Little Scales
Part Four.


Scales had passed out, whilst in the presence of Lyle, his old, forgotten, human friend. Lyle panicked, and tried to awake the unconscious hatchling. </u>

"Little Dragon! Wake up! Wake up!! What happened?! It wasn't me, was it?!"

A small glow appeared around Scales, in the shape of another dragon's paws. Operia was showing herself; as a full adult in form.

"Scales... It's okay. This human won`t harm you..."

"What the...?! Who are you.... WHAT are you?! I can..."

"I am Operia. A dragon's spirit. And the one who turned this little one into a Hatchling with no recollection of his past, as did I take away his ability to talk until he ages enough."

"Operia? That's a stupid name...."

"Do you disrespect the very ancient in-front of you? You deserve a punishment, you insolent piece of pale-skinned refuse."

"What are you? A thousand?"

A low growl could be heard coming from Operia, as she stood and raised her front fore-paw. It suddenly became a solid entity as she smashed it down upon Lyle, with just enough power behind it to force Lyle into the dirt.

"Argh! G-Get off me... You stupid scaly beast!"

Lyle looked up in time to see Operia had brought her paw back down on him with the same amount of force.

"That hurts... What do you want, LIZARD?!"

"Hmph. I can't believe Traes was friends with such a pathetic human."

Operia raised her paw for a final strike, this time she had intended to end Lyle's life.

"Wait! Did you say Traes?..." Lyle's voice trailed off, and Operia froze.

"Yes, I did. Why?"

"How do you know him...?"

"I thought you recognized him..."

"Recognized who?!"

"Your friend, Traes..."

"What are you talking about?"

"Scales... The little hatchling. He's your friend, Traes. He voluntarily let me turn him into a hatchling... To keep me alive... I am his guardian."

Lyle sat there for a moment before he laughed.

"You're joking! Humans can`t become dragons! No way! And dragons don't exist! I'm just seeing things!"

"You are very wrong, human, but if that is your belief, turn back and never return. You'll find your friend Traes doesn't exist anymore, nor will he ever return. He is gone, destroyed by the mind of the dragon."

"This is all just some crazy dream, so sure, I'll leave. And I won't return. Traes will be there when I wake up. I know he will!"

Lyle stormed off at this point, and Operia slowly lay down, left to watch over Scales as he pieced together his small encounter with Lyle in his mind.

Night began to creep over the small glade, and Scales continued to lay with Operia, Scales seemed content to lay in the warmth that had been given off by Operia; however weak it had been.

When the moon shone like a bright beacon in the sky above the glade, Operia slowly faded, moving her paw in a position of protection.

"Wake up soon, Little One..." Operia's voice trailed off as she faded until she had completely vanished, a small band of crystal had appeared around Scales right-fore paw during this process, and it glimmered with life in the moonlight.