For the Dragons

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Fire Starter smiled at Neema and the beautiful blue dragon smiled back. He looked at the dancing elves, noticing that his rider was missing from among them and he hissed.

Ty, what is wrong?

Neema asked, using part of his dragon name to get his attention.

Neema...I can not locate my rider...and I have a bad feeling...

He answered, not liking the fact that he could not locate his rider.

When you have a bad feeling, it is as much a premonition as anything else...

Yes, I know that Neema, that's why I'm so worried...
 
Zairee stood stunned between the two buildings as Adriel left her side stalking into the crowd pushing his way to his father. Gideon knew more about the creatures that lurked than the very elders that sought to protect the town and its people. For years he had lived beyond the point of safety they had delineated and had witnessed more than most elves and humans alike. One look at his son's face and he knew that something was too close for comfort. He grabbed his children and wife and sent them home reaching one of the elders. The leathery skinned old male peered down at Gideon with disgust. "What do you want Gideon?" "My son has sensed with a fellow elf that a being is closer to the town than usual." "They come close from time to time Gideon no sense in ruffling your tails."

Gideon shook his head and scampered off towards his home. The truest of reasons why Zairee's family and his own had been so shunned was because they had always believed that the elders were hiding something from all the people. They had always believed that some of them had been in conjunction with the creatures. A secret lay deep within the confines of the leaders of their towns and he felt there had always been a reason why when some people went missing, especially elves, nothing was done.

Zairee turned and walked towards Fire Starter ignoring the calls of her mother. When she pushed through a collection of people she looked up at him and not knowing how she played back the moment that had occurred into his mind. He felt her worry and the worried look on Adriel's face.
 
Fire Starter could feel her emotions and he rushed to Zairee's side.

What is it?

He asked, Neema following.
 
Something is out there... and it's very close. Closer than I've ever seen one to the town.

A shriek shook the night and the commotion of people all froze hearing the screams for help from what sounded like a small child. The dragons all growled in unison their scales rattling and standing on edge. People screamed and took off running. Zairee was nearly knocked down as people pushed past to hide in their homes. She looked around into the dark of the forests hoping maybe she could find where the screams were coming from, maybe she could help. Even though fear coursed within her she ran towards some brush and placed a hand firmly on the trees feeling the course. With her power she could see the movement and beating heart of the young victim. As she continued to feel looking she couldn't hone in on where the screaming was and within seconds she fell to her knees both palms on the ground feeling the life fade and with every slowed beating of the heart she fought back tears and then there was nothing and the screams were done
 
Fire Starter leapt forward, shielding Zairee from the crowd and roaring out a command to the dragons and their riders.

Keep it together! Protect the town and your riders!

He turned to Neema and growled

You need to go find shelter....let the rest of us handle this.

Neema shook her head, determination in her eyes.

I, too, am a dragon Fire Starter! You may be leader but you cannot prevent a dragon from dealing with these creatures.
 
Zairee did not know who had fallen prey to the dark being and for a while she worried it was someone she knew. Fire Starter protected her instantly and she saw as the dragons each encircled their bonded to protect them but with eyes focused towards the woods they too were searching for the culprit. It wasn't until various minutes later that Zairee heard Gideon cry out searching for his youngest, Athena. Her heart trembled at the thought that the young elf they had seen a few days prior had now fallen victim to those that lurked in the surrounding shadows. Fire Starter and the dragons were not ready to patrol with their riders and so instead sent them all to the cathedral of town where most meetings were held so that they could go on without them. Zairee sat in the wooden pew with her shoulders hung only able to recall Athena's face.

please be safe
 
Fire Starter had instantly known what it was. So had the other dragons who quickly forced their riders into the cathedrels. None of them had training. None of them would be able to help. He led the way into the forest looking for the beast.
 
Zairee sat hugging herself as some riders waited in anger. "This isn't fair! We are the riders we should be out there looking for the beast!" one cried out. A young elf shook his head. "And what do you propose go out there after our first ride and magically bring this thing to justice?" The bickering continued until Zairee had enough. She stood and made her way up the steps to the bell tower. She sat in the opening watching out into the darkness of night hearing the growls of dragons and their wings flapping lifting and moving their bodies quickly. She saw Gideon be led into an elder's home and she raised an eye brow cuiriously. She jumped down from the tower and landed quietly running quickly to the window of the home to listen in.

