Cory is missing, and Daniel is alone. Enemies wax and allies wane. The young dragon must take stock of what friends yet remain.

TMAU Part 9 Strange bedfellows

The passage of time was hazy, when Daniel was digesting. Sleep played upon his senses, tugging his mind down into its embrace where reality blurred with fantasy for hours, or seconds before the sharp awareness of being awake informed him he’d been sleeping. By the time he backtracked through the hazy dreams to determine where they started and reality ended, he had dozed off again.
Through flashes of lucidity he felt the tight fullness of his stomach abate to comfortable satiation. Then briefly flicker a hope for more food while it was already awake, followed by overstuffed discomfort again, but lower in his body. The mass of three humans having passed from solid, to liquid, and back to solid again… much changed.
At points in his awareness he noticed Dia lingering around him, though if she said anything it vanished in the waking dreams. She was there again when he felt himself rouse and, stay in the land of waking, sleep having retreated from the rays of light pouring in.
It had been a day now. He’d slept through the night, the morning, the daytime and then another night. He remembered light over the last few wakings, he was fairly sure. Cory hadn’t come.
“Staying with me this time?” Dia hissed beside him “you seem, alert…”
Daniel turned his muzzle to face the long, thin serpent. Curled up around herself by the side of the warehouse “Don’t you work during the day?”
“It’s almost evening” Dia noted “and I called my day early to keep an eye on you. I mean, I’ve heard the hubbub… you got seen pretty thoroughly, huh? Guards are all out and about. Honestly, I feel like I need to start laying low till this blows over”
“I’m sorry” Daniel exhaled a slow, heavy breath as he dwelled on, all that moment had done. He had to act though “have you seen Cory?”
“I’d be avoiding him if I did… but, no” Dia flickered her tongue, arms folded to her scaled if, faintly humanoid forebody “front door hasn’t moved since you got in”
Why hadn’t he come? The question was a plague on Daniel’s mind, infecting all. Had Cory abandoned him? Had the humans turned on him? What did it mean, and what should he do? Keep waiting, was the obvious answer. He could wait, he didn’t need to eat too soon, and Cory had said to. Although, his brooding drifted to the pressure in his lower belly. That, couldn’t wait long.
“So…?” Dia hissed softly “what’s the plan?”
“This is my problem” Daniel snorted, steam flickering at his nostrils “you can, continue as you are”
“About that” Dia tapped her claws against her scales, glancing off to a wall, in the direction of the clinic far beyond “I’ve got a good thing going, maybe given some time I could live here openly but, that’s not the case now. If I got seen, if anything happened, you are the closest thing I’ve got to, someone to turn to for protection” her tail flicked faintly “as strange as it is to say out loud, given you’ve made no secret of… my being one move from your menu” she sighed, a long flickering hiss of a sound “and that human of yours, well, he gave me more of a chance than most, and you for that matter. Your and his problems, are my problems, is what I’m saying”
She seemed to tense up as Daniel turned his head, to regard her with both of his slitted, luminous eyes. Ponderous tail dragging along the ground. A thoughtful swish demolishing an old weathered crate “I mean… if there’s anything I can do to help, and all that”
“I’ll wait” Daniel hummed the decision simply “till I cannot wait anymore. Though I’ll need to slip out by night to relieve myself…” his head returned to rest on his forepaws “Once I can’t wait anymore, I’ll find Cory, then… he can tell me what is best”
“Well, if you’re sure” Dia’s tail gave an agitated shift, coils clenching a bit at the calm dismissal. Damn dragons and their lack of time awareness. What was she meant to do for however long he squatted in here? But not a word of that even neared her tongue. Instead she slithered off, leaving Daniel to ponder and lose himself in the cavorting concerns.

Should he just find a corner to relieve himself… would the humans smell it? Daniel hesitated by the doors out of the warehouse once the final glow of light had vanished from sight from any of the tiny cracks or breaks in the shell of a building. Waiting for Cory was such a soothing thought, shed responsibility to the human, who better to smooth things over with the other humans, right? The night offered little fear for his safety, but still… he hadn’t realised how comforting it had been to have Cory nearby. Just in case he needed someone, less threatening to do the talking.
“Are you going, or?” Dia hissed behind him
“What if Cory comes looking for me while I’m out?”
