War of Dragons

by Andy Holland

  What's the note for? Jenna asked.

  To let everyone know where we're going, Daisy replied. It's going to be sent to my father. Arthur and I wrote it this morning before you were up. Don't worry, we've added a couple of lines to let them know that you and Seth are coming too.

  Great, Jenna replied flatly. A suicide note. That'll reassure them.

  A while later John returned, startling them all with his sudden reappearance. I've delivered the note to a small village and asked them to have it sent on. It won't be sent on for a couple of days. I've managed to buy some provisions for the journey as well. Nothing fancy, I'm afraid—my budget is quite limited—but it should suffice. Now, follow me, he commanded. I will fly some distance ahead of you. That way if there are any dangers, I will see them before they can see you.

  He headed to the south-west, ascending quickly to fly high above them and glancing back regularly to check on them.

  He could easily have left you behind, Crystal told Daisy. You'd never be able to catch him.

  He knows I'd have tried to follow him, she replied. He'd never leave me on my own. Besides, I wouldn't have to keep up with him. Just you.

  Crystal wondered what Seth and Jenna thought about the revelation; it seemed as if they had taken John's transformation very lightly. Seth had been in awe of the Golden Dragon since John had rescued him as one, so she supposed that she shouldn't be so surprised that he was taking it well, but Jenna? She was being unusually silent.

  Are you alright? Crystal asked her.

  Uh-huh, Jenna replied, flying beside her but avoiding her gaze.

  I mean about John being... different?

  John was always different, she replied noncommittally.

  Never this different though, Crystal pointed out.

  No, Jenna agreed.

  What about me? Are you alright with me?

  Sure, Jenna replied flatly.

  Please, Jenna, talk to me. I want to know what you're thinking.

  Oh, now you want to talk! she replied irritably.

  Jenna!

  Jenna sulked silently for a minute. Crystal waited patiently, knowing that she couldn't be silent for long.

  What I want to know is this: what is he, and what are you? How can he change into more than one dragon? How is that possible?

  I don't know how it's possible. How is changing into a dragon at all possible?

  Crystal! That was John's stupid question.

  Sorry, I know. He's a Golden Dragon, like he said. He can turn into any type of Dragon—I don't know how it's possible, or how he does it. I didn't know he could till yesterday evening. This is just as new for me as it is for you.

  And you? Are you exactly the same as him? I mean, you've only changed into a Red Dragon. Are you definitely the same as him? Is this why he's been stalking you all year?

  So he tells me. I don't know how to change into anything else though. I thought I was just another Red Dragon.

  Jenna didn't reply.

  Are you alright? You know I haven't changed, don't you? I'm still your cousin. Nothing has to change between us.

  It will, Crystal. It will. Whether you like it or not.

  Jenna flew a little faster, putting some distance between them. Crystal decided to give her some space and hung back, letting her cousin move to the front of the group.

  They had a long flight ahead of them, so quickly settled into a steady rhythm, pacing themselves for the journey. The five Red Dragons adopted a 'V' shaped flying formation with Arthur leading, keeping a close eye on John, who was flying high above them. They had caught a strong tail wind and were rapidly approaching the point on their border where the Rhino Dragons' and Blue Dragons' borders met. This was a sparsely populated area and Crystal could feel the tension in the group as they approached enemy territory. John was just in sight, a lot higher than they were and quite far ahead of them. He wouldn't be able to hear their thoughts from there and they hadn't communicated for a while; she wondered what the plan was if they did encounter anyone.

  They passed the poorly marked border without noticing and without incident; a wave of relief passed over the group when they realised, as if the danger was now behind them. They were now in a sort of no man's land, between the borders of the Rhino and Blue Dragons. No one lived here or anywhere near to here and the land looked no different from any of the mountainous areas of their own country. They continued to fly without incident until nearly midday, when suddenly John appeared amongst them, startling them all.

  Rhino Dragons, he announced. Three of them, up ahead. They're over to the west, in their own territory and too far away to see us yet. They're unlikely to approach while we're on the border, and you can outfly them if necessary. They won't follow us far into Blue territory, although if we can avoid that it would be preferred. Just follow my instructions and you'll be alright.

  John ascended, settling a few hundred metres above them. He was just near enough to still communicate with them.

  Where are they, John? Arthur called to him. We can't see them.

  They're up ahead, but they haven't seen us yet. They may not notice us. John paused. No, I think they must have seen us. They've turned and are headed this way. I was hoping they wouldn't do that.

  What shall we do, John? Shall we turn to the east? Arthur asked.

  John took a long pause before answering. No, I'm afraid we can't do that. I can see a patrol of Blues to the east. About ten of them. We should definitely stay away from them.

  So what should we do now? Turn back? Arthur called. You said we could outfly them.

  No, I have a better idea, John replied. This may work rather well, just wait for a moment and don't be alarmed.

  Suddenly John disappeared, replaced by a pink falling figure. Then in his place appeared a massive grey dragon, covered in spikes, with a vicious, particularly long spike on its nose. Crystal had never seen something as large and impressive.

