SIXTEEN
Tor looked up the steep mountain slope and stared at Nana standing at the top in the fading light. If he was in half the shape she was in after thousands of years, he’d be happy.
“You’re a wimp, great-great-whatever-grandson,” she called out.
He had to laugh at the woman’s gumption. But he wasn’t about to tell her that she scared the absolute shit out of him with her daredevil stunts climbing the mountain. He hung back to catch her when she fell. No wonder several-great-grandad had passed on long ago. The little woman could give any dragon a heart attack.
“On my way, Nana.” With her situated, he was able to concentrate on getting himself up with his own risky moves. Reaching the top, he took in a deep breath and held the clear, sharp air. Fabulous.
“Next time,” Nana said, “I’ll bring up the end and save you when you slip. Sound fair?”
Tor laughed again. “You got it, Nana.”
She turned, squinting into the darkness. He wasn’t sure what she was looking for, but recognized it as soon as he saw it.
“There,” he pointed to the south. In the far distance, a narrow-looking swath of trees had been plowed down like a giant lawnmower came in for a landing, blades chopping away. A faint scent of ash tasted on the back of his throat from his earlier deep breath.
“That’s looks like a good landing strip to me,” she replied. Having the cover of night, they shifted and flew south. Hovering over the area, their night vision zeroed in on the ship. Landing, they returned to their human forms.
Clues hinted at the craft having been there a while. Damn. He had hoped to find the group before they had to find other shelter.
“Who is supposed to be on this expedition?” Tor asked.
“If it’s the one the council agreed on, it should have a couple smaller clans,” she responded, looking around at the trees.
“Why clans?” he wondered.
Nana sighed. “Like several of us elders told the council, too many were scheduled to go to Karthasias Elo when abandoning our home planet. Soon, Karthasias Elo will have the same issue we did at home: lack of natural resources without restoration.
“Unless we cut back the population, we’ll have to find another place to live in several hundred years. Fortunately, your family took our advice and came to Earth. More should’ve done the same. Here it is.”
Nana rubbed her fingers along three vertical lines on a tree truck that looked like claw marks. She sniffed her fingers then brushed them off on her pants. “They went this way.” She pointed to the east.
Tor stepped up to the scratch and smelled it. Definite dragon scents. “Why didn’t you leave me scent marks when I came for you, Nana. It would’ve been easier to find you.”
She snorted. “And would you have found them if I left them?”
“Of course,” he said.
“Then why didn’t you?” She walked into the trees, leaving him speechless.
No way would he have missed that. But he didn’t have any idea to look for clues. That was a good excuse.
He heard her laughing. “Don’t worry, Tor,” she said. “I didn’t claw anything for you to follow. This procedure is new for us. Makes it quicker to find them. Here’s another.”
They followed the path the clans took after leaving their ship, farther and farther into the jungles of South America. Like before, the insects and critters stayed away from them, instincts warding them away from the deadly creatures.
“Nana,” he asked, “what exactly happened to the planet to make us leave? I mean, weren’t we smart enough to solve the problems?”
She sighed. “Yes and no for being intelligent enough. It was more like disregard from the older generations, hesitation by the middle generations, and inexperience from the youngest.”
“Okay,” Tor replied, “still need more explanation.”
“Give me a minute,” Nana complained. “You kids are so impatient, anymore.”
Tor found that comment funny seeing he was more than a few years old.
“As you are aware,” Nana began, “our world was dying quickly. Overpopulation had devastated the planet.”
“Why hadn’t this problem happened before?” Tor asked.
“Because feuding and wars between our more primitive ancestors always killed thousand, keeping the numbers in check. With civilization and less predators, we have nothing to keep the balance except ourselves.”
Tor snorted. “That worked out really well.”
“Precisely. The elders didn’t think it was problem because they were a bit out of touch with the changes. Those in the council dragged their feet and bickered among themselves, using the problem to further their importance and status. Why your father didn’t put his foot down and demand they work together, I’ll never know.”
“Nana, you know Dad wasn’t that kind of ruler. He believed in rule by the people, not one person. He would never push his ideas onto the community.”