“You won’t be gone that long, right?” the naga rolled her eyes. Such a feeble excuse “Besides, I’ll be here. He might not be thrilled to see me but, I imagine he’ll listen and wait for you. Just go, your squirming will hit the walls sooner or later otherwise”
He could be quick, Daniel reasoned to himself… though it didn’t help much. Finally however, his snout pressed to the cold, heavy metal and swung the weathered door open. Scales scraping to the stone below, he crawled out on his belly, sniffing the air. No Cory… no strong human scents either. The familiar open, dark sky… the weaving streets, conveniently tall buildings for him to skulk behind. His territory, and domain, and hunting grounds. A little flicker of confidence returned.
Rising to his full height, tail carefully brushing the door shut behind, Daniel stalked off along the stone streets. Maybe, before he went off, he should see if Cory was patrolling… or, his scent was around or… something. It was a fleeting hope, but it would let him know if Cory was out and wandering for the warehouse. If not… he certainly had time to go release the former humans from the days past.
All was familiar… but, he couldn’t quite calm. Cory still hadn’t come… why? So focussed looking for one human, he almost didn’t notice the sudden scent of others. Crouching was an instinct, his stomach quietly called for them, a pang of renewed hunger. He really shouldn’t… but, a full stomach did tend to make things seem better. Sharp ears rose, they were getting closer… they’d be around the bend soon. Pinned low, silent in a way nothing so big should be, he waited… closer, he could smell them, salty, mammal smell. His stomach yearned…
In the instant they appeared, his neck sprang, jaws wide and reaching. Only, at the last instant he tensed up, jaws clicked right before the suddenly yelping prey. In the corner of his eye, he saw… not the biter ones.
Sharp pain struck his muzzle, Daniel hissing as his head drew away. Shock from the pain, realisation of… the new situation. These ones, they bore the guild’s markings… at night? That wasn’t… how they operated, normally. The bright glint of weapons drawn… they’d hit him with one… but, they didn’t look startled now… was it an accident? Like him trying to eat them? Was it… not?
Daniel spread his wings, a buffeting gale throwing the small creatures to their rears as he leapt for the sky, angling to fly over the walls as sharp cries echoed after him. Where was Cory…

It was a brief visit to his, preferred spot to leave the remains of his prey. In the gloom it was hard to tell but, he got the feeling the remains of his last had been, disturbed. There was a scent of human lingering around, through the other less pleasant scents that marked the place. Much as he could, he kept brief the removal of the three humans from his system, what little his body had left of them.
He couldn’t go back, tonight. They’d be looking for him, and he didn’t want to lead them to his den there. It felt like such a long time since he’d slept outside. The young dragon gliding over trees, a slight distance from the glow of the town before diving down through the branches. Creatures, nightbirds, fled in shock as he took residence in their home. Like the humans really, only smaller, less able to drive him away.
The ponderous muzzle rested on his forepaws, his wings came to rest upon his back. This, patch of dirt and shattered branches would be his resting spot. A faint wind drifted across his snout, his flanks. The calls of wild beasts, both near and afar. Some, creatures of the night were a threat to him but, the trees were thick enough he was sure none would lumber up to him. He hoped so anyway. How, peaceful, quiet and still the human’s nest had been…
It was an effort to close his eyes and keep them shut. No longer used to the sounds of sudden, scurrying movement in the brush. Before sleep found him, the slight, cold prickle of rain started to fall over his back. The water trickled through his membranes, chilled his wings and from there his core. A long, grudging, but resigned sigh escaped his lips. Keenly, he yearned to not return to sleeping like this. Just tonight, he told himself, the wings tugging tighter to his back as water started to form little rivers in the contours of his scaly body, a particular stream tickling a nostril before he angled his head to redirect it elsewhere. Tomorrow, he’d find Cory. Somehow.

The day was bright, the sun both pleasantly warm and unnervingly exposing. Daniel hadn’t minded living by night. The human form he’d grown familiar with felt so small now as he stumbled towards the gate into the town. Like he had the last time, before he’d found his way to the guild, before all of this, he waited till a cart was passing through and followed in quickly. The guards too preoccupied with checking the contents to spare a small, unarmed traveller more than a passing glance of vague acknowledgement.
His human self had been seen through so many times before. It was better now but still, he felt obvious when away from Cory’s side. As best he could he kept his pace slow, feigning a relaxed walk… just another human in the nest. Many humans he didn’t know mulled about, not seeing through his disguise, barely looking at him. The big, centre circle with a fountain was familiar. He sat himself on the edge, like he had the last time he entered town this way, head in his hands, planning what to do next.
