One couldn’t call me beautiful, not with all these scars littering my pelt. Cranium was set with hard gems that never seemed to soften for the likes of anyone or anything. A steel collar that had scuff marks from previous wars hung around my shoulders like a dog tag. I might not be pretty, but I surely wasn’t the most hideous creature—at least not physically. When the painted girl passed me by, I scoffed at her glance. It took every ounce of willpower to not snarl when she said, “Sir,” and snap at how the woman looked away as if severely wounded and afraid. All I could think was, no respect these days, women have no respect. Back home a woman was trained to bow their head forward and regard a male for at least moments more than that wrench did. Men were also trained to do the same, a sort of respect for a common desire. To live. What had happened to this stupid soul, why did she look so crestfallen?

It was also then that I noticed her lack of wings, my lids slipped up in surprise. I had been told that all the genetically impure ones had perished; they simply couldn’t survive a hostile environment filled with dragons and other species that bore both claw and wing. Ivory feathers slipped from my side and not very kindly I grumbled, “Aye Sir, at least you didn’t go off running for the hills when your eyes saw me.” Taking a bold step in her direction I added, “What the hell happened? Did your family lose a war? Die maybe? A male try and take advantage of your…female…capabilities.” My tone grew purposely husker toward the end. Why not shake her up a little? When was the last time I had dished out some fun? Smirking my ears cocked themselves further forward, eager to hear the whispering tale that would surely come from those pretty lips.

Suddenly the wrench was followed by a babe. A little painted girl. Ah, how sweet. I grinned at her, showing all of my brilliant yellow teeth. “It is I, Harmony.” She said to the poor, poor soul that hadn’t spoken up yet to answer my question, “Hello. I am Harmony.” She said again and I grimaced, did this idiotic filly think that my ears were useless? “I can hear you just fine, no need to repeat your name more than once impure one.” The girl had asked for my help? What the hell was I supposed to do to help a mare that obviously couldn’t help herself? “No,” I whispered with a sly smile, “this is a volcanic place, people don’t often visit and I have no friends in this world." Grinning from ear to ear I added lightly, “If it would suit you instead, I could…put her out of her misery. It would almost be a kindness if you believe her pain is so great that she needs ‘Instant’ attention.”

I chuckled. It would have been wiser if they had just left I thought, mirroring both their inner works in my own twisted way. Better to have returned to whatever pitiful existence suited them. Left this ruined soul for its own wicked trials. But the black painted creature remained, wingless body turning to regard me with blunt cautiousness. She countered my offer, as was expected—couldn’t people tell when someone was joking anymore? True, all jokes usually boasted at least a half truth if not more. Would I end her pains if the soul was unwilling or stupidly violent? No. I’m not a ruthless killer for idle gains or in this case…no gain, nor do I thirst for blood like a wolf. If she had accepted my proposition on the other hoof, then yes like a good gentleman I would have answered without hesitation.

Her lips spilled a tale of woe, but the nature of this woe was perhaps the only thing that I didn’t expect. “There was a lizard, a massive lizard.” The rest of those syllables vanished into a soundless drawl, my ears flicked back across the flat part of my cranium. I interjected with a wickedly dangerous smile flicking up my lips, “A lizard you say….? Or was it a dragon? Because a dragon interests me greatly…” She had started to say, ‘we’ and ended with, ‘they.’ I frowned and faked a scowl, “Tsk tsk, you ran away like a coward, abandoning your comrades. It was the very reason your species died out in my world.” Powerless beasts, I had only come across a few that had a brain worth testing.

The child didn’t seem pleased with my manner of doing things, she dared to get closer, dared. I stared down that little snout and huffed in her face. Steely eyes never breaking contact as she spat idiotic words in my face like…like an equal. This wretched creature thought she was my equal! My face broke apart into pure laughter when she finished and her slim little behind. The laugher was borderline crazy and the only warning said foal was going to receive. “Girl,” I breathed out, while restraining from rolling into another fit of insane giggles. “Don’t ever turn your back on an elder, you might find half your flank gone as the result.” Short muscles danced limbs sideways, I attempted to slither up alongside her right side so she could ear each tangy word, “Your bitchy dame needs to teach you the meaning of such bold words, suckling.”

“Back up that courage if you so dare!” I snarled, “Or yield and be gone from this hole; both of you. For the next time my eyes see you small one, I won’t be so lax.”

Apparently their breed was lacking in more than just social grace. The battle wounded one turned away, gazing back at me with that same forlorn expression, while I snarled at our youngling company. “There was no wings.” She grumbled softly. Some part of my occupied mine flickered faintly into her awareness. Well, wasn’t that interesting! Perhaps the dragons around here didn’t boast wings. This world was a very different place when in comparison to mine. The girl surprisingly bore enough intelligence to echo my own thinking-- she added that not all dragons had leathery things. I would have slipped my face toward her with a little more regard—but currently there was a stupid whelp screaming at me.

My muzzle snapped out on its own accord while she screamed at the Gods, the air, who knew, “Leave you stupid wench or die here in this spot.” Power rose within me, surging to the surface. Why couldn’t people get message? Was I not speaking plain EQUINE? The thin ground separating us from the molten lava below started to bubble and break apart. Fire rose to the surface between the cracks—they would either leave or get burnt up. Golden tipped wings unfurled in one clean shift, I thrust them down just as the soil gave way to beautiful amber and yellow. It was so lovely, watching their world burn. Wingless ones couldn't fly away from danger, nor could they stand against it. The coward and foolish child were perfect examples, and only solidified my certainty that they should have died out long ago. Tainting a superior gene pool with idiocy...nothing could be more cruel.