"Bared Flames" by Asfand Yar Warraich

I emerged from my deep slumber, embracing the semi radiance outside. In leisure, I stretched out, heaving myself off the cavern floors and walked out of the den. I let out a booming roar, the sound reverberating in the distance and breathed into the air, letting out a lasso of emerald flame to kiss the skies.

Soon, dozens of similar roars issued from all around, and brilliant green fires reached up, towards the heavens. Contented, I trotted to an ancient tree. Beside it, lay a large piece of meat, caked blood pooling around it, the remains of my last hunt. In moments, there was nothing left but scorched carcass.

I sat down near the entrance of the cave, the sky expanding before me, a canvas of colors, the grenadine and the azure and the auburn all engulfing each other. Behind the trees, the faint image of a mounting orb could be seen, mesmerizing in incandescent beauty, lucid radiance cascading around it.

I nestled between some fallen leaves, letting the white sunlight bathe me, caressing me in its gentle warmth …

* * *

Deep, thundering roars erupted from within the depth of the forest, awakening me from sleep. I reacted instantly, digging my claws into the soil and pushing myself upwards. I could sense something was wrong.

I ran from the open, cantering towards the inner and darker part of the forest. I passed glens and openings, looking for signs of the outbreak. I could feel a dark presence in the air, the woods had certainly been befouled, but how, I had no idea.

I came to another opening and stopped short, crying out in agony at the sight of scarlet blood. In the middle of the bloodied forest floor, was a pile of my kindred, all scarred and singed. I cried out, letting a low, mournful roar to echo in the hollows. I set fire to the bodies, watching as the blackened creatures turned to ash.

A sudden movement in the shadows caught my eye. I spun around, vigilant and alert. I stared as a shadowy figure came in to view, stepping closer to me. The outlined silhouette turned into the face of a lioness, her deep, amber eyes boring into mine. She stepped out the darkness, revealing fur that merged into a tough, scaled body at the end. She snuggled closer to me, rubbing her head against m mane, our hard tails entwining.

I shook her off, walking past her, not even sparing a second glance. Yet my silence told her all, she was to stay behind. It was not her fight, it was ours, not theirs.

I began running once again, trying still to find the cause of the trouble. Suddenly, the dusk died, and the light was devoured by darkness. I looked upwards, finding a black creature, its wings spanning the seven skies and viciously flapping. It opened its mouth in a terrible shriek, the sound piercing the air.

It let out a flame of scarlet, allowing it to shoot towards me. I darted backwards as the fire burnt patches of the ground, staining the greens in black. I decided to fight back, though knowing there was no way to match its might.

I breathed fire at it, making the green and crimson to meet. The fires wrapped around each as we both severed to avoid them. The monster moved with astonishing agility given its massive size. It came to this, firing at each other and running here and there. The powers of the creature knew no end, it was effortless - the way he fought.

I knew I would die soon, I knew a desperate fate awaited me, opening its arms even now, capturing me in the pale claws of death. Suddenly, a silver flame erupted from my side, entangling in mine, twirling around the monster and licking it in the eyes. The monster screeched in the agony.

I looked back, seeing my mate, her caring eyes livid with rage. She fired once again; burning a hole in one of the monster’s wings the blindness took toll. The creature faced downwards, picking up our vivid scents and breathing fire at us. I easily severed, having expected such an attack, and for the first time, there was hope.

I let a flame of scarlet into the air, the light illuminating the forest in green. Soon enough, fires began sprouting all across. Beside me, she let out a deep roar and at once the ground began shaking under the fury of synchronized steps. Galloping out of the darkness came dozens of our kin, all filled with rage.

As one, we breathed in to the air, letting loose jets of opal and silver fires. The jets entrapped the creature, which began shooting blindly. The flames wrapped around the monster, capturing it in a prison, holding it under the heat. I could see its scales shattering as the fire now spread to its unsheathed skin, burning the hide.

It fell, from feet above the tallest trees; it came crashing to the ground, crushing giant trees. It lay limp, its eyes burnt and bleeding a silver essence. The dark sky came into view once more, and red-tinged horizon was visible.

A gentle zephyr began to blow, sweeping off the grief, the sorrow. Lifting the ashes of a war-stained woodland …

* * *

She closed onto me, our heads stroking each other; gently evoking sleep as we let our stupors cover us like blankets … closing our eyes … in sustained peace …