Flight For Peace - On Hold

Chapter 10

"Eir! Get up, get up! It's time to wake up!" Ferox's jolly voice rings in my ears as I regain consciousness. My eyes drowsily open and I smile fondly at the gray dragon.

    "I'm up, I'm up. You can stop jumping around." I growl softly. Her white eyes shine with mirth as she keeps jumping to and fro. Her wings flap and smack my face and I snort at her. "You sure are friendly, considering we have only known each other for a couple of days."

    Ferox stops jumping around, her sides heaving slightly as she smiles, "The minute I saw you, I knew we had to be friends. So, of course, I'm going to be friendly. Silly." My heart melts in adoration as I smile back at her.

As I look down from my den in one of the many trees and notice no other dragon up, I question, "We don't have hunting patrol, do we?" Dread filled me at the prospect. I hated hunting so early in the morning, especially on an empty stomach.

"Of course not!" Ferox reassures, "It's just that Charity woke Marlyn who woke me to tell me that I had to wake you." She pauses as if trying to recall why she was supposed to wake me. "Oh! Marlyn said that you still haven't had a tour of our territory and that I should take you on one now that you have recovered some."

"Why couldn't Marlyn take me?" I ask. But I soon regret it as her grin disappears.

"Because he's a grumpy old man that doesn't like being up so early. But if you really want to go with him, I can tell--" He shoulders are sagging as she answers, wings clutched protectively to her sides.

"No!" I interrupt. Ferox's eyes begin to sparkle once more as I continue, "I would love to have you as my guide. I know that you will be much better than Marlyn ever could."

Ferox looks like she is about to burst with pride as she puffs out her chest, "Of course I'm better than him." And with that, the smaller dragon gestures for me to follow her as she leaps from the tree and begins to soar out of camp. Excitement tingles in my toes as I follow her lead.

My body still aches and some of my wounds are still healing, but I'm glad to be flying again. My soul hums happily as Ferox begins to point out landmarks. "Over there, "She points with her head, "Is the burial site. Although it may sound sad," and it does, "the site is a place full of memories and inspiration. A lot of times, we will go there to thank those who have been buried."

There was no burial site at my old flight. But I know that theirs would have been nowhere near the beauty of this one. There were rocks jutting out with names engraved into the stone. Flowers sprout near the rocks, their colors bringing life to the area. The grass is overgrown and vines wrap around the stones. In the middle of the burial site, the grass is permanently flattened--most likely from other dragons. I can't deny the beauty of the place.

"And over there is the best hunting place. Many animals seek refuge under those trees and in the overgrown undergrowth. And there are the training grounds. Although we don't like to fight, we still need to know how to defend ourselves. Once you are fully recovered, I bet your skills will be tested there."

The training grounds was a large clearing that is surrounded by tall trees. There are jutting rocks, logs, and holes in the ground. Scratch marks litter the rocks and logs, signifying the training that has occurred there.

We fly further into the territory, Ferox chatting absentmindedly about the land around us. And as we near the ends of our territory, Ferox states, "We are very lenient with our borders, but we still have them. Without them, Charity claims that our flight would easily be forced to flee." She crinkles her nose, "I don't like them, but I do agree with her."

Ferox, after leading me around the border, decides that I have seen enough, "It's about time we head back. I'm hungry and I bet you are too." She pauses before prompting, "JUst to make sure, I did better than Marlyn could've, right?"

I laugh at her as I answer, "Of course you did!" Although I had no idea how Marlyn would have given me the tour, I had no doubt it wouldn't have been anything like Ferox's tour.

---

    "Who's that?"

    Ashen and Ferox--who are lazing at my side--both look at me. "Who are you talking about?" Ashen asks.

    "Her." I gesture toward a beat up dragon. Her navy scales were decorated with pink and yellow designs. Scars are scattered across her face, wings, legs, sides, and chest. The female dragon was resting alone in the shadows under a tree.

    My two friends both hesitate before Ashen answers, "Well... That's Purity." And I doubt that she is as pure as her name sounds, "She's been in this flight for a long time but she has always withdrawn herself so we just leave her alone. It seems that is what she wants, anyways."

    But by looking at the lone dragon, I know that is not the truth. "Have you tried talking to her?"

    Ferox, one of the most outgoing dragons in camp, responds, "Well... Once. But then she seemed to be uninterested so I just let her be."

    With those words, I stand up. Ashen and Ferox both look at me in confusion as I make my way over to the old dragon. She doesn't notice me until I am in front of her. Her red eyes flick up to me. "Hello Purity, I'm Eir and I just thought you look alone over here. It's nice to meet you!"

    Her gaze is scrutinizing as she looks me over. And then with an airy voice, she speaks, "Well, It seems that you already know my name. But you do not need to keep me company." Yet there is a hopeful tone to her voice that does not go unnoticed.

    "Don't worry about it," I respond as I plop down by her side. Up close, Purity looks even more beat up. But I know that I can't ask how she ended up in such a state.

    The older dragon jerks slightly in shock as I lay next to her, but she makes no move to leave. We sit in silence for a while and I can see Ashen and Ferox eyeing me out of the corner of my eye. And I gesture them over.

    Ferox comes first, her steps timid and she interrupts the silence around us, "Hello Purity." The blue dragon simply nods and soon enough Ashen greets her the same way.

    Once more, Purity only nods. After standing awkwardly for a few seconds, my two friends decide that they may as well sit down as well. And instead of speaking, like they normally would, they fall into the silence that Purity and I have adopted.

    As we continue to sit in silence next to the older dragon, a bond seems to be forming between us all.

    "Do you have powers?" The airy voice of Purity--surprisingly--interrupts the silence.

    "What?"

    "Do you have powers? Ashen can control fire and her scales can heat up to an unimaginable heat. She can also withstand hot climates. Ferox is able to cause it to rain is she gets mad. And her bites are shocking. I can control water and put up protective shields around me. So I want to know, do you have powers? I overheard Marlyn saying that you were connected to your soul, so you must."

    Ferox and Ashen both appear shell-shocked that she knew about their powers. But I am more shocked that she suddenly spoke. "I-- Uh, I guess? I'm able to breathe underwater, shoot out boiling or freezing water, and I have this ice armor that comes out at certain times. So I guess?"

    Purity nods her head, "Ah yes, I assumed you would either be a water dragon like myself or an air dragon. And it appears that I am correct. You are a water dragon." She pauses before adding softly, "It's wonderful that younglings like yourself can stay connected to your soul. Then you get to experience the wonders of the Earth's powers."

    Ferox, who seems to be less cautious that Ashen, prods, "I never knew that the powers are because we are connected to our souls. How did you know that?"

    Purity's red eyes fall on the young dragon as she answers as if it is the simplest thing ever, "When one has lived as long as I have, they gain knowledge that otherwise evaded them."

    Ashen snorts, "I bet Charity told you. She always tells this stuff to the older dragons."

    Purity smiles, a sight that seems unnatural, "She did indeed."

And with that, we fall back into a peaceful silence. And it is almost as if Purity never spoke at all. But I know, thanks to the happy buzz in my soul, that Purity will speak to us more. Because somehow, unlikely as it is, we will be friends. All of us.