I woke the next morning to the sound of wings flapping. I sat up to see Doron landing with blood on his face, with Veracon and Ragon close behind. Tahli slide down Ragon's translucent green wing with her bow in hand.
"Doron decided to go hunting this morning, I figured I go with him to make sure he came back, Veracon just kind of followed." She said as she came up to me.
I turned around to see Amy struggling to stand up while rubbing her eyes. The early morning sun was blinding as it peaked up over the horizon, and the dragons wings looked like colored ice as the light was shinning through the thin skin.
"Time to get started." Tahli said as she helped Amy up.
"It's so early though." She complained.
"War has no patience." I said while handing her my bow and pulling a spear from the ground.
We walked over to the tree we had practiced on the day before, I took the spear, and help it up over my shoulder.
"Watch carefully. If you're having a hard time aiming a spear, use your finger and point to where you want the spear to go. Keep in mind a spear has a shorter range when throwing. If you can, use the spear to stab at close range rather than throwing it." I said.
I threw the spear over my shoulder into the side of the tree, before it came loose and fell to the ground.
Tahli and I watched Tahli practice for a while. I certainly saw a bit of my younger self in her. She seemed determined with every throw of the spear, and every arrow she shot at the tree. Doron, Veracon and Ragon flew around over head, enjoying the cool breeze and bright sunlight carpeting the field.
"Jessica, why do I need to prove to the dragon that i'm worthy, when you and your sister were able to bond with them without issue, and Tahli could just be put next to Ragon and bond with him? What's wrong with me?" Amy asked as she lowered Tahli's bow.
"My sister and I were able to bond with our dragons so easily because we raised them from birth. The only reason Ragon accepted Tahli so easily was because he sensed that she had already been hardened. I don't know how they know, but they do. Veracon senses that you aren't able, therefore he won't allow it. Our ancestors bonded with dragons as young as newborns, all the way up to decades old. Many failed to bond with the older ones, and died while trying. I can't have him kill you just because we rushed. You will know when he has accepted you. If he accepts you". I said.
"Well, back to it then." Tahli said as she gestured for Amy to resume.
"Stay with her, I'll be right back." I said.
I turned and walked over to Doron as he sat at the edge of the shallow but wide, vine covered Valley. He noticed me approaching and raised his wing for me to come to his side. I looked down between the branches and vines, to see grass and dirt.
"Nothing special her, Eh? Perhaps if your brother decides to co-operate we could get moving again. I'm tired of all this running around." I said to the dragon.
Doron dropped his head down, shaking the ground, and closed his eyes.
"What is with you and sleeping?" I asked him, though I obviously got no response.
I stayed with him for several minutes before I returned back to Amy as she continued to practice with the spear.
"Focus on the bow. The spear is just a secondary weapon. Only use it if you're fighting at close quarters, or can no longer use your bow any longer". I said as both Amy and Tahli turned to see me approaching.
"How nice of you to join us." Tahli said sarcastically.
We both exchanged giggles as we watched Amy fire arrow after arrow, as well as try the spear a few more times. As the sun went down again, the dragons came to rest around our sleeping spot once again. I looked over to Amy as I warmed my hands around the fire. She was reading a book, the book we had read twice previously talking about the war that created the world we were living in.
"Still got that book I see."
She looked up from the book with her eyes wide open.
"Yeah, figured reading would help me fall asleep. I'm not feeling relaxed tonight." She said.
I didn't say anything in return as she went back to reading. After reading about the historic fights, with dragons tens of times the size of Doron, blood shed beyond belief, fires as high as the sky, and dead bodies carpeting the ground. Our three dragons may be the largest creatures the world had seen in over a century, they may be terrifying to everyone who gazed upon them, they may have flaming breath, and they may appear invincible, but the stories of the battles from centuries ago, constantly reminded me of how small, and vulnerable our dragons were compared to those that fought the war. Dragons many times Doron's size had been felled by the same arrows that are ready to kill our dragons when ever the opportunity knocks. I just hoped that I gave them enough time, enough time to grow, enough time to learn, enough time to live.
"Doron, no matter what happens, you'll always be remembered by us all. Thank you." I said.