-One Month later. Dawn. Little Dragon's POV-

The last thirty days have been an endurance test of my will to live since feeding time was always fighting the siblings over food and throwing tantrums for regurgitated portions after getting beat up, in order to heal the injuries sustained. This behavior is the so-called survival of the fittest from my human memories, and my instincts tell me it's because we must acquire as much food as possible for our growth spurt since there are too many of us born with only one parent hunting. However, they hold the advantage during our growth spurt since it took me around twice their time to hatch, then reach their former size after month, but our bodies are becoming more disproportional as of late.

Ugh, I'm probably a burden since Big Green allows the other two teaming up against me, but the bigger one of them will probably reach three times mine in another month, and there is nothing I can do about it. I understand the food demand in our bodies since we don't know when our parents will kick us out of the nest and if we are not strong enough by then, we'll become prey even to the wolves we eat. I acknowledge out predatory instincts while feeling extremly frustrated.

Big Green, I tried not to disappoint the mother who laid my egg with effort, but the siblings are twice my size, far more powerful with thicker scales, bigger fangs and always filled with energy since they sleep with the leftover food. I recall my scavenging efforts just to heal the wounds they inflict.

Our fights keep getting more intense every time, but I'm the only one on the receiving end and may be a matter of time before they go beyond ripping my scales or breaking my tail. However, even if they don't kill me, the hunger from receiving too many wounds, will.

Still, when we sustain injuries, our natural healing makes us starve and receiving too many wounds without food will cause the body to eat itself and that's how I look like a bag of scales with the rib cage showing now. I recall the painful experiences that allowed me to confirm this dragon feature.

Sighs... I could live longer by staying still, and sleeping all day like Big Red if I didn't need food to grow. However, my attempts to steal some food from the siblings are taking a toll since my body demand for food keeps growing and I can barely heal the wounds created when they find me stealing meat. In short, I'm losing the battle just by fighting. Besides, lately the brothers are big enough to finish most wolves Big Green drops, leaving nothing for me to scavenge other than blood, but that's not nutritious unless I'm a vampire...whatever that is. I monologue to comfort myself.

Every attempt to kill one them failed miserably, and even night attacks where only one guarded the uneaten carcass, showed no result since the other one would just come join the fight.

Argh! Sometimes I feel like ripping them apart then eat them, but a direct confrontation is pointless since I'm just a toy to them without other available methods besides biting or clawing and maybe a tail swing. I affirm thinking about the lack of places or objects to gain an advantage.

The only thing I could try is pushing them in the defecation hole, roll a rock to them or attack when they sleep... I think back to my night attack on the smaller one after feeling in peak condition.

The attack on Sister at night resulted in several broken scales before being dragged off by the neck to the hole we use to defecate and threw me inside which got feces on my wounds.

Grrr... I'm not a chew toy! I'm starting to get bored of fangs sinking into my flesh already! Though I guess I'm not even worth eating since I was just thrown in the crack where our excrement seeped into the volcano. I ponder whether if this is a normal Dragon behavior, but my instincts just tell me to fight even if it's not possible to win.

Hmm... I don't see my family act much different than animals from the Earth in their behavior, but they don't show any intention of teaching us how to hunt or allowing to go to the forest below. I recall my attempts to ride my parents before they take off. I already tried begged to tag along to hunt for myself then when that didn't work, tried to sneak on their bodies, but it's not easy to climb their bodies, and just shake me off when gripping the scales firmly.

Big Green is around three humans tall and has the smell of a female, but it has been over ten days since she regurgitated food for me while Big Red who's five-human high standing just slap me and sends me rolling on the rocks enough times to get dizzy when I bother his sleep.

Haha, maybe forcing his eye open with my paws was a bad idea, but at least he didn't squash me or breathe fire like what he does to Big Green every time she tried to get him to hunt food for us. What a useless parent, being so dominant and only returns with water for us, but he's also the main reason I'm starving to the point where I'm not sure when my body will give out and never wake up from my sleep. I shake my head scowling.

Well, it's time to move out before the sun rises and everything becomes active, including the two parents that are not around right now. I resolve myself in my crouching posture under my usual rock, then get up and started walking across the rocky field towards the northwest crater walls.

