He supposed he couldn’t really fault her for that. But still, it hurt, knowing that his mother had given him up, that he had been nothing but trouble in her eyes, rather than the love of her life as so many other dragon children were to their parents.
We’re almost there, Grey warned. Brace yourself.
Tegan frowned, looking ahead. The mountains were indeed getting close, and Grey began to descend toward what looked like a valley with a gate that was manned by sentries. Brace myself? Are they going to attack us? I thought they were your people?
They are, Grey answered. And no, they shouldn’t attack us. But you are a strange child from an unknown clan, so you should prepare to be questioned.
With that, Grey tucked his wings against his body and dove for the ground. Tegan sucked in a deep breath through his nostrils, and then followed, tucking his wings in close, as Grey had done. The wind whistled harshly against his scales, as he plummeted, but there was no fear even as the ground rapidly drew closer and closer – this was, after all, what a dragon was built to do.
At the last second, he and Grey both flapped their wings open wide and beat hard, slowing their descent so that they landed gracefully on the ground. Tegan stumbled a little, but managed to regain his footing after the first few steps, and he tucked his wings back to his sides, following Grey’s lead. Grey stood up and began to shed his dragon, and Tegan did the same, though part of him was reluctant to do so after being unable to shift for so long. But then, there was no way to get past the gates in dragon form, aside from flying overhead, and if he did that as a stranger, they were likely to attack him, thinking that he was an enemy coming to steal their women and children.
Which he most certainly was not.
“Abram,” Grey called up to the sentry standing guard at the tower. “Let us pass, please.”
“Grey.” Abram lifted the visor on his helmet to look down at him. His warm brown eyes glowed as he smiled in greeting. “Good to see you. And who’s this youngling here?’ He gestured toward Tegan, who fought against the childish urge to hide his body behind Grey’s. Instead, he firmed his shoulders and lifted his chin – he was 13 years old now, for crying out loud, considered an adult amongst most human males. If he’d survived the wilderness for so long on his own, then by the Gods, he deserved a little more recognition than just a mere child.
“His name is Tegan,” Grey answered, placing a hand on Tegan’s shoulder in a fatherly gesture, “A brave soul I found trying to fight off a Rhino-beast in human form. He’s been alone in the woods for years now without kin or shifting, and I intend to ask the council to grant him membership to our clan.”
“You’ve been in the Meadowlands Forest for years, without shifting?” The other sentry, a blonde with blue eyes, asked incredulously. “That’s suicide, boy. You’re one hardy lad to have survived so long.”
“Thank you.” Tegan wasn’t certain as to whether or not the sentry was being complimentary, but he decided to take it as such anyway.
“Alright, enough chatter!” Grey demanded. The sentries snapped to attention immediately, and Tegan suddenly had the distinct idea that Grey was an important person amongst the clan. “This youngling hasn’t had a proper change of clothes, food, or a place to sleep in years, and I mean to give him one. Please, open the gates.”
“Yes sir,” Abram snapped him a salute, and the two sentries pushed their respective turnstiles. The gate, a wrought iron creation that was three times Tegan’s own height slowly wound open, granting them entryway to the valley.
“Thank you,” Grey called. “Good watching to you.”
“And you,” they called as Grey ushered Tegan through.
They walked through a narrow corridor that gradually opened up into a town that stood in the middle of a vale, as green and beautiful as anything Tegan had seen outside. Huge purple grey mountain faces rose up on all sides of the valley, providing a kind of safety and security that none of the villages outside really got to enjoy. The valley itself was dotted with various houses and buildings, some more elaborate than others and marked as dwellings, while others were shops and service houses. Tegan’s stomach grumbled as he caught the scent of a roasting pig – oh my, he could really use a bite right now.
“I live just over the hill outside of the main town,” Grey explained as he led Tegan down a street through the main cluster of buildings. Most of the places around here were built out of brick and stone, rather than wood – which Tegan figured made sense when you were a big pack of fire-breathing dragons. “We’ll bring you to my dwelling to get some food and a change of clothes and rest, and then I’ll be introducing you to the Alpha later.”
“The Alpha?” a little shiver of apprehension slid down Tegan’s spine. “Is he a kind man?”
Grey snorted. “I don’t think kind is what I would call him,” he said darkly. “But don’t you worry. He won’t naysay me on having you here.”
“I don’t want to be any trouble – ” Tegan began.
“Children are never trouble.” Grey rounded on him, his eyes suddenly intense. “They are meant to be cherished, and brought up with care and kindness…meant to be heralded as the next generation, and not tossed away like trash. You deserve every one of those things, and I mean to give them to you. Please, don’t let what happened to you define who you are, Tegan. I see so much potential in you.”
“But you don’t even know me,” Tegan replied. How could this man be so kind to him when his own mother…and clan, wanted nothing to do with him?
“Sure I do,” Grey replied with a smile. “I know that you are a survivor, and that no matter what kind of rough start you had in life, you weren’t willing to just give in and let the wilderness and solitude destroy you.” He chuckled, and when Tegan met his gaze, he winked at him. “Or that damn Rhino-beast.”
