Chapter Text
It was beginning to look like it was going to be a day .
Not a particularly bad one , nor a good one.
Just a normal day.
The sun shined high above the Hollyberry Kingdom bathing all those puny biscuits in warm glow. The cookies in said kingdom had been going about doing whatever it was that mortals did in their day to day lives at the current time . Tending to their crops: working in the fields or markets or mills or wherever they could : running around and worrying about possible solutions to insignificant problems that would ultimately be of no use nor be an obstacle for very long: eating food or indulging in the Berry Juice they were known for and so on and forth.
Typical cookies going about their typical boring lives.
The Greenish-red Dragon had gone off on an early morning flight patrol to stretch their wings before their little hatchling, Snapdragon cookie could wake up.
A quick flight to check on their surroundings, their little hatchling would be safe in the nest.
Usually they would be indulging in the more slothful side to them and sleep in with the hatchling until noon but today was not such a day.
The reason why they were up so early today of all days was because they had heard rumours of the remains of dragon poachers lineage planning to encroach and ensnare the newly born cookie in their care.
Dragons were a rare thing to find these days and the potential of having one on your side?
The one whom held a dragon under their thumb was one who held a vast amount of power.
A dead dragon was useful for a variety of things. Potion ingredients; blood rituals; armour ;weaponry; jewellery and the like.
But a live , and a newly hatched dragon?
The possibilities were practically endless.
The could be trained to be used as a weapon, they could be harvested of their blood and magic indefinitely as they grew provided the ones harvesting from them were conscientious with how much they took and when they took from them, their scales could be ripped out and forged into whatever object they wished be it a fire resistant cape and armour or an indestructible shield or a particularly powerful sword, their jelly marrow could be used for many kinds of magic reagents, Even their ashes or discarded scales that were left over after growing into the next phase of their life could be used to prolong the process of ageing and sometimes stop it entirely.
Not a single crumb or scale or tooth would be wasted.
So much could be done , be it alive or dead, so much harm could befall their little fireball and they wouldn't understand a thing of it.
Snapdragon cookie was too young and too new to fully grasp any true understanding of the grave situation , the babbling bundle of pale pink and white scales would happily walk into danger if it meant they could have a new face around them play with.
They were too trusting of the harsh world they were in.
Pitaya Dragon knew they were a lot of things. Loud, Brash, quick to anger and act a bit too harshly at times and admittedly they were a bit of a 'hands off parent' sometimes , as the cookies would say. But they wouldn't be so stupid as to allow a measly cookie to lay a single fingernail let alone a whole hand on their hatchling.
They would sooner burn the world to ashes then let them land a scratch on their shiny white and pink scales.
Dragon Poaching was a danger that was much more prevalent when they were young but as they aged the profession fizzled out of existence along with the dragons that provided a reason for their work until a few meagre sticks of the familial tree remained.
There was little else in this day and age that they hated more then dragon Poachers.
Pitaya Dragon cookie had vivid memories of when they were a youngling dragon , just recently being allowed out of their nest and cave and they were beginning to be able to flap their wings and hover a few centimetres off the ground in a mimicry of flying when they were suddenly captured and ensnared within a void laced net .They remembered thrashing and struggling and biting and trying to burn their way out against the enchanted net and the chains they were forced into shortly after their arrival in what they remembered to be some kind of underground area and being held onto the ground and a muzzle being clamped onto their maw with their body being restrained by the chains that felt like they were burning into their restrained limbs as their little body was going limp with pain and exhaustion as cookies in masks ripped out their scales and drew out their blood for an indeterminate amount of time until Longan Dragon cookie found their scent trail, tracked them down and burnt the entire building and those within those walls into cinders.
It had been one of the few times they could remember being glad to see their older sibling before the age of dragons passed and they became obsessed with reverting the world to the previous status quo .
Pitaya could still recall the smell of mildew and rot from the cookies that had hurt them. The scars had faded so long ago but the damage to their mind would never fade.
The cookies were right in that regard, some scars never truly fade.
The body and mind just learns how to hide them better.
