Finding Thunder

Chapter 5

Zirsidias growled lowly in annoyance as the rain pelted his at his face and slowly lifted his head, 'It seems one of our sisters has arrived.'

Laramie opened one fiery red eye and regarded his brother, 'Nindyrry paves the way for Iozzeon. Salides follows in Iozzeon's wake.'

With a sudden down pouring or cold rain and thud, Nindyrry the Bearer landed gracefully on her plinth. 'Greetings my brothers! Much time has passed since last we met.'

Laramie rose from his perch and regarded his sister with a critical eye, 'Something seems different with you, sister.' Her scales were still the same deep shade of bronze she had been hatched with, her eyes still the same clear blue of the sky at mid-day, but something was just... different.

She smiled knowingly at him, 'You need not worry. All is well.' She settled herself on her perch and allowed a light size to fall over her mind and body.

--

They had been traveling for days, only stopping at one village in the last seven. For every night of those seven days, Lucas heard that same sibilant voice whispering in his mind just as sleep was pulling him under. And finally, it was here; the Brayth Mountains last for miles to the north and south.

He could feel his magic guiding him forward, reaching and grasping for something that was just... there.

The deep and creaking voice of Proxdal broke him out of his pondering. "...to travel a little south before a traversable path opens up to the Northeast." He placed a sturdy hand on Lucas's shoulder, "Welcome to the home of your father, Dragon Born."

--

A flash of lightning slammed into the floor of their cave setting of small sparks and causing three loud, snarling hisses to echo in the silence. Annoyed to be awoken so rudely, Laramie pulled the stone plinth quickly into the ground.

The startled shriek caused a smile to pull at his muzzle; it grew when he heard the two accompanying rumbles of laughter. He watched as his final sister plopped gracelessly to the floor and so was the entrance of Iozzeon the Firestarter. 'Welcome sister,' came his gravelly voice.

'Was that really necessary, Laramie?' She hissed at him peevishly, 'It was just a little lightning.'

'Just a little lightening she says. As if she didn't earn her moniker by starting hundreds of fires across these lands.' The voice was deep and soft, the sibilance of it sounding more like a purr.

No sound, no movement, nothing ever forewarned the coming of Salides the Harbinger of Death. 

--

Three more days had passed by easily. Lucas found himself constantly at the front of the troop, the closer they came to their destination the more agitated he became and the itching between his shoulders blades increased. His magic was excited but calm and it was the only thing that kept him from losing his temper.

He found the trek over the hilly ground easier on his legs in their dragon state and so found himself half transformed daily. He could now transform his entire body but his wings were still just that annoying itch in his shoulders. At night Lillian would have him rest on his stomach and she would feed healing energy into the sore muscles and the stretched tendons. It helped lessen his need for her, her sharing her energy with him soothing his nerves.

'Almost there, Child, just a little further.' 

His shoulders gave a violent twitch and the tearing of his shirt was heard clearly to all in the troop. They stopped in shock as their vision was filled with the sight of a magnificent pair of emerald green wings.