The Dragon Healer of Tone (World of Tone) (9 page)

“My, my Love.”

Dawra walked away knowing that Fienna would always have a protector. He was a small protector, but one with power that was great.

Fienna, over the next several moon turns, became an excellent flier.

As with all dragons, she was happiest when flying. Terra stayed on the ground with his eyes closed as if he were flying with her. The great Tarmany that Terra had tamed had become his pet. When Terra lay in the field with his eyes closed, the Tarmany watched over him like a mother. Nothing ever came close to Terra with that creature watching.

When they went home at sunset, it melted back into the forest only to appear the next time they came to the clearing.

Chapter 20 - First Hunt

(Teaching Survival Skills a Mother’s Duty.)

340 set of seasons since the coming of the Averons

Now that Fienna was flying almost as well as her mother, it was time to learn hunting skills. Her mother taught Dawra, and she would teach Fienna in the same manner. For hunt after hunt, Fienna followed her mother and watched as she stalked and then killed her prey. Fienna wanted to do it herself, but Dawra said it was not yet time. After what seemed to Fienna an eternity, Dawra finally felt her daughter was ready for her first kill. Dawra wanted Fienna’s first to be successful, so sun-rising after sun-rising she flew over the fields and valleys along the coast watching for a large herd of running beasts. Finally, she spotted one on a high field over looked by a mountain peek. She flew straight home and told Fienna it was time for her first hunting kill. Fienna wanted to take Terra, but her mother said he would be out of place and should stay in the cave. Terra, sensing Fienna’s mother desire to be with her daughter alone, told Fienna to go without him; he wanted to bathe. Terra also seemed to have a general dislike for the thought of killing; this was one thing Fienna didn’t understand. It seemed so natural to hunt and kill food, and she enjoyed watching her mother do it.

Mother and daughter launched out of the edge of the cave. Dawra led her daughter to the high field but pretended not to see the herd.

Fienna flew up to her mother and excitedly pointed to the beast below.

Dawra motioned to land on the mountain peak.

“Now, Fienna it’s time for your first kill. I have taken you out before, and you have watched me. How should you approach these runners?”

“I should fly in from the sun so they can’t see me until the last moment and then swoop down and grab one with my back talons.”

“Good, I see you have been watching me carefully. Now I want you to circle around the mountain and come in from the sun.”

“Why not just fly into the sun and down?”

“Ah, that’s where skill comes into play. If you flew directly toward the sun then turned, you would cast a shadow over the beasts, and they would bolt. By going around the mountain, no shadow is cast over the field.”

Fienna took off and did what her mother said. She came in on the runners straight out of the sun; they didn’t see her until it was too late.

She swooped down in an arc and grabbed for the first runner and missed, but she wasn’t going to lose. She stayed just above the running beast and grabbed again. This time she had one in her rear talons. She beat her wings hard to gain height. Fienna was unaccustomed to the extra weight, and the runners violent thrashing to get away. Finally, she rose and the runner seemed to stop moving. She flew to the edge of the field and crushed the runner under her weight as she landed. She reached down and tore a piece of meat from the runner swallowing it whole. Fienna continued until she had eaten all but the hindquarter. She took the hindquarter and flew back to her mother, who was still perched on the mountain peak.

“Why didn’t you eat it all? It is your first kill; you have the right.”

“I want to share it with Terra.”

“I see.”

Dawra had never seen a dragon share its first kill with anything let alone a human. Fienna’s feeling for Terra apparently overwhelmed even her natural instincts.

They returned home, and Fienna presented the hindquarter to Terra.

He took it, tore a piece out of it with his teeth, and ate it. He ate like this while listening to Fienna’s story of the killing. She told it twice and then again at Terra’s insistence. Terra ate as much of the raw meat as he could then gave what was left to Fienna, who devoured it with great pleasure. That sunset as Fienna told Lowlack about her great kill, Terra stood by his fire. His small powerful body outlined by the light. Dawra once again hopped up to him.

“Why did you eat the meat raw? You don’t like it that way.”

“It was too important to Fienna. Cooking it would have spoiled it for her. “

”You don’t like killing, do you?”

“No, I don’t, but if you ask me why, I couldn’t tell you because I don’t know why.”

Dawra knew humans killed, and she knew some enjoyed it, from the stories Lowlack told her, but this one was different. Very different!

Chapter 21 - Terra’s First Flight

(Sharing Joy with a Friend is a Great Gift.)

341 set of seasons since the coming of the Averons

Fienna had been flying for more than ten full moon risings and had grown strong. Her skills had nearly reached the level of her mother’s.

Fienna desperately wanted to take Terra with her when she went flying, but her mother insisted that she was not yet strong enough. She was only half the size of her mother and nowhere near as strong. Since Terra had healed Tepic, the three of them had become friends. Fienna and Tepic often practiced flying together. When they returned, Fienna would describe everything to Terra. She did not understand his disturbance when she talked about all the fun she and Tepic had together. Terra hid something from her, but she did not quite know what; it was odd.

As the moon’s changes passed, Fienna grew larger and stronger.

Terra also grew and became very strong, for a human. His small arms were able to break bones and sticks with little effort, and Lowlack constantly had to get him larger clothes. Fienna’s attraction to Terra grew with her size. She could not imagine being without him, and in both of their minds, they would always be together. Fienna was finally tired of her mother saying she wasn’t strong enough to take Terra with her. After all, she could carry runner beasts twice his size without trouble.

Fienna finally told Terra, “It is time for you to fly with me.”

“Your mother says you are too small to carry me.”

“I don’t care. I’m going to take you with me.”