Feeling the warmth of a human family after remembering enough interactions with those left behind in my former life made me depressed under my rock for a while, but they probably are having a better time than me doing everything to survive. I picture the blurry image of my former family.

...

I managed to recall more fragmented memories doing certain daily actions, during dreams or simply at random, but they are still too vague, incomplete and it's hard to follow train thoughts without meeting dead ends. The incomplete pieces of knowledge leave me without reaching a conclusion for many ideas, or simply can't retain thoughts too much time before they vanish, leaving me unable to think complicated things. I'm using my former human self which was average and the also regained numbers as a measuring scale to keep track of days and my growth, with the hopes of one day surpassing my siblings despite their efforts to monopolize all the giant wolves that Big Green hunts.

My spatial awareness has stabilized somewhat after compiling enough certainty from my memories and managed to sketch my former human figure on the side of a boulder, but my perception of time is rather messed up since the days feel shorter than on earth. I was average-sized in that world, but if the people of this world have different proportions than what I'm using, then my measurement is screwed and will need to think of another method in the future since my own body is always changing. Catching up to my brothers was not possible, however, thanks to my scavenging efforts and pitiful cries of hunger, I am now a little over human-knee size. I wonder when the chance to confirm measurements with sentient creatures of this world would arrive while frustrated about my memories.

It is confusing and extremely disappointing recalling things such as pooping in my former human body while stuff like an HP-potion is surrounded by unknowns.

Ah... Such healing medicine would have been nice after being used as a chewing toy, getting my scales ripped off, and the limbs munched by the siblings, but I'm not sure if they are even real or where to find them. I lament while making waves with my toes in the gravel.

I finally got used to having these little paws. I stare at my feet around half the size of my former human hands. Well, I'm still too clumsy because there are no fingers around a flexible palm like on people and instead, paws are rigid with the claws closing in only one comfortable direction whereas humans can play with their fingers all they like. I compare the claws that seem designed to increase hold, rip stuff apart or pounce on prey. No, I can't hold my whole body as well as cats using just my front paws since is quite straining because they are not curved enough like hooks. To make up for the lack of curve though, I have to bend my toes quite a bit to give the right angle to the claws in order to get a good hold, and that makes me tired fast with the present lack of muscle, but they are definitely not made for wiping the ass. I remember the dilemma of being clean in my human self.

Trying to imitate the human me from the memories by standing on two legs was very awkward and uncomfortable with the short legs to maintain the balance of a bigger upper body.

Walking backward was not possible and have to use the tail for balance, so it's like walking on three legs... Anyhow, I'm more comfortable doing what every dragon does around here, walk on all fours, grab stuff with the mouth and holding it with the claws. I realize the limitations of my body.

After exploring this Valley we consider our nest, I discovered it was a crater of an active volcano judging by the constant fumes coming out of places and was alarming at first because these gases are not meant to be healthy, but our dragon bodies seem to be okay with breathing them.

However, just because dragons are okay breathing the colorful gases doesn't mean other creatures will be since this place is completely devoid of anything else alive like insects or weeds. I look towards the crater walls almost four-Big Reds high to the top. Though there is a vertical section of nearly two Big Reds near the top that indicates this whole place probably sank downwards in the past eruption. I recall the inspection on the walls composed of dirt, gravel, and rocks instead of just solid stone with good footholds.

Bah! I didn't feel the need to climb the crater seriously before and just used my energies on fighting the siblings, and although it should be possible to climb, it would take holding onto the walls for longs periods of time making footholds in the gravel, but unfortunately, I no longer have the energies to do that. I call to mind my attempts to climb the walls of this pot-like place to have a better view around the area but just ended up rolling down the slope for quite a distance. I'm getting a weird feeling of attraction to South where for some reason, but there is no easy way out of here and digging a tunnel is out of the question since I'll die before coming out on the other side. I shake my head desisting on the idea.

My instincts just tell me to fight the siblings or beg for food from the parents that are supposed to provide and not leave the nest since predators outside will be dangerous, but the reality is that I will undoubtedly die at this rate. No, I'm already dying, and at the rate that my body is consuming itself with the lack of food, I don't have another month up here. So, I have decided to abandon this place and not listen to instincts or that weird feeling that tells me to go south because I can understand now, that dying is not a problem for me. I recalled being a reincarnator.

