Dragon Dreams

Chapter 2: A New Kind of Feeling

Sometimes, when you're in the middle of something really special, it's best to just go with the flow and not question it. That's exactly what I was experiencing in the dream. I could tell that something truly unique was happening and I didn't want to ruin it by freaking out and just waking up. The dream still seemed solid and real, which was a good sign as I regarded the blue dragon sitting in front of me.

His eye level was just a little above than mine when seated, but he looked even taller due to the white horns that spiraled gracefully a foot or more over the top of his head. He had a fairly long muzzle lined with sharp, white teeth. The sides of his head had short spikes and what looked like ear fins flaring out slightly behind his jaws. His frame was well-muscled as far as I could tell, but not overly thick and stocky. The tail that curled around in front of his legs looked to be about six feet long, probably equaling the length of the rest of his body. It was simply tapered on the end and looked quite dexterous. He had four claws on his front legs and three on his rear feet. His large wings were loosely folded on his back and down his sides.

I was taking a long moment to look over this mythical creature in front of me, and he didn't seem to mind. Rofar just looked at me with a sort of friendly amusement, as if he had introduced himself to other people before and always enjoyed seeing the reactions. After a tentative silence I looked up into his eyes, swallowed, and said, "Uh...I just want to ask, where am I?"

Rofar raised himself up to stand on all fours, flexing his wings slightly in the process, and started to walk slowly along the beach. "Walk with me, Josh, if you would be so kind," he said, the small pebbles crunching softly with each footfall. I followed obediently, the smooth stones massaging my bare feet as I strode up next to the dragon. Still not looking at me, Rofar cast his gaze about the landscape. I felt as if he was considering what to say next.

"Where are we indeed?" he said slowly, "I am afraid I cannot say, except that this strikes me as a perfect home for a dragon."

"What do you mean you can't say?" I replied.

"Well, it is your dream, is it not?" was his response, with a slight twinkle in his draconic eye.

"Oh. Er...yeah, I guess it is. I must have made this place up."

"It is a peaceful place. Quiet, but alive with nature and beauty. A place you wish to escape to perhaps?" He paused and looked at me, letting the question hang in the mountain air.

I stopped as well, my eyes cast down in thought. "It's like my subconscious is talking to me in the form of a dragon. This is getting really close to crazy person territory." I sighed and lifted my gaze, looking over the water at the forest and mountains beyond. "Honestly," I said, "if I could have the life of a dragon, living here in this place, that would be the perfect escape."

"Hmm," the dragon looked away resumed walking.

I shook my head and ran a few steps to catch up with him. "Wait a second, Rofar," I started, wheeling around in front of him to make him stop a moment. "This is all just a dream. You...this place..." I gestured at the landscape, "it's not real. How could I hope to have a life like this? There's no way, it's impossible!"

I was surprised to hear him chuckle softly, "Like I said before, it is your dream. I would not say anything is impossible, especially here. In fact, I think it is time for you to really experience that escape you long for. Follow me when you are ready."

With those words, Rofar crouched and raised his wings to their highest point above him. Then he leapt upward and swept his wings downward with a great rush of air. In just a few flaps he had climbed fifty feet in the air where he leveled out and started circling above the lake.