Dragon born

Chapter 3 Fear

Authors note*****

Yay! I'm so excited that you are reading this. assuming you've read the last bit you will have realized that we are getting into the meaty bit of the story and have left the beginning behind. I am as always interested in any comment but am particularly interested if I am explaining too much or too little about magic and other elements of the world at this point. and in the next chapter.

End Note *******

Fear

Morris was terrified to teach command words, didn't silvered elves have enough powers over others. he wanted to stop it, he struggled to pay attention as his heart raced but anxiety and the technical nature of the lecture reduced his comprehension. still, he caught enough.

The command words were programmed into his bond because of his nature, this added boost was necessary to push him, even for silvered elves, because of his magical nature, Zara was a twist he wasn't sure what that meant but it seemed important to the conversation he recalled Zara seemed conflicted about it. He didn't need to be present for the transfer it was limited to programmed command words and anyone with enough magic could use them, with the right knowledge she could take them back. He paused panic receding slightly it seemed apart from the form odd dragon thing he may not be in as bad a position as last time he was slave to en elf. the only person whom he would be compelled not to attack was Zara he could work with that if need be.

 "Follow" it was just a simple elvish word but it echoed like a lead and he felt himself clumsily moving to heel position it was a little easier to resist than with her Mathews sighed "he fights like that every time doesn't he"

Zara looked up at Mathews, I'm sure he will behave better if we push him less, train him with treats and stuff. I asked for them, but I haven't even been allowed to feed him."

"We don't give dragons treats! Ridders are discouraged from feeding their dragon, so as they learn to hunt when they get older. it didn't make sense to me when I was first paired. But they have been doing this for a long time now. Dragons are a lot smarter than a dog or a horse as such they are harder to train. As they are more inclined towards disobedience and cleverness. if you train them to only respond to threats or treats. Then what do you do when you're a hundred meters in the air and being attacked by Wyverns.

Mathew continued his lecture like a seasoned veteran" You need instant obedience. a proper bound works because the dragon wants to obey. I'm still of the opinion the occasional dragon treat doesn't hurt, they like cooked meat" Mathews gave a play full wink "but some dragons dislike being fed right from the egg. I've found. he turned and scratched his mount behind the ear, it crooned pathetically, "that little shows of affection are the best way, don't mistake obedience or lack thereof for affection or vice versa."

His speech finished the two began to walk off, the follow command still in effect, as Morris wondered if the cure might be worse than the disease. He could still feel his hidden place now, free of pain he had beaten the sickness like the other things he could come out with a win here too.

They arrived at a series of caves in the side of a large rock that rose from the ground, the same red colour as the rest of the barren dreary desert. It was obvious even to his untrained eyes that the caves were carved out of the rock most likely with an arcane implement, but the thing that was terrifying was the larger dragons, which was all of them. 

They seemed to come in every colour but he soon realized there were only four types. huge tawny ones with a mane like a lion.

 Slightly smaller but still huge reds, armoured with plate exoskeletons and claws like a crab and wing case on their back like a beetle.

 Strange snake-like creatures with dainty wings that looked like a dragonfly's and weird antenna.

 Then there where other black dragons like him. It seemed rider was just as amazed by the sight, though less afraid then seemed wise. he noticed the that Toby was different also blackish though not as dark with wing ending in a very sharp point.

"You have to watch yourself up at the caves; don't come here unless you have an adult dragon, and their rider to protect you. and even then stay close to them both

"Will Morris be safe?"

Good question thought protagonist firmly believing the answer had to be no.

"The lion's manes will put a stop to anything bad, most of them are here at the moment. That means most of the dragons must be up at the caves. Zara can you name all the others "

"Sure they don't look too different from their pictures, first the easy ones Toby is a blade wing my Morris is a midnight flame, I don't like that name but it is growing on me. Then we have the old linage of the armoured beast, distinctive in their exoskeletons, they must all be very young, or they'd be bigger than the lion's manes. I don't think I've seen any pictures of that last one but it seems to be a Crackle wing from the descriptions in books their very distinct. "

"Crackle wings are a southern dragon they believe they can handle the deserts around here and there doing well enough. they and the midnight flame are competing sort of for the vacancy left as they retire the red wings"

"Where do they find all these weird creatures?"

"That's a secret for when you're older, maybe two hundred years older."

As they wandered off leaving Toby and Morris with a causal at ease command he was confused as, how could she not know. How could a secret that big be kept form the riders? She'd seen the egg, it wasn't natural. He knew that silver and gemstone were the marks of magic.

One of the crackle wings came over and started to make a weird buzzing noise changing up and down in volume, there seemed to be a pattern to it. was it threatening attack, or play he tried a cheerful chirp, he knew that was bird sounds were friendly, wolf noises were for conflict that was deep inside, him a weird instinct, a sudden burst of knowledge. 

One of the other dragons, the same kind as him, answered in a complex trill. He was confused. It dawned on him that, he had four new languages to learn. five if he counted the blade wing.

 He admired the crackle wings enthusiasm, but first, he would have to learn his own and just the basics of the others, maybe they were teaching the basics to Zara now. A strange tug on the bond and he knew that, no she was betraying his command phrases to persons unknown.

The Crackle wing was still buzzing and there where a verity more short bursts of bird song what where they saying were they all talking to him or just about him. Of cause, if he said the wrong they would attack, where they all once people too or is their more going on. Would, they expect him to breed with the other midnight flames when he was older. Each new thought borough the promise of new fears and catastrophes.

He only realized he had begun to make whimpering noises when Toby moved between him and the other dragons. Morris made a friendly chirp of thanks but then he soon realized that shielding him wasn't the whole plan.

things went sideways fast the larger dragon pushed him out into the middle of the large stone slab in front of the caves, with gentle but overwhelming force sliding him along the ground with his wing when he reached his destination he flicked his wingtip towards one of the caves maybe he was supposed to shelter in there. 

however another midnight flames a boy he could smell the difference somehow. They came forward with a trill, and his protector, withdraw.

The new arrival tossed his horns and stopped his feet something rose within him and he responded in kind. A challenge that had to be answered. he took the charge and slid backwards his feet finding little traction on the stone than with a swift movement his opponent shifted his weight on to one side and Morris went down hard.

 it felt like a tumble like that should have hurt more he could feel them all mocking and judging his failure. He gave an experiment trill, a line from the song Zara sang to him he was off a bit but the larger dragon copped it and then rubbed up against him. a couple of the other midnight flames were fighting now and Morris realized to fit in a lot more losses were in his future.