The Third Red 1: The Enemy Within

Chapter Three Routes and ReunionsThe predator walked on two legs, standing on his toes so as to not make any noise. He sniffed the air and growled, gripping his fang on a stick (or as the human called it, a spear) tightly. The hunger of the predator was overwhelming, but now he had full control over this body. The boy he lived inside, Eric Yagaro… was still asleep. This allowed Clauwing to do what he’d always wanted. To hunt.

Clauwing was slow. The human body couldn’t run as fast or fly as a true opinicus. But he could follow a scent with his nose. He continued to sniff, moving through the jungle. The light of a nearly full moon penetrated the trees. Soon he could just make out the shape of his prey in the darkness. A doe lay asleep on the jungle floor. Clauwing grinned. At last he would have his first kill!

He raised the human’s hand. This was his moment, a rite of passage that signified he’d grown up and could provide for himself. He wouldn’t stay around the nest like Eric seemed content to do for the rest of his life, letting that dragon he called a grandmother catch food for him. Clauwing was a hunter.

He thrusted out with his palm. But… nothing happened. No sorcery, magic light, fire, or lightning burst from the palm.

Come on! Clauwing thought. Cast! Cast!

He thrusted out with his palm several times, but to no avail. Growling, the beast spirit realized he didn’t know how to manipulate Eric’s sorcery as he did the body. The boy sometimes spoke in that strange magic tongue, and Clauwing could never memorize the words. He didn’t even know how to summon sorcery into the hand. That left him with no way to take his prey by magic. He didn’t have claws either. But he had brought the human’s makeshift claw.

Clauwing positioned the sharp stone at the end of the stick in front of himself. He screeched like a hawk and charged like a lion! The doe awoke to the sound as he leapt at her and brought the spear forward. She cried out in pain, but the attack was not enough to bring her down. The doe kicked in retaliation and hit Clauwing with her hooves.

“Ow!” Eric awoke to a sudden pain in his side as he fell on his bum. Something made noise, he looked up and saw a deer running into the darkness, illuminated by the full moon. Eric’s hands held a familiar spear.

“Ah Panarus!” Eric cursed.

He’d failed his beast sorcery test! When he fell asleep the beast took control of his body. His feet ached from walking. Then the voice of the beast spoke.

“Damn! We nearly had that food!”

Eric scoffed. He was glad that the deer escaped. That was the only good thing about this.

Clauwing wasn’t happy with that thought. “That was our dinner and the first prey we ever came close to catching ourselves! It’s a disgrace we let it get away! If only I could have used your sorcery to catch it!”

So Clauwing didn’t have control over Eric’s sorcery? That was good to know. But it was also a bad thing. If they’d run into a real predator while walking in the jungle, they wouldn’t have stood a chance. At least Clauwing had brought Eric’s spear. Still, sorcery was better.

“Fyra!”

A flame lit in Eric’s open palm, giving him light to better see his surroundings. He wasn’t familiar with this part of the jungle. Clauwing must have taken them deeper than he’d ever been before.

“Which way home?” Eric wondered aloud.

Why go back? We can live out here! Rawt! Clauwing squawked.

Eric scoffed. “Not on your life!”

He needed to find a way home. But how? Eric thought for a moment, then remembered. Rubara’s mountain was to the east, the sun would rise that direction in the morning. He didn’t know how long he’d traveled. He was hungry and lost in the jungle. He’d have to wait until the sun began to rise. A little light to guide him home.

Eric closed his hand, putting out the fire. He felt a slight wetness, the air was filled with moisture, humid and slightly cold. Not unbearably so… at least it wasn’t raining. That happened every few days here on Dragoran. He sat where he was, trying not to doze off.

Eric shivered. Rubara wasn’t around to protect him. He felt so helpless, even with all the training his mother gave him. He grasped his spear tightly.

Clauwing laughed in Eric’s head. Still thinking of having Rubara protect you? You really are pathetic.

Eric hissed, a spark of anger rising. “This is your fault birdbrain!”

Clauwing just chuckled in response. If you want, I can take over since you’re looking for someone to protect you, hatchling.

“I’m not a hatchling!” Eric countered. “I’ll be fourteen soon, two years and I’ll be a man!”

In nature, you’re of age when you can look after yourself. You still hang around the nest with your grandmother and let her feed you.

