Odahviing only laughed, withstanding the heat with scales toughened through millenia.
"Perhaps some day, little Dovah," he said. "Some day far in the future. But for now, you are in danger."
"I am danger!" the dragon retorted. "I bring death! Mortals tremble before me, and hide in their stone shelters. I burn all before me, I -"
The human, having climbed the plateau to join the two dragons, now grew tired of the bronze dragon's rant. He looked at the small Dovah.
"Fus... Ro Dah!" The Shout echoed through the valley. Yolviinax was upended, and head over tail, he tumbled and rolled down the slope of the plateau, coming to a stop dazed and shaking his shining bronze head.
Still bound by Dragonrend, Yolviinax's body lashed in a rage. His tail thumped, sending dust flying. One wing snagged and tore on a sharp rock. His mouth was bloodied from his tumble, and the scales of his bronze flank were scraped raw. Still he could not take flight, so he scrambled to his feet and set fire to all the scrub he could reach.
Odahviing and the Dovahkiin waited until it had burned out to move towards him.
"Do you not know the tale of the Dovahkiin, little one?" Odahviing said, not unkindly, as the small dragon panted and breathed, spent, his sides heaving like a frightened horse.
"That is a story," said Yolviinax.
"It is. It is also truth," Odahviing said. "This is the Dovahkiin, the Soul-Eater, slayer of Alduin; of he who would have mastered all of us."
Yolviinax stared, his jewel eyes narrowed in disbelief.
"It is he who binds you to the ground as we speak; it is he who summoned me; and it is he who sent you tumbling down that hill with the force of his Voice. He has the soul of a Dovah."
"That little thing?" The hatchling snorted. "I shall lift him with my claws, soar into the sky, and drop him! I will see the innards of his cracked skull, and ... " he paused, unable to think of a suitable addition to his threat.
"And?" said Odahviing, amused.
"And they will be delicious!" Yolviinax stumbled towards the human, and drawing a breath, made his first real roar, bellowing all of his rage and aggression into the mortal's face.
The Dovahkiin squinted into the blast of sound, withstanding it patiently, then wiped flecks of spit from his skin when it was over. He looked at Odahviing, who was shaking with laughter.
"Perhaps I was mistaken," said the human. "This small one is too stupid to spare."
Odahviing nodded his assent. "You speak truth, Dovahkiin. He is foolhardy, and cannot see sense. If you would eat his soul, I will not oppose you."
Yolviinax went quiet. "Eat... my soul?"
Odahviing nodded his heavy head. "Every Shout voiced by the Dovahkiin is born of the souls of our kind. Our deepest essence is but a source of his power. He can end us forever, if he chooses."
"And you aid him?" Yolviinax said, his voice accusing.
Odahviing sighed. "Yes, young one, I aid him. But that story is a longer one than you would listen to, I think."
"Can't we kill him?"
"Many have tried," Odahviing said. "And he has slain them all. Alduin among them. As I told you - he has the soul of a Dovah."
The Dovahkiin now approached, and Odahviing was amused to see the small bronze dragon tremble.
"I have no reason to take your soul, Yolviinax," the human said, "so long as you leave my kind to themselves. Let me see this..." He lifted the hatchling's wing and laid a gentle hand on his bloodied flank. The hatchling twitched, but did not fight.
"Good," said the Dovahkiin, and a healing spell, infused with a soft, calming light, surged through Yolviinax's small, dust-smeared body.
Yolviinax settled on his haunches, his head bobbing, and the human scratched his neck. "There you go, mighty Yolviinax," he said, smiling.
"I will kill you when your spell wears off," said Yolviinax idly, and arched into the touch with a yawn.
"It would be a shame if you were to attack me," said the Dovahkiin, and kept scratching. "Do you not want to live to be as old and powerful as Odahviing?"
"I will be older," said Yolviinax at once, "and more powerful." A hind leg twitched as the Dovahkiin's hand moved on his neck.
Odahviing rumbled a laugh. "Then listen well, hatchling," he said, "and I will tell you how..."
