Sr. Fledgling

“How come we always get stuck looking for the missed spores W’van?” Swarajik asked as he landed and started scanning the ground for the small seeds. W’van shrugged and slipped from his lifemates back, helping him look. “I don’t know, I guess it’s just because we’re more inexperienced and they needed more people on the ground crew.” Swarajik belched a small amount of flame on some spores that he found and moved on, saying, “But we could do some much more if we were in the air with the others. My T-power is very strong so I wouldn’t have a hard time raising the spores in the first place.” W’van sighed and said, “I’m sure we’ll be in the air helping soon enough Swar, and I’d rather be doing this that sitting in the caerlet as usual.” Swarajik agreed and looked up as a large red dragon belched out a small stream of flame. "Some of those dragons can’t even flame as far and as long as I can, we should be up there instead of them,” Swarajik complained.

W’van climbed back up to his dragon’s back two hours later and told him to take off for the lake. As they approached it a few dragons raised their heads and warbled to Swarajik. The brown returned the greeting and then landed near the water’s edge. W’van slid off again and looked around the lake. “Who are you looking for?” Swarajik asked. W’van put his hand up to his shield his eyes from the afternoon sun and said, “Anyone worth talking to.” Swarajik sighed and said, “Well you do that while I go and cool off. Will you call Arbol and Solluz down? Perhaps they would like to help me scrub this spore ash from my hide.” W’van nodded and said, “Yeah I’ll go get them.”

Swarajik waded into the cool water and sighed as he submerged himself, greatly enjoying the refreshing break after his hours of spore hunting. As he came up Arbol screeched in surprise and banked left sharply. Swarajik snorted in surprise and ducked his head back under the water. As he came up he saw that W’van was laughing at him. “What could possibly be so funny?” He asked. W’van wiped his eyes and then said, “I’m sorry Swar, it’s just the way both of you reacted. Anyway, I could only find Arbol, but I’m sure he’ll work just as hard without Solluz.” Swarajik crooned and Arbol flew over, landing lightly on the medium sized dragon’s shoulder. “Don’t dunk him under, Swarajik. If he gets his feathers wet he’ll be in trouble.” Swarajik nodded and said, “Yes I know.”

As the little alis gryph scrubbed away at the dragons’ neck Swarajik looked over towards his rider, who was now sitting with a few women, and sighed. “Does his think of nothing else?” He asked himself. Arbol warbled and looked over, lost interest quickly, and moved onto Swarajik’s shoulder blades. The brown floated lazily around the lake until he bumped into something. He opened his eyes quickly and came face to face with a small white. “Oh excuse me, I didn’t really see where I was going.” The white nodded and said, It’s quite all right. I’m Avorith by the way.” Sawarajik told the white his name and then said, You’re not from around here are you?” She shook her head slightly and said, “No I’m not. I’m from Caer Brynmor, in the Oros Mountains. My rider was asked to help with the rampage plant spores.”

“You were in the sky then?” Avorith nodded and said, Yes I was. I didn’t see you though, are you injured? Is that why you were not in the air with the rest of us?” Swarajik looked towards W’van uneasily but then turned back to Avorith. “No I’m not injured. I was just on the ground crew with my rider. We have not been permitted to be part of the fleet in the sky. I have very strong T-power though as well as good flaming range so I don’t understand.” Avorith nodded in understanding and said, “I’m sure they’ll let you char the spores from the sky soon enough.” She looked up to where her rider was sitting and then turned to Swarajik. “I must go, my rider said she wishes to return to the Caer. It was nice talking to you Swarajik.”

After Avorith had left Swarajik swam back towards W’van and rested his head on the bank, pretending to be asleep. W’van looked over and saw his dragon’s silent plea to return home. He smiled and told the women he must leave, but promising to return the next day. He stood up and walked towards his dragon, who opened an eye slowly and then stood up as well, shaking the rest of the water from his hide. “I’m glad you’re like that Swarajik. Some of the other dragons are not.” Swarajik cocked his head to one side in confusion and asked, “Like what?” W’van smiled and climbed to his dragons’ back before he said, “So polite of course. I’ve seen some of these other dragons walk up and interrupt their riders mid-sentence.” Swarajik crooned in pleasure and took off for their caerlet, Arbol following closely behind.