Homeward Bound

The light disappeared faster than either of them expected, as before they'd even gotten anywhere back near their tiny village, the sun had already started to sink, so Lygawa wanted to set down.

Camping out on a remote hillside was better than hitting the side of a mountain in the dark, so Mai left her to find a decent enough spot in the fading light, and once down they settled out in the open of a small meadow, where they relaxed out under the stars.

"You alright Lygawa?"

Mai asked, knowing of her insecurity in the dark.

"Yeah..."

The dragon-girl rested flat on the grass looking up into the night's sky.

"I feel good... safer with you here, for sure, yes."

She smiled.

"So we'll be fine here for tonight?"

Mai asked her, knowing it would be too difficult to seek accommodation this late already, Lygawa meanwhile fiddled with her hands, a little nervously.

"It's not like I haven't slept in a field before, yes..."

She said being brave.

"Was this what your life was like... after you left the mountains?"

Mai had got curious about the friends past again, hopeful she'd tell a little more to the human this time.

"Sort of..."

Lygawa hesitated, but then continued.

"When I was alone, the world was so big and wild, truly amazing - but threatening too. So I spent much of my time quietly on the move, keeping away from all you humans - because of the many misunderstanding between our two kinds. But eventually I sheltered in that quiet forest ...but even then - there were other creatures about, that hunted at night..."

"Yeah, nature is pretty rough..."

...I have no idea what would trifle with a huge dragon though...

"So I didn't end up eating well or sleeping much..."

"Which made you cranky."

"Maybe that too... but you use up a lot of energy when you're constantly awake."

She admitted, as she rolled over to face Mai.

"But when you came by, I was fascinated by someone so fearless, yet kind, yes..."

Fearless is not a word I'd use to describe myself...

"Then when I followed you to your nice house, I saw how much better you had it than I..."

I guess I had somewhere safe and inviting... and that's just what you longed for...

"And once you let me stay... I owe you much for that, yes."

"Don't feel like you're indebted to me you know... you've helped out so much already, I'm just glad I have someone so... free spirited and cheery around, it makes me feel good, having you about."

The cool bodied reptile leaned closer, pressing along Mai's side.

"I am glad as well, yes, very much so!"

The night was quiet for a time, with no breeze and only the small chirps of a few distant insects, it was very peaceful, so Mai was already partly nodding off after the long day the two had had.

"May I stay here, close to you this night?"

"Sure."

The dragon tugged her blue cloak over, so it covered Mai too, as she nuzzled in and used Mai's arm as a makeshift pillow, while her soft tail gently wrapped over Mai's legs.

I guess she's still is a little nervous about being out at night... or wants to use my body heat like a hot water bottle... either way, its fine...

After untangling herself from the grappled on and drooling dragon-girl, who Mai had awoken to find fully wrapped up by her arms, holding her body tightly, while she'd also coiled her long tail through and securely around both legs, as she sleepily slobbered on her neck too, it took a little work to eventually pry herself free.

"Mmm, so warm..."

"Come on Lygawa... please let go."

Mai eventually wriggled mostly free, apart from the still wrapped up legs.

The sleepy reptile blinked her eyes open and smiled.

"Five more minuets..."

"The sun is already up."

Her tail slithered back to herself as she stretched her arms in the mornings light.

"I'm hungry..."

Well I have made you fly halfway across the country...

"Let's find something to eat then..."

No more words were needed, as the dragon-girl rallied and got to her feet.

"Did you happen to know which way we need to go?"

Mai asked, brushing some dirt from her dress, as the other started off already.

Ew... she drooled so much on me, my sleeve is still wet...

"I smell... something tasty... this way, yes."

She replied wandering off, as the creature followed her more sensitive and powerful senses, toward a nearby place.

As they walked to a nearby village for breakfast, the silver dragon seemed rather chipper today, leading Mai on till they soon found a local tavern that had what they needed.

Getting back to their stashed bags by a rock fence of the nice meadow, they scooped them up and returned to the sky undetected.

Flying up above the clouds, to avoid the possible errant eye from the people below, Mai wrapped the blue cloak around her to avoid the cold air, as she pondered why the two kinds didn't get along.

"I've been wondering this for a while; but why is it that Dragons and Humans don't like each other, do you know why Lygawa?"

{The passed down stories tell; that the dragons used to rule over all the lands and sky... for an age... however long that was...}

The silver dragon continued gently gliding on, as she began to explain what she knew.

{Some tales say the humans grew jealous, or spiteful, others say the dragons attempted to subjugate their growing numbers... but all told of a time were a fierce rivalry began... and continued for a long time...}

"I can't see how we tiny humans stood any chance at all..."

Mai guessed Lygawa could easily dispatch an entire army of people, if she really set herself to it.

{Not all dragons were of my size or larger... and even then Humans could be crafty, and learnt and perfected magic and tactics to take advantage, or hide from the more mighty...}

"You said there 'were' smaller dragons, what happened to those ones?"

Mai already had a fair guess though.

{In the 'Fire and Spear Age' a many number died, and some kin were entirely lost in the fierce times...}

"Oh... but how did we meek people survive that time then?"

{Some of my kind did lend support to a few humans, as there had always been rivalry between the different dragon clans too.}

I suppose there's always division between any big enough group...

{But it would have been mostly through superior numbers... It takes a dragon about twenty-five years to reach maturity, and at most we breed only once in every five, but humans sprout in greater numbers, and in less than a year, yes?}

"It usually takes nine months for a baby to be born and then eighteen or twenty years to fully grow... and then have their own children..."

Quicker for others though...

{So as they spread all over the lands, and grew bolder in large numbers, the smartest of us retreated to the places where they couldn't live, and so... a less turbulent era began...}

"So we don't interact as often... and that keeps the relative peace?"

{Precisely, yes.}

By this time the pair now sailed over a large mountainous range, sighting the beginning of the northern tips of the great forest that surrounded Yarra, so with no ground watches, Lygawa slowly descended.

"But then... when you are 'shooed out', isn't that way too risky?"

Lygawa took a few blinks this time before responding.

{Most of us 'adolescent' are taught ways to hide, stay safe or even blend in to avoid conflict, while some are more reckless than others, but most keep to themselves, till we are ready to return...}

She dipped a little lower to avoid some low drifting clouds.

{And most Humans still despise us, so we keep away...}

"I'm sure most don't hate dragons... but the stories I've heard told do frighten most of them..."

{So you are most peculiar amongst you kind, as you found me out, without that fear, yes?}

"To be honest: I didn't know who or what I was getting involved with..."

{But instead of running scared, you openly admired me...}

True, but I didn't know any of those stories...

Suddenly Lygawa tensed up, dropping her altitude even more and panned her head about in search of something...

"What is it?"

Mai looked about too, but all she saw was masses of treetops.

{I feel another's magical power -!}

A huge shriek came from somewhere nearby, and Lygawa dived into the trees immediately.