Dragons of Skylark: The Four Heirs

I Do Love Learning

 

     The sun burned down the side of the mountain like the fire in our throats, which none of us had actually managed to accomplish yet. We were six years old now, which seemed like a lot. There were six members of my family, Seth told me during the winter six stars in the sky shined the brightest, and there were almost twice that many members of little pride now.

     The important part is that we're not hatchlings anymore. Now that we were six, and not fresh from an egg, we were fledglings. Out wings where beginning to grow to support us, soon we would begin to learn to fly. Which seemed huge, Mum and Pop had been flying for decades, and seemed to move past the awe of it. I had not. I couldn't imagine being up that high... completely alone... it set off a hum in my bones unlike any other.

     For now, we remained on the ground, in the tunnels where life buzzed.

     "It's like us," May breathed, as she leaned over a plant. "They come from eggs, mum!"

     "Seeds, love."

     "Seeds," she purred, "what do you think, Longtayle?"

     "I like it."

     She had grown rather fond of herbs, as of late, since we had met many more dragons called teachers. Our parents often traded gold for us to go and listen to what the teachers knew. I love learning, don't get me wrong, but I missed the days when we would go and learn ourselves. Out in the tunnels, where there were no adults around to explain things. I know I'm foolish for wishing it, but sometimes I'd rather a turtle bite my toes then be told it would do so. Then at least I'd have a good story.

     "No, you don't." May's tone soured. "Have you not learned about something you really like yet?"

     "I like what I've learned." The tip of my tail flicked back and forth.

     "Yeah, but you're never interested in them afterwards. You don't sing like Ronan or draw like Seth. You don't want to help me with my garden."

     The scales on my back prickled, "Some things are more interesting in theory."

     Then I stood up and slunk out that cave and into the next. Voices mingled with the air. I took my seat next to my pather, and listened to him talk with another dragon. Seth was here too, I realized, once he stretched towards the dragon's offering to Pop and breathed in loudly.

     "What is it?" I whispered.

     "A dragon's come to Pop with new ideas, she calls it a map. It's a drawing of the island but so high up you can see the whole land." He sounded amazed.

      Oh wonderful. I swear on Skylark's eye, I do love learning, but some information was simply useless to me.

     "With your permission, I'd love to gather some friends, fly across the ocean, and make more of these." She had the same tinge of wonder in her voice that Seth did.

     "How long do you think a quest like this will take?" Gideon asked.

     "Three weeks at most, I don't plan on going far."

     "Of course. Take was provisions you need from the stores. As for other volunteers, try to bring Wren, won't you? They've been rather down lately once their pet escaped out the tunnels."

     The mapmaker laughed under her breath, "I'll do my best, my lord."

     She packed quickly and left. Seth sighed with relief, "can I go now pather? I promised Tallin I'd meet him by the lake at sunset."