A Mother's Wrath

Written for the Daily Flash Fiction Challenge with a word limit of 300.

The prompts: This story must contain the words: forest, bowl and egg

A Mother's Wrath

She circled frantically

Tanager watched proudly as the baby dragon gently licked the bowl clean. He was like a proud papa; watching as his little one tries solid food for the first time.

“Won’t be long now, little one. You’ll be wanting something a little more – substantial.”

The dragon-pup, wagged its tail excitedly. Like all dragons, it was extremely intuitive. It could sense the anticipation of its adopted master. However, it had no point of reference to tell it that his master was up to no good.

After checking to make sure the chain was secure around the animal’s neck, Tanager wiped his filthy hands on his shirt and headed off into the forest. He’d need some small game to feed the dragon-pup. It was time to get it accustomed to eating red meat. If all went well, that particular taste would be satisfied to the extreme.

Swooping. Seeking.

As Tanager wondered through the trees, he imagined what it would be like to watch as the villagers fled before the beast. The Dragon would swoop down over and over again; carrying them off one bite at a time. They would regret that they had ever cast Tanager out into the wild.

It wasn’t his fault that the drink had taken him. The girl had been willing. What happened was an accident. He never meant to harm anyone.

But no -they needed someone to punish and the finger of the law pointed squarely at him.

Now they would pay.

By chance, he came upon the very nest where he’d found the eggs months earlier. He’d taken one without a second thought; certainly, one egg would not be missed.

There! Him!

She plucked him off the ground before he could even scream. The dragoness would take her time with this one.

Word count 300