In Form

An Odd Pair

    By now I was okay that I got a dropped off farther down the road. I liked the walk through the beautiful forest at each of my sides. Again, I was attracted to the woods. It couldn't hurt to look around in there for a bit. Mom wouldn't be home for a while anyway. So I started for the woods. It felt amazing, like a dream in a douglas fir land. I pranced and skipped, ran across fallen trees, and hopped on and off stumps. Like in the woods near my house, it was wonderful and adventurous.
     I reached out my hand and ran my fingers across an old stump. I new I was special in someway, I could turn plants green sometimes, like back in the farmers burnt field, and like that woman said about me. What was her name? A smaller tree began to grow from the old stump, then stopped growing after a few seconds. It felt quiet. It was a good quiet. I could hear something in the distance. I could see a deer, grazing on some brush ahead of me. It perked up its head and ears towards me. We stared at each other for a long time.
The deer was beautiful, it had a black stripe going down its face and back. Its ears relaxed and it started to walk towards me. I could feel a calming energy, which kept me from freaking out. I didn't want to run away, and I certainly didn't think it was possibly going to attack me.
It stopped suddenly, and perked its head and ears up in my direction again. It snorted at me. I wondered why its personality changed so quickly. It snorted louder, with its mouth open this time. It snorted for a short quick moment then darted off in the opposite direction.
I didn't move quickly or do anything to scare it, what was it afraid of?
I heard something move behind me. I quickly turned around. A large arrow was headed straight for me. I didn't know what to do in this situation. This was happening so fast. The arrows head was abnormally large, and very strangely shaped as well. A whisk of blond hair flew in the corner of my eye, along with a hand stretching out in front of me. The hand grabbed the arrow at the last second, like a ninja. The figure wasn't threatening, I actually didn't know what to think in this matter of seconds. She spun it around and threw it back to where it came from. The person then pushed me to the ground. I hit my head on something hard. It went black.
I awoke to a familiar face in front of me. Squatting on the ground in front of me, barefoot in jeans and a pleather jacket, was the dirty blond from the wreck, from the restaurant, and the news. She was waving her hand in front of my face.
I immediately started to crawl back from her. I gasped, out of breath. My head throbed. I clutched my head where it landed. I noticed that the brunette wasn't standing next to her. I was confused, was this a dream? If it was, this was the most realistic dream I have ever had. Other than last night's dream.
"Whoa! Easy there. Don't move to fast." Her light voice said. "Sorry if I scared you."
I was scared out of my mind, but I tried not to show it. She walked up closer to me and squatted down again. Her voice was soft but seamingly more mature for what looked like her age. She looked down at my feet in curiosity.
I looked down as well, I was gripping the ground beneath me. Neon green moss began to grow under me, spreading slowly around me, yet it wouldn't grow around the girl, making a circle. It finally slowed to a stop a couple feet around me.
She looked back up at me, not fazed or freaked out at what just happened. I gave her a confused look like she was crazy.
"Do you remember what just happened?" she asked me.
I gathered up my strength to speak. "No." I managed to say. She looked confused. "What's going on?" I asked, becoming more confident.
"You were attacked by hunters. Good thing I could smell you just outside our boundaries." She answered.
I was confused by her wording. What did she mean? Hunters? Smelling me? Weird thing was, she sounded so normal when she answered me. I made a confused face. "What?"
She looked concerned now. "Do you know what I'm talking about?" She tilted her head. "Maybe you hit the ground a little to hard." She chuckled, and attempted to touch my head, but I moved away.
I shook my head no.
"Especially after this." she said gesturing to the moss that mysterously grew beneath me. "This dosen't clue you in at all?"
She stared at me for a while. Her eyes turned gold, just like the wolf in the woods and the dragon at the wreck. I freaked out on the inside and gasped.
Her eyes turned back to their normal gray-blue, she seemed shocked as well, but to my reaction. "Now do you know what I'm talking about?" She asked.
I gathered up my courage once more. "No." I said with heavy breaths.
"So you have no idea who and what you are?" she asked.
"My name is Amber Schwits... and I am a normal person." I said, almost questioning myself. At this point I was looking for hidden camera's in the trees.
"Oh no you're not." She told me. I was confused and a little scared about what she said. "Are you pulling my leg?" She sat back and made a half smile, still considering the wether or not I was serious.
I got frustrated that she wouldn't just spit it out. "No. Can you just -" I sighed. "what do you mean?"