Eric had no retort. He did depend on Rubara. But nothing could beat her, except maybe another dragon. In any case, he didn’t have her around right now. He had to handle this himself. He took a few breathes to calm himself down and readied his spear. Hopefully he wouldn’t have to use it. What if a predator did show up? Could he fight it off? Maybe. He did have sorcery, and his spear. He listened for any sound that might alert him of one nearby. There were plenty in the jungles of Dragoran. Lions, tigers, bears, and worst of all, dragons.

At that moment, a very loud roar sounded from above.

“Oh my!” Eric exclaimed recoiling from the sound.

He heard wings flapping and looked up to see an immense shadow fly over. He froze for a moment, fear gripping and seeming to paralyze him. There was nothing he could do against a dragon. They were the mightiest hunters of all. Eric remembered he’d gone on one of Rubara’s hunting trips:

His grandmother swooped down on a herd of buffalo, roaring loudly. The herd cried out and began to run, but it was all for naught. Rubara flew faster than they could ever hope to run! Their only chance was to not be the one she went after. Rubara seized a large bull in her front legs and ascended back into the air, the buffalo grunted and struggled feebly in the dragon’s grasp. Rubara made her way back to her cave then let go, letting her prey fall to its death as it flailed its hooves and cried in fright. Eric watched, seeing the terrified creature plummet toward the ground. He couldn’t help but feel sorry for it, and wasn’t sure he could ever do something like that himself.

Eric kept still, hoping the treetops would hide him from view. That was his only chance. He listened and watched. The dragon roared a second time. Eric had to cover his ears. The sound was so loud! But through his fear, he noticed something. This was not the cry of an all-mighty hunter. It sounded desperate, as if it were looking for something lost.

“Rubara?” he asked.

Had his dragon grandmother noticed him missing already? Had she flown out to search for him? Eric’s fear vanished and was replaced with hope as he ran through the jungle. But to his dread, the sound of flapping wings grew more distant.

“Hey! Over here!” he shouted flailing his arms. “I’m here!”

The wing flaps reversed course. Eric let out a breath of relief. Soon they were directly over him as he came to an open field and looked up to get a better view. To his horror though, the dragon above him wasn’t Rubara. It had gold scales and looked down at him with a pair of bright blue eyes that narrowed upon sighting him.

“Uh-oh.” Eric took a step back, readying his spear.

The dragon growled in response. The sound sent a chill down Eric’s spine.

But instead of attacking, the dragon spoke.

“A human?” it said in a suspicious female voice. “You have to be the youngest dragon hunter I’ve ever seen!”

“I’m not a hunter!” Eric told her. “Now… now if you want to eat me, I should warn you… I… I have a dragon for a grandmother, and she… is very big! If she finds out…”

“I have no interest in eating you,” the dragon said. “If you are not a threat.”

“I’m not!” Eric said quickly, lowering his spear.

The dragon landed in front of him, causing Eric to lose his balance and fall on his bum. His spear slipped out of his grasp. She extended her neck and sniffed him. Eric shuddered in apprehension more than fear.

“What are you doing on Dragoran?” she asked. “The only human visitors we usually get are the dragon hunters!”

“I live here! Have all my life!” Eric told her.

“Really? And you said you are friends with a dragon?”

“Yes,” Eric said.

She sniffed him again.

“Ah, I can smell another dragon’s scent on you. It seems you are a dragon friend. That’s rather rare. Ah well, I will not harm you. I’d best get to back to looking for my lost hatchling. He wandered away from the nest and now I can’t find him!”

“You lost your hatchling?” Eric repeated.

“Yes.”

Eric’s heart filled with sorrow, but a laugh sounded in his head.

“Little babies should know better than to wander from the nest,” Clauwing said.

“You’re one to talk!” Eric told his inner beast.

“What?” the mother dragon said, thinking he was talking to her.

“Not you, not you!” Eric waved his hands in the air, fearing he’d provoked her. “Talking to the beast in my head.”

“Beast in your head?” the mother repeated.

“That me!” Clauwing said, but only Eric could hear him.

Eric frowned at the beast’s voice and answered the mother dragon.

“Sorry. I’m a beast sorcerer, I have an animal spirit in my head that talks to me!” He tapped his sideburn. “It made me sleepwalk out of my cave!”

The stranger dragon looked at him for a moment, then she began to laugh, blowing small embers as she did so. “You… you walked in your sleep?” She regained her composure after a moment and looked down at him. “You wouldn’t have happened upon a little purple hatchling, would you?”

Eric shook his head. “Nay. I only woke up a short while ago and found myself here. Do you need help finding him… or her?”

The dragon hesitated, her eyes narrowing again. “Why would you want to help me?”

