OrwellWrites
Selected Wed, May 10, 2023
Taking care of the chickens had been my responsibility since I was barely five. I'd go out there, check on the roosters, pet the hens, collect a few eggs, give them some seed to nibble on and be on my way. I'd change the hay every other day and make sure the coop was locked up before nightfall or any big storms were brewing.
This day was different. All fo the roosters and hens were already outside, all huddled in the far corner, as far as they could get from the coop itself. This confused me greatly. I'd never seen them like this before. Not even when that wolf pack was prowling around the outskirts of the farm, they'd just taken shelter in the coop. Reaching the edge of it, I felt myself reaching for the knife hanging out the back of my belt. Did something creep into the coop and chase them out? As my fingers grasped the worn leather handle of my knife, I threw open the hatch and peered inside.
There, nestled among the hay and broken eggshells, was a dragon. It was roughly eight inches in length, with a spear-like head. With scales like dried red clay and a pair of bright yellow eyes, it looked right at me. It's head tilted in curiosity, a motion I found myself mirroring. My fingers left the handle of my knife as I reached for it with my free hand. Gently, slowly, like I was reaching to try and calm and spooked steer. My fore and middle fingers gently rested on the dragon's head and I could feel the warmth radiating from it, as if it were a mug holding piping hot tea. As my fingers stroked along its snout, it let out a noise that sounded like purring. Two forelimbs gripped at the hay, squeezing it, as it rubbed its head back against my fingers.
There was no way Ma and Pa were going to let me keep it. I was going to have to get creative if I wanted to keep it a secret. What they didn't know wasn't going to hurt them. It might keep the chickens quite a bit on the frightful side, but maybe they'd come around.
---
Submitted by OrwellWrites on Mon, May 08, 2023 to /r/WritingPrompts/
Full submission hereThe prompt
Dragons do not build nests. Instead, they sneak their eggs into other unsuspecting species and let them raise their young instead. And this "chicken" that just hatched on your family's farm sure doesn't look like any chicken you've ever seen.
Read more stories for this prompt