Young Writers Society

Work by FrostieGreen on Deviantart

This is Nightshade while using her hypnosis. I commissioned FrostieGreen to draw for me

“Hmmm. I choose… the adventure in my mind.” Nara decided.

Nightshade nodded while her tail uncurled from Nara’s legs and wound around her waist like a seatbelt. Then Nara was pulled into a seat made of Nightshade’s tail.

“Let’s get you nice and comfortable. I’ve been wanting to try this for a while. The story is based off of one of my memories as a young dragon,” Nightshade explained as she adjusted herself so that both of them were sitting on her panther skin pillow.

Then she pulled Nara in close as if to hug her and spread her wings around them both creating a kind of dome around them. Then the spirals in her wings lit up surrounding Nara in a world of colors. Nara’s eyes widened taking in the colors all around her. Nightshade lit up the colors on her face as well, her eyes flowing with rings of soft blue, relaxing purple, and warm pink.

“Now let your mind quiet as you listen to my voice. Feel yourself floating out of your body. So calm… so safe… soooo relaxed. Let my voice carry your mind to another place. Another time. Another body. Your true body staying here eyes wide and completely relaxed, as your mind follows my voice.” Nightshade’s voice was so soothing and relaxing. Nara’s body felt warm and fuzzy almost instantly while Nightshade continued to speak in a clear and continuous rhythm.

“Now feel yourself entering your new body. You are a young, tree wing, dragon girl who lives with the other tree wings in the great tree. Open your new eyes now. See the massive branches around you and the glimpses of night sky through the leaves above you. Your wings are black and light up in the darkness around you. So different from the bright scales of the other tree wing girls that reflect the light of the glowing mosses and other plants in the center of the jungle. You look down to the ground glowing far below. It is easy to see a group of other tree wing girls. They are going exploring in the forest. They didn’t invite you as usual, but you decide to go anyways. It will surely be a fun adventure.” Nightshade finished in a soft storytelling voice.

Nara smiled, and in her new dragon body, leapt off the imaginary branch to soar down to join the other dragons. She felt no fear about falling, knowing her new wings would carry her safely to the ground.

Nightshade smiled gently down at her friend. She had been wanting to share this tale with her for a while but never quite knew how until now. She hoped that through it, she would finally be able to feel accepted by someone again. Something had been nagging at her for a while now. A feeling of guilt.

Nara fully trusted her and had shared all her secrets, yet she had never told Nara the entire story about why she had been banished from the tree wing village, or how she had used her powers to control others.

Nightshade hated feeling guilty. It was uncomfortable and something she wasn’t used to. Before she met Nara everything had been so simple. She never had to feel guilty about anything she did because that was all she knew, but ever since Nara had shown her what it meant to be a true friend, guilt and regret had become daily companions.

Perhaps if she showed Nara what it was like she would understand and be ok with what she’d done. Then she’d be able to rid herself of at least some of the guilt weighing her down. If Nara couldn’t understand and started hating her she could always just make her forget the whole thing.

Again, that pang of guilt stabbed Nightshade in the chest at the thought of erasing her friend’s memories.

Whatever.

She didn’t have to deal with that yet. For now, she just had to worry about leading Nara through the memory she hated, and cherished, the most. One that she could never forget for as long as she lived.

As you reach the ground you greet the other dragons. Nightshade narrated.

Nara smiled and waved at them.

“Hello!” She called cheerfully.

They glance at you before returning to their own conversations. You notice a few of them with looks of disgust on their faces.

Nara’s face fell.

This is not unusual though, so you ignore it and continue walking along behind them. As you travel farther from the village the forest becomes wilder and more beautiful. Soon you reach the edge of the village which marks where the male tree wings have removed all the dangerous plants, but the rest of the girls continue on. 

You follow, getting more exited now as you have never been allowed this far from the village before.

Nara looked around at the wonderous forest her mind painted around her as the excitement in her chest grew.

Eventually you reach a large pond where the group stops to play. You want to join in, but you know they will only target and make fun of you if you do. Besides, you’re not a dragonet anymore. You’re 19 years old. You can have fun by yourself. 

Looking around the small clearing by the pond you come across some small furry creatures climbing on the trees. They look cute don’t they?

Nara nodded. They did look cute. Like little balls of brown fur skittering up and down the trees.

You want to pet them, but they run away as soon as you get close. They seem scared of you, so you help one of them calm down and accept you. You stare into its eyes and feel colors blossoming in your own. Slowly it relaxes and hangs limply from the tree.

Go ahead. pick it up. Feel its soft fur in your talons. You can do whatever you want to it now.

Nara smiled as she picked up the little creature. It seemed so fragile and soft in her hands. It was even cuter up close. She rubbed its fur against her face with a sigh of pleasure.

So distracted you are by the little creatures that you don’t notice how late it’s getting. The sun is already high in the sky by the time you look up from your play.

