Generations: Broken Prophesy Story

Chapter 18

    The forest at night had always been imposing, but for the first time Chaser felt honest fear.  Every noise coming from the impenetrable dark was some force, or beast that could now hurt or kill his new softer body.  But the rhythmic rattle of his grandmother’s staff was a balm to his fraying nerves.  Shaking his head in frustration, “I know it’s around here…”  His new senses were just barely a fraction of what he was used to.  His eyes were just better than useless, with no darksight and no soundsight.  His nose seemed to focus on the fresh scent of pine and earth, but was completely useless for finding any trace of his home in the dark.  Most worrying was his complete lack of direction, if not for his grandmother gently correcting his path he would have been wandering in circles the rest of the night.

    He glances over to the older woman, the sliver of moonlight that was penetrating the thick canopy overhead seemed to make her glow almost ghostlike.  “So…  What is she like?  Your mate I mean.”

    Sighing in relief from the awkward silence between them, Chaser pauses.  “She is…  Fierce, independant, clever…  Oh!  And fast!!  I always thought Dad and I were fast…  She could leave us behind like we were standing still.”  His tone is filled with awe.  “She is lean, like an eel,” He pauses again, his brows furrowed.  “I don’t mean she is disgusting or anything like that, she was built for speed.”  Leaning against a broken tree, he rests his back against the lichen covered surface.  “Her scales are so smooth and warm to the touch.  There are swirls and patterns of purple when the sun hits her just right.  And eyes so purple you could lose yourself in them.”

    “She sounds wonderful.”  In the darkness Chaser misses his grandmother’s smirk, “So…  What’s her name?”

    Chaser’s eyes grow wide as it dawns on him, that he had become so caught up describing her he never mentioned her name.  “Nyota…  Her name is Nyota.  It means Star.”

    Fully expecting a teasing laugh or joke at his expense, he is surprised when Valka wraps her arms around him and draws him into a warm hug.  “I am so pleased you found someone.  I always regretted never finding a female for Cloudjumper.  He had me and his other dragon friends, but he never had a chance to find someone he could share his life with.”  Valka releases her grandson and with a gentle nudge directs him away from the fallen tree.

    Following the fallen log, the pair eventually find the rocky path down into the cove.  The loose rocks and stones clatter under their booted feet.  Valka uses her staff to keep her balance, making her descent seem almost effortless.  Chaser, however, ends his journey with a stumble and rushing down into the grand clearing.  Faint embers from his campfire barely glow in the dark, and the barest hint of moonlight does nothing to disrupt the darkness.

    A growl from the enveloping shadows puts them both on alert.  ‘You took my mate!!  You won’t take me!!!’  The roar from the darkness, followed by the purple glow of a charging plasma blast, gives Chaser but a moment to act.

    Rushing to put himself between Valka and Nyota, he winces at the volume of his mate's thoughts.  “Nyota!!!  Wait!!  It’s me!  It’s Chaser!!!”

    The glow of impending death fades slowly, replaced with a growl, ‘Chaser?  Have you changed again?’   

    Glancing down, he shakes his head, “No…  No, these are just clothes.  Things to help protect and warm me…”

    The defensive dragoness steps from the shadows, nuzzling her mate.  Her nose ‘chuffs’ as she takes in his scent.  ‘You smell bad’, she says plainly before tilting her head in confusion.  ‘You smell of old…  Umm…  What is that one doing?’

    Chaser turns to see his grandmother, setting her staff aside and crawling toward the pair on her hands and knees.  “Grams?  What are you doing?”

    Valka pauses, “I’m…  I’m tryin’ ta show I mean no harm.  That I’m no’ a threat…”  Her eyes dart back and forth between her grandson and the young dragoness.  Clearing her throat in embarrassment, “I dinna’ suppose I need ta’ do tha’, do I?”

    Ruffling the hair on the back of his head, a novel experience for the shape-shifted dragon.  “Right!!...  Nyota, Grandma.  Grandma, Nyota.”

    Valka slowly stands, as the dragoness comes closer, her nose working just as it had memorizing her mate’s scent.  “Does she understand Norse?” she asks when Nyota rears back on her haunches.

    Chaser furrows his brow, “I…  I don’t think so.  She can understand me, and I her.  But it isn’t her ‘voice’ I’m hearing.”  Chaser turns to watch the dim moonlight flicker across the lake’s mirror-like surface.

    “Like how you dragons would ‘talk’ to Gothi?”

    “YES!!!  That’s why it feels so familiar.”  Chaser turns back to watch in amusement as his grandmother scrubs Nyota’s cheeks and jaw, making the once fierce dragon almost purr in pleasure.  “Enjoying yourself?”

    ‘Oh yes!  She is very good at this.  Those small paws are good for something after all.’   

Chaser chuckles, as Valka gives him a grin, “Yur’ right.  She is beautiful.  What did she say?  I felt her rumble.”

“She says your hands are very talented.  I’m going to gather some fresh wood for the fire.  Will you two be alright?”  

“I should be gettin’ back to tha’ village.  Magnus won’ be able to keep yur’ grandfather busy for very long.  I’ll expect ya’ to meet back in the great hall before noon.  We can figure out what ta’ do then.”

Taken back by his grandmother’s eagerness to leave, Chaser wraps his arms around her in a fierce hug.  “Please be careful getting back.”

“I will,” she chuckles.  “An’ you two take care.  Berk isn’t tha’ most dragon friendly place anymore.”

Placing his hand on Nyota’s neck, he gives her a firm but gentle rub as they watch Valka vanish into the shadows and up the gravel lined path without a sound.