The Legend of the Dragon Child

by Cheryl Rush Cowperthwait

  Molakei spoke to Kaida. “You feel good this day?”

  She nodded quickly, “Yes.”

  “You wish to go with Molakei? I go out, to look for medicines and feel the sun warm my old bones.”

  “Yes! I like to go. Kaida learn his medicines. I help look, too!”

  “Good, good. Help Flower Bird first. She worked hard to make our morning meal. Maybe you help her clean?” He smiled to Kaida.

  “Yes, Kaida help. Maybe bring more food home when goes with you today.”

  “Oh, that is well. Kaida can bring more berries and plants,” said Molakei.

  “Kaida look. Might find more good food. Flower Bird cooks everything so good, Kaida always hungry,” she said rubbing her belly.

  All three laughed as Flower Bird and Kaida cleaned up their morning meal. Molakei liked watching them. He felt a warm affection seeing them together.

  Their home had been sad before Kaida had come to live with them. First, with the loss of his beloved, Gentle Breeze, followed close behind with Flower Bird’s mate. Each, bearing their own sorrows left little time for savoring the small joys of life. Kaida brought those back into their home. It was as if she brought in the sun into their dark cave. He was thankful she was brought to their peoples, but even more thankful that she was with him and Flower Bird.

  “Kaida, bring a soft pelt. We might be out for most of the day. You may grow tired,” Molakei mentioned before they walked out.

  “I will not tire if Molakei not tire,” she stared up into his eyes, showing all her strength.

  “Then bring me one also, Molakei is an old Warrior. Much walking may tire me also.”

  Kaida quickly grabbed two pelts and rolled them up, trying to balance them on her small shoulders. Molakei grinned. He reached to take his own but Kaida moved her shoulders where his hands could not reach, making a scowl.

  “Kaida carry. You have your collecting bags and bowls to carry. Kaida not weak. She strong!” She stared up at Molakei with a firm look.

  “Yes. Kaida strong, like a Warrior.” said Molakei, bringing out a smile from Kaida that lit the whole cave. “Let us go. Flower Bird, expect good things to prepare when we return.” He winked affectionately to his daughter.

  Kaida added, “I will bring you back good things for us to eat. You will be surprised what good hunter Kaida is.” They all shared a parting smile as Molakei and Kaida went out into the sunshine.

  They walked and shared laughs as they made their way along the stream which ran by the tall trees, enjoying the song it brought. They looked around the fallen branches for flowers and roots and pulled mushrooms from the logs. Molakei had special places he tucked his collections into as they continued on their way.

  After much walking, they came out of the shade of the thick trees and made their way through the tall bushes. Kaida slowed her pace and was turning a slow circle.

  “Kaida? Is all well?” Molakei asked.

  She did not answer. Instead, she moved through the shrubs and came to a small enclosure in the bushes where the tall grasses had been matted down. Molakei followed her. She crouched to the ground and placed her hands down, feeling the grass then up to the broken branches. Then stood up.

  She looked up at Molakei, one hand pointing down to the grass and the other hand clutched her amulet, and said, “Kaida was here. I was hidden!”

  Molakei asked, “Who hid you? What were you hiding from in the bushes?”

  Her eyes wide and shining. She only said one word, but it was long and drawn out, both in wonder and fear. “Dragonssss.”

  Molakei knelt down to look into her eyes before he asked anything else. “Kaida. Let us put down our pelts and rest for a time. This old Warrior could use the rest.”

  She went to work spreading out the pelts and when all finished, she patted the larger pelt for Molakei to rest on as she sat on the smaller pelt.

  Molakei sat across from Kaida. He busied his hands sorting through the roots and flowers they had gathered earlier. “Kaida? You say there were Dragons here before?”

  She nodded yes slowly to Molakei.

  “Did they hurt you?” He studied her eyes to understand.

  “No but...but, the ones flying tried to hurt us,” she replied.

  “Hurt you and who else? Who was with you Kaida?”

  She looked into his eyes as hers teared up. She seemed to be caught in a cloud, trying to look through its thickness to bring forth the image. As she searched, her brows furrowed into deep concentration. Unconsciously, she reached again for her amulet and then her eyes shot wide open. She jumped up and ran out of the bushes and looked to the sky.

