Breath of Fresh Air

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Chaital bobbed her head in a nod. She bounded over, and then made a hard stop on the edge of the mat, spreading her wings for good measure.

"Whoa! Shit!" Noah burst out with a laugh. He'd nearly left the saddle, but with a strong grip on the handle was able to stay on. "That's a lot trickier!"

-------

"No, not at all," Mr. Harn said wistfully. "She - " He couldn't bring himself to say her name; his voice stuck in his throat. He swallowed and carried on. ". . . She grew up here, and we both wanted Noah to experience both worlds. Our original plan was to travel back and forth. But now . . . Noah really feels at home here. And frankly he's much safer adventuring with a dragon than he was going on his own."

He dropped his gaze. "I should've gone with him more, even as he got older. The gangs in Upper Floaten can be vicious, and there are so many abandoned places filled with their own dangers. Malfunctioning machines. Unstable floors. Hell, the main reason Noah got here was because he fell through a floor." Axle ran a hand through his hair. "I just want him to be safe and happy. Well . . . safer than he was, in Upper Floaten. And if I can visit him and Grandpa Jenkins more often by moving here, so much the better."
 
Nel laughed softly at Noah's reaction since he hadn't quite fallen off, stepping back a little further to be absolutely sure he was out of Chaital's way and that she wouldn't hesitate because of him. "All right," he said, looking to her and waving his hands up towards the sky to encourage her to stand on her hind legs, "now let's have you rear up all the way. Hold on,
Noah. Sometimes in the air you end up vertical, and the shift in gravity can be difficult." He wouldn't usually encourage someone so new to go so fast, but Chaital was experienced, and Noah had clearly been practicing on his own. He would be a quick study, Nel thought. The pair worked well together.

***************

Malia was quiet, walking at an almost lazy pace with her hands clasped loosely behind her back and letting him speak his peace. The better part of healing, she knew, was to speak and be listened to, without unnecessary interruptions. It was clear that he was having a hard time, even though she didn't know every detail of his life. Truly, she had been wondering if he resented Chaital, but it was easy enough working out who Noah's mother had been, and how long she'd been gone. Malia had only just been at the Dragonry long enough to know who Anna was.

"It can be hard to let go," she said agreeably when he was done, giving a little shrug at the thought of moving. "Children need their independence, even as much as they need to be watched over. He's done well, here. He's starting to settle in." Making friends with the staff, eager and willing to help with anything he could. He would find a place at the Dragonry, or he would use it as base experience to thrive somewhere else.

"I'm sure he would love to have you close, but there are always many factors to consider on your own." She gave him a small, almost humorless smile. "I don't envy you your choice." His business and his life were in Upper Floaten. It could be hard to let go, even if circumstances weren't ideal, but she knew that for a child a parent would do quite literally anything. He was just going to have to choose what he thought was best for both of them. She couldn't help him with that.
 
"All right, let's go for it!" Noah said, grinning and bouncing in the saddle. "Give me what you got, Chaital!"

Chaital reared up on her hind legs, shifting her body a good bit to try and balance on the squishy mat.

Noah laughed and almost fell off again, this time from laughing too hard and not keeping his grip. But he adjusted himself and leaned in against Chaital, squeezing his legs to keep a better grip and holding the saddle edge as well. "Hey, I'm getting the hang of this!"

------

Mr. Harn nodded. "He certainly has." He smiled and let out a gentle breath. "And Chaital - I can't even begin to describe how much good she's done for him. Not only will he have a dragon as his best friend and body guard, but he'll have a chance to learn how to be more cautious. Hopefully."

He glanced up at Malia again and nodded. "My choice wouldn't affect my work much either way. If the factory stays in Upper Floaten, it's only a matter of taking the elevator for a commute on the daily." Then his eyes widened. "Oh! I nearly forgot. I made an elevator so I can travel between Upper and Lower Floaten safely. It's a secret location so no one will go and try to break it, hopefully."
 
Nel raised his hands up with Chaital, watching the way she moved very carefully to make sure she wasn't straining too much to keep her balance, and let her take the silent cue from him as he lowered them back towards the ground so she would drop back to her feet. Noah had struggled, but at least the hadn't fallen off and still seemed amused.

