A Fight for Survival ~ Darkness Approaches Chapter 2

Viper’s eyes widened. An apprentice! So soon. He wasn’t ready for something like this. Why can’t one of the older and more experienced dragons do it?
“Forgive me, sir. But I believe I’m not ready for something like this. It takes a great talent to teach a dragonet.” Viper uttered, his wings shaking at his sides.
Venom nodded. “Yes, that may be true. But answer something for me Viper. How do you become a great teacher?” He looked over at Viper questioningly.
‘He's right, you have to become a teacher to become a good one. I guess I should take this job before it’s too late.’ Viper thought, all worry he had before now gone.
Sucking in a breath Viper nodded. “I’ll take on an apprentice.”
Venom just grinned. “Marvelous.” He looked down at the table again, looking over a few things written down one of the papers. “I think I have the perfect dragonet for you.”
‘All ready? I thought I would have some time to think about what I would teach them! Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.’ Viper thought, his worries getting the best of him.
“Umm, sir I need time to think over some of the things I’m going to teach them. I can’t do it off the top of my head!” Viper hissed, his worry coming back.
Venom scoffed. “Viper you will never know what to teach them until you find out their strengths, and weaknesses. Then you know what to focus on.” He pointed out, walking out from behind the table. “Besides I have a perfect dragonet for you.”
Viper looked at his chief questioningly. ‘He's already picked a dragonet for me to train. Don’t I, as the teacher pick?’
Viper followed Venom out of the room into the cold halls. Viper knew where they were going, he just wasn’t sure if he is ready for something like this. He only just completed his training, how could he be ready for something like this?
“The dragonet you are meant to train in there.” Venom said jolting Viper out of his thoughts.
Viper slowly stepped into the training room. The dragonets from before still fighting, but Viper could see their moves were getting sloppy, probably from exhaustion.
“I’ll go get him for you.” Venom told Viper before he walked into the crowd of dragonets, slithering between them.
Viper sucked in a nerves breath, he could do this. If Venom believed he could, then why should he doubt himself?
Viper didn’t have to wait long before he saw Venom walking up to him. His face was still grim like it had been ever since Viper had come to the fort. His coal eyes moved to the dragonet walking a little bit behind Venom. He had a lean golden body that would give him the ability of speed on the battlefield.
“Viper this is Ndutu. He's been at the fort for about a year now.” Venom pronounced. “I believe he will be the right dragonet for you.”
Looking the dragonet over again, Viper could see the small mussels that were on the dragonets body. A few more good years of training and he will be strong enough to go to battle. Viper’s eyes drifted up to look at Venom again, who met his gaze and gave him a small nod.
“Ndutu, this is Viper, he will be your teacher from now on.” With that said Venom turned around and headed out the door into the fire lit halls.
“It’s a pleaser to meet you, sir.” Ndutu greeted, spreading his wings and giving him a small bow.
Not knowing what to do Viper just nodded his head. This dragonet was at the top of his class, how could Venom give him the job of teaching such a skilled dragonet? “Follow me.” Viper said turning around and heading for the exit. He had to keep calm around his new apprentice, otherwise, how would Ndutu act if he knew he didn’t know anything about teaching. Viper could feel Ndutu walking behind him. His small talons not making a sound against the stone floor.
“Are you going to teach me anything today sir?” Ndutu asked, his voice quiet and calm
“No, not today maybe tomorrow. I have patrol to do.” Viper told Ndutu turning his head around to face the dragonet. “You can come along if you want, it would be good training for you.”
Ndutu looked at him his eyes bright with excitement. “I would be honored, sir.”
Viper smiled. “Wonderful.” Maybe there was hope he could teach this dragonet something after all. But what if Ndutu isn’t allowed out the fort for a few more years, would he be putting him in danger? Well, he is now the one looking after him, so he could take him on patrol with him if he wanted to.
Flicking his tail Viper began to walk down the large hall. He could feel Ndutu walking just behind him, making sure to keep his distance.
When Viper and Ndutu reached the exit to the caves they both stopped. Viper looked out into the rain, the down poor now harder than it was before. It was going to be hard for Ndutu to fly through.
Viper looked down at the dragonet his dark eyes catching a look of determination in the dragonets eyes. Viper shook his head and smiled. He shouldn’t baby Ndutu like he was a hatchling, his old enough to start doing things that were hard.
“It’s a rather rough storm out there, so if you don’t want to come that is fine, or if you do want to still come along and things get too hard then you tell me and we can head back.” Viper told Ndutu worried the pouring rain would be too much.
Nodding his head Ndutu spread his wings and flew out the exit turning into a small dot in the rain. Shaking his head Viper spread his wing to their full extent and jumped into the air and flew out the exit following Ndutu. He could feel the small droplets falling onto his scales, the water sliding down his back to the ground below.
It didn’t take Viper very long to catch up with Ndutu. Once they were flying side by side he slowed his wing beats to keep at the dragonets speed.
“How long will it take us the reach the border?” Ndutu asked, yelling over the sound of the rain.
Looking over at the dragonet Viper said. “It will only be a half hour flight.” Looking up at the churning clouds above, he sighed. “But with this weather, it will probably be a little less than an hour.” Viper looked over at Ndutu worried the dragonet won’t make it.
The sound of rain drummed against Vipers ears as he flew without uttering another word to Ndutu. ‘What had happened to the dragonet to make him so quiet and reserved? It was like he had no emotion, no that wasn’t right he got all excited when I asked him to join me, it was like he kept it under lock and key. You only see that in dragons that are at the warrior level.’
Viper looked over at Ndutu who was now flying ahead of him just by a wings length. Beating his wings a little faster so he was once again next to the quiet dragonet. Viper looked at Ndutu and a thought came to him.
“Why don’t you tell me about your brother? I hear his quiet skilled.” Viper asked, hoping to strike up some conversation.
Ndutu just smiled his eyes having a small spark to them. “Yes, he is the best. Though that’s what I have heard, I hadn’t hatched yet, so I never met him.”
Viper looked away, he knew what that must feel like, he could have had siblings, but he would never get to meet them. But there was no point in getting upset about that.
Ndutu sighed next to him. “I don’t even know his name, no one has ever told me. Do you know who he is?” he asked his eyes getting a hopeful glint in them.
“I’m afraid not.” Viper said shaking his head sadly. “I’ve only just come out of training.”
“And you’re already a teacher?” Ndutu asked, frowning at the ground below them.
Viper just nodded. His eyes scanned the murky ground below. They were getting close to the border. “Keep a lookout, the border is just up ahead.” Viper instructed as he began to float down to the ground. When he was about to land he spread his wings out so he could hover in the air, his dark shadow gliding over the murky pools of water.
Viper flicked his tail at Ndutu to signal him to keep quiet. Viper’s dark eyes scanned the landscape ahead of him, the rain still pored, distorting his vision. Slowly he landed on the wet ground, the sand like ants getting between his scales.
There was a quit splash behind him, as Ndutu landed. They both crept through the rain, as quiet as mice. When Viper saw a dark shadow in the rain ahead of them.