He was Daniel, the human, now… he could just walk into the guild to ask after Cory. It was just… Cory was the only one he’d talked to in his human form, alone. Every other time Cory had been close, to mind his tongue for him. His eyes strayed to the bulletin board nestled in the central space. Water dripped from the protective wooden dome that sat atop, residue of the night’s rain. It had been there, when he’d found guidance before. A way to live among humans, eating the things they didn’t want around.
A few more moments to gather his nerves, and Daniel rose. Quick steps carrying him for the guild building. By scent and sight he recognised many of the humans here, and they recognised him. Steps froze as he came inside, eyes stared… he almost ran but, repeated to himself that the illusion was holding… he looked human, he did. So why were they staring then…? Had something happened to Cory? Did they think something had happened to him? This, version of him.
The transformed dragon came to a gradual halt, as what little determination he had wavered… they were all staring.
“Uh… D, Daniel” a stammered voice caught his attention. One of the human warriors… he faintly knew it, muscular, tall. Appetising… but he refused to linger on that. The human was pale, fear plain to see even if he couldn’t quite smell it with this nose. What was happening?
“I’m Daniel” he muttered “I’m looking for Cory, I’ve lost him”
“You, uh…” the human hesitated “Artur, wanted to see you, in the meeting hall. Would you, come with me… please?”
The pack leader? Daniel nodded his assent mutely, trotting after the human as it, half fled, half led through the building. He’d met that one, not much, but they’d exchanged words. That one would know where Cory was. Relief pooled in Daniel’s stomach, soothing the tension knotting there. This was good, a lead.
The tunnels and paths of the guild were comfortingly familiar now, though they felt wrong without Cory’s large… in this form anyway… self wandering along with him. One turn, then another before they stopped before a door Daniel wasn’t too familiar with. His guide beckoned, before hurrying off. Reluctant but… with a moment to contemplate, determined, Daniel turned the handle and stepped into the space.
There were a lot of humans in the room. Daniel looked left and right, rows of them. Deep in the room was Artur, sitting at the far end of a wide rounded table. The walls bore, gruesome displays in Daniel’s eyes. Trophies of predators, presumably defeated by the humans here. Nothing so macabre as a stuffed head but, claws, teeth, stretches of hide or scales or horns. Vast bones of creatures, Daniel estimated wouldn’t be much smaller than him.
“Daniel” the guild master spoke the name with slow, careful emphasis “come in. We were just talking about you.” The human had sharp, keen eyes, Daniel noted. The sort that unsettled him. He’d eaten many humans, the eyes were so telling. He could tell with a look if they’d flee, or fight, or beg. Those were eyes, that spoke of imminent pain. There was no appetite in his gut for this one, the sort to ensure their deaths inflicted as much suffering on him as possible.
I look human. Daniel repeated it to himself as he stumbled forward into the room, to the edge of the table. He should say something… but what? It was an effort to try and extend his mind to a human perspective… did they consider him part of their pack? In which case, they might have been worrying he’d been eaten… or had it been long enough they’d have moved on? Before he could muster a line of reasoning, Artur spoke again.
“I must admit, I didn’t think you’d come back. Either to the town, or especially to the guild”
There was danger in those words. It paused Daniel’s thought process as he tried to figure it out. Something, clicked as he met Artur’s eyes again. He’d seen those eyes before, as a dragon, in his prey. But he wasn’t a dragon now, he was human… he hadn’t seen them as a human before.
“I’m looking for Cory” Daniel murmured “I lost him, and I was hiding…”
“Don’t move, dragon” Artur’s words were punctuated by a series of clicks. In Daniel’s periphery, he saw the human weapons… crossbows, distant stinging throwers, lifted. Dragon.
“I’m Daniel…” he mumbled lamely
“Why did you come back, dragon?” Artur leant on the table, eyes needling into Daniel “you got your meal, you escaped in the night. But you’ve come back, in a form we know. Right to our doors. Do you have such a low opinion of our intelligence?”
“I don’t understand” Daniel looked around himself. Fear… he hadn’t known it this strong for a while. He was vulnerable… this room was big but, not that big. Where was Cory… “I know, I showed myself, I’m sorry but, where is Cory?”
