Dragon Dream

by Elena Van Peborgh

“Link? What link?” my dad asked in confusion.

  “Tatiana and I are linked. I believe lower shape-shifters call it an engagement.”

  I nodded.

  “What’s wrong with Tatiana?” my dad asked next.

  “She can’t talk. She doesn’t have a voice anymore. She sacrificed her voice when she became a dragon.”

  “You and your impossible dream,” my dad sighed.

  I shrugged in response. It hadn’t been impossible after all; I was a dragon now.

  I need to help Zoran, I spoke to Jon through my mind.

  “I think she needs to stop a war. The dragon leader is calling her. We’ll talk while we’re on the way, so you’ll be all up to date,” Jon said to my dad.

  I signed they should follow me. Jon kept his word by telling my father what had happened while I led them to Zoran. It didn’t take long until we reached him. He stood in the middle of a group of shape-shifters who were discussing heavily with each other. Of course, I immediately noticed him because he reached way higher than everybody else because of his height. I pushed myself through the crowd towards the middle.

  “Hello Tatiana,” Zoran greeted me when he saw me. He directed his attention to the two men behind me.

  I’ve also brought my father. He’s a lynx. My mom can’t join us sadly, I notified him through my mind.

  “Maybe you don’t know Tatiana’s name, but you do know her a little bit. Her father’s a lynx while her mother is a bear. Tatiana herself is a dragon, and she’s connected to a wolf,” Zoran informed the crowd. He quickly looked at the two men behind me. “Would you please introduce yourselves?”

  “My pack name is Avalon, but I was born as James. I am a wolf and I’m linked to Tatiana, who’s a dragon,” Jon started.

  “I’m Andrew, and I’m a lynx. I was connected to Diana, who was a bear. She was banished from her own community after becoming pregnant from a member of a wolf community. I had offered her my help then, therefore I wasn’t welcome in my own community anymore. I understand you can’t stand each other at all. There’s a lot of hatred between the different kinds of shape-shifters. I’m also not a fan of the wolves myself, but I try hard to accept Avalon because he’s connected to my daughter,” my father continued.

  Can you tell them what I had to do to become a dragon? And can you tell them about my mom as well? I asked Jon through my mind.

  “We can all live together if we make an effort. It won’t be easy though. There will always be some tension, but the system works in The Capitals and between the dragons. There are also different kinds of dragons, and I don’t think they have this issue. If we all work together, we’ll be stronger. Then we – dragons and shape-shifters – will be able to protect ourselves better against the humans. Tatiana’s mom was killed by them. Because of Tatiana’s travels, she knows what the problems are, and she sees a solution to them,” Jon spoke.

  “I just want to add that Tatiana can’t speak for herself because she has sacrificed her voice by becoming a dragon, so Avalon here will speak for her. She used to be a Lower,” Zoran announced.

  The crowd made some noise. Some shape-shifters looked at each other in suspicion. They probably wondered how they could ever trust another kind of shape-shifter.

  “Look, there’s no difference between a bear and a fox, for example. There are a couple of differences between wolves and lynxes and between the Higher and the Lower, but there are also enough similarities,” my father said.

  “There are also differences and similarities between the different kinds of dragons, and they also have a hierarchy. This system works for them. Just learn to trust each other,” Jon added.

  He had spoken my thoughts exactly; he had probably heard them. A few shape-shifters grumbled while others seemed to accept this. Slowly, the crowd started to spread out. Some didn’t even look at each other. However, a bunch of shape-shifters introduced themselves to each other and started talking.

  Do you think this had some effect? I asked Zoran.

  It’s a start, but it’ll need some more work.

  There was probably a lot of work left to do. The hatred and distrust would probably never fully disappear, but it’d improve over the years.

  “I need to return to the mountains now. I hope to see you next time you visit,” Zoran said aloud to me.

  “So, you’re really going to make an effort to accept me?” Jon asked my dad when Zoran had left.

