Dragon Mind

11

I was slow to wake the next morning, pwaiting until I had uncurled from my bed and stretched to open my eyes. From my window I caught the first few rays of golden sunlight. Dimitri had come to visit me in my dreams. If I went back to sleep would he still be resting, still be asleep? In dreams I did not feel as if I had to act a certain way, no in dreams. I felt free, as if I could enjoy laying back into him. I wanted to feel his arms around me as we sat beneath a tree. I would run my fingers over his arms, enjoying the velvet coat that his skin made over the lean steel of muscle. I sighed at the thought that would be nice, though unlikely to ever happen.

I turned from my window and redressed in my armor. I hurt less that day. I was unsure if that was due to my intisappation for a sparring match with Dimitri or if I had really healed so much. What ever the reason I was much happier. A small giggle pasted my lips as I headed to my door. My smile stayed in place the entire walk from my room to the training field. I had to stop myself from skipping a few times.

Mistress is happy.

I stopped. Who was that. At my feet the five pups wagged their tails.

Alpha will have wings as well as paws. Alpha have another familiar, this one more fit for bata rank than we outflankers and hunters.

It was odd hearing all of them speak at once. Another familiar one that called me Mistress where the others called me alpha, or so I had learned during the night. My mode shifted slightly from full on excitement to excited curiosity. I had to trust that the little familiar would find me the same as the other five though.

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Dimitri was already at the field. Jade was giving him a wicked target also known​ as her tail. She paid little mind to the ways it swung. I watched as the thick scales clashed against steel. The rang echoed through the ring. The others stood watching along with me as Dimitri managed to avoid one fast swipe, only to be thrown through the air when it changed direction just after passing him. He landed with a thud on the unyelding ground, there was no worse foe than the ground. He did not stay down long before poping back up and dusting himself off.

It did allow me to see the full entirely of Jade's tail. It was like every dragon tail I had ever seen, getting slimmer and more whip like as it got to the end. It was the scales that fooled me, a ring of thick armored scales circled the tip, hiding it from anyone who did not know to look for it. Like my nest enclosed me it enclosed the tip making it look larger. She looked over at me and nodded.

Dimitri turned to look at me. A smile lighting his face as he looked at me. Mistress should mate and move on. Dimitri looked shocked and pointed with a questioning brow to the pups.I shook my head and shrugged.

Let him guess child, I find that far more fun. I laughed lightly as I more closer to the two of them. He was dressed in all black, the edging was lined with light blue. The whole outfit was skin tight leather that made me want to agree with my still hidden sixth familiar. Hit that and then quit it. As it is however I do not think he would let me. I really need to work this off before I act on it. I dropped the saber and unloaded my armor.

Father's voice rang out across the field, "Make room! Dimitri Black Dragon Vs. Diana Five Dire! Remove your extra weapons, shirts, and shoes!" I made quick work of the removal. Dimitri did not question it. Then again he was a rider, he had likely had to deal with many different protocols. I curled my toes in the sand, closing my eyes as I took a deep breath. On my back I knew the very little nubs that tensed and flexed in hope. For the first time since my fifth nameday. I had just learned to use a broadsword when mother had guards drag me from my bed and clipped my fins in the night. I had been blind for nearly three weeks afterword. Now as they started growing in I found I had an entirely different problem, seeing too much. I opened my eyes and allowed my muscles to relax. Jade had curled herself into a sunny spot of the training grounds only a hundred yards away. Under the shade of one of her wings sat my five dire wolves, with perked ears and wagging tails. Dimitri had taken a relaxed stance of his own just eight feet from me. His feet wide, shoulders back, and eyes focused. "Begin," came my father's whispered voice. But I knew we both hear it.

Silence fell onto the field. Many held their breathes as we stood in that single moment, I myself had to force my breath. The air grew thick and I knew much as I might not want to that on this day I would not win.

Not a twitch but the blink of his eyes were the only warning I got before he moved. Memory and instinct were the only saving grace when his sword fell heavy in an arched swing for my shoulder. Hold your ground and kick out to his knees. His strike was strong, and jarred me, but it had brought him within easy reach of my feet. Normally that ment easy end but his weight were pressing on me as well as the sword. I stuck out with my foot and hit just below the knee. I might not win but I'm gonna give you one hell of a fight buddy.