Finding (The Way) Home

The End: Chapter 16

Maybe showing Aunt Cass Taniya wasn't the best of ideas. Aunt Cass was terrified at first. I may have neglected to tell her the actual size of her and I may have misdescribed her a bit.

"It's a dragon!" She yells, yanking me behind her.

At this motion, a rumbling growl comes from Taniya. She was defensive about me, hating the fact when there was something between the two of us, be that a wall or a person, she always got through it.

"Aunt Cass, don't get in between me and her. The last time a new, frightened guard tried that, he got flung ten feet away. And she managed to bust through a wall when she heard me slip in the bathroom. It's a miracle that we managed to keep her in here during the ceremony," I say, stepping in front of Aunt Cass.

Taniya stops growling and it changes to a purr as she nuzzles my hand and side. I smile and turn to her, rubbing her silky ears and scratching under her chin.

"Are you okay? She hasn't hurt you?" Aunt Cass asks and I shake my head, laughing.

"No! Never! She's the one who found me when I was kidnapped. And even if she looks like a giant flying lizard, she behaves more like a needy cat," I say, sitting down.

"Seriously? How did you even meet her?" Aunt Cass asks and I smile, grabbing her hand.

"Sit down," I order and she does so, Adina sits on my left while Aunt Cass sits on my right.

Taniya lumbers down and puts her head in my lap, eyeing Aunt Cass cautiously. I smile and stroke her snout, giggling as she licks my hand. Adina reaches out and gently touches her with her fingertips, careful to see if Taniya is okay with it. Given the fact that she still has her hand, I guess she is.

"I first met Taniya when I was exploring the forest. I thought she was going to eat me for a few moments. Afterward, I came back again and again. Slowly, Taniya started trusting me and allowed me to touch her. I didn't even know I had managed to create a real bond with her until she busted down a wall to rescue me," I say, laughing as Taniya rolls over and shows me the softer scales on her belly.

"Seriously? She was wild when you first made contact with her?" Aunt Cass asks, trying to keep a note of hysteria out of her voice in which she fails.

"Oh yeah. When I first told people that I had seen her, been right by her, they freaked out. Apparently, they're really dangerous. And when she found me everyone was terrified. Luckily, she didn't give them much of a choice and they quickly got used to her," I explain and Aunt Cass raises an eyebrow.

"And how does this work? Being in the palace and everything?" She asks and I shrug.

"While I was out, Taniya insisted on being wrapped around me. When I woke up, I was told it's what they do to their young. Given the fact that the room was cramped with all of the medical equipment and people, there was no room for Taniya. And given the fact that there was no way to separate her from me, the wall to the other room was knocked down and a section added made for Taniya, not that she actually leaves me enough to check it out," I say smiling and pointing at the larger section of my room.

"That's pretty cool," Aunt Cass says, not sounding quite sure.

"Here, give me your hand," I ask, holding mine out.

She gives me her hand and I notice it shaking. I smile at her and guide it to Taniya, who is glaring at her all the while. I touch Taniya with my other hand and send calming feelings to her, trying to convince her that Aunt Cass is okay. Her pulling me behind her wasn't the best thing in the world, but I think I could work this out. I gently place Aunt Cass's hand on Taniya and gently stroke her, trying to calm Taniya and hopefully make her more at ease.