Dragon's Bond

Ten

   The first thing I do when I get home is check on the horses and take them all a few laps around the large pasture. Next I unsaddle the sunbathing Ghost, then make sure that there's food and water in the 3
stalls. We've been feeding Zip deer, elk, and the occasional moose, but now  we try to split it between the 2 dragons. Most of the time, though, Ghost hunts by himself. As much as he neglects to show, I know that Zip appreciates it.
   I text Claire and Nick, and we arrange to meet in the clearing at noon tomorrow. I tell them to come alone. I need to tell them what the soldier told me, and about the dreams that have started haunting me every night. They're connected, I'm sure, but I don't know how. This is too much to think about. It's summer, I should be relaxing and having fun, but I think I'm more stressed now than I ever was in school. I'm mostly scared. This has something to do with me and Ghost, and I know it's nothing good.
   I spend the rest of the day doing yard work, mowing lawns and weeding gardens mostly.
   That night I sleep in the barn with Ghost again. I'm scared to sleep, but I'm exhausted after today and I can't stay awake for too long. The giant is back, but this time he has a rider perched on his neck. All I see besides the silhouette is his eyes. They're glowing like the fire brewing in its dragon's throat. Suddenly Ghost is beside me again, and I jump in front of him before he's disintegrated. I feel the heat close to my face, then wake up. Ghost is already awake, giving me reason to think that I was thrashing around. He sits up, letting me slide carefully to the floor, then wraps his body around me. I wrap my arms around his neck as far as they reach and cry, and I cry myself back to sleep.

   "Weren't you the one telling us to hurry?" Claire asks as Ghost lands next to Violet and Striker.
   "Sorry, I didn't get a lot of sleep last night." I mutter.
   "So what's the incredibly important thing that we should know about.?" Nick asks, leaning against Striker with his arms crossed. The dragon glares at him before stepping to the side, letting Nick fall on his back. Despite everything that's going on, I laugh with Claire as he sits up with a red face. "Shut up." He grumbles. "Anyway, Lyric?"
   I stop laughing and take a few breaths to calm myself. "I saw a soldier with his dragon yesterday, after you left, Nick. I talked to him, and he told me about this guy that's been using his dragon to burn down cities..."
   "Oh yeah, I've heard about that." Claire says.
   "Me too." Nick adds. "They think it's another fog dragon, or maybe a night dragon. The guy’s got followers too, I’ve heard that they usually attack the cities before burning them.” Followers? As if it wasn’t bad enough…
   "Yeah, and it being a giant doesn't help."
   "How'd you know it was a giant?" He asks. "I haven't heard anything about that."
   I take another deep breath. "Um, I've had...there's these dreams..." I stumble over my words and suddenly I can't talk right. Ghost nudges me from the side and lays next to me so his head is level with mine. I run my hand down his smooth forehead and the bridge of his nose, and try talking again. "I've been having these dreams. There's a man on his dragon, a giant, dark, dragon. I have it every night now, and after I met Ghost, he appeared in the dreams too. And every time I have the dream, the dragon kills Ghost..." My voice cracks and I wrap an arm around his neck as far as it will go. "And
then I wake up right before it kills me." The four of them stare at me, Claire and Nick surprised, and Striker and Violet look like they're getting lost in their own thoughts. Minutes of silence pass. "Guys...say something..." I lean into Ghost, thankful for his presence.
   "That's...kinda scary." Nick says.
   "It's gotta mean something." Claire adds. "Who knows, maybe we can use this as an advantage."
   "How?" I ask her.
   "I don't know, but if there's a connection, then maybe we can learn something. Is every dream the same? Every night?" She asks.
   "Yeah, but-"
   "Same events, same place, same guy and dragon?"
   "Ye- wait, no. I didn't start seeing the guy until last night. The dragon's always the same though. The place..." I think about it. It always happens in a burned city, but the more I think on it, I realize that there are differences. Slight differences, but sometimes there are still buildings standing in the background, and sometimes there aren't. Where there are, they're different from ones I might have seen another night. "It's in a different city. Every night, and they're always burned down..."
   "What if you're seeing the cities that they've attacked?" Nick asks.
   "Maybe I am." I answer, feeling a little bit of excitement.
   "Where were you last night?" Claire asks. "Just try to remember. If you can't then try to remember one of the earlier dreams. Do you remember any landmarks or anything that could tell you what city you were in?"
   "I know in one of them, I can't remember which, but I could've sworn I saw...the Golden Gate Bridge in the background."
   "San Francisco!" Nick shouts. "It was one of the first attacked!"
   "I need to read the news more." I say, more to myself than to them.
   "So you're seeing the cities that they've attacked, and he...kills you...in them. That's really weird." Claire says thoughtfully.
"There's gotta be a connection, but why you?"
   I shrug. "I have no idea. I just want it to stop."
   "You have them every night?" Nick asks suddenly. I nod. "And the same thing happens every night?" Again I nod. "So change it." I tilt my head. Claire eyes widen.
   "Yes!" She yells. "Tonight, change the dream. Run, hide, jump on Ghost and see the city! Maybe get a good look at these guys!" She's practically bouncing on her feet.
   "Change the dream..." I whisper to myself. When I have the dreams, I know that they're just dreams, but I'm always frozen in place. Maybe I'm not actually frozen, though. Maybe I just don't think about moving
when I'm watching the fire gather in the giant's throat. "Change the dream." I repeat. "Yeah, I can change it. Maybe I can even make them stop." I run and hug Claire. "Thank you."
   She returns the hug. "We'll help you through this."
   Nick joins in. "Both of us." We stay like this for a few minutes, and I see the dragons are also getting closer, standing just outside our little circle. Then I notice Nick and Claire with their arms around each other as well as me, and I pull away.
   "Speaking of 'both of you'..." I start. Nick's eyes go wide and he shakes his head. Claire just looks confused. "I've noticed a certain 'connection' between you guys." They both blush, and I hold in a laugh. "Just go on and hug. Maybe get a little kiss in." When they stare at me like I'm a crazy person, both dragons push their riders together, and after a second of awkwardness, they relax visibly. They wrap their arms around each other, and me and Ghost exchange a look. "It's about time." I tell him, rubbing his smooth, scaly neck. He leans into me, and I wrap my arms around him. "All I'll ever need is you." He makes a noise, a soft, non-threatening growl, and I know he agrees. I've only known him a few days, but I feel the connection that most riders feel with their dragons.