I had been on the island of Aeberuthey long enough to see the bright green forest turn to an orange and yellow hue. The summer months had not lasted long and the air was beginning to acquire a foggy chill.
I was glad to have Naxan to navigate the island for me. He had found a cave where we would be able to live through the winter months to keep warm.
Currently, I was in the middle of making arrows. Alec had critiqued my work until I had made a proper looking bow that would be sturdy and shoot straight. It lay beside me. It was not the nicest looking weapon around, but I was proud to have made this on my own. Even if the thought of it still made me queasy, I was, in a way, grateful to have someone to teach me such things.
My arrowheads were made of stone that I had sharpened. Arrows in today's age were normally made out of smelted metals, but seeing as how I didn't have the proper tools or ways to make such things, stone would have to do. I felt like I was living in another time.
Alec had shown me how to skin an animal to acquire every part of the animal as it wouldn't go to waste. Naxan had captured a buffalo calf to eat, but I used some of its parts for myself. Its hide and fur I used for a new bed mat and its leg tendon to string my bow.
I was alight with excitement upon completing my weapons. I could finally hunt for myself and not depend on someone else to do it for me.
The day was well past noon before I finished my weapons. I was confident that I would be able to hunt properly now.
Looking at Naxan, I watched as he sniffed the air. His head slightly bobbing as he did so. His head turned to look at me. "Smells." He constantly reminded me of my unlikeable scent.
I let out a heavy breath while gathering my things. "Thanks for reminding me, Naxan." In my pack amongst the other things, I saw the stone that had started it all. I hadn't seen it for quite some time or really even thought about it. Its sooty darkness swirled like a rising storm. A quick flash of light broke through the darkness.
Naxan's body coiled around mine as he peered into my bag. His nostrils flared as he breathed in. I stood and watched him as he put his head into my pack, rummaging through its components. I laughed when the bag got caught on his snout. He tried shaking it off, but all that did was cause him more frustration and slight embarrassment. Removing the bag from his head, I pat his cheek lovingly, enjoying the sight of such a fearsome animal losing a battle with a piece of fabric.
I inspected my weapons once again, an idea forming in my head.
"Let's go hunting." I smiled brightly.
Naxan huffed and shook out his body, extending his dark wings. "Slow I down."
"Slow me down." I corrected him. "And I need to hunt for myself."
He growled, but he walked with me. I watched my dragon walk through the undergrowth. He had grown in the time I had spent with him. Before my head was just at his shoulders. Now I could walk under his belly, barely having to crouch. It amazed me, and I wondered how big he would grow to be.
A bitter feeling ran through me. I wish I knew more about my dragon. I knew he was young as he was still growing into himself every day. His age showed through the way he spoke and how broken his language was compared to other dragons, but that could also be because of his lineage and how secluded his breed was. But that's how they liked it. I could see the appeal. I didn't have to prove myself to anyone when living on this island alone. It allowed Naxan and I to bond better.
The school rejecting me was still an upsetting memory, and I resented those damned fools who turned me away. How could they live with themselves knowing the things they've done to potential dragon riders? Females were rejected and never seen again. Their dragons had to live a life without their other half, missing a part of their soul and never feeling whole again.
Shaking my head full of these thoughts, I focused on the hunt. I needed a clear mind if I was to successfully catch my supper.
I watched the forest as we walked through it to distract myself from my angering nerves. There was no sign of anything lurking, or I hoped so. Naxan had a keener sense of things than I, so if he seemed agitated, then that's when I would start to worry.
The dragon occasionally stuck his head in the air to sniff out the surroundings. "Close." Naxan's voice spoke through the bond. His tail tip twitched ever so slightly.
My heart rate picked up in excitement. My hand gripped my bow tighter as I looked in the direction Naxan was walking to. Naxan stopped in his tracks to look at me. His gaze looked to my feet. "Too loud." His pupils slit in annoyance. "Watch where steps."
I pushed a breath through my nose and walked behind him. I looked at the ground and focused on not stepping on anything that would crunch beneath my weight. I kept an eye on Naxan as well. His body got closer to the ground as he slunk forward like a cat.
"Twoleg. Deer." Naxan's voice was strong through the bond.
"Thanks... fourleg." I cracked a smile.
Naxan hissed quietly. "I am dragon." He said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"And I am a human." I countered back.
Naxan growled. "Hunt."
I looked to where his gaze was focused. I counted twelve deer. Some stags supported larger antlers on their heads, while others had smaller ones. The fawns were weaned off of their mothers by now and the mating season was approaching.
I pointed my arrow, deciding I would go after a younger buck. My dad's words of an old wives tale rang through my head. He always said that it was inaccurate to tell the age of a deer by its antlers. The size of the antlers mainly suggested the diet the deer had. He taught me so many things that were useful for where I was now. I never thought I would need to use his teachings in my life, but now having to survive off the land, it was coming in handy every day.
A small twinge of homesickness ran through my heart.
"Distracted twoleg. Hunt. Now!" Naxan's voice broke through my dispiriting feelings.
