I woke up with a dragon that I held in my arms. I had to hold on to him to keep me warm at night. Even if my position is not very comfortable, especially lying on the wood, the heat generated by Egan is soothing. The temptation to stay asleep for a few more hours is strong and I have to struggle to force myself to get up.
Clinging to Egan as soon as I stood up, I woke him and him as we now stretched full length to soothe the aching muscles.
On the way down, I sit on the table picking up some fruit and drinking what's left in the water bottle. Egan watches me, yawns, and I can see with joy that last night's cleaning has done his morning breath a lot of good. He opens and closes his mouth several times watching me drink.
"Are you hungry already? He sends me his thirst and his hunger. I underestimated his appetite… What's it going to be like when he grows up?
I take the seal and the gourd and we go out. I sit down and enjoy the sun against a tree while Egan takes his meal, the sight of Egan eating a corpse is not very pleasant.
A roar rings out and immediately puts an end to my moment of relaxation. I run to meet Egan. It revolves around the panther... Or at least what's left of it. She was devoured during the night and even her skeleton is no longer complete, so the meat...
Egan keeps circling over what his meal should be and growls furiously while sniffling. I observe the footprints left by our thief and I can easily recognize those of a bear. A BEAR !
A bear entered the village in the middle of the night while we were sleeping. I was negligent...
I should have known the smell of a carcass would attract predators. I used this myself to ambush Egan's next meal. However, I left a carcass a few meters from where we sleep.
"Excuse me Egan," I said bitterly. I feel like I've been saying it a little too often lately.
"I was too negligent, we could have easily protected your hunting loot"
He growls only louder but I feel his anger is entirely directed at whoever stole his meal.
"Let's go to the waterfall, let's drink and we'll find you something to eat quickly. »
It was in a foul mood that Egan followed me towards the waterfall.
"I know you have reason to be angry Egan but please try to be quiet otherwise we have no chance of finding anything to hunt." This remark did not help his mood, but he complied with it right away.
During our hour of walking, we walked as quietly as possible while listening and scrutinizing a potential meal for Egan. Unfortunately the trip was calm and without encounters. However, luck changed when we were only a few dozen meters from the waterfall. The sound of several hooves is clearly audible even with the hubbub caused by the waterfall.
'Egan, follow me and stay quiet until I tell you.' We advance all the discretion of which we are capable while trying to advance as quickly as possible. Even if we are not particularly discreet, our efforts plus the sound of the waterfall are enough to go unnoticed.
Once the field of vision is open we can see a doe, a deer and fawns. The deer is in front of the waterfall. He advances and retreats nervously striking his irons in front of the water.
This sight disturbs me. What was he afraid of, Egan and I inspected the water of the waterfall and found no large fish or anything else that could pose a danger to me and the deer.
He ends up lowering his head and drinking while continuing to tap irons nervously against the ground.
A thick, hot liquid falls on my arm and I wince when I see it's Egan drooling all over me.
He stares at the group while drooling. I feel his excitement. 'Egan I can kill the deer in an instant so give me time to figure out what he's afraid of'
Without stopping to stare at the group he sends me the memory of me saying "Hunting" then right after another memory of me saying Egan's name. Believing to understand his message, I prefer to ask him: 'Do you want to hunt him yourself?'
It does not respond but performs anticipatory movements by sinking its claws into the ground and then removing them repeatedly. I hesitate, he must learn to hunt well one day and a deer is less dangerous than a panther, a bear or a pack of wolves...
'Very well you can hunt deer, if you hunt deer or fawns, the deer will chase you and if I understand correctly you want to do your first hunt alone'
…
'Pay close attention to those antlers and hooves. Grab him by the throat and hold on to him with your claws so he can't crush you'
He curls up and leaps up and I tense up ready to use my magic to help him if things go wrong.
The deer, already extremely tense, immediately heard the sound of Egan's leap and spun around. Which would have been a problem if we weren't so close. They all run as soon as they see the dragon cub but Egan catches up to the deer before it even manages to leave the waterfall.
As I advised him, he jumped at the poor fugitive's throat and clung to the deer with his claws on all four legs.
The shock causes the deer to fall, which drags Egan into the fall, Egan lacerates its neck while clinging to it and leaves a deep scratch on the animal's side. Egan shakes his mouth in all directions tearing half of the beast's neck and very quickly the deer does not move.