League of Improbable Riders

1

If you're interested about any of these dragons you can look them up in my A Guide to Dragons.

creepakilla

Shaska strode confidently down the straight, seemingly endless hallway; her dragon—a deep-blue Jewel-flame named Taz—clacked behind her.

Shaska was second-in-command amongst the dragon riders of the Cyclone Mountains, despite her young age: she was only fourteen. She had been summoned to a private meeting with her commander—and she had suspicions why.

"Shaska!" a call echoed suddenly down the empty hall.

Shaska and Taz turned to see the brown haired boy, Rougim, approaching them atop his camo Ripglider, Shadow.

Rogue was the only person Shaska could be herself around—not even excluding her own brother—and he was like her twin. They were even the same age—to the very day—and had known each other from when they were about a week old; Rogue's mother had arrived outside the Mountain's Gate heavy with child, and had died giving birth, so Shaska's father and mother—Silron the Steadfast, who was leader of the dragon tamers, and Rilleta—had looked after the youngster.

After his death, Silron's son, Jareck, had taken his father's place; now only he and a few elders knew who Rogue's father was.

"Shaska, Taz, wait up!" he called again, as Shadow leapt up and spread her wings to fly toward them. "Where are you off to?" he grinned as they thumped beside Shaska and Taz, his blue eyes sparkling.

Rougim was different, his eyes were blue, rather than the usual black or brown that the people of V'relden had; Shaska's were a strange grey-green.

The girl made a face. "Meeting with Jareck."

"Oh. Oops." Rougim laughed; he knew, as well, why Jareck wanted to meet with her.

"What're you doing here, Rogue?" Shaska asked, tilting her head at him.

"I just wanted to see if you were free: I've got permission to leave, so we can go deal with a Commoner village or something."

Shaska's eyes sparkled, but she hesitated, "I dunno, Rogue."

A sudden thought struck her. "How did you manage that?" she asked suspiciously. "I can't imagine Jareck letting us out."

Rogue turned red; grinning slightly, "Um, I bribed the guards," he admitted.

"Rogue! You can't do that!"

"Oh, come on! It'll be fun! You know you want to," he teased.

Shaska sighed and gave in, "Alright, you win. I do want to."

"All right!" he cheered. "See you after your 'meeting'," he chuckled as Shadow leaped into the air and winged away.

"This isn't a good idea," Taz rumbled warningly.

Taming a dragon allowed one to understand the speech of the dragon's type. A useful skill to have, considering that the dragons could translate the speech of other tribes.

Shaska shook her head as she stared after Shadow's disappearing tail. "No," she agreed with her dragon, "it's probably not. But think of the fun we'll have, Taz!"

Taz sighed a gust of smoke, "Shaska."

"Taz," she teased back, "stop being a party pooper!"

The blue dragon growled, beating both sets of his navy wings. "Well if we're gonna go against Jareck and Fury's wishes, we may as well get this all over with. Get on my back."

Shaska turned and looked him in his zircon-blue eyes. "Do you really not want to do it? We won't if you don't."

Taz rumble-chuckled slightly, "I do, actually. I just can't be bothered getting in trouble again!"

Shaska scratched his neck as she mounted into the leather saddle situated on the dragon's back. "We'll be fine, Taz, don't worry."

"I don't, I'm just tired of being roared at all the time, it's aggravating."

Shaska laughed, "Oh well, we'll survive.

"Let's go!"

Taz crouched, raising his wings, and then suddenly launched himself into the air, twisting upside down and then upright again as he rose.

"Woo hoo!" Shaska cheered, feeling a thrill as she always did when Taz did that.