Inferno Legacy: Valor of the Dragon (Book One)

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

            Blackscales was surprised that Omen had decided to name the wolf pup after him, but even more surprised that it was his last name that he used. Ashheart was the name that his family earned for a reason that he couldn’t even recall, but everyone knew it was a strange reason. Such dark names were usually only given to families that have a bad past, and whatever gave Blackscales’s family that name, made everyone else wary of them when it was spoken, and his friends were well aware.

            “Are you sure that’s a good name for a puppy?” Autumn asked, voicing Blackscales’s thoughts.

            Omen looked at her with slight irritation gleaming in his eyes before replying, “The man who that name belonged to first turned out to be something unique, special, and amazing, and this pup has the same potential so he deserves an equally great name.”

            Autumn shook her head in displeasure before saying, “Come on; we should get going. Whatever that pup’s name is doesn’t matter right now, and it probably never will. The next ally we meet that knows about Wargals will be taking him off our hands if I have to chuck him at them myself.”

            Blackscales chuckled, until he realized that while Autumn was joking slightly, she would have been willing to do just that. The rider was confused about her, since she usually liked animals at least a little bit. Something was definitely off about her, but he couldn’t even begin to pinpoint it.

            “Alright, let’s get a move on and go as far as we can before nightfall,” Omen said in response to her, pulling Blackscales from his thoughts.

            The dragon rider decided that he’d try to confront Autumn when they got the chance to be alone, but for now he’d try not to bring too much attention to it. He waited a few moments until his human companions started moving again, and they pressed on. Inferno leapt up into the air so he and his rider could fly without focusing on the pointless conversation of the others. Sometimes it seemed that Omen was bored with the others’ talk, but for once he seemed pretty occupied from the few glimpses they got from above. Ashheart had definitely stolen the blacksmith’s heart, and it already seemed that it would be hard to separate them when the time came.

            Blackscales sighed, troubling the dragon.

            “What’s wrong?” Inferno asked, deeply concerned.

            The rider moaned as he tried to separate his thoughts enough to talk to the dragon, “Omen is growing pretty attached to the Wargal pup when we’re probably going to have to get rid of him soon, and Autumn is acting strangely.”

            “What do you mean when you say that she’s strange?” Inferno said as he swopped over the trees. “From what I’ve seen of her so far, she seems to have complete disregard for most beings.”

            Blackscales was suddenly very confused, and said, “How did you know that I was talking about her reaction to the pup? I know I haven’t told you.”

            Inferno turned his head slightly to show Blackscales a single, devious eye before replying, “Our bond is growing. I can hear your thoughts when they are sent directly to me from great distances, but when we are actually touching, I can read your thoughts even if you try to conceal them. And if I’m not mistaken, eventually we will get to a point where I can feel your very emotions, even at a distance.”

            Blackscales sat there in silence, completely surprised before the dragon said, “You see? I can read you pretty well without you telling me, enough to know that you were about to ask me how I do it. The same way I talk to Omen; by extending my consciousness to the world outside my own head.”