  “That’s what I am doing right now, isn’t it? I’ll only tell you one thing: if you even dare to touch my daughter inappropriately once, you’ll have to deal with me. I don’t care if you’re linked to her or not.”

  “Do you know that term then?”

  “You’re forgetting I am a higher shape-shifter; I’m a lynx. Higher shape-shifters use that term. It has just been a while since I last heard it.”

  I was actually worried about my father. What would he do now? I also still wondered why my parents had been so close to The Capitals. What had they been up to?

  “Tatiana wants to know what you were doing so close to The Capitals and what you’ll do now.”

  My father sighed deeply. “We had heard about fights between different shape-shifters and you both know how special it is for a lynx being engaged with a Lower. We thought we could help but got a bit lost and then needed to deal with the humans. As for what I’ll do now, I think I’ll just live alone in that house.”

  I knew he didn’t really feel at home in the mixed community. He was an outsider there. He only lived there because of my mom.

  Can’t he come live with us? I asked Jon.

  My father could easily live with us. Our house had two bedrooms, and Jon and I didn’t sleep separately anymore, I wouldn’t be able to sleep otherwise.

  Tat…

  Please?

  Jon sighed deeply.

  “You can maybe move into our house. There’s enough space in The Second Capital, and Tatiana doesn’t want you to be alone.”

  “Are you sure?” my father asked.

  He was actually asking both of us. I nodded heavily, but Jon wasn’t certain.

  “I’m not, but if you want to try, I’ll try as well. It’d set a great example.”

  “That’s true. I first need to empty the house though, and I need to clean up Diana’s stuff. I’ll send a letter by pigeon when I’m able to come to The Capitals.”

  “That’s okay for me.”

  The two men shook hands to say goodbye. Jon and I returned to The Capitals while my dad went back to the mixed community.

  I hope I haven’t forced you to invite my dad to come live with us.

  “Don’t worry. It’ll be alright. I don’t have any issues with your father. He seems to be rather okay actually. He also didn’t comment on the fact we’re linked,” Jon answered aloud.

  He can be hard to deal with sometimes, but I think that’s just because of the circumstances. I think I’ve misjudged him. It’s hard to explain.

  “Hmmm… I understand it though.”

  When we reached the fields, Jon and I split up. He had put his work aside when he came to help me.

  A couple of shape-shifters living in The Capitals had come to know us and therefore they knew of the situation. Sometimes they even stared at me. I had the feeling that from now on, I’d only become even more famous. I had the feeling the number of staring gazes would only increase.

  Thirty-two

  A few weeks later, my dad moved in with Jon and me. Jon had gone to get him in The First Capital because Flora was visiting to deliver my badge. I would be able to use all the metro lines with that badge, even Line Three to The Fourth Capital.

  Jon and my dad arrived not long after she had left. Jon helped my dad get settled into his new bedroom. I let them do this together as it was a good opportunity for them to work together and get used to each other. I was proud of both of them. It wasn’t easy for either of them, but they were trying and were setting a good example for the rest of the shape-shifters. After a while, th
ey came back downstairs and went to sit together at the kitchen table.

  “Here, you’ll probably be thirsty,” Jon said, putting a glass of water on the table in front of my dad.

  My dad narrowed his eyes a little. He didn’t trust it. “That water isn’t poisoned, is it?”

  Jon rolled his eyes while I laughed. My dad hadn’t meant it; he was only trying to keep the ambience light.

  “Yeah, that was hilarious,” Jon grumbled.

  “It sounds weird when she laughs. She can laugh, but she can’t say anything.”

  “Yeah, she can make sounds but apparently, she can’t produce words.”

  Hey! I am right here! I shouted in my mind to Jon.

  He rubbed his hand over his forehead. “I know you’re here. Please don’t yell in my head.”

  “Maybe we need to figure out a system for communication, Tatiana. I’d find it weird if I asked you something, and Avalon responded instead,” my father suggested.

