by Adams, A. D.
“I don’t know. They just do what I say.”
“They?”
“All the beasts from little to big.”
Dawra realized that Terra’s powers were much greater than she’d thought. She vaguely remembered an old legend that mentioned something about a human, but she couldn’t quite recall what. The dragon council was approaching. She would find out then.
Chapter 18 - The Dragon Council
(A Gathering of Friends and Enemies.)
338 set of seasons since the coming of the Averons
Once every full red moon rising, all the dragons met. This was a time to share information and to present the new dragons to the dragon society. Only dragons that could fly the great winds and flame were presented so it was not time to present Fienna. No dragon would attack or berate a fellow dragon at these gatherings. Even death enemies would be courteous to one another. The meeting place was a high volcanic trough on Mount Sadac. Eons ago the mountain had erupted with such great force that the entire top of it was blown away leaving a bowl shape crevice. The sides of the bowl projected upward providing many places for the dragons to perch on. The meeting was held just before dusk. In the old tradition, the oldest living dragon presided over the assembly.
Fienna and Terra were left alone in the cave with stern warnings on what they could and could not do. Dawra flew to the assembly and landed on one of the higher perches. Sindo, the oldest living male dragon, was perched on a small hill in the center of the volcano, and at least, five thousand dragons were perched on the walls of the bowl.
Sindo screeched for the attention of the throng. He then spoke.
“It is time to present the new dragons. All new dragons fly forward and declare your name.”
All, due to the unusual acoustics of the volcanic bowl, could hear Sindo. Eight young dragons flew to a spot just in front of Sindo, and each in turn trumpeted his or her name. The traditional fly around followed. Each one in turn flew up and around the entire bowl-shaped crater finally landing on the highest perches. After the final young dragon landed on her perch, all five thousand dragons trumpeted their approval. The sound was so great that it thundered over the humans’
domain and into the mountains beyond.
Sindo then called the meeting back to order.
“Is there any information to be passed?” he asked.
Several dragons flew down and described a volcano far to the south.
They thought it best to avoid the area. Another said that there was a rock fall in one of the passes that the jumping beasts used, and the jumpers had moved to another pass to the north. Finally, Dawra decided to talk. She flew to the talking position and started.
“My newly hatched daughter has a small young human pet.”
This was no great news since some young dragonettes tended to have a small pet during their first few sets of seasons.
“This human has a power of healing. He was able to heal my wing, and I think he could heal other dragons. If anyone needs healing, come to my cave.”
As usual, there was no response. Adult dragons were powerful beasts and rarely, if ever, sick. So her news of a human healer sparked little interest.
After the meeting, it was customary for the dragons to mingle and talk. Dawra asked around about the old legend. Several dragons suggested she talk to old Subina. She was the oldest known dragon.
Subina always attended these meetings and was sitting near a large rock. Dawra approached her and asked about the legends.
“Subina, I am Dawra, daughter of Fienna. I was told you might remember some of the old legends?”
“Oh, yes. I know some of them.”
“Could you tell me about them?”
“Of course, sit down. I so love talking to young ones about the past.”
Subina told Dawra a number of legends, but one caught her ear more than the others. She said that it was told a man would some sun-rising come and mate with a dragon, and the two would rule both the dragons and men. Subina thought it was such a foolish legend considering how small men were compared to dragons.
“Anyway, how would they ever mate? A man can’t fly,” said Subina.
The other legends she told were of little interest to Dawra.
The next week Dawra was perched above her cave on the top of the cliff sunning herself. The children were in the cave with Lowlack. As she looked over the sea, she saw a dragon approaching. It was Yellic.
Yellic was a female dragon, Dawra’s age. In fact, they had made their introduction flight together ten sets of seasons earlier. Yellic approached and landed beside Dawra.
“Greetings, Dawra.”
“Greetings.”
“I have come to ask you about this human your daughter has as a pet.
Can he really heal dragons?”
“Yes, he can.”
“My son Tepic was playing in a field and was badly injured by a young Tarmany before I could get to him. Do you think this human could help him?”
“Probably.”
“My son is in my cave; he is too badly injured to be moved. Could you bring this human to him?”
“He is below in my cave. Let’s get him, and we’ll fly to your cave.”
Dawra and Yellic flew down to her cave where Fienna and Terra were playing with Lowlack’s tail as he lay on the floor half-dozing.
Dawra called Fienna over and explained the problem to her. Terra immediately understood by their mental connection. He was ready to help, but Fienna didn’t want him to go. Finally, Fienna agreed if she went also. As normal, Dawra carried Fienna, and Lowlack carried Terra. The two dragons followed Yellic to her cave. There they found a small dragon, slightly younger than Fienna. It’s tail and back leg were torn open. It was unconscious and near death. Terra approached while Yellic watched. He placed one hand on the tail and one on the leg of the dragonette. His hands started to glow orange as before. Slowly, the orange glow covered the injuries. Through the glow, Yellic watched the tail tissues rebuild and the forming of new muscles. The little dragonette’s leg bones knit together and the muscle covering them. The skin came together and finally the glow fading to nothing. Terra dropped to his knees, completely exhausted. Fienna rushed to him, folding her wings around his small body.
