The Night Rider

Chapter 16 - Apprentice

"OK thank you, Miss Liva. That will be all." Nivara called out, her voice echoing around the room.

Domino looked like she had been slapped with a Scale Shrieker, struggling to hide her disdain. Nivara smiled warmly at her, reminding her of the importance of listening to her commanding officer. That was something the Excelliars had forgotten in their leniency over the last few years.

She gave a stern salute to the Mist Maiden as her Oathed gave a short bow, bobbing a little on her shoulder.

"Did we do OK? I hope we did, Dommy. Did we? Did we?" Ripple said rapidly, curious and excited all at once.

Her Oathed gave her a fierce glare, clamping her mouth closed with a stray hand. Nivara chuckled, placing her hands over each other as she beckoned them over with a jerk of her head. Domino stayed planted, removing her hand from Ripple's snout as she flew over at once, taking twice as many wing flaps as a Talonslash would as she veered over to Nivara's desk, skidding into the cluster of papers and sending them flying.

With a wave of her hand, Nivara's Trait split into tendrils and gathered the papers within her Trait and collected the papers before they hit the ground. Domino stood, open mouthed before hurriedly catching up with her Oathed before she set fire to the table.

"Hi! My names Ripple but you probably knew that already. I really like your Trait, Miss Mist Maiden. It's really pretty!"

Nivara gave the dragon first genuine smile in weeks, offering her hand to shake. The dragon jumped on her palm in delight, shrinking to the size of a mushroom and curling up on her hand instead. Her heart glowed at the little Knuckleburst's kindness. After what had happened today, Nivara was more than a little disheartened about her position but this little dragonling had came up to her regardless of rank or Trait just to say hello.

"Lady Nivara! I'm so sorry, I-" Domino began, but her voice trailed away.

Nivara quietly handed back her Oathed as the little Knuckleburst mewled happily in her sleep, nestling closer to Domino's sleeve.

"Do your best to look after her, won't you? You only have one Oathed after all."

Domino's ears went red as she nodded quickly, cupping her hands to hold the little red dragon carefully without dropping her.

"Of course, my Lady. I won't disappoint you."

Nivara nods, gesturing for her to leave out the exit as Ripple slowly began to stir, Domino's quiet scolding being the last thing she saw before a familiar scruff of brown hair peeked out from the doorway to the infirmary. Scout's arm was in a sling, his forehead still bearing a slight scar after having eight stitches in his head but his lopsided grin made Nivara's mouth pinch upwards.

"You free for lunch, Master?" Scout asked, making his way through the hastily cleared room.

Nivara grinned, her stomach rumbled in tandem as she vacated from her cramped desk and back aching chair as it toppled onto the arkalite floor without a care. This was the biggest room in Opalace nearest the entrance and it was also the room that the Excelliars had decided to gang up on Scout and the others before Nivara had intervened. It was astounding that a little over three hours had passed since they cleaned up the mess their protest had made before they could allow the new recruits in. They had all been given a starting position and a form to fill out and hand up before the assessment began. 

Nivara had only seen two other Traited good enough to be recruited: thirteen year old House, a Water Traited and his Sea Screamer partner Hydron. Sea Screamers were a rare type of dragon found only in the Neridian seas and typically had two heads which allowed twice the power of water and paralysis. House and his dragon Nohr and Dire had quite a basic combat style but it was quite refreshing to see such a laid back approach to such a simple water blast but it was a shame she couldn't see more variety than the same one trick attack.