| I sprawled out on the grass on my back, panting hard from the mock battle I had been fighting with Will and the dragons. The sky had reigned with fire and ice as we realized that our respective dragons had the same elemental powers as we had and could use them with more tact than we ever could be able to. But that doesn't me we didn't score a few hits on our reptile adversaries. "Will, you...ok?" I asked, my pink tongue hanging out the side of my mouth. My friend had landed next to me after a particularly hard blow from Taka. "Yep...medic," he said, his chest heaving before closing his eyes. I rolled my eyes and looked up at the blue sky, realizing that the last three hours of training was a blur of attack, counterattack, and explosions. 'If the real battle is anything like this, I don't know if I'll last more than five seconds,' I thought glumly and looked again at Will. He'd stop breathing hard and now his eyes were closed, white muzzle pointing towards the sky. A gold and black butterfly fluttered from the sky and landed on his nose, flapping a few times before floating away. I smiled and looked over to the corner where the dragons had landed after our last burst of activity. "Der, are you alright?" The white dragon looked as if he was about to fall over, his nostrils flaring for air. "I am...quite fine," he retorted and stood, if somewhat shakily. Taka looked at him, concerned. "I'm sure we can stop for today," she said softly. "Yeah, Der, I mean, how much training can you have in one day?" Will said, rolling over and stretching his white wings. "Never too much," he said gruffly and snorted, sending a puff of ice in front of his muzzle. "Sleeping Panther gave me the order to train you and you are going to be ready by the time he gets back." <Can they fight, my friend, when they can hardly stand?> a slightly amused voice called from the trees. A black panther slinked out of the shadows and prowled across the clearing to stand next to Der. <Or for that matter, can you?> The older dragon hung his head. "I will be fine, Sleeping Panther," he said softly but you could tell that he was on the verge of passing out. My grandfather changed back into his human form and picked up his staff that was leaning against a tree. "No, my friend. It is time for rest," he said and patted Der on his flanks and smiled. "You and I are no longer the fresh pups we used be." "That is an understatement," Der said softly and smiled a little. Grandfather tilted his head, raven ponytail moving with him. "You two have done well," he said in a low voice. "I was watching your progress as I visited the pegasi. I am impressed. But more than battle skills are needed in a fight. It takes trust, between your partners. Taka and Der trust one another and Will and Tasha do as well but however, you do not trust your dragon companions because you do not know them. I want you to take two hours in the forest together with your respective partners and learn about one another. You will find that there is a lot more than what meets the eye." Ketria flew down to land on Sleeping Panther's shoulder and he smiled. "When you return, dinner will be ready for you along with a few other things." "Other things?" Will and I asked together and my elder nodded. "Don't worry, my children. It is nothing of a huge magnitude. Now set out with the little daylight you have left for the nights of Nivta are never quite safe..." |