Winged

Chapter 15: The Oncoming Storm

The chilly air of autumn breezing past him; the vast landscapes of the world below reduced to the size of models; being up in the air again somehow felt better than he remembered, even if it wasn't on his own. Still, whatever feeling of comfort he had felt back at the Fell Keep didn't stick around. The scales proved bothersome, and Leo feared any movement would throw him off the dragon to his doom, or onto one of her spikes, also to his doom.

Fortunately, none of it happened and Mama Dragon brought Leo safely to a mountain range, an extensive set of the earth's black teeth chewing on the sky. He recognized that particular place from the maps of Asaelia he studied with Feron and Lucy. It wasn't too far away from the Secret Keep.

The mid-autumn skies were cold, and the air was thin up there, but those things didn't bother Leo anymore. After all his flights, thin air no longer posed a problem to his lungs. As the sun crept from under the horizon, announcing the arrival of morning, Mama Dragon began her descent and closed in on a specific mountain, which towered over all the others around it. About a quarter of the way to the top, the mountainside opened into a cave. The dragon landed on the rocky platform in front of the entrance and Leo jumped off.

Leo followed the dragon into the cave, which he was correct to assume was her nest. It was very well illuminated, at least for a cave; the dim lighting reflected throughout the cave because of the piles of gold scattered around the floor. Mountains of coins, jewels, golden armour, crowns, and cups littered the den. Dragons like shiny objects, he remembered from his lessons, gold in particular. The air in the cave was warm, as if fireplaces were constantly heating up the place. There was a slight odour of smoke and sulphur, but nothing too unbearable. Mama Dragon led Leo to the back of the cave, where she showed him a hole in the ground; inside were five dragon eggs, even bigger than Leo remembered. Five, he thought, it should be six. He noticed Mama Dragon looking at the eggs well over his shoulder.

"They are beautiful," he said, looking up at the monstrous lizard.

Leo couldn't tell exactly but he felt she was happy with that comment. Like with many animals, it was hard to tell with precision what the dragon was thinking, but he could get a general idea of happiness, sadness, anger, or fear. Mama Dragon brought her nose close to her eggs, carefully blowing a gentle flame on them to keep them warm. Leo wondered how long it would take for them to hatch.

"Where is the father?" he asked.

This time, it was sadness that showed in her great yellow eyes. Leo had an idea of what it meant, so he made no further comment. The dragon opened her mouth and stuck her tongue out in a mighty yawn, not dissimilar to how a dog would, and she lay down on the ground, bending her neck and tail so that her body formed a protective circle surrounding the nest. She must be tired, he thought as she closed her eyes. Leo had spent the whole night awake, and it started to take a toll on him as well. The dragon took notice of that, as she opened her eye and gestured with her head, as if she wanted Leo to come closer. He did so, and sat down with his back on the dragon's scaly but warm neck. Maybe a little nap would do me good before I have to go back. Just a little bit.

*****

The Fell Keep has been taken, she thought proudly, as she looked around the bailey, where a crowd had gathered. All prisoners had been released and there were no enemies left. They searched the entire fortress for the White Mask but no trace of him was found. That supported what the soldier had said earlier about him having left, but Miyamoto Hikaru wasn't so easily convinced.

No one at Fell Keep could be trusted, not even the ones who fought beside her to take it. Many still had loved ones being held hostage, who knew when their loyalty would shift? As for the prisoners, Leo had trusted he had found Ephideus, but Hikaru wouldn't make the same mistake. There was only one person she could trust wholeheartedly.