Talon's of Life & Death

3

*Trigger Warning: Explicit Language used*

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"How are you feeling Sith?" Nikos asks me as we make our walk to the villages gates. Him and Flora continued to wave at the people as we passed. I kept looking back and watching as the kids continued to follow. Everyone wanted a glimpse of the Dragons.

I could feel it too, the amnesty. The wonderment of the unknown. That Dragon from before, the one that stopped me from escaping, I'd never been so close to one. They were terrifying, yet serene. A dangerous mixture. The Dragon I'd seen when I touched the stone... it's eyes would haunt me. I kept peering at my reflection in the shop windows, expecting to see golden eyes staring back, only there was nothing.

"Your looking for them." He says when I don't answer. I quickly pull away from the window to look up at him.

"For who?"

"Your flame." Flora answers for him, glancing at me kindly.

"You saw them." Nikos explains.

I frown, it was clear that the Dragon was mine but I could barely wrap my head around it. Five minutes ago, I was certain I would never be a Rider. Then that vision changed everything, proved me wrong. And I hate being wrong. They both don't push me to respond, presumably I could only pray they understood how I felt. Although, Nikos certainly couldn't. His father was a general, a strong leader among Dragon Riders. He grew up knowing this is what was always meant for him. I wonder how different Flora must be.

"Don't be alarmed when they approach you. It's there way of saying hello." Nikos whispers. I barely have enough time to process what he means before two large shadows land on the small meadow in front of us. I try with all my night not to turn on my heel and run back into the safety of the village. The crowd formed behind us were gasping with amazement at the sight in front of me.

Dragons.

Nikos and Flora waste no time in confronting the beasts. Not an ounce of fear present. The Dragon I had seen before, Zola was the first to approach. With Flora by her side, her purple eyes sought me out with heavy dominance. She was small, about the size of Ivan's shop, which can be considered small for Dragon's. I'd heard that some breeds could swallow this village entirely with how large they could grow. Her body was slender but her wings were large, as if she was meant to fly, not fight. Her scales matched her eyes, a rich purple, intoxicatingly beautiful. A small brown saddle was strapped to her back and two purple tinted horns extended from the back of her head, twisting to meet each other in the centre. She was remarkably arrogant with her gaze, and the way her head dropped when studying me.

"This is Zola, my flame." Flora encouraged, a wide smile on her face as she looked to her Dragon. It was scary seeing both sets of their gaze, twins in every way apart from specie. The Dragon  lifted her head and snorted at me, her nostrils flared, permitting me as nothing in her eyes. Flora rolls her eyes at her Dragon's behaviour, she pushes her head away like it was a bag of potatoes, not at all caring that this animal could kill her in seconds. "Excuse her lack of manners." She exaggerates as she glares at her.

I turn away to glance at Nikos, and his flame. Even though his Dragon was twice the size of Zola, I found comfort in it's face. Less sharp compared to Zola's, his face was long but wide with sunken eyes that glimmered the same unique shade as his Riders. But the warmth was there. His wings were long and wide, his body was much larger with four muscled legs and long claws. This Dragon had no horns compared to Zola, but longer scales ran across the back of its face and jaw, as if to highlight some sort of beard. His scales were a deep green but the scales around its underbelly were tinted yellow. Like Zola, this dragon also has a type of saddle, but much bigger and wider. Easier to fit into.