The Book Of Dragons

Chapter 10 part 1: Dracobond

We sat in silence for a while. Just the two of us, staring at the fire. I kept thinking I could see images in the flames, scenes of... well, not pleasant scenes.

I must have drifted off at some point, because I had another of the odd nightmares. It was even clearer again this time.
There was fire. Lots of it. Burning the forest, burning the city. I was in one place, then the other, flitting back and forth between the two sites. The all-consuming fire obliterating everything. Figures formed in the flames. Dragons, massive ones, larger than life, clawing and tearing and biting and burning. Destroying. I dropped to my knees. Screamed. A distant voice calling my name... I couldn't hear, muffled, confused. Red shape in front of me. Vision blurring. Fire everywhere. It burned, all of a sudden. Screamed again. Something holding me, couldn't move...

I woke to my own screams, surrounded by leathery skin and scales, and the distant voice became clear.
Aoife! Aoife calm down, stop- OW!
I was crying. I started trembling, shaking and I couldn't stop.
Augh... Ok. Calm down. It's ok. Just a dream, right?
"Just a dream... just a dream just a dream just a dream..." I repeated.
Shh... You're ok. You're safe. Wanna talk about it?
I shook my head, still muttering.
Ok. I'm right here Aoife. You can go back to sleep-
"Fire." I blurted. "Fire everywhere, and it burned and I couldn't stop it, and it's all going to be my fault and I-"
Stop. Aoife, don't.
I stuttered into silence.
I've had the same.

It took a second for it to sink in.
"What?"

I've had the same dreams. About fire. It always feels like there was a catastrophe and that it was my fault, my fate to cause this disaster...
"Why? Why are we getting these?"
I don't know.
"How come they're the same for both of us?"
I think... Dracobond. We were destined to meet, destined to bond.
"Destiny?"
Yes... Dragons can bond with Dragonwhisperers. Through a single moment of blind trust. When we first met, you treated my wound. That took a lot of bravery and trust on your part, to approach a dragon unarmed. It also forced me to trust that you wouldn't make it worse. I don't know why I trusted you back then, but I did. Definitely Dracobond, thinking about it now.
"So this bond... must be really special then."
One of a kind. It can only be broken by death itself.

I fell silent to take in the new information. It took a moment to understand, but it seemed that Spike and I were destined to meet. Without him, I wouldn't have discovered my abilities. I would have most likely become a dragonhunter.
I would have become my father.

"I... I think we should try something. We should try to get people on our side, the people in the city, they can learn about dragons. They can learn that we're not all bad.
Yeah... Did you just say "we"?
"Oh, umm... I guess I did. What does it matter anyway?"
That you consider yourself one of us, that you view your connection with dragonkind that highly; that is the final and strongest proof of Dracobond.
"Hm. Well, it doesn't change what I said. We have to convince the people."
Start small, Aoife.
I stopped for a second, thinking.
"Oh, don't you worry. I know exactly where to start. But, sleep comes first. I think I'll be ok."
Alright.

Spike curled his tail and settled down, circling me with the length of his body and tail. I smiled as he beckoned for me to join him with a small growl, one of soft sincerity, that could so easily be mistaken for something more violent. I cuddled down next to him, his smooth scales radiating heat from inside his body. Spike stretched one wing over me and we stared silently into the dying embers.

Dragon and human,
Fire the colour of their souls,
Learn to live as one.

Silence.

That's a haiku that a Japanese dragonwhisperer wrote about Dracobond. I always found it beautiful, but never did I think I would find a bond of my own.
"Fire the colour of their souls..." I repeated softly.
Fire the colour of our souls.

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Hello people! I am feeling really bad about not updating anything, so I'm going to try to get the entirety of chapter 10 done in the next few days if possible. Keep an eye out for new parts!

Keep reading, liking and commenting! The more feedback I get, the more I write!
Thanks!

-Dragonite