Adventures of Paku the Dragon: The Shroud of Shadows

Chapter 37

The next morning, Ziva wakes up early and goes down stairs to find breakfast prepared by the sibos. There is porridge made from oats mixed with berries, breads filled with eggs and cheese baked into a delicious crust, and thick soups served piping hot.

"I have to admit, you humans know how to cook pretty good." Bithor smiles as he eats from the sibo men dishes.

"It is what keeps us going in the harsh winter months." the sibo man admits, as the breakfast party turns towards Ziva and Paku, the two young dragons arriving.

"Well there are the two sleepyheads." Patch laughs. "Come on down and join us for breakfast." The three males sit at the table and eat their fill while chatting about the battle against the Molt and its leader, Rufo.

After finishing off the last bit of food, Ziva and Paku decide to leave the warmth of the kitchen and step outside. "I think we should go on that flight I promised back in Peatsville."

"That would be nice." Ziva tells Paku. "Just the two of us."

Once they've eaten, the two walk outside to the large open area surrounding the stronghold entrance. It's cold and dark, the sun yet to rise above the horizon. But it doesn't take long before the sky starts glowing with light, turning orange and pink, reflecting off the snow and the beautiful tundra.

"Seems we picked a good day to go." Paku muses as he looks at the distant mountains. "Shall we?"

"Of course." Ziva smiles as she prepares to take flight, when Patch comes outside.

"Brrr, its chilly! Where are you two going?" the puma asks.

"We're going to fly, just the two of us. See if we come across anything." Paku tells his foster brother.

"Alright, don't forget to return here after your adventure." Patch warns them. "Don't wander far or you'll lose sight of the fortress!"

"You worry too much, little bro." Paku smirks. "We'll be alright."

Patch nods. "I'll be here seeing if these talking wolves can show me anything. Not everyone can be a cool fire breathing dragon after all."

As soon as the two dragons leave the building, they start flying away from the mountain peaks and deeper into the tundra. In no time at all, their wings beat quickly enough so the wind feels like a gentle breeze instead of biting cold.

"Paku, I've been meaning to ask you something..." Ziva begins.

"What is it?" Paku asks.

"Back in the redwoods, the other dragons seemed sure we stay hidden so we could birth the new age. Do you think they meant what I think? That we're the last two dragons who can restore our species?"

"Maybe, maybe not." Paku replies. "But either way, we will do everything possible to make sure our species returns to its former glory. You need to believe that."

"Thanks." Ziva says softly.

The two dragons fly over a large lake with glaciers in it, a powerful chilling breeze blowing off of the body of water. As they get closer to the shore, Ziva notices small waves crashing onto rocks. She lands her wings carefully on the beach near some rocks where the water meets land, taking a seat on the black sand.

"It's pretty chilly." Paku comments as he sits next to Ziva, lighting a small bundle of sticks on fire with his fire breath to warm the two up.

They sit silently, watching the waves crash into the rocky shores. After sitting around for a few minutes, Ziva speaks again.

"Do you remember the night we met?"

"Yes, I recall it well."

"You and Patch were chained to a tree." Ziva laughs. "I was hunting for food for the redwoods dragons, and I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw you. A black dragon my own age. I was pretty thrilled."

Paku smiles. "I was too. This pretty red dragon shows up to save the day. Couldn't have asked for a better rescuer." He chuckles. "Even though we had different colored scales, I knew right then we'd become friends."

"If anything, it is nice to have another dragon like you around. You mean a lot to me." Ziva tells Paku, as she once more confirms her strong feelings towards the black dragon. "And now look how things turned out. We both ended up in this crazy situation together. And we still manage to stick through each others' backs even when times got tough."

"Yeah," Paku agrees. "We complete one another. As long as we are together, I think we can bring back light to the world."

Ziva grins widely. "Let's hope so."

After spending an hour looking over the frozen lakeside, the pair decide to continue flying northward. The skies remain clear and blue, allowing the two dragons to see quite clearly. They spot many birds and animals along the way, including a herd of reindeer which seems rather curious about them despite being a natural prey to dragons.

"Those must be where the sibo men got their sleighs from." Ziva notes. They then noticed the herd start to scatter, as if something had startled them. Both dragons turn to find three dark shadows approaching the group. At first, they thought there might only be two until the third came into view behind him. It was a huge bear with massive claws and teeth, wearing thick furs over its shoulders.

"A polar bear!" Paku exclaims, as he takes a step back watching as the trio of bears begin to chase after the reindeer horde. "I've only heard stories of these beasts."

"We should keep distant from them. I heard they're bold and would even hunt dragons." Ziva warns. "One wrong move..."

Both dragons take flight, heading further north across the icy plains. Soon, the ground becomes less flat as they reach higher mountains, eventually reaching a cliff edge overlooking snow covered valleys below. It was a beautiful sight, as it felt like Paku and Ziva had reached the edges of the world.

"Wow, this is amazing!" Ziva exclaims looking over the entire land from the mountain ridge. "This place reminds me of home. All those trees and rivers... I wish we could explore all of it."

"Me too," Paku adds. "But I'm glad at least we made it here safely."

The two dragons begin to snuggle on the mountain ridge, loving one another as snow begins to fall softly. There was nothing else to worry about, no other dangers lurking nearby, just themselves enjoying time spent together. Their love for one another was growing stronger every single moment.