When the Ocean Calls

Chapter Twenty | Your Average Welcoming Party

The lightness wore off. I watched as the sun drifted from the east to directly overhead. Now, it slunk toward the west. I didn't need a clock to know that it'd been hours since I left Virgo's island. Muscles cramped in my wings. They felt heavy with fatigue, carrying all my dragon weight. My eyes raked the earth for any sign of Tocona Isla—or any land at all. I didn't care at this point. I was tired of flying. In fact, I was tired of traveling. I just wanted to go home.

Why did I have to get bitten by a spider? Why?

Hey! the dragon exclaimed indignantly. If you hadn't been bitten by the spider, you'd have never met me. What am I, chopped liver?

I rolled my eyes. Not only did I have to go out of my way to get changed back into a human, I had the most annoying companion ever.

As I mulled over my plight, my eyes caught on something green—the most wonderful thing I had seen in hours. Out of the turquoise expanse emerged a tiny island with four gray pyramids clustered a central one.

A laugh burst from my throat. I made it! I flew across the ocean using only my wings and will power. The Gemini were just a few miles ahead, and with them came transformation back into a human. Arrival never felt so satisfying.

I'm almost home, Lani! Just hold on!

My wings flapped in steady strokes, straight for Tocona Isla. It started as a grassy disk in the ocean. But it enlarged the closer I came, turning into a rounded landmass. Dense forest dominated most of the island, except for the volcanic ring in the center and a beach on the perimeter. I decided to land on the latter.

A few tiny figures moved on the beach. It had to be the Islanders. I counted how many there were and was relieved when I saw only five. The thought of explaining my odd situation to a crowd summoned terrifying memories from high school speech class.

I zoomed toward the beach, wind beating against my wings. The tanned figures elongated into lanky men and women. One turned his head and pointed his arm at the sky. At me. Indistinct shouts arose, louder and louder as I drew nearer. The islanders bustled up and down the beach, ducked into the forest beyond, and returned with clusters of people. Men, women, and children raced onto the beach, a swarm of vibrant fabric.

My hopes fell. An audience was unavoidable. Though now that I thought about it, how could I communicate with them in the first place? I wasn't sure which language they spoke. Spanish and Portuguese were common in the Caribbean, but I didn't understand either. And neither would be useful if they spoke a native dialect.

In the crowd, I caught a glimpse of men carrying long sticks. Sunlight glinted off the pointy metal tips.

An even worse concern wormed its way into my mind. What if they thought I was a threat? I was heading their way pretty fast...they could think I was about to attack them. I flapped my wings in wider strokes, my tail and legs tensing against the forward motion. My body eased into a more leisurely pace. A slow approach was less menacing than a fast one. It said, "nothing to see here, I'm just out for my morning flight and need a rest."

At least, that's how I hoped they'd interpret it.

My speed slackened further until I gently rested on the hot sand just in front of the ocean, far enough from the congregation to allow a hasty escape if one was needed. The commotion on the beach was louder than the Oamaren ball—and that was saying something. Cries and chatter saturated the air. As I feared, I detected no English.

I'll just have to be very calm, I thought. The worst thing that I can possibly do is smile, they'll just think that I'm baring my teeth in aggression.