The sun shimmered over the massive pond as I dove beneath the surface, gliding through the cool, crystal-clear water. The plants swayed gently, and dozens—no, hundreds—of fish darted in every direction, glinting like silver arrows. It was beautiful. Peaceful. But even with all this life, a thought pulled at me like an anchor.
"It's not enough."
Not because we were lacking—no. Right now, there was enough food to feed the entire clan for years. But I knew better. I had seen how quickly the Dragon Clan grew. And when I swam back up and broke the surface, I saw why that thought haunted me.
Seventeen baby dragons played by the pond's edge, splashing water at each other, their wings still small and stubby, but growing stronger by the day. I landed near them, watching them laugh and tumble, and my thoughts sharpened.
"The more dragons we have, the faster the clan grows… and the more we must prepare."
I stretched my wings wide and launched into the sky, the wind roaring past me. The forest below blurred as I flew higher and higher until I could see all of Skull Island stretched beneath me. The mountains. The valleys. The ponds. The home we had built.
Then—something moved in the sky.
Chop-chop-chop-chop...
The sound of blades slicing through the air. I turned my head and saw it—a helicopter, black and sleek, with the unmistakable symbol on its side: Monarch.
I narrowed my eyes.
"Why are they back?"
I soared higher and flew closer, careful to stay out of sight. I didn't recognize the humans on board, but I knew Monarch's scent—always watching, always searching. I didn't know if they meant harm, but I wasn't about to take any chances.
I flew back fast—so fast the wind tore leaves from the treetops beneath me.
I let out a sharp, echoing call—one only dragons could hear.
Within minutes, dragons began to arrive—flying from cliffs, crawling from caves, swimming out of the water. In moments, the entire Dragon Clan was alert. Elders barked orders. The young were herded back to their dens. The skies were emptied. The ponds covered by the trees above.
We became invisible.
I didn't stay. I turned, wings slicing through the clouds, and followed the helicopter.
Alone.
"Where are you going?" I wondered. "What are you looking for?"
And more importantly...
"Do you know we're here?"
As I soared silently through the skies, tail flicking and fire burning quietly in my throat, I followed the humans deeper into the unknown parts of Skull Island—into the part of this world where secrets still lived.
And I knew something had changed.
Something new had begun.