Suddenly you hear a group of boy tree wings, about the same age as you, talking and laughing with each other across the pond. The other girls hear them too and walk over to them around the edge of the pond giving them cat calls and whistles. The boys greet the girls with swagger and boasting.

All except for one

He hangs back from the group and seems a bit shy. He wasn’t the biggest or strongest of the group, but he wasn’t the smallest by far, which find a bit odd. Perhaps you could befriend this shy dragon. He doesn’t look like he fits in much either so maybe you have a chance!

In your haste to meet the boy you fly across the pond to join the other dragons, Forgetting that this part of the forest has not been cleared yet.

Just as you reach the other side something grabs your tail.

Nara whipped around in a panic. Her heart freezing with fear as adrenaline began coursing through her body.

You recognise the flat, round, dark green plant that has ensnared your tail.

It is a gulper pad.

They live in groups and latch onto anything that touches them. Dragging them into the water and drowning them so they could absorb the nutrients of their prey’s decaying body.

Another wave of fear swept through Nara as she suddenly remembered what she was up against. She looked desperately to the other dragons on the shore for help.

Your only hope is the dragons on shore. You look to them for help but most of them are running from the edge of the water and a few of them are protecting the girls they like.

If only you were pretty and colorful like the other tree wing girls. then maybe one of them would have come to save you instead.

You feel other pads suction cup to your feet and begin pulling you down faster. You flap your wings as hard as you can, but you can’t stop yourself from slowly sinking further into the pond. You feel your wings get caught. Now all you can do is flail around desperately, but as the water reaches your neck you realise just how hopeless it is to keep fighting. You stop struggling and take a deep breath before your head goes under, holding up your last free talon above water as long as you can.

Nara could feel the water enveloping her as hopelessness forced her to accept her fate. For a few moments everything was silent.

Then suddenly you feel something brush against your hand. It feels like a vine or something else long, thin, and strong. Hope floods back as you grab on to it with all your strength.

It is pulling you up! The gulper pads letting go resentfully as their prey is pulled away from them. It had to be one of the male tree wings. They commanded plants and must be forcing the gulper pads to let you go!

Nara could feel everything Nightshade described. Hope and determination flooded through her giving her the strength to hang on tight.

As you finally rise above the water you realise that you are holding onto the tail of another tree wing. As soon as your wings are free you start flapping them. Desperate to get away from the gulper pads. Soon the last of them releases your tail and your savior helps you fly to shore where you collapse shivering from the cold and shock.

You look up to see the other dragons still standing back from the water in a group. They are only concerned with their own safety. Then you look over to your savior to thank him only to find he was the shy young male you had seen earlier.

Relief, gratefulness, awe, and warmth were already surging through Nara even as Nightshade described the same emotions she was feeling.

“Are you alright?” He asks. concern and empathy in his voice as he helps you to your feet.

“I… I think so…” You reply as you stand shakily to your feet. He shifts uncomfortably and you realise that you have been staring at him this whole time.

Nara blushed as she looked down in embarrassment.

The other tree wings start walking back to the village now that the show is over, but your savior noticed that you are shivering and calls to them saying that he will stay and help you get home safely.

The dismissive and sarcastic replies of the other dragons hurt more than usual but that pain is immediately washed away when you look at the dragon who stayed with you.

“Sorry but, would you tell me your name please?” You ask shyly as he throws a wing over you to keep you warm while you walk back together.

“My name is…

Nightshade paused for a moment to take a deep breath and steady the emotion in her voice.

…my name is Ceiba. What’s yours?” He replies.

You say your name, but you are far more focused on the feeling of his wing around you, Supporting you, and his kind, handsome face looking at you with compassion. It makes you feel warm inside like nothing else has before. you can’t help but lean on him. taking in everything about him as he leads you home.

You notice his strong muscles, his deep green eyes, his sturdy tail. His tail! it’s bleeding. You glance up at him worriedly and he glances back at his tail before looking at you again.

“Don’t worry. My tail will heal. Besides, the scar will always remind me of the day I saved a beautiful dragon from gulper pads.” He says with a smile. Your heart melts even more as you snuggle up to him again.

Nightshade described the scene as she watched Nara’s face fill with affection and bliss just as hers had when she met Ceiba. She smiled sadly knowing the next part of the story would be painful, but necessary for her to understand what she had done.

When you arrive back in the village the other young dragons are waiting for you. A few of them give you and Ceiba strange looks and a few others whisper to each other before bursting out laughing. Ceiba pulls his wing back in embarrassment.

“Well, um… Here you are. Uh, watch where you’re flying next time ok?” Ceiba says awkwardly as he flies up to join his friends.

He leaves a cold feeling in your chest, but you don’t know what to say so all you can do is watch him go.

From then on you see ceiba often. His tail healed but left a scar that reminds you of how you felt the first time you met every time you see him.

