Dawn's Light

Chapter 12

After the two had flown for quite a distance over the source of several nights, Verbena noted a collection of strange structures at the base of a horizon-spanning mountain far in the distance. 'There's something strange out there,' she paused, 'maybe it is somewhere we can stop and rest protected by stone rather than out in the open.' She shivered slightly and added, 'I miss the protection of the caves.'

Celia blinked as she mentally examined what Verbena could see, but did not recognize the strange formations. As far as either of them could see, the dark colored squares peeked out of scattered mounds of snow across the landscape. "Let's fly over and check it out first. What if there's another creature that wants to attack us? I do not wish to be attacked again."

Verbena nodded in understanding as she flapped her wings to increase her speed slightly. 'I hope its a safe place!' To that, Celia agreed with a nod.

She increased her altitude slightly with a few more flaps of her wings to give her more space to glide. As they neared the structures, small upright moving shapes came into view. 'I think I see humans.'

"People?" Celia blinked, then tried to see for herself, but her human eyes were just beginning to see the raised hills of snow that seemed to convey the structures Verbena had already seen. Thankfully, Verbena gifted her better sight to the rider and she could also see the upright figures. "People!" She cheered and could not wait to land. "Maybe they have a place where we can rest in safety instead of being out in the open. Make we can even get a good day's rest for once."

'I hope so too.' Verbena purred, then looked back to the people as she neared the town, who had not noticed the pair yet.

After they became relatively close, one of the humanoids below noticed the soaring ice-covered dragon above like a swift white cloud. In response to the sight of Celia and the dragon, the figure shouted in alarm and many of the figures reacted by fleeing towards their structures.

'They... are scared.' Verbena whimpered as she glided over the civilization. 'These humans are scared of dragons?' She flapped her wings and headed towards the long mountain as fast as her wings could manage.

Before she could get too far, however, some of the figures had pulled out weapons and fired sharpened tube-like rocks at the dragon.

Despite the half dozen or so projectiles aimed at her, Verbena managed to dodge three of the four that were thrown high enough to reach her, but one managed to graze her right flank and caused the dragonet to roar in panic. 'Hit!' She immediately rapidly flapped her wings to flee faster. 'I hit! I hit!'

'Why?' She questioned as she flew over the mountain in a panic. 'I have never hurt a human.' She whimpered and landed just on the opposite side of the mountain's peak. Her panic-induced landing was even rougher than the one she had managed earlier, as it was more of a dive into the snow than anything else.

She released warm plumes of breath as she panted, 'Celia?' She whimpered, 'I a good dragon right?' The nervous look on her face made the small dragon look weak and vulnerable. Celia immediately noticed the experience had shaken the dragon to the point she had no idea how to react. 'Please tell me I'm a good dragon!' She whimpered and staggered to her feet after the rough handing.

Celia frowned in worry as she slid off of Verbena's back, "of course you are," she promised, then went to look over Verbena's body to make sure the dragonet was not hurt. "Did you get hit by those weapons?" The human asked since she was unable to locate any wounds on her companion and friend.

'One grazed my flank.' She looked back to her flank and feared what she might see as Celia moved to examine the dragonet's flank. 'It's not too bad, right?' She whimpered and looked to the slightly ruffled frozen fur.