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It's a funny world we live in, at least from my perspective. I, like many of my kind, are the demons of earth and sky, and thus we are hunted till the day we die. So is the life of a dragon a meager existence because of this? Does every moment have to be spent in hiding from those who'd kill us? In my age I cannot say for sure whether this is so for the present day, but it certainly seems to be heading that way. I would like to help those today, but unfortunately time hasn't been kind to me, and I have not the strength to spare. I'm left only with memories, which I can share.

I was named Burwell by my mother and father. They told me through their minds that this would be my name, so I accepted it. I never met them, those two that gave me life. All I remember is their warm and tender emotions that had once coursed through me as I slept in my shell was suddenly torn away from me and in its place was agony, hatred, and then nothingness. I never felt their touch after that, just cold emptiness inside, a darkness had taken them from me, and left me alone in agony.

It was strange that I knew such emotion before my hatching day, but that was what it was. Suddenly the only guiding light I'd ever known was no more. But not long after that I long to be free of the confining of this prison I was held in. I bucked and kicked and squirmed in the tiny space given, deciding it was indeed time to leave. The shell gave way after long, far too long in my opinion.

I remember the blinding light that welcomed me, my first taste of the sun. I almost darted back into the only home I'd known, but I'd come this far so why would I return after all this effort? I persevered and my eyes adjusted to the environment. I found myself in a prison, not a literal one, for no prison could be built to house me or any dragon for that matter, but the cage felt like one. I knew not the words I used to describe this place, but I found bars all around and above, and but straw and dirt beneath in this chamber that, in hindsight's knowledgeability, was roughly three by three by five meters.

I knew, somehow I knew, that this was not the life my parents had described to me with their dreams, so it goes without saying that I was indeed frightened. Beyond the bars lay great greenery, with tall creatures roaming the nearby vicinity, chattering to one another as they roamed between cages like mine. I noticed that they were all separated by stone work, and placed in neat little rows. But they were empty. Behind them featureless hills that went on far as my eyes could see.

I took my first steps, and my first face plant all at the same time that day. And that was the first time I discovered my own identity. I had no scales, but instead a smooth hide with no color; white I believe is the term used for this lack of color. My claws, now dull and grey, were at that time a pleasant blue. I sat on my rump marveling at what I looked like, taking into account every inch of this form. The emotion of joy and happiness replaced the fear that'd gripped me. I remember the imagery from my parents and what the shape of a dragon was; the power, the might, and strength of what I was. I had wings that would carry me far away, a tail to smash my enemies, and claws and talons to rip prey to shreds.

As I was in the process of discovering my physical self, I became aware that I was not the only creature in this cage. Other beings, far smaller in stature mewed as they blindly roamed the space provided. They were an ugly green, and their eyes were shut tight. I stood up and, after flopping to my side a grand and humiliating total of three times, came to stand before one of them. They were much shorter than I, ugly-faced too, and without wings. They were not dragons like I, and that perplexed me. I turned to look at the rest of the not-dragons and found my egg to be the only one in the cage.

I was suddenly hungry. Thus I understood the reason for these six creatures roaming about with me. I don't know how I understood this, not even today. The only thing I can bother to relate it to is an instance where the body wants something and doesn't care about anything else. And in that moment the mind is suddenly keenly aware of what it is and how to go about achieving it. Before I could ask myself why they would be here, my mind spoke the equivalent of 'Don't care, food.' And so I gorged on them.

Well at least on five of them. I took each one into my maw before thrusting my head skyward and allowing gravity to do the work for me; again I'm speaking in the terms I've learned between then and now, because I certainly didn't have a concept of gravity at that age, all I knew was that it worked and that my belly felt amazing with squirming little lizards inside. I belched loudly after my little feat had ended, and settled lazily on the floor, stomach sagging comfortably.

The sixth not-dragon had proved quite elusive, as if he were aware as to what had happened to its brethren and had done its best to out maneuver me; a dragon with a belly full of meat. So it was only my gluttony that had spared the ugly creature, not his intellect, for I doubt to this day that they had any. I also didn't feel up for stuffing myself with another one of these creatures. For now I was content to fall asleep and worry about escaping when I woke next. If I wasn't dead already and if food had been provided, then I was of value to something.

However, the means by which I got here had a different plan for me. Soon the stomping of feet approached my prison and I looked upon a hairy upright ape with an ungodly smell; but as I would learn, much, much later, that often times what smells foul is often quite tasty. Keep in mind that I was but a new born hatchling drowsy from food at this point, so if it seems at all strange that this fool, whom if I mirrored in height if I was to stand like it and could've easily rendered it nothing more than ribbons of flesh, quickly harnessed me and took me outside the prison with ease, then you know I was not properly prepared. They cheated.

That isn't to say I didn't show some resilience. I stumbled to my feet and hissed as he approached my with a long pole. I didn't know this creature, and pointing a stick in my face wasn't going to help his case. This idiot's logic is still rather astounding to this day. 'I shall approach a freshly hatched child of the most fearsome creature in the land, and poke it with a stick'. I seemed to have put him off with that threatening display, for he swiftly retreated back to the door in the cage through which he'd entered.