  I quickly grabbed my stuff out of the messenger bag.

  I can write my answers down, I wrote on a page in my notebook.

  “Hmmm... That could work. Where did you get that?”

  Flora gave it to me. It’s part of my job.

  “What kind of work do you need to do then?”

  I’ll pass messages between the mountain druids and the Capital druids.

  “Actually, she needs to make sure another war won’t happen. She’ll also regularly have to mediate issues between the different shape-shifters in the communities,” Jon added.

  “How will she ever be able solve all those problems?”

  That question hurt me. My dad was being sceptical, and it sounded like he didn’t have faith in me.

  “She won’t solve these issues directly. Everyone will have to solve it themselves. She is more an example. The three of us are all examples actually. Indirectly we make sure there will be a solution.”

  My dad nodded.

  You’ll be able to help us a lot too, I wrote.

  He had helped a little already, but he’d be able to help even more. Everyone would be represented then. I partly represented the lower shape-shifters and together with Zoran I had a lot of influence amongst the dragons. Jon was a wolf and my dad was a lynx, so together they represented the higher shape-shifters. Flora had some influence amongst the Capital druids, and Bernardus and Revan had some sort of influence amongst the mountain druids.

  “It’s only a shame your mom is dead now. She’d have been able to represent the lower shape-shifters better than you do,” Jon reacted to my thoughts. My father grimaced when Jon mentioned my mom. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t want to remind you of her death,” Jon apologised quickly.

  “It’s okay. I’m actually being constantly reminded of it. I always feel she isn’t alive anymore.”

  “Is it that bad? I mean, I know how a linking works and I also constantly feel the link with Tatiana.”

  I thought about what Jon had said for a bit. Did I constantly feel my connection with him? Not really. I knew I could always rely on him though. He’d always be able to feel and find me. The same was true for me. Maybe he meant it that way.

  “You do know it gets compared to an invisible string which connects the both of you, right? To me, it feels like that string is severed. That string is loose, and there’s nothing attached to the other side anymore, but it feels heavy though. It feels like there’s a heavy boulder hanging on the other side of the string,” my father responded.

  I wasn’t fully comfortable with the topic; I wasn’t used to my father being so open about his emotions. So I decided to change the topic to keep the ambience lighter.

  What kind of work are you going to do? I wrote.

  “Flora told me I can help on the fields, just like Avalon.”

  “You’re really going to keep an eye on me, aren’t you?”

  “You bet.”

  Bernardus stormed into the house at that moment, out of breath.

  “What’s wrong with you?” Jon asked.

  “I’ve come for Tatiana. We must rescue a couple of dragons again. Some hunters have caught them to the west of here.”

  Hmmm... I wondered why Zoran hadn’t asked me himself.

  “Why hasn’t Zoran contacted her?” Jon spoke out my thoughts.

  “Because he has cut her off for a bit so she wouldn’t feel Zoran calling all of the dragons to him. Can we please discuss this later?”

  I tried to check if I could contact Zoran, but the connection felt dead. Right now, I could only sense and use my connection to Jon.

  “Can you please hurry, Tatiana?” Bernardus urged me.

  Oh, right. I needed to save a couple of dragons. I ran upstairs and climbed on the roof through the window in the attic. I undressed myself, tied my clothes to my leg, and turned into a dragon. I jumped off the roof and flew in a western direction.

  Tat..., I heard Jon’s voice in my head.

  Is there something wrong?

  Just be careful. We’ll be right behind you.

  I was glad he was worried about me. I could defend myself pretty well but was still relieved I’d have some backup. I could stall until they’d arrive to help me.

