Corrosion

Corrosion

Corrosion was a warrior. An elite fighter, trained by the most skilled assassins and masters in the business. She had fought in many battles, a few wars, and has helped take out many high profile targets.

She was highly sought after, and her skills were legendary among others of the craft. She was truly incomparable.

There was no task to difficult, no mission to challenging, and no target on this planet that Corrosion could not handle.

Except for maybe this one.

“That’s my toy! Give it back!”

“Make me, loser!”

“I’m gonna tell mom!”

“Moms not here! I can do whatever I want!”

“Corrosion, tell her she’s being a meanie! Tell her she has to give it back!”

The small green hatchling latched onto her leg, his pleading pink eyes staring up at her.

Corrosion shook him off.

She wasn’t sure what had happened, but somewhere on the pipeline between “assassin for hire” and “can complete any job”, she had somehow gotten roped into babysitting these two obnoxious, screaming, disrespectful hatchings.

“You are old enough to handle this yourself. Do not rely on me to solve your problems.” Corrosion responded back dryly.

She was not good with children. She didn’t know how to talk to them, how to handle them, or how to properly communicate with them. She had trained young dragons for battle before, but no one this…small…before.

The Wildclaw hatchling, Knut, was still looking at her.

“How do I make her give it back? She won’t when I say!”

“Because Im older than you, and I get to have first dibs. That’s how it works!”

The snapper, Antonia, had a smug smirk on her face. She seemed to take pride in bullying her little brother.

Corrosion didn’t like bullies.

Knut folded his arms, pouting.

“It won’t be how it works when mom gets back.” He mumbled under his breath.

“Hey! What did you just say?!” Antonia growled angrily at him.

Knut stuck his tongue out at her.

Antonia pounced on him, knocking him over. Knut pounded her face with his wings, crying for Corrosion to help.

Corrosion was hardly paying attention. It would be good for them to handle this without her, not that she knew what to do about it.

“No biting.” She said distractedly.

She hoped their mother would return soon. It had already been an hour longer than she’d promised.

“I’ll be back before sunset” she had said.

The sun was far below the horizon now.

Corrosion figured she must have gotten tied up with something.

Oh well.

Although she wasn’t exactly enjoying herself, she’d made a promise. She had been recruited to watch these kids until their mother returned, so that’s what she would do.

Speaking of which.

The two hatchlings were still rolling around on the floor, scratching and kicking at eachother. Antonia was stepping on one of Knut’s wings while he swiped at her with his extra long claw.

Corrosion reached down and picked each of them up in one claw, dangling them in the air apart from one another.

“That’s enough playing. It’s time for bed.”

Antonia rolled her eyes. Knut frowned dramatically. “But mom’s not home yet. We can’t go to sleep until mom gets back so she can make Antonia give my toy back!”

“Mom’s not going to waste her time with your toy! You’re way too whiny!” Antonia snarked back at him.

“Am not!”

“Are too!”

“Am not!”

This was exhausting. Corrosion could not wait for this to be done.

“ENOUGH.” She bellowed.

The siblings stopped squabbling, snapping their heads towards her.

“Your mother can deal with you when she gets back, but I am done. It’s time to go to sleep.”

She dropped them both.

They didn’t move. Antonia crossed her arms defiantly.

“Or what?”

Corrosion furrowed her brow.

“Or I will hang you from the ceiling by one talon and you can sleep there.”

Knut yelped, and quickly scurried towards the sleeping cave.

Antonia didn’t move yet. She stared Corrosion down, challenging her.

Corrosions eyes narrowed

“Three seconds.”

She kept staring.

“Two.”

Corrosion pulled a thick rope from behind her back. Antonia’s eyes widened, and with another angry eye roll, she stomped off to the sleeping cave as well.

“I can’t wait to tell mom what an awful baby sitter you are.”

Corrosion didn’t even look her way.

“Please do. It would be my pleasure to never see you again.”

With a huff, Antonia was gone.

“If I hear a single peep out of either of you, I will hang you from the ceiling!”

Silence.

Corrosion wasn’t sure if that was actually an appropriate punishment for children, but she had had it done to her. They’d be fine.

Corrosion walked over to the front of the cave, posting up with her spear. Now the waiting game.

Surely it couldn’t be too much longer.

Whatever was keeping Skyfire, she was sure it was nothing to worry about.