December Story Contest

The Two Horses and the Dragon

by: Keely and Bicentianel      Age 13

 

 

There were once two horses that went everywhere together. Since this was a long, long time ago all animals could speak not in neighs, barks, meows, and hisses but in English!  And there were creatures we can only dream about Dragons, Unicorns, Centaurs, Griffins, and many other creatures of which you would not believe! Creatures you have not heard of and do not want to think of for as there were good creatures there were also bad.

  The two horses where about as different as horses can get without mutation.

  Leaf was a big black Friesian with feathers covering his massive hooves. 

  Huh-sun was a light gray dainty Arabian with a dished nose and pink muzzle.

“So…what are we doing today?” asked Huh-sun.

“Well, I was thinking of exploring a canyon I saw the other day” responded Leaf.

“Okay, lead the way.”

“This way.”

   Huh-sun followed Leaf to the other side of the lushly grassed valley to a cliff wall in the cliff wall there was an opening barely large enough for Leaf and Huh-sun to fit through. The canyon glowed not with sunlight or fire but with GOLD!!!!!!!!!!!! There was gold everywhere with precious and semi-precious gems mixed in and there where skeletons of creatures.

 “Um, do you think this is safe?” nervously asked Huh-sun as she pointed a hoof at a skeleton.

  “Don’t be chicken! Look at all this treasure! Obliviously some bad man from long ago left his workers here to guard it or he killed them to keep them from taking it” Leaf said.

  “I guess you’re right but those bones give me the creeps” Huh-Sun said

    Then the canyon became dark, with a shadow.

  “What made it dark Leaf?” asked a panicky Huh-sun.

  “A cloud, what else?”

  “How about a dragon?” chuckled an evil scaly voice.

  “Who and where are you?” asked a slightly afraid Leaf.

  “I am Chernobog dragon of darkness and I am right above you” the evil voice said.

    Huh-sun and Leaf looked up simultaneously there was a black dragon hovering above the canyon

  “We are sorry, we did not know this canyon was occupied we will be going” said Huh-sun as she backed up.

   “Not so fast” said Chernobog.

   “What do you want?” asked a shaking Huh-sun.

  “I love horse meat and riddles”

 “H-ho-horse meat?!” Asked a stuttering leaf.

 “Yes, horse meat!”

 “But, we’re ponies” Huh-sun said.

 “Ponies, horses, zebras, same thing”

   Leaf and Huh-sun began to back up.

“My friends where are you going? I have a riddle for you to solve! If you solve it your life will be spared. If you fail to solve it what a delicious dinner you will be.”

“Alright, what is the riddle?” Asked Leaf.

“Voiceless it cries,

    Wingless it flutters,

    Toothless it bites,

    Mouthless it mutters,

    What is it?” Asked Chernobog.

“May we think?” Asked Huh-sun.

“Yes, you may”

  Leaf and Huh-sun went into a discussion.

“I bet it’s time!” Huh-sun said.

“But time can’t bite!” insisted Leaf.

“It can bite by going way to slow, or going way to fast as it is doing now!”

“Alright then you go to the Dragon and ask if that is the answer.”

“Okay, I will.” Huh-sun picked up her courage and stepped daintily around the piles of jewels and gold.

“Dragon?” She called.

“Have you solved the riddle already, Little Horse?” Said Chernobog

“I think that the answer is time.”

“I’m sorry but, you are wrong.”

  Huh-sun cringed as Chernobog lifted her wicked looking head.

“Wait! I know the answer!” cried a distressed Leaf.

“What is it, Dark Horse?”

“It is Wind.”

 “Rats, I was hoping for a horse dinner, but who said I had to stay by my word?”

“Listen, we stayed by our word, the least you can do is stay by yours!” said an enraged Leaf.

“Who said that dragons keep their word?” She asked her voice smooth.

“It is a common courtesy to keep your word! Didn’t your mother teach you any thing?!” asked Huh-sun.

“A dragon has no mother; even horses ought to know that!” replied Chernobog.

“Why don’t they have mothers?” asked Leaf.

 “Because Dragons eat other Dragons and if we are near each other we’ll attack each other and then one, if not both, will die. But, look at all these riches I have! If there where another dragon here I would not have all this!” Chernobog chuckled.

 “Oh.” said Huh-sun.

     Chernobog lifted her head and flicked out her tongue.

    “Oh! I smell Griffin, my all time favorite!” She then flapped her wings and left the two horses alone.

   “Come on Leaf! Let’s get out of here!” said Huh-sun.

   “Okay! I’m coming!” mumbled Leaf around a mouthful of gold coins.

   “Leaf!” cried Huh-sun horrified.

   “What?”

   “Leave that stuff there!”

   “Why?”

   “Because if you take something from a dragon with dragonish thoughts you become a dragon!”

   “Really?”

   “Yes, really!”

     Leaf immediately spit out the coins and turned and trotted after Huh-sun. They squeezed through the crack in the wall and breathed in the fresh summer air.

   They trotted away, not noticing the dragon watching them, letting hot steamy tears fall from her face.

 “Why can’t I be nice? I hate being alone.” She muttered to herself.