The Book Of Timendra

Chapter 12: The Rescue Mission Part 3; Eve Callister

I stand frozen, as close to the heart of the forest as I deem safe, cautiously observing the tree. Amber runs up next to me, crunching footsteps echoing throughout the forest. I cringed. 'Shh! I'm sensing magic wavelengths coming from that tree!' I attempt to sign. Amber tilted her head quizzically. "What does that mean?" She asks, laughing loudly. The tree begins to bubble and morph.

"I said; Shh! I'm sensing magical wavelengths coming from that tree!" I hiss, frightened, and annoyed. I begin to draw my power to my fingertips. I feel a shiver run down my spine, As the familiar warm, buzzing feeling engulfs my hands.

"Oh." Amber replies staring wide eyed at the deformed shape the tree was taking.

"Don't just stand there! Get ready to fight! This could be a-"

"Why did you wake me up?" I hear a little girl ask. I return my gaze to the tree. It was just a tree nymph. Amber snorted loudly, in an effort not to laugh, and I shot her a glare. I am just glad that Claudia isn't here.

I imagined her smirk as she says, "Cough cough. Paranoid cough Dumb*ss. Cough." I blush, both with annoyance and embarrassment. I look up and smile.

"I'm sorry-"

"Eeep!" The little nymph shrieks, retreating inside her tree.

"What's her deal?" Amber asks.

"... Amber... Run!"

"What?" Amber asks, not moving. I grab my inattentive friend's arm, and take off. I attempt to channel a bit of magic into my feet so I can run faster, a technique I learned in PE, but it just pools there dormantly. I had never been good at grey magic.

The huge shadowy figure bounded between the tree's behind us. I glance back, only to see a blur, as the creature zig zags across the path.

"Not fast enough!" I grunt frustratedly, pulling Amber off the path and into the bushes.

"What are we doing?" Amber asks loudly. I hold a frantic finger to my lips peering through the bushes.

"Make something so we can run faster!" I hiss. Amber doesn't move, confused. "Now! There's something chasing us! Something huge!" Amber's eyes widen with terror. She gasps quietly.

"Oh no! The baby dragon! I have to find her before that thing does."

"Dragon?" I ask, unsure if I heard correctly. Amber nods vigorously.

"Uh huh. I befriended a baby dragon in the cave." Amber replies, looking this way and that.

"Baby dragon?" I murmur, unable to digest this new information.

"That's what I said." Amber says, taking off after a trail of broken branches, and large footprints. Eventually we come across a purple dragon, the size of a medium evergreen. It is slowly walking in a circle, with its eyes on the ground, whining. Amber rushes over to the humongous beast, touching its nose. "It's okay little one. I'm here now." The dragon's mood cheers dramatically, and she begins playfully nudging Amber. She approaches me, but I quickly back away. The dragon successfully interprets my message.

"Doesn't she have a name?" I ask, after mustering up the courage to speak.

"No. I haven't had time to give it any real thought, and names are important. Especially for dragons."

"I think she's what I saw." I say motioning towards the dragon. Amber nods in relief. I glance around the clearing, and gain sight of the heart. Claudia isn't here yet. "Why don't we come up with a name while we wait for Claudia?" Amber nods again becoming serious. "Were you the first one she saw?"