by Julia Suzuki
The chatter of the dragons as they traded with each other made a hum and in the far corners he could make out the smoking mud pools where some of the older dragons basked. It was beginning to grow darker now and Yoshiko glanced up.
Kiara had once told him that far up above hung balls of flaming gas that lit the night sky. But these sky-fires were too small to be seen through the smoky mists that rose from mud pools and the smoke from the Fire Which Must Never Go Out.
Yoshiko stood wondering what it might be like to fly from Dragor and see such sights but dismissed the thought guiltily, remembering that all dragons must obey the Commandments of Goadah.
A strange noise brought him back to reality.
‘Yeeeaa.’
Yoshiko was startled, and looked around.
Suddenly he realised where the sound was coming from.
It was the Ageless Ones. They were looking straight at him.
Cautiously, Yoshiko walked towards them. No other dragons were nearby, and he turned his head to see Ketu in the distance haggling over a glittering fish.
‘Yeeaa.’ The sound came again.
Slowly Yoshiko drew close to them, staring into the bottomless eyes of the twin dragons.
‘Can you … can you hear me?’ He asked them. But his question was met with silence.
He stood for a moment, wondering what went on behind their empty eyes. Then, as he watched, the two dragons slowly raised their arms in unison, and rested a single talon on the stones around each of their necks.
Yoshiko felt the world around him turn to warm treacle. The marketplace faded and he felt himself pulled along with the swirling colours of their white stones.
In front of him the faces of the two dragons merged into one face, which seemed to contain in it the wisdom of many ages, their eyes had begun to sparkle. Then the mouth opened and began to speak.
‘Dragor’s destiny.’
Yoshiko took a step back, and as he did so the warmth of the strange new world faded and the bright colours of the marketplace returned.
He blinked for a moment as the clamour of dragons buying and selling crashed back into his ears.
In front of him the two indigo dragons were staring back placidly as if nothing had happened.
Had he imagined it all?
Then Yoshiko felt something hot clasped in his claws. Mystified, he brought his wing up to his face and slowly uncurled the talons. Inside was a smooth round stone. It was clear like the glass stones used by dragons to pay for items. But in its depths were sparkles of turquoise, gold and pink.
‘Ready to go?’ Ketu was by his side, clutching a parcel of fish.
Yoshiko tucked the gemstone behind one of his scales under his wing.
He clambered silently on to Ketu’s back, wondering whether he should tell his elder what strange thing had just occurred.
But Ketu seemed anxious and distracted. He began flapping in preparation to take off much more quickly than usual.
As they flew up into the sky Yoshiko caught a pair of narrow eyes staring up at them from the marketplace.
Yoshiko pointed down. ‘Yula the Nephan Hudrah is staring at us,’ he said.
‘Oh, I am sure she is not looking at us in particular,’ replied Ketu, a little too quickly.
But as they made their distance Yoshiko could still feel the Hudrah’s glare.
* * *
They landed back in Nephan territory and Yoshiko sneaked another quick look at the gemstone. As he held it out, he saw that the colours inside had stopped flashing. It was as if it had lost its magic. He hid it away again under his wing, wondering what to make of it.
4
Home Sweet Home
That afternoon Kiara had picked her favourite blossoms from the Nephan woods to fill the cave. A dozen pink and orange fireflowers now sat in a wooden vase at the hearth of the fire. Considered almost sacred, fireflowers were so named as the buds only opened to the flames of the dragon cave fires, scenting the homes with the sweetest welcoming aroma. She had also made a limestone pie and was taking it from the embers of the fire when they returned home. Yoshiko immediately sniffed the delicious wafts of dinner and the sight of the beautiful cave brightened his spirit. He rushed over to the stove where a large cauldron of stew was cooking.
‘When can we eat?’ he said, giving Kiara a nuzzle.
‘Not too long from now,’ she said. ‘Why don’t you go and do some fire-breathing practice and I’ll call you when it’s ready.’
