Soar

Chapter 4

In the end, feeding the dragon required less from me than I had expected. The hunters dropped the deer carcass and a brace of rabbits in front of the creature's nose and left without a word. All I had to do was wait until the next morning to collect whatever scraps remained.

All night I could hear the dragon ripping into the deer and crunching on bones. I barely slept, but when morning came I had to force myself to leave the wagon.

The dragon had a deer leg bone between his massive forefeet and was gnawing it like a dog. The effect was ruined because of his long neck, which he had to curl around to get at the bone. When I approached, he stopped his gnawing and stared at me.

Resolute, I turned my back to him and started gathering up scattered skulls and spines, wondering how the dragon had managed to pick clean something so small. All the while I could feel his eyes on my back. He would stare until I ran away, as I had already done twice.

Finally, I gave up. "Will you stop that?" Dropping the bones in my hands, I whirled on the dragon. My foot caught on something and I threw out my hands to catch myself. Gray scales filled my vision and I stumbled back, swallowing a scream.

The dragon had stretched out his neck and I had kicked his snout. My hands were warm from his breath. Rabbit skulls crunched under my heel. The dragon blinked at me.

"I.... Stop. No. I w-would make a poor meal." My foot slipped on a bone and I almost fell.

The dragon's head followed my retreat until his neck reached its length. Then he shifted his body forward. He pressed me all the way to the wagon. Though my hands shook, I kept my eyes on his face. For a long, terrible minute, he did not move. His orange eyes held mine and he waited, making low noises in his chest.

Raising his head so it was level with mine, the dragon inhaled deeply. His wings lifted and fluttered a little. Then he breathed out in my face and pulled away.

Bones forgotten, I slipped around the wagon and hurried into the camp.

"Have you already watered the dragon?" Tala asked as I rushed past.

I was on my way to the meal tent, hoping breakfast would give me time to collect myself. The horses were tethered in a line and Tala moved among them, filling buckets with oats.

"I-I... No. Not yet."

Tala glanced sharply at me. "Why not?"

"I was clearing the bones and.... He would not stop." Avoiding her eyes, I wiped my palms on my skirt.

"What are you going on about, girl?" she demanded.

My breath caught in my throat. "The dr-dragon. He.... Has he ever eaten anyone?"

"You're afraid of that creature?" I looked up to see her put a hand on her hip. "He is the least of your worries. If you let him go without water, Master will have your hide. Or send you to the nearest Yard."

Leaving this place, even if it was for another Yard, was not something I was opposed to. "He stares at me. I can't...." I rubbed my arms.

Tala was pitiless. "He stares at everybody. It is the most harm he can cause. You had best go now and see to him before people arrive." When I did not move, she flapped her hands at me. "Now, girl!"

I took my time getting the water, and when I returned to the dragon's place, I found a man already there. He was an older man I recognized as one of Master Bennu's people. Hearing my approach, he turned. His bushy gray eyebrows rose.

"Are you the dragon girl?"

The title made me pause. Behind the man, the dragon had resumed his sleeping. The end of his tail twitched next to his nose. "Yes, sir," I said at last.