She paused, then breathed out a laughed, still in disbelief. "You're a dragon, Amber. Don't you know that?"
    "No - dragons aren't real." I said, half laughing. Then she gave me an effensive look.
     She took a long look at me, looking me over as if I were insane. "Uh, yes. Yes they are. I am one."
     "You know how mental you sound right now?" I said, thinking how in the world did a mental patient and her psyhco friend that runs in front of cars get out of the nut house?
     She shook her head and looked down with a large exhale. "No wonder she said to help you." She said to herself. She looked back up at me. "You're the girl from the vehicle, the one that hit my friend. Oh and sorry about the stares I gave you in Cascade Burgers, but that's when I recognized you from the vehicle, I just didn't want Dragolya to see you." She said.
     Dragolya must be the brunette. "Why?" I asked.
     "She may have shown you gratitude by turning on your car, but she is very upset, you damaged her side for a while. It would be best if she didn't know, yet." She said while looking around. "Not till I tell her myself first."
    "Who are you? What are you?" I questioned.
     "Like you, and as I said before, I am a dragon as well. My names Mistory." she said with kind smile extending her hand. "You're not alone, Amber."
     I took her hand and she helped me to my feet. "This is insane. Your insane!" I said. Not meaning to raise my voice. She raised an eye brow at me. "This is all unreal. I'm dreaming." I said looking around for something to give away that I was dreaming.
     "This is real. I just gave you plenty of proof."
     "The eye thing? That, was weird. I dont know how you did that, but other than that, you have nothing." I didn't want to be wrong, I couldn't be. I knew she was going to have something else to prove me wrong.
     "Once again..." She said pointing to the moss again. "Nothing?"
     That, I really had no clue. "I... I don't know why that happeneds. I can't control it." I feel like a total hypacrate now. Saying that she's crazy, when I'm the one that had weird super powers.
     "That's why we were told to help you, Amber."
     "Who told you this again?"
     "The wolf. How many times do I have to repeat myself?" She took a breath. "She is a shifter, from the council - but that's not important now. Dragolya and I are here to help, anyway we can. Okay?"
     I didn't say anything. The only thing I could do now is believe her. Unless she can fully prove that she and I are dragons.
     "Nice trick by the way." She said gesturing to the moss again. "I have my own gift as well." She extended her hand as if something was going to come out of it.
      She lowered her hand and her faced looked concerned. She turned her head around to look behind her. "Oh no." she said in her breath. "Dragolya's back. If she sees you, you're in trouble. I just need time to explain to her..." She looked around frantically. "Uh... Go hide behind that tree." She said pointing to a large maple behind me.
     I did what she said, I really didn't want to suffer any consequences from this, Dragolya. I went behind the tree and sat down. It was quiet. Then I could here talking. Not one, but two people talking.
     She couldn't see me, this could be a perfect chance to run. To go home and forget about this nonesense.
     I heard what sounded like Mistory talking. "Now, Dragolya I'm going to show you something, well actually someone, so don't freak out ok."
     "It depends..." Dragolya said, almost in a joking manner.
     "Hey, be polite." Mistory said.
     "This isn't another one of your furry friends is it?" Dragolya asked.
     "Just, shut up and cool it, ok?" Mistory said with a huff. "Ok you can come out now." she yelled to me.
     I slowly came out from behind the tree. I stopped when I was in full view.
     Dragolya was standing next to Mistory in jeans, a white shirt that read 'Coca-Cola', and had her arms crossed. When she caught eye of me, her eyes widened, I could just see the fury she wanted to let out on me. Her brown and icy blue eyes peirced me with her stare.
     "You?" she began. Her voice wasn't as soft as Mistory's. I glanced at Mistory, just hoping she would protect me. She turned to Mistory. "Her?! She's the one that hit me with her car remember!" her eyes turned red as she stared at me again.
     I furrowed my brow, did her eyes just turn red?
     "No, you kinda ran into them, and Dragolya, you promised." Mistory said. "Besides, you can't-"
     "I didn't promise anything..." Dragolya said still looking at me. Black smoke trailed around her in a second, like a drop of ink into a glass of water, then out of the smoke came, a dragon.
     Its golden eyes pierced through me. It stood twenty feet tall towering over me, its scales were small and almost unnoticeable, like leather. Its head had no horns but bared small ears that looked like horse ears, and red rubber looking flap that went from the end of her chin to where her head connected to her neck, like a pelican, but redder. Standing on two long legs, no arms but large wings, heavy plated chest, and a long tail with a large thin haired fluff on the end.