“Yes,” she said, “and that was his downfall. Sometimes, one person can make a difference.” She stopped and glared at him. “Remember that, young prince.” She continued walking through the trees. “So, with all the dragons consuming our natural resources faster than we could replenish, the outcome was inevitable. The planet would die. Our people had to find somewhere else.”
Nana had said a couple of clans had come. That could mean as many as three hundred dragons. Where would that many be able to live together without drawing attention to their sudden arrival?
Fortunately, dragons thrived in conditions humans detested like the continuously cold areas of the arctic and mountains. Beaches were okay to visit in human form, but the animals preferred wilderness and solitude among their own. Since these were his people, Tor thought now might be a good time to invest in the colder lands of the planet. He would do what he could to provide a home and shelter. The problem would be taking care of these first settlers.
A strange but familiar scent froze him in place. His animal instincts bringing his attention to the wildness around him. Suddenly, his every sense was on high alert. He smelled the wet moss and decay of the foliage below his feet as it fed new plant life ready to be born. Heard the sound of insects as they chewed on leaves and dead organisms to grow the embryos they carried inside their bodies. The air vibrated with energy his dragon took comfort in—energy like his own.
Nana stopped and looked up in the pitch-black tree canopy. “Resaet,” she called loudly.
The branches moved above him. He glanced up to see a small white dragon floating down as graceful as a feather on the wind. Her transformation from blocky animal to lithe femininity was magical, and she landed as softly as a butterfly on her dainty feet.
Gliding to her knees, the beautiful creature bowed to the elder. “I am here, Your Highness.”
Tor watched as Nana rested her hand on Resaet’s head. “I am pleased to see you have arrived safely and heeded our instructions in all matters, my child.”
“Thank you, Your Highness. Your insight and knowledge blesses us all,” the female said.
Since his family escaped to Earth when he was young, he’d never seen how his royal family interacted with the rest of dragon society. He’d only been with the immediate family except for the black dragons Sayeh controlled. This show of respect seemed…archaic.
Suddenly, from high in the trees all around him, more white forms floated down like giant snowflakes, each morphing into human shape and lowering on bended knee. Nana clasped her hands to her chest, joy radiating from her. This was what his royalty was all about. Being with those he protected and cherished. Those who needed him to make their lives safe and happy. And in return, loved him.
Something inside him came to life. A part of his dragon he’d never felt. No, that wasn’t right. It wasn’t his animal. It was the call of his ancestors filling him. His birthright to rule and protect, and to love unconditionally. This was what made him a ruler to his people.
Nana placed a hand on his shoulder. “You feel it, don’t you?” she asked.
“What is it?” Tor queried. He felt humbled and amazed.
“This is what a true king feels when surrounded by his loving children. A real king’s devotion not only to protect and love them, but to grow and nourish them to become better than those who came before.”
“But why, Nana? Why me? Why now?” he asked.
“Because it is time for you to be who you were born to be. Time for your brothers to do what they were born to do. All the siblings have found their mates and are ready to begin the new dynasty.
“This time, you have learned to take care of the planet you live on and share it with others. This will keep everyone in check, not allowing what happened to our home planet to happen here.”
“Is this the ‘big something’ you and my mate felt coming?” he asked.
A dark shadow crossed her face and dread erupted in his heart. “No, my son, it is not. I was prepared for this. For what is to come, I am not. It weighs on me heavily.” Her face perked up at those around her. “But now is not the time nor place to worry about it. We have others and more immediate needs to attend to.”
Her arms raised and she whirled around. “Welcome, all of you, to Earth. You have completed your journey to your new lives. Here, you are among the royal family who will return the peace and prosperity once known to our planet. Quickly, gather your things. We must fly while the sun sleeps. Remember all we have taught you about this planet.
“Your hearts already know your king, Tor. He and I will lead you to our temporary living facility where you will begin your new journey. Hurry now,” Nana instructed. Hundreds of the slight forms scurried around. Definitely hundreds.
Tor turned to her. “Where are their temporary living facilities?” he asked.
She replied, “Why, the castle. Where else?”