Dragon Feathers

Home

The next morning Mira woke up early but well rested. He was a bit frightened at the thought of finding himself face to face with a dragon, but at the same time he was looking forward to going back home.

He turned around to look at Leif, and Leif turned around suddendly and opened his eyes, before sighing.

- Sorry. I'm not used to sleeping with other people - he whispered.

- You have the senses of a dragon - observed Mira with a smile. Leif smiled back and relaxed.

- Good morning - he said, letting himself smile a bit more. He felt strangely at ease with Mira, even though he had just met him the night before.

For a moment they looked at each other slowly, with calm and curiosity. Sometimes their eyes would meet and avoid each other, and then they would meet again, and Mira blushed and smiled shyly.

And Leif understood, but didn't really understand.

They got up and washed their faces, then went to have breakfast. There was fresh fruit and Leif's mother was warming up some water with aromatic herbs, helped by a funny little black dragon with huge eyes and little clouds of smoke that came out of its nostrils.

- His name is Charcoal - Leif told Mira, who was staring in amazement at the creature, fascinated. - He helps us in the kitchen. He's a bit booby, but very affectionate. He gets offended if you don't give him something good when he helps you.

- Can I pet him?

The young Dragontamer chuckled.

- Wait for him to cool down. You'll burn yourself, otherwise.

They sat down to eat.

- Is your dragon like him? - asked Mira, curious. Leif laughed.

- Ruby is huge compared to Charcoal. He could eat him in one bite and he'd still be hungry! But luckily domesticated dragons don't eat other dragons and more importantly, they don't eat people. They are used to eat whatever we give them.

After breakfast the two boys said goodbye to Leif's mother and went out, not before having fetched Mira's dry clothes.

Right after they went out Leif whistled loudly and, from the back of the building, a giant red dragon flew and landed in front of them.

He was huge, like his tamer had defined him. He was slim and well proportioned, with a long and pointy face, and a pair of very big wings; his legs were relatively short, had sharp claws and his tail was pointy at the end. He had yellow eyes with elongated pupils and a very fierce gaze.

Leif caressed his neck and head like he would have done with a dog.

- Mira, this is Ruby, my dragon. Ruby, this is Mira.

He then disappeared inside the house, leaving them alone, and Mira prayed that the dragon wouldn't decide that he wanted to try human meat.

- There's nothing much to eat, here - he whispered, showing him his thin arms. Ruby stared at him and the boy noticed that he had the same piercing gaze as Leif. As dragon as tamer, he found himself thinking, and that made him smile.

Leif came back, holding something that looked like a saddle for dragons. He put it on Ruby like he was harnessing a horse and then he ordered him to go wait for them at the beach. The dragon flew away.

- Why did you send him away? - asked Mira, a bit relieved.

- He'll wait for us at the beach. We are not going alone; I have to ask Yorick to accompany us - explained Leif. - Yorick is an air Dragontamer and he's always available.