“Most of him, is right where you left him” Artur sat back, arms folded “we know where you leave your victims off, dragon, we checked the morning he didn’t return from summoning you. A lot of his effects, survived”
Victims… where he’d left him? None of it made sense in Daniel’s mind. It sounded like an accusation… but he hadn’t done anything “I don’t understand” Daniel asserted again
“Neither do I” Artur rose, hand to his hip, nodding to the sides “Now”

Instinct, is a powerful thing. Panic, distress and confusion overwhelmed Daniel’s mind. A more primal creature than a human, when thought failed, his body switched quickly to the alternative. Conscious attention blinked out as the first bolt landed in the floor by his foot. He’d dived backwards, scales already rising against his limbs by the time the next few were fired. Pain lanced into his side as one found its mark. A sharp and inhuman hiss answering it. Not quite enough to turn him from flight.
Another struck his back as he ran to the door, two more, one in his arm, another in his now emerging tail as he threw his growing weight against it. The walls closed in around him as he ran, dropped to all fours. A nauseating, dizzying moment as one eye, then the other transitioned from human senses, giving a brief, stark contrast. Shouting voices echoed behind, but he paid them no mind. Scaly shoulders scraped to the walls, gradually starting to carve ruts and strain the wood as his form grew with each leaping step.
Screams of terror met him in the foyer. First glance of it, of the outside spurred him to leap, demolishing part of a wall in the process. Taloned feet slamming down, almost crushing a human who had the fortune to instead be bowled over by his belly plates. He felt more sharp stings impacting his scales, cracking and piercing through them… but enough meat covered his vitals now. He simply ran, out through the main doors, half formed wings spreading as he clumsily leapt to the skies. A terrible moment of stasis saw him reaching for the sky, but barely clearing the ground with each staggered step. The fountain he’d been sitting at had the ill fortune to be crushed under his chest as he fell from the sky. His wings finished growing, his next leap saw him soar. Banking out over the walls to dive back into the forests surrounding.

Daniel ran, and burst into flight till his limbs ached and he collapsed to the ground. Stabbing spikes of sharp pain lancing through from the wounds where the bolts had hit him… nothing lethal to his human self, before he could be a dragon. Still though, it hurt…
Now what did he do? The question lingered heavily on his mind. Still, he wanted to find Cory. He owed the human that, didn’t he? Was Cory even alive?
In the quiet, and stillness he now found himself his mind had time to brood over the confusing words, the strange questions. It, had sounded like they were saying they’d found Cory’s things, in his leavings but… he hadn’t eaten Cory. Had someone else…? It was like the gryphon all over again… but he knew he’d digested her. Someone else? He’d have noticed another dragon, he was sure of it. He had his doubts humans could tell one mound of leavings from another… their noses weren’t very good. But… if Cory was gone, he should leave, shouldn’t he?
The questions were tiring, eating at his willpower. No answer rose to meet them. Above the sun was cresting over. He had most of the day’s light, if he wanted to fly away. Were they giving chase? He couldn’t be sure. Answers. He wanted answers. And he should say his farewells to Dia. Or, if he was leaving, eat her? He entertained the thought for a long moment. Maybe not, he liked her, and even though either way they’d not meet again if he left… she could live his dream… for now.
Over the next while he rose, nosed along his scales, carefully pinched the bolts between his teeth and tugged them free, worming the heads out. It hurt… but it wasn’t the first time he’d been shot by humans. The wounds were small. His eyes and wings… those were his concern with these little stingers. In his flanks, normally just a painful annoyance.
Answers. That thought lingered strongest. Also, home. It hadn’t been so very long, but he liked what he had there. Nowhere else he wanted to go… he could try and make sure he got to stay, one way or another.
As the sun’s arc started to dip he took to the air again. He could sneak in by night… he knew now, he had to be stealthy from everyone, but that was possible. In a few strong beats of vast, leather clad wings, Daniel found a high wind and sailed back for the town in the distance. Hard determination in his stomach, and a hint of something else. It was his nest. He would not be driven from it.

It was especially dark that night, the moon waned, and what faint light it offered blocked by an overshadow of clouds. Human eyes would be almost useless, even Daniel’s keen sight struggled but from above his silent, gliding form surveyed the map of familiar paths and streets. A web of darker and lighter lines marking the streets against the roofing. The dragon’s gaze drifted to little glances of movement. Below, smaller wings flitted over the settlement. Still a wide enough wingspan he’d judge them a hazard to the humans. He wasn’t hunting however.
Of more interest was the less subtle movements in the paths below. A couple of bright orange lights bobbed and moved about far below. It was strangely entertaining to him, seeing how the light would burst wider when the ones bearing it rounded a corner. Human lights cut such hard lines in the darkness. If he wanted, any of their lights could be smothered under him, the bearers devoured. And he did consider it. The guild humans had attacked him, like the biter ones did. In a sense they were equal now… except, he knew the majority of the pack favoured the guild ones… and Cory was of them.
