Light as a Cloud

Chapter 17

Hey! Have you heard? Grá'ine is back in the city, and you never guess what he brought.

Really? He's back? I thought he was dead.

I'm pretty sure they all thought he was dead. I mean, he was a baby when he left. He was barely off the fruit!

The guardians had no choice. His behaviour was intolerable. Remember that time he broke into my farm, freed all the deer and chased them through the city?

I do. That was chaotic. Though sending a baby into the wilderness, that seems a little extreme to me... He barely knew how to eat healthy.

It was only for a few days. If he hadn't wandered off, he would've come back and learnt his lesson.

Whatever. Are you guessing what he brought or not?

The great dragon's egg in the night sky?

Uhm, no. I didn't know you were an ADW?

I'm not, it was just a joke. According to my friend, who's a truthfinder, the moon is bigger than the Spring Mountains. It just seems so small because it's so far away. I'd be impressed if Grá'ine brought that. What did he bring?

A half-dead eminn.

You're kidding.

I'm not. He told me its name is Ayra and it's his friend. Can you believe that? Also, how did he figure that out- I can't even pronounce that! "Arrr... A'rrrrraaa..." Humanoids are such crazy animals.

Be respectful. They're still people. My friend told me-

Yeah sure, and your friend can know because she's a truthfinder. Can Mrs truthfinder also translate its crazy language?

I don't know. Maybe she can. Let me call her. "Grah-raaah!"

She isn't replying.

Maybe she's already on the case.

Sure. I'm heading back to the scene, if you don't mind. Think to you later!

Think to you later. Be careful "Arra" doesn't smash a spear through your throat.

With that, Gardra watched Igrah dash off to the outer regions of the city. Grá'ine back in the city, after all those years! What a bizarre thought! Everyone was convinced he'd died. Gardra shook his head and headed back to his deer. 

Meanwhile, in the north hall, Ayra was slowly regaining consciousness. She slowly opened up her eyes, trying to focus her vision in the shady hut she appeared to be in. She found herself looking at a roof while laying on her back on a way too big bed of some kind.

She turned her head to the side to figure out what the bed was made of. It was some sort of fabric that she'd never seen before: it appeared to be made of dragon scales forged together into an elastic carpet.

"Grrr," said a dragon on the other side of her.

Ayra turned her head to the other side quickly- too quickly. She pressed her eyes shut as her head started to ache as if fairies were hammering her skull from the inside. When she opened her eyes again, she was looking into the eyes of a ruby red dragon.

Good day, she spoke in Ayra's mind. Feeling better?

Better than the last time I remember, Ayra replied in her thoughts. Wait. How does this communication work? I thought telepathy only went one way.

Not among us Little Dragons, the red dragon thought. Nice that you can also communicate this way. I was already afraid we needed some kind of translator.

Speaking of dragons! Ayra got up, slowly this time, and looked around. Where's my buddy Jewel?

Jewel? Oh, you mean Grá'ine. He's talking to the guardians. They don't trust you. They think you're going to tell your herd where our city is and you're going to overtake it.

Herd? Ayra tried to suppress her laughter. What do you think I am, some kind of animal?

The red dragon bent over to Ayra. To be honest, most of us do. I mean, of course you're sentient and all... But you humanoids are all just so... So different. Hard to understand. For most people, it's easy to call everything they don't understand barbaric or even animalistic. I'm sure you understand.

I do, Arya thought. The gang members for example. They chose being taken captive over fleeing with Jewel. Or take the elves. They actually tied it down, can you believe that?

It?

Suddenly, Ayra realized what she'd been calling her dragon all this time. Excuse me. Them.

Him, the red dragon corrected her. Grá'ine is a boy. Actually, a man by now. Didn't you know?

I don't look between a dragon's legs when I... Befriend it, Ayra defended herself.

Who's talking about genitals? the red dragon asked, and blinked slowly. Its horns are clearly gold. Female dragons have white horns, not gold.

I didn't know that, Ayra thought smilingly. So you're a woman?

Yep, the red dragon replied. She pulled the corners of her mouth apart, imitating Ayra's smile in a strange, dragonish way.