Rin

 

 

 

Two Weeks Later

The wind whips through my hair and the sun shines bright overhead as we zip over the plains on the backs of dragons. We fly in a V formation, each girl paired to a shifter, smiles on our faces and hope in our hearts as we search for a new home. We’ve been flying for a couple days now, first crossing the mountains and traveling in the opposite direction from the Valley of Drakon—away from the old world and on toward the new.

It’s good to be away from that crazy jungle. The change of scenery is a big morale booster. We’re over a great flat stretch of land—a place Targon calls the Garmot Plateau, named after huge mammoth-like beasts that roam the land. Below us herds of strange animals graze on the tall grasses, and great waterfalls bigger than anything I’ve ever seen crash over the plateaus edge. I’m in total awe. It truly is a beautiful world—that is, once you get past the killer ostriches, crazy wild men, mind-controlling aliens, and hostile dragon tribes.

But the best thing of all is we’re all together again. And everyone seems happy. Sure, it was hard to adjust to the idea of never going home at first, but in just a brief period of time we’ve come together as a community and I know we’ll have great lives here on Theros. Plus, you never know. Maybe one day we will find a way to travel back to Earth. Never say never—that’s my new motto after everything that’s happened. But for now I have a dragon who loves me and I’m surrounded by friends.  Life is good.

And there’s one more little thing I haven’t mentioned to anyone yet. Something Targon and I discussed quite a bit while he was recovering from his wounds. I stroke my hand over Targon’s neck, butterflies forming in my stomach as I get ready to break the news.

Are you comfortable, my love? He asks, sensing something on my mind. He’s such a sweet, caring dragon. He’s always thinking of me.

I have something I want to share with you; something that I think will make you the happiest dragon this side of the Azhai Abyss. I’ve tried to hide it from him—I wanted to surprise him once we’ve found our new home. But I can’t conceal it any longer. I’m too excited to hold onto this information all by my lonesome. And besides, it’s hard to hide big, emotional, life-altering news like this from someone you share a telepathic link with.

I don’t even have to say the words. He can see the images in my head, a little baby dragon shifter of our very own. He’s so excited he stops flapping his wings and reaches back to grab me. He holds me close in his arms, spinning around and around as we drop through the air.

There are no words to express how happy you’ve made me, my love. He says, licking me with his giant dragon tongue. I laugh and wipe away the slobber, watching the ground as it races toward us.

“There’s not going to be any baby if you don’t start flying again soon, my love.”

Oh yes, He says, giving me one final kiss then setting me back down on his back. He glides back into the sky and slowly we catch up with the others.

Becky rides on Aedan’s back, and the two of them fly in close.

“What was that?” Becky yells over the wind. “Everything okay?”

I must be glowing because she’s giving me a sly look. “More than okay,” I yell back. She stares at me curiously, waiting for more information, but I want to tell the girls all at once. “Trust me—it’s good news. I’ll make an announcement once we stop for the evening.”

Becky smiles and gives me a thumbs up, and then her and Aedan pull away and take their place in our formation.

Later in the day we stop and set up camp. Everyone is beyond thrilled to hear I’m pregnant with Targon’s child, and we spend the night celebrating. Drake and Susan go out and bring us back a big haunch of some kind of meat (it is totally delicious by the way), Becky sketches a portrait of me and Targon on a dried out piece of hide, and we spend the evening huddled close around a roaring fire, singing, joking, and telling each other stories from our pasts. That evening I cuddle up to Targon and we fall asleep beneath the stars.

The middle of the next day we’re flying again when we come to the end of the Garmot Plateau and a gigantic forest stretches in every direction. The air is fresh, no more humidity like there was in the Wildlands, and a cool breeze blows from a nearby body of water. The trees are lush and green, teeming with life and perfect for building our new homes. Close to the edge of the forest is a great outcropping of rock with many caves and a big flat area on top we can use to keep watch from. I think we all have the same reaction when we see it.

What do you think? I say to Targon.

He signals to the other dragons and we swoop down through the sky, landing on the outcropping. We walk to the edge, taking in the wonderful sights around us, feeling free and safe in a way I never felt while we lived near the Fire Temple. Targon shifts to human form and puts his arm around me. I think it looks like the perfect place to call home.

I smile. “I couldn’t agree more.”