Dragon Rider in the Modern World.

Strengthening our bond.

The next days passed that way. I spent most of the time with Isdalrí, talking to her, and watching her grow. Honestly, in just a week since she'd hatched, she'd grown to be longer than my arm, and almost as tall as my knee-height, which was pretty high, since I was 1.80 m tall. I couldn't carry her anymore, and she was already too big to climb on my shoulder. I'd learned a lot about dragons too. I'd researched and read everything I could about them. Sometimes Isdalrí would send me mind videos of what I assumed were some kind of ancestral memories, since they showed many dragons, but weirdly, no Riders.

Isdalrí was already learning to fly a little, well mainly gliding, but it was a vey big improvement, even if she got tired pretty quickly. The week finished, and it was time to go home. That night we got into the car, and I told her to follow discreetly, so that no one would see or hear her. When we were close enough to home, I gave her directions so that she could find the woods where she could stay in. I promised that I would come back next day after school.

I woke up early the next day for school, got ready, packed my things in my backpack and went down for breakfast. I had gloves, for the times where I  couldn't hide my mark by keeping my hands busy, which was only for recess, as the rest of the time I would be most likely taking notes. I got onto my bike, riding well ahead of my sister.

The school day passed as slow as if Kronos were slowing time. Usually I enjoyed school, but I was too excited to get to the stables to

a) see Flicka, since I had been a week without her and

b) go on a trail ride to visit Isdalrí.

Finally, the last bell rang, and I quickly packed my things, got onto my bike, and headed to the stables. When I got there, I changed into my horseback riding clothes, and went to get Flicka.

"Hey girl, how are you doing?" I said, putting on her halter, and leading her to the cross ties. I groomed and saddled her, and went into the ring. I worked on flatwork to warm her up, and then took her over the small course that Chloe, my trainer had set up for another class.   A while later, she came over to look at my progress.

"Very good. Flicka has been improving a lot. Just use your legs more."

She had been a birthday/early Christmas present from all my family, and for the few weeks I'd had her, I'd been working on training her to be more responsive to my aids, and to jump higher. She was a black Hanoverian, with only a white star. She was far from being a one thousand buck mare, like others in the stable, but I'd worked really hard on proving my parents that I was ready for a horse of my own, and then on her training. I loved her just the way she was.

"Can I cool her down on a trail ride?"

"All right, but don't take so long, I know you like exploring that forest."

"I'll be back around 5pm. I want to look at something."

"Ok."

I rode Flicka until I found the place that Isdalrí had sent me in a mental image. Shortening my reins to have more control over Flicka if she spooked, which was likely. I called my partner, and she swiped down from the trees. Obviously Flicka spooked. It would be very scary to suddenly see an animal as ferocious as Isdalrí was, without any warning. As I thought that, a feeling of approval rushed though our connection. "Proud little dragon." I thought. Then again, I was too, but definitely not as much. Anyways, I calmed Flicka down, and spent half an hour with her, talking to her using mental images and videos.