And even then it rarely feels any more distant.
Time marches on, uncaring of whom or what was left behind.
You can't stay trapped their forever... you must continue in any way you can.
Not everyone could, they could remember many ally and foe alike whom weren't able to do so.
They remember all too clearly how each fell into their vices as a way to cope with their trauma....
Pitaya didn't want Snapdragon to go through what they did.
They had no doubt that they could take on the poachers singlehandedly now and without breaking a sweat.
It had been many a millennia since the profession had been proficient in the lives of cookies let alone mentioned in conversation beyond storytelling and the like, so it was very possible that they were dealing with a bunch of unsuspecting armatures whom were trying to live up to a legacy that had long crumbled away with their predecessors at best. At worst it could be a veteran but if that was so , they would still have no problem torching them to crumbs.
Cookies were one of the fragile sort of creature, not too difficult to be rid of unless they were gifted in the arcane arts or particularly crafty with tools and weaponry.
Though there were still the cookies gifted with intelligence and an aptitude to planning that they found were the most troublesome to deal with.
Those cookies worried over each and every detail and planned accordingly . Fixing and reworking their plans until they were sure they were perfect.
Jungleberry was one of those cookies , and they would never say it, but if Hollyberry and her niece who was almost a miniature version of herself hadn't returned it was very possible she could have found a way to take them out of the picture , permanently .
Jungleberry was not the fittest, fastest nor the strongest of the bunch but she was one of the smartest and that along with her patience, cunning and penchant for planning was what had helped keep her and her mate on the throne for so long even after Hollyberry had disappeared.
Jungleberry wasn't the only intelligent cookie they knew, there were many others before her that had either long since passed or were still around.
The latter of which was one they could recall quite easily.
A Draconic cookie was not easily forgotten after all.
Those kind of cookie were usually a result of a Dragon and a regular cookie's union.
Back in an age long gone those hybrids were either revered or hated.
It depended on the Hybrid's actions and their surroundings.
Such a union rarely had a cookie that lived past nestling age, doomed to die young as their bodies were unable to reach an equilibrium between the two species they were borne of.
What few did either rose to power, became a tool , fell to their vices or left the public eye to live a life of solitude and safety.
But the hybrid they knew was not of any of those .
No.
A hybrid dressed in finery of black and white with trimmings of blue ,pink and a liberal amount of purples.
A hybrid that smelt of bitter cacao and radiated the cold of mountain tops and lands snow and walked , no drifted on the ground with the grace of frigid winds.
A hybrid whom held a sword that had the scent of grape jam that was as big as a barrel and almost as wide in one hand, able to carry the blade with ease as opposed as three cookies together had difficulty lifting it even an inch off of the ground.
Upon the hilt of the sharp, ridged black and white sword sat a for sided Violet souljam that radiated power and housed two lesser dragons.
Twin dragons to be precise, of the Oreo lineage that willingly served the cookie with the violet soul jam .
The two referred to the hybrid they served as the 'Dragon Lord' , a title they visibly baulked at and attempted to provoke them into battle to prove such a title.
Despite being a hybrid , his scent was that of a fully fledged dragon.
Yet when they challenged him to a fight for crossing into what Pitay deemed as their territory they seemed ... shocked at the way they reacted to their growl, clapping a hand over their mouth in surprise , as if they weren't used to responding with a snarl of his own...
It was very odd and they would have fought if it were not for Hollyberry separating them both.
Which was annoying because they had very much wanted to put that snobby souljam holder in his place.
Suddenly as if the universe itself decided to validate their fears, a fearful set of screams were heard tearing through the calm air of the forest, echoing throughout the lush green vegetation .
Pitaya's large form snapped towards the sounds at an alarming speed and angle.
Their were multiple voices in that scream but it was as obvious as the sky was blue that one of said screams was their Snapdragon cookie.
When they realised they had heard the screaming coming from a little ways past their nest they tossed caution to the wind, shifted back into their true form and flew Mach 5 to said location.
The wind pushed against their scales and flattened their white and black dropped mane against the ridges of their horns and the rest of their true form as they raced against the time itself to reach their hatchling.