It barked to one of the others humans, again I use learned speech for this, and three came to aid him in subduing little old me. In truth I felt flattered that they thought I was worth so much trouble, when all I wanted was to sleep off my meal. But, then as they tried to corral me by forcing me into a corner they quickly grew annoying and I wanted them gone. And I would've dispatched with them all, again if I wasn't so full nor if one of those poles hadn't been laced with something.

One of the humans' sticks struck me in the face so I snatched it out of his grip with my jaws. I tossed it at one the others, striking him across the face; to which his companions laughed loudly at as he fell. I found pride in knocking him over, but then the world became foggy and suddenly the glory of what I'd done seemed so suddenly unimportant. Whatever I'd bitten into left a funny taste in my mouth and soon all light vanished from my world.

When I awoke I found my muzzle bound tightly together, paws padded with a soft material, and my wings belted to my sides. I tried to remove the padding on my paws removed but they were firmly affixed. In my efforts I discovered yet another binding on my body, a harness about my neck that connected me, at length, to a tall stake in the middle of an open air pen. I pulled hard on the leash, bringing the material to pop each time it became taunt, but nothing productive towards my escape seemed to show and my legs felt like jelly.

There were others around me this time, dragons like me, except scaled, colored and short. Not as in the same sense as the other lizards, but rather short in that I had to tip my head down to look at them. They all appeared to be in great health with glimmering scale, and I longed to try to commune with them; if any of them knew proper speech that was, for I defiantly needed training. But at that point I'd chosen garbled mewing and cries if it meant I could engage myself with them. They looked defeated, as though they'd accepted their fate willingly. I couldn't blame them in a way, if this was life then there was nothing more to be done, but the imagery my parents had shared told me this was far, far from it. They were bound in the same manner as I, harness and al, so I could do nothing really but sit and wait until such a time we could do so.

My eyes wandered about my second cage. Noticing for the first time, for whatever reason, the comings and goings of more of the humans as they passed by the pen. Four took a permanent post at the corners of this place, talking with the other people as they passed, pointing at us with fingers and making markings on slips of flimsy stuff. The walls that fenced us in were too tall for me to see over, at least until I thought to stand tall and wobbly on my hinds.

There was a gathering of people munching away on food and drinking from golden goblets as they communed; a good number turned to look at me when I rose up, eyeing me suspiciously. They all wore fancy dress, obviously to impress their companions. We were in a great hall, ordained with, bah I can't remember, I was only there for such a short time. But I do remember it to be rather luxurious for man.

One of the guards entered the pen and knocked me down. The act was completely unnecessary and uncalled for, because I was just about to finish my investigation and return to the ground. Again I must question human logic for that. Why antagonize me further than I already am if you plan to keep me around your kind? The man had asked for it so I pounced upon him before he could escape my reach. I of course couldn't do anything beyond that with my maw and claws bound so tightly, nevertheless it frightened him.

Rather than rushing to his aid, the conglomerate laughed uproariously at him. The fool's face turned red and shoved me off before retreating promptly out. The other dragon's seemed to value my actions dearly for they swarmed around me, looking up at me as though I was a god. Before I could appreciate this another human approached the rim of the pen and pointed at me. The man wore many, many layers of cloth, enough to give him the appearance of obesity, or perhaps he just was, but my eyes were attracted to the crown above his head, glittering with garnets and gold. I wanted it. I wanted this shiny thing.

He turned and shouted at someone from across the room, and to my surprise, came the man I'd hit earlier. I'd be lying if I didn't feel a little smug when he shied away from me. But the man with the shiny thing ordered him to do something and he quickly obliged by darting away. I understood that this man was of great importance to those gathered, as to what reach his command stretched I had yet to find out. Though I was curious, I didn't particularly wish to actually be aware of it, instead I sat back and waited for any moment to arrive that would aid me in fleeing.

The man from before and another, taller man returned with yet more sticks; though these had little clamps on their tips. They approached me cautiously, but with direct and meaningful steps; my entourage of dragons dispersed before the idea of becoming a barrier could cross their minds. I thought quickly, thinking what would be the quickest way to take them down in an orderly fashion.

Suddenly they darted forward and drove their poles into the collar of my harness. Clicks followed; I was hooked to these poles. I reared back to snatch away their means of controlling me but they proved most adamant in holding on to their purchase. I twisted and pulled and thrashed, but it was all in vain for I couldn't free myself. But, as a saving grace they couldn't make me follow them or move about in the manner they wished me too. They took to conversing with others about their pen, constantly barking and pointing. A hand flashed across my eyes and a cloth shoved in my snout.

Alarmed, I shot to my feet, knocking over my assaulter. He stumbled away before I could catch him, but I had other things to worry about. Apparently, these humans had conspired around me to have one of their own shove a richly intoxicating aroma laced rag into my face to sedate me. And it worked remarkably well. I didn't black out as I had before, but my limbs failed to acknowledge any order handed down. I remember being hoisted out of the pen and transported to a cage almost too small for me that was mounted on the rear of a carriage. I began to wonder if humans had a fetish for caging creatures such as me. And soon after that, the landscape beyond began to whisk away as the cart began to move.