They didn't dare to move as they simply stood still staring back at him, as for him... he was too tired to even lift a single muscle.
They did nothing but stare at each other for an unknown amount of time.
'They are too small to be earth elementals, too small to be rock spirits... I should just call them pebbles instead' He thought as he stared at them 'I should probably turn them into my subordinates... that way I would have someone to talk to' as he was mulling over what to do with them, this sudden thought came 'Yes! I won't be alone anymore, I would have someone to talk to.'
As he was complimenting himself for such an ingenious idea.
The five pebbles were having a conversation of their own
'Pink Pebble'
'My fault... sorry'
'Big scary boat...
'A boat with eyes is no boat!'
'Boat possessed!'
They began to bicker among themselves, Blaming one another for their current dilemma.
'Your fault'
'Yes!'
'No! it was laying on the floor, flat and not moving... I thought... it was a big rock'
'Rock boat scary...'
Looking around, the place they had drifted to was riddled with deb-re, evident that this place had also suffered the same fate.
Even after reaching dry land... None of them dared to leave this 'boat'
The 'boat' keeled over and stood up. Dropping the five pebbles into the water, even though they had reached the shore, the water was a bit too deep for them considering that they are pebbles.
*****
A few seconds after washing up the shore, He had begun mulling over on what to do with his new companions that had dared to use him as a boat without suffering any consequences.
, almost cost him his life in many instances, he was already battered and bruised before this unfortunate incident, and now his body condition was only getting worse.
As Dragons were known to have magnificent bodies with inexhaustible resilience against whatever was thrown at them, as much as he dreamed of having such capabilities. Reality was ruthless, sparing no one to its delight.
He was still considered a wyrmling! the weakest juncture in a dragon's life span. As much potential a Dragon possesses, it would amount to nothing if it died before it could even exhibit or even fulfill the tiniest bit of it.
Potential is worthless if its owner failed to convert it into true power!
His current situation could only be summed up as "Catastrophic". Not only did he not have parents to take care of him, being malnourished, battered, and bruised, and worst of all he knew he had butt loads of potential but couldn't do anything...it was reality slapping him in the face.
As he was mulling over his depressing life, the five pebbles were calling for help! They couldn't swim... they were rocks after all. as much as they wanted to swim ashore or grab onto the 'boats' tail.
They sunk and were slowly being drifted away into the deeper areas of this cursed underground river.
Noticing it, he prompter picked each and one of them up and placed them on his shoulder, as small his body maybe, he could still dead-lift a considerable amount of rocks even if his body was injured. Pebbles were nothing, he would soon be returning to the bastard that caused all his suffering if he couldn't.
As the pebbles were beginning to panic, He said with a raspy voice.
"Sit, we'll talk later"
forcing the pebbles to behave, he began to explore his new surroundings.
Everything's still the same as before... it's just untouched, that would soon change as he was here and starving to eat more rocks. He had unwillingly left his stash of mouthwatering rocks.
He picked up a reddish rock and began munching on it. 'It is not as spicy as the ones before' it was clear that he had gained a craving for spicy food.
As he was picking up rocks, the pebbles on the other hand had mixed emotions.
For one, they were thankful that the 'boat' had saved them, even if he was the cause of the almost drowning.
The 'boat' had also forced them to sit on "it's" shoulders and with the pink pebble sitting on top of the 'boats'.
It was given that they didn't know that what they used as a boat was a dragon. With its skinny appearance, partnered up with the caves' dark atmosphere they had mistaken this dragon as a boat.
As they were obediently sitting, observing him picking up rocks and munching on them, the pink rock mustered up its courage to ask questions to this boat that had decided to kidnap them.
"Are you a boat?" She asked out of the blue
The perceived boat stopped moving entirely, gently laying all the rocks he had picked up on the ground
His pupils moved up as if he was trying to get a good look at it
His hands reached out grabbing the pink pebble, the other pebbles couldn't sit still and were about to take up action
"We may be weak but that doesn't mean we're easily bullied! unhand our sister" the pebbles internally screamed
'I think it wants to talk to me, I'll be fine!' the pink pebble sent them a message of not to worry about her, as her pleasant voice had managed to calm them down, they couldn't help but still worry for her safety.
He lifted the pink pebble up until both of them were face to face. A long and remorseful sigh followed, sending a warm breath to the pink pebble... making it shiver.
Using his free hand, he massaged his temples. His voice exuded both tiredness and depression.
"Can your friends talk?'
"I am the only one capable" the pink pebble replied with her voice having a tinge of femininity as she began to express her discomfort at his handling of her.
A female rock... who knew? Looking at the pink pebble astonished, it was mind-blowing that rocks or even pebbles had a gender. He massaged his temples yet again.
How? how were these damn pieces of stone capable of having gender? coming to life was in itself defies logic... or his, at least.
After a brief pause, he coughed "Tell your fellow pebbles that they will call me Big Bro, all of you will be accompanying me from now on. That is the price for using me as a boat, got that?" His voice was filled with arrogance and was domineering, it could have been perfect but sadly he was currently at his lowest.
He tried to convey it in a way that one would perceive it as a command rather than a request.
He wanted to have company, he was tired of being alone!