So, what does that mean? Well, each day, I'm going to tell you about a dragon - a dragon inspired by a name that I generated randomly using a name generator (I haven't looked up the derivation of any of these names, I have just run with how they make me feel, their sound on the tongue).
I'll tell you all about my Dragon of the Day, and share some flash fic about their lives. Any genre, any character, any look - prepare to be surprised and (I hope) entertained by my dragonly inspirations :).
~
is for Orvokki
It can be tough being a god.
Orvokki kinda fell into it, well literally actually, when a storm blew him off course into the jungle. Forced to land by exhaustion, he found the locals at the sharp end of a spear, only his mix of feathers and scales, and a well-timed fiery burp saved him from being dinner. Instead, he ended up being worshiped.
It’s fair to say that he’s still finding his deified feet.
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I'll tell you all about my Dragon of the Day, and share some flash fic about their lives. Any genre, any character, any look - prepare to be surprised and (I hope) entertained by my dragonly inspirations :).
~
~
is for OrvokkiIt can be tough being a god.
Orvokki kinda fell into it, well literally actually, when a storm blew him off course into the jungle. Forced to land by exhaustion, he found the locals at the sharp end of a spear, only his mix of feathers and scales, and a well-timed fiery burp saved him from being dinner. Instead, he ended up being worshiped.
It’s fair to say that he’s still finding his deified feet.
~
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Orvokki was pretty sure the temple in which he was currently residing was being recycled as his new home. It was very impressive with pillars and arches and carved statues and all, but it was lacking most of its roof and the jungle had found a home wrapping itself around the aforementioned pillars. Orvokki had managed to find a corner that was dry and warm once he’d lit a small fire, but he was missing his home and hoard. Once he was strong enough to fly again, he was so out of this place, but until then he was accepting the food the locals kept bringing him as politely as he could and biding his time.
Right then, they were chanting again: they’d been doing that outside the walls on and off since he’d arrived, at all hours of the day and night. Truth be told, Orvokki just wanted to get some sleep, so he stuffed his head under his wing and tried to block out the rising and falling voices and the incessant drum beats that went with it.
His hosts had just delivered their umpteenth lot of food for that day, so Orvokki was not expecting visitors, so when the chanting suddenly stopped and he heard the pad, pad of bare feet on stone, it was nerves that made him uncurl and take a look. A mostly naked person was not a surprise, since none of the tribe seemed to bother with many clothes, but seeing it was a young woman, Orvokki took a bit more notice, since, up until then, it had been the men from the hunting party that had found him who had been delivering the food.
Dragons being a secretive lot, Orvokki had not had much to do with any humans, but he recognised a short and very pointy spear in the girl’s hand as she walked towards him. The last time he’d been on the end of one of those, it had nearly cost him his life, so Orvokki reared up, flaring out his wings and growling, just in case she was planning on using it.
Wide, frightened eyes looked up at him, and the girl fell to her knees. She was trembling so badly, Orvokki could see the spear vibrating and his sensitive hearing picked up her rapid heartbeat. It was all very confusing and Orvokki had no idea what to do, so he held his breath and waited to see what would happen.
The young woman (she could have been no more that eighteen) continued to stare up at Orvokki, her dark eyes drawing him in so much that he almost didn’t see the spear’s point turning, not towards his heart, but towards hers. Food and shelter was one thing, but sacrifice was quite another and, with a roar of disbelief, Orvokki descended on the girl, batting the spear away with his snout. The girl fell back, her cry small as she cowered before him, so Orvokki turned his shocked anger on the wooden weapon that had clattered away. Without much control, he let rip with his fire. Jungle vines as well as the spear went up in flames and Orvokki snorted in satisfaction as he watched both turn to cinders.
Whimpering brought him out of the momentary reverie and dragon looked down on human. She was hiding her head, curled up below his body, which, compared to her, was huge and, instantly he realised the fear he was generating, Orvokki shrunk down. Yet, he did not want to leave her like this. As slowly and gently as he could, he lowered his head until his chin was touching the ground in front of the girl, and, once again, he waited.
It didn’t take too long, she was too afraid to ignore him; she looked at him through the long, straight hair that was stuck to her face with tears. Orvokki blinked at her and gave a tiny snort he hoped would signal his friendship. She jumped, but did not shrink away and Orvokki was happy when he received a long stare back. Tentatively, he slid his snout forward to contact with her knee and he snorted again. His companion froze: Orvokki waited.
Finally, a shaking hand reached out and lightly brushed the soft feathers on his snout. Orvokki rumbled a quiet appreciation, and gradually, he saw fear turning to wonder in front of him. He snuffled as the girl leant forward and played the fingers of her other hand over the horn on his nose. He had no idea what the form was for dealing with thwarted sacrifices, so he just went with instinct. Orvokki lifted one wing, revealing the downy spot where the leathery underside rested against his body. His new companion glanced over her shoulder at the way she had come in, then at the burning stick her spear had become, and then right into Orvokki’s eyes. He rumbled what he hoped was encouragement then and suddenly she bolted, right for the protection he offered.
