The Dragonlady

Chapter Three

Rin fed it as Eno advised. It slept when it had taken enough from her fingers. She fed it during the night, during the morning, the afternoon and in the evening for many days.

When the dragon opened its eyes, the first thing it saw was Rin. It considered her its mother and cried for food when it saw her. The cry changed as it grew, from the pip to a louder 'peep' then onto a 'parp'. The point on the snout disappeared, as Rin's father had said it would. The tint of the scales deepened from white into a pale blue. It outgrew the bowl 'nest' and curled up at Rin's feet when she slept and began to follow her around. It was ungainly at first, but soon figured out the balance and how to use the tail to counterbalance the long neck and heavier head. It wasn't long before the dragon accompanied the pair on their scavenging for food, snatching its own meal, experimenting with taste.

Likewise, the other baby dragons were growing and had left the nest. With fewer places to roam, the mother had taught them to use their wings and they soared on thermals around the cliffs, landing and sleeping on convenient boulders. Rin was pleased that her dragon foraged for food, although they shared whatever they ate.

She called it Blue as the scales had turned the colour of the sky. Blue couldn't fly and Rin couldn't teach it. It didn't take too long for Blue to outgrow the cave, beginning to sleep by the fire outside instead.

"How do I get Blue to fly?" She asked Eno one day.

"The others learned by copying their mother." Eno replied. "Blue might try if he saw others."

"You say 'he', what if it's a 'she?'" Rin laughed.

"I have no idea how to tell the difference. I'm not a dragon. It looks like a male, so I call it a 'he'."

Blue no longer called 'pip', 'peep' or 'parp'. The call sounded shriller, not quite a screech but louder than a hiss. Blue watched Rin intently, following her when possible; lying down when she ventured into places he could not go. By the end of the summer, Blue was taller than Rin. She had to look up at the face. Horns had begun to grow on its head, confirming Eno's suspicions of a male. The blue darkened on the body, the underside remaining pale and the wings shimmering a blue-green in the sun. The eyes were as green as spring leaves. Rin only had to call the name and Blue would come to her, rumbling a greeting. The rumble was similar to a cat's purr, but much deeper and only given to Rin. Eno received a greeting, but no rumble.

He was happy devouring the parts of animals they could not use as food, as well as sharing fruits, vegetables and fish. By the end of autumn, Blue had become accustomed to carrying Rin on his back, not flying but walking. He had still not learned to fly. He curled up to sleep by the fire and when the nights grew very cold, he allowed Rin and Eno to nestle under his wings and to share his body heat. By the time winter was fully over, Blue was full grown, although he still couldn't fly and had shown no interest in doing so.

His first flight was more of an accident than design. The pair had been out foraging for food, Blue following Rin as usual. They had made their way down toward the river that lay at the foot of the cliffs. In the distance, high in the sky, Eno spotted the silhouette of a dragon in flight and pointed to it. Blue's eyes followed their gaze and spread his wings to copy it. The pathway was narrow at that point and as he spread his wings, the action toppled him over the edge. Rin screamed as Blue fell. Blue twisted in mid-air and the air caught under his wings, halting the plunge. With the sun heating the cliff walls, Blue found lift from the rising hot air and soared up, high enough to see Rin and Eno again. His eyes were wide and panic-stricken although both Rin and Eno smiled at him. They were less concerned than the dragon. Rin ran back up the pathway as quick as she dared, Blue screeching his panic in the air above her.