Reached the smoke clouds blocking the only exit out of this place, and it's a V-shaped hole big enough for Big Red to walk through, with gasses spewing through the fallen boulders, but below is a sheer cliff that would allow thinking many things while falling unless you are a flying dragon.

My wings, with a span of open human arms, still look fragile to support my body for extended flights since they only been growing for twenty days, but they can be used to glide out of this place, and the morning wind is pretty calm, ideal for descending slowly. I confirmed from my observations.

Finally coming out of the smoke gathered in the collapsed part of the crater, I see the sea of green extending to the horizon where a blue line indicates an ocean or lake, decreasing to the left and increasing to the right side or north.

I will need to glide straight west first since the wolves come from the northwest and if they are there it means there's food to sustain them, but my parents only hunt down there which means there is nothing worth eating on the east or south. My human memories tell me if there are wolves, there will be a food chain and if there were food behind me, then my parents would hunt there too. My instincts don't like the idea of jumping, but I won't make it far climbing down that uneven wall before plunging... though hunting down there makes me really excited. I look down at the precipice and resolve myself to make it just to where the forest starts on the slope while gripping strongly the rock beneath with my claws almost half human-pinkie size and extended my wings.

I'm not sure how the flying part went when all I could do was lift my body flapping before getting those muscles on my back tired, but gliding is different since it requires less effort and without a windy morning, making it down shouldn't be a problem. This is probably west if I'm right about the Sun... I confirmed my gliding endurance by doing gliding tests from huge boulders inside the crater. Ok, you got this...just rush and jump... I encourage myself out of indecisiveness.

"Jump already!" A voice commanded in my head.

*Smack!* A hit on my rear felt like being kicked.

NOW! I start running until I can't feel the ground beneath me and began gliding down as planned.

...Huh!?? What was that? Nevermind! Gotta focus on keeping balance... I concentrate on stabilizing my wings feeling the wind pressure under them as my body descends.

-Almost Midday-

Beautiful... Resting my head on the right side, I open my left eye and look at the dancing orange leaves above my body.

Sprawled on the ground, I watch the star-shaped leaves detach by the wind, from the trees with brown trunks, extending at least four humans up, and providing shade from the sun high in the sky. It was not noticeable looking from afar, but up close, a fair amount of yellow leaves are visible in the foliage, indicating the approach of winter.

Yellow leaf huh? Summer should be ending, and I've only been alive for a month. I indulge in the view ignoring the pain and worries about my winter's prospects.

The sun is that high already, but I had no choice but to remain still for quite some time after waking up. Feeling my body as if being bitten everywhere, I tense up some muscles.

"GAauu..." Unable to endure the pain for a moment, I wail in agony.

So much pain... it hurts to make sounds and breathe deeply. I keep looking the vegetation, falling my direction.

The breathing was prolonged and painful at first, but it's repeating at an increasing rate that suggests recovery and the feeling in my extremities are returning, although it increases the anguish.

All the limbs are still attached, and it's relieving that my lungs aren't filling with blood, but I'm easy prey like this... must move, or death will come. Postponing further inspections on my body, I start contracting muscles while leaves accumulate on my body. The wetness under the scales means bleedings while some are ripped off, exposing the flesh and making me more vulnerable.

I'm bleeding to death and becoming a free meal to any predator around, but this scene sure is peaceful. I close my eye, perk my ears and hear the sounds from all around.

The wind is making the trees creak, rustle the fallen leaves while the birds are singing their tunes, and my heart is beating his own, not giving up on me. Dragon's vitality must not be underestimated! I exclaimed, feeling proud to have survived rolling down a mountain.

I managed to glide for quite a distance down the mountain, but suddenly it started getting turbulent until I was like a leaf on the wind and unable to control my gliding or flying anymore, I plunged spinning to the slope. I curled into a ball before hitting the black dirt below at an angle that allowed me to survive the fall beside the ash softening my landing, then rolling down at high speed until I fainted, but that wasn't a whole mishap since it relaxed the body and distributed the energy from impacts.

