Chapter Text
He wasn't sure what he expected when his house shook and his cutlery fell from the cabinets and his fine china boke across the floor. He didn't bother catching them, but dove across the kitchen to catch the paintings of his mother and father and uncles and aunts and everyone who got a painting. He set them down in the foyer and stormed from his small house, intent on finding the culprit.
It ended up being a large dragon, with scales of the darkest, richest violet, the wings in tatters and the eyes closed as its chest heaved. Bilbo stared at it for a minute or five, before its eyes opened and the sharp, icy blue orbs focused on him. It raised its head, the nubs of its horns telling Bilbo that it was just a babe and it gave a pitiful roar, blood seeping from its sides and wings.
"It's alright!" Bilbo raised his hands and the dragon snarled, teeth longer than Bilbo's forearm. But he saw a wounded creature, not a beast of mass destruction. "I won't hurt you. I want to see what I can do for you." The dragon growled, but its ears flicked forward and its teeth slowly disappeared behind its lips. It let Bilbo get closer and inspect the wounds. "Hm. A bigger dragon?" He asked. The beast huffed and turned its head, a high-pitched noise coming from deep in its throat. "Oh, don't you whine to me," Bilbo said. "Stay here."
He went back into his messy house and retrieved his box of medical supplies. He came back and started working on what wounds he could reach. The dragon stayed perfectly still, before standing when Bilbo moved back. It wasn't as big as he had thought, maybe the size of a house. It flared its wings before wincing and lowering its head.
"Thank you." The voice was soft, accented, and came from the dragon. Bilbo blinked. The dragon stared at him and tilted her head.
"A girl?"
"I suppose? Female. Daughter," she said, sitting back on her hind legs. "Call me what you will." She flicked her ears forward. Bilbo nodded.
"Well. I can't have you out here. How about you come into the barn while your wings heal?" He eyed the tears in the thin flesh and the dragon nodded. She followed him, her feet shaking the small plot of land as she forced her way into the barn, the one horse neighing and the two pigs oinking up a storm. The dragon settled and watched Bilbo leave, the large doors shutting and leaving her in the dark.
Nife shifted her body, putting her legs under her mass and stared at the wood grain. Hopefully, her father would be here soon to bring her home. She snorted and sneezed when hay flew onto her snout. The human was kind enough to bring her dinner, as he called it, a measly slab of meat and some potatoes. She sighed and lifted her head, her ears just brushing the rafters of the barn. The human was pretty, for a human, his flesh pale but sunkissed and freckled. Like he had stars under his mortal flesh. Her father would like him. She thrilled at the realization, excitement coursing through her body. She found a Mate for her father! The doors opened and she turned her head.
"Hello!" The human smiled up at her and wheeled in a barrel. She shifted again and her ears perked as she caught the scent of salted fish-her favorite! She purred, her vocal cords rubbing against each other at a frequency the human couldn’t comprehend. The human popped the barrel open and she immediately shoved her snout into the barrel, her tongue lapping the meat into her mouth.
Nife pulled her head from the barrel and crunched the scaly and bony fish. She licked her lips and stared down at the human. His lips were pulled into a smile as he gazed up at her. "Enjoy that?" He asked. His human language was a lilting and sing-song dialect. It was so soft compared to Draconic. Nife nodded.
"Fish are my favorite." She purred. His smile brightened.
"I'm glad!" He wheeled the empty barrel away and Nife followed carefully, walking to the open field and spreading her wings wide. It had been two nightfalls since the old dragon had dropped her. Lady Luck was on her side that day, that she landed in the field of such a kind human. The tears in her wings healed slowly since she couldn't use magic and the food she was given barely sated her hunger. The human was persistent in her not eating the pigs, which was unfortunate because they spoke rudely of the human. "Your wings are looking better!" The human said, investigating the great flight tools. Nife huffed.
"Yes. My father should be here soon. I'm in no condition to fly," Nife said, feeling the wind blow against her soft scales. Winter was coming and her father had been out hunting for them, so they wouldn't need to leave the hollow during the cold months. That was how she was taken in the first place. Nife shook her head free of those thoughts. In the past. Her father wouldn't want her to dwell on them. Nife tucked her legs under her body and laid down, her head curling around until it was under her wing. The human left her like that and went about his business, harvesting plants from his small garden. Nife watched him, his movements flowy and relaxed, despite her being a few feet away. As if he had a large canine instead of a man-eating beast at his back
A roar shook the earth and Nife swung her head up, watching as a figure the size of a mountain blocked the sun out. Nife glowed, her teeth flashing in what little light was left as she stood quickly, her tail swinging and nearly destroying the human's house. "Dad!" She heard the human scream and then cuss in his language, colorful and fluent over his pink tongue.
"What the fuck?!"