  Molakei ran after her, afraid he had pushed her too far. “Kaida! Kaida, come back,” he cried after her in alarm.

  She turned around with her sunshine-bringing smile. “My friend! Zlemtec! Zlemtec is the one who put me here. Bad Dragons tried to hurt us. They not liked Kaida, not liked Zlemtec and Kaida fly as one. I remember, Zlemtec my friend!”

  Molakei reached down and scooped her up as she ran back to him. “Kaida very fortunate to have a Dragon friend. Zlemtec is a good friend to hide Kaida.”

  She hung onto Molakei’s neck and leaned her body over, eyes to the sky. “Miss flying. Kaida wants to fly again!” Then she let go of his neck and Molakei was looking at her upside down as she tossed herself back and forth, trying to fly upside down.

  “Kaida, Molakei can’t fly. Here, I’ll put you down and show you game I played with Flower Bird. Now, hold both hands. I will pull you around with your feet in the air.”

  Kaida’s eyes lit up as the spun her in the air. “More!” she cried every time he stopped.

  “More and more Molakei, almost flying!” Their joined laughter filled the meadow’s air.

  “Kaida, time for rest. I am not used to swinging small ones anymore.”

  She held his hand on the way back to their pelts and they both fell back into them, ready for the rest.

  Watching from the tall trees, hid a Dragon. He eased forward to get a closer look at the two hidden in the tall brush. His head parted the tops just enough to peer down onto them, eyes flashing at their sight. He thought, alone. I caught them alone.

  Kaida jumped up, pointing at the Dragon. “Zlemtec, you are here!”

  Molakei was startled. Kaida was pointing and saying words he didn’t know.

  He could not see what made her jump up. “Kaida! What is wrong?” He asked with worry dripping from his words.

  “Zlemtec, show your colors. Molakei cannot see you,” she said.

  Zlemtec was amazed. “You still can see me Kaida?”

  “Funny Dragon. Of course, I see you! Where have you been? I have missed you. Meet my friend. He teaches me.”

  Zlemtec hunched through the brush and exposed his colors. Molakei leaned backwards, his mouth open, but at a loss for words. Kaida grabbed Molakei by his hand and started pulling him to his feet.

  “Molakei, this is my friend, Zlemtec,” she beamed. “Zlemtec, meet Molakei.”

  Both the Dragon and the old Warrior of the peoples just stood and stared at one another.

  They did not know what to do in such company.

  Kaida shook her head and giggled. “Here!” She took Molakei’s hand and raised it up, palm facing outwards. She did the same to Zlemtec. Then she pushed them together. “There, now you have met.” She nodded, pleased.

  She smiled, looking up at them both. They both still stood there, staring. This brought on a fit of belly laughter from Kaida and spread to the two staring at one another. Soon they laughed until tears rolled down their faces.

  Zlemtec and Molakei had the same idea at once and called, “Kaida, tell your friend I’m happy to meet him.”

  Kaida rolled on her fuzzy pelt laughing even harder. Every time she tried to explain to each of them the cause of her laughter, she started laughing all over again. Finally, she was able to tell both Zlemtec and Molakei what made her laugh, in return they both began laughing, sharing in Kaida’s laughter
and joy. Kaida began thinking, it had been hard when she first was with the peoples. She remembered not being able to speak as they did. She still was learning and thought maybe they could all learn together.

  “Molakei, you need to know Dragon words, like Kaida and Zlemtec. Kaida and Zlemtec need to learn more words of the peoples. Easier if we all learn together,” she said happily. Both conveyed their agreement to Kaida, as they both saw the benefit of learning together.

  “We go back to the peoples and Zlemtec meet Flower Bird,” Kaida said as she started to grab her pelt.

  “No Kaida,” Molakei said firmly. “We cannot bring friend in with the peoples. They do not know Zlemtec, and the peoples are scared of Dragons. They have had battles with many bad Dragons and not know there is bad and good. We would never be able to learn with all the scared peoples around. No, we will learn together but not goes back home.”

  Kaida’s lip frowned a bit and then she decided right where they were was all right.

