Chapter 30: A King’s Gift

The sun had barely kissed the edges of the jungle canopy when the tremors started. Deep, slow, deliberate. Each one sent a faint ripple across the surface of our pond. I opened my eyes, not with fear, but awareness.

Someone big was coming.

I rose from the cave entrance where I'd been resting, stretching my wings and shaking off the night's cool stillness. My mate stirred beside me, blinking sleep from her golden eyes. The cubs, all four of them, peeked their heads out from under the leaves that made up their bedding, ears twitching.

Another tremor. Then another.

I stepped out into the clearing just as the trees began to part.

And there he was.

Kong.

Towering, broad-shouldered, his fur catching rays of sunlight like molten bronze. He was calm, not aggressive—his movements slow, intentional. Behind him, small figures followed on foot and in a line: humans. Soldiers, scientists maybe, clad in jungle gear, holding strange blinking devices and rifles held low, not aimed.

I didn't bare my teeth. I didn't roar.

I didn't need to.

Because I knew Kong.

I'd seen what kind of creature he was. Not just strong—but wise. Fair. Brutal when needed, sure, but never cruel. In a world of monsters, Kong was perhaps the kindest. And that's exactly why I wasn't afraid. We hadn't wronged him. We hadn't challenged him. In fact, I'd saved him just yesterday.

So why would I run?

I stood tall—no longer tiny, no longer weak. Almost thirty feet in length now, a broad-winged dragon with black and crimson scales that shimmered in the morning light. My horns curled back like spears, my claws could shatter stone, and my fire could turn a forest to ash.

Still, I dipped my head slightly, not in submission, but greeting.

He looked down at me. And though he didn't speak in words, his eyes told a thousand stories. Recognition. Respect. Mutual understanding.

My mate came to stand beside me, wings folded neatly, her posture regal. Our cubs bounded up behind us, staring wide-eyed at the titan. For a moment, Kong's stern face softened, and one of the humans behind him gasped when they saw what we had built:

A cave.

A pond.

A self-sustaining home.

Small fish darted under the water, some of them growing fat from the regular feeding. Vines crawled up the trees, and bones of past hunts were stacked neatly at the edge of the clearing. It wasn't just a lair. It was a haven.

The humans murmured behind Kong, clearly stunned. They weren't just looking at beasts—they were seeing intelligence. Planning. Survival. A family.

And then Kong did something I didn't expect.

He moved aside—and behind him, dragged by large vines, were three skullcrawler corpses, freshly killed.

He laid them down, one by one, in the clearing just outside our territory.

A gift.

A thank you.

The humans stared in awe, unsure of what they were witnessing.

Kong rumbled low, a deep, gravelly sound that filled the air but wasn't threatening. Then he stepped back, his eyes never leaving mine.

I walked forward, past the cubs, past my mate, until I stood just a few feet from him. The difference in our size was still immense—he towered above me—but I didn't feel small. Not anymore. I could see the reflection of firelight in his eyes. He had acknowledged me as something more than just another beast.

As a rival apex? Maybe not yet. But as a force? Absolutely.

I nodded again.

And so did he.

Then, without a word, he turned and walked back into the jungle. The humans followed, still whispering, still looking back in disbelief. Kong didn't explain anything to them.

He didn't need to.

We dragged the skullcrawler corpses to the back of the clearing. One was already being picked apart by the cubs—tearing into the tough flesh, laughing in their way, learning what it meant to feed on victory. My mate joined them, ripping off large chunks, eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

I stood watch for a moment, looking in the direction Kong had vanished. The jungle had gone quiet again. The air smelled like damp earth, ash, and the promise of a future I hadn't imagined a few weeks ago.

Because now, I wasn't just surviving.

I was growing.

We were all growing.

And we had made our mark on Skull Island.

This land knew our fire.

And now… so did the King.