"Very good," he praised them both, stepping forward to give Chaital's muzzle a pet and then a very gentle, guiding nudge. "Let's move back to the center now. If you were in the air, you would need to be more careful about adjusting your grip. Holding up your own weight while the wind pulls at you can be difficult, especially after long flights." But they could work on his hand strength gradually. "Let's try a real buck now. Chaital, give us a little hop?" She didn't have to try hard, at first, just suddenly shove her weight up, arch her spine or raise her head or tail higher than the other half of her body to try and tilt him off. They didn't need to throw him, this time around, just get him used to how he would feel her different motions in his own body.

***************

Malia only laughed softly at first, shaking her head at his optimism though she didn't want to crush it. "More cautious for having a companion, or less because she can protect him. We shall see." But one thing was for certain, Chaital would defend that boy with her life if she had to.

She blinked at him, a bit confused, when he mentioned 'elevator', and her eyes widened just a fraction when he explained. "One that goes so far? Impossible. How did you do it?" She paused as they crested the small hill and came upon Koatl lounging in the grass, holding up a hand to stop him walking, and shook her head. "Ah, hold that thought for a moment. I need to check in with our amputee, and it's best you stay here while I do." She was a large dragon, and flighty at times when uncomfortable about her missing paw. There was no need to repeat the incident with Jasper from before. Being unfamiliar with dragons up close and unused to reacting to how they behaved, she didn't think Axle would quite take the hit as well.
 
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Noah couldn't help beaming. He couldn't wait to practice more with Chaital. Maybe he could ask his father to bring a saddle down for him to use, and they could use a pond as a crash mat. But for now he wanted to learn as much as he could. "Thanks, Nel! You're a good teacher," he replied.

Then Chaital hopped as gently as she could.

Noah bounced in the saddle, but he kept his grip and quickly figured out how to land safely. "Huh! Not so bad when you're expecting it. But I wonder what would happen if - "

Chaital jumped again and sent Noah tumbling off her side, who yelped in surprise and flopped onto the crash mat.

-----

"Yes. Let's hope he leans toward the former," Axle said with a chuckle. "As for the elevator - it's not impossible. Just improbable. I'll gladly show it to you. Lily, Noah, and I have all gone down at the same time in it. It's quite safe."

He nodded solemnly when Malia explained what was going on. Axle was far more cautious than his son, at least in the present, and gladly stayed at a safe distance. But he couldn't resist peeking through the leaves a bit to see what was going on.
 
Nel flushed a little at the praise, immediately shifting from teacher mode into the much more shy, hesitant attitude that always followed any attention towards himself. "I- I'm only directing for Chaital, you're doing all the work. . ." As distracted as he was, it came as a surprise when Noah went tumbling off, and he did hurry over to check on the younger boy.

"Are you all right?" He asked, though without much urgency as it hadn't been a long fall and Noah didn't seem hurt. "It was a good test. You'll only be able to take off the training harness once your reactions are fast enough to adapt to those sorts of things." He held out a hand to help Noah up, and managed a little smile. "Let's try it again? I'll let Chaital surprise you."

***************

Malia only shrugged a bit, as she moved away from him, noncommittal. "Perhaps some other day." She had no reason, currently, to be in Upper Floaten, and if she did go it was generally wise to take a larger dragon up, as a display of power she truly hated. Dragons were intelligent creatures, ones that she cared for, not tools for political gains.

"Koatl?" She called softly as she approached, circling a bit around to come towards the dragon from her front so she wouldn't be startled. "It's just me, my friend. Is it all right if I take a look?"

The large, calico patterned dragon lifted her head to look at Malia, and after an annoyed sort of huff did extend her injured leg out for Malia to inspect. The matriarch was careful, only approaching when allowed and very gentle inspecting the stump with her hands to be sure no injuries had happened and no infections sprung up in the healed limb. She talked softly to Koatl as she worked, telling the dragon everything she would do before she did it and praising her for being careful, for taking care of herself. When the inspection was done, she stayed still to let Koatl touch her muzzle very gently to her head, then finally walked back to where Axle waited.

"Come," she said simply, waving her hand to bring him along with her as she continued on her walk, giving Koatl a wide berth. "Let's keep moving. We've a lot of ground to cover, and I'm sure you would like to see your son again before lunch."
 
"Don't be so modest. You showed me how to put all the saddles and stuff on in the first place." Noah took Nel's hand gratefully and got to his feet, chuckling. "Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks. Damn, that buck came out of nowhere."

Chaital chuffed in a laughing sort of way a few times, but she held still so Nosh could get back on.

The pair of them practiced for a long while before they both started to get tired, though Noah had gotten a lot of improvement in. Noah leaned against Chaital's neck, panting. "Whew! Break time?" he asked Nel.

