Wings and flames

Chapter 5

{AN: Check out the images to visualize the world better}

Viri's eyes changed. Sam was fiercely staring at the younglings, trying to hold them back with his glare. And then the hair on his body rose, the air in the room shifted - everything got colder. He didn't have to look down to know that Viri had taken down the act. She was no longer the green everybody was proud to have in Athoms, fighting by their side. She was back to being the unknown legend across the lands, the kid that could scare any being man or dragon.

The younglings held her stare for a second. And then Sam watched the fear settle their eyes. Sam had never been subjected to that stare from Viri, he thanked the old gods everyday for it. But watching her unravel, it terrified him.

He tried to seem calm. Viri looked at each youngling and then as one, they stilled and collapsed. That ancient thing in Viri crawled back down. Her eyes changed. The air returned to being the strange summer temperature and Sam released a breath he didn't know he was holding.

Sam and Viri helped the younglings push their wings and tails out. The one full dragon seemed out of place for a while, it took all of Sam's patience to calm the child. Once Sam was done with the kid, who insisted on getting some sleep, he returned to Viri.

Watching Viri tend to younglings was no strange sight. The younglings were strong creatures, they were taller and broader than your average kid but they had to work out. Not a lot of them did but those who managed turned lethal. They listened to nobody, except Viri. Something about her terrified everybody in Athoms.

The younglings kept their dragon bits out. Some considered it a show off but the kids just didn't know how to change back. The bell tower had kids of all shapes and sizes, all kinds of hair and a distinct set of eyes.

The dragons came in a huge variety. Some of them were by nature harmless, they sometimes tended only to the forests. Some others grew to be aggressive - especially the fire dragons. The earth dragons liked to fight, infact they were quite annoying to be with but they didn't fly.

How did you tell them apart? Their eyes. A dragon's color was the same as it's eyes. The Halfs seemed to have heterochromia - they were beautiful - half the color of their dragon and half of whatever they were born with. Sam's favourite set of eyes were Emerald's, half green and half black. The full dragons like Sam, had very loud and colored Irises.

Once the five younglings retired to bed, Sam decided to escort the others to Viri. Whatever got them feral had to be dealt with.

Sam went downstairs only to find a bunch of younglings making out. It was disgusting how quick the mood shifted around here. Hormones He kept to his dragon form, it attracted attention and Sam didn't mind that.

He cleared his throat. The younglings broke away and bowed. Enough validation for the day. He said nothing and led them to Viri. Staying behind them incase someone decided to make out halfway.

Sam appeared after a minute. He looked like a mother hen with his wings around the younglings, shoving them to Viri's direction. Viri giggled.

The kids froze. Shit. Did not mean that.

Sam flushed. Viri had no clue why.

The younglings spread out. Some had their tails out, some wings, was that a horn? For a bunch of awkward and terrified kids, they somehow managed to look breathtakingly beautiful. The dragon people were an attractive bunch. These kids were definitely going to get into some trouble when they graduated out of belltower. Viri noticed the blonde staring at her legs, the same half dragon that choked up fire when Sam showed up earlier.

"Eric...is there something on my leg?"

Eric looked confused. "I...uh... nothing sir. I was just looking at...uh boots. Your boots. Sir"

"Would you like a closer look?"

Eric looked down. Younglings taught themselves, they had no tutors. But since Viri has started visiting them, she's ensured everybody knows the basics.

"I'm sorry sir. I shouldn't have stared. I was trying to calm my nerves."

An honest apology. Hence it was accepted.

"Tell me how that happened. Everything you know."

Eric continued, "We were all messing around. Sky and his friends started changing, we tried to help but then they started hurting us. So we backed down. It's been going on for two days"

Damn, that kid almost lost her shoulder. Now the anxious expression from general black made sense. The younglings didn't suffer for that long. These kids seemed exhausted. Something was wrong.