He enjoys your company, but whenever others are nearby he seems awkward around you. like he isn’t allowed to be with you even though he wants to. Eventually you realise why.

He is scared of the other dragons finding out he likes you, An outcast, and treating him the same way. When you realise this you wish there was some way you could help him be ok with liking you around other people. Some way you could help him not feel afraid to be near you And, though you won’t admit it to yourself, deep down you want a way to make sure he likes you just as much as you like him.

Then you remember how you helped the little furry creatures feel comfortable around you. Of course! You could use your hypnosis on him!

Nara twitched.

You could make him feel comfortable around you. You could even make sure that he’d like you just as much as you like him if not more!

Nara’s eyes narrowed in confusion.

Yes. All you had to do is get him alone. Then look into his eyes and…

“No!” Nara cried in shock and revulsion as she realised what she was about to do before curling up to hide her eyes and shut out Nightshade’s voice.

Nightshade was so shocked her scales stopped glowing and she fell back on the pillow.

“What?” She whispered. Still not quite believing what had just happened.

Nara had broken free from her hypnosis! That had never happened before.

“No.” Nara whispered. “I’d never do that. Especially to someone I care about. I could never manipulate them that way.” She cried softly as tears flowed down her face.

“I… I’m sorry Nara.” Nightshade said comfortingly giving her a hug.

“How could… why did you…” Nightshade sighed stepping back with tears in her own eyes.

“What made you to stop? You felt the same way I did. Why didn’t you just use your powers to help fix him like I did?” She asked beginning to cry a bit herself.

Nara uncurled a bit and noticed the tears in Nightshade’s eyes. She threw her arms around her dragon friend’s neck and hugged her back.

“Because it felt wrong. If I did that, he wouldn’t be able to like me anymore because I forced him to. Didn’t you ever feel like his love was fake? That it wasn’t true love?” She asked empathetically. Nightshade shook her head.

“Before I met you I had no idea what having friends felt like. He was the first one who accepted me. His love didn’t feel fake because it was all I had. I never knew what it was like to have someone truly like me before so I thought that must be what it felt like.”

“So, what happened between you and Ceiba?” Nara asked. Nightshade wiped the tears from her eyes and took a deep breath before replying.

“I was eventually able to invite him to my tree home where my mother lived. I never knew my father. When I got Ceiba alone with me in my room, I seduced and hypnotised him. I made it so that he wouldn’t feel embarrassed to be around me anymore and made sure that he loved me with all his heart.”

“Then I added some extra commands that would make it so he felt a wave of euphoria every time he saw me, he would care about me more than anyone else, and a few other things. Eventually the other dragons started to notice how affectionate he was to me and hurt him for liking me. So, I had him build this house for me as soon as he was old enough to go out on patrols of the jungle. I wanted to live with him here but before I could marry him and come here the other tree wings found out what I had done. They were disgusted with me and had me banished. But as I was taken away Ceiba tried to free me.” Nightshade’s wings drooped and her eyes shut tight as she recalled the painful memory.

“They forced him down and had another female tree wing clear his mind of my commands. They forced me to watch as it happened. It was painful to watch his face when his mind was freed. He looked betrayed, angry, and hurt. He turned away for a moment, but the worst part of all was when he turned back.”

Nightshade’s eyes filled with tears once more.

“In his sad, hopelessly cute eyes I could see there was a part of him that still liked me, and that I had broken his heart.” Nightshade choked out the last few words and took another long shaky breath before continuing.

“After that I was removed from the village and told that I was not allowed to return for the rest of my life.”

Then she gave Nara a sad, sneaky chuckle.

“Of course, that doesn’t mean I don’t sneak back in from time to time. I still enjoy some of the beautiful gardens in the tree wing village, and the great tree brings back so many memories.

Even so… in all the times I’ve gone back, I haven’t seen Ceiba even once.” She sighed sadly. Her eyes downcast.

“Maybe some day you can see him again. I’m sure he’d be elated to know how much you’ve grown since he last saw you. You have some real friends now, and you feel sorry for what you did. He seems like the kind of dragon that would forgive you if you apologised sincerely. Just… don’t try hypnosis on him next time you meet. Ok?” Nara said with a kind smile.

Nightshade looked up at her friend and smiled back.

“No promises, but perhaps I can try. For him at least. Everyone else is going to see my colors before they see me. Just like you Nara. After all, just look how that turned out.” She said giving her feline friend a squeeze and a few pets. Nara giggled at her dragon friend’s playfulness. Then she noticed the sky brightening.

“The night’s almost over.” Nara sighed.

“Don’t worry.” Nightshade said with a smile. “I have the perfect way to spend our last few hours.”

As she finished her sentence finished as her eyes began to glow and Nara smiled as hers blossomed in return. They played many more fun games until the sun rose over the jungle once more.