Not on my Watch

Chapter 13

Wake up to the miracles that happen all around you. We grow old only when we lose our sense of wonder.--Rufus Flycatcher, from Of Mice and Magic.

                                         September 25, 2012

                   Somewhere in the jungles of Peru and Brazil

           Brina flew towards her village.  She hoped her injured stranger made it through.  She wondered about him and where he came from.  She herself had never left the jungle, nor had many of her people.  They'd all been regaled, though, with tales of other lands, from the tribe's shaman.   There were, of course, other tribes in the jungle.   Most of these had much more contact with the outside world than the dragon people did.   Many tribes lived close to bigger villages constructed in the large open spaces of the jungle.   Her people visited other tribes on occasion, and there were intermarriages.  If not, the gene pool would be too small.  From time to time, there were conflicts and fighting among the jungle tribes as well, but there had been nothing serious for decades, though the oral histories told of times when there had been blood feuds between tribes so severe dozens of people died.

           Her people had lived with dragons as far back as anyone could remember, farther back than any of the stories went.  No one knew for sure how or when the indigenous dragons first started interacting with humans.  Dragon memories, which went back longer than human memories and were far more accurate, said it was an arrangement that came about because a hunting party of ancient humans had gotten lost in the deep jungle while hunting food.  The group was comprised of both males and females.  They couldn't find their way back to their village at the edge of the jungle and couldn't give accurate directions to the dragons, who had a keen sense of direction.

           The dragons said they'd befriended the humans after the hunting group had rescued a pair of baby dragons who'd fallen into a cave too small for the bigger dragons to enter.  They decided to gift the humans half the eggs from each clutching.  It was an arrangement that proved beneficial for both species.  The humans helped the dragons stay hidden, and the dragons helped the humans find and gather food that they otherwise couldn't reach.

           There were also wild dragons.  They kept to themselves, for the most part, but they knew better than to harm the friends of their cousins.  The dragons, though big, had no problem manuvering around and flying through the trees and other plants of the remote jungle.   Their wings and joints were surprisingly agile. They could fold them at a moment's notice.  The tribal shamans said the dragons could travel through portals to other times and places, but that hadn't been proven by the general populace.

           It took a while for Brina and Snapdragon to traverse the thick jungle back to the tribe's home.  They moved slowly and carefully, so as not to jostle the injured man too much.  When they came within a hundred yards of the village, the dragon sentries posted on the outer boundary trumpeted the all-clear signal, then a welcome.

           Brina headed for her cave.  She was already trying to think what she'd tell Waipi; then she saw him hurrying to meet her.  Chief Waipi, dark and thin, was short but commanding.  When he spoke, people listened.  It wasn't wise to disregard his orders or advice.   He was also Brina's father.   It didn't take him long to notice the heavy load Snapdragon was carrying.  He berated her in their language.   "What's this, child?  I knew there was a reason you were taking so long to return with the medicinal flowers and grasses I asked you to find.   You've been out exploring, haven't you?   What am I going to do with you?  It's high time you were married again, but you still haven't grown up enough to get over Talon."