Beginning of bonds

My stomach growls so loud that I felt physical pain. I roll to my side to hold my stomach.

"We should get you something to eat." Kem says.

"You're not going to go hunt a giant rat down like your sister are you?" I ask concerned.

He holds up his finger trying to think of a response. He looks at Sonja in the glass orb. She just shrugs. "No. It doesn't really surprise me that she did that but I'm still sorry you went through that."

"I mean we did make it taste alright but I can live without tasting rat soup again." I state.

"Well now that he is on the mend and we have planning to do. I will take my leave. Send this orb back in a few days for an update." Sonja says. "Get plenty of food and rest all of you. Study hard!"

"Bye sis. Love you." Kem says.

"Love you too." Sonja smiles. The orb goes black.

"My brother and I can make a gruel for you. Then we can work on more solid foods. With your throat and all." Elbereth pipes up from beside Amaya.

"Any food will be fine right now." I say.

Elbereth and Arata get to work in the kitchen. Mitus prepares a few herbs to help with any healing that isn't quite done.

"Not to be weird or anything but could I sleep out in the cave with the other dragons?" I ask.

"I would think you would want a bed to sleep in after two weeks of out in the woods." Says Kem.

"Don't get me wrong, a soft bed beats the rocky ground any day but I'm not sure. It doesn't feel right to not be with them especially after all this time together." I explain. I gently rub Sheldons side.

"Maybe we can set up a bed out in Maddies cave." Says Kem. "First, let's get you fed."

"Sounds good." My voice is getting scratchy. I slowly drink the water I find laying beside me.

"You alright Sheldon?" I ask.

"Not sure. Last I knew I was salty." She replies.

"You know I was joking." I say nuzzling her.

She gives me an irrtated look then sighs. "Fine. Whatever." She pushes my face away before leaning into my arm more.

Not a terribly long time passes before food is placed in front of me. Sadly though its really hot so I can't scarf it down. Sheldon sees me struggling so she wraps her body around the bowl. I could literally feel the heat leaving while the cold slowly drifted around Sheldon. The food was cooled off enough for me to scarf it down before I could thank her.

"It's," I shovel more into my mouth, "so good." I keep eating, "thank you." I give Sheldon a little rub on the top of the head to thank her.

"There is more, you don't need to rush and throw that up." Mitus tells me. He looks to Sheldon, "don't cool the next bowl off."

She raises a brow to him and back to me. "Very well."

There was a little silence. Til Amaya speaks up.

"Sooooo just wanted to let everyone know Ragon did bring back the same number of dragons as there are people. Just saying." Amaya informs the others.

Kem counts everyone. "Technically you are right if we count my sister and Ragon as a human. Along with the dragon inside him being his. Are you saying you want to claim a dragon he brought back?"

"I'm just saying if that swamp dragon named Olive, wants to be friends, I would have no arguments." Amaya says holding her hands up.

"Kem, what do you mean count me as human? Besides it is not too late out. Maybe you all can spend some time to get to know them better. Leaf is extra shy of humans since his whole family was hunted down and taken. The others may be weary too." I explain.

"To answer if you're human is difficult. I haven't heard of someone having dragon powers in them." Kem explains.

"Let's go say hi to the dragons Elbereth." Amaya says pulling her along.

We watch the girls go outside. Arata mouths that he will go keep an eye on them. Mitus's curiosity must have gotten to him too because he goes outside too.

"Since I have a dragon in me, one can't consider me human anymore. Well that's nice." I state.

"There might be a case somewhere in one of these books but Sonja didn't bring up a specific book. So probably not." Kem says peering at the mountains of books.

I hear some commotion outside. "Lets get outside."

"Leaf doesn't sound happy." Sheldon comments.

I rush outside with Sheldon in my arms while Kem trails behind us. Arata has his back to Leaf stopping Amaya from getting closer. Olive and Dre are beside Leaf.

"I just want to show them I'm friendly. He didn't say I was too close." Amaya pouts.

"Leaf didn't have to say it. It was in the way he moved his body." Arata says firmly.

"Whatever." Amaya turns walking away. "Oh Ragon you're up!" Amaya's tone and moody changes.

"Yea I heard a commotion." I reply. "Looks like it's settled though."

She pouts and goes to sit beside Elbereth. Elbereth is sitting on a fallen tree keeping her distance from the three dragons. Maddie is beside her taking a nap.

I look over to Mitus. Not sure what's going on but Pearl is on his head kneeding his hair like a cat.

"I'm not even going to ask." I mumble.

"Me either." Says Sheldon from my arms.

We turn our attention back to Arata, Olive Dre and Leaf. Arata bows to the dragons telling them he is sorry for what happened. Olive of course is polite and thanks him for his help. Leaf is looking up at him curious. Arata leaves the group to go out into the wooded area. Olive checks in with Leaf who only nods back then looks where Arata disappeared at.

"You can go see those humans." Leaf says quietly. "I'm alright now."

"You sure?" Olive asks.

"Yea, I'm going to go for a walk." He tells her before slipping into a thicket.

"Very well." Olive says before her and Dre visit the two girls.

Olive gracefully sits in front of Amaya. "I'm sure you can see how scared Leaf is of humans. Most of his life, unlike most of us, any experiences with humans were scary. Him following Ragon was a stretch even for him. The only reason he followed may be due to the rest of us dragons trusting him. So will you please be kind to us and give him space." Olive lowers her head a little bit.

Amaya looks down and back up. "I think I can do that. Can you tell him we all just want to be friends though?"

"I can pass the message on." Olive replies.

Dre looks at Elbereth then to the tree she is sitting on and back up. 

"Do you want the tree?" Elbereth asks.

Dre nods up and down a lot.

"What are you going to do with it?" She asks getting up.

"Ragon asked me to gather fire wood before we made camp almost every night. You should have seen his face! He looked more happy the bigger the tree was." Dre says proudly before grabbing hold of the tree with his teeth.

"Dre, I think we humans would call that face shocked." Elbereth holds onto her stomach as she laughs hard. "Here, let me cut the root ball from it."

Elbereth dries the tears she laughed out before grabbing a small stick at her side. She said something I couldn't understand. Moving her stick just right I could see a giant black sword move through the air. The sword comes down over the tree cutting it cleanly.

"Thanks! Now it will be easier to carry!" Dre says unfazed of what just transpired.

Sheldon helps me close my gapping mouth. "What was?" I turn to Kem.

"Oh Elbereth is our tank if we ever do have to fight." Kem says in a matter-of-fact way.

"Uh-huh." I reply. My stomach growls again. "I think I'm going to go eat a little more than go to bed."

After several bowls of gruel, I make my way out to the cave with some blankets. Sheldon follows close beside me. The other dragons look inquisitively at me, especially Maddie who is use to human customs of being separated at night. The other humans are inside to give Leaf some space.

"Do you not want me joining you?" I ask.

"It wouldn't feel right without you by us." Sheldon pipes up beside me.

The others agree and we all curl up together.