     Her plated chest had deep visible scratches and worn markings on it. The tails end frizzed up like a balloon was rubbed against it. I could see blue sparks spark from the tail.
     Did Dragolya just become a dragon in front of my eyes? This was amazingly incredible, - and impossible - and yet very frightening at the same time. This was real wasn't it, or I really was dreaming.
    I backed up against the tree behind me. My breaths went in and out in an unnatural pattern.
    Mistory stepped in front of her. "Stop! Dragolya, this is Amber Schwits..." Mistory yelled. Dragolya didn't take her large golden eyes off me. "This is the girl the wolf told us about, the one we need to help."
     Dragolya looked at Mistory then me. The echo began in my head again. It was Dragolya's voice. "Are you Amber Schwits?" she questioned through my mind.
     "Yes." I answered through my mind to hers, hoping I was doing it right.
     She looked at Mistory. Mistory nodded, and then stepped aside breaking the protective barrier between me and the very large, and probably dangerous, dragon in front of me. Dragolya, still in dragon form, walked up to me in heavy steps.
    I breathed harder as she got closer, and made some squeaking sound that came from the back of my throat from complete fear.
    Her head was very close to mine, and she looked at me for a moment. She pressed her muzzle against my shoulder and took in a large breath through her nose. I looked at the length of her jaw. She could easily snap me up in her mouth with one bite. She exhaled hard from her nose hard, made me jump out of my skin, and walked back to Mistory. After she left me I could hear my heart beating so hard I thought it might explode.
     Once she was next to Mistory, black smoke quickly trailed around her then it was gone and Dragolya was human again.
     "Sorry... oh, and I forgive you now, for hitting me with your car." Dragolya said, with her hands on her hips trying to look away. It took me a moment to realize that what she just said might have been sarcastic.
     "So, you - you guys can turn into dragons?" I said my voice shaking.
     "No, we turn into bears." Dragolya said sarcastically. She was obviously still upset with me. Mistory gave her a look and Dragolya rolled her eyes. "We are dragons that can turn into humans." She said rather boringly.
    "Alright, now that that is settled." Mistory began. "What the wolf told us, that she probably told you, was that we need to help teach you our ways. The ways of being a dragon, because you don't actually know-"
     "So wait," Dragolya interrupted. "Your parents didn't teach you this stuff? At all? Were you adopted?" Dragolya questioned.
     "No, and I don't think my mom is a dragon." I said, becoming more confident to talk to them.
      "And your father..."
     "He, uh... he left us when I was very little." I stuttered.
     Dragolya clasped her hands together. "Well there you have it, your father was a dragon." She said.
     That's probably why my mom would never show me pictures of him. Why she doesn't like the past so much. She must know.
     "I also bet that you don't even know your an Elder either." Dragolya said.
     "An Elder dragon?" I asked.
     "Wow, you really don't know anything about dragons do you." Dragolya said looking astonished.
     "An Elder dragon is exactly what it is, a really old dragon." Mistory said. "But not just that, they are a higher form of dragon, usually being more shiny to be attractive in a way."
     "The oldest of all the dragons. Maybe a couple in the world are more than two thousand years old." Dragolya added. "But you have got to respect them, they are the dominant ones. If you disgrace them in anyway, you will be sorry. Oh, and you don't want to pick a fight with them either, they will always win and you will always die. That's actually where the saying 'respect your elders' came from."
     "They have much more strength in their power too, and can bare more than one." Mistory said.
     "Power?" I asked. I had so many questions. I looked down at my hands.
     What kind of power could I have? I know I re-grow things and stuff like that, but that can't be important. Maybe I can read minds, or lift things telepathically.
     Dragolya sighed really hard. "Looks like we got some work to do."
     "You see Amber," Mistory began. "You are the direct decendent of an Elder dragon, that's why your so important. The future." She turned toward Dragolya with a cheesy smile. "Why Dragolya didn't attack you."
     "Tell you what," Dragolya said ignoring Mistory. "Every day after school come back here, and we'll have different lessons each day, and have you home in time for dinner... sound good?"
     "Uh..." I said. I didn't really have much time to answer. But I had so many questions that needed to be answered. I hope they could answer them, also help me with my new power.
