Nusantara: Taming a Dragon ✔

Hello, my dear

Alright, although I initially decided to only upload 1-2 chapters per week I feel like I needed to upload this second one along with the first because they're two halves of who Aleera is as a character.

So I'll avoid any more ranting here - did enough of that in the previous chapter - and I'll just let you lovelies enjoy this second part~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤

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~ Two months later ~

"Seriously... how do you do it?"

Looking up from where she was currently feeding one of the youngest lizards a fish, Aleera couldn't hold back a giggle at the sight of her colleague and friend hiding behind the nearest tree.

"He's not going to eat you... I think currently he'd be more afraid of you than you are of him. The worst he'll do at this age, is growl and hiss before running away."

"Yeah, and I'm not looking forward to that either."

Rolling her eyes, she offered another treat to the young Dragon to distract him for a bit; standing she walked over to the other girl and handed her one of the dead fish.

"Come on... you'll never learn to work with them, if you just hide whenever you see one."

Accepting the fish with trembling hands, the brunette shyly stepped out in full view, earning the Komodo's attention; when he started flicking his tongue in her direction curiously, she let out a small squeak causing Aleera to chuckle.

"Come on, Mawar. Seriously, you live  here and I won't be around forever. You'll have to work with them sooner or later."

"I may be a native, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't be afraid of predators." the girl protested.

Rolling her eyes the redhead shook her head in amusement and grasped onto her friend's arm to make her crouch.

"Really? They're the image of the park... how you've managed to not resign until now, is beyond me."

Encouraging Mawar to hold out the fish for the young Dragon, she smiled when the Komodo began to approach them hesitantly.

"It's okay... come on..." she said softly. "Come get your treat."

She wasn't exactly sure if the Komodos could understand human speech at all, but perhaps they could understand tone – and so she made sure that hers sounded as calming and reassuring as possible, to let him know that nothing bad would happen if he took the fish. At the same time she kept rubbing Mawar's back and reassuring her that the Komodo wouldn't just attack her out of the blue, if she didn't startle him.

"Relax... you're doing just fine. Just don"t make any sudden movements. I guarantee he's more interested in the fish than your fingers."

Finally gaining enough courage, the lizard stepped up and – flicking his tongue against the fish twice – grasped the treat from Mawar's hand, proceeding to let it slide down his throat.

"See? You did it! How about petting him?"

Laughing at the brunette's shocked expression Aleera herself reached out and gently trailed her fingertips along the Dragon's head.

"Too soon?"

"Way  too soon..." Mawar complained with a pout.

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"Hey, Aleera! You coming to lunch?"

"Thanks, Dian, but I'll spend a little more time with these guys. Gonna get them settled in properly."

Smiling as she gestured to the newest residents of the Komodo Park – four youngsters no bigger than her forearm – she then watched as her co-worker shook his head with a chuckle.

"Alright, Miss Lizard. I won't take you away from your new babies."

Sharing a short laugh, the redhead waved off the young man before returning to her task of feeding the youngsters. The end of lunch break found her still there, lying in the grass with the four lizards – three of them resting their heads onto her outstretched arm, while the fourth had sprawled himself across her belly.

Smiling softly as she watched their eyes drooping with sleep in the sun-speckled shade of the tree they were under, she then settled her head in a comfortable position on the thick grass. For a moment she watched the sun dancing amidst the emerald leafage above, reaching out almost as if trying to caress the playful lights. The silence engulfing them was only broken by birds boasting their songs all around, and the faint sound of waves carried on the breeze.

Casting one more glance to the trio using her arm as a pillow, to find them sleeping peacefully, she again smiled and closed her eyes allowing herself to be lulled to slumber by nature's soothing concert.

'Wake up... hey, Aleera! Wake up!'

Stirring at the sound of what seemed to be a young girl, the redhead opened her eyes and sleepily glanced around. The four youngsters hadn't moved and were still far away in dreamland.

'Over here... hey, look at us! Don't be rude!'

Alerted when she again heard the voice and realized it hadn't been a dream, she glanced upwards out of instinct only to be startled by the more mature sound of another woman.

"It's quite alright, Sari... doesn't she look adorable with these little ones?"

It was her voice that finally stirred the four youngsters, causing them to huddle up to Aleera and hiss in fear at the stranger standing only a few steps away. Taking a moment to comfort the small Dragons she now raised her gaze to the sight of a woman probably only a few years older than her, hooded and cloaked in bright green silk with slivers of gold.

"Hello, my dear." she smiled widely, as though being in a restricted wildlife area was perfectly normal. "I'm sorry if I startled you, but I just had to see it with my own eyes. Especially after what Sari told me... oh, I think you're the perfect choice."

"What...?"

"Whoops, my time is up for now. Don't worry, honey, I'll come visit again."

Wiggling her fingers, the young woman then grasped the edge of her cloak and in a flurry of emerald cloth she was gone, leaving Aleera to stare at the spot dumbfounded. Was she dreaming? However, a pinch of her arm informed her that she was very much awake; but people couldn't just disappear  like that... right?