They want their bundle of fire? Those cookie's would have to fight tooth and claw for them.
One thing of the few things Dragons and cookies had in common was that they were hard wired to feel discomfort at a baby's cry.
Pitaya had thought them all to be exaggerating when they described it as physically painful, but here they were flying against the wind and feeling like someone was playing the inner strings of a harpsicord with their innards.
This feeling was more painful then loosing any battle , in fact they might go as far as to say it was the worst feeling they had ever felt so far in their lives and it was highly doubtful they would feel a pain stronger then this.
Trees, bushes, leaves and all manner of flora and a fair amount of fauna was caught in their mane as they pushed against the wind and the forest itself to make it their in time.
They left a straight path of devastation that was leading towards their nest, they paid no heed to the trees and animals that got tangled in their mane, nor the dirt ,mud or river water that stained their scaled form.
none of that was of any relevance if it meant they would reach Snapdragon on time to save them.
Pitaya would die for them and it would be made obvious to all when the charred remains of what used to be the dragon poachers were found.
Hollyberry had made them swear not to hurt any of her cookies but she didn't say anything about cookies from beyond the jungle kingdom.
Besides she would understand, she had her own spawn, though now fully grown there was no doubt Hollyberry would paint her shield and soul jam red with jam if it meant protecting one of her own.
The closer they got the better they could smell the flavour of the soon to be crumbs. The scent of sweet or bitter or tangy berries was absent entirely. Instead there was the distinct scent of mildew and rot mixed in with a salty scent of metal.
Those scents brought them back to that time when they were held captive and the subsequent fear and absolute rage that bloomed within them only spurred the greenish red dragon onwards and urged them to increase their speed lest they fail to save their hatchling.
They heard more voices now, even as far as they were they could still distinguish how many poachers there were.
A dragon's sense outclassed a cookie's on an absurd amount.
Which made sense.
Dragon's are second to the top of the food chain bested by only the avatars of nature themselves.
So when they made their entrance to the clearing that hid their nest from view it was surprising to find that the cookies they were hoping to crumble were just that, crumbs.
They were lumps of jam and cookie strewn about the forest floor.
Few were breathing.
Even fewer were whole.
A branch snapped and Pitaya's neck made a similar noise as they locked eyes with a group of survivors.
In their hands they held the very same tools that were used on them in their infancy.
The cookies froze in fear as they met the Greenish red dragon's eyes.
Pitaya's sclera was as dark as midnight and their pinpricked pupils were brighter then the Witches forks.
The cookies were as still as statues , not even daring to breath as the two species stared at each other, waiting for the other to break the silence.
Pitaya stared at the group , a resounding growl from within their chest echoed throughout the forest .
Silencing every other creature, critter and cookie alike.
The only sound was the cookie's some of whom were having a panic attack, the wind and the distant flow from the stream nearby.
The scent of jam invaded their nostrils as the closed distance between them all .
The jam was of Strawberry and had the scent of a tender hatchling intertwined.
Pitaya saw RED
Rage invaded Pitaya's body and mind, swelling and sloshing inside them like the ocean in a thunderstorm until every crack and crevice was filled with the emotion.
Embers sparked within their maw and flames licked at the roof of their mouth as they opened what felt like the gates to the Witches Oven itself and rained firey hell upon them all.
They tried to run.
They didn't get farther then a few steps with their injuries.
Pitaya's deafening roar had an undercurrent of sadistic glee mixed with its victory.
They made no attempts at covering up their joy at the screaming as their fragile dough was burned until they were nothing but charred ashes that was swiftly smeared across the charred grounds as Pitaya hastily shifted into their cookie form and dashed here and fro , following the now distant scent of Hatchling jam that was being buried under their smoke.
They checked every inch outside their cave until finally they found it again.
Pitaya's relief was cut short at the sight of the trail of jam that led back inside their cave and their heart all but leapt from their chest as the sounds of fearful chirping was heard from within.
Pitaya kicked aside the moss that hid the entrance from view and rushed inside, jam pumping and fear clawing at their lungs as they followed the trail and the scent of jam , hatchling and those sounds Snapdragon was making.