“Yes, why bother? It is no concern of ours,” Clauwing said.

“Because if he’s lost and afraid out there… I can’t abandon a little helpless dragon. This place is dangerous,” Eric said gesturing to the jungle around him.

“For runts like you, perhaps.” The dragon retorted.

“How small is your hatching?” Eric asked.

“Smaller than you. Actually,” she admitted after a moment’s hesitation.

“Let me help you,” Eric said. “All I ask in return is for you to give me a ride back to my cave.”

The dragon mulled. “Alright, you have a deal. Find my hatchling and I will fly you home.”

“Thank you,” Eric said, gratefully.

He’d be getting something in return for this, but even if he didn’t, he would have helped the mother find her baby. That was the honorable thing to do, and Eric cared about honor.

Eric was reading, like he did almost every day. His mother brought a few dozen books with her when she’d left Sortar to come here. Reading was perhaps the thing Eric enjoyed most in his spare time, aside from flying with Rubara. He’d read the Great Houses of the Sorcerer Kingdom, which detailed a list of the prestigious families in his homeland. A History of the Sorcerer Kingdom, and many others in the collection. Currently he was on the Book of Blood, holy text of the Battle Patrons, the bible followed by the Soron Knights and the southern part of the kingdom. This book was a warriors guide now, detailing the main five Patrons, The Warrior, Protector, Executioner, Lord, and Conqueror, as well as the lesser patrons, and their importance.

At the back of the book was the Soron Knights code. These were the tenets that were meant to serve as guides to be a good warrior, not only a strong one, but good. Eric wasn’t entirely interested in becoming a warrior, but he did strive to follow what was seen as a good one.

He read the tenets aloud. “Never use sorcery against a non-sorcerer; protect and serve your liege lord, defend the helpless; aid those who need help.”

He read down the rest of the tenets and looked at his mother.

“Good. I want you to remember these, Eric. Let them guide you to be a good warrior, like your father. You must swear to me that if you find anyone who requires aid, you will help them. That is your duty as a Yagaro. We hold the Protector Patron closest to our hearts. Sometimes we must take it even without payment. Do you understand?”

“Yes mother!” Eric said without any sort of hesitation.

Margery smiled, glad to see he understood the moral. “There is no shame in taking rewards, but others might need them more. Don’t forget about yourself, but always put those less fortunate or in need before.”

He had to help this dragon, she needed it. It was his duty as a Yagaro to help others. This would be his first time doing so. His father Derair would be proud, at least Eric hoped he would. He never had the chance to know his father. Sometimes Eric felt sad about it, but he hoped to at least be able to follow in his father’s footsteps to some extent.

“Now let me see. I could probably follow the scent. Can you take me to your nest?”

The dragon nodded. Eric slowly climbed onto her back, grabbing a spike in one hand and holding his spear in the other as she took off. Eric yelped, he didn’t have a saddle to ride in safely. A dragon saddle had straps to wrap around himself, but this was much more dangerous. He clung to the spike with both hands, dropping his spear which fell back to the jungle floor out of sight.

“Ah! Slow down!” he yelled.

One hand came loose. He gritted his teeth as he looked down, if he fell, it would be the end. The mother dragon slowed a bit, allowing Eric to grab hold of the spike with both hands again. He let out a breath of relief.

“Protector keep me safe!” he muttered.

You can only keep yourself safe! Clauwing said in his head.

Now a bit more comfortable with flying this way, Eric looked and saw the trees which looked gray in the moonlight. Then a faint golden light peered over the edge of the sky as the sun began to rise in the east. That was the direction Eric needed to go. To Rubara’s cave, and then, in just two more days, the Sorcerer Kingdom… at last.

But first he had to help this dragon.

Soon they arrived at a hilltop where she landed. This must have been her home. Eric slid down her side, feeling her scales rub against him. Toward the center of the hilltop Eric saw a hole in the ground that looked like the rock had been melted in. Caused by dragon fire no doubt.

The mother walked toward the hole. The heads of baby dragons popped up and looked at her. They soon saw Eric and squawked in curiosity. Eric smiled at them, so small and cute. They were small enough that Eric could hold them in his hands, probably the size of puppies (though Eric had never actually seen those, so he couldn’t be sure). Their bodies were covered in colorful scales, many of which were yellow like their mother. They had sharp but tiny fangs and claws one could easily overlook. Unlike with their massive mother Eric didn’t feel any fear looking at them. In fact, he was visited by an urge to pick some of them up and coddle them.

