Firewind

Chapter 11-Zander

In the bush there was a little dragon. A Tallio dragon. He was blue with green spikes and horns. He was obviously a baby. But what was the little guy doing here? He should be up in the north of Nuala in the Tallio Mountains. How did he get so far south? I looked around, but there were no traces of other dragons.

I shrugged and turned to pack up my stuff. I turned to grab my blanket. It wasn't where I had left it. I turned and saw the little Tallio dragon with my blanket in its mouth. I frowned and tried to pull it from its grip. It wouldn't let go. It let out a high pitched growl and pulled back. It flapped its tiny wings, jerking its head back to try and rip the blanket from my hands. I pulled the blanket harder but it still wouldn't let go. Then finally the blanket ripped down the middle and the dragon and I fell back.

"Now see what you made me do?" I yelled at the dragon. It lowered its head and it actually looked sorry. I felt bad but it was also annoying. It was the only blanket that I had and I wasn't the best at making fires. I continued to pack my stuff up. I stood up and started walking north.

I was making great progress that day. Even without Selise. I was about to stop for lunch when I heard a twig snap behind me. I whirled around to see a little blue and green tail disappear behind a tree. I sighed.

"Don't bother hiding," I called to the dragon. "I saw you."

Do you have any food?

I was shocked. The tiny dragon could talk!

"How-how did you get here?" I stuttered.

I don't know.

It was weird to hear the dragon talking in my mind instead of out loud. At least it wasn't controlling my mind. I heard that they do that to lure their prey to their doom.

I'm not going to eat you. But if I get any hungrier, I might consider it!

"Oh sorry. I have a bit of dried meat," I offered a strip of dried rabbit to the tiny dragon.

It sniffed it a couple of times and then greedily ate it. I raised my eyebrow.

Thanks. Do you have anything else?

"Don't you know how to hunt?"

Yes. But do I want to? No. I'd rather not. Not when you have more of that tasty rabbit in your bag. I can smell it from here. Besides I'm just a little baby dragon.

"Well I need the food for myself. In case you couldn't tell I don't exactly have the means of hunting."

Hmm. How unfortunate. Now how about that rabbit?

"I don't think so...what's your name?"

I don't have a name.

"Well what if I gave you a name?"

That would be very nice but I'd rather you give me that rabbit!

"How about Lazy? Nah, that's not original."

Hey, remember me? I'm still here!

The little dragon was getting impatient. It flicked its tail at me angrily. I shooed its tail away.

"What about-" I was cut off when the tiny creature bit me! He bit me!

"Agh!" I exclaimed.

What about my rabbit? The little dragon whined.

"I'd be very mad at you right now if you weren't so cute!"

Well thank you I- HEY! I am not cute!

"I know! I'll name you Scymitar. What do you think?"

I think I'm hungry. But I suppose that name will do.

"Well you can hunt for yourself if you are but this food is for me."

***

That night, I was wondering what had come over me. I hadn't walked any further and I was upset with myself. I remember little of that afternoon. I was trying to collect food and I kept bringing back the berries and fruit to the clearing I had stopped in. But every time I brought food back, the food I had brought last was gone. I was so confused. Why didn't I keep going? I had planned to travel north. What happened?

Then, I felt the pain at the back of my head recede and my thoughts cleared. In front of me was a little blue and green dragon sleeping peacefully beside a tiny meagre fire. One of its claws was resting on it's very round stomach. I rolled my eyes. Of course! Why didn't I think of it? The little snipe was controlling my mind. I laughed quietly to myself. That midget was definitely not like the dragons in the stories I'd heard. He hadn't controlled me to lead me to my doom. He had done it so I could gather food for the greedy little son of a motherless goat.

I shook my head with an amused smile on my face. He was quite the character for such a minuscule creature. But one thing was for sure. I had named him right. He was definitely a curved two-sided blade.

The next day I woke up just before dawn. I watched the suns rise in between the branches of the trees. Whereas sunset seems to set the sky ablaze with colour, the dawn brought soft light to the colours already all around me. The leaves glowed green and the sky was pale blue with pale gray clouds. It was gorgeous. Even though I couldn't see the whole horizon-I could only seem glimpses of the three suns as they rose into the sky-I was glad of it. Seeing the whole sunrise would remind me of early mornings on the farm, picking fruit, feeding animals, collecting eggs and such, and my mother making breakfast. Then my sister coming downstairs to the smell of the eggs, ham and fresh bread. We would all sit down and have a meal together to start off the day.

I would then take one of the horses for a ride, my sister and my mother taking the others and we would race on the trail in the woods. We would laugh and yell at each other to keep up. Then we would all head home to pack the wagon for the town. Alethra, my sister, would head to town to sell goods. My mother would make jams, cakes and loaves of bread. I would tend to the fields of vegetables and fix things around the farm. My mother and I would have lunch and Alethra would rejoin us for dinner.

After dinner, my sister and I would wash the dishes from the day. When all the work from the day is done, I would sit by the fire, my mother would sit in her chair and we would listen to a book Alethra would read aloud. Everything was fine the way it was. Nothing ever changed. Nothing was ever supposed to change. But I suppose no one can avoid it when other people have other ideas in mind.