For the Dragons

Good, you just need speed now.

Fire Starter stood carefully, folding his wings along his sides.

Are you well?

He asked, craning his neck so he could see her.
 
Zairee smiled so proud of herself. She thought she must've looked like a child who had just taken their first steps.

I am just fine thank you.

She nodded agreeing that speed is what she needed to practice now. She hadn't wanted to hurt him by leaping up onto him like she did from the branches of the trees deep in the forest. She wondered if she could try again.
 
Fire Starter began to walk back towards the barn, stopping every few steps so she could keep her balance and get used to the long strides of the dragon.
 
Zairee held on well balancing her weight as he shifted beneath her. She felt like she was walking for the first time. It was foreign and difficult at first. When they reached the barn she had done well the second half of the way back. With practice she would do even better.
 
Fire Starter crouched outside of his barn, his scales clattering in pride in the way Zairee had ridden him.

We will practice frequently on the ground before taking to the air.
 
Zairee smiled and jumped down from atop him.

That would probably be a great idea. No use is losing your rider on first flight.

She joked even though she knew it was quite a reality. Not very often, but sometimes her father would have to go out in the middle of the night to assist in the treatment of a fallen rider. Broken bones, open wounds, anything his well known medicinal balsams would help.
 
Fire Starter put his head close to hers and breathed in her scent, blowing out softly.

I would never let you fall!!

He said emphatically.
 
She smiled and bowed her head slightly her forehead touching gently his face.

I know. I trust you.


​
 
He butted against her gently.

Good.

He crouched,

Hop back on and we shall go to fetch you a bed and other two-legged necessities.
 
She laughed at his explanation of bipedal-ism and this time tried to mount atop him like she did when going between trees. Zairee beamed as she did it much better this time. Quickly she had hopped up and was sitting down on him like it was the most natural thing she had done a million times before. Having learned to jump and fall, gliding, between trees was helping her with balance and coordination with Fire Starter.
 
Fire Starter stood, he went a little faster going back to town then he had been coming to the barn.

Now, the shops are required to give necessities in exchange for whatever we earn or find for payment on our first few missions.
 
Zairee listened and then nodded.

Well I'm glad they are accustomed to this, most would shun elves in general away, especially me. I do hope not to run into any more opposition.

Once they had entered town and Zairee had managed to keep herself steady on his back she looked over as they passed the herb shop. She looked in through the windows watching her mother exchange a salve for money with a customer. She smiled hoping she was doing okay. She continued on with Fire Starter to retrieve what she needed to stay with him at the barn. A mattress, wash basin and such things to keep her comfortable
 
Fire Starter stopped at a shop that sold such things that pleasured two-legged beings and crouched, his scales clattering in pleasure.

Put in a request for whatever you wish. I shall wait here.
 
She smiled softly patting his neck and then hopped down walking into the store. The shop had humans as owners but elves working with deliveries, and actual shop work. One of the elves looked up at her, a young man whom she had seen at the ceremony but had not participated. "Welcome." he murmured as she walked past him towards the counter. The woman standing at the cash box raised an eye brow at her questioningly. "What can we do for you today?" she said a tone of superiority in her voice. "Um... Fire Starter told me to put in my needs?" She nodded slowly flipping open a book and scribbling some stuff with a pencil. "All right just scribble down what you need and we'll see that it gets to you by sundown." Zairee nodded leaning against the counter as she scribbled the necessities turning to hand her the paper once more but she had vanished from the counter. "I'll be sure to give it to her." The elf boy said still merely mumbling. She nodded her thanks and left the store turning to peer towards the boy once more through the mirror.
Who was he? she thoughtto herself. She smiled at Fire Starter.

It should be sent to the barn by sundown

She said waiting for his next plan for them.
 
Fire Starter let out a dragon grumble as he waited for her. The two-legged creatures were staring at him with a touch of loathing, and he let out a grumble of annoyance. He knew that by now, Zairee and himself had been bonded long enough she could no doubt feel his growing annoyance but he couldn't help the emotion as it came over him. He had not even been in for his daily oiling for his scales yet, and knew that now his normal elf that attended his rough patches would not see him. He had crossed a line, and his oiling elf would not stand for it.