Bringing his head round to rest at his new friend’s feet, Orvokki lowered his wing and decided that, since he was a god now, whatever was going to happen next could wait until he’d had forty winks.
Right then, they were chanting again: they’d been doing that outside the walls on and off since he’d arrived, at all hours of the day and night. Truth be told, Orvokki just wanted to get some sleep, so he stuffed his head under his wing and tried to block out the rising and falling voices and the incessant drum beats that went with it.
His hosts had just delivered their umpteenth lot of food for that day, so Orvokki was not expecting visitors, so when the chanting suddenly stopped and he heard the pad, pad of bare feet on stone, it was nerves that made him uncurl and take a look. A mostly naked person was not a surprise, since none of the tribe seemed to bother with many clothes, but seeing it was a young woman, Orvokki took a bit more notice, since, up until then, it had been the men from the hunting party that had found him who had been delivering the food.
Dragons being a secretive lot, Orvokki had not had much to do with any humans, but he recognised a short and very pointy spear in the girl’s hand as she walked towards him. The last time he’d been on the end of one of those, it had nearly cost him his life, so Orvokki reared up, flaring out his wings and growling, just in case she was planning on using it.
Wide, frightened eyes looked up at him, and the girl fell to her knees. She was trembling so badly, Orvokki could see the spear vibrating and his sensitive hearing picked up her rapid heartbeat. It was all very confusing and Orvokki had no idea what to do, so he held his breath and waited to see what would happen.
The young woman (she could have been no more that eighteen) continued to stare up at Orvokki, her dark eyes drawing him in so much that he almost didn’t see the spear’s point turning, not towards his heart, but towards hers. Food and shelter was one thing, but sacrifice was quite another and, with a roar of disbelief, Orvokki descended on the girl, batting the spear away with his snout. The girl fell back, her cry small as she cowered before him, so Orvokki turned his shocked anger on the wooden weapon that had clattered away. Without much control, he let rip with his fire. Jungle vines as well as the spear went up in flames and Orvokki snorted in satisfaction as he watched both turn to cinders.
Whimpering brought him out of the momentary reverie and dragon looked down on human. She was hiding her head, curled up below his body, which, compared to her, was huge and, instantly he realised the fear he was generating, Orvokki shrunk down. Yet, he did not want to leave her like this. As slowly and gently as he could, he lowered his head until his chin was touching the ground in front of the girl, and, once again, he waited.
It didn’t take too long, she was too afraid to ignore him; she looked at him through the long, straight hair that was stuck to her face with tears. Orvokki blinked at her and gave a tiny snort he hoped would signal his friendship. She jumped, but did not shrink away and Orvokki was happy when he received a long stare back. Tentatively, he slid his snout forward to contact with her knee and he snorted again. His companion froze: Orvokki waited.
Finally, a shaking hand reached out and lightly brushed the soft feathers on his snout. Orvokki rumbled a quiet appreciation, and gradually, he saw fear turning to wonder in front of him. He snuffled as the girl leant forward and played the fingers of her other hand over the horn on his nose. He had no idea what the form was for dealing with thwarted sacrifices, so he just went with instinct. Orvokki lifted one wing, revealing the downy spot where the leathery underside rested against his body. His new companion glanced over her shoulder at the way she had come in, then at the burning stick her spear had become, and then right into Orvokki’s eyes. He rumbled what he hoped was encouragement then and suddenly she bolted, right for the protection he offered.
Bringing his head round to rest at his new friend’s feet, Orvokki lowered his wing and decided that, since he was a god now, whatever was going to happen next could wait until he’d had forty winks.
~
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That was indeed a fortunate burp! Why don't mine ever turn out that way? :)
ReplyDeleteDiscarded Darlings - Jean Davis, Speculative Fiction Writer, A to Z: Editing Fiction
I know, for us humans, they're just plain embarrassing :)
DeleteJust lovely. I love your frendly dragons, there's something refreshing about them :-)
ReplyDelete@JazzFeathers
The Old Shelter - 1940s Film Noir
Thank you :)
DeleteHi Sophie - what a clever god - sensible .. I'll remember about burping in future ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeletehttp://positiveletters.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/o-is-for-orkney-islands-adapted-breeds.html
I'd say sensible rather than clever, and who knew burping could be so fortuitous! :)
DeleteI love Orvokki - not perfect by any means but a heart of gold. Another wonderful dragon - thanks for sharing him with us.
ReplyDeleteHighlands Days of Fun
Thank you :)
DeleteAww, now this is a dragon I like. He has compassion. :-)
ReplyDeleteOrovkki is too caring and considerate for a dragon. Give him a few hundred years of being worshipped as a god, he's harden up. ;-)
ReplyDeleteO - The October Crisis
Orovkki seems like such a sweet dragon. I like him. :)
ReplyDeleteMelissa @ My Creatively Random Life
That was a touching story. And I think Orvokki could get used to being a god, as long as he issues a decree against sacrifices!
ReplyDeleteOrvokki is such a nice dragon! His name seems to have a Finnish influence, with the double K.
ReplyDelete