-----

Axle nodded. "Works for me." He watched intently as Malia worked with the dragon, and his expression softened. She was so kind and patient with Koatl. It reminded him of the way -

No, he'd better not travel that route.

Malia was only doing her job and helping keep Axle out of Mr. Jenkins' hair. That was all.

He nodded and followed after into the grass. "That would be nice, yes. Would you care to join us for lunch?" he added.
 
Nel only smiled and praised Chaital for her efforts, as she'd gotten Noah off her back without hurting him. He was content enough to keep instructing them through more training, though she caught on rather well on her own, and didn't fight stopping when Noah wanted to.

"Of course," he said agreeably, not one to push others into do anything so long as their safety wasn't in question. "Rest for a while. When you're done, you can go flying if you want to." He would stay and be a spotter for them from the ground for a while. None of his duties were very pressing, at the moment, though he did need to go and see Soot again at some point.

***************

Malia's attention had drifted away, considering where to go next and who needed seeing to, and eventually decided to make her way to the livestock pasture to be sure the fencing was in good repair. She glanced back at Axle at his invitation, considering for a long moment with a thoughtful sort of expression. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to be away for a while, if you wouldn't mind the company." And it wouldn't hurt her to interact with people that weren't part of her staff. For all the bad publicity the people from Upper Floaten could get, Axle Harn seemed very harmless and considerate. Besides, he was doing a lot for her Dragonry, even outside of his money.
 
Noah grinned and rested his head in the crook of Chaital's neck. "Great! Sounds good to me." He made himself comfortable and curled up against the dragon, who likewise settled in on the mat and curled up with a wide yawn. She was a bit out of practice herself, having lived feral for a few years.

And about half an hour into the pair's nap time, a familiar grey dragon with black tips crept cautiously towards the storage shed. There he stopped and shrunk back a little. He wanted to get closer to Nel, but he didn't want to risk upsetting Chaital and waking her. So Soot made a few soft chirps and hoped they'd be enough to catch Nel's attention, folding his wings at his side and tensing.

-------

"Oh, not at all. And I know Grandpa Jenkins would love having another guest over," Axle said at once. "Do you like meat? We were planning on barbecuing for lunch today."
 
Nel was content enough to wait while they rested, doing some light tidying up in the storage room before eventually coming to sit on Chaital's other side. She wouldn't mind his weight, he knew, so he leaned against her opposite shoulder and tilted his head back against her to look up at the clouds drifting by.

It was the sound that got his attention, almost as soon as it started. He recognized the tone immediately, after spending so much time around every dragon on the property, and sat up to look around. "Soot?" He called softly, and smiled when he spotted the dragon creeping about. It was brave of him to get so close to more populated areas on his own, rather than hiding by himself somewhere in the property.

Shifting carefully away from Chaital, Nel walked off the mat at a calm pace and bent a bit to greet the dragon. For Chaital he would hold his arms out and open his body language, knowing she didn't mind him wrapping around her and greeting her more physically, but for Soot it was better he hold out his hands, low where the dragon could come and set his muzzle atop them. "It's all right," he urged gently. "You can come and see me. I was going to find you later on."

****************

"That sounds nice," Malia said with a little nod, laughing softly at the idea of seeing Mr. Jenkins again. "It's been a while since the old man and I have argued." It was a rough sort of statement, but one said very fondly. She didn't mind the older man's temper, could recall when she was younger and the two of them had clashed at times when they interacted, only to grow into something more mutual as she aged and mellowed out. She had always thought fondly on the more passionate discussions they'd had, but at least now he was probably too old to bother trying to outdrink her again. Having his family back had likely mellowed him out as well.
 
One paw at a time, Soot hesitantly stepped over across the grass, until finally he was close enough to set his chin in Nel's hand. He rumbled happily, a far quieter sound than Chaital's noises. Then he gently licked Nel's hands.

He hadn't seen him in a while. And like Nel, he'd begun having the urge to check in on his friends and make sure they were okay. Luckily, Nel seemed plenty safe. Soot tilted his head and chittered as though to ask what he was up to.

-----

Mr. Harn laughed. "You sound like Jasper! I have to admit, while Mr. Jenkins has the potential to be fiery . . . he's been pretty relaxed ever since he adopted Jasper unofficially and brought me and Noah in. I think maybe he and Boulder were just a bit lonesome, is all."

He smiled and slid his hands into his pockets. "So! Where are we off to next?"
 
