Watty's Shortlist 2023
"I have been waiting a long time to meet you."
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When two warring kingdoms hear of a magical object that will end the conflict once and for all, two rival heirs embark on a quest to retrieve it and bring their...
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A brightness glowed behind Aila's eyes, stirring her from her slumber. She awoke to find herself in her sleeping bag, with Ember's dragon form curled around her. She glanced at the sky, surprised to find the sun shining directly overhead, signifying that it was afternoon already.
Twenty four hours.
She had been asleep for twenty four hours.
Her muscles were stiff so she shuffled out from under Ember's wing and stretched. The dragon's eyes opened immediately, watching her. He shifted.
"You didn't wake me," she stated.
"You needed the rest. How are you feeling?"
"Much better. I'm sorry for losing control yesterday." She rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly, feeling as if she had inconvenienced Ember.
"That's completely okay," he smiled. "Fire is the most wild element. It requires more focus." At Aila's grimace, he grinned. "Sorry. It just needs more practice and awareness in order to be able to fully command it. Even then it's difficult to do so and is unpredictable."
Aila nodded. "Earth today?"
"How are you feeling?" Ember repeated.
"Good enough for you to push me into a hole."
"I'm serious, Spark."
"So you want to push me into something worse?" Aila gaped, her eyes widening in feigned shock. At the look Ember gave her, she sighed. "I feel great. My power's full and it's making me restless again."
Ember nodded. "You're sure?"
"Yes."
"Okay, I'll go get lunch then," he said before he shifted.
When Ember returned with the food, as Aila ate he kept shooting her odd glances, gauging whether she was truly okay.
"I'm fine," she exclaimed finally as she put down her empty plate. "I'm ready for earth."
"Okay," Ember nodded, shifting and bowing before her. She climbed on and gripped his spike, feeling so used to it now that she didn't overthink her mounting. The dragon soared, and Aila felt wonder coursing through her as her heart leapt as if it were her first ride again.
Ember landed in a large field fairly far from The Dragon Temple. It was a chilly day, and Aila was glad she didn't have to endure the previous day's lesson again. She couldn't wait to learn how to use her fire to warm herself.
Her attention was brought to the rich soil beneath her feet, awaiting cultivation of life. She turned at the sound of the dragon's voice.
"You're going to grow this," he held up a seed in the centre of his palm, and handed it to Aila.
"What's this?" She asked, wondering whether it were a flower, fruit or vegetable.
She couldn't help imagining Ember searching for a particular flower seed, and she wondered which was his favourite. That thought gave way to an endearing image of a yellow flower tucked behind his hair, in sharp contrast with his redness. She couldn't help grinning at her imagination and hoped one day she'd manage to make it a reality.