"Gideon there is no point in sending out a search rescue, she will not be found." the elders spoke curtly to the sobbing old elf. "Please, Athena could be alive. She could just have been taken." "And you expect what of us old fool? To call off our older fighters from the war abroad to search for your dead daughter? The new riders have no clue what they are up against and an elf... just isn't worth the trouble." Gideon looked up at the elders in rage behind thick tears. "What would be worth the trouble? A human? an elder?" The group of self appointed rulers glared down at the old elf. "You may leave now Gideon the choice has been made." He shook his head. "I pray the next is you or your own kin." An exasperated gasp escaped the elders as he stood and marched out of their home slamming the door as he went.

"Gideon?" Zairee said running to his side. He looked into her eyes with an expression she had never seen before. "I'm so sorry Gideon." she said with tears streaming down her cheeks. "I will find her Zairee. Adriel and I leave tonight." "Gideon... I felt.... I felt her leave... you are going to chase yourself into death." He ignored her pleas staggering towards his home where Adriel lie waiting for their departure.

Zairee stood in the midst of an empty town and cried.

Find her Fire Starter, even if it's just her body... two more should not die in vain.

She knew he could hear her and she sauntered back to the cathedral to wait.
 
Fire Starter roared, sending the dragons out on a sweep. A mournful call came from Neema...the poor dragonness had found part of a body. It was of a little girl...or at least half of one.

The great dragon spied the dark flitting shadow of the beast that murdered her. A large hulking canine with blood red eyes. It was a Wemer. A large rat/wolf hybrid that would lure children in with his rat-like tail.
 
Zairee felt the sorrow from what had been seen and closed her eyes focusing as she had before. She opened her eyes to see what her dragon could and shuddered at the sight. Neema flew close to the mangled leftovers of Athena. The dragons were going to attack the animal she could see she knew it and with as many as there were out there it would be a quick hunt and kill.

She decided against the smartest decision she was sure and took off towards Gideon's home. She knew it was probably not the best idea to travel into the woods at the moment but she needed to warn Adriel and Gideon, she needed them to know that Athena was gone and that the monster that did this would be ended by the protectors of the town and that going out in search of it would only lead them to find something of the sort or worse. They could very well walk into their end.

She jumped from tree to tree barely placing an entire foot on a branch before darting to the next one. She reached the tree and heaved herself onto the balcony like protrusion of the tree house they called home. She knocked at the door frantically and swung into the home when a startled Adriel opened the door. "What on earth are you doing here Zairee? Where is your dragon? You should be protected... did you come here on foot?" He searched her tear stricken face for answers and sighed when he saw her lowered ears. She had stumbled into their home and knelt down onto the ground. He kneeled down before her and cupped her chin. "Zairee?" "She's gone Adriel I've seen her, I felt her as she... as she." his eyes averted hers and his hand dropped from her face. "Zairee you don't know that."

"Yes Adriel I do! I felt her heart stop beating!" He angered shaking his head at her. "No... No Zairee you can't be sure." "Yes... I just saw through Fire Starter's eyes... trust me please dont go out there in search of what is no longer there... you'll kill yourselves!" she said pleading. Gideon paid her no heed as he packed things into a satchel. "Please listen to me."
 
Fire Starter turned away as the other dragons began to kill the beast. He could feel his rider's anxiety and pain and he dashed towards the source, his protectiveness spurring him on. He roared, bursting into the clearing and leaning up to the tree house.

Zairee! What is going on? Are you alright?
 
Zairee looked down from where she was pleading to the two and walked out to the branch jumping down landing beside Fire Starter.

They do not believe she is lost... they want to venture into the forests on a lost cause... I do not want to see another elf harmed... This entire town is hiding a giant secret... no one but us cared.

She said wiping angrily at her tears. She kept replaying in her mind what she had seen and heard at the elder's home. It wasn't fair and no other elf needed to die. Athena was gone... what good would it do for others to go looking for death as well. She felt endebted to protecting and helping Gideon for he had served her father for many years... and there was something, some reason as to why she even cared about Adriel at all. It was all confusing and all she wanted was for safety for all she cared about.
 
Fire Starter pulled away, crouching on the ground and closing his eyes. He pulled all of his thoughts inward and away from Zairee.