  She put her pelt down again and sat down, pulling the hands of her friends downward. By Kaida’s choice, they all sat and in the shelter of the tall shrubs and began to learn from one another. Simple words. Simple things. Complex understandings between Dragon and peoples. With understanding comes trust, and with trust bonds are made. That is how one becomes a friend.

  Zlemtec could not believe his luck with finding Kaida away from the group of peoples, and even more good luck that her teacher was not fearful of him. Now, he would be able to see Kaida often. Well, as often as he could slip away unnoticed.

  “Zlemtec, we fly?” Kaida asked.

  “Yes, if Molakei is not frightened,” he answered.

  “Molakei, Kaida go fly with Zlemtec. You not scared?”

  “You go and fly Kaida. Dragon can make girl fly better than Molakei’s arms,” he said and chuckled.

  Zlemtec lowered down to the ground, allowing Kaida to easily climb up onto his back, then lifted up into the air. Molakei looked on, amazed to see their companionship and complete trust. He could see Kaida’s maize-colored hair move with the wind and knew the warmth of the sunshine was in her smile.

  Kaida laid her head against Zlemtec’s, hugging his neck tightly, feeling how good it was to breath fully once again. Zlemtec’s colors flashed brightly off of the sunbeams, a spectacular display as Molakei watched them weave patterns in the sky.

  When at last Zlemtec became tired, only then did they return to the ground. Kaida ran to Molakei shouting, “You watch Kaida fly? You see?”

  “Oh yes, Kaida and Zlemtec fly well! Make sky beautiful,” Molakei replied.

  “Kaida,” Zlemtec started saying, “I must leave for now, but will return as soon as possible.” He worried about the questions she might ask that would only make her sad in the telling.

  “I will come back here each new sun. Molakei teaches me here. I will look for you. Come soon, as I miss you. And Zlemtec, I thank you for your gift.” She smiled, cupping her hand around the special amulet he had made for her. She ran to him and hugged his neck fiercely.

  Zlemtec leaned over and lifted his hand, palm facing Molakei. They tapped palms together and smiled. He took one last look at Kaida before riding the wind back to the Hails.

  “Is Kaida full of happiness?” Molakei asked, already knowing the answer by the bright light shining in her eyes.

  “Yes, oh yes! Kaida see friend. Kaida fly again.”

  “Kaida, do you remember how you and Zlemtec became friends?”

  She squinted her eyes, searching for the answer but said, “No. Just thinks always been friends.”

  “That must be so. You have special friendship. Very rare. Molakei like Zlemtec, sees he is of good heart. Now, time we return and see Flower Bird.”

  “Oh, Kaida forgot. Told Flower Bird I bring food,” she said suddenly.

  “Not to worry. Flower Bird is good at finding food to prepare. We head towards home,” he said gently.

  “We stop at the stream that comes down from the mountain. Kaida get fresh fish.”

  “Molakei did not bring items to catch fish, Kaida.”

  “No worries, Molakei. Kaida fish new way.” Her smile told Molakei he was in for a surprise.

  When they arrived at the stream, Kaida looked into the water until she spotted a small school of fish swimming below the gently rolling surface. Molakei watched intently as she made some hand movements and words he didn’t understand. To his shock, he saw the fish leap out of the water and onto the bank.

  When Kaida turned to face him, she only said, “See?” Her eyes sparkled like the water.

  “Kaida, how did you make the fish come out?” Molakei asked in disbelief.

  “I tell them to come out.”

  “But how, Kaida?”

  “I... I know how to call things. Do not know why I know. Only know I do.”

  “Molakei is happy she knows. Our Ancestors called many animals. We have lost the way of talking to them. Maybe the peoples learn again. Maybe Kaida’s way help.”

  “Kaida help if can. Maybe all can call to the animals.”

  “Kaida not have to teach all, just a few. Those can teach others. Peoples respect all animals and not take more than needs. Let us pack up the fish and make Flower Bird happy,” Molakei said to Kaida, offering her a bag for her fish.

  They packed up their pelts and bags and made the journey through the tall shrubs back through the forest and to their cave, happily recalling their great day of learning and great adventures.

