you should see me in a crown; your silence is my favorite sound
He was gnawing on the bone of some poor snow creature that had had the ill fortune of catching his eye and being too slow. Hunting was not exactly easy for a child, and he had been genuinely surprised when he caught the furry thing. It didn't stop him from taking his fill for what it offered him; a small snack between nursing from his spotted woman while Father was away seeing to things that flightless dragonlings couldn't tag along for.
Irritating.
He would be allowed to join him one day.
The bone dropped without regard in boredom, his sigh getting lost in the clack of solid bone against the other bits of bone between his legs. He was perched on his belly like a lounging lion, divulging openly on his little feast and quite proud of it. Children couldn't really hunt so well, didn't he mention. But he'd managed because he was powerful like his father, clever and intelligent and quick. It just didn't feel as good without anyone to boast to and preen for. Especially his dad.
He supposed he had a family, sort of. There were two others that fed from his woman. His other treasures. He was an outsider, though, and so strange-looking possibly. Not like them. They seemed to prefer each other's company more, which made sense, even to a lonely dragonling. It was frustrating that he even had the capacity to feel excluded, as if they mattered to him, as if he cared that they liked him. He didn't. This was probably just boredom. That was all.
A vibrant flash caught his eye just like the snow-creature had, and his head swiveled to it, snout lifting with a throaty whuffle-huff as he pulled her scent to him as best he could. So green with stark white hair and a bright star on her forehead. She stopped suddenly and watched him, further piquing his interest and attracting the predator in him. Would she run now? He would chase. He would love it. He could catch her, probably. Okay, run.
But she didn't. She blushed and walked closer.
"Hi," she said to him, holding his blue-green eyes with a bashful softness. "You're really pretty." He huffed again and let his gaze slide off to the side a little, shifting in place enough to accidentally shuffle his trophy of bones in a soft clink. She formed the words so easily like everyone else when it was such a struggle for him. He had to make such an effort. Why did they never speak his language to him? Why must he learn theirs when it didn't fit in his mouth or sit right in his chest? So he said nothing.
He dropped his nose to his pile, nudging them gently and counting them to himself. They had made a noise and likely drew her attention. She would want a piece of his prize now, and he wasn't going to share. He caught this himself, these were his. So he counted them possessively, leaving a hot breath on each one because they were his and he could do that. Then he glared up at her. They were his, she couldn't have them. Not even that little one there. He nosed it closer to the center of the pile.
Then he sighed with a deep breath. Lonely was miserable and perhaps she would stay if he shared. He eyed them speculatively, hating the idea completely. Well, she still couldn't have that little one, no matter how little it was. Maybe this knobby one instead, the one with the tricky bite that had nearly cut the inside of his mouth open. It wasn't the loveliest either, but she was just an Other so she'd not likely be smart enough to notice. He sighed again. This was stupid.
Fine. She could look at it. For a time.
She couldn't keep it, though.
He snorted in irritation at himself, peering up at her with webbed wings shuffling in agitation. The bone clicked softly in his mouth, a soft growl speaking his displeasure at sharing as he craned his neck and tossed it at her feet. He snorted, gave her a sharp nod. There. See? He could be like an Other too sort of. This is what they did, no? Now she would stay with him. She could be his next treasure. His spotted woman might like her.
Gilt
the gilded stormdragon