The Dragon Trainer's Tale

The Tree City

     The new road was not as clear or wide as the South Road. Few people used it, so it was an overgrown, narrow path. The horses had more trouble on it and branches were continually whipping Kira in the face. From the red stripes on Kitty and Jack's faces, she knew that it was the same for them. But she didn't complain. Kira needed to go this route, and complaining would do nothing. 

     Surprisingly, Kitty also remained silent. It appeared she was too afraid that someone would make her go back and face The Lynx if she complained.

     Jack did complain. He still didn't think much of going West and adding onto their journey, but for Kitty he didn't try to make them turn back. He complained about the branch lashes and the increasingly bad state of the path. He complained so much that even Achter couldn't stand him anymore and came to sleep next to Kira. By the second morning, Kira had had enough.

     "Shut up Jack! Just shut up! If we two women can handle it without incessant grumbling, then I think you can too." 

     After that, Jack stayed mostly silent. He still cursed and muttered when a branch whipped him in the face or Morlan stumbled over a root or hole. But there was no help for that. By the third evening on the Western road, Kira was feeling discouraged again. How much farther was it to the Court of the Talnael King? The last two nights Tenor had said that they still had quite far to go. But Kitty and Jack had been discussing how long it would be until the road turned South, and by their reckoning it was going to be sometime the next day. She was out of time.

     "Hello, Kira." Tenor yawned when she saw the human coming. "Still a bit farther I'm afraid. Another two days, I would guess. It would be so much faster if humans could fly like dragons. Why can't you just climb on my back and we'll go around Daranall to warn the Seven Dragon Rulers? Why must you waste time crawling along with those two humans?"

     "I told you!" Kira snapped. "I'm with Kitty and Jack now, and they will be very suspicious if I leave right in the middle of the Seigen Forest. Also, there are fewer large dragons in Baernell or Allestam. And there are none like you." Tenor chimed her bell sound, apparently taking Kira's words as a compliment. Kira softened a little. "There are people searching for big dragons, Tenor. If they see you, you will get captured, tortured, threatened, and enslaved. I can't let that happen! You have to stay in the wilder parts of Daranall. There's no where to hide in the more civilized parts."

     Tenor growled. "Are you suggesting that I leave you?"

     Kira sighed. She had known Tenor would object to this plan. "You must realize that you can't stay with us. You have no where to hide. So unless you can turn invisible, we're out of luck." 

     Tenor considered this for several moments, then said thoughtfully - "Well, I can't exactly turn invisible, but I can do this." She seemed to hold her breath and concentrate, her tail twisting into a coil and clenching, then before Kira's eyes, she disappeared. Kira stared, open mouthed. After a few moments, Kira realized that Tenor was still sitting there, but had taken on the exact colour of the trees and grass behind her. 

     "Why didn't you tell me you could do that?!" Kira demanded. Tenor snorted.

     "I really don't like to do it. It's very unnerving to look down and not see yourself. And doing it makes my scales itch and my stomach hurt. My vision gets blurry too." A ripple seemed to run through the trees and grass as Tenor shuddered. "It makes me rather irritable when I do it. But I'll manage if I must."

     Kira sighed. So Tenor was going to come. It was still incredibly dangerous, but less so. And if Tenor could camouflage herself, then there was no longer any reason for them to stay with Kitty and Jack. And that, Kira told herself, is a blessing. Despite this, she felt a little sad to leave them. It's only because I'll have to leave Hirleder, she thought angrily. I can't bring him on Tenor.