Who knew the wind currents far away from the crater were that strong and didn't even blow in just one direction, losing control of my flight since it was not possible to compensate without knowing where it would blow from next. I curled into a ball by instinct to protect myself since there was no point trying to grip on the volcanic ash with tiny claws and even if they manage to lodge in some rock at that speed, I would've lost them or the limb. I picture the distance rolled down that would take me quite some light of day to traverse with my regular steps and yet the forest here is closer to the peak of the volcano than its base.

I'm done recalling what happened earlier and the new memories from the trauma in the morning then mentally prepare for the incoming pain once I start moving around.

Ugh, I must be feeling more pain than being eaten alive because that would end after my body gets consumed, but this agony won't stop unless I die or heal, and the starvation is making me delirious, but it's usual for me to get hungrier after receiving injuries. I lift my head ignoring the pain of joints, cracking noises on the neck and look behind at the black rocky cliff I lastly fell from.

Hmmm... I observe the black wall full of cracks around three humans tall with fallen rocks of different size below and extends to both sides of my position for quite a distance then turned to the scarce weeds growing under the shade of sparse trees.

Need a place to hide... it's no good to explore under my condition. I survey the surroundings perking my hears which register no big predators tracking the scent of blood before starting my march.

I should search for a crack big enough to hide and recover, before adventuring into a forest full of. Not hearing any animal I decide to get up.

Getting up makes my dragon body creak and send weird sensations to my brain that I cannot identify besides the pain. Blood is gushing out from wounds beneath my scales on my right back side, right hind leg and the broken right forearm is missing scales with a deep gash making the white bone visible inside.

I don't think the soft ash caused these injuries, so I must have crashed into a sharp rock on my way down, but if the brain took this impact... I determined to have never wake up if the impact had occurred in another part of my body.

Predators haven't come sniffing the blood yet, but It's a matter of time since it's splashed on high ground and the wind carries it far away so I should get going already. I choose the left side of the cliff to explore since my left side was intact. Walking on three legs as a quadruple is as annoying as walking on three for humans since the frontal weight is going to the left forearm making it tired quite fast. I grumble at the lack of maneuvering when missing a limb.

I follow the left side of the cliff with my tired body and fold back the wings that are being dragged over the rocky ground, damaging them further.

I'm too tired even to raise the tail, and it's just running through the rocks, but at least it doesn't get tangled like the wings. I wonder what punishment would be if they broke and I had to drag them around. I must keep searching before my body stops producing adrenaline. I continue my pace avoiding boulders much bigger than me while the sun moves through the sky past midday.

After roaming for a while, I reach an open part where the tree line is far away from the cliff and find many crevices that are good for taking refuge, then settled on a sturdy Lair that fits my body perfectly, that could stop bigger predators from attacking inside.

This was probably the rainwater carving the volcanic ash between solidified lava that created these marvelous fissures to reside. When does it even rain in this place? I wonder while shoving away the loose big rocks before going inside the crack around my body width, with walls converging over the top of my raised head.

As the sun moved through the sky turning the day into a reddish afternoon, the first visitors are almost one human thumb in size, approached eating my blood trail into the lair.

Ohhh! These look like giant Ants! They don't look dangerous unless many more appear to overwhelm me, but except for my broken forearm, I'm covered in scales, so they will just become an excellent food source for this hungry dragon. I crouched down, cover the open wound with thin gravel and waited staying still, for them to gather before attacking.

I watched hundreds of Ants gather around my unmoving body, and slowly used the left forearm to collect and eat them while night fell.

The crunchiness and flavor are fantastic~! Happy with the newfound snack I hummed a little for the first time since birth. For my broken body to heal properly, remaining still is essential and not making any noise allowed me to hear any new predator approaching. It's going to be hard to sleep tonight because of the pain, and I must confirm if there's anything else that comes out of these cracks that might be a threat. I prepare myself for some sleep deprivation.

"GRhuaaaarl..." Deep into the windless night, there was a dragon roar coming from the volcano.

That sounded like Mom angry. Did she realize I ran away from home? I recall the parent that took care of my infancy and over crossed forearms, rested my head.