March 2013
The dragon was still there.
Ten metres of solid muscle covered with thick grey scales from its crocodilian head the size of a horse, with fangs like scimitars gleaming in its massive jaws down to the tip of its wickedly spiked tail.
Jacob ducked down behind the pile of rocks which filled more than half of the entrance to the cave, the dreadful image engraved permanently upon his eyes.
A safe distance behind him an anxious voice called out, 'Well?'
'Still there!' Jacob hissed, scrambling downwards as quietly as he could away from imminent danger. 'Why doesn't it just go away?' 'Because we're in its cave, stupid. It wants it back.'
'But surely it can see that the rock-fall is too big to move, even for something as huge as that.'
Aaron nodded thoughtfully. 'I don't think it would be able to move it – look at the size of its front legs, they're laughable.' 'But look at the size of its front claws!'
'Yeah, I know, but some of those rocks must weigh a ton.'
The sound of their voices filtered out to the dragon; the huge head spun around to face the cave, a wisp of smoke creeping out from its snout accompanied by a deep rumbling growl. Two red eyes narrowed as it scented the air, tasting the unmistakable odour of human.
Experience had taught it that, although they tasted good – a bit like chicken – humans were more problematic than most of its other prey, with an annoying tendency to resist consumption. In consequence their tender meat was a delicacy only to be enjoyed on that rare occasion when fortune placed a more vulnerable specimen into its path.
It was suddenly much more interested in regaining the comfort of its cave . . . supper was waiting inside!
Jacob ran back into the gloom at the back of the cave.
Instinct told him that his brother was clutching at straws, but years of subservience threw him a life-line. He must be right – he was Aaron.
Twin brothers, born a few short minutes apart, Aaron had a very strong personality and had always insisted that, as the older brother, he must surely be the more important, and Jacob, the more laid back of the two, had never seen any reason to test this theory to destruction. He on the other hand, by virtue of his benign nature, had far more success with the fairer sex and Aaron was always careful to keep potential suitors well away from his brother – he had lost too many in the past.
While Aaron excelled in all manner of sports, Jacob was much better suited to the Arts and Sciences.
While Aaron had a fast and furious temper, it was Jacob who could always talk him down before his rages could endanger them both.
It was this well balanced rivalry which had maintained their fraternal relationship in such a way that, while desperately competitive, they were inseparable.
Jacob was usually happy to play second fiddle to his elder brother, but as they grew, the line was no longer as clearly defined as it had once been. Nevertheless, threaten one brother and you would quickly realise that you were up against not one, but two, fiercely protective adversaries.
It had been Aaron who had suggested the hunting trip. They had no real need for food, as the hunters were sufficiently skilled to keep the village well provided for, but Aaron had become fired up with the prospect of taking part in a real hunt, that they might even 'become of age' if they were able to return in triumph carrying the carcase of a deer or a wild boar. Maybe then they would be considered for a place amongst the hunters and all of the considerations which came with this exalted position.
It had been Aaron who had seen the hoof prints in the mud which they had followed out of the valley into unfamiliar plains far to the East. As the sun had crested its zenith it had been Jacob who had suggested that they should turn back so they could reach the safety of the village stockade before night came. They had no real idea what dangers there were out here in the open after dark, because the stories that were told around the camp fires, after a considerable amount of beer had been consumed, were so fanciful and imaginative that it was difficult to sort the truth from the fable. Now Jacob wanted to turn back, but passively conceded to Aaron's plea that the deer must be just around the next hill . . . just past the next copse of trees. . .
Then they had spotted the cave. It was clear from the start that the rock-fall which covered much of its entrance was recent and the hoof prints did in fact head roughly in that direction. Aaron was up for exploring the cave, but Jacob was worried what might be inside it – a bear, a mountain lion or even some great beast from the camp-fire tales. Of course, Aaron won the day and together they marched up to the narrow entrance and peered inside.
The gloom was almost complete and with the bright sun behind them they had no option but to enter to allow their eyes to become accustomed to the dark. Jacob hung back, his heart racing, desperately searching the deepest shadows for signs of danger, but Aaron had pushed further inside and yelled back, 'There's bones. There's bones all over the floor.'
Jacob froze – where there were bones there would be a predator. If it was not inside with them then it would very soon be outside – standing between them and the village, with the cave entrance their only exit.
He had an overwhelming urge to turn tail and run, to run all the way home, but he could not, would not, desert his brother to the danger. Against his better judgement he moved further into the gloom and saw for himself the piles of bones scattered over the floor of the cave. Most were relatively small: a rabbit perhaps, or maybe a fox or a young deer, but against the far wall some much larger bones lay. The skull was clearly a wild boar, because the four tusks surrounding its snout gleamed back at him from the shadows. Terror seized Jason as he realised that those powerful tusks had not been sufficient to protect this fierce beast from the predator in whose lair they were now trespassing.
He implored Aaron to stop, to come away, to return to the village, that it was dangerous to remain for a moment longer, but Aaron was in seventh heaven; he searched every pile diligently, calling out the name of each unfortunate beast he could identify. He moved noisily through the cave chattering happily until he came upon a small niche towards the back. In here the bones were different, more familiar, and when he caught sight of the naked human skull grinning back at him in its terminal rictus he screamed out in terror. Both boys stood before the grizzly remains, taking in the scars on the bones – the scars from large and powerful teeth.