“I knew I should not have let you do this. It took all your strength,”
Fienna thought to Terra.
“I’m fine.”
“No, you are not. You just lay here,” Fienna frowned.
As Fienna held Terra, she felt his weakness. She pulled him close to her, and it felt different, strange. She slowly realized that Terra was blocking her somehow.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“I felt your strength flow into my body, and I am stopping it.”
For the first time, Fienna realized that she could give him her strength. Terra, in his weakened condition, could not resist Fienna’s will to help him, and her life-force filled him with renewed strength.
The two of them were a little tired now, but both were well.
Yellic could not believe what she saw. The little human completely healed all the injuries leaving not even a scar. Her son’s eyes opened.
She nuzzled and licked him. She helped him stand, and he seemed weak but healthy.
Her son slowly hopped to Fienna and seeing Terra in her wings said,
“Thank you for healing me. Can I help?”
“No, he will be fine in a little while,” Fienna said.
Yellic went to Dawra and thanked her. She could not express the feelings she had at that moment. Dawra understood for she had the same feeling when Fienna was injured then healed by this little human.
Although dragons were solitary creatures for the most part, word of Terra’s powers slowly moved through their society. Yellic brought her son to play with Fienna and Terra from time to time. The three became friends, and Yellic swore she’d always protect Terra.
Chapter 19 - First Flight
(The First Step to Leaving the Nest.)
&n
bsp; 339 set of seasons since the coming of the Averons
As time passed, little Terra grew slowly but strong. His body was not slender and delicate looking but powerful and stocky. His muscular body resembled a dragon more than a human. Dawra even considered him attractive for a human. He could run and play with Fienna even though she was almost six times larger than he was. They were going to the grassy fields above the cave daily now. The two would play, but Fienna had started to flap her wings as they ran. It was her natural desire to fly that drove this unconscious action.
The sun-risings passed, and Fienna’s wings grew stronger and stronger. Terra could feel her wings grow powerful. One sun-rising while running, she lifted off the ground. It was only for a moment, but she was definitely flying. Fienna was so excited she tried again and again; each time staying in the air a bit longer. Dawra decided it was time to begin Fienna’s flying lessons. Dawra’s mother had taught her, and it was now time for her to do the same for her daughter. Dawra took Fienna to the edge of the clearing, held her daughter up by grasping her body below her wings, and told her to spread her wings as far as she could. Dawra then launched herself and Fienna into the air. Fienna felt the wind flowing around her wings. It felt so good and seemed so natural. Dawra flew Fienna over the forest and the clearing for a long while. She landed on the edge of the clearing and put Fienna down.
They did this every sun-rising for one moon turning. Then one sun-rising, instead of taking off, Dawra told Fienna it was time for her to fly on her own. Dawra explained what she was going to do and what Fienna should do. Then she held Fienna in the air above the clearing and told her to extend her wings. Fienna did, and Dawra threw her toward the clearing. Fienna was at first scared, but Terra calmed her through their mental touch. Fienna glided over the clearing and landed gently near the wood’s edge. Fienna was amazed how natural it felt to fly. She belonged to the air, not the ground, and wanted nothing more than to fly on her own. Dawra and Fienna did practice her gliding for sun-risings until Dawra felt she was ready for the next step.
The sun-rising came when Dawra again took Fienna into the air with her. As Dawra climbed into the sky, she worried about Fienna as all mothers did at the first flight. If Fienna panicked or was not strong enough, she would fall. It had happened in the past, and young dragons had died. Mother and daughter were finally a hundred man lengths above the clearing. Terra’s mind calmed Fienna’s excitement and helped her think of what she needed to do when her mother released her. Her mother signaled that she was going to let go. Then suddenly, Fienna was free. She was flapping her wings, and Terra was helping her. His thoughts were so warm and loving that whatever fear she had was gone. She could feel her wings supporting her body in the air. She slowly spiraled down to the clearing where Terra waited for her. Her joy was overwhelming.
Over the next ten sun-risings, Dawra and Fienna repeated the exercise; each time going a little higher. It was time for Fienna to fly on her own. She wanted to launch herself into the air and had no fear. Her mother and Terra watched as she stood at the edge of the cliff. She reached into herself and launched. She was airborne and flying well.
Then a sudden updraft knocked her off balance. She started to tumble through the air. Terra stood on the edge of the cliff watching; he closed his eyes and reached into Fienna’s mind.
“Fienna, calm yourself. I am here; I will help. Spread your wings.”
“I can’t.”
“Yes, you can. Spread your wings.”
His calm and loving presence gave her the strength to obey him. She regained her balance.
“Flap your right wing.” She did.
“Now start flapping your other wing.”
“Yes, I am flying again. I’m all right.”
“Yes, you’re fine now, fly back to me.”
Fienna landed on the cliff next to Terra. Her mother, who had taken off to help her daughter, had veered away when she saw Fienna come out of the tumble. This was usually fatal for a new dragon, but she had regained control just before she would have hit the water. Dawra looked up at Terra and saw him standing perfectly still with his eyes closed. She knew he had saved her daughter again. What manner of creature was he? She still did not understand him but was grateful he was with them.
