whispered, he could feel the breath of the creature upon his face.

“Is death the worst you can think of?” The creature’s claws slipped beneath his skin. His sense of self began to slip away as the demon imposed it’s will upon his. He screamed in fear and agony.

A sharp jab to his side woke him.

“If I can’t sleep, why should you?” His partner Nuria stood beside him, her foot nudging him. “Awake, are we?”

“I wasn’t sleeping, I was having a nightmare.” Fain lifted himself into a sitting position. He could still feel the demon’s claws beneath his skin. “Thank you for waking me up.”

“You’re welcome.” She sat down next to him, placing a dusky hand on his pale arm. “The burning houses again?”

“They were burnt down this time and I heard a woman laughing.” He shivered at the memory. “And one of the demons possessed me.”

She gently pulled him close, running her fingers through his hair as she whispered comforting words. Yet they weren’t enough to calm him.

“I am afraid.” He looked up into her eyes, wrought with worry. “I’ve began to jump when I see my own shadow. I can’t protect the dragons if I am terrified all of the time.”

“I’m worried about you, dear. Not just your nightmares.” He tried to turn his gaze away, but her hands cupped his chin, holding his face to hers. “Jark’s words shouldn’t have angered you so—”

“He called the black dragons evil!” He wrenched himself free from her arms, grabbed some clothes and walked into the other room, dressing quickly.

She followed on his heels. “He angered you on purpose! He wants you exiled because he hates you!”

“I know, I ran headfirst in to his trap.” Fully dressed now, Fain was headed for the door. His hands were about to pull it open when Nuria’s arms wrapped around his waist. She lifted him off his feet and proceeded to half drag, half carry him back into the bedroom.

“You are not going anywhere. We wait for the Elders’ decision here!” She dropped him on the furs that acted as a bed. “We wouldn’t be in this mess if it wasn’t for your temper.”

”Forget about Jark the Jerk, for a moment.” Fain stood up, black scales covered his throat and his teeth had grown in to fangs. “What if I’m remembering my past? How can I stop it? If my childhood was demons and torture I do not want to know. Please help me forget somehow!”

Nuria stepped forwards, one hand held his cheek while the other trailed the black scales. He saw her flinch at the heat emanating from the scales; there was some of the fire of the dragons in him. His eyes closed, the fangs retracted into stubby human teeth and the scales began to fade.

“If they do exile me, we’ll just go to my village.” He opened his eyes slowly, pondering his next words. “You are still coming with me?”

“How do you dare?” She gently slapped his cheek. “Of course I am coming with you! I love you, you rarfnigan.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but Fain placed a finger on her lips.

“I do not want to dwell on it or my nightmares any more than necessary, my love.” He gazed for a moment into her dark brown eyes, then kissed her. Her arms curled around him so tightly that he gasped; “Can’t breathe dear.”

A knock on the door interrupted their moment. Nuria broke the embrace and walked to the door, while Fain waited in the shadow of a corner.

Lizell stood there; she’d donned a tall human’s form, but with a rainbow of feathers instead of hair.

“Fain of the Leatherwing Tribe, the Elders have decided your punishment. You are forbidden to take the fool’s dragon form within the village unless it is under attack.” She rolled her yellow eyes up, then back to Fain. ”If you do not comply, you will be exiled.” The shapeshifter grinned a wicked smile. “Don’t worry, Jark got punished as well. He’ll be cleaning the dragon nests.”

“He should’ve been sent to the black dragons’ nesting grounds.” He ran a dark claw along his throat, leaving behind a white scar, which healed as he drew it. “They would have had fun with him.”

“Fain, keep you darker side in check.” Lizell shook her head. ”Most of us care for you. We don’t want to see you exiled.”

Jark held the little brown bird close to his mouth as he whispered his message.

“Tell this to the Queen and she will reward you, little virra.”

“Double what you gave me?” The bird squeaked.

“Even more, but do not gossip, though it is your second nature. The Queen does not like her plans spilled.” The bird flew off into the dark sky, disappearing without a trace.

The Elders wouldn’t exile Fain, but he had another plan. The Queen had sent virras to shapeshifter villages, requesting strong shapeshifters for her studies; if the rumours were true they included demons. He was only glad to oblige.

Once Fain and the others set for the nesting grounds, the Queen’s men would intercept them and capture him, and only him.

Silent as a shadow he sneaked back into the village.