Chapter 6: The First Flight

The sun had barely risen when I made my way back to the stream. Another day. Another battle for survival. It was strange to think that this routine—drinking, running, eating—had become my new normal. I no longer questioned how I ended up here or why I was this small, weak creature. I simply was. And that was enough to keep me alive.

As I crouched low to the stream, the water sparkling under the first rays of sunlight, I couldn't help but feel a strange sense of calm. The jungle was still a dangerous place, yes, but I had begun to understand it, at least in part. I knew where to avoid, where to hide, and where I could find food.

But today was different. Today, something unexpected caught my eye.

A fish.

It was small, no more than a foot long, darting playfully just beneath the surface of the water. I froze, my eyes narrowing as I watched it swim in circles, oblivious to my presence. My stomach growled loudly—louder than usual—and for the first time since I had arrived in this jungle, I felt the gnawing urge to catch something bigger than an insect.

The instinct was undeniable.

I wasn't sure how to catch it. I wasn't built for fishing. But my instincts kicked in. My claws twitched, my tail swayed behind me, and without thinking, I lunged.

It wasn't graceful—nothing about this whole situation felt graceful—but the fish was so small and my movements so quick that I managed to catch it in my claws, its slippery body wriggling in my grasp. I held it tight, its scales glinting in the sunlight as I pulled it from the water.

I felt a strange thrill in the hunt, a rush of satisfaction that made my heart beat faster. The creature was mine.

But my moment of victory was short-lived.

A sudden shift in the water sent a ripple through the stream, and before I could react, a shadow loomed beneath the surface. My heart skipped a beat, and I turned just in time to see a much larger fish—no, not a fish—something far worse. It was a massive, aquatic predator, its jaws wide, gaping open as it shot toward me with terrifying speed.

I panicked.

The creature lunged, and I barely had time to react before it snapped its jaws around me. I yelped in fear, feeling the cold, slick pressure of its mouth closing around me, pulling me toward its waiting teeth.

But then—then something unexpected happened.

My wings twitched. They fluttered, a soft, weak movement, and for a fleeting moment, I felt the power in them. The energy coursed through my small body, and with a desperate, instinctive thrust, I flapped my wings harder.

To my utter surprise, I was lifted from the water. My small, fragile wings—barely capable of supporting me—actually worked. For a brief moment, I was airborne.

I flapped harder, pushing against the water's surface as the predator's jaws snapped shut beneath me. My wings beat with desperation, and I soared just a few feet above the water, feeling the wind rush beneath me. It wasn't much—barely a few seconds of flight—but it was enough.

I had flown.

The predator, disoriented and confused, continued to swim in circles below, its eyes tracking me with hunger, but it was too late. I had managed to break free, and I wasn't about to let it get another chance.

I flapped my wings again, my body still trembling from the shock of what had just happened. The few seconds of flight had drained me, and I was no longer sure I could keep going. But I pushed myself.

I darted away from the water, my claws digging into the ground as I ran, my wings fluttering weakly behind me for balance. I didn't stop to look back—I just ran, faster than I had ever moved in this form, until I was deep into the safety of the jungle once more, away from the water and its dangers.

My heart pounded in my chest, adrenaline coursing through my veins as I staggered to a halt in the underbrush. I was safe. For now.

I glanced down at the fish still clutched in my claws. It was a small victory, but it was a victory nonetheless.

With shaking claws, I tore into the fish, tearing off chunks and swallowing them whole. The meat was tender, much more satisfying than the insects I had been eating, and I savored each bite. The hunger inside me slowly began to fade, replaced by a small, contented feeling.

But as I sat there, gnawing on the fish, I couldn't help but reflect on what had just happened.

The flight. The fire.

I had done it. For the first time, my wings had actually carried me, even if it was just for a few seconds. I had felt the wind beneath me, the thrill of rising above the ground. And more importantly, I had survived. I had escaped.

I wasn't helpless anymore.

The spark of fire inside me was still weak, but I could feel it. Each time I ate, each time I grew stronger, it came a little closer. I could feel the fire stirring deep inside me, and I knew that soon, it would roar to life.

I wasn't a full dragon yet. Not by a long shot.

But I was getting closer.

The thought of that massive fish that had nearly swallowed me reminded me of how far I still had to go. There were creatures in this world that I wasn't ready to face, ones that could tear me apart in an instant. Godzilla, Kong, and the other titans were a long way off, and I had no delusions that I could challenge them right now.

But one day—one day—I would be ready.

I had already started to change. I could feel it with every passing day. The more I ate, the more I grew. The more I faced, the stronger I became. And one day, when I was powerful enough, I would stand against the giants of this world. I would challenge them, and I would fight for my place in it.

But for now, I took another bite of the fish, savoring its taste, and focused on what I had accomplished. I had flown. I had survived. And in time, I would be ready for whatever this world threw at me.

Because I wasn't just surviving anymore. I was growing.

And maybe—just maybe—I could fight beside the likes of Godzilla and Kong one day.