Fill: Fire, Shining Cruelty [3/3]
"Perhaps some day, little Dovah," he said. "Some day far in the future. But for now, you are in danger."
"I am danger!" the dragon retorted. "I bring death! Mortals tremble before me, and hide in their stone shelters. I burn all before me, I -"
The human, having climbed the plateau to join the two dragons, now grew tired of the bronze dragon's rant. He looked at the small Dovah.
"Fus... Ro Dah!" The Shout echoed through the valley. Yolviinax was upended, and head over tail, he tumbled and rolled down the slope of the plateau, coming to a stop dazed and shaking his shining bronze head.
Still bound by Dragonrend, Yolviinax's body lashed in a rage. His tail thumped, sending dust flying. One wing snagged and tore on a sharp rock. His mouth was bloodied from his tumble, and the scales of his bronze flank were scraped raw. Still he could not take flight, so he scrambled to his feet and set fire to all the scrub he could reach.
Odahviing and the Dovahkiin waited until it had burned out to move towards him.
"Do you not know the tale of the Dovahkiin, little one?" Odahviing said, not unkindly, as the small dragon panted and breathed, spent, his sides heaving like a frightened horse.
"That is a story," said Yolviinax.
"It is. It is also truth," Odahviing said. "This is the Dovahkiin, the Soul-Eater, slayer of Alduin; of he who would have mastered all of us."
Yolviinax stared, his jewel eyes narrowed in disbelief.
"It is he who binds you to the ground as we speak; it is he who summoned me; and it is he who sent you tumbling down that hill with the force of his Voice. He has the soul of a Dovah."
"That little thing?" The hatchling snorted. "I shall lift him with my claws, soar into the sky, and drop him! I will see the innards of his cracked skull, and ... " he paused, unable to think of a suitable addition to his threat.
"And?" said Odahviing, amused.
"And they will be delicious!" Yolviinax stumbled towards the human, and drawing a breath, made his first real roar, bellowing all of his rage and aggression into the mortal's face.
The Dovahkiin squinted into the blast of sound, withstanding it patiently, then wiped flecks of spit from his skin when it was over. He looked at Odahviing, who was shaking with laughter.
"Perhaps I was mistaken," said the human. "This small one is too stupid to spare."
Odahviing nodded his assent. "You speak truth, Dovahkiin. He is foolhardy, and cannot see sense. If you would eat his soul, I will not oppose you."
Yolviinax went quiet. "Eat... my soul?"
Odahviing nodded his heavy head. "Every Shout voiced by the Dovahkiin is born of the souls of our kind. Our deepest essence is but a source of his power. He can end us forever, if he chooses."
"And you aid him?" Yolviinax said, his voice accusing.
Odahviing sighed. "Yes, young one, I aid him. But that story is a longer one than you would listen to, I think."
"Can't we kill him?"
"Many have tried," Odahviing said. "And he has slain them all. Alduin among them. As I told you - he has the soul of a Dovah."
The Dovahkiin now approached, and Odahviing was amused to see the small bronze dragon tremble.
"I have no reason to take your soul, Yolviinax," the human said, "so long as you leave my kind to themselves. Let me see this..." He lifted the hatchling's wing and laid a gentle hand on his bloodied flank. The hatchling twitched, but did not fight.
"Good," said the Dovahkiin, and a healing spell, infused with a soft, calming light, surged through Yolviinax's small, dust-smeared body.
Yolviinax settled on his haunches, his head bobbing, and the human scratched his neck. "There you go, mighty Yolviinax," he said, smiling.
"I will kill you when your spell wears off," said Yolviinax idly, and arched into the touch with a yawn.
"It would be a shame if you were to attack me," said the Dovahkiin, and kept scratching. "Do you not want to live to be as old and powerful as Odahviing?"
"I will be older," said Yolviinax at once, "and more powerful." A hind leg twitched as the Dovahkiin's hand moved on his neck.
Odahviing rumbled a laugh. "Then listen well, hatchling," he said, "and I will tell you how..."