  This will confuse them, John the Rhino Dragon called from below them. They do know of Golden Dragons, but they're relatively trusting so they should accept me as one of them.

  Should? Jenna asked nervously.

  John was slower now and they started to catch up with him. In the distance they saw the three Rhino Dragons approaching.

  Stay to my left, he instructed them. And don’t say anything. John changed course slightly, on a route that would meet the three approaching dragons inside their territory.

  This doesn't seem like a good idea, Jenna said to Crystal. The three dragons were looming large on the horizon, clearly visible now. John was flying parallel to the group now, heading directly towards the three.

  Start to climb when I call out to them, John commanded. They can't do that as quickly as you can.

  The three Rhino Dragons were level with them and everyone in the group of Red Dragons was feeling the tension. Crystal badly wanted to ascend immediately, but obeyed John's instructions. The dragons were almost upon them when John hailed them.

  Greetings. How are you all today?

  Arthur immediately started to ascend, the other four staying with him.

  Red Dragons! the nearest Rhino Dragon called in warning. Why do you not drive them off?

  They fly between the borders and have requested safe passage. I am escorting them to ensure they do not enter. The Rhino Dragons reached the group and fanned out, staying at John's level, but turning to fly with them.

  Do not be a fool, brother, one called. They are waiting for you to lower your guard then they will attack! See how they move to gain height! Prepare to defend yourself!

  No, they will follow my instructions. Watch! Red Dragons, drop to fly beneath me! Stay just underneath me!

  Arthur turned in the air and flew towards John, descending just below him and remaining within striking distance from John's giant form with the others flying close behind him.

  See, brother? They have sacrificed advantageous position and put themselves at my mercy. Would they do that if they had ill-inte
nt?

  The three dragons had wheeled around and were flying parallel to John. The lead Rhino Dragon continued to address John, but Crystal could hear every word. This is most irregular, brother. I do not like it. How did you come to be in this situation?

  That is a long story, brother, but know that this is a unique situation. I would not normally trust Red Dragons, but I am assured of their peaceful intent.

  Very well. We are convinced by your words and their actions. How far do you intend to fly with them?

  They mean to fly east, but are afraid of the Blue Dragons. I mean to accompany them to the southern edge of the Blue border.

  That is a long way, brother, but you must know your business. What is their purpose flying east?

  They are children, flying to seek help from the Brown Dragons. The Blue Dragons are preparing for war. They mean to crush the Red Dragons.

  Children? Why didn't you say so earlier? We will accompany you till we reach the next patrol. We will keep them safe from the Blue Dragons.

  Much appreciated, brother. I saw a number of Blue Dragons not long ago.

  There are many about, brother. We do not enter their territory, of course, but fight them wherever they cross the border. They are much worse than the Greens or Reds ever were, and attack us almost daily. However many we kill, they still send more.

  What of the Red Dragons? John asked. Do they still attack? These children excepting.

  Not for ten years. My brother was one of the last to be killed by them. They don't even fly close to the border now.

  Ah, these five were very young then, John informed them. They would have had nothing to do with it.

  But how do you know they're children, brother? They look like any other.

  I saw them before they changed. They are just sixteen years old and are barely able to fly. They offer threat only to themselves.

  You saw them! Tell me, how do they appear? Do they resemble us at all? I hear they walk on all fours.

  No, brother. They are like us, and walk on two legs, but have red hair and pale skin.

  But their red hair, does it completely cover their body? I have heard that they don’t bother to wear clothes. Tell us, is it even possible to tell male and females apart?

  No, they wear clothes, and their hair is just on their heads. As to their females, the three I accompany are all exceptionally beautiful.

  This is most strange, brother. I do not understand. If they look us and dress like us, why are they such savages? Why do they attack us?

  I do not know, brother, but it is the same with the Blues.

  No; that cannot be. Surely the Blues are more like wolves than people. I can't believe they're anything like us.

  They are not like us, brother—not where it counts—but in appearance, they do look the same.

  This is too much to believe. Red Dragons who obey meekly, and the idea that murderous red and blue resemble the noble grey. I do not question your honesty, brother, but surely you must have been mistaken.

  John continued to converse with the Rhino Dragon for about an hour, and during that time only the one of them spoke and never asked any questions or made any responses that suggested he didn't trust John entirely. Eventually, the Rhino Dragon informed them that they were leaving the more populated areas and that their chances of meeting Blue Dragons were decreasing. John thanked them for their company and the three turned westward. As soon as they were out of sight, John transformed back into a Golden Dragon.

  We're over halfway along this border, John explained. Unfortunately, we don't have time to reach the southern tip before sunset. I know it's early, but I will look for a safe spot to camp now. This area is probably the safest place to rest. Tomorrow we will leave at first light and hopefully we will leave the Blue border by early afternoon.

  No one questioned him; they were all tired, having flown continuously for many hours. John flew ahead, scanning the ground for a suitable spot to land. It took a while before he signalled them to descend.

  Go ahead. I will remain high until I am certain that we haven't been spotted.