Soon enough they came to the source of the chirping and jam.
Pitaya froze in complete and utter shock.
Because right there in front of them, much bigger then Snapdragon.
Was another Hatchling.
They looked they had been curled over , protecting Snapdragon with their own body before they had lost consciousness from jam loss and fell to the side.
Snapdragon worriedly batting their head against the injured cookies shoulder and chirruping as they tried to wake their protector. Not caring one bit about the jam that clung to their form for their efforts.
It was only when their hatchling paused in their attempts , lifted their head up and caught Pitaya's scent and turned to look at them did the spell of shock and silence break it's hold over them.
They dashed forward, instincts shrieking at them to fix, to help, heal to do something.
They fell to their knees with a splash as the puddle of jam stained their armour.
Snapdragon shrieked in joy and relief at the sight of them and nuzzled into them as they picked up the nestling and hurriedly scanned over their jam encrusted form for any injury.
There was a shallow cut on their cheek that looked to be healing already and thankfully nothing else other then some scratches , so after some hugging whispered reassurances Pitaya placed the babbling bundle of scales within their mane as they refocused their efforts on the second more injured hatchling on their cave floor.
The scent of Chocolate and frost invaded their nose as they picked him up and took the two nestlings deeper into the cave.
Pitaya used their wings and teeth to push aside some of the pillows and blankets and various trinkets until there was a bare space on the ground to place the cookie.
The hatchling was still as a statue and as limp as a chopped off tail as they put him down and got to work, not processing the way they reassuringly rumbled to both the hatchlings as they got to work.
The torches in their nest did enough to illuminate the damage done to the Chocolate hatchling.
The breath in their throat got stuck as they noted the various scratches and bruises that littered their form, the worst of which being the deep gash that was carved into their left side.
Pitaya hurriedly got up and scrambled around looking for any medical supplies , heart squeezing tighter when all they found was a bottle of sleeping potion, 2 rolls of bandages and a quarter used tub of healing salve
Shaking their head they forced them self to breath.
Panicking wasn't going to help them in any way , they had to make do with what they had for now .
They would have to make the journey to the Hollyberry kingdom later, when they were sure the youngling wouldn't pass away from a breeze.
Walking back and kneeling next to the Chocolate Hatchling they unclasped their bloody cape and cut through the blood soaked tunic they wore and slowly but surely peeled it away the congealed jam on their side.
Pitaya winced in sympathy and guilt as they hatchling called out in pain too tired to move and too out of it to understand that Pitaya was trying to help them.
Tears started to prick at their eyes and they had to force them back as they continued to work even as the unconscious Chocolate nestling tears began to pour out of one their eye.
Their only functioning eye by the looks of it.
Then all of a sudden a hesitant chirp was heard from their right , Pitaya looked in said direction to see Snapdragon holding some herbs in their mouth with two of the more shredded up blankets in each hand . One dry and the other looked to soaked with something .
How curious.
Pitaya bent down a tiny bit more and sniffed at it.
Water.
It smelt of water.
The little tyke must've snuck out of their mane and to the river that flowed deeper still in the north side of the cavern nest.
They also must have taken whichever herbs smelt best to them .
Pitaya laughed incredulously and rumbled at them, a message of thanks and praise directed at them.
Snapdragon merely giggled and dropped the herbs at their side and offered them the water soaked blanket.
Pitaya sighed and nuzzled the youngling's head for a moment before taking the blanket and ripping it in two.
One half they wrapped around the herbs and the other half they used to clean the injured one's side .
Said youngling winced and let out a whine at the cold contact to which Pitaya responded with their rumbled reassurances , words won't reach them in their current state so more instinctual methods must be used.
They listen as Snapdragon wondered away from their side to the other's less injured side and start carefully nuzzling them and chirping at them once more, except this time their chirps were more happy and calmer.
Pitaya's heart squeezed at the sight.
