Beast Tamer

Chapter 4

The next morning, I got up and went about my morning chores. All the time my eyes kept wandering to the forest where the dragon flew to.

I wonder if he is alright? I thought to myself. Shaking my head, I focused back on to the task at hand. Later on that night, I was sitting at my desk working on a new panel, when a squeaking sound came from the hallway.

"What was that?" asked Tryl, standing alert, his eyes set on my door.

"I have no idea," I replied. I waited for a bit but I didn't hear the noise again, so I went back to work.

"Do you think that we will see him again?" asked Tryl peering down at the dragon drawing.

"In a way I hope so, but then again, I don't want him to get captured again," I replied, setting down my black brush.

Tryl flew over and grabbed another brush and sat down and handed it to me.

"Thanks."

"I wonder why the fat man wanted him," Tryl said in wonder, tilting his head to the side.

"Same here. That man is very suspicious. I don't like him one bit." I replied looking to the small dragon. I reached over and pat his head.

Just as I was getting back to my work, my door flew open to reveal Father and the constable. Fathers' eyes were wide with shock at the sight of Tryl and my art. The constable looked creepily pleased.

"Well, well well. What do we have here? Art? That is illegal here in the Country of Dains," the Constable said. "Tamika Roulind, you are under arrest for the possession of art and the possession of a wild beast."

The constable grabbed me roughly by my arm and dragged me from the building. I struggled and pulled against him, but it was no use. An idea popped up in my head and in desperation, I kicked the fat man in the gut. He doubled over in pain, and I took the chance to run. I ran to the only place that I could think of, the forest. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me.

"Wait for me!" yelled Tryl, flying as fast as his little wings could carry him.

I stopped to catch my breath, only to be blinded by a strong wind. A black clawed hand reached down and wrapped around me. It pulled me up into the sky before the large figure flew over the forest. It was the dragon from the night before. His black scales glistened in the sun, and I noticed patches of red scales.

"Who are you?" I asked.

The dragon peered back at me, his gold eyes glowed dully in the sunlight. He looked back ahead and said, "Caladine. Caladine Tryner."

"That' s an odd name," I replied.

"Yours is probably stranger," he snorted.

"My name is Tamika Roulind and this is my friend Tryl," I stated, motioning to the tiny dragon that was flying beside us.

"Hmm... That mark on your wrists, what is it?" he questioned, looking closer to me.

"I don't really know. It's kind of like a birthmark, I've had it since I could remember," I said looking up into his gold eyes.

"Have you wondered why you can talk to beasts?"

"Not really, I could do it forever. Why?"

"That mark is the mark of a Beast Tamer," the dragon replied. "I remember it from my studies."

"You study?"

"Of course I study! Ignorant human!" Caladine huffed like a child causing me to giggle.

Caladine opened his eyes in surprise and looked at me. "You're an interesting human," he replied thoughtfully, slowly landing on the ground.

The black dragon looked around but once he let me go, he started shivering uncontrollably.