Yoshiko went to the back of the cave where Ketu had set up a special area for him. A metal pennant-shaped fire target was positioned at Yoshiko’s height against the back wall. It was the largest size – for beginners – the type crafted especially for younglings just starting at Fire School, and the initial ‘Y’ had been specially engraved on it. Yoshiko looked at it excitedly.
He began sucking in air noisily as Ketu came to help Kiara ease the pie from the coals.
‘Did he do well in school?’ asked Kiara, anxiously.
Ketu nodded. ‘He joined the practice ranks when other dragons who couldn’t make fire sat it out, and he tried even though he couldn’t do it. He coped even when some dragons laughed at him.’
Kiara’s face dropped. ‘Other dragons laughed at him?’
‘He had the strength of character to get up and try. With that kind of bravery a few sniggers shouldn’t bother him.’
‘Who were the dragons laughing at him?’ she asked horrified.
‘Who do you think?’ said Ketu. ‘Gandar’s youngling Igorr was at the bottom of it. He can already make good fire. I imagine he’s learned at the expense of more important lessons.’
Kiara scoffed. ‘He’ll end up getting too full of himself with his fire-making and get thrown out of the Guard Dragons, just like his elder was for nearly burning down the Nephan forest.’
Ketu raised a talon as a caution for her to keep her voice down. ‘No one is supposed to know why Gandar was asked to leave the Guard Dragons, Kiara. If Yoshiko finds out it could be all over the school, and we don’t want to be known as the rumour spreaders. Leave that to the Alana clan.’
Kiara lowered her head in response, but she still looked angry.
From the other side of the cave Yoshiko sensed his elders were talking about him and his day.
It provoked a strong feeling to boil inside him as he remembered Igorr’s taunts again.
A burning sensation seemed to grow within him, and he tried to catch hold of it as he stared at the target. It was as if a picture of fire was in front of him and he felt his scales tingle all over in a strange rush.
Yoshiko turned towards the rock face. He was breathing deeply and from the back of his throat came a fizzing sensation, like electricity.
In a sudden burst a modest jet of flame flew out, falling short of the target, but coming halfway towards it.
Yoshiko’s mouth dropped down in amazement. He had done it! He had made fire! Then he looked down at his belly.
To his shock his body was no longer the rich red of the Nephan clan. He had turned bright orange.
Yoshiko gasped, looking to find his arms and legs were glowing the same colour – even his feet throbbed with the new colour.
Then, almost as quickly as he’d noticed it the colour faded, and his body returned to the Nephan red. Yoshiko blinked, and looked again. Cautiously he held out his talons, but they were also back to their deep natural shade. His immediate thoughts returned back to his fire-breathing achievement and he ran over to Ketu and Kiara.
‘I made flames!’ he pointed back towards the target. ‘I can do it!’
Ketu and Kiara both followed him to the target.
Yoshiko puffed up his chest. The rich warmth in his belly came, and then the sharp crackle in his mouth, and as they watched he blew out with all his might, and snapped a flicker from his tongue. No fire had emerged, but he had made a spark. ‘Great. You’re nearly there!’ Ketu said.
‘Wait!’ Yoshiko took hold of Ketu’s wing in ca
se he should move. ‘I can do more.’ He puffed out his chest for another attempt.
This time as he blasted the air forward the spark caught and a tiny but perfect fireball spat forth. Ketu’s eyes widened and Kiara clapped her wings.
‘And it was even better before. A bigger ball. I need to practise more.’ He spread his claws wide to demonstrate.
‘Not tonight. Come and eat,’ said Kiara. ‘School again tomorrow!’
At the thought of the return to Fire School and facing Igorr, Yoshiko’s face dropped.
He returned to the front of the cave where the food was laid out. Recalling his colour change he wondered if he should now mention it but as Kiara and Ketu bit into the soft warm pie he did not wish to disturb their look of contentment.
Yoshiko glanced down at his red claws and concluded that he had just imagined the rush of orange colour.
5
Flying High
‘Come on, Yoshiko!’ Ketu huffed very early one morning. ‘Time for a flying lesson! We shall spend the morning practising at the flying rock!’