That sunset as Fienna jumped around Lowlack telling him of her first flight. Terra was near his fire cooking some running beast.
Dawra hopped over to him and asked, “You saved her again, didn’t you?”
“I just helped her calm down and get control. She saved herself.”
“What if she had not gotten control, how would you have saved her?”
“I do not know. I, I, “ he stopped speaking.
He did not know how to answer because he didn’t know if he could have saved her.
“You have powers I don’t understand, and I think they are becoming greater as you grow. Will you always protect her?”
“Of course, I will never let anything harm her, she is my,” Terra hesitated as though not sure how to describe his feelings.
“Your what Terra? Your what?”
“My, my Love.”
Dawra walked away knowing that Fienna would always have a protector. He was a small protector, but one with power that was great.
Fienna, over the next several moon turns, became an excellent flier.
As with all dragons, she was happiest when flying. Terra stayed on the ground with his eyes closed as if he were flying with her. The great Tarmany that Terra had tamed had become his pet. When Terra lay in the field with his eyes closed, the Tarmany watched over him like a mother. Nothing ever came close to Terra with that creature watching.
When they went home at sunset, it melted back into the forest only to appear the next time they came to the clearing.
Chapter 20 - First Hunt
(Teaching Survival Skills a Mother’s Duty.)
340 set of seasons since the coming of the Averons
Now that Fienna was flying almost as well as her mother, it was time to learn hunting skills. Her mother taught Dawra, and she would teach Fienna in the same manner. For hunt after hunt, Fienna followed her mother and watched as she stalked and then killed her prey. Fienna wanted to do it herself, but Dawra said it was not yet time. After what seemed to Fienna an eternity, Dawra finally felt her daughter was ready for her first kill. Dawra wanted Fienna’s first to be successful, so sun-rising after sun-rising she flew over the fields and valleys along the coast watching for a large herd of running beasts. Finally, she spotted one on a high field over looked by a mountain peek. She flew straight home and told Fienna it was time for her first hunting kill. Fienna wanted to take Terra, but her mother said he would be out of place and should stay in the cave. Terra, sensing Fienna’s mother desire to be with her daughter alone, told Fienna to go without him; he wanted to bathe. Terra also seemed to have a general dislike for the thought of killing; this was one thing Fienna didn’t understand. It seemed so natural to hunt and kill food, and she enjoyed watching her mother do it.
Mother and daughter launched out of the edge of the cave. Dawra led her daughter to the high field but pretended not to see the herd.
Fienna flew up to her mother and excitedly pointed to the beast below.
Dawra motioned to land on the mountain peak.
“Now, Fienna it’s time for your first kill. I have taken you out before, and you have watched me. How should you approach these runners?”
“I should fly in from the sun so they can’t see me until the last moment and then swoop down and grab one with my back talons.”
“Good, I see you have been watching me carefully. Now I want you to circle around the mountain and come in from the sun.”
“Why not just fly into the sun and down?”
“Ah, that’s where skill comes into play. If you flew directly toward the sun then turned, you would cast a shadow over the beasts, and they would bolt. By going around the mountain, no shadow is cast over the field.”
Fienna took
off and did what her mother said. She came in on the runners straight out of the sun; they didn’t see her until it was too late.
She swooped down in an arc and grabbed for the first runner and missed, but she wasn’t going to lose. She stayed just above the running beast and grabbed again. This time she had one in her rear talons. She beat her wings hard to gain height. Fienna was unaccustomed to the extra weight, and the runners violent thrashing to get away. Finally, she rose and the runner seemed to stop moving. She flew to the edge of the field and crushed the runner under her weight as she landed. She reached down and tore a piece of meat from the runner swallowing it whole. Fienna continued until she had eaten all but the hindquarter. She took the hindquarter and flew back to her mother, who was still perched on the mountain peak.
“Why didn’t you eat it all? It is your first kill; you have the right.”
“I want to share it with Terra.”
“I see.”
Dawra had never seen a dragon share its first kill with anything let alone a human. Fienna’s feeling for Terra apparently overwhelmed even her natural instincts.
They returned home, and Fienna presented the hindquarter to Terra.
He took it, tore a piece out of it with his teeth, and ate it. He ate like this while listening to Fienna’s story of the killing. She told it twice and then again at Terra’s insistence. Terra ate as much of the raw meat as he could then gave what was left to Fienna, who devoured it with great pleasure. That sunset as Fienna told Lowlack about her great kill, Terra stood by his fire. His small powerful body outlined by the light. Dawra once again hopped up to him.
“Why did you eat the meat raw? You don’t like it that way.”
“It was too important to Fienna. Cooking it would have spoiled it for her. “
”You don’t like killing, do you?”
“No, I don’t, but if you ask me why, I couldn’t tell you because I don’t know why.”
Dawra knew humans killed, and she knew some enjoyed it, from the stories Lowlack told her, but this one was different. Very different!
