"Do you want to learn by yourself?" Zoe asked her white dragon.
Petunia's ears rotated, then she shook her head.
"Are you sure?" Zoe asked and patted her forehead.
Petunia squawked and nodded.
"Okay." Zoe said and slid her hand down Petunia's neck as she walked to the dragon's side.
Zoe hoisted herself onto Petunia back and gathered the reins in her hands. She sat there for a moment, feeling Petunia breathe as she lifted up and down. Zoe looked down at her wrists. Scabs here and there, but mostly healed.
"Okay, here we go." Zoe said, somewhat nervously.
She leaned forward and clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth. Petunia shot forward in a full sprint. Her wings slowly extended as they ran. Then, she began to flap. They were in the air before Zoe even realized it. They flew over the barrel track, and then, a creature in the forest hollered loudly . Petunia's wings shut closed immediately in alarm.
***
"Maybe flying just isn't your thing. Why don't you and Petunia do something else?" Mom said as she looked up and down Zoe, twisting her around as she checked for scratches.
"Like what?" Zoe said, frustrated.
"Why don't you travel around in the forest, like Carrie and Mars do now?" Mom suggested.
"Why do they do that?" Zoe asked, suddenly curious.
"She just explores the forest. There really isn't that much we know about it." Mom said.
Zoe sighed.
"Maybe I'll get her to come visit us and you two can talk." Mom said.
Zoe nodded.
***
Petunia slumped to the ground and spread her wings. Zoe sat, staring into the sky. Petunia grunted.
"Don't give me an attitude." Zoe said to her dragon.
Petunia looked at her for a few seconds, grunted, and then rolled over.
Zoe raised her hands in defeat. Then, Petunia suddenly sprung up and ran away from Zoe. Zoe stood up in alarm, afraid her dragon was running away. A little ways ahead of the sprinting white dragon, Carrie was leading Mars. Mars flicked his head up, causing Carrie to release her grasp. Mars then sprinted towards Petunia. They nearly collided. Petunia flapped her wings happily and exchanged squawks with the red dragon. Carrie walked passed them and approached Zoe.
"What are you doing out here and not training?" Carrie asked her.
Zoe sat up, "Well, every time I try to train Petunia to fly, she falls and we get hurt."
"You know you can't just give up." Carrie said and squatted down next to Zoe.
Zoe snorted.
"I think two years is plenty of time. You just need to find out why she keeps shutting her wings." Carrie said.
"I know why she keeps shutting her wings: she's nervous." Zoe told Carrie.
Carrie nodded, "But doesn't she trust you?"
Zoe shrugged. She glanced at the two love birds. Mars was nibbling behind Petunia's ear. Petunia sat, tail wagging. Carrie looked over at them.
"She trusts Mars." She said.
Zoe nodded.
"Hey, why don't you two come with us tomorrow? We are taking a little stroll through the forest." Carrie asked.
YOU ARE READING
DragonTribes #2: ForestTribe
FantasyZoe froze as a loud squawk sounded ahead of her. She looked down to the ground were she followed a blood trail. The dragon had stepped on something sharp as it fleed from Zoe. The poor thing, I just want to help. Zoe walked forward as quietly as she...