A lump swelled in Tegan’s throat at the heartfelt words that he never thought he’d hear from anyone in his life. “Thank you,” he whispered. “I… I will do my best to make you proud, and to earn the kindness you have shown me.” He surprised himself, his desire to please this strange elder who was willing to take him in, but the kindness he showered onto Tegan was something he had never felt from another before, and he couldn’t help but crave that attention.
Grey smiled, and squeezed Tegan’s shoulder gently. “That’s all I ask, Tegan. That you do your best with the opportunity you’re given.”
Chapter Three
They stopped at a vendor to pick up some roasted mutton when Tegan’s stomach growled so loudly that Grey laughed, and on the way to the house, they chatted with a bunch of different business owners and clan members who were doing their business in town. Everyone was very curious about him, and no one looked at Tegan suspiciously, even though he wasn’t a familiar face. Tegan began to wonder if perhaps the way his mother’s clan had treated him was not the normal way of shifters. Maybe he could actually be accepted here…maybe he could actually be happy.
“And just who is this we have here?”
Tegan whirled around, his heart in his throat as the scornful male voice scorched his ears. Grey turned around too, but much more slowly, and he placed a steadying hand on Tegan’s shoulders as he regarded the man glaring at them in the middle of the street. He was tall and brawny, with curling blonde hair and a full, thick beard, his eyes the same as Grey’s, but with none of their kindness – only the steel. Everyone around them seemed to shrink back from his presence, as though they were afraid of him, and Tegan noticed that his tunic, which was red and embroidered in gold thread, was much finer than most of the other clan folk wore.
“How nice to see you again as well, nephew,” Grey said, a smile curving his lips that did not quite reach his eyes. “It’s been a few months. I hope you’ve been taking good care of everything while I’ve been gone.”
The dragon shifter scoffed, tossing his mane of hair. “I’ve been Alpha long enough to know how to run this place without you,” he said scornfully, before his reproachful gaze turned t
oward Tegan. “Now, I say again, who is this whelp you’ve brought with you? I don’t recall him as belonging to any of our kin.”
“He belongs to me,” Grey said calmly. “His name is Tegan Maxwell, and he is the newest member of our clan. Tegan, this is Drake, our esteemed Alpha. And my late brother’s son.”
“Pleased to meet you, sir,” Tegan replied, lowering his head in respect.
Drake let out a harsh laugh. “Ahh! At least someone shows some respect around here.” Tegan lifted his head to see Drake shift his glare back to Grey. “Unlike you, who presumes to announce new clan members without even putting it to a vote with the council.”
“I do plan to discuss this matter with the council, Drake,” Grey said smoothly. “Tonight, in fact, if they have the time to get together. And I would, of course, appreciate a vote in favor from you. But of course, it is your prerogative to decline, if you wish.”
Drake growled. “If only being clan Alpha actually meant that I had the sole decision of deciding who can join the clan, amongst other things,” he said dryly. His expression cooled off a little as he glanced at Tegan again “But if the whelp fills your need to boss someone around, and keeps you off my back, then I suppose this can’t be a bad thing for me. I will see you at the council meeting tonight.”
He walked away, leaving them alone in the street. “Is the rest of the council like him?” Tegan asked, his whole body suddenly tense.
“Not all,” Grey assured him. “One or two, perhaps, as there always seems to be someone with bad temperament in every clan. But the majority of us are decent folk, as you have seen. Now take heart, youngling, and lets go get you ready.”
He guided Tegan to his house then, a humble cabin that was simple in decor. Inside were pelts made from various animal skins, some of which Tegan thought were indigenous to the area, and some which he had never even seen before, despite spending so long in the Meadowlands Forest. A huge fireplace dominated the living room area, as well as some low, comfortable couches, and a hand-carved wooden table where one could rest their feet, or enjoy a mug of hot tea. In the other areas of the house, was a kitchen with a wood burning stove, an icebox, and a dining table that also looked hand carved, covered by a hand-sewn tablecloth, and surrounded by four wooden chairs. Stairs trailed off to the upstairs, where he imagined bedrooms would be.
“I haven’t been in a dwelling in so very long,” Tegan said quietly, a sense of relief and happiness seeping into his bones. “I can hardly remember the last time I sat on a chair, and had some hot tea.”
“And you shall do all of these things,” Grey proclaimed. “But first, let’s get you washed up.”
He was directed to the washroom, where he found a large, deep tub that Grey helped him fill with steaming hot water. It had been so long since he felt the deep relaxation of hot water, or the intoxicating scent of handmade soap. An hour later, when he reluctantly pulled himself from the bath, he found that Grey had placed a set of clothes for him in the adjoining room.
Ever grateful, he had a cup of hot tea, and sat down on what felt like the most comfortable chair in the world, followed by a huge meal of pheasant and potatoes, that filled him up in a way that he hadn’t felt, for as long as he could remember. His mother had rarely been able to provide hearty meals, instead feeding him her leftovers from whatever food she managed to scrape together. They’d lived together in a small hut at the outskirts of their clan’s own village, in abject poverty, all because of his birth.
“Alright,” Grey said when Tegan’s eyes began to start closing – the warmth, the clothing, and the comfort of his surroundings were beginning to make him sleepy. “It’s time for our council meeting.”
