The Guardians (draft 2)

Chapter 30

Four days until full moon

"Riptide. Psst Riptide."

"What?"

"Do you want to go for a fly around camp?" River asked his dragon the following morning. The blue dragon slowly cracked open his eyes and stood up, stretching his wings and legs.

"Sure. I wish you would have let me sleep longer though."

"You'll be fine. The suns already up, let's go lazy scales." River teased his dragon as he clambered onto his back. Once he was settled into the smooth saddle, River stuck his feet in the secure foot holds that he had installed so he didn't have to wear his armour to stay in the saddle. River gave Riptide's neck and pat and Riptide took off at a run, smoothly gliding off the ground and into the sky.

The morning light warmed Rivers' skin and illuminated the main field in a golden light. As they glided around the field, River could make out two forms alone. As he looked closer, River could see Aspen's spiky brown hair and what looked like Brooke. I wonder what he's doing out so early? River thought.

Looks like he's training. Hahaha. The girl is putting rocks in a bag and he has to run with it! Riptide snorted with amusement.

"Right, our thoughts are connected, I forgot." River chuckled. They flew around the camp a couple times, and as high as the dome-like protection around it would let them. Riptide's tail had brushed it at one point and it had given him a small shock, so they tried to fly lower.

River look, the flying obstacle course is still up! Should we do it?

Why not, we need to get the practice in.

Riptide angled his wings towards the obstacle course and River braced himself. Riptide sailed forwards, tucking his wings closer to his body and whipped his tail out so he could weave through the slalom poles easier. They managed to make it through them pretty easily, other than River banging his elbow a couple times. Now they were onto the hoops, they made it to the high one easily, but now for the low one right after a big dive.

Riptide tucked his wings as they streamed to the ground and then flung them open, but he opened them a second too late and they half crashed to the ground and half landed. River flew out of the saddle and tumbled to the ground while Riptide made a sizable dent in the earth, roaring in surprise.

"You okay River?" Riptide asked as he stood over River.

"Ya I'm good. Just a few scrapes and some big bruises later. Maybe we should just head to the chalet early to eat?"

"That's probably a good idea." Riptide responded as he vigorously shook himself, causing dirt to fly off of his cobalt blue scales, he then crouched down so River could easily mount him and he flapped his wings, gliding close to the ground, towards the chalet. He came to a stop near the firepit, where Thorne and Pine already sat. "See you in a bit Riptide!" River said over his shoulder as he walked over to the doors, then he ran into someone hard and he ricochet off of them and tumbled to the ground.

"Oops, sorry River. I guess I wasn't paying attention to where I was going."

River looked up and saw Aspen standing over him, offering his hand. River frowned and slapped the hand away, standing up on his own. He and Aspen uncomfortably looked at each other for a moment before Aspen looked down and rubbed his hand on the back of his neck.

"I uh. I saw you and Riptide flying, it looks like you are doing a lot better!"

"Better than what? You and Thorne?" River snorted, expecting to see a cocky grin on Aspen's face.