“How do you plan to carry me? I don’t think you can hold me in your arms; it would be to tiring.”

“You might be right. Maybe Lowlack will have some idea. Let’s talk to him when he comes. We will tell him that when I’m ready to take you flying. We thought carrying you in my arms would be clumsy, and we’ll ask what he suggests.”

“That sounds good.”

“Now, don’t you tell my mother what we’re planning? I know you want me safe, but I think it’s time.”

“I won’t tell.”

The next sun-rising Dawra was hunting, and Lowlack was in the cave with them. Fienna brought up the subject of flying.

“Lowlack, when I’m able to take Terra places, we think that carrying him in my arms won’t work so well. Is there any other way I might carry him?”

“Well, let me think. This has never been a problem; dragons carry their young only until they start flying. Nevertheless, you are talking long term carrying. Let us see now.” Lowlack paced back and forth while he thought about the problem.

Then he said, “The humans sometimes sit on top of their work beast, and the beast carries them where they want to go. Perhaps if Terra sat with his leg wrapped around your neck, between your back ridges, right above your shoulder. He could sit, and your arms would be free.”

“That is a great idea, Lowlack. When I’m big enough, we’ll try it.”

In a few sun-risings, Terra and Fienna were alone in the cave, and Terra climbed up between the ridges above Fienna’s shoulders. He straddled his legs over her neck, and Fienna hopped up to one of the high ledges. She spread her wings and glided down to the floor. Terra, at first, had a hard time holding on, but then he felt Fienna’s muscles through her thoughts. He matched his movements with hers. They practiced like this for a two moon risings.

Then one sun-rising, it was time to really fly. Terra mounted Fienna, and she hopped to the edge of the cave to launch herself. Terra held tight, and Fienna jumped. At first, Terra had a hard time holding on, but as Fienna gained height, he got his balance. She flew around the top of the cliffs above the cave. A sudden gust of wind tilted Fienna to one side. Terra could not hold onto the back ridge and started to slip. Fienna panicked; she was losing Terra; her mother was right. Then, he stopped sliding; some force held him in place. It was as if his legs became part of Fienna’s body and would not allow him to slip or even be separated from her. Fienna regained her balance, and the two landed on the cliff above the cave.

Terra climbed off and said, “I was slipping, then I felt as if I became part of you.”

“I felt the same thing.”

“I think we are meant to fly together.”

Terra mounted Fienna again. This time there was no slipping. They did loops, turns, and dives with no problems. As they cavorted, Dawra returned and saw them. She signaled them to land in the cave. Fienna went straight to the cave and landed inside with Terra on her back.

Dawra then landed.

“What are you two doing? You could have both been killed. You’re not big enough to carry him yet!”

“But, I am mother. I had no problem at all. In fact, I can’t even feel Terra on my back. It’s as if he’s part of me.”

Dawra had known this sun-rising would come but wanted to control when and where. It was too late now; they had done it and had come up with the same solution she had thought of, Terra riding on Fienna’s back.

“Well, I want you to practice in the fields till I say it’s all right for you two to fly on your own.”

Dawra watched them over the next several moonrises, and it seemed almost useless. It was as if the two were one. They appeared to belong together.

Dawra finally let them fly on their own without supervision. They were free now. Terra no longer had to stay in the cave while Fienna flew off. They were rarely parted after that, sun-rising or sunset.

Chapter 22 - Freedom

(Freedom is Joyous, but it can be Trouble.)

342 set of seasons since the coming of the Averons

Fienna and Terra were finally free to do whatever they wished.

Every sun-rising they went flying wherever the two wished. One sun-rising as they were in flight, they found an unusual crevice in the coastal cliffs. It was as if the earth cracked open and left a deep cut in the rocks. The crevice was fifty dragon lengths wide and at least one hundred deep. Fienna flew over it, and the two could see a small lake in the bottom surrounded by woods. At one end of the lake was a clearing large enough for Fienna to land. The two decided to investigate this little lake. Fienna slowly spiraled down to the clearing and landed with no problem. Terra dismounted and walked over to the water. He could see small swimming creatures like the ones Dawra brought home for food but much smaller, more his size. He tasted the water, and it was sweet and refreshing. Fienna’s great head hung over Terra watching him.

“Well is it good.”

“Yes, it tastes wonderful. Try it.”

With that, Fienna tasted it and agreed that it was good. She waded into the lake and found it deep enough for swimming. Terra stripped off his coverings and jumped in. But he didn’t go deeper than his chest.

“What’s wrong, Terra? Come in further with me.”

“I can’t. I’ll sink.”

Fienna paddled to him and said, “I don’t. You will not either.”

“But your mother taught you to move through the water. No one ever taught me, and I don’t have wings to stretch out on the water’s surface like you do.”

“That’s true. Well, get on my back, and I’ll take you out.”

Fienna lowered her great neck, and Terra climbed on. It was as if they were flying through the water. They played until they were both tired.

Fienna waded to the shore, and they stretched out in the clearing to rest and warm themselves in the sun. Both Fienna and Terra fell asleep.

Fienna was peacefully sleeping when she felt Terra trying to wake her.

His mind was pushing, calling her and his small body was poking her arm.

“Fienna, wake up. Wake up, Fienna. I found something, “ She slowly came awake and little by little she understood what Terra was thinking.

She said groggily, “What did you find?”

“Come on, you sleepy dragon, and I’ll show you.”

Fienna got to her hind feet, partly walked, and partially hopped as dragons did on the ground. Terra led her to the edge of the trees and stopped.

“You’re too big to walk through the trees. There’s enough space to land though.”