As he approached though, their mother stomped the ground behind him, causing Eric to stumble again. “If you hurt them, I will have you in my teeth.”

“They look too scaly to eat anyway,” Clauwing said.

Eric chuckled nervously and spoke to her. “Uh… I won’t hurt them, I promise. I just… need to get a smell so I can help you… find the one that’s missing.”

He stuck his head into the nest, the mother watching him closely. He could feel her hot breath on his back and imagined her mouth opening with fangs ready to gobble him up in one bite if he tried anything. He felt a shiver run down his spine as he slowly and carefully sniffed each hatchling, hoping not to provoke the mother. They all smelled similar being dragons, but there differences as well. One smelled rather putrid while another sweet as though it spent the day rolling in flowers. Eric took a moment to memorize each scent. He also caught another vague scent from one no longer in the nest. He got down on all fours, sniffing the ground.

“He got out of the nest,” Eric said, crawling about. “Went downhill…”

Rising to his feet, Eric ran in the direction of the scent. Massive footsteps sounded behind him as the mother followed. To his surprise the scent became strong very soon. He turned and saw the body of a tiny dragon, its torso, wings, feet, and tail were all visible while its head was stuck underground.

“He’s over here!” Eric called out.

“Oh, thank the ancients! I feared he’d gone farther away! I never thought to look close to the nest,” she said.

Muffled cries came from the hole. The mother walked toward him.

“I’ll get him out,” Eric said.

“I can get him out myself,” the dragon said.

“How, dig him out?” Eric asked. “You might hurt him with those big claws of yours.”

She looked down at her front legs and realized he was right. She nodded, giving her permission. Eric approached the baby carefully. He bent down and put a hand on its back as it squirmed and continued to cry out.

“Calm down, I’ll get you out.” He stroked the scales softly, causing the little dragon to settle down and stop squirming. He then aimed his hand at the dirt around the tiny head and cast a spell.

“Bould Acu!” Earth open.

Eric’s spell caused the hole to widen enough for the baby to free itself. It squawked in relief, back up and looking at Eric. Its joy turned to fear as it backed away.

“It’s alright. He won’t hurt you,” the mother lowered her head down next to her hatchling and spoke in a calm nurturing voice. “This human helped me find you.”

The baby dragon was hesitant for a moment and then its eyes lit up. It made a grateful caw before approaching Eric and rubbing its head against his knee. Eric stroked it with a smile.

“Thank you human. I don’t believe I asked your name?” the mother said, her wary tone gone and replaced with one of gratitude.

“Eric Yagaro.”

“It is good to meet you, Eric,” the dragon said. “I am Liteera. I recall you mentioned you are friends with a dragon?”

Eric nodded. “Well… she’s more like a grandmother to me. She’s been with my mother’s family for a long time. Looked after them since my great-great grandfather’s time. You remind me of her, caring and protective but also scary.”

“Well… you have no need to fear me anymore,” Liteera assured him with a fanged smile. “You’ve done me a kindness and I shall now call you a friend. It’s been a while since I’ve had a human friend, not since I was a hatchling myself.”

Liteera escorted her hatchling back to the nest. He curled up with his brothers and sisters inside. Liteera than turned back to Eric and said, “Well, climb back on. Let us find your grandmother’s cave.”

She crouched to allow Eric to climb on her back once again. As they rose, Eric had to look down to avoid being blinded by the half-risen sun.

“Rubara’s mountain is close to the ocean,” Eric told Liteera. “It’s the largest of a set of three.”

“Rubara?” she repeated the name as though she knew it.

“You know her?” Eric asked.

“Tis my mother’s name.”

Eric’s mouth fell open. “What? No way! My Granny Ruby is your mother? So that would make you my… my aunt?”

“Ant?” she repeated with a frown. “Do I look like a little insect to you?”

“No, aunt… A-U-N-T… aunt is what we call the sisters of our parents,” Eric explained.

“Oh, well we call them Parent Siblings, Mother Sister, Father Sister,” Liteera said.

“Oh. Well, if my mother is Rubara’s adopted daughter, I guess that would make you my Mother’s Sister?” Eric said. “But we do call those aunts according to my mother.”

“Hmmm. I don’t care for being called an ant. But it seems we are family, if this Rubara is indeed my mother.”

Eric thought for a moment then asked, “By any chance, were you saved by a man named Rikar when you were little?”

“Y-yes! My mother left with him after he saved me and three of my siblings from being taken by dragon hunters,” Liteera said

“He was my great-great-grandfather,” Eric told her. “Then my Rubara really is your mother!”