Jason was the first to recover his senses and, with a soft whimper he simply fled towards the cave entrance, towards the light, towards the safety of their village compound. Aaron was so close on his heels that when Jacob stopped suddenly at the rock-fall he collided with his back and both of them tumbled unceremoniously to the floor.
'You idiot!' Aaron moaned. 'What did you stop for?'
Jacob could not find his voice to answer, he simply pointed. Aaron followed his trembling finger and to his horror saw the enormous body of the dragon just a few feet away. Fortunately, the dragon was not looking their way, it was swinging its huge head to and fro searching the ground beyond the cave, but its great tail was swishing dangerously close in front of them. Jacob gestured frantically behind him and both boys crawled back into the darkness away from the hideous creature that stood between them and safety.
And now, an hour later, the dragon was still there. It had made no attempt to force an entry into the cave, but its presence so close was menacing and terrifying. The sun was sinking down towards the horizon and they knew that there was precious little time to get back to the village before nightfall even if the dragon were to fly off right now.
There was no way that they could fight their way past it; the rough homemade spears and flimsy bows and arrows these fierce hunters had brought with them to slaughter deer or boar would be useless against the armour of the dragon. Their only hope was to wait it out – wait until morning in the vain hope that the beast would tire of waiting and move away.
For an hour or more they had cowered in the shadows while the vast bulk of the dragon filled the narrow entrance, its red eyes ablaze, its huge snout snuffling and snorting, savouring their scent. But then they heard the awful sound of the dragon's fore-claws beginning to scrape at the rock. At first the scraping was random and ineffective, but it very soon turned into determined effort and the crash of a large boulder rolling down the heap, dislodging an avalanche of smaller rocks, signalled the end of their optimistic plan.
Emboldened by its success the creature began scrabbling with a greater purpose and it was not long before weak afternoon daylight began to stream into the cave. Aaron had sat in reflective silence since the first moments of the assault and finally he spoke up. 'Jacob, he's going to get in, there's no doubt about it now, and we will become just another set of bones at the back of the cave.' He shrugged his shoulders at Jacob's horrified response. 'We have to do something positive.'
He picked up his spear and tested the strength of the shaft; he drew his bow, feeling the tension in the wooden limb. The arrows felt tiny and flimsy when compared with the impressively thick armour of the dragon, but they could only work with what they had to hand. He turned to Jacob. 'I'm better at archery than you, agreed?'
Jacob nodded.
'And I can throw a spear further than you and usually hit the target?'
Jacob nodded again, any thought of taking on this fearsome beast must surely be crazy, but his brother – his elder brother, his fearless brother – was considering it, so he grudgingly had to admit that there must be a chance, no matter how remote.
'Right then, here's what we are going to do . . .'
The proposition was ridiculous, naïve and suicidal. Jacob shook his head furiously. He shouted, 'No. No. I won't do it. No . . .' but under the intense gaze of his twin his protest dwindled. He nodded his head passively . . . and then shook it violently . . . and then he mumbled, 'Ok.'
The plan was simple in its lunacy; they would get only one chance and it had to be done before the beast had removed too much of the rock-fall.
It had to be done now.
Jacob took a deep breath and marched towards the entrance. The dragon stopped its excavating and watched with voracious fascination as he boldly approached. There were no weapons in his hands; he was defenceless. The dragon licked its lips and drew its head back for the strike. But Jacob stopped a few feet short of the fallen boulders, just out of reach, and stood with his hands on his hips screaming defiance at the beast. It was concentrating so hard on the easy meal that it failed completely to see Aaron sliding silently along the opposite side wall. Aaron slipped around close to the rock-fall in front of Jacob, mentally and physically prepared himself and then gave the signal.
Jacob stopped his shouting and stepped passively forwards. The dragon moved in for the kill, thrusting its head across the top of the boulders, its great jaw open and slavering. Aaron thrust upwards with his spear straight into the soft throat of the dragon and, with his hands a blur, switched the other spear into his right hand and rammed that one after the first. The snarl from the beast ripped into the cave and the great head disappeared through the narrow opening.
Aaron threw a bow and quiver to Jacob and then ran through into the daylight. The dragon was thrashing about trying to dislodge the spears when Aaron emerged. He stood defiantly in front of the beast and calmly took his aim. The dragon appeared to sense his presence and the great head stopped, two fiery red eyes boring into his. He released the arrow which plunged into the creature's right eye. The beast reared back in agony.
Jacob fired his arrow, his fingers trembling in terror, but it missed, bouncing uselessly off the thick scales, but he quickly re-loaded and his second arrow flew true burying itself through the dragon's left eye and deep into its brain. With one final shake the enormous head dropped lifeless to the ground.
Jacob stood back in disbelief as Aaron rushed forward, drawing his knife and with great slashing strokes decapitated the beast. When he finally stood back, a manic grin spread across his face and he punched the air in triumph. 'Yes!'
Jacob rushed forwards and threw his arms around his brother, embraced his lifelong rival, to whom he owed his life. They did not have a deer carcase to take back to the village to prove their hunting prowess – they had something far more awesome, although the logistics of carrying it back were beyond their comprehension at the moment, it was much too heavy.
'Aaron, Jacob.' Their father's cry floated across the plains from beyond the hill. The two rivals looked at each other and grinned. They abandoned the fallen beast and began to run towards the search party, two rivals screaming out their relief in unison.