The winter rains were always miserable.
Dani and the dragon met up usually by the rocky hills on the north side of town when it rained. It had been raining a lot the last few days, and they could find some shelter on the side of the hills. They had a game of fetch they sometimes played, where Dani would call out what to find, and they would rush out into the rain briefly, grab whatever she called, and race back to the shelter.
But after several days of that, it was just the kind of day to sit and visit.
The dragon laid on it's belly, constantly watching the landscape. Dani would sit in front of it and lean against it, feeling it's warmth.
Dani told the dragon about he note that came to her house last week. She shared all the details about the fine lettering of her name on the front, along with the strange symbol of a "C" with a slash through it. Strangely contrasted with the single word "HELP" scratched hurriedly on the inside. Did Mr. Effert send it?
Dani sighed with the weight of the world on her shoulders at the thought of Mr. Effert. His journey to the Dragonhome was supposed to be brief. He should have been back long ago. He didn't like the idea of Dani going to the Dragonhome at all, and she told him she would stay put until he got back. Clearly plans have changed. She would think about going out to try to "help" or find Mr. Effert, but going on a journey of such magnitude seemed beyond her now. Especially with the cold winter weather, and her lack of confidence in taking care of herself, and the dragon.
The rain seem to come down harder. Dani clothes her eyes, and thought about what Mahina would do.
*****
The next day, the rain was worse. Dani's had helped her mother with some chores in the morning, but she was able to get out of the house after lunch. Dani started to head up towards the hills, when there was a cry of anguish from the river, and people were rushing towards it. Dani started heading there as well, and made her way straight across the town square.
Suddenly the dragon, carrying something large in it's claws, landed roughly in front of Dani. Dani's eyes and mouth dropped open in surprise to see her friend here, in plain sight of the few people who were in the sqare at the same time.
The dragon, looking a bit overwhelmed, let go of it's load, and jumped back into the air and flew quickly away. Dani knelt down at the package as it was making a noise. The package was a small child! A wet small head and arms popped out and the child's cries were distinctly heard. Dani grabbed it, recognizing the child to a son of a local fisherman and gave it the hug the child desperately wanted.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
A Cry for Help
The cold air woke Dani up one morning. Fall was here, and she quickly put on her warm clothes, and went into the warmth of the kitchen to sit and visit with her mother. It was going to be a cold day, with many more to follow, and her mom told her about making extra bread for the winter, and storing some of the food, in case it actually snowed this year.
Dani was enjoying some nuts while taking all this in when there was a cry outside the door. Someone was coming to their home. Dani's mother quickly went to the door to greet the guest and met them outside. Dani helped herself to some of the bread her mom was preparing for her anyway, and took a seat at the table, thinking about how the dragon would fare this winter.
She heard her mother give the person outside a good bye, and looked at Dani with confusion when she came back into the house. "Dani, what is this about?!" she asked thrusting a folded piece of paper at Dani.
Dani examined the paper. It had her name elegantly written on it. Opening it, in a contrasting manner, was a single word.
"HELP"
Quickly letting go of the paper, Dani's mind raced. Where did this come from? Who sent it? Who knew she could help?
"Dani," her mother persisted, "What is this about?!" She picked up the paper again looking at it. "Do you think this is for you? The guy at the mill said it was in a bunch of papers and packages that came from the north a couple weeks ago, and he had no idea who you were until one of your dad's friends saw it, and thought of you apparently. Do you think this was meant for you?"
Dani turned from her mother, slowly bit a piece of bread in her mouth and thought for a moment. "No mother, why would someone send that to me?"
"I agree." Dani's mother crumpled up the note and threw it in the fireplace and she went back to her work.
Dani sat in silence, staring at the crumpled paper s it started to catch fire. She could still see her name in it's beautiful lettering, and a strange symbol after the "i" in her name. It looked like a letter "C" with a slash through it. It's image burned in Dani's eyes for a moment, and the paper quickly burned completely up.
Dani was enjoying some nuts while taking all this in when there was a cry outside the door. Someone was coming to their home. Dani's mother quickly went to the door to greet the guest and met them outside. Dani helped herself to some of the bread her mom was preparing for her anyway, and took a seat at the table, thinking about how the dragon would fare this winter.
She heard her mother give the person outside a good bye, and looked at Dani with confusion when she came back into the house. "Dani, what is this about?!" she asked thrusting a folded piece of paper at Dani.
Dani examined the paper. It had her name elegantly written on it. Opening it, in a contrasting manner, was a single word.
"HELP"
Quickly letting go of the paper, Dani's mind raced. Where did this come from? Who sent it? Who knew she could help?
"Dani," her mother persisted, "What is this about?!" She picked up the paper again looking at it. "Do you think this is for you? The guy at the mill said it was in a bunch of papers and packages that came from the north a couple weeks ago, and he had no idea who you were until one of your dad's friends saw it, and thought of you apparently. Do you think this was meant for you?"
Dani turned from her mother, slowly bit a piece of bread in her mouth and thought for a moment. "No mother, why would someone send that to me?"
