Dragon Dreamer by S. G. Ricketts (ereader for android .TXT) 📕

rider blushed, and Steephi smiled kindly at her. The talk of flights had awoken something in her, and she suddenly needed to know what it was like. She felt the suddenly fear and wonder cloud her face, and she desperately tried to hide it. “I—I was just wondering…”
The green rider grinned back at the Dragon Lady. “Oh, yes! It was wonderful!” For the next hour or two, the three women talked about their flights and the flights to come. About half an hour through their talk, Steffan rejoined them with Thio and the food.
Finally, Steephi had to remove herself from the pleasant company. “I’m so sorry, but Talarth wants her bath now.” The four riders nodded their heads, and Steephi retired to her room as gracefully as she could. Are you ready, Love?

The dragon crooned outside, and Steephi was careful to hide the riding leathers in the mass of towels and soap and brushes she brought for her dragon. Fly over to the northern ridge. I’ll be there as soon as I can.

The young queen prepared to take off from the ledge, and Steephi squeaked with surprise. Wait! You’ll need to take this!

she said, holding out the bundle of equipment. If anyone asks, you are just helping me to take everything down. Don’t add anything unless you ask me.

The gold nodded as Steephi strapped the bundle to her neck. And don’t let any of it fall!

Do I ever let anything fall?

Talarth sprang off the ledge and swooped between the two blue tunnels. Her golden sides gleamed with the dim blue light, and Steephi sighed contently as she watched her beauty land on the other side of the crater. Are you going to come or not?

Talarth demanded impatiently. Startled back into reality, she hurried back into the room and down the hall. Out of breath, she arrived at the northern side of the Bowl. Finally!

Together, they glanced around the City. No one was watching them, even as conspicuous as they were. All were asleep because of the heat. Sighing with relief, Steephi led Talarth down the side of the crater wall. “Sh!” The dragon lifted herself off the ground to glide silently beside her rider. “Okay, you can come down now.” The spot was so worn from the many times before, and Steephi expertly slid the riding leathers over the young dragon’s nose. “Alright?” The dragon blinked, and Steephi swung herself up onto the gracefully curved back. Talarth was already ten yards tall at her shoulder, halfway grown! Soon, she would be ready for…for what? Steephi hated how the gold put those random thoughts in her head. Just as she was about to scold the dragon, Talarth leaped up, legs flexing with practice. Barely above the rocky ground, Steephi gave the gold the picture of Hinx, and they were in the noth.
The beach looked so warm and delighting! Its blue-green waves carried the faintest of hints of the periwinkle sky above. White caps lapped the pink-tinted sands, and the palm trees waved peacefully in the wind. Gala trees spread their spindly fingers to the sky, and as the gold’s shadow dropped over them, the lush blue leaves retreated, baring their sharp, hooked thorns. “I wonder if that’s what Salith was caught on? I think we are the only ones who know about this place.” The queen snuffled beneath her and spiraled down to land.

A pair of baby blue eyes watched the pair as they descended. Seabreeze, take Shell and watch them. They come too often for my likes.

There was a green and gold flash, and the man turned around. Gala, come to me. I need you to warn the others.

A lock of brown-blonde hair fell in his eyes, and he turned from the rider and her beast as a little quidah flipped into the clearing. Her bright orange eyes watched her master as he turned once more to look at the pair, now frolicking in the ocean’s waves, his people’s waves. I do not like them here. They should not be able to find this place.

The quidah, Gala, tilted her blue and pink head, her big eyes watchful and alert. The man ran a finger down the side of a gala tree and watched with a strange smile on his beautiful face as the little creature leapt at the emerging thorns, pulling herself up the tree. Hurry, little one. Hurry. She must be watched. She cannot come here anymore!

The quidah lowered herself a bit and hung with one pinkish hand curled around the yellow thorn. Chittering to the man, she disappeared into the blue.

Sunlight streamed down upon the pair in the sea. Lithe gray-spotted bodies swam around them, spraying water as the stellena reached the top of the water. Steephi backstroked, her tan arms sliding through the water. The water felt good on her skin, the sun’s rays heating the chilly ocean water. Mari and some of the other Siani girls had stolen her swimsuit, so she was bare. “Catri, will you take me to that cave you showed me last time?”
One of the stellena, a young one, shoved her nose into the girl’s hand. She squeed, then went under. Her dark, spotted body glided through the crystal clear waters, but she didn’t try to have Steephi grab her fin. Ducking under, Steephi watched as Catri did summersaults through the water. Please, Catri? I want to see it again so badly!

