#sheith | dragon-taur Keith | Galra Shiro | sorta canon verse, I'll make it work | Keith whump | heavy angst | hurt/comfort | happy ending | objectification | Keith's treated like a trophy | Keith is still smaller than Shiro cause I said so | white haired, and long haired Keith |

*Just be on guard, Voltron needs our help, and we cannot afford failure for this, Shiro*

*I know, let's just hope these humans can handle themselves.* Shiro repressed a growl, following Allura and the other Paladins as they paraded him through Sendak's base.

The plan was to "bring back the champion", and disable the ship and retrieve the rare artifact Sendak had hidden here. The artifact was mentioned by some pirates rambling about how Haggar was going to use it to amplify Quintessence, so the Altean wanted to retrieve it.

Shiro did his best to act like the Champion everyone thought he was, snarling and snapping at the Paladins and Allura. He ignores Sendak's boasting in favor of looking around for exits, openings, until his eyes landed on the thing being exchanged for him.

A large cage, covered in a thick, dark cloth. It rattled softly as whatever was within shifted, and was promptly shocked by one of the drones for moving.

Shiro was shoved forward by Hunk, and a drone started to pull the cage closer to them. But something had gone wrong,

Sendak glared at them and raised his blaster. Shiro broke the inactive stasis cuffs, and the Paladins grabbed the chain to the cage as they made their escape.

Somehow, they got out alive, and back on the Castle of Lions.

"That could have gone better..." The human, Lance, stretched and looked the cage over. "So, is this the artifact? Why keep it in a cage?"

"Well, take the tarp off and find out!" Pidge, trying to contain her excitement to tinker with alien technology, rips the tarp away.

The room falls silent as the creature within the cage shifts, metal braces keeping it standing.

"What...the fuck is that?" Lance moved closer, looking it over. "Like, seriously, what the hell is it?"

The creature was bound so tightly it wouldn't be able to move,

A helmet like contraption on its head kept it blind, chains on its horns attached to the harness around his torso, keeping its head back.

"It...must be the artifact?" Allura walked around the cage, frowning. "But...I'm not sure?"

Shiro's eyes widened, and the Blades had the same thought, because they immediately started deconstructing the cage around the creature.

"What are you doing?" Allura huffed, crossing her arms. "We need it intact-"

"Have you forgotten what these are? They aren't 'objects'."

Shiro snarled, holding the creature as the leg braces were carefully removed. "It's a draconid."

Allura and Coran gasped, but the humans just looked at each other.

"What's a draconid?" Hunk bit at his lip, watching the creature warily.

Its scales were dull, white with streaks of purple. Shiro prayed it was alright.

"Draconids are said to be the first species to discover magic and alchemy.." Coran's eyes were wide. "But how did Sendak catch one?"

The draconid fell limp against Shiro, shaking and twitching

From muscle spasms. It didn't seem to be conscious.

"Not sure, let's get it checked first."

Shiro carried it to the medical bay on the ship, frowning at how small it was. Draconids were said to be massive, larger than planets and creators of entire solar systems. This one seemed no larger than the human Lance.

"Set it down here," Coran pointed to an examination table.

"That helmet needs to be removed."

Shiro stayed close to the draconid, running a thumb along the scales of its flank. The skin of its torso was pale, patched with light purple and white scales.

"What about its wings?" Kolivan frowned at how tightly they were bound to its body.

"Those will be next, but I believe this helmet is causing the most damage-" Coran cursed when he undid the screws keeping the helmet on the beast, carefully pulling it away.

Rivulets of golden blood streaked down its face, and long white hair tumbled out of the helmet to fall almost to the floor.

Coran tsked, moving to the harness next and removing it. He gently manuvered the draconid's arms to a more comfortable position before moving to its wings.

As soon as Coran freed its wings, the draconid kicked to life on the table. It ended up falling to the floor, trying to scramble to its feet as it winced at the bright lights of the medbay.

"Oh shit-" Lance hid behind Hunk, who was hiding behind Pidge.

"Stop panicking." Shiro

Growled at them, crouching in front of the draconid. It snarled at him, snapping its fangs as it kept trying to get its feet under it. Shiro made himself look smaller, but the draconid started speaking, a language long dead.

"I'm sorry, I can't understand you..." Shiro frowned.

It growled again, shuffling forward quickly and grabbing Shiro's arm. The Galra gasped, getting dizzy as the draconid's hand started to glow where it had gripped him. It let go quickly, panting.

"I- I said, where am I?" It coughed, voice broken and weak.

"Castle of Lions." Shiro shook his head, trying to focus after the dizzy spell. "What did you do to me?"

The draconid huffed, pinning Shiro to the spot with amethyst eyes surrounded by black sclera. It seemed defeated, resigned. "You'll recover, I...needed to speak your language

So I...borrowed it..." It shook its head, more color draining from its face at the sight of Allura and Coran. "What, what is this..."

"It's ok, you're safe now-" Shiro flinched when it growled at him.

"Safe? Alteans, Galra, you're all the same!" It finally got to its feet,

Snarling. "I will /not/ be another trophy!"

Without warning, it shuddered and collapsed, blood dripping from its nose. Allura was at its side before Shiro could move.

"It's Quintessence has almost been drained completely..." She scowled. "What did it mean by trophy?"

Shiro shook his head, unsure, but he didn't like the implications.

----------------

The Blade were upset that the Paladins decided to keep the draconid in a holding cell, for their protection, they said. Shiro bit at his lip, pushing down his memories of the Arena as he watched

Over the beast. Its Quintessence was dangerously low, apparently extracted from it by the helmet. Allura suspected Haggar to be behind it so she and Kolivan went off to talk over a plan.

Shiro's ears perk up when the draconid groans, shifting on the pile of blankets given to it.

It slowly opened its eyes, looking around as it got its legs under it to sit up. "...... back in a cage..."

"It's for safety-"

"For who? Me? Or you?" The draconid scoffed, growling at the tremor in its limbs. "Foolish of me to ever think I would be free..."