A Dragon's View [Book 1 in Rising Dragons]

Chapter XXIII: Waiting

Okay, get ready, Sky murmured to me softly. In three... Two... One... I stretched my wing towards the ground, carefully gliding in a wide turn. I felt Sky's boots dig into my wing as she attempted to run up it in order to get into the saddle. A second later, she slipped and I landed on the ground with a heavy thump.

It's not working, I told Sky who nodded in a frustrated response.

"I know," she said out loud. "However, short of tying a rope to the saddle, I can't think of any other way to get in the saddle while you're moving."

"You could do that," Alu responded thoughtfully. "Except, not a long rope like you're thinking, but just long enough so we can reach if a dragon picks us up in their claws."

I hummed, before nodding my head. It has potential, I told Sky. It would probably be safer as well, especially if you can have loops on the rope to grip onto. This way, if you slip, you're not going to fall.

"Alright, let's try that," Sky eventually said. "Alu, do you have any rope on you?" The boy nodded and handed Sky a coil of rope. Sky scrambled up my side and tied the rope to the saddle. I'll leave out the loops for now, she told me privately. We'll see if it works first.

I lifted my wings once Sky moved away and took off. In the air, I circled twice before moving closer to the ground. Then, dipping down towards the ground, I grasped Sky gently with my claws as I passed just above the ground. I loosened my grip on Sky as she squirmed; attempting to reach the rope that I knew was hanging down. Sky grunted and I felt her weight settle into the saddle. I gained height, glad to no longer be circling just above the ground.

We did it! Sky shouted in my head and I knew she was grinning. I let out a roar of agreement and barrel-rolled in the air.

We did! Now, we just need to practise.

***

Everything that's alive has energy, Drake said. Plants and animals have energy, although only animals have minds and are therefore referred to as beings.

Mm, I agreed. The energy can be shifted, moved slightly. I don't believe you can actually manipulate this energy, but you can boost the energy to hide yourself.

Can both humans and dragons do this? Marius asked with a slight frown. And how does one do this? It sounds difficult.

It is, Sky said with a wry grin. Rya and I started with trees, first learning to find the energy and then kind of push our energy, so that the energy was big enough to hide Rya and my minds. The smaller energy something has, the easier it is to move it, but the more energy required to hide yourself. You can sometimes move more energy from other plants and animals to create a bigger shield. This way you hide your minds from anyone searching for you mentally.

Apollo stretched like a cat. I recommend we attempt to hide from Sky and Rya using this method. That way we're challenged both mentally but also physically to hide. Apollo raised his orange-red wings to the sky and looked at the others. Well? Do you agree?

I shared a glance with Sky and shrugged. I don't see why not, I responded. I switched to my human form with a smirk. I'll give you guys another advantage. You have a few minutes.

***

I dived onto the ground and landed, took one step, before shifting into human form and kept running. I heard the other dragons land behind me and I throw myself through the trees, barely managing to avoid tripping over the roots and plants that covered the forest floor. I slowed down a second before the river then waded into it, cursing when it turned out to be colder than I had expected.