Yoshiko looked back at him warily, the remains of his breakfast still on his muzzle.
He had filled out, Ketu had noticed, during his first few months of Fire School. Ketu hoped that the fire-training exercise would do him good, knowing that Kiara fed their son so many treats.
Yoshiko loved dragon puffs, a sweet sticky delicacy found in the centres of bulbous flowers from the Mida clan forests. Yoshiko had plumped out thanks to these sugary snacks that he loved to toast in their cave fire until they were crunchy. This gave Igorr and his friends even more reason to laugh at him at school.
* * *
‘By the time we get back you won’t need to travel with me to school any more,’ Ketu declared. ‘I’m taking you to a special rock where I learned to fly at your age,’ he continued encouragingly. ‘No one should be there but us. You can practise all you want freely.’
His son climbed aboard, and with a wave from Kiara they were soon airborne, floating through the mists of Dragor. Ketu gave an expert sweep of his wing and brought them east, taking them out towards the dragons’ Burial Ground where he could see the faded Red Seventh Moon seasonal tributes left to honour the dead.
They cruised closer to a large rock under which a river ran, and Ketu landed, folding his huge wings under himself. Yoshiko hopped off his back and gazed in awe over the edge. The waters beneath them looked calm and still, but it was a long way down.
‘Is this where I try?’ he asked.
Ketu nodded. ‘This is where my elder brought me to practise and his elder before him. Most clans have their own special flying rock.’
As he spoke a sudden gust of wind made them both look up. Gandar landed heavily beside them both with Igorr staring smugly, seated on his back.
‘I see you’re in my son’s flying-practice spot,’ said Gandar, eyeing Yoshiko with obvious derision. ‘How funny that you’ve brought a hatchling not yet ready to fly.’
Ketu tried to reply calmly, though Yoshiko noticed a vein in his neck was throbbing. ‘You know this is my clan’s training location,’ he replied. ‘The Nephans have always had this rock and other clans have honoured that since we all came to Dragor.’ Ketu paused as if to reflect on his own words then continued. ‘But at the last Council gathering I attended our leader Kinga insisted upon friendship and sharing amongst all clans. So I shall respect that and welcome you to share the rock.’
Gandar threw his head back haughtily.
‘Such gracious words, Ketu! But let me tell you this. I will use whichever flying rock I want whenever I want with your permission granted or not. My youngling Igorr already far excels your son at fire breathing, and he shall be far better in all his dragon skills. In fact I see no reason why we should have to waste time watching your hopeless little dragon,’ he made a scornful motion with his wings. ‘Yoshiko will be falling in the water all day,’ scoffed Gandar. ‘I doubt he can fly at all.’
Ketu’s eyes suddenly flashed fire and Gandar raised himself even higher on his haunches, clearly enjoying the effect he was having on the other adult dragon.
‘You Nephan clan dragons think you have a right to everything just because one of your kind is voted as Dragor leader,’ he continued. ‘Just because Surion and his father Goadah led us to Dragor you now think the red dragons are better at taking charge of the clans. Every dragon knows the purple Alanas have the greatest stamina in the skies. It should be us who make the decisions and rule right now.’
Ketu did all he could not to retaliate. He had heard the same argument so many times before. This strain of bitterness was well known in Dragor. Many of the Alana clan felt that the Nephans had ruled for too long, and that their own kind should have a chance as leaders, rather than simply acting as catchers of fish. But the Council knew that the rebellious Alanas would cause more problems than they solved if given the task of ruling, and for decades had voted to keep Kinga in rule, a red Nephan.
‘Where our sons learn to fly has nothing to do with Nephan leadership or anything else,’ replied Ketu. ‘You know that this is our ancestors’ flying place, and today we landed before you did, but again I repeat that, since the clans must get along in Dragor I am happy to share the rock.’
Igorr hopped down from his elder’s back looking not the least bit embarrassed at the scene. ‘Let’s practise over here,’ he said, pulling at his elder’s wing and pointing to an area on the other side of the rock. ‘Away from Feddy.’ His elder nodded. ‘As you wish, Igorr.’ Then they moved over to the far side.
