The Adventures of A Reborn Dragonkin

Chapter 2: Practice To Fight

"Silas! Salem!" The shriek that follows them only makes the two laugh harder. Judith comes barging around the corner, seeing his younger brother on the back of the red dragon, both of which could not calm their laughter. The silver dragon could forgive the measly prank of waking him up with water, but what they did before hand he could not.

"Brother," Silas wheezes out in the dragon tongue between laughs, his amber and silver eyes shining with tears, "you have something on your horns."

"Indeed, dear Judith," Salem joins in, trying not to roll his giant body and crush his little partner in crime. "What happened? Did you land in a tree?" At this, the two burst out into even more laughter.

"You two are unbearable," Judith seethes, reaching up a claw to try and untangle the weeping moss woven into his horns. Thanks to the two pranksters, who had dropped water on his head-specifically on the moss-the rather magical moss had grown together and around his horns, making it near impossible for him to get it off on his own.

Silas, who can't help but feel bad seeing his dragon brother struggle to get their trick off, climbs off Salem's back and walk up to Judith. He motions for the dragon to bend down some and, after a moment of hesitation, Judith complies. Taking the dagger from his belt Silas begins cutting at the moss, which, true to its name, begins 'weeping' the water it had absorbed through the cuts he makes.

Silas chuckles at Judith's sour expression as his face is drenched in the water. "Sorry, brother," he tells him once he finishes cutting all the moss off his horns. "The moss was Salem's idea, though, so blame him."

"You snitch!" Salem gasps dramatically, beginning to charge the boy. Silas laughs as he darts between Salem's large limbs. The familiar puff of smoke alerts Silas, but before he could duck out from under the dragon and make his getaway, a pair of strong arms lift him into the air. Just as quickly as he is grabbed he is suddenly turned upside down.

"Put me down!" Silas laughs breathlessly, looking up-or down-at the upside down smirking face of Salem, who is now in his humanoid form. He switches his hands to pull up the shoulder of his loose dark maroon robes, the likes of which showing a broad and firm chest.

"Or what?" Salem teases, his smirk getting wider at the struggling boy. "You'll spit fire at me?" Silas stills but doesn't answer, making Salem raise an eyebrow and raise the boy higher so he could more easily see his face.

"What, did the slime get your tongue?" he asks. Suddenly, Silas grins, smoke spilling from his nose and mouth. Taking a breath a stream of fire spills from his mouth, aiming at the dragon's face. Surprised, Salem drops the boy as Judith cackles in laughter from the side.

Silas rolls to his feet and quickly hides behind the silver dragon's front leg, trying and failing to muffle his laughter. Salem wipes his face with a hand, smudging the charcoal ashes on his cheek. Unsurprisingly, there are no burns, one of the perks of being a dragon is being fire resistance. Looking up, he finds Silas peeking out from behind his brother and instead of being angry, he smiles proudly.

"Your fire magic is improving greatly, Silas," Salem praises, walking up to the boy and ruffling his mess of hair. Silas grins at the affectionate gesture, but before he could thank him, a deep female voice shouts at them.

"Silas! Judith! Salem!" Oh no. All three of them freeze, not wanting to turn around but knowing that they will have to. When they do, they hang their heads at the orc woman who stands before them, her strong arms crossed and her bare foot tapping at the dirt.

"Marza," Judith greets sheepishly. Marza's stern expression doesn't change from her signature scowl. In fact it deepens, showing more of the short tusks in her mouth. Her dreadlocked hair is completely silver, light green skin spotted and wrinkled with age, but that doesn't stop her from being a wonderful and experienced fighter.