The Warmth of the Sun

Chapter 2

The boar dug at the ground looking for any bugs that would turn up with the dirt. It was a lazy boar who just wanted something simple to eat instead of expending energy hunting and killing something bigger. Alligator once tried to mimic the action thinking he could get an easy snack. However, every bug he had eaten in the past were slimy and not at all satisfying. Some seemed to crawl down his throat unlike chunks of meat that just naturally slid down. He wished he could be a boar; just not this one.

His body was mostly green to match his surroundings. His back half was still black. His feet were sinking into the squishy mud, but he remained still.

In the top corner of his eyes in the canopy, a single branched had an array of colors flicker in a practiced pattern giving Alligator the ok to move. He was slow to move at first, but all he had to do was let out a bellowing roar that shook the birds from their perch. The boar did the smart thing and ran the moment he saw Alligator, but something fell quickly onto its back and bite hard on the neck. To the untrained eye, one would think the boar just collapsed.

The empty air shifted colors until a dragon's form was made clear in green and purple scales. She was slender and more flexible compared to Alligator who had more bulk in his upper half

"You're bits are getting stronger if you can kill a boar so easily. You did good Leafall."

"Thanks, but I think that goes for everyone." Leafall said with blood still on her face.

"Yeah, you're right." Alligator threw the boar onto his back letting his sister lead the way back home.

There was no better way to pass the time than to lie in the sun's rays. One of Treefire's best memories was when Jetstream would tell them to be more "active". He wanted them to be able to handle themselves against any threat, and yet at the end of every training session, Alligator would prove his strength against Jetstream. It didn't stop him from giving them "drills" and "chores", but at least they still had there time in the sun.

From below the hut where Treefire was resting, she heard her little sib—Mud—yell, "Treefire, they're back!" She raised her head to see Alligator and Leafall come from the thick leaves.

As they ate the boar, Treefire took her piece and heated it with her fire. Leafall talked about how she finished it off in a single strike. Alligator knocked her against the head with his wing. "Don't forget that it was a team effort," he said.

"I was still the one to kill it," she retorted as she shoved him. He wasn't phased being bigger and all. They continued to bicker as Mud and Treefire watch.

The boar was halfway eaten by the time Jetstream returned with a net full of fish. The net was made of vines that were collected by Mud and Leafall. Jetstream always went by himself saying that it made more sense if he hunted the food he liked and everyone else hunted what they wanted. More than anything, he was trying to keep them hidden but they didn't know from what.

"It seems I'm late again," Jetstream landed letting his catch spill on the ground.

"Maybe you should bring back less fish," said Mud.

"I need as much food as possible since I can't move around too much."

"Wouldn't it make more sense if you needed more food because you move a lot?" Asked Leafall. Jetstream merely grunted as he dragged his dinner into the hut. "I wish he would just tell us what he's hiding."

Of course, no one cared to respond. They all agreed early in there lives that if Jetstream was hiding anything, it was for a good reason. He would tell them about the outside world and what it was like leaving them with no desire to want to see the places for themselves.

Not too long after Jetstream went into the hut, he came out with many fish tails hanging from the sides of his mouth. As he slurped each one down his throat, he spread his wings ready to fly off to who knows where. The dragonets would have fallen asleep by this point after eating and lying in the sun, so moving away would be easy so long as he was quiet.

"Where are you going?" Alligator asked in such a hushed tone-as not to wake his sibs-that Jetstream almost didn't register who was speaking.

"There was something I was meaning to get on my way back, but decided I would get it when my claws were not full."

"What would that be?" Alligator was now standing beside Jetstream.

"Um, scrolls. Ink. Stuff I've kept stored for emergencies."

"Why now? You read to us at this time."

"I'll be back as soon as I can. When I do, I'll read you whatever story you want for as long as I am awake."

"And what If you don't come back?"

Jetstream got down to Alligator at eye level and asked, "What makes think I won't?"

"You've never done this before and I don't know what to expect. You've been gone for a long time before, but at least I had an idea of where you were. Now you're leaving again and you won't tell where you're going."

There was a pause. "If you must look for me, search in the dessert and stayclear of the mountains."

"Why?"

"Alligator, please. Do you trust me?"

"Yes."

"And don't I always come back?"

"Yes."

"Then trust that I will return again. You know where you can find me, but don't leave. You are safer here." And with that, Jetstream took his leave waiting until he was out of the forest before he took to the sky.

Alligator watched the shadow of the blue dragon glide across the canopy. He had no reason to worry-he wasn't worried. He didn't need to understand anything Jetstream did except how important the task was, but why was this so important? Why would he give up time to teach them to go off to do anything else?

Alligator went back to his resting spot and the sun's rays were once again on his back. And yet, his eyelids did not feel heavy as they once were. He was comfortable, but he wasn't relaxed. Strangely enough, he had felt this way before, but when? When was the last time he would stare at nothing, but was expecting something to come out of the brush?

Help us! Please come back! Where did you go?! Come back!