Chapter 17

Chapter 17

      “Now, I have something outside that might scare you, based on our most recent close encounter, but I want you to stay calm.”  I told everyone the next morning. “Whatever you do, don’t scream or draw weapons.” The warning got confused looks, which I had expected. I thought that showing them Solaris first would help to explain things.

      I exited the cabin, glancing around and looking for Solaris. I didn’t see her, so I motioned for the rest of the group to join me. Solaris? I asked in my thoughts.  Can you please come here? I have some friends for you to meet. Don’t do anything, just land on the edge of the meadow. While I was focused on bringing Solaris back, the others gave me strange looks as I was staring off into space, quite literally.

      I will be there shortly. She said. As if on cue, as soon as everyone emerged from the cabin and the door closed and they started to give me funny looks, Solaris cleared the trees. The others gasped, and I saw Wolfe about to scream, so I put an arm on her shoulder.

      “This was the surprise outside!” Miss Betty exclaimed instead. “You brought a dragon to our home, showing it where we live. I cannot believe that you would do something so dangerous.” Solaris, on the other hand, had landed right where I told her to, at a safe distance from the family. Solaris shifted on the edge of the meadow, and Miss Betty went pale.

      Is there something wrong with that human? Solaris asked.

      No, she just isn’t used to seeing dragons that don’t want to eat her son. I said. I then spoke to the family. “Meet Solaris, my…companion,” I said, and Miss Betty nearly fainted. Solaris, I thought, meet, not meat, the Lightlance family. And Wolfe. I added as an afterthought. Wolfe is another Kiidarung, and the boy is Coal, the shapeshifter. The adult female is Miss Betty and the adult male is Grey. After I told her who they all were, I could somehow perceive the mind link grow.

      Very nice to meet you all, she said. Her voice seemed to boom over the link. From the first word, everyone cringed and threw their hands over their ears. Coal and Grey grunted and fell to their knees, while Miss Betty fainted, and Wolfe whimpered and almost curled in a ball. Even I staggered under the force of the words.

      “STOP. PLEASE STOP.” Screamed Wolfe, who now seemed to be in tears.

      What is wrong? Boomed Solaris again in confusion. Everyone was thrown to the ground again this time, even me.

      Solaris! I scolded, I don’t know if everyone else heard me as well, or just Solaris. Humans don’t communicate through thought. By doing so, you have physically hurt them and invaded their personal sanctuary that is their minds. That is the one place that they know that no one else will see and they can keep things secret. Please only talk to me through a mind link, leave them out of this, I will talk to them for you. I could see that they had been detached from the link by the way that relief flooded their faces. Miss Betty woke up, and Grey knelt by her to help her up. I myself could feel like my ears just popped and a weight was taken off of my mind.

      “Are you guys okay?” I asked worried.

      “Now we are, thank you for doing that. That was one heck of a scolding.” Grey said smiling.

      “That was nothing.” I said.

      “You should see her when she’s angry.” Wolfe interjected.

      “Solaris says that she didn’t know and that she was only born yesterday.” I said. I looked at Coal and said, “Coal, never going to happen.” I said concerning his ability to take on animal traits. He looked guilty and disappointed.

      A silence followed my words. I had just told everyone what happened after I was taken by Lucianous. They stared at me and Solaris, who was now standing next to me. They were trying to digest what I had told them.

      “So…” said Coal after several minutes of uncomfortable silence. “Can I ride her?”

      “NO.” said everyone at the same time, even Solaris in my mind. We looked at each other, startled that we all had the same thought.

      “Sheesh, I was only kidding.” He mumbled.

      Does he always act like this? Solaris said.

      Pretty much, I thought back as I smiled.

      “Now missy, what are we going to do with you?” Grey said, facing Solaris.

      “Well I know one thing, she can’t come with us, we don’t have nearly enough food.” I said.

      I don’t eat as much food as you think, Solaris said to me, I might eat a moose or a bear once a week. I can also hunt for myself.

      I know that you can hunt. I said to Solaris. It’s just… where we’re going, there might not be any prey. I looked back to the others to say what she said to me. They stared at me in confusion, apparently, I was using hand motions while I talked to Solaris. They shook their heads.

      “What was that about?” asked Coal.

      “I had to tell Solaris why she couldn’t come with us. There isn’t enough food, and I don’t know if there will be prey there to eat.” I answered. “But then again, I don’t know how she can stay here either. She would eat all of the small animals very quickly.” I added.

      Would not. Solaris argued. I didn’t share this with the group.

      “I know of a cave nearby.” Said Coal. “There is lots of game there. One of the reasons my parents don’t want me to go near it is of the bears and large animals in the area. She could stay there until we return. It is large enough for Lucianous to live in, so I would think that it would be big enough for Solaris to comfortably live in as she grows.”

      Solaris? I asked. Are you okay with this plan?

      I’m not happy with it, but I will go along with it if it is the only way. She said with a snort.

      “Okay, she’s good with it.” I told the group.

      “Well then, I’ll take you and Solaris to the cave, and we can leave tomorrow morning.” Wolfe said. “I think that we’ve already spent too much time here as it is.” This received sad expressions from the other three.

      “I’ll start packing food for you girls,” Miss Betty sighed and moved back to the cabin.

      “Let’s go,” Wolfe said.

      “Would you like a leg up?” I asked.

      “Yes please.” She replied. I bent over and cupped my hands. Wolfe put one foot into the stirrup that I had made with my hands, and I heaved up wards. Wolfe was flung into the air. She tucked and spun, before righting herself and flinging her wings out to catch the wind. I followed by jumping and powerfully flapping down until I had gotten to her height, then signaled Solaris to follow.