Nel smiled and waited patiently despite being a bit bent over, and once Soot had greeted him left one hand beneath the nervous dragon's chin and used the other to stroke gently over his head. "There you are," he said softly, tone gentle and soothing. "I guess you found me first. Were you out for a walk?"

He glanced back behind him where Soot was trying to look, then turned back with a little chuckle. "They're tired out. Chaital and I are training her new rider. It's hard work." He hadn't done much, physically, and was used to being on his feet all day, but it was all right for them to nap.

***************

Malia hummed thoughtfully, a small smile on her face still. "Did he now? It's about time someone took that boy under their wing." He had been alone ever since his grandfather had died, and grown up before his time. Mr. Jenkins had been rather lonely too, so she was glad they had each other. "He's been coming around here for a long time now, even before he got his first little one's egg from us." She didn't give away such things lightly, but as a teen Jasper had been so enamored by Nobu's egg, and so lonely inside. She'd known he would take good care of it, besides. He was the responsible, protective sort.

"To the feeding pastures." She answered, pointing forward towards the nearest fence which contained bleating, wandering sheep and goats. "For a fence inspection. The caretakers are good about noticing things, usually, but I like to look for myself. Sometimes our dragons get too over eager and overstep their bounds, taking what isn't given to them. Wood is nothing to them."
 
Soot watched the pair breathing softly for a while, tilting his head. They seemed peaceful. Relaxed. Maybe, if Chaital was okay with it, she'd let him join in on the nap. He clicked his beak a few times in uncertainty.

Then he moved past Nel and gingerly stepped onto the mat beside Chaital. There was no resultant growl or huff from the other dragon, so he slowly eased himself against her side, shuffled his wings a bit, and glanced at Nel as if to ask whether it was okay to rest there.

------

"I agree. You'd think he and Jenkins were related; they've both got that same snark," Mr. Harn added happily. "Of course, Jasper's protective side always wins out. He's got such a way with his dragons. He's always very patient with them. Understands them so well."

Then it was off towards the fences. "Ah, right. Makes sense. You ever have trouble with wild dragons swooping in and making off with food?"
 
Nel blinked quizzically at Soot when he chattered, unsure what he wanted, but didn't try to stop him from walking away. It was best to let the dragon use his independence and do things for himself, and when he'd passed and Nel turned to see where he was going he could only smile. Seeing Soot get so close to Chaital after being skittish for so long filled him with such warmth he almost couldn't stand it.

"Getting comfortable?" Nel asked, gentle amusement in his voice, and followed after to crouch down nearby, not quite encroaching on their shared space. "Is it all right if I sit with you?" For Soot and his growing ability to associate with other dragons, he would sit still and not work for a while.

***************

"He and the boy's grandfather were friends, I believe," Malia said thoughtfully, "or at least acquaintances. Those little dragons would have been all he had left when the man passed, if not for Lily. After nurturing them so long, they're more like his own children than just companions." People had always rubbed Jasper the wrong way, or his temper had done it to them instead, but he'd always had a healthy respect for the dragons, especially after seeing those that were injured, and rescuing Naga from starvation. Even if nothing else, his grandfather had taught him a proper amount of reverence for them, and the rest had come from his own heart.

She shook her head a little, running her hand lightly along different parts of the fence as they walked to keep her eyes focused. "Every once in a while. With so many dragons of different sizes and types gathered here, they generally stay away. It's too difficult to fight for this territory, so they don't bother. If scouts report any in the vicinity, we step up patrols to be sure we scare them off."
 
Nel responded in a pleasant tone, so it must be all right. Soot situated himself further against Chaital and settled in, shifting his paws and tail to get comfy. Then he slowly laid his head down on the ground. And when Nel sat nearby, Soot moved his neck to crane around the young man, bringing him into the cuddle pile as best he could. He huffed in contentment and closed his eyes with a soft rumble.

-------

"Ah," Mr. Harn said gently. "It sounds like he at least had a lot of good influence, growing up. And I'm glad he has such a close family now, between the dragons, Lily, and Grandpa Jenkins. If we're lucky, maybe Noah and I can worm our way in there, too."

He watched Malia run her hand over the fence, wondering if that was part of the inspection. He copied the motions on a different part of the fence, studying it carefully. "What are we looking for, besides the obvious?"
 
Nel was careful in settling in between their two sets of forelegs, and when Soot curled his head into his lap only blinked at him in surprise. He smiled gently, after a moment to recover, and rested one hand on the dragon's muzzle and the other loosely over the side of his neck, scratching gently to help soothe him to sleep. His head was heavy, and Nel hadn't really planned on being still for so long, but it was all right. For Soot, with such incredible signs of progress in trust, Nel would sit in place forever.

