Oberon
I knew that the human found it undesirable for me to be walking around, and it was true, I still needed quite a bit of rest before I was healed. But I couldn’t help myself. It was agonizing being stuck in such a small space for such a large amount of time. I was used to being on my own planet, where everything was so open and free, and much, much better. The planet itself could contain at least seven earths, and the dragon shifters that lived upon it built homes to accommodate themselves whether they were in their human form or their dragon form. We had the space, and the resources, and it was luxuriously comfortable.
Here, though, the farmhouse seemed small and confining, although compared to other human dwellings, I suppose it was rather large. She seemed proud of the place, despite its obvious shortcomings with space, and so I roamed around as quietly as I could, to keep her from getting on my case about it. When she finally left the house for the day, I cautiously slipped outside to follow her, my eyes wandering the large fields and examining the place in the daylight. Now that I wasn’t being ushered inside to have my wounds tended to, I was able to take a much more in depth look at my surroundings.
To be truthful, I found the place quite beautiful, and even though I had always heard terrible things about the earth and its environment, I didn’t think it was quite as bad as the textbooks and rumors everyone would have had me believe. In fact, it was quite comfortable here, even right down to the scorching heat of the sun. I hadn’t expected such drastic temperatures. They reminded me of home. I knew that in other areas of the earth, there were Arctic temperatures, and could be very dangerous for humans and dragon shifters alike to be kept there for too long.
As the human disappeared into the large barn to take care of the animals, I decided to take a look around the place without her. I knew that, if she knew what I was doing, I would be scolded, and somehow, that only added to my desire to break the rules.
I had been stuck in bed for long enough. Four hours was usually my maximum amount of sleep, but I had been laying around for at least sixteen. I couldn’t allow that any longer. It was time to get a feel for the place. I found myself tempted to begin shape shifting into my dragon form so I could fly high into the air and get an aerial view of the environment, but I quickly remembered that being stuck on Earth could easily make me a target.
Although the humans had a vague understanding of shape shifters, it was very rare for them to encounter any that were comfortable enough to show their true form. That made us quite mythical and surprising to the majority of them, and it had become common knowledge that it was better for us to keep our identities under wraps. Humans are dangerous and unpredictable, and it was always better to make sure we were looking out for our own safety first and foremost in all situations.
The farm was large, and I knew there would be little chance of the human catching me as I wandered about, inhaling the fresh air and popping into different buildings. One of them was filled with grains that reminded me of some plants that grew and thrived on my own planet. It was quite comforting, to be truthful, and I stood in the doorway a little bit longer than I should have, simply inhaling the comforting scents of home.
When I finally got my bearings again, I could hear the human on the other side of the farm as she fed the animals and talk to them, her voice low and sweet. I had never encountered a creature who was quite so caring. It was strange, to be honest, and I found myself perplexed and curious to learn more about her.
I usually did my best not to allow my acute shifter senses to impose on the way I communicated with others when I was on a foreign planet. However, in this instance, somehow, the human seemed far too compelling for me to ignore. I walked around the back of the house, listening to her as she worked. The animals clearly loved her, and she loved them back. Even if she was running this farm for a profit, she did it with everything she had. It was truly admirable, and I wanted to be a part of something so noble.
However, feelings were very difficult when it came to the dragon shifters of my planet. Nobody openly expressed this kind of adoration toward one another. It would be considered a weakness, and we were never allowed to show ourselves in a negative light. Not only was it a socially unacceptable thing to do, but it was dangerous. Letting somebody know what made you vulnerable was a very fast way toward exploitation and dominance.
And yet, for some reason, I found that the way this human conducted herself made those things seem like a strength in and of themselves. It was strange, and conflicting, couldn’t help but wonder what it was that made me so drawn to her actions. Suddenly, she let out a soft, forlorn sigh, and I found myself frowning, fighting the urge to run with all my might to the human. Was she in danger? Had something happened?
But a sigh was just a sigh. It wasn’t a scream or a cry. She was simply overwhelmed. It was a feeling I knew well, and yet I couldn’t help but resent it coming from her. Why did I resent it? I didn’t want to see the human feeling vulnerable. I didn’t want to hear it. It made me feel angry that there was anything in this horrible world that could possibly make this human feel negatively. After the way she had presented herself to me, it seemed as if she would never hurt anybody else. In fact, she went out of her way to take the best care of everybody possible. Even if she didn’t know them. Even if they were from a completely different planet.
No, I couldn’t let the evils of this world harm her. I would do just as I said, and I would make sure that whatever coils were playing her, they would be quickly eradicated. I had given her my word, and that was my bond. I was going to keep it, no matter what the cost.