First Flight

This was written based on the following prompt:

Prompt: Describe a “first” (first apartment, first kiss, first time driving a car, first lie, first big success, first roller coaster ride, first time in this setting). Include as many details as possible, being sure to include an aspect relating to each of the five senses.

Surrounded by a luscious forest of fifty-foot tall trees, a lone dragon hatchling was flexing his wings.  His body was covered with small, red scales, and his chest and stomach were protected with longer, gold scales.  His golden horns and claws glinted slightly as he stood in the small patch of sunlight that had fought its way through the trees.  Flexible, connected orange spikes lined his spine from between his horns to the tip of his tail.  His golden wing web stretched as he flexed his small wings.  He yawned, closing his gold eyes and revealing small, light grey teeth.

The small dragon sniffed the air, smiling at the lovely scent of pine needles that eminated from the surrounding trees.  Although he could not see them, the young dragon could smell the rabbits that were nestled in their burrow nearby.  He could almost feel their warm blood on his lips.  

Smiling, he started towards them, only to stop as a large shadow swept overhead.  He looked up but saw nothing.  Shaking his head, he moved quickly, flexing his hands before beginning to dig into the earth.  Dirt flew to either side of his body and soon the rabbits were exposed.  They were a gentle brown with a little white mark on each of their foreheads.  Their eyes were barely open and they did not try to run.

He picked one up with his right hand and started to lower it into his waiting jaws; he stopped, however, as the shadow passed overhead again.  This time, he saw what was causing it.  A giant black bird was circling overhead, stalking him.  He dropped the rabbit and began running, feeling fear and desperation.  He heard it dive behind him and could tell from the beats of its wings it was almost on him.  

Crying in desperation, he flapped his never-before-used wings.  He raised up a few inches before crashing back down.  He rolled head-over-heels five times before coming to a stop on his stomach; the large bird glided mere inches above him, unable to stop and attack him without crashing.  It circled back around, screeching loudly, intent on killing him.

The dragon forced himself up, despite his bruised body’s protest, and started to run.  He spread his wings and flapped them rapidly.  He could hear the bird snapping at his tail; he was almost caught.

Then, his wings caught the wind and he soared upwards.  He sailed up through the trees into a world of sunlight and clouds; the bird followed suit, its large wing hitting a thick branch and splintering it in a shower of wood.

The young dragon shook off the surprise of his first flight and flapped his wings quickly, soaring over the treetops at speeds he had only dreamt of.  The bird followed, but as it was built more for offense than speed, it could not keep up well enough and soon gave up the chase.

Smiling, the dragon roared triumphantly and did a few barrel rolls before tucking his wings and diving towards the ground.  Mere feet from crashing, he spread his wings, catching the air and gently hovering before landing on all four feet.  He let out a sound of joy before sniffing the air.  His tail flicked excitedly as he readied to pounce on the possum hiding behind a nearby rock.