"I agree." Dani's mother crumpled up the note and threw it in the fireplace and she went back to her work.
Dani sat in silence, staring at the crumpled paper s it started to catch fire. She could still see her name in it's beautiful lettering, and a strange symbol after the "i" in her name. It looked like a letter "C" with a slash through it. It's image burned in Dani's eyes for a moment, and the paper quickly burned completely up.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Interval
Blinking eyes peered down at Dani as she laid in the brown grass in the meadow. She laughed and rolled over and onto her feet and patted it playfully on it's nose. "OK, your turn!"
The dragon quickly turned, and flew into some nearby trees to hide. Dani started right away after it. The game they were playing was a combination of timed hide and seek. If she didn't find it right away, the dragon would jump on her.
Since the dragon was getting larger now, it was having a tougher time hiding from Dani. But it was clever sometimes, and Dani didn't want to waste anytime. Getting jumped on by a dragon, even if it was your best friend, still hurt a bit!
She ran through the trees, her eyes darting towards any potential hiding spot. The bushes had few leaves now, so they weren't likely the spot. Some thick trees seemed to be moving the the left of her, but it seemed more like wind movement. She continued to run straight. Past some large rocks, but none that shared the purple shade of the dragon and into a clearing.
She paused as her time was running out, scanning the periphery, and ran straight towards a large fallen tree. She leaped over the truck, ready yell a cry of triumph at her friend, but there was nothing there. Dani's shoulders slumped in disappointment. The dragon would jump at her the next chance it got.
She started to run along the edge of the clearing, when she heard it's footsteps coming towards her from behind. She turned around quickly enough to see the purple haze, and purposeful eyes as it rushed her. She braced herself as the dragon grabbed her from her torso, and pulled her toward the ground.
She cried in frustration, "Ugh! Where did you hide?!" She pushed the large beast off her and she got to her feet. "You were by those bolders, weren't you?!"
The dragon just watched Dani as she brushed the dead grass, and brown leaves off her clothes. Dani chuckled and stroked the dragon's head and neck. "My friend, you should give me a chance!" she teased the dragon, admiring it's size. Not as big as a horse, but getting close, Dani thought about they're past and future.
"That thief would have a hard time putting you into his cart today, wouldn't he?!" Dani continued. Months had gone by without incidence, and Dani, in some ways, was getting nervous. Mr. Effert had gone to check the dragonhomes shortly their conversation about them. But it was only supposed to take a couple weeks. His absence worried Dani.
The dragon sniffed the air, looked at Dani, and took off, as it did, when their play time ended. Dani watched it for a moment, taking a deep breath, and shaking her head in thinking of it as "play time". They were constantly challenging each other, pushing each other in their games. Dani had grown much in these times, in both mind and body, as the dragon grown. She was feeling more and more at home with the dragon, and wished their "play time" would last longer.
The dragon quickly turned, and flew into some nearby trees to hide. Dani started right away after it. The game they were playing was a combination of timed hide and seek. If she didn't find it right away, the dragon would jump on her.
Since the dragon was getting larger now, it was having a tougher time hiding from Dani. But it was clever sometimes, and Dani didn't want to waste anytime. Getting jumped on by a dragon, even if it was your best friend, still hurt a bit!
She ran through the trees, her eyes darting towards any potential hiding spot. The bushes had few leaves now, so they weren't likely the spot. Some thick trees seemed to be moving the the left of her, but it seemed more like wind movement. She continued to run straight. Past some large rocks, but none that shared the purple shade of the dragon and into a clearing.
She paused as her time was running out, scanning the periphery, and ran straight towards a large fallen tree. She leaped over the truck, ready yell a cry of triumph at her friend, but there was nothing there. Dani's shoulders slumped in disappointment. The dragon would jump at her the next chance it got.
She started to run along the edge of the clearing, when she heard it's footsteps coming towards her from behind. She turned around quickly enough to see the purple haze, and purposeful eyes as it rushed her. She braced herself as the dragon grabbed her from her torso, and pulled her toward the ground.
She cried in frustration, "Ugh! Where did you hide?!" She pushed the large beast off her and she got to her feet. "You were by those bolders, weren't you?!"
The dragon just watched Dani as she brushed the dead grass, and brown leaves off her clothes. Dani chuckled and stroked the dragon's head and neck. "My friend, you should give me a chance!" she teased the dragon, admiring it's size. Not as big as a horse, but getting close, Dani thought about they're past and future.
"That thief would have a hard time putting you into his cart today, wouldn't he?!" Dani continued. Months had gone by without incidence, and Dani, in some ways, was getting nervous. Mr. Effert had gone to check the dragonhomes shortly their conversation about them. But it was only supposed to take a couple weeks. His absence worried Dani.
The dragon sniffed the air, looked at Dani, and took off, as it did, when their play time ended. Dani watched it for a moment, taking a deep breath, and shaking her head in thinking of it as "play time". They were constantly challenging each other, pushing each other in their games. Dani had grown much in these times, in both mind and body, as the dragon grown. She was feeling more and more at home with the dragon, and wished their "play time" would last longer.
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