Spirit Fire - Amos

Chapter 13 - Bonding

The next morning, I was woken early by a baby dragon hopping around on and off of me, squeaking and chirping as it did.

     "Good morning, little one!" I smiled and got up. I was lying beside Icarus in the dragon stable on the hay bale again.

     I got up, nudged the hatchling aside and went into the living room where Vitalli sat on a chair, reading the Book of Dragons. He was on the page with the black dragon but then flipped to a page with a dragon similar to Icarus when he saw me enter.

     Eldon came scrambling in after me, little talons slipping and sliding on the hardwood floor while Icarus was content with poking his head through the glassless window again.

     Much of the little dragon's energy influenced my mood, making me more cheerful than usual. I am not always a morning person.

     "Good morning, Aaron. Are you hungry?" He asked but tossed a biscuit at me without waiting for an answer. The rest of the biscuits lay on a clay plate on the table in front of him.

     "Good morning . . . I guess?" I took a bite out of the bread and walked over to sit across from him. "Thank you!"

     The dragon hatchling jumped up on my lap and squirmed through my arms and despite my attempts to push him away, he managed to snap a few pieces of biscuit, only to spit them back out on to the floor.

     "Not much of a bread eater then, huh little one?"

     Icarus made a short puff and corrected me, saying, "It's Eldon, not little one. You are the little one . . . to me that is."

     I looked over at him and asked, "Where did you get that name from?"

     "I have had that name for a long time, chosen by both the mother and I." He straightened his neck and closed his eyes, saying no more.

     My uncle and I nodded and continued talking.

     "Today, Aaron, you are going to learn about the mind of a dragon. More specifically, Eldon's."

     Icarus scoffed and flared his nostrils in disagreement. "He is too young! How do you expect the hatchling's mind to take the capacity of a human presence?"

     Vitalli shot a glare at the large, blue dragon and replied, "Because, Icarus, his species is stronger in the mind. He is strong, especially since he's had how many years to develop his own mental strength by nature? Have you forgotten that the shell repels any form or power of magic or being from going in, but not of that going out? He has had practice, I promise."

     Icarus gave no reply other than puffing a cloud of smoke and looking away.

     Vitalli returned his attention to me. "Now you will need to develop a bond with Eldon. In order to do that, you need to establish the mental link between you, as when Icarus has spoken to you in your mind."

     I looked at Eldon, who sat on the floor staring back at me, and smiled. The dragon chirped.

     "Now close your eyes," Vitalli began. "Good. Now clear your mind from any images or memories. Once you have done that, search for any presence. Try finding the link between you and Icarus."

     I closed my eyes and searched my mind for a link, scrunching my eyes as I struggled to do so.

     Noticing my struggle, Icarus helped. Here, young one.

     As he said it, a bright strand of blue and purple light flared in my mind. It strummed with energy as Icarus talked.

     "Do you see it?"