Tegan rose to his feet, trepidation making him shiver a little. “Do… do I have to come with you?” he asked.
Grey arched a brow. “Of course you have to come, youngling. Do you think they’re going to grant you entrance to the clan without even laying eyes on you?”
Tegan sighed. “No, I guess not,” he admitted, running a hand through his wavy black hair. It was soft and silky now, for the first time in forever, no longer matted with dirt – he’d tried to keep it clean by washing it in the streams, but that was easier said than done when he was sleeping on the forest floor. “I’m just nervous, I guess.”
“Which is completely understandable,” Grey assured him. “But this must be done, in any case. And I assure you, it really won’t be as frightening as you think.”
Grey led him through the streets of the town and up into the hills where the larger, more elaborate houses were. Up on the top of the highest hill was an ornate cabin that was at least twice the size of Grey’s home, decked out with strange symbols carved into the edges of the roof and the walls, chimes hanging from the porches and singing their airy melodies into the wind. The setting sun behind the cabin painted the sky with streaks of red and gold, and blended with the grey and purple of the mountains, to create some truly majestic hues. But Tegan could hardly appreciate the beauty now, not when a handful of strangers were about to decide his fate - to either make him a member of the clan, or toss him out to survive on his own once again.
And if that happened again, he doubted he would ever get another chance like this.
Grey led him inside the cabin into an ornate space that was set up as a cross between a living room, and a meeting room. A fireplace dominated the left wall, and there were chairs, and a long table where people could meet and discuss council matters, but those were all pushed out to the side to make room for five opulent wooden chairs with golden backs and red, plush pillows, all arranged in a semi-circle in the center of the room. Seated on these chairs were four men and one female, ranging from the elderly to the young – and Tegan surmised that they must be the council members. In the center sat Drake, whose expression was stern, any trace of mockery or derision absent from his face as he assumed his proper mantle of clan Alpha.
Maybe he isn’t so bad after all, Tegan began to think, and then Drake spoke.
“My fellow councilmen and woman,” he said. “Grey Stoneclaw, longstanding member of our clan, brings forth an outsider dragon to be considered for membership amongst us. This is despite the fact that he has only known the youngling for a short time, and has not presented us with any information as to where he comes from, if he a risk to our clan, or why he is here now.”
Grey bowed low. “It is true I have not presented any information as of yet,” he said coolly. “And this is mostly because I have not had time to do so. I have just returned from a rather long journey, which, as you may recall, you all voted to send me on in order to do some much needed reconnaissance. I would ask that you allow me, and the youngling here, to explain to you the situation in which I found him, and why I have decided to bring him here. I am certain that once you have heard my story, you will make the decision to allow him to remain with us.”
“Grey, we of course will consider your words,” the woman replied with a smile. She was a slender female with dark red hair, who looked about thirty years of age. She, like the rest of the council members, was dressed in a more understated version of Drake’s tunic, and Tegan had a feeling this was their official dress when conducting sessions such as this. “We appreciate your service and admire your devotion to this youngling, and your desire to want to help him. But of course we must consider what is best for the clan.”
“Thank you, Serina.” Grey inclined his head, and then gestured to Tegan. “This is Tegan, a young dragon shifter who I found in the Meadowlands Forest. I was passing through on the way back to our clan village when I decided to stop in the forest and hunt for some food. While doing so I heard a loud commotion, and followed the sound to a clearing, where I discovered Tegan trying to fend off a Rhino-beast. He was hopelessly outmatched, and nearly about to be killed by the beast, so I stepped in and saved him.”
“And why was it that this youngling could not save himself?” one of the council members, a man with sandy hair, asked. He did not seem to be
asking it in a hateful manner, but nevertheless Tegan’s back stiffened.
“He has never been properly taught how to call on his beast and shift,” Grey told them. “His family never gave him proper training, and so he cannot shift easily on command.”
“Who is your father, youngling?” Serina asked, not unkindly, though her voice was sharp. “And why has he neglected you so?”
“I do not know who my father is,” Tegan answered, bowing his head low in a combination of deference and shame, trying to hide the flush of embarrassment that spread across his cheeks. “Only that he was from an outside clan, and my mother had an affair with him, which was how I came to be born.”
Serina nodded slowly. It was clear that she was analyzing Tegan. “I see. And your mother never taught you how to shift?”
Tegan shook his head, feeling hollowness in his chest as he tried to come up with the best answer for the question. “I don’t think she felt it was worth her time.”
A silence descended upon the group then, as they all regarded him with a mixture of pity and disbelief. “I’ve never heard of such a thing,” Serina whispered. “I would never do such a thing to my child, even if he was born out of wedlock. I would want him to be able to survive.”
“Not all clans share your view, Serina,” another council member offered, a man with silvery grey hair and keen brown eyes. He regarded Tegan for a long moment before continuing. “Some of them view bastards as a threat to the clan, especially when they are sired by outsiders. Some clan members refuse to allow it. I’m guessing that your mother left you in the woods to fend for yourself?”
Shades Of Dragon (A BBW Dragon-Shifter Paranormal Romance) Page 2