In her mind, she saw the beautifully carved walls and the dim lighting from the ocean. It was so beautiful.

The stellena rose to the surface, and so did the girl. No, I can take Stee there no more.

There was an almost fearful look in her bright blue eye. I can take Stee there no more.

She blinked at the girl, and Steephi’s heart sank. You like too much. No one else like that much!

Sighing, and gasping as the air left her lungs underwater, she rose again to the surface and gulped in air. Catri bumped her with her dotted head. Maybe next. Maybe next.

Sighing again, she let her head rest on the animal’s smooth side, stroking the soft skin. Suddenly, Catri darted away from her, and she sank spluttering into the salty waters. Sorries. Will help. Scared.

Catri appologized by helping the girl swim on her own, and then she was away, the water from her tail splashing in Steephi’s eyes and making her wince.
Opening her eyes, she looked up to see Talarth leap out of the water and into the sky, wings spread wide. Don’t, Talarth! Please! Please?

Steephi begged, coughing out the lung-full of water she had just taken in. Please? I still have bruises from last time. And you should have seen Mari’s face when I walked in with that huge scrape across my chin! Please, Bryan will get mad.

The dragon snorted and flew higher. Talarth, they told me not to fly you until you were eight months old! As it is, if anyone finds out, they will kill me! I’ve got enough scrapes that even old Gerebell will wonder. And you know that his green has been watching you.

Then don’t swim in this time.

Steephi growled playfully and the dragon, splashing water as high as it would go. The gold blinked innocently down at her rider, then gave Steephi a picture of the view.
The girl drew in a sharp breath, unable to continue her ranting. It was beautiful. To the south, the lush forests of the Hinx with the dark mountains of Siani in the background, the north, east, and west an endless stretch of crystal blue waters. The beaches were bright whitish-pink against the Hinx forests, and she could just see herself in the waves, her body bronze amidst the pod of gray-silver stellenas. They had returned after their initial surprise, and she felt Catri bump gently against her skin. She sighed contently. Suddenly, she was looking up at the sky again, seeing through her own eyes again as she watched in shock as Talarth rose gracefully into the sky. Then, she turned on a wingtip and began to dive down. “TALARTH! Don’t!” Steephi screamed, paddling as fast as she could towards the beach. Suddenly, a huge wave washed over her carried her inland, her body scraping over the rough coral and onto the beach. Talarth!

she whined. That hurt! How many times do I need to tell you not to do that unless I’m on the beach?

The dragon drifted happily on the waters, her eyes swirling yellow with excitement. Well, you wouldn’t have been hurt if you had stayed where you were!

the dragon protested. It was your fault for swimming closer to the beach, not mine! And I

did warn you not to,

she added.
Playfully, Steephi splashed water towards the golden beast. You gave me that picture to distract me! That isn’t fair!

Steephi crossed her arms, wincing as she felt a gash in her upper arm. You owe me, Talarth. No bath for you today!

Talarth snorted, water spraying from her nostrils. She turned her magnificent head towards her rider, and the morning sun nearly blinded Steephi. YYou

have to bathe me.

She blinked her eye coyly at Steephi. You wouldn’t want a pale dragon queen as well as a scarred, dull dragon, would you?

Pulling herself into shallower waters, she waded closer to her rider. Her eyes slowed their shifting, and they changed to a mellower blue-green. She waddled out of the water, her hide shimmering as the sun caught on the water droplets. Blinking expectantly at Steephi, she hummed. Bath, please?

So now you have your manners?

Standing, Steephi walked away from the water’s edge and turned her back to the queen. You weren’t nice, and I told you that I wouldn’t.

The dragon moaned, and Steephi laughed. It’s your own fault, you stupid green mini!

The dragonet growled playfully at her rider, but Steephi wasn’t paying attention. It sounded like there was something in the forest. Creeping towards the trees, she heard a cackling in her mind, and the rough growl of anger. I am no green, and definitely not a mini!

Talarth’s voice, brought Steephi back, and the girl picked up the sponge and soap, forgetting her earlier promise.
Talarth reared her head proudly. How could you think I was a mini? They are so much different than us!

She flexed her wings and curved her elegant neck. They have forked tongues and not forked tails, like me. And the greens are so irresponsible. They would leave their clutch to die. And golds in a green clutch? No, only greens and blues.

The dragon winked her eyes at her rider, and Steephi was sure she had heard a growl from the forest. The gala trees suddenly spread their leaves, baring the bright yellow thorns as a quidah climbed to the top. And

my clutch will have gold, and bronzes and