     "Great, see you tomorrow then." Mistory said.
     "Wait! I still have so many questions!" I said as they were turning to walk away.
     "You can ask them tomarrow." Dragolya said reasuringly.
     "Just one?" I begged. "Please?"
     They just stared at me so I figured I had permission to speak.
     "Um...How come I didn't see you at school?" I asked. I immediately regretted that question when there were so many other better questions I could have asked.
     "We kind of grew out of school..." Dragolya answered.
     I wasn't quite sure what see meant, but like she said I would have plenty of time for questions tomarrow. I figited not surewhat to say. "So, tomorrow?" I asked.
     "Tomorrow." Mistory repeated. They walked off into the woods, then began a conversation that was too quiet for me to understand.
       I started out of the woods cautiously and grabbed my bag. The road back home seemed long as I pondered in thought about what just happened. I finally found my drive way, when I noticed my mom's car was in the drive. My mom was home already? Was I really gone that long? I ran up to the door, and opened it slowly so she wouldn't hear me come in. I set my bag down slowly. I shut the door to what I thought was quiet, but it was loud enough for my mom to hear it in the kitchen.
     She poked her head out of the kitchen door. "Amber! Where have you been? I got worried."
     "I went back into the woods after school, sorry, I meant to come back earlier" I said. 
     I didn't lie, I just didn't want to worry my mother even more right now, plus all this information might be a bit of a shock to her. And I still wasn't sure if she really knew Dad was a dragon. Man that felt weird to think.
     "Oh, ok. So I suspect you'll be staying after school every day then?" my mom asked.
     This was perfect. "Really! Can I? Awesome!" I said excitedly, ran to my mom and gave her a hug.
     "Ya, totally, every one needs fresh air after school. It was just as boring when I was in highschool." My Mom said. She looked down at me and stroked my hair. "You may have my looks, but you are so much like you're..." she paused.
     "Like... who?" I pressed.
     "... Your grandmother." She said quickly, not giving me enough time to ask 'father'. She left my hug and went to the counter. I don't even know my grandmother. "Do you have homework?" My mom asked, obviously changing the subject before I could speak.
     "Yes." I answered running upstairs with my bag in a huff.
     As I did my homework in my room, I wondered... what power might I have? I looked around my room to see if anybody was looking, which I realized was stupid because of course there's no one there. I set down my homework. I stretched my hand out to the wall in front of me, and flexed my arm. Nothing. I pulled back my arm then extended it really fast, then slowly. Nothing.
     I felt like a complete idiot, trying to make power come out of my hands. I tried all these different moves just to see if something would happen, I even said some - somewhat - magic words to help, like "Abrakadabra!" and "Hocus Pocus!", and maybe even some Harry Potter spell names too. Nothing. This was a waste of time. I needed help from Mistory and Dragolya.
     I closed my eyes and lowered my head, and got comfortable on my bed. I thought of happy things. None of those worked. I thought of my mom, and how much I love her. I smiled, inside and out, from all the joyous memories and feelings I thought about. I opened my eyes, giving up, and because I felt content with how I was feeling at that moment. Happy.
     I looked up to notice that the supposedly dead lavender on my window sill, was no longer dead. As I stared at it, it grew and grew into more of a beautiful flower, ever so slowly. Then it stopped when there were two over fully grown lavender flowers in the pot.
     I walked up to it out of curiosity. I grazed the flowers with my fingers, then the flower moved. I hesitated. Its long leaf slowly curled around my finger, like it was hugging it. I couldn't help but smile, as if that leaf was a horse with a gentle personality.
     I was always afraid of my touch to plants and how they would move at my command. Now that it's happened so many times, I realized that it was beautiful.
     I used this feeling again to control the plant. It did what I wanted it to, the lavender plant moved into a heart formation.           
     I looked outside to my mom's garden. I stared at it for a while, willing it to grow. Finally something moved, some of the plants started to grow. I could see the green vines coming out of the ground, and leaves forming on them.
     My mom walked outside to water her new garden. My concentration was lost and the plants stopped growing. She stopped in her tracks and dropped a few tools, and inspected the new growth of her plants.
     I looked up to see that the tree that was across from my window started to move as well. I practiced on it. It kept growing slowly, then I stopped it. I focused on a certain spot in the middle of the trunk, then it started to shift, the tree seemed to be sucking itself inward making certain lines. As it kept making lines I could make out what it was, the tree made a letter A in its trunk.