I looked out of the window for
the tenth time that morning, searching the horizon for the tale tell
shimmer of red scales that belonged to my dad. But once more, the
windows showed only green hills and a curved earthy road. I let out
an annoyed his, my tail beating the wooden floor behind me with
enough force for it to creak. The clearing of a throat sent shivers
down my spine, my whole body tensing in preparation for the
inevitable. My head remained glued to the window for too long and the
impatient clicking of claws on stone told me I was walking on thin
ice. Slowly I turned around to face my mom, her emerald eyes burning
with cold fury and brown brows already set in a frown. She came
towards me with heavy steps, her yellow silk dress almost looking
like golden armor on her brown skin. A firm gesture with her hand was
all she needed to make me sit down on the sofa, my tail curling
around my waist.

"Dax, how many times have
I told you to be careful with your tail?" she asked with a voice
packed with authority.

"I don't know mom,"
I replied, developing a sudden interest in the scarlet scales that
covered my tail, "a lot, I guess."

"And, what did you
promise your dad you would do until he got back?" I lowered my
head a bit more, tracing nervous lines over my thick tail with my
claws.

"That I wouldn't burn
down the cabin." I told her with a soft voice, still refusing to
look her in the eye.

"And?"

"And to be a good cub.
Sorry, mom. I was- I was just too excited." Her scent changed at
that moment, shifting from imposing authority to sweet love.

"I know my firecracker. I
am too. But, you need to control yourself. You won't be a cub
forever." I nodded, letting my eyes met hers. A gentle smile
had made its way into her face. "Now, how much longer are you
going to stay glued to that window?"

"Until dad arrives. He
said we would spend the day together." I told her, a quick chirp
escaping from my throat at the end. "He promised he would teach
me how to breath fire."

"He did, didn't he?"
her smile turned forced for a moment, anger tainting her scent. I let
out a soft whine, regretting my big mouth; I could see it in her
eyes, dad wouldn't hear the end of it later. "That's, that's
wonderful dear."

I only replied with a nod, my
mind already running wild with all the things I would do with my
breath. Cook outs in the forest, lighting the lamps at night, scaring
the bullies, going on adventures. There were so many things just
waiting out there for me and my fire.

"Dax, Dax, Dax!" my
mom said, her voice taking an edge that showed her annoyance.

"Sorry mom." I told
her, caressing the softer scales of my tail to control my urge to
look through the window again.

"I swear, between your
father and you I'm surprised anything gets done around here."

"It's all thanks to you
mom. "

"A charmer like your
father, I see. " She said with amusement in her voice. "Well,
if you're old enough to breathe fire, you're old enough to help
around the house."

The rest of my morning was
spent cleaning the living room and the dining room in preparation for
Dad's return. My mind soon got lost in the rhythm of it all. I
dusted and swept, then polished everything to a sheen with a humid
cloth. Moving the furniture would come next and any dirt was
thoroughly cleaned then. My excitement building with each bit I
cleaned, a soft purr coming from me. All along, the pleasing smells
of the banquet were wafting from the chicken, making my mouth water.
Roast chicken, steamed vegetables and, underneath it all, apple pie,
Dad's favorite.

The jingle of bells turned my
attention to the door, the old wood opening with ease despite its
weight. A scale covered arm holding it open for the stout dragon it
belonged too. Soft green robes covered his form, the fabric worn and
sporting a thin layer of dirt. An excited yip left my mouth as I ran
towards him, my claws clicking against the wooden floor. Dad entered
the house with a mix of a growl and a grunt, depositing the big
burlap sack he carried on his back with a fluid movement. He turned
to me with a tired smile on his face, his golden eyes widening when I
jumped at him. He barely had time to open his arms before I collided
with him, his slight paunch softening the hit while a deep laugh
shook his core.

"Couldn't wait for your
old man my firecracker?" He asked as I nuzzled his chest while I
took in the smell of cinder and ashes that always clung to him. "It
was only a few days, did you miss me that much?"

I answered him with a hug, my
arms barely managing to close in around his waist. Dad's body shook
with another laugh, returning the hug with a strong arm as the other
one pet my head.

"Yes. I missed you."
I confessed in a whisper, enjoying the warmth that came from his
chest. "And you promised."

"So you were only looking
out for the promise? You make this old dragon sad." he said with
mock sadness, a playful edge arising in his scent.

"I really missed you
dad!" I protested, hugging him with all the strength I had. A
yip left me when I felt his strong arms pick me up in one fell swoop, cradling me against his chest and nuzzling my snout with his.

"I missed you too, my
son." He told me before he gave me an affectionate lick on the
side of my snout. "We'll have lots of fun later, just like I
did with my mom and my brother when I was your age."

Dad gave me a conspiratorial
wink before he threw me into the air, the move catching by surprise.
I wanted to scream, but instead I felt a dryness fill my throat, a
strange sensation appeared all of the sudden, like if I had a ball
stuck at the back of my throat and, before I could really process it, I felt a restless fire burn its way up my throat. Golden
and orange flames came out of my snout in a flow that spread like a
flower. Warm, dangerous and beautiful, it lasted for only the few
seconds I was in the air. But it was enough to paint the roof black.

A gleeful smile came to Dad's
face, his eyes brimming with wonder and pride. At least until a tense
"my love" broke the moment. Then he turned his head to the
side, where mom was coming out from the kitchen with a ladle in her
hand and anger in her eyes. A tinge of fear came to his scent, a
nervous laugh leaving him before he said: "I missed you too
honey."