A sleeping Dragon

The forest around the University was a very diverse place, really quite and secluded most of the time and a perfect place for Dave to relax. Though Dave has his own place here in the forest were he likes to be most if not all the time, his own home away from home. Walking through the natural path of cut trees, Dave finally made it to a clearing where Fairy fall was. It was a nice little place where little or no people came too, mainly due to not a lot of people knowing how to get here. It was the perfect place to make a den for him where he can go into his 'true' form as he called it. Sniffing and listening around he tried to detect if anyone, mostly human, had followed him there. The schools rules had prevented him from actually transforming in the forest whenever he pleased so he had to make sure and be careful. Content on the fact that no one was there for the moment, he hunched down transforming quickly into a dragon. His wings slowly sprouted out as his size grew at least two times, close to a small SUV. His metallic black scales shinned in the sun that pierced through the tree canopies.

Dave slightly yawned; he noticed that when transforming he gets a bit tired and just mainly wants to lazily lie around. As he slowly made his way into towards the waterfall his footsteps slightly made huge thud sounds, echoing out into the surround forest. He didn't really care about that though; all he cared about at the moment was getting some sleep. His body separated the water pouring down the waterfall as he entered the entrance to his den. Dave shook his hulking body, head to tail, to get off the excess water dripping from him. As he kept walking down the dens path, he breathed a bit of fire, lighting up the torches along the way. The light glimmered up a bit, lighting the path with it lowly glow, shinning off of his metallic black scales. Dave liked the low light of a torch, he didn't understand why though. Maybe it was due to his fire breathing, or maybe it is because of the warmth it seems to give? Even though he really can't feel the warmth, it's the thought that counts.

After walking for quite a bit he finally made it into the main cavern of the den with a giant bed of rock waiting for him as his bedding. Lighting up the final torches inside the cavern, he stretched a bit before getting close to his resting place. Most people wouldn't understand why a dragon has to sleep on rough material; it's just something inherited in them. They like the rough feel on their scales, sort of like a back scratcher when tossing and turning around. Yawning one more time, spewing plenty of fire out of his mouth, he shut his mouth and finally lied down on the rock bedding. He shuffled around, getting comfortable before curling into a ball and shutting his eyes and he slowly drifted off to sleep.

Curiosity killed the cat. Kat knew that phrase well, a lot of people liked to quote it at her when she got too curious for her own good. At which point she would often snap back at Kat was her name and not what she was. She was a dragon, not a cat, though she never told them that part of things. All things considered, curiosity was not likely to be the cause of her death. It might lead her into a situation that might lead to her death, but curiosity itself wouldn't be the cause of it.

That being said, Kat had heard about a cave behind a waterfall and was keen to check it out. It might be a nice place to hide out if she ever felt the need to be in her dragon form and just laze about somewhere. Of course, she could always camouflage herself to be unnoticeable but that didn't hide her scent or make her any less solid. People could still walk into her and then they'd know she was there and what she was. And her scales were very distinctive. The last thing she needed was for word of a pink dragon getting out. So a cave hidden behind a waterfall sounded like a pretty good thing to check out.

It had taken her awhile to find the waterfall. And when she had she thought she saw movement inside and had hid where she could see the cave mouth in case something came out of the cave. Nothing did and after a long while of hiding in the bushes, she decided it was safe enough to enter. She wasn't afraid of much of anything. If there was a bear or wolf inside the cave she could handle herself. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was something....or someone....familiar nearby. But she also couldn't say what was causing her to feel it either. So she shook it off as nothing and headed toward the falls. Luckily, she didn't have to try and swim. There was enough space for her to edge along behind the roaring water and slip inside the cave.

The lit torches were an interesting find and she couldn't help but wonder if this cave was some sort of secret hiding place for witches or vampires. It would be interesting to find out. She followed the tunnel down, deeper into the Earth until she came to the cavern lit by yet more torches. But it wasn't the cavern or the torches that she saw first. No, what filled her vision and made her heart skip in fear, was the creature curled up and dozing in a corner. A dragon. There was another dragon. Here. Of all places. She wanted to turn and leave; to escape and hope the other wouldn't know she was even there but she felt as if she were frozen to the ground. All she could do was stand there and stare in a mixture of fear and amazement. She hadn't seen another dragon in nearly 200 years and here she stood, unable to tear her eyes away from one that could probably kill her rather easily if he wanted to.