He felt his scales chatter in the annoyance at the two-leggeds and his itching scales. He was still a growing dragon and since dragons shed scales frequently, he had no way to relieve the itching. He looked at Zairee as she left and nodded as she told him the items would be sent by sundown.

Very well then.
 
She eyed him peculiarly having felt a strong feeling from him.


All right, you need worked on now. I think I know someone who will help.

She told him as she walked beside him. "Follow me." she said walking down a side road. He followed her without question and when they arrived at a small hut he looked around questioningly. She made a sound that elves used to communicate and suddenly two young elves jumped down from the trees around them. "Zairee!" they squealed. The two little elves had been taught in class by Zairee before and hugged her strongly. "Hello you two. I need your father." They nodded and clambered up the trees again.

Mr. Gideon helped papa many times before, I can tell you're in need of some oiling. I can learn, but for now Gideon will help without caring what the others think.

A few moments later the two little elves produced their older father. "Hello Zairee." he said looking through his glasses at her. "Hello Mr. Gideon." The old elf looked Fire Starter over and smiled in awe. He hadn't been around dargons since her father had passed. "Hmm, you're in need of a good oiling aren't you." Fire Starter nodded at the kind elf and he sent his daughters off to get his things. "My son will be home from work any moment now, if you would like we could meet you at your place, there will probably be more room to work there. Zairee looked at Fire Starter and shrugged.

​Sound like a plan?
 
Fire Starter followed her without question, resisting the urge to reach back and gnaw the offending scales off. He watched with interest as the two elves scampered about and brought out an older elf. He smiled with relief as an oiling was mentioned and he nodded. He turned his head towards Zairee and bumped her lightly.

Sounds like the most wonderful thing in ages. I have not had an oiling in many moons. These scales are just about ready to fall off, I shall need to find a tree before the oiling...
 
She looked at Gideon and back at Fire Starter. "Mr. Gideon is there a tree he could use before the oiling?" The older elf pointed deeper towards the center of the woods. "Deep to the large red woods there is one the older dragons used in my younger days that is preferable to your kind. We will not venture there but you may go." the old elf said hugging his young daughters to his legs. Zairee raised an eye brow looking in the direction her ears standing on point.

I wonder why? she thought to herself as she looked at Fire Starter wondering if he knew about the tree. As they began their walk deep in the woods a younger elf arrived beside his father and siblings. "Father what are you doing down here?" "Adriel you're home." his father smiled at him. "You haven't answered me why are you down here dad, these parts aren't safe enough for you to be on the ground." Oh hush you're travelling with me today to work on a dragon." Adriel's eyes sparked with interest and nodded helping his father back up to their hut among the canopy of the trees.
 
Fire Starter began a light jog towards the tree, the ground vibrating with his every step. As he reached the large tree he let out a purr-like rumble and rubbed up against the tree. Scales that looked almost colorless began to fall off and land on the ground, joining the many that were littered among the leaves. He continued to rub against it with his whole body until almost all the scales that were dead were removed. The rest would have to be removed by hand.

It was a special thing to collect the dragon scales that were known to possess much magic. Fire Starter was surprised to see such a great amount of them at the base of the scratching tree.
 
Zairee looked at the remnants of his scales as well as other dragons past. She remembered her father bringing home satchels full of them. She smiled watching him excitedly rub against the tree. She walked off towards a brush where some of the scales had been arranged in a circle. She found that very odd. She looked past the brush and received an eerie feeling as she saw weird markings on the ground also marked with a red tinge. She kneeled down close to the markings feeling the coursing of life. Zairee had always had something different about her. It was the main reason most people in her life had shunned her. She could feel things, life as if it was a trickling wave speaking to her whenever she touched things. She shuddered when the vision of death attacked her mind stumbling back falling on her butt. She looked at Fire Starter who eyed her and stepped closer for a look.


What did that... and what died?
 
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