A certain, bubbling draconic indignation he hadn’t felt in a long while rose to growl in his throat. Prey should be wiser than to attack him, especially when he had been restraining himself. But, something was wrong. Why did they think he’d eaten Cory? If, someone had, why did they leave the remains where he did. Someone was acting against him, someone more dangerous perhaps.
It took time, but with some patience Daniel waited until the bobbing lights were nowhere near the docks. Then, he folded his wings and fell like a stone. Much earlier than he would normally, he spread his wings. Fangs clenched against a flash of pain as the membranes strained against the wind. A rapid, fluttering beat was his norm, but that was loud. So he endured a long, ponderous and circling glide, riding the momentum from his brief plummet down to the ground. Alighting to the cobbled stone with barely a noise.
Something nearby spooked, and he heard a splash as it hit the sea, and a following splatter as the docks got a fresh coating of seawater. Pity, had he seen it he might be able to think on a full stomach. He didn’t waste time looking for more of, whatever it was though. Rather he padded to the warehouse. A quick sniff along the edges gave no hint of human… none fresh anyway.
The metal of the door complained loudly, about the state of the hinges and their proximity to the stone floor. Both as Daniel pushed himself in, and shut it again with a swipe of the tail. The dragon holding his place as he listened. He heard, Dia approaching the hole at the back of the building, her scales made a particular, undulating scraping sound against the ground. No sudden rush of human boots though. For a moment he allowed himself to bask in a little pride at his successful infiltration.
“Oh, Daniel…” Dia’s voice hissed from behind a crate before the naga weaved into his view. Arms folded to her flat scaled chest “Thought I heard something big. I’ve been half expecting this place to get raided…”
He laid himself down. Familiar cold stone, stagnant briny air. Oddly peaceful, given the sudden turn in his fortunes “I made sure the humans didn’t see me come back”
“Didn’t expect you back” Dia shrugged a shoulder “I’ve heard bits and pieces today, about a dragon rushing out of the guild hall, crushing stonework, crossbow bolts embedded in its scales. I assumed at that point you’d either be crushing the place or leaving…” she paused a moment “you’re not here to crush the place, right?”
“No” Daniel snorted “what would be the point? If I crushed the buildings I couldn’t enjoy the human things here. No different to leaving except more work”
“It’s a little different” Dia sighed wearily “anyway, hysteria is up. My employer has been talking for a while about offering me lodgings in his place… this, might be the push to actually make it happen so… I’ve got a plan” she scratched her claws under her jaw for a moment, long, forked tongue flickering in the air “and, you?”
The dragon’s head rested ponderously on his forepaws “I’m not sure. But I know I don’t want to leave. I like it here. It’s a nice life here”
“Like it or not, if the humans don’t want you around…” Dia muttered, shaking her head “which I know is hypocritical, they’d not want me around either. But I’ve not been caught. Only humans who know I live here are my employer and, fertiliser. Willingly given, I hasten to add”
Tension tightened her lips, each flicker of her tongue becoming quicker, claws knotting “but look, you, did me a big favour. So, if I can help, in a way that won’t get me driven out too…”
Daniel let his full attention linger on the serpent for a… for her… long and uncomfortable moment. He did have others, who might help him, he supposed. Not just Cory “They think I ate Cory. Which, I think is why they’re not listening to me. I’m not interested in being shot at again, when I can’t fight back”
“You didn’t eat him, right?”
“No” Daniel snorted again “Cory has been good to me, with him by my side, I could go anywhere here”
“Well…” Dia cut in slowly “I suppose the question is, is he eaten, or not. If so, who, if not, where is he, right?”
“Yes” Daniel agreed, a billowing exhale blasting across the naga as he contemplated the answerless questions “I don’t know where to start… I know the biter ones hate him, but they couldn’t eat him… Maybe I should catch one and ask”
“Assuming any random one would know” Dia shrugged “might be a good…” her voice hesitated as Daniel’s ears perked. Tension flowed in the living mountain of predatory muscle. In a moment, unsettlingly fast he turned to face the doorway. Tail inadvertently breaking one of the increasingly endangered weathered crates once native to the abandoned building.
Steps were approaching. Dia lowered herself down out of sight, sparing a look to her escape hole. Didn’t sound like many… Daniel could handle it but… all the same.
The slow, almost hesitating steps paused before the door. The frame rattled with anticipation, before pressure from outside began to slowly, creak open the portal to the town beyond.