Dave's sense of smell and hearing were always muffled by the water fall just outside the cavern where he slept. The water usually took any outside odder from outside along with basically canceling any noise that would come in echoing through the cavern walls. It meant peace and quiet from the outside, a sense of solitary that most dragons have an inherent liking too. It also meant that most of the outside world was kept out while Dave himself and his thoughts were kept in without bother. He like it that way meant he could have a peaceful mind while he tried and sleep some of the day away. However there was one outside problem that always crept into his mind, even when he was in the solace of his cavern. But he generally didn't like to think about it, all he wanted to do was sleep and keep his mind off of the outside world's problems for a few moments.

The sound of the crashing water from the waterfall continuously battered the caverns with its echo as it reached Dave's ears. It was a nice a soothing sound for him, he thought maybe it was because he was a black dragon and most of the time he seemed to like either be flying or being around water. He thought it was possible that other black dragons liked to do the same, which if that was a fact he could possibly find them easier and learn from them. But even with all this background noise, the smell, the sound, he still felt like someone was invading his territory somehow. However he dismissed it for the time being, it wasn't like anyone would come in here or at least that was what he thought. It was a dark cavern after all, well dark when he wasn't there. But he knew that curiosity would get some of them eventually and he was willing to deal with that when the time came.

But it seemed curiosity came knocking on the door a little sooner than Dave could predict. As Dave opened they eye that was facing the entrance to the cavern he noticed a girl standing there. She had the look of shock upon her face; she seemed mesmerized by his appearance. His scales glimmered slightly in the low light cavern by the few torches circling it. Her scent had finally hit him however, the scent of another dragon a much older dragon at that. Dave's dragon instincts kicked in, he rose up his body weight shaking the cavern a bit as little rubble fell off the ceiling. He growled at the girl, all his instincts told to protect his 'territory' and make sure she got the message that this was his. But his senses than started to overpower his instincts, he stood down but not letting down his guard.

"Who are you and what do you want? There is nothing here for you, if this is an invasion of my territory I'll have you know I'll make sure you'll regret that!" he roared her. He patiently waited for her reply; he wasn't going to get into a fight for just a misunderstanding. Though his instincts were readying him for a fight, he looked at her and sort of knew she just came in here because of curiosity. Why else would she have a shocked look if not? However Dave started to get an overwhelming feeling like he knew this girl, but he didn't understand why. Who was she and why would he even feel this way for, he knew he hasn't seen her around the school before so why was he getting this feeling?

At the first growl, Kat's ability to think and move properly started to come back and she frowned, narrowing her eyes at the aggression the other was showing. At his words, she sniffed and crossed her arms. "And what on Earth would I want with your musty old cave you overgrown lizard? I just wanted to see what was down here. Didn't expect to find you and I certainly don't have any interest in taking your 'territory'." She made finger quotes in the air at the last word as if she didn't believe any of this was his. "Besides, you're still young. I've faced off against others a couple centuries older than you. You're hardly intimidating when you're barely older than a hatchling." She added, though she was still defensive. If he attacked, she'd make a run for it. Not that she was afraid but the cave was really not large enough for two dragons to be in. At least if she made it into the open she could defend herself better. Or just keep running and lose him in the trees. And even if he returned to his human form they'd still be evenly matched. So it all worked out.

But he didn't seem likely to attack and she really wasn't afraid of him. Just wary. He seemed familiar though she couldn't place why. She'd never met a dragon as young as him. But maybe she'd known his parents? But then again, all dragons shared similar characteristics, maybe he just looked like every other dragon she'd ever met. Regardless, he had seen her and knew what she was. Somehow she doubted he'd tell anyone he'd even seen another dragon but she had to be sure. "I'll make you a deal, drake. You don't tell anyone you saw me and I'll leave your little cave alone. I really did just want to check it out. If you say it's yours, it's yours. I don't want to fight over a bit of rock." She held up her hands in a sign of non-hostility. He was young, she highly doubted he was likely to tell anyone....except maybe his parents. She didn't know where they might be or who they might know. But how could she ensure he wouldn't tell? Maybe she could bribe him with some of the baubles she'd collected during her travels. All dragons liked shiny bits and bobs. She could offer him some gems or gold to keep his mouth shut.

The girl in front of the cave started to talk back to him, responding to his 'threat's if you could even call them that. They were merely something just to ward off others from trying to invade his private space, which was inherently in most if not all dragons. However, one thing seemed to have peaked his interest a bit, something that he sort of figured but was reassured a bit. He loosened up his defensive stance as she spoke of other dragons, other older ones then him. Dave wondered if she met other black dragons like him, maybe some that are somewhat close by that they could teach him about his heritage. He knew his mother tried her best with teaching him about being a dragon. But, it wasn't the same as learning from a real dragon, especially one of the same types of linage as you. At this point Dave was too far in thought and sort of blanked out from the girls' presence in the cave.

