Dragon Dreams

Chapter 21: Into the Valley (3/3)

It had a surprisingly well-lit interior. There were wooden rain-shutters flanking each opening in the wall, but in this weather the windows were open and let in plenty of natural light. Two trees extended from the floor through the ceiling toward the back of the main room. Curving walls connected the trunks and extended back to create a separate back area.

Surveying the main room, I had no idea what furnishings might be inside, but there were a few familiar items. A large table was set against one wall. I also saw a stone fireplace with some animal-skin mats, which I assumed made sitting and lying down more comfortable, spread on the floor nearby.

The most eye-catching thing in the room was, in fact, sitting on one of these mats. A turquoise-colored dragon looked at us with bright green eyes. "Greetings, my long-suffering traveler," she called playfully. "It's about time you came back!"

Rofar trotted over to her eagerly. "No distance is too great, my darling," he replied. She greeted him with a small lick on the side of his snout, and he nuzzled her cheek. Turning back to me he said, "Come on over and introduce yourself."

I crossed the room, the weathered floorboards smooth and solid beneath my paws. As I approached this new dragon, her scent filled my nostrils. Soft, yet a little spicy, it was an enjoyable perfume. In a purely observational way, I was struck by how beautiful she was. Her blue-green scales had the satiny appearance of glazed pottery. The plates on her front were the same color, only a few shades lighter. Like me, she had no body spikes or crest on her neck. Her claws were cream-colored, like the two horns that adorned her head. She was similar in size to her mate, but slimmer of build, sleek and elegant. Her emerald eyes regarded me with friendly curiosity.

"It's nice to meet you," I said, dipping my head slightly. "My name's Ayreth."

She returned my nod. "Pleasure. I'm Nyraz." She had a deep, rich voice. I felt the openness of her athka, brushing against mine like a light breeze.

"Where is Stolvir?" Rofar inquired.

Nyraz chuckled. "Around. I think he went on a walk out near the river. Tenaya should be out back, though. I asked her to sort some herbs."

"Well, you'll get to meet Stolvir before long," the blue dragon said to me. He then turned back to speak to his mate. "Why don't you call Tenaya in here? She should get a chance to meet our guest."

The female dragon nodded and called out, "Tenaya! Come inside, please!"

Seconds later, I heard the scuff of footsteps in the back of the house. Another dragon appeared from behind one of the back walls. She was just a bit smaller than I was, but with a thick build that suggested compact strength. After rounding the corner, she paused in mid-stride, her sky-blue eyes widening in surprise as they appraised me. Her lilac scales were smudged with dirt in a few places, especially on her darker, plum-colored chest plates.

"Oh," she said, "you called me?"

"Yes," Nyraz replied. "Tenaya, I would like you to meet Ayreth. He has just arrived with Rofar and will be our guest. Like me, he was once human, and he has come here to learn from the clan."

The purple dragon inclined her head briefly. "Hi. I'm Tenaya. It's good to meet you." I noticed she had a short crest that rose up on the back of her head and down part of her neck. Her straight, white horns were rather short and matched her white claws.

Lowering my head politely, I mumbled, "Hi. Nice to meet you, too, Tenaya." I was a little distracted. Underneath the earthy smell of the dirt she brought in with her, I picked up on the floral scent that belonged to this newcomer. "I can't help smelling everyone I meet," I thought to myself. "I'm sure they're all doing the same to me. This is just part of being a dragon, I guess." Never before had I utilized my nose this much for identification. It was a little weird.

Rofar cleared his throat softly. "I'm going to slip out for a while," he announced. "There will be a feast tonight to welcome Ayreth to the clan, and I will go around to commence the preparations." He glanced at me. "You can stay here and chat with these two, alright?"

"Yeah, okay," I responded. As much as I was curious about everything in this new place, the introvert in me balked at the idea of conversing with these strangers alone. They seemed nice enough, but these were the kind of situations that always gave me sweaty palms, although I didn't have to worry about that particular reaction anymore.

"Splendid." The blue dragon brushed his nose along his mate's muzzle before making his exit.

I studied the floorboards, not knowing what to say. Luckily, Nyraz saw fit to fill the silence.

"I'm not sure whether Rofar informed you already," she began, "but I'm one of the healers in this clan, and Tenaya here is my apprentice. She's quite a diligent student, and already very skilled, even in her first year."

"You are a very skilled teacher," the young dragon replied, tilting her head down in a small gesture of respect.

I was still finding it hard to engage with them. Nyraz seemed to notice my eyes wandering around the room and sought to spare me from questions and small talk.

"Hey, Tenaya," she piped up. "Why don't you go look for Stolvir? He should be out on one of his walks. I think I should speak with Ayreth alone for a while."

"As you wish." Tenaya dipped her head and strode briskly from the room.

"Would you prefer to speak English now that it's just the two of us?" she offered, already switching back to our native language.

"Sure, thanks."

"No problem. It's been a long time since I've conversed like this. Rofar and I do it every so often, so we don't lose the ability, but it's not the same." She gave a wistful sigh for emphasis. Unfazed by my silence, she cocked her head. "How long has it been?"

I didn't need clarification on what she was asking about. "Ten days," I replied.

"Hmm," she hummed, "Feeling overwhelmed?"

"Yeah."

"Of course. That's a silly question." Her tail made a soft sound as it swept across the floor, curling around the front of her body. "I'm assuming you would like to hear my story, is that right?"

I nodded.

"Very well. Please lie down and make yourself comfortable."

I curled up on one of the mats, settling comfortably on the animal skins. Nyraz did the same, closing her eyes for a moment as she lay down before meeting my gaze, bright green eyes steady and earnest.

The turquoise dragon paused thoughtfully, then spoke. "I will start my tale about twenty-five years ago, back when I woke up one morning to the biggest surprise of my life."

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