CHAPTER THIRTY
The baby dragon lay on the forest floor, feeling himself dying and no longer caring. He was so weak now from loss of blood, he could barely open his eyes. He had been slipping in and out of consciousness, overwhelmed by dreams of his father coming to greet him, to escort him into a bright light.
He had fought it at first, but now he was ready to let go. This life had been too short, too painful, too confusing. He did not understand life. Why had he been born only to suffer? Why was he not meant to live longer?
Without his father alive, he felt little cause to go on. His wounds ached, but the pain lessened as he drifted more into unconsciousness, as he stopped fighting the urge to live. Death, he realized, might not be so bad after all.
As the baby was sinking, feeling mo