Snapdragon was trying to reassure them in their own way, copying Pitaya to the best of their abilities. Pitaya smiled and resumed their rumbling the two dragon's doing their best to soothe the Chocolate youngling as they worked.
It took a fair amount of time but eventually they got it done by nightfall.
The scent of dewdrops and cooling wind filtered in through the cave where the three dragons resided.
Pitaya had found some more things to help.
Some fancy cutlery set that had gems forged into them that some cookies had given to them in place of a living offering to them in an effort to appease them for accidently invading their territory.
They had used them to make a sort of herbal water, a tea blend of sorts, or was it properly referred to as a herbal blend?
Whatever, the point was that Pitaya had managed to lessen the pain somewhat.
They had slowly fed the blend along with a few drops of that sleeping potion to the Chocolate hatchling before washing it down with some water afterwards.
The process was slow and tedious given the fact they had massage the throat to get them manually swallow the concoction but it was done now so it was fine , probably.
Hatchlings though young had a much higher metabolism then most cookies.
But the injured one was far too skinny for their liking. Pitaya was assuming they must have been wandering alone in the forest for quite some time to have to be so skinny as they are right now.
And another thing, despite smelling like a hatchling they resembled a young adult hybrid cookie.
It didn't make any sense.
Physically nor scent-wise and that wasn't even the end of it!
No, odder still the Chocolate hatchling looking to be of a recent Hybrid biology.
In some cases hybrids only showed their draconic side when they came of age, like cookie puberty but with more fire , pain and breaking of the body as it reconfigured itself to a more suitable form to house their more draconic power.
So was that the case?
If it was, then why did they still smell like a hatchling?
Unless they were.
Pitaya's jam went cold at the thought.
What if they were a recently escaped hybrid?
Today they had learnt that dragon Poachers were still around so why not the draconic experimenters? It would explain the scent problem as well as the stomach churning amount of scars on their body.
The most prevalent of which were on his wrists ankles , neck and torso.
The exact same places they used to have scars on....
A deep threatening growl slipped out at the thought of this injured one having to go through such horrors.
Some hatchlings never grew up , whether that was because of death , trauma or other strenuous circumstances it could cause lasting damage ... one of being scent being unable to change , to be stuck . Like they could have been, silently crying out for a parent that never came for some reason or other....
It made them feel something they couldn't quite put a name to , it was like a bunch of strings had gotten tangled into some kind of knot that wouldn't stop wriggling around inside them.
Pitaya looked over to the impromptu nest they had made for him , the Chocolate hatchling deep in slumber wrapped up in a multitude of blankets and some pillows. A fair amount was taken from their own nest. Pitaya's own scent slightly earthy , mildly sweet and faintly floral surrounded him , They had a slight foggy memory of their own parents doing the same for them before Longan took them in. They remembered the act bringing them comfort , hopefully it brought the same affect for him as it did for them.
Pitaya had made sure to dress them in some of their old sleepwear that Lotus Dragon cookie had given them a long time ago. A modified version of a night shirt and trousers , made to accommodate wings, tail and horn size and better for their scales , much more then the course and rough brown fabric of the clothes they had been wearing previously.. . They were Lotus Dragon's signature blue and teal with pink trimmings , a little baggy on them but still good and oddly enough matched with the blankets and pillows too.
Snapdragon was curled up on Pitaya's other side snoozing away , the little one had wanted to sleep with their new friend but Pitaya had to explain why that may be dangerous for them , injury and all that ( plus they didn't want the young one to stray from their side for a while, calm as they may be they were still a little bit anxious and wanted them to stay with them for a bit longer).
No doubt the hatchling would have a difficult recovery given what must have been their state previous to the injury but it would be fine, they were a dragon and knew how to tend to one like them self.
The Chocolate hatchling did have teeth, very sharp ones at that so perhaps they could digest some sugar gazelle jelly meat right?
Maybe they'll give them smaller portions to start with and then continue from there.
Yes, that seems reasonable, Pitaya smiled to themselves as they got comfortable in their own nest and stared some more at the sleeping Hatchling before eventually dozing off.
Pitaya had a lot of work to do in the morning. .. but that could wait until then