With a growl he opened the image of Athena's body to all the adults in the town. He could feel various emotions and he pulled back after the image had been in their minds long enough for the impact. After that was done he pulled back, even pulling away from the bond with Zairee as he collapsed on the ground.
 
Zairee yelled running to him and looking into his massive face.

Fire Starter!

She called out frantically holding her head to his.

--
Iridessa screamed crying as the image was placed into her mind."No!" she cried out holding the sides of her head. She knew Athena well as the rest of Gideon's family. Her heart ached for her and her family. Why had the image been incepted into her mind? She felt like the entire town had probably seent he horror. Tomorrow would be a day of mourning and anger... she was fearful that an angry riot would erupt in the town. The towns, the very back bones of the cities were disintegrating before them. There was a reason behind all of this.
 
Fire Starter opened his eyes weakly at her faint call. To mindspeak an image to all the town at once...most of them with no experience with such a thing....he had exhausted himself. He could not even bring his mind to answer Zairee. His call was too weak...sounding like more of a whisper or echo of a whisper than his previously strong presence.
 
I'm here Fire Starter. I'm not going anywhere I'm right here.

Gideon stood beside Zairee instantly surveying the dragon. "He has overworked himself for the night... he must rest." Zairee looked at him through tear stricken eyes and noticed that he too had been crying. "What I have seen cannot be unseen... but it has cleared us of our obsession of hunt. My baby is gone." his frame shook with sobs and she wrapped her arms around him hugging the old elf. "I'm so sorry we could not save her Gideon." "She wasn't lost, my baby was taken from me. She was given to the beast." Zairee didn't understand him or if what he was saying was true she merely hugged him until he had stopped crying. "Come, he must rest, we will make sure he is watched over, you must rest as well."

She was brought up into their tree top home. It was much larger within than what it seemed from the outside. She sat on the edge of a padded mat staring out the opening to the sky. It was dark and the sky was painted with many stars. She wiped at a tear as Adriel walked over to where she was sitting beside her on the mat. "I'm sorry for deserting you back at the festival." She shrugged. "I'm sorry about your sister." He hung his head and nodded slightly. "Something just isn't right about it all... She was with mother when she was ripped from her side... with the amount of people there she didn't notice where she went or who had taken her. By the time she had gotten halfway to papa, the screaming began." He sighed. She closed her eyes at the memory and turned to look at him. "We'll get to the bottom of this." she promised and he nodded. He hugged her finding comfort in each others' embrace.
 
Zairee....stay....with them...

Fire Starter managed to weakly call out, the fluttering of wings called his attention to Neema. She had come to lay by his side, her wing unfolded to lay over him and keep him warm.

Fire Starter...that was most impressive. Most others would have been unable to do even half of the town with the amount of clarity you provided them. You silly, silly male...you have exhausted yourself far beyond what you should have.

The male weakly lifted his head and put it on her outstretched leg. He blinked at her, appreciating her care and conversation.
 
The morning came before Zairee knew and she awoke to have been laying beside Adriel her face on his chest and his arm protectively around her. She sat up quickly and blinked rapidly trying to remember where she was at and better yet where her dragon was. She straigthtened her hair down with her hands as he stirred and rose from his sleep as well. "Good morning." he said to her. She nodded in agreement and then ran to the open balcony like area of their home looking down to see Fire Starter was no longer at the edge of the tree. She turned to see Adriel before jumping down to the ground. "Zairee!" he called after her. "It's not a good idea to be out in the woods alone!" She continued down the winding road towards town. All the while trying to connect to him, still nothing.
 
Neema had helped get Fire Starter to the barn the night before when he had gained enough energy to try again. They both were curled in the barn. Neema had remained by his side, worried for him.

Fire Starter woke, feeling Zairee's panic through their bond. He opened himself to her slowly, mentally cringing when it hurt.

Zairee...I am at home. Neema brought me...
 
Zairee felt the weakness in his message and slowed her pace.

I'm on my way

Adriel landed beside her on the stretch of dirt road. She looked up at him. "You are stubborn you know that?" She smiled. "I could have told you that he was helped by that other dragon travelling east. Towards your barn." "Well next time you should say that first." She smiled sweetly at him. They walked past town noticing how the shops were closed and people were not on the streets. The mourning of Athena had begun.
 
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