Paroxysein

Silent shadows shot across the overcast sky. Thunder growled above. It was the perfect backdrop for a terrible accident.

Two young dragons faced off, flying at eachother with terrible speed and accuracy. They broke away from the collision course at the same instant before banking around for another round. The challenge seemed choreographed almost. As their extended family flocked home from a night of feeding, these two dueled. The mimicry was excellent. The danger was all too real: should one commit, the other would as well.

The rumbles from above drowned the sound of scaled bodies crashing in midair. The clack of talons striking one another was lost in the thunder. Locked together, the duo fell. 

Too late they broke apart. Their movements were mirrored, but the treetops were not. A branch clipped an outstretched wing. Only one dragon returned to the flock.

~

She awoke, hungry. Nothing was ever enough to sate her for long. She unfurled her wings, unbothered by the cold night air. Her feet released her perch and she fell from the well disguised den. Off she fluttered into the night.

The verdant canopy held nothing for her. All the largest things stalked between the behemoth trunks. She looked for big prey, ravenous as ever.

It was easy to find and even a sloppy landing did not cost her a delicious meal. Teeth tore through flesh. The beast hardly noticed. By the time it felt weak, her stomach was already full. She left her prey with nothing more than twin punctures.

The den was one quick flight away. Despite the large meal, a hunger still gnawed at her. Her roost was barren. Her perch supported a single dragon. There was no one to complete her. Nothing in this green wilderness could alleviate the pangs in her heart.

~

Let me rest.
Her one request, her plea to the clan that took her in. No one was her match. She'd looked too long with too few sparks of hope. They had room for her, but all she wanted was a place to sleep.