"Dragon Runner - Arroyo" by Stephanie ´Kat´ Kunder

Dragon Runner

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style='font-size:18.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Augsburger Initials"'> 

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style='font-size:18.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Augsburger Initials"'>Arroyo

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            Shara gazed
across the tranquil lake.  Nothing
stirred its dark surface, not even a darting fish.  She knew, as did the others of Lacke Keep that beneath the calm
top water lived the feared ancient creatures.

            Dragons of
watery colors, with long necks and hundreds of small, sharp teeth.span
style="mso-spacerun: yes">  Few, if any ever saw the whimsical
beasts.  The dragons were incredibly
secretive animals.  They were a great
mystery at the Keep.  An unexplained
presence that everyone knew lurked beneath the placid water.

            For the
youngest of five children, today was like the past few weeks had been.span
style="mso-spacerun: yes">  She was drawn to the lake.span
style="mso-spacerun: yes">  It’s cold promise fascinated and excited
her…As well as drove fear into her heart. 
Shara couldn’t figure out why she was repeatedly returning to this exact
spot.

            It was as
if someone, or something was calling for her…Asking for her friendship and
help.  But day after day, nothing
disturbed the still depths of the lake.

            At first,
she thought she was imagining it.  Then
the ridge of some, creature, again skimmed slightly at the surface.span
style="mso-spacerun: yes">  Shara watched, wide-eyed, as the sliver of
life became a gigantic beast that rose above her.  Its greenish-blue hide glistened wetly from the lake water and
the eyes that fixed on the girl were black as the night.

            Shara let
out a soft sound of wonder.  It was the
most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. 
The sky blue ridge on her back fanned out in a show of satisfaction,
webbed claws gripped tightly on the rock as the beast pulled itself on
shore.  Taken aback, the girl stepped
away from it, fear bubbling up in her mind.

            Do not
be afraid, a gentle female voice purred in her mind.span
style="mso-spacerun: yes">  I have been waiting for you.

            Shocked
into speechlessness by the dragon, Shara stared.  The soft rumble from the beast, which could only be suggested as
a chuckle, snapped the girl out of it.

            “H-How are
you speaking to me?  Wh-Why are you
speaking to me?”

            The dragon
appeared to grimace, though she answered her,

            Please,
girl.  Mind-speak.span
style="mso-spacerun: yes">  It is much easier on me that way, as it will
you too.  Noting the girl’s
confusion the she-dragon explained, Speak with your mind, young one.span
style="mso-spacerun: yes">  Thoughts are the purest of speech.span
style="mso-spacerun: yes">  Reach out your mind to me.

            To Shara’s
surprise, she could do as the dragon said. 
When her mind touched the creatures, dozens of colors flitted through
her mind.  Welcoming blues, greens,
yellows, and pinks. 

            Oh,
my.  What beautiful…

            The
she-dragon’s chuckle filtered into her head, I knew you were the one.span
style="mso-spacerun: yes">  I knew you could hear me if I were to show
you the way.

            The colors…Shara
whispered in her thoughts.

            They are
my feelings, young one.  To each other,
we speak in way of colors.  But to those
who are Dragon Runners, we can mind-speak.

            Dragon
Runners?  Shara questioned.

            The few
humans in the world, who know our language, can understand.span
style="mso-spacerun: yes">  There is more to the history, but not
now.  You must be taught first.span
style="mso-spacerun: yes">  So much time has gone by, we must bring them
together soon.

            Bring
whom together soon, dragon?

            Not now,
little one.  And you may call me Isis.

Chapter I

            For Shara,
it seemed her days with the dragon teacher were filled with nothing but endless
exercises.  Not only was she being
taught the continents and cultures of other places in the world, she was also
being learned the mythology of the entire planet.  Every once in a while, the she-dragon would instruct her on
magickal amenities; healing, water magick…

            But what
Shara wanted to truly know was of the Dragon Runners.  History, traditions, magick, and everything behind the mysterious
people of the past, allied with the dragons. 
No matter how hard her pupil tried, Isis refused to speak of the
Runners and their past.

            Sitting in
the warm afternoon sun, Shara listened with half an ear as the she-dragon spoke
of the continent Wyrm.  With their
legless dragons of Earth, the girl found the place disinteresting.span
style="mso-spacerun: yes">  But the dragon never the less insisted she
must learn and know the information.     

            Shara
sighed aloud and stretched.  Noticing
her pupil’s tire of the subject, Isis suggested a quick swim before
suppertime.  Before Shara could take her
offer, the pounding of hooves echoed across the lake.

            She looked
up with surprise at the approaching rider. 
It was her second oldest brother atop his sleek bay racer.span
style="mso-spacerun: yes">  Shara glanced quickly back at the dragon,
but the only sign of her was the drying watermarks and a ripple in the lake.

            With a
slight sigh of relief, she turned to the still mounted rider,

            “Brother,
what has brought you this far up the lake? 
Mounted atop your prized racer no doubt?” she smiled slightly to ease
the tension.

            “They were
out on a hunt.  The boar they were
after…Was Rabid.  Father lost a leg to
the beast.  Robert may not live!”span
style="mso-spacerun: yes">  burst out Jayson, holding the reins tightly.