***************

"Just don't push too hard," Malia advised with a shrug. "I'm sure you'll get there." If one stuck around for a while, it was generally enough to warm up to each other. Jasper would come around enventually.

"Besides broken posts," she said after a pause, glancing back at him and smiling at the way he touched the fence like she had, "any signs of wear, rot, or insect infestations. Anything that might be loose enough for the goats to bash their way out. Careful of splinters. It's best to keep an eye out for the animals, as well, in case any have gotten stuck somewhere. The goats especially have a tendency to get their horns caught in places they can't get out of." It didn't happen often, but it always made her sigh fondly when it happened. They were ridiculously stubborn at times.
 
After a few minutes, Soot heaved a long, deep breath. Then he chittered a few times and drifted off to sleep.

A few more minutes passed before Noah began waking up. He yawned and stretched, rubbing his eyes and slowly sitting up. "Mmm, that was a good nap. What year is it?"

-----

Mr. Harn smiled. "Duly noted. On both accounts." Most of the fences seemed to be in good condition, thankfully. But it wasn't long before Mr. Harn began getting distracted by the animals following alongside them. He chuckled and waved his hands. "Sorry, little ones. I don't have any food. You're all awfully cute, though."

Then he gasped and sank to his knees. "Oh! Malia, look at this tiny little goat. I've never seen one so small," he crooned, sticking his hand through the fence to try and pet it.
 
Nel sighed softly when Soot drifted off, petting at him gently a while so he would be soothed into a proper sleep, and only pulled his attention away when Noah stirred. Laughing almost silently, he put a finger to his lips for quiet. "They're napping together," he said very quietly, though he didn't point out that he was also obviously stuck with them now. "He's never slept next to other dragons before. . ."

***************

Malia only paused when Axle gasped, turning to look at him and laughing softly at his amazement. "Most things start out much smaller than normal when they're young," she said with a slightly raised eyebrow, amused by the 'city boy' and his experience with livestock. "Watch your fingers. If they think you have food, they'll bite." Most of the goats were even tempered, well cared for by attentive farmhands, but every one was different and some were naturally cantankerous. The baby, at least, was curious enough to hop over and sniff at his hand.
 
Noah followed Nel's gaze, and he let out a soft gasp as his eyes sparkled. "Awww! He must really trust the three of us to be sleeping near us," he whispered. "I'm so glad he's gotten a chance to relax. You're doing such a great job with him, Nel." He laid back down and yawned again. "I might as well sleep a bit more if the other two are. You gonna get a nap in, too?"

-----

"Well, yes, I know, but - just look at him! He's so tiny!" Axle murmured. He gently petted the goat's ears and head, smiling and nodding. "Aren't you a cute little fellow? Yes, you are!"

Then he blinked and stood up again, clearing his throat. "Ah! Right. We're supposed to be checking the fences, not the goats. Have you noticed anything unusual?" he asked.

It was strange. In Upper Floaten, he had to be so careful about the way he spoke and acted to maintain his image. But here he could drop that image at a moment's notice and no one seemed to notice much.
 
Nel smiled happily still, though he felt a bit shy at the praise. "He just needed someone to show him it's okay. That not everyone is out to hurt him." If Soot could be comfortable and confident around people and dragons, Nel could be happy in the thought that he'd done his job. All he wanted was for Soot to be happy. "I don't usually sleep during the day . . . but maybe." The dragons were very warm, pressed against him in the sunlight, and he was content with Soot and Chaital getting along, but he also held on to caution being so near a dragon with so many previous behavioral problems. He wanted to stay awake in case Soot needed him as he woke up. It was all right to be bored for a while.

***************

Malia was smiling broadly at the way he treated the animals, and laughed goodnaturedly as he got to his feet. "Oh, don't go putting on your business face with me anymore," she teased. "You've revealed that you use the same baby voice everyone does when they see babies or small animals - you'll never have me fooled again."

She chuckled as she turned to start walking again, entertained at getting to poke at the serious businessman from the prim and proper upper city, but all in good fun. "The fence is fine. I'm too used to the animals to get distracted like some people do." She glanced at him over her shoulder, eyes twinkling with amusement, then gestured forward. "Come. Let's see if anyone is frolicking in the wildflowers."

He didn't get enough of nature, she reasoned. If would be fine to take him on a little tour through it under the pretense of checking on dragons.
 
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