Fire and Iron

Mortem ripped Laura from her bed and dragged her down the hall. Her hand had a vice like grip on her arm, but he didn't care. For his purposes, she didn't even really need an arm. He walked quietly through the fortress until he reached a balcony overlooking a waterfall. The falls cascaded thousands of feet downward, so high that you couldn't see the bottom through the spray. "Say goodbye to your family," he said before clutching her close to him and leaping over the ledge.

Mortem and Laura fell through the chilly night air for a few seconds before he suddenly changed and caught her in his claws. There was no chance he'd disgrace himself by letting an insignificant human ride on his back. He sped away from the fortress and flew for hours before finally reaching an active volcano. He carefully navigated the magma that occasionally burst from the surface until he reached a cave in another, but dead, volcano. The dark dragon unceremoniously dropped Laura on the warm ground, then landed. Far to the back of the cavern, a low rhythm could be heard, in and out, almost like the earth itself was breathing.

"It doesn't matter," Mortem growled lowly. "You'd be surprised how few dragons take seriously the humans. They see you as small and weak, and you are, but when you gather, you're like weeds that can't be destroyed."

"If you can't find an army, make one," a deep voice echoed the cavern. A pair of bright crimson eyes suddenly appeared in the he darkness as heavy footfalls approached. As the other dragon emerged, he glared at Laura greedily. "My son's human wench," Ragerion said. With the two dark colored dragons side by side, it was easier to tell that Mortem was actually a dark gray, but Ragerion's hide and scales were as black as a moonless night sky. "A hybrid is going to be more powerful than any dragon and you're going to give us an army. You're own brood will help me destroy everything you've ever loved, including my traitorous son. I suggest you get comfprtable," Ragerion said as he spread his wings and flew off, leaving Laura alone with Mortem.

Kinzalon had been driving himself mad looking for Laura after her disappearance. Every day for the first few weeks, dozens of the resident dragons of the fortress had flown out to search, but there was no sign of Laura. Even after the others had given, Kinzalon still went out every day. He returned to the fortress, exhausted. Vita left the courtyard where Aspen and Willow were playing woth the young dragon fledglings and approached her son. "Nothing yet?" she asked.

The coal gray dragon spread his wings and landed inside the large cavern, dropping a dead goat on the cold stone floor. He was growing impatient waiting for her to give birth. Dragons held their eggs for a couple weeks, then the baby dragons hatched another couple weeks later. Humans are such inefficient creatures.

"No," Kinzalon said quietly. "I only came back to check on the children."

"They're fine. Just do what you need to do," Vita said softly. "We will find Laura, and Mortem."

"No one is crying, sweetheart," Kinzalon said as he looked down at Willow. "Everything is fine as long as you stay here." He gently brushed a stand of blonde hair from her eyes before turning and walking toward the edge of the courtyard. His heart ached as if it had been stolen along with Laura. He was also wondering whether she'd had their child yet or if she was still carrying. I'll find you, Laura.

"Willow, go play," Kinz said firmly without looking at her. He was exhausted and didn't want to deal with his daughter's vivid imagination right now. "Shut up and listen to your daughter," a stern voice said from behind them. He turned, surprised to see Delta. She had been unconscious since they'd arrived, and even now, she looked like she was barely able to stand. "Delta, what are y-" Kinzalon started, but was stopped by her hand in the air. "Show me, Willow," Delta said as she painfully got to her knees and took Willow's head between her hands. She pressed her forehead against the girl's and her silver eyes began to glow solid white.

"Laura," Delta muttered before breaking away from Willow. "They're alive." "Th- they?" Kinzalon asked shakily. "Yes, she had the bad by. Likely within the last 24 hours by the look of it. She's at Volakis." Delta barely had time to finish before Kinzalon he spun and leapt off the courtyard wall, changing midair as he fell. The red dragon flew harder and faster than ever had, all the exhaustion and hopelessness of the last six months seeming to vanish from his mind.

Mortem wasted almost no time in jumping Laura. She should be ready to breed again. After all, armies didn't breed themselves, did they?

As Kinzalon flew, he became aware of something following him. He glanced back, surprised to see Jennazir. Surprised, but grateful. Together, they raced for hours toward the fiery mountains on Volakis. Spurned on, Kinzalon let out an immense roar n praying that Laura would hear him and reach a place where he'd be able to see her.

Ragerion gently picked up the crying newborn. He may have been evil in some peoples' eyes, but he was not unnecessarily cruel. He began to imagine all the plans he had for the wailing child in his arms when a distant noise distracted him. It was still far off, but unmistakable. The roar of a dragon.

Kinzalon and Jennazir glided slowly over scalding and boiling earth. He didn't want to miss Laura if she was out here. Then he heard it. The cry of a newborn baby. It was faint over the noise of the volcano, but he was able to pinpoint its direction and wheeled toward it. As he emerald eyes quickly scanned the terrain, Kinzalon spotted his father in hiss human form and holding his child. "Jennazir, get ready to catch the baby and get back to the castle. I'll get Laura," he called.

Ragerion tensed up as he heard another fierce rise, though this one seemed right outside. All of a sudden, Ragerion was knocked backwards and the newborn fell from his arms a red dragon slammed into him at full speed. It was like getting hit by a freight train. Jennazir skipped in right behind n Kinzalon and caught the baby in her talons, careful not to harm it before she sped away. In an instant, Ragerion had changed and was now viciously fighting his son in the small confines of the cavern. Mortem had now joined in, jabbing at biting at Kinzalon whole he was occupied. Their collective roars echoed off the cavern walls at a near deafening volume. Kinzalon finally spotted Laura huddled in a corner and broke away from the other two, carefully grabbing her in one of his hind feet, then escaping the cave with Ragerion and Mortem close on his tail.