“It would seem so,” Liteera said, gazing down at the ground below.

“Are you sad?” Eric asked.

“No. I haven’t seen my mother in over a century. She left when I was grown enough to defend myself and flew Rikar back to his homeland, I never saw her again.”

“Well, you will today,” Eric said.

They continued in the direction of the rising sun until three familiar peaks came into view. Flying above the peaks was an enormous red shape. Rubara let out a desperate roar like Liteera had earlier. The call echoed through the mountains.

Liteera stopped, spreading her wings and directing her tail towards the ground, a dragon’s way of being stationary in flight. She flapped her wings to remain airborne and looked at Rubara.

“My mother.”

“Well, don’t just stand there,” Eric said before correcting himself after realizing she wasn’t standing. “Or… flap, I suppose.”

“Oh, right.” Liteera took a breath, letting out a little smoke before flying forward and announcing herself to her mother with a loud roar.

“Rarrrrrr!”

Rubara’s head turned in the direction of the sound. She saw a yellow dragon on her territory. She flew to meet her visitor, letting out another roar, this time a ferocious one.

“Rarrrrr!”

The sound was loud enough to send another chill down Eric’s spine.

“Mother!” Liteera called out as they neared each other.

Rubara’s enormous violet eyes were shown as narrow and hostile at first, just like how Liteera had first looked at Eric. But they soon widened in surprise and pleasure upon recognized her daughter. “L-Liteera! My little hatchling!”

They touched snouts, Eric smiled at the affection they showed each other.

Rubara looked over Liteera. “Well, you’ve grown! Last I saw you were only the size of my leg!”

“That’s what happens when you leave for over a hundred years,” Liteera responded, relieved to see her mother again.

“I…” Rubara caught sight of Eric on Liteera’s back. “Little one! I’ve been looking for you! What…” she looked from Eric to her daughter. “How?”

“A happy coincidence!” Eric told her. “I woke up in the jungle and heard a dragon calling out, I thought it was you, but it turned out to be your daughter.”

Rubara smiled. “Well… a lucky coincidence indeed! Let us land! Margery was beside herself when she saw you were missing, Eric.”

They did so, Eric’s mother waited outside the cave entrance. She froze when she saw not one, but two dragons land in front of her. With a look of surprise and fear, she went into the casting stance, ready to fight if need be.

“Mother!” Eric waved from atop the yellow dragon.

Margery’s fear vanished and she lowered her hands.

“Eric? Are you alright?” she asked.

“I’m fine!” Eric said as he slid down the golden scales. “I’m not in trouble, am I?”

Margery shook her head and ran over, throwing her arms around her son. “I should have stayed up and watched you! You did so well in your nature and core sorcery test I thought you would have no trouble with beast sorcery! I suppose I don’t know as much about it as I thought.” She then released him and looked at the gold dragon uncertainly.

“Mother. This is Liteera,” Eric said. “She’s Rubara’s daughter.”

Margery’s mouth fell open. “How on Sorceria did you happen upon Rubara’s daughter?”

Eric relayed what happened.

“Well, you helped save another grandchild of mine then?” Rubara noted.

“Yes, he helped,” Liteera admitted. “My little Vol was not in any danger though. I should have looked closer to the nest is all. Still, I am grateful for your help, Eric. Now I am reunited with my mother as well.”

“Indeed. It has been a long time, Liteera. I’ve missed you my child,” Rubara said.

“I missed you too!” Liteera threw her head against her mother’s neck, huge tears streaming down the scales around her eyes.

Eric smiled as he and his own mother watched. It was so beautiful seeing their dragon kin reunited. But somehow, even though he was happy, he felt the urge to cry at the same time.

“There were times I thought you might have been killed in some human war! I cried myself to sleep several times in the first few years!” Liteera sobbed as she nuzzled her mother.

“I’m fine, little one. It takes a good deal to bring me down,” Rubara said.

Margery put a hand on Eric’s shoulder. He looked at her and saw her smile as well. “I think we should give them a moment alone,” she then looked over him and smirked, “You need a bath.”

Eric’s happiness vanished as he cringed in discomfort, but he didn’t argue. He and Margery walked to the river. Eric slowly stepped into the shallow part. He shivered as the cold water touched his skin. Then a splash sounded nearby as his mother dove in. The river swept her downstream, she turned around and waved.

“Come on!” she yelled with enthusiasm.