Shaking the thought for a moment, he looked back to the girl exhaling out a bit of smoke in the process. It wasn't a defensive move or anything, more of just a sigh, a sigh to show that he was too tired and bothered to deal with the girl at the moment. Even though it seemed she held a lot of knowledge of other dragons, she did wake him up from his nap. And if it is anything Dave hates, is when someone wakes him up from his nap. "Listen, I honestly don't care. I'm not going to tell anyone that you're a dragon for a couple of reasons. One, as I said before I don't care at the moment to even think about telling anyone. Second, I am a dragon so why would I want to do to you that I wouldn't want done to myself? Third and lastly, I am tired and uncaring at the moment so if you will just show yourself out of my cave, I can get back to my nap".

Turning around, he slowly stumped his way back to his resting spot all the way towards the back of the cave. As Dave stood over the burnt sleep nest, he opened his mouth and fire erupted out, spewing the red, whitish flame all over the spot. The embers from the melting rock sparked a bit as he slowly lowered himself and laid calming. He spread one of his wings out and covered his face with it, trying to block any outside disturbances on him.

Well. That was....quite rude of him. If he really thought he'd get away with threatening her and then going back to sleep like nothing happened he was sorely mistaken. She glared at him as he spoke and watched him curl up. She waited until he got himself comfortable before letting her glamour drop a bit and stalked forward. She tapped harshly on his wing with a hand that had become claws and growled at him in as much as her human form could growl. "So you think just because you're a lazy excuse for an overgrown basilisk you can just ignore me like that? You can't possibly expect me to believe you're not the least bit curious about meeting another dragon. Now wake your lazy tail up or I might rethink my stance on taking over your cave." She grumbled at him, continuing her tap-tapping with her claws just to be irritating.

"Besides, just because you can't be bothered telling anyone about me now doesn't mean you'll feel the same tomorrow. I need to know I'm safe dammit." She finally yelled the last part at him and slapped his wing, though upon realizing what she'd said she crossed her arms and turned her back on him (probably not a safe move but she didn't really think he'd attack her). "You know what, forget it. You just stay here and be King Laze-about and if I find out you told anyone I'll deal with you then." She said and started on her way out of the cave. Damn overgrown lizard. Couldn't even be bothered to be polite and respectful to an older dragon.

As he had finally gotten comfortable Dave heard footsteps that echoed towards him, he knew it was the girl but he didn't want to deal with it. But it seemed he would have to as her claws started to tap on his wings harshly, with a growl erupting from her. Her voice echoed throughout the cave, telling him off about what he had just done, along with calling him a basilisk. What was up with girls calling him basilisk lately? Did they just love getting him pissed or something? Well she was a dragon; she would know certain insults that would get a dragon annoyed or furious. She kept up the tapping on his wings and the growl; it seemed she just wanted at this point to irritate him. It was working. Behind his wing, his eyes were half open and if he was in his human form it would have an expression of annoyance. However it seemed she wasn't quit done with her ranting, she continued on, telling him how can she be reassured that he wouldn't say anything.

After she was done yelling and ranting he thought she was done and he could go back to sleeping, however she seemed not have gotten the final notion of her message out. This time it was a physical message, a slap to his wing. Dave had enough of it, he wasn't going to get any sleep now and any that he could mange was going to be pointless anyhow. Lifting up his wings he started to transform back into his human form, growing smaller and smaller. Finally once he was done he went over to a rock and picked up his back up cloth. As he was placing them on he noticed that she had started to walk out of the cave after saying her last piece. "Damn. Did anyone tell you that you are severely annoying"? He was half naked as he started to walk up to her, holding his t-shirt in one hand with a leather jacket in the other. Dave looked at her with his pure black eyes with the only hint that he was looking at her was a white dot in the middle and a annoyed expression, though to be fair Dave always looked annoyed on a daily basis.

"What more do you want from me? I gave you my word that I wasn't going to tell anyone. Besides, who the hell am I going to tell anyhow? The first and only dragon I met since I was born has been you; there aren't any other ones in this damn school. And on top of it all, don't you ever call me a basilisk again. Got it"? Looking at her once more he went and places his shirt on, then putting on his leather jacket. He fixed himself up before he placed his eyes back on her while he crossed his arms. "And by the way, I am interested but wasn't that interested at the moment. If you're hear that means you either go to this school or started to work here, which means that I would've seen you around. Though at this point not seeing you might be a pleasant surprise".