Missing

Chapter 1

Half spellbound and half thinking it was a dream, Kestrel clambered onto its back. The creature gently took off into the air and into the moonlight.

Kestrel jolted and her muscles grew tense. She gripped tightly onto the dragon's shoulder with white knuckles.

"Moonsplinter." she whispered as thin shards of moonlight scattered across his scales, and the creature looked up in acknowledgement, his eyes gleaming against the dim light. She had decided the name when she originally designed the dragon. She had spent many hours drawing him and redrawing him, looking through her dinosaur encyclopaedia and bird guide.

He slowly turned his head back to the sky and stretched his wings in the soft wind, softly drumming a peaceful beat echoing the beat of her heart.

'Moon.' she thought with a smile and closed her eyes for a moment peacefully.

Four hours later

The island stuck out of the water off the coast of the little Welsh fishing village in Brecon like a sore thumb. She hadn't yet seen much from above and was pleasantly surprised: Everything was like miniature toys from up high, as if she could pick it up and put it in her pocket. She could see several figures outside some cave systems, milling about or guarding the entrances.

Moon touched down a little way from the cave systems and nudged Kestrel.

"I don't think this is a good idea." she replied, and Moon paused for a moment - he scanned the area and his frill of feathers round his neck bristled - before nodding and letting Kestrel sit on his back again.

They flew for a little further until they came to a cave entrance hidden behind some trees and tall ferns.

Kestrel smiled at Moon and patted his head softly. Moon purred.

He padded ahead of Kestrel and led the way through the tunnel complex.

*****

The two appeared in a beautiful valley with proud inky black jagged mountains piercing the sky. Thick emerald blankets of conifers covered the scape and the moonlight etched amber spirals across the verdant lush grass.

A shadow glided swiftly over the large group of people, casting them into a shady darkness. They tilted their heads and saw that the shadow had been created by a winged beast. Wings stretched outwards like canopies and perfect, red scales reflected the shining light. Large reptilian eyes, like diamonds, seemed to acknowledge the two below and a clamp-like jaw held a hoard of dagger-like fangs, which looked like they could rip a person apart limb from limb in a matter of seconds.

Kestrel breathed in awe.

It felt like it should be a dream, but she knew it wasn't. It was far too real

Moon growled and kept moving as Kestrel followed.

A smaller dark dragon set down on the grass a few metres off. It looked remarkably like the How to Train Your Dragon star – Bright green eyes and smooth black scales. She smiled awkwardly at it. She watched as a boy slid off the back of the dragon and adjusted a leather saddle strapped around its waist.

"Woah this is awesome, so awesome." she thought out loud.

He nodded politely towards the two, as if he had been expecting them. His hair was jet black and spiky, like a hedgehog, and his eyes were dark. His skin was a pale tan colour, and he was a tiny bit taller than Kestrel. He wore a leather aviator jacket.

"Did you say something?" he asked, his voice rougher than expected.

"Nothing." she stammered. "I love your dragon." The boy stared at her as if she were mad, but then walked over to Moon. His dragon wandered down the bank towards the conifers.