Dragon Riders

Chapter 6

            I wasn't "Are you okay?" I asked my dragon, as I held harder on to his neck, trying to stay on him despite his shaking.

            "Yes! That is my name, Opher!" He cheered before he stopped shaking and started walking as if nothing had happened; the other three had halted and were staring back at us, waiting.

            Sighing in relief I leaned forward and rest my forehead on the back of his neck. "I was so worried! I thought you were sick!" I scolded before I smiled widely. "But I am very glad that you have a name!" I told Opher.

            Once Opher and I had caught up to the others we resumed walking, none of them asking what had happened. I'm guessing Grace-Ann and Lucas already knew and had explained it to Stacy, who had pulled along side me, the size of her Dragon making it so that her head almost reached my chest.

            "So, I bet you had fun earlier struggling to get onto, um, what is his name?" She asked me, looking down at Opher.

            Glancing down at him and then looking to her I smiled widely. "Opher, it means reducing to ashes and gold, I said it and he liked it so it's his name now. And what do you mean?" I questioned her, glancing up in time to see the trail empty out onto the bank of a beautiful large lake.

            Stacy giggled at me and leaned down so that her head was resting on her Dragon's neck. "Please, the hunk was totally cropping a feel as he helped you up. And he has totally been shooting you looks this entire time, like now!" She hissed at me causing my head to snap around in time for me to lock eyes with Lucas who raised an eyebrow at me and turned around.

            Turning back to Stacy I dropped my jaw. "Oh my gosh! There's no way that's true but if it was, oh my gosh!" I gasped, keeping my voice low as Stacy grinned widely at me,

            Stacy looked like she was about to say something when a loud voice sounded in both of our heads. "I think you should mate with him, he is a very strong male." Opher added making Stacy and I howl with laughter.

            Our laughter attracted the attention of the very man we were talking about and Grace-Ann. "What's going on back there you two?" Grace-Ann questioned, receiving a simultaneous 'nothing' from the two of us, whose cheeks had suddenly become bright red from embarrassment. A large smile lit up her face as her Dragon stopped. "Yeah, I'll believe that the day pigs fly." She told us with a snort as we pulled to a stop beside her.  Stacy and I grinned at her as our eyes cut towards Lucas, who was presently looking out at the water. Grace-Ann followed our gaze before her face showed nothing but understanding. "Same," Was all she said a second before her Dragon took to the air.

            The heavy down stroke of his wings caused wind and sand to lash our face before he was high over the water circling around it as if it were his prey. Lucas's eyes followed the Dragon's graceful movements before he turned his attention to Stacy and I.

            "Alright, riding a Dragon is nothing like riding a horse. On a horse you control it with you hands and legs, a Dragon you control by asking it to go the direction you wish. When Dragon's fly their scales shift around, and you'll have calluses and blisters tomorrow, but you don't want to do anything that impedes your Dragon's flight, so you want to find a comfortable position straight off and stay in it. Dragon's change directions by banking to the side they want to go, and depending on how steep they bank, you could slide off, so what you are going to want to do is lean away from them, tighten your legs, and grab on to anything you can reach. Once they are done banking resume your position. We'll teach you how to land when it comes time for that. Any questions?" Lucas asked a second before he nodded. "Okay. The take off position requires muscle, which you will eventually develop a lot of. You grip your Dragon's neck with your calves and use that to lift you to a semi-standing position. You're going to grab onto your Dragon's head and wait until they are in the air before you sit down. Now, ask your Dragon to go into the air and go." He told us a second before his Dragon was in the air.

            Glancing at Stacy to find her already starring at me with wide eyes I looked down at Opher. "I'm just going to apologize now. I'll probably hurt you while trying to do what he just made look so easy." I apologized before I tried to adjust into the position Lucas had been in before he had taken off.

            About half way through what I estimated to be the third hour, but was probably still with in ten minutes, of struggling to get my calves to hold my weight I finally thought whatever, and just heaved my weight around until I was holding onto one of Opher's head bumps. After that it was fairly easy to brace my calves on his neck and squeezed them as hard as I could to ensure that I didn't go sliding off. "Okay Opher, I think I'm ready." I finally said, opting for out loud seeing how if I broke my concentration of holding on I probably would have plummeted to my death. My voice sounded out of breath and incredibly nervous, both of which I was feeling in immense heaps, but somehow managed to still sound slightly casual.

            "Alright! Here we go!" Opher boomed in my head a second before he seemed to jump forward.

            His back jumped up till it was touching my butt for a split second and the world seemed to turn vertical as my eyes pointed straight into the sky. I could feel Opher's neck straining as the wind from his wings pounded my ears until it was the only thing that I could hear. I made the mistake of looking behind me and when I saw that Stacy and her Dragon had become a tiny purple speck on the otherwise golden beach I gulped in air, nearly chocking on the large bubble that entered my throat.

            Eventually the world switched from vertical, back to horizontal as we leveled off beside Lucas and his Dragon. A large grin split Lucas's face as he looked over at me. "Nice! You didn't throw up or scream! Most first timers do." He said, having to yell to be heard over the sound of our Dragon's wings.

            "Give me a second, I'm sure it's just the shock that's delaying it!" I laughed back as I adjusted myself out of the take off position and into a sitting position. My calves throbbed from the excursion they had undergone, and I knew they would be even more sore tomorrow morning.

            Lucas's laugh, which was a deep noise that seemed to come from his chest, was cut off when a high-pitched scream sounded from the beach. My head whipped in the direction as my body tensed and I grabbed onto Opher's neck. I relaxed when I noted that the scream was in fact Stacy and her Dragon leaving the ground. 

            Turning back to Lucas I caught his puzzled expression as he looked at me. "How did you know to do that?" He asked, his head cocked to the side and his tone inquisitive. When he saw my confused expression he motioned to my body. "That position, it's a dive position. Most attack riders learn it first thing, but other than that only defensive riders know it. You're neither, you shouldn't know it." He called, his words confrontational, but his tone confused.

            Glancing down my body I shrugged. "I don't know, I heard Stacy's scream and just did it." I said looking back up at Lucas. "Is it bad?"

            Shaking his head Lucas looked over his shoulder where Grace-Ann was trying to calm a very frazzled looking Stacy. "No, its impressive. Means you're supposed to be here. Most people pick their division, or their Dragon's type picks it for them. And then there are others who are just naturally prepared for a position. Looks like the stars aligned for you. Not only do you have an attack Dragon, but you're a natural." He told me, a true grin lighting his face, and kind of reaching his eyes. "Come on, since Grace-Ann is occupied I'll show you what to do next."

             I nodded in understanding and for the next two hours, I learned how to ride a Dragon.

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I tried really hard not to write any author's notes but I really wanted to just say thank you to everyone who has read, voted, or commented on this story. I'm sorry I haven't updated in a long time, to be honest I completely forgot about it and was shocked to see the feedback I had gotten! So thank you and sorry, and I will try to be more active!