Eric frowned and waded into the stream, following his mother, letting the current take him. They were pulled through the water, floating further than usual to give Rubara and Liteera some time alone. Soon they got out and began the short trek back.

“You shouldn’t call out to a dragon like that. You were lucky Liteera didn’t attack you, and even luckier she turned out to be Rubara’s daughter,” Margery said as they walked by the river. “But promise me you won’t call out to a dragon again unless you are certain it is Rubara. If that had been a dragon out hunting you could have been eaten! Do you understand me?”

“Yes mother,” Eric shuddered.

As they walked back, Eric pondered what he would do for the rest of the day. He could read some books like his favorite play, Oserus and Verida. He knew every line of that play, and even felt like he could have performed in it given the chance. If only they were in Sortar.

“It’s happening soon, right?” Eric asked. “We’re going to Sortar?”

Margery nodded, putting a hand on her stomach. “Only two days now.”

“Yes!” Eric said forming a raised fist in triumph. “I can’t wait to get off this island and meet some other people!”

They soon reached the cave where the two dragons stood in the sun, which was now fully risen above the trees.

Rubara looked at them as they approached. “I’m going with Liteera to see my grandchildren. I shall be back later today. Perhaps I will visit some of my other children, Liteera knows where two others live. Who knows, I may get them to come and meet you little ones.”

Margery froze. “C-come here?” she repeated. “All of your dragon children, and their children in our cave?”

A thought passed through Eric’s head of ten big dragons inside their cave, and him being squished against a wall.

Rubara laughed a wheezy dragon laugh as she pictured that as well. “Oh, don’t worry, we won’t all be in the cave at once. Out here will do.”

Margery sighed in relief.

Liteera looked at Eric. “Thank you again Eric. Soon our whole family will be reunited,” she turned back to her mother. “Then we can hear your stories of living with sorcerers. I always loved listening to you when I was a hatchling.”

Eric grinned. “Granny Ruby always told me stories before bed when I was younger.”

“My mother is a good storyteller,” Liteera admitted. “As my hatchlings and those of my siblings will soon find out. At long last they can meet their grandmother.”

Margery smiled. “A pity we didn’t meet sooner since we’re going be leaving soon.”

“What? Leaving?” Liteera repeated. “But you’ve only just got here!”

“We’ve been here all my life,” Eric told her. “Nearly fourteen years now.”

“What?” Liteera looked at her mother. “And in fourteen years, you never thought to look for me?”

“I did look!” Rubara said. “When I first came back, I visited my old nesting grounds on the south but found neither you nor your siblings there!”

“Most of us moved to the north end! You didn’t bother looking everywhere for us?” Liteera asked sadly. “I thought you loved us, or have these humans become your true children?”

“I do love you!” Rubara insisted. “As much as I love them! You are all my children.”

She paused for a moment. “I searched several times for years. As soon as the sun rose, I flew out and hoped to find you or one of your siblings. But then one day another dragon came to my cave, and I realized I had to look after these two.”

She gestured to the dragon skeleton by the river.

“I understand.” Liteera took a breath, smoke flaring from her nostrils. “I’m just glad we have found each other at last. But do you really have to leave in only a few days?”

Rubara nodded, looking at Eric. “Yes. I still have one more generation to look after. But it won’t be long until he has children of his own. Then I will have paid my debt and I can return here to you.”

Eric knew what his grandmother was talking about. His great-great grandfather saved four of her hatchlings, including Liteera. By dragon custom, she had to guard his descendants until the fourth generation had children. He was the last one. Once he had children, Rubara would leave.

Eric recalled a dream he’d had at one point. Himself older with a beard, a woman standing at his side holding a baby in her arms, Rubara looking at him and smiling. Then she turned away and spread her wings, which lifted her into the air as she left… never to return. Having a family might have been a dream come true for most people, but to him it sounded like a nightmare.

No, he thought to himself. I won’t let that happen. I’ll never have children!

Liteera smiled. “Then I shall look forward to a century with you in my life again, mother.”

“Let us go, daughter,” Rubara said before turning to Eric and Margery. “I will be back soon little ones.”

She raised her purple trimmed wings and flapped, Liteera did the same. Eric felt an extra strong gust of wind push against him. The two dragons then took to the air, rising high into the sky.

“Bye Granny Ruby! Bye Liteera!” Eric waved after them.

He stood there watching the two dragons until his mother touched his shoulder again.

“Come on, let’s go inside,” she said.

Eric nodded and followed her back into the cave. He’d never thought he’d be so happy to be back.