Rude Awakening

The knock on his door was loud and insistent enough to wake him.

Chase groaned, rolled over in his bed and buried his head under a pillow.

"Get up, kid!" It was Captain Blane. Chase had only just met the man, but his deep, gruff voice was distinguishable enough. "Time for your dragon riding lesson!"

Chase lifted his head to glance at the window by the door. Firelight from the lantern hanging outside flickered across the curtain. It was still dark out.

Chase had the foolish audacity to complain about this to his superior. "But it isn't even dawn yet!"

There was a moment of silence, and Chase knew he'd done something stupid. Moments of silence often followed his acts of foolishness.

Silence was severed by a shout of "Flamba!"

Chase didn't have time to wonder what it meant.

His only window exploded in a rain of glass as a short burst of flame shot through it. Chase cried out in alarm and threw himself to the floor. He risked a look at the window, his heart hammering. The curtain had been reduced to ashes and small flames licked at the window frame.

Chase scrambled for the full wash bowl beside his bed, stubbing a toe in the darkness. He splashed the water on the flames. They died with a hiss and a few tendrils of smoke.

Chase tossed the bowl aside in anger and marched to the door, throwing the wood bolt back. He shoved it open.

He didn't care if Blane was his superior or not, they were going to have words.

"What's the..." His words fell short at the double looks of disdain he received from Captain Blane and the huge black dragon looming behind him.

"When I say 'get up', kid, I mean get up!"