Chronicles of Carnezia (Book 2): Wilderness

Chapter 3: Pleasant Greetings

Chapter 3: Pleasant Greetings

            Frain and I spent the next couple of days (unplanned) here with the elder dragons and humans. It turned out that these were indeed the oldest Tamers still alive. I met all but the oldest dragon and all of the Tamers that lived here. Alba stayed the closest and she portrayed an air of being a very caring dragon, though her age was possibly apart of the reasons why. Zika appeared and disappeared as he willed and even when he did come back it was with a large deer that he ate within two or three mouthfuls. The other four that I had met each had just as strange names and had their own personalities that differed so much from one to the next.

            Ilana was the youngest that lived here and she was the most adventurous. In fact, we had just arrived in time to meet her as she had just come back from a long journey from the mountains in the deep south. It didn’t take that long to discovery that she was mates with the youngest male, Kir. Seeing, for the first time, two dragons that are together was the strangest thing ever. From a distance, a human would think they would be fighting but the reason for the nudging, growling, biting and other weird stuff was to prove they were still as strong as ever. Frain was the one who taught me this as none of the others would. Even he got a bit flustered over being around them.

            The more I learnt from the old dragons, the more confused I became but then again, a race such as this would be very complicated to understand. Ebra even admitted that he still found out a few things now and again of Zika’s character. Out of the six Tamers, only two of them were women and they were just as nice as the other two women I knew well enough in this world. Being here was so much different from being in Dracona; they lived in such a very strange manner but I was happy to just do as I wanted.

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            It came too soon that Frain, Aspen and I had to leave. All the dragons had said goodbye the day before and were nowhere to be seen; their Tamers were now saying their farewells now and Ebra was the last; I was now in the saddle when he handed me something.

            ‘The dragons made this for you for your help with the eggs. None of us really understand why but then again they have their own minds,’ he said handing me a chained pendant.

            Turning the metal base over, I saw what the necklace represented. There were seven stones set into the metal; six on the outside and one large one in the middle. It was clear what the jewels were there for; each one matched the colour of the dragons themselves. Zika’s maroon garnet, Alba’s pale green opal, Ilana’s bright orange topaz, Gera’s azure sapphire, Kir’s rose quartz and a deep purple amethyst made up the outside six gems. The one set in the centre was onyx black with grey veins, it was twice as big as the others as well and I could only guess this was in the place of the eldest dragon who I still hadn’t met.

            Slipping the chain over my head, I set the pendant proudly on show as it hung from around my neck. ‘Could you tell them thank you from me?’ I asked Ebra.

            ‘Of course but I’m sure they wouldn’t have made it if they didn’t think you were worth wearing their colours,’ he said to me with his now familiar smile. ‘Take care, Carly, and I’m sure you and Frain will spend many years together.’ It was a strange goodbye but friendly all the same.

            ‘We will. Thank you for your hospitality and I won’t forget this.’ There wasn’t anything more to say so Aspen trotted off and we headed away from the hills.

            We had only trotted away about a mile when we were suddenly disturbed. A huge shadow fell from the sky and landed before us. Aspen whinnied and would have fled in the other direction if it weren’t for me reeling the reins in.