Ketu looked down at Yoshiko inquisitively as Igorr called him by the nickname, but the younger dragon only shrugged.
‘It’s the name that the Alanas all call me at school,’ he murmured, trying to sound as if he didn’t care, but the look on his elder’s face pained him enough that tears rose up. Yoshiko turned away to hide his face, as a strange feeling started rising in his stomach. It reminded him a little of the time he’d first blown fire but it wasn’t a warm glow that he felt, but something thick and dark.
Taking a deep breath Yoshiko tried to shake the feeling away, but it stayed rooted inside him.
‘See the river below?’ asked Ketu, pointing down with his wing. ‘This keeps you safe. It looks like a long way down, but the distance is helpful. You will need to get plenty of air under your wings.’
He noticed his son’s anxious face. ‘Don’t worry, the worst thing that can happen is you will hit the water!’
Yoshiko looked over to Igorr and saw the purple dragon was staring at him mockingly. Then suddenly, Igorr dropped like a stone over the edge of the rock. The beating of air could be heard and a few seconds later Igorr crested triumphantly up into the sky. He flapped low over the rock for a moment, and then sank back to his elder’s side.
‘Did you see?’ crowed Gandar. ‘My point has been proved to you. We Alanas are the best! Yoshiko will never fly as well as Igorr.’ He turned back to his son. ‘Show them again,’ he said. ‘Take another flight.’
Igorr looked scared for a moment. ‘My wings need a rest,’ he said. ‘I don’t know if I can make it a second time so soon.’
Gandar looked angrily at him. ‘Do it again, Igorr. Do it now!’ he ordered. ‘Stop complaining.’ And with that he pushed Igorr back towards the edge. The look of triumph had gone from his son’s face as he spread his wings again and threw himself from the edge.
This time there was a much longer pause before he rose, and when finally Igorr’s purple wings drew him above the rock his face had paled from its deep violet shade. He barely managed to rise above the edge of the rock, and then dropped, throwing a single wing on to the ledge to save himself before hauling his large body over.
Gandar’s expression was stony as his son tried to right himself panting and sweating with the exhaustion. He turned away from him in disgust. ‘Useless,’ he hissed. ‘You are simply not trying, Igorr. I could do so much better at your age.’
The intense feelings that Yosh
iko had been fighting now grew to a peak. He unfurled his own wings and charged towards the end of the rock, flinging into the empty air.
He descended, feeling the rush of cool water racing up to meet him, his wings beat without him thinking about it, and in a moment he was rising into the air. It almost felt too easy. Yoshiko flapped again, and the motion sent him spiralling up far higher than Igorr had done.
Feeling free and joyous he let the natural shape of his body lean against the sky, with the breeze billowing beneath him he coasted on the air as he’d watched Ketu do so many times before. He stretched them out as wide as he could and made a large and graceful circle over the rock.
Yoshiko took a quick look below, expecting to see Ketu looking up proudly at him, but to his surprise all the figures on the rock were staring with horror.
Disconcerted he brought his wings inwards, wheeling unsteadily down, and landing in a clumsy tumble on the floor.
Ketu ran towards him and caught him up in his wings.
‘Yoshiko, what’s wrong with you?’ he asked. ‘What’s happened to your scales?’
Yoshiko shook his head in confusion, seeing that both Igorr and Gandar were also looking over at him in alarm.
‘What is wrong with your son, Ketu?’ asked Gandar, sounding frightened. ‘He has turned Alana.’
Yoshiko looked down to see to his horror that it had happened again. He had changed colour. This time he was glowing purple, from head to toe.
6
The Herb Doctor
‘Yoshiko, is it?’ said the dark blue dragon with huge silver spectacles hanging from his pointy snout. ‘Come inside.’
Kiara and Yoshiko stood up to enter the doctor’s cave.
The Herb Doctors had the huge task of keeping the dragons of Dragor healthy, treating ailments like sore throats, backache and broken claws. Many dragons were given specially prescribed herb potions to cure their illnesses.
