Taming the Familiar

Chapter 10 - Draconis

Kaleth's eyes widened when she issued the direct command, but he didn't hesitate. He stepped back from the fence and she saw dark smoke rising around him. The cloud darkened and she caught a glimpse of his wings before the cloud of smoke expanded. As it cleared She could see how massive he really was. His head was at least two stories above her and his body was bigger than the townhouse back in the city. His whole body was covered in the red and black scales she had seen on his wings before, except on a much larger scale. She stared up into his golden eyes in amazement.

"You're huge." she said with a ridiculous grin. He shifted his wings and leaned lower.

"Happy now?" he asked. Alexa grinned wider and stepped towards him. She reached up to touch his snout.

"Bigger and scalier." she said with a grin. Kaleth moved his head away from her hand. Alexa frowned then lifted her arms in the air.

"Pick me up." she ordered. Kaleth rolled his eyes and obeyed, wrapping his long snake-like tail around her waist. Alexa grinned as she was hoisted through the air.

"Can we go flying?" she asked. Kaleth lifted her close to his mouth. She stared at the fangs that were longer than her leg. It took her a minute to register he was grinning at her. 

"I can fly, you cannot." he said. 

"Put me on your back and let's go." Alexa ordered. Kaleth did as he was told and she barely had time to grab hold of the spiky ridge along his neck before they were in the air. She looked around at the enormous wings flapping on either side of her. She leaned forward to glance towards the ground. She couldn't see exactly how high they were but she could see the entire pasture and house beneath her as well as the forest. She had thought the stars would looks closer somehow from up so high but they still looked exactly the same. She looked up at the back of Kaleth's head. He lifted them higher and higher until the pasture was only a little square beneath her. Kaleth's massive head turned towards her a little, and she could see a smirk on the edge of his mouth before he did a flip in the air and started spiraling towards the ground. Alexa shrieked and clung tighter to his neck and she felt a rumbling laugh vibrate through the scales beneath her. He smoothly pulled out of the dive, skimming across the pasture, terrifying the livestock. Alex swatted his neck.

"Don't tease the poor beasts." she said but there was no real conviction. She was enjoying her ride far too much to be mad at the creature beneath her. Any time his head turned a little she could see a smile putting up the corners of his mouth. He started lifting himself into the sky again, his wing beats scooping through the air. 

"What do you think?"  he asked. She was clinging to his neck for dear life. 

"Don't drop me!" she shouted, then grinned again. They were traveling so fast the wind was whipping through her hair. Kaleth grinned again and dove into another spiral. Alexa clung to his back giggling maniacally. This was by far the most fun she'd had since forever. Finally, several dives later Kaleth lowered to the ground. Alexa's arms and legs were exhausted from clinging so tightly to him, and as he landed, though she was a little disappointed for it to end she knew she couldn't fly around all night. She slid down his shoulder and landed on the ground, stumbling a few steps. Kaleth lowered his head so he was closer to her height. He had a smirk on his face.

"Happy now?" he asked. Alexa couldn't tear the ear to ear grin off her face. She reached up and hugged his snout. Kaleth moved away and she grinned up at him.

"Very, and you can return to your less intimidating size now please." she said. Kaleth grinned, shaking his head, and in a cloud of black smoke returned to the annoying familiar she was used to. He still had a smile tugging up the corners of his mouth. Alexa looked around, she had forgotten all about Pitch in her excitement to go flying. He was no where to be seen. Alexa let out the biggest yawn she could ever remember having. Kaleth gestured towards home.