Narnia: VDT: Not Die Alone

[Originally posted at Ana Mardoll's Ramblings.]
[A dragon walks out and dies right in front of Eustace.  The scene is told mostly from the narrator's perspective with shades of Eustace's (he's afraid, he thinks the dragon is a sad old beast) and not at all from the dragon's.  This is the dragon's perspective.]

I sniffed. The scent was unmistakable. Human. Foreign human. A human not born of these parts. It was as the prophesy foretold my hour come round at last. My limbs were tired from centuries of slumber, attempting to put off the inevitable. I'd long since known that my next journey would be my last. The effort of hauling myself far enough to get so much as a drink would do me in.

Would do me in and I'd die alone. But the prophesy said I wouldn't have to die alone. And now, at last, there was someone else. The one foretold.

I considered ignoring it, telling the prophesy to screw itself, remain hidden, try to sleep and see what dreams may come. But if I didn't go now then it was impossible to know if I'd ever get another chance to have company. And I was so thirsty.

I began to drag myself into the open, the exertion of each step making my pulse beat stronger, hammering in my ears and driving me closer to my death.

And that is where I am now.

The human is hiding. You think I can't see you, boy, and you're right. My eyesight dimmed long ago. My sense of smell has not. You're frightened, as well you should be; I'm a dragon. But you need not be frightened, I'm not here to hurt you. You're my only companion as I move into another world, leaving this one, and this broken body, behind.

I sense that, even through your fear, you feel for me. Good. It is short notice I know, but on the basis of these feelings you are now my friend. It is good to die in the company of friends.

I fear that I will not even make it as far as my water. After having it so close for so long, now it looks like it will be death, not water, that slakes my thirst. Even so, I shall try to to reach it. And you, boy, bear witness. These are my final moments, remember them all. Let them be burned into your memory.

I could have made it to the water faster before, could have drunk some down before death's darkness took me. But then I would have died alone.

Now I am not alone. So remember me boy. If you don't, no on else will. Remember me and carry on that memory.

I've made it to the water but as I feared, will not live to drink it. I would have liked to die a silent dignified death, but death seldom listens to the wishes of mortals. A croaking, clanging sound escapes me, and I fall over on my side. My body convulses. Trying to shake my soul from it, and soon my soul will leave. Just moments now before dark death takes me.

Remember me, boy. Remember the dragon whose passing you witnessed. Few humans ever live to see such a thing. The spectacle is my gift to you, let the memory of it be your gift to me.

For now I die, and you're the only one left to remember me.