  In a flash of gold, he vanished to be replaced moments later and a few hundred metres lower by a very small dragon, which was green with blue and red stripes. He flew up to join them. Although I'm very colourful now, I'm too small to draw the attention of any of the dragons around here. I could almost pass for a bird, if they notice me at all.

  Incredible, Seth said to Crystal. Shall we? He dropped into a slow dive, followed by Arthur and Daisy. Jenna and Crystal descended more slowly and she regretted having not yet mastered a dive. When they reached the ground, they hid behind a tree to transform.

  "Do you see John?" Daisy asked Crystal, fixing her clothes as she emerged from behind a tree.

  "Not yet," she replied. "He must still be up there."

  Daisy nodded. "I was so scared when those three monsters came up to us. They were huge! I can't believe how calm John was speaking to them. I was trembling the whole time!"

  Crystal smiled at her. She was so open and unguarded; it was infectious. "I must admit I was pretty terrified. I'm glad Arthur was leading, I don't think I could have followed John's instructions if he hadn't been leading."

  "I know! When John asked us to fly under him, we were so close to the others. I knew he must have known what he was doing, but it was still very scary."

  John landed near them, quickly transformed, and hurried towards the group.

  "You're visible from the air. It's clear up there, but that might change at any moment. We need to keep hidden."

  "What about our tents?" Jenna asked. "We are going to put them up in the light, aren't we?"

  John gave her a withering look, but miraculously remained civil. "No, we won't be putting them up in the light. And move your pack out of the clearing. It stands out from the air."

  "So what do we do now?" Seth asked. "It won't be dark for a few hours. Are we just going to sit here?"

  John paused and stared at Seth for a while. There was an uncomfortable silence, during which no one was sure whether he would answer. Eventually he replied, speaking slowly and quietly. "I think I need to impress on you all the seriousness of our situation. We are between the borders of two nations that hate us. Well, you, anyway. They are barely aware of my race's existence. So if we need to just sit here, doing nothing, that's what we'll do."

  He paused again to let this sink in. "First though, I want us to conceal ourselves better. Follow my instructions." John directed them to build a simple canopy using the large-leafed plants that were abundant where they were. It wouldn't keep them dry if it rained, but it hid them well from the air.

  They sat down underneath the canopies and ate some of their provisions cold, John having forbidden a fire. Afterwards, John suggested that they all take a nap while he kept watch. Although it was early, they all dozed off very quickly.

  Crystal woke at twilight and found that John was up and had put up the tents. Each tent had a number of the large leaves tied to it, camouflaging them effectively.

  "Why didn't you wake me? I could have helped," she protested.

  John shook his head. "If I could have carried you in without waking you I would have done so. You need your sleep, Crystal. You all do. None of you are well prepared for this journey. That was a long flight—far longer than any of you are used to. I don't know if you realised but you all slowed down a lot at the end. I doubt you could have even outflown a Rhino Dragon."

  "What about you?" she asked. "Aren't you tired?"

  John nodded. "Yes, I am, but I am more used to this than any of you are and I fly better than you, so it isn't as tiring. You will all get stronger though and after a couple of days this will get a lot easier. Come on, set up your blankets in the tent. I'll set up the others' blankets."

  Crystal watched John carry both Jenna and Daisy to their beds, managing to do so without waking them—something the former would be irritated about when she woke. He was tempted to try the same with the others,
but admitted this was beyond him and woke them to tell them to move before the temperature dropped. They sleepily relocated to the tents before drifting back to sleep.

  John woke Crystal and the others before dawn, eager to start the journey again at first light. They packed up all the things quickly, ate a light breakfast to preserve their rations and set off as soon as it was light enough to transform. They continued their journey south, hardly talking as they travelled, all of them nervous about what they may meet on the way. However, the day passed with hardly an incident worth mentioning. John made them all land twice, remaining in the air as a tiny dragon to watch for when it was clear to travel again, and after the danger had passed they set off again. They didn’t stop for lunch, all agreeing that reaching the relative safety of the lands to the south of the Blue border was their priority.

  We turn east here, John told them in the middle of the afternoon as he descended to glide above them. We've left the Blue border behind.

  Who lives here then? Crystal asked. More dragons that hate us?

  No one, John replied. It's a desert. Look beneath us.

  They all looked down and saw that the land beneath them was just sand and rocks, with no water in sight as far as the eye could see.

  How far does this extend? Arthur asked.

  Further than we can fly today, John replied. We'll be flying along this desert for a couple of days.

  So how much longer will we fly today? Jenna asked wearily. I'm really tired.

  I expect you all are, John replied sympathetically. I don't want to push you too hard. I think, but I admit I'm not completely sure, that if we fly for about another half an hour, we'll be able to stop at a spot in the desert where there is some water. It's nearer the Blue border, but should be in a place they don't really need to patrol.

  Sounds good to me, John, Seth said. Although if it's less than half an hour, that would also be good.

  I'll fly ahead a little, John said. I'll check I'm going the right way, to avoid making you fly further than you need to. Scream if you have any problems.

  John sped up, effortlessly leaving them behind him. The others marvelled at his ability to do this, still not having adjusted to his new form. After about twenty minutes he rejoined them.