  Kaida gave the bag of fresh fish to Flower Bird when they entered the cave. She had a surprised look as she knew her father did not take his net or spear for catching fish. She looked at her father with her questions showing.

  Molakei spoke. “First, let us enjoy the fish Kaida caught and we will share stories as we eat,” he said with a wink to Kaida. Kaida will want to share her story of catching so many fish, yes Kaida?”

  “Yes. I am a good hunter.” She grinned with Molakei, her face aglow with pride.

  That evening good food was shared and Kaida surprised and delighted Flower Bird with her story of catching fish and the calling of animals. In return, Flower Bird listened with all the eagerness of a student, ready to learn a different skill.

  It was late in the night when the logs burnt down to small glowing embers and Molakei was still awake on his mat of pelts. His eyes stared up at the darkened ceiling of his cave, reviewing the day’s details, one by one. He silently thanked the Great Spirit and his Ancestors for bringing Kaida to his peoples. There will be much sharing and learning for them and Kaida.

  He thought of The Legend and how the child would come to be a bridge between the peoples and Dragons, but he did not know she would also be a bridge to lead them back to the ways of their Ancestors. His thankfulness showed in the one falling tear, caught by the light of the fading fire. He closed his eyes on a good day.

  Chapter 15

  Zelspar was growing accustomed to their new home, a large cave with fresh sweet water flowing down the side to form a pool, deep and clear. The cave formed nooks and crannies enough, so each Dragon had his own space, as Dragons get on edge if not given enough room for solitude.

  And that is what bothered Zelspar. Galdean had been acting as his old self until the last few sunsets. Zelspar had become aware of the symptoms which had originally creeped in on them. The short tempers became prevalent as well as the expectancy of ill intentions. Galdean and Traylethon quarreled over insignificant things, but it would become so heated, Zelspar would have to separate them.

  He, himself was not immune. He would often peer over Traylethon’s shoulder when he was treating Galdean and scoff at his choice of medicinal teas, that in return, brought about dire discord between Galdean and Traylethon. Like a boulder rolling downhill, it brought the argument back to smash against Zelspar as Traylethon felt he was not being shown any support or confidence.

  At least, reasoned Zelspar, he had remained aware enough to take note of their changes and remember th
is is how the poison first showed itself. He shook his head in frustration. By all that is Dragon, I should have known, his mind dug at him.

  Sighing heavily, he decided to leave the cave and find a pool of water where Galdean and Traylethon were not close by. He needed to hear from Pravietis. He had thought he and Wyrtregon had already put a plan in motion. They had not shown symptoms until now. So, what was done? Did it fail? He had to know.

  He stood at the cave’s entrance and decided to glide down to the forest below to search for the right pool of water. There certainly were other pools nearby, but they were not so private. His nose detected the scent of a stream. He moved saplings out of his way to get closer to the gurgling sound. He followed the stream as it twisted passed huge trees and cascaded down boulders. At last, he found a calm pool where the stream gently fed it with its overflow.

  He hunkered down and swirled the surface with one long talon and rocked back on his feet, waiting. As the swirl calmed, he saw movement beneath with the shimmering he recognized as Pravietis, the Future Walker. His image enlarged as it swam to the surface.

  “Zelspar, I have been waiting to speak to you,” Pravietis said in greeting.

  “What has happened? I was under the distinct impression the Historian and you had hatched a plan to help us. For a few weeks, all seemed right again but the old symptoms of the poison have returned.”

  Pravietis answered. “Zelspar, a moment please. I will tell you what has been done and then what I currently see.”

  Zelspar replied gruffly, ‘Be quick about it, I need to know how to eliminate our threat and the threat to all Dragons. Grrrr, I wish I could toss Dargenoin into the gateway to Desolation! He has already brought more grief to us than we should bear.”

  “If I could say something....” Pravietis diplomatically butted in. “I did give a plan to Wyrtregon. I sent him to the Weavers of the Strings to find the particular Weaver of Galdean’s String. Wyrtregon gave a select hair of his to Spedgjek the Weaver, to shave down to a fine thread. He wove that thread around the knot he tied in Galdean’s thread of life. I am sure it is already making needed adjustments to Galdean.”