I focused on my target. Letting out a slow and shallow breath. I released my arrow, and it landed in the heart of the deer. Or I hoped it did anyway.
Its legs gave out, and it fell to the ground. In alarm, the other deer bolted from sight. I smiled brightly at Naxan. My first hunt and the deer did not suffer nor did it escape.
Naxan looked at me. "Slow, twoleg." My smile faltered. He butted his head into my stomach. "Good hunt." He made a chuffing sound as my hand went up to pat his head. A feeling of warmth seared up my arm and settled in my chest.
I sucked in a lungful of air and held it so as not to yell out. I ripped my sleeve up and saw a spiral of markings form on my bicep and continue their way down to my hand. The marking started at my shoulder. Black dragon wings were surrounding a sword; it took up the length of my upper arm. Below my elbow were two lines circling the entire circumference of my arm. The weaving black lines that started at my shoulder ended in the palm of my hand where they joined together in a small circle.
Naxan's nose went to my arm and nuzzle it gently. He rose and stood tall, looking proud.
"What is this?" I asked, even though I already knew.
"Means you're mine. I am yours." I could feel how proud he was through the bond. My own emotions turned into his, and I couldn't feel happier. He and I have come so far.
The moment was cut short when another feeling pierced through my body. Naxan backed away from me, his ears flat against his head. "Smells."
I clutched my head as voices screamed through my ears. This feeling was far more painful than receiving my rider's mark. As intense as it was, the pain snapped away in an instant. No more screaming and no more pain. I opened my eyes and looked at Naxan.
Naxan hissed. "Silver eyes." The bond between him and I was full of anger.
"Naxan it's me!" I shouted. He paused a moment at my voice but shook his head.
"Give back twoleg!" His voice was harsh through the bond.
I was panicking at this point. The rin inside of me must've come out. Alec was right after all.
I must look hideous to him. His feeling of anger and fear were rippling off of him in waves. Instead of feeling scared at the sight of him about to pounce on me, I sent him soothing feelings.
"Naxan, I promise it's me. It's Navi. I'm you're human, and you're my dragon." I said soothingly, putting my hands out in front of me. I noticed something different about myself. Instead of fingernails, I had long black claws in their place. I put my hands behind my back. "Naxan, it's okay. I know I look different right now, but it's still me."
I could see in Naxan's eyes that he was conflicted. He stopped growling, but he was still in a defensive position. I felt relieved that he was settling down. "It's me," I said again.
Naxan blinked his eyes. "Twoleg?" His posture relaxed, but his eyes held confusion. I pulled my hands from behind my back, and my normal fingernails replaced the long claws.
I let out a long breath. "Naxan, even when I look like that, just remember that it's still me okay?"
"Look like silver eyes. Dangerous"
I nodded my head. "My people call them rin. And humans don't like them either." I paused for a moment, deciding on what to say next. "Even though I am half rin, I am still half-human and I am still your rider. I would never do anything to harm you, Naxan."
"Bonded." Naxan's feelings of affection flowed through him into me.
"Yes." I nodded, smiling. "We're each other's bonded. And that means we protect one another."
"I am protector." Naxan brought his head up high. My smile nearly cracked my cheeks as I stared at him. I was glad he accepted me even though he was fearful of the rin.
When night came, Alec visited me in my dreams. As of right now, we were figuring out what my abilities were as a rin.
"No, Navidean. You don't have the ability to shapeshift." Alec's words sounded sharp. I had used the words 'monstrous demon' to describe shapeshifting, and I think I offended him.
"Okay." I merely said.
"It looks like you can conceal your rin half, which you were very concerned about." Alec walked around me as if I was on display.
I blinked fast. "Of course, I would be concerned. I would be killed if people saw me like that."
"Do not be ashamed of who you are, Navidean." He scolded me. "Take pride in your heritage." Alec stood proudly in front of me, no longer circling me like a predator observing his prey.
"Can you tell me anything about being a dragon rider? You said your people used to be accepted in Pontheugh. Did you pick up anything while over there?" My gaze was wandering over my rider's mark.
Alec opened his mouth but shut it after. It looked like his mind was churning with deep concentration and restrained to tell me something I didn't want to hear. He eventually let out a long breath. "It's been a couple of centuries since my kind inhabited your home. I don't remember much."
"Come on." I pushed. "Anything?"
Alec didn't look pleased to be talking about something that he had no interest in. I would guess he was just itching to get back to talking about what he wanted. But, a girl needs to know things.
"There is one thing that I can remember." Before I could even think about being excited, he continued speaking. "But after, we get back to our lesson."
I nodded in agreement, itching to know what he knew.
"On your hand." His eyes went to my left arm where my rider's mark was. "There is a circle on your palm." Opening my palm to the sky, I showed him what he was talking about. He came closer to me and grabbed my hand. I could barely feel his touch in this dream world. "The stone you have, the one that glows to signify you are a dragon rider. Hold the stone in this hand."
I scrunched my brow in confusion. "Why?"
Alec shrugged his shoulders. "You're the dragon rider. Figure it out." He dropped my hand. "Now, let's get back to our lesson."
I rolled my eyes, but internally, I agreed in silence.