  I heard the car driving over the ground before I spotted the vehicle. I warned them I was arriving by making the earth shake. The hunters were real idiots. They didn’t realise an earth dragon caused the vibrations and didn’t stop. However, the three dragons lying in the back of the truck had noticed me. They consisted of two air dragons and one earth dragon. I felt the wind change around me as the air dragons manipulated it. I found a tree with my mind and pulled it out. The strong wind caught the tree, and it landed right in front of the car. The tires of the truck screeched as the hunters suddenly stopped the car. They grabbed their guns with haste. However, the ground shook and vibrated too hard for them to remain steady on their feet for long. But one hunter had succeeded in shooting a hook through one of my wings. The hook was attached to a rope, which was connected to the gun the hunter held. Shit.

  The hunter used all his strength to pull me down while the ground rumbled under him. The earth split asunder and a few hunters fell into the chasm, causing them to yell. Another hunter shot a few bullets through my other wing and then started using arrows. I slowly started losing height.

  I pulled out a couple more trees and branches before I would slam hard into the ground. They were caught by the wind since it raged around me. They flew towards the hunters and seemed to be attacking them. I landed hard on the ground now, which caused the earth to rip open even further. Most of the hunters either fell into the chasm or ran away from the storm, but two of them were too stubborn and continued fighting. The remaining hunters were the one holding the hook and the one who had shot bullets through my wing. The hunter who had shot the bullets came towards me. He held a huge butcher’s knife.

  No. He wouldn’t... Hunters never killed dragons instantly. They took their prey with them so they could strip off their skin while still being alive. The skin was of a better quality if they did it that way. If this hunter killed me right here and right now, my skin and I would be worthless. I turned away at the moment the hunter tried stabbing the knife into my neck. The side of my neck was my most vulnerable spot. The knife got stuck in my shoulder instead. The hunter pulled it out again and positioned himself in a way so that my head was clenched between his legs. There was no way out anymore for me. He held the knife in place. He could kill me any moment now. There was only one way to survive this: I would have to force my transformation from a dragon to my human form while being injured again. I would betray myself and all the other dragons that way though.

  A big, black wolf jumped towards the hunter at the moment my transformation started. He struggled to concentrate on the fight and sometimes even whimpered softly. He didn’t whimper because he was hurt or had pain himself; he felt my pain. The pain ran through my shoulder and wing while I transformed. The hunter who had been holding the hook pulled a gun from his b
elt. He pointed it at the wolf. A lynx jumped at him before he could take the shot. I saw Bernardus running towards the car to free the dragons.

  It took a long time until I had fully transformed to my human form. Bernardus had already freed the dragons when I finally completed my transformation. The lynx and the wolf fought the hunters. Bernardus started to dance and sing. That crazy mountain druid would get himself killed like this. Suddenly, the hunters collapsed. They fell on the ground and stopped moving. Were they dead? I was too tired to think more about it. I felt sleepy; the sedative finally started working. The last thing I saw before everything turned black was Bernardus running towards me.

  The next day, I woke up on the couch in my house. Someone had taken care of my wounds and had dressed me. Yet again, I healed slower because of transforming while being injured. It would take some time before I would fully recover. I opened my eyes for a bit. Jon sat in the armchair across from me, watching me. He examined my face for moment. Shouldn’t he be working on the fields? I was too tired to worry about it or to ask him that through the telepathic link. My body used all my energy to heal. I didn’t even have the strength to use the element earth to heal myself. I quickly fell back asleep.

  I woke up from a nightmare. I had dreamt about the moment the hunters had tortured me by poking sticks into my wounds. I went to sit up and looked around me to check if Jon was around. I panicked and needed him. I didn’t see him and didn’t seem to be able to feel him.

  “Jon?” I asked softly.

  I was startled by hearing my own voice. I hadn’t tried speaking for a very long time. I had gotten used to having no voice. I had actually wanted to call Jon through the connection, but instead I had said his name aloud. He entered the room. He was very surprised.

  “Did you just say my name?”

  I nodded carefully. I was still too much taken aback myself. Slowly, he sat down next to me and looked right at me.

  “Can you... Can you try saying something else?” he asked.

  “Jon... What...?” I started, but my voice gave up again.

  “Try to say it slowly. Say it word for word.”