by Setlu Vairst
***
“Sometimes we have no say about the actions we do,” said Laranki, moving from her right side and along her flank until he was standing beside her. He stopped once he was in the clearing and stood calm with his eyes staring straight across the rough and fast flowing river.
Feeling the eyes of the dragon upon him, knowing that for him to have seen her being physically sick would cause her some degree of embarrassment, particularly as she may think that he thought that she could be showing a sign of weakness in this time when strength and courage were the only things that would see them through. Sensing a movement beside him, a sideward glance showed him that the dragon now stood staring out across the river as he did.
“Remember, the humans came to fight you. You did not seek them out. If you had not done what you have done then you would not be here now, nor would your friend, my wife, myself, nor the squirrels,” Laranki said, his voice even and calm.
Although the dragon remained silent, Laranki saw the movement of the dragons head as she nodded an acknowledgement to his statement.
“If it helps, try not to think of all of them as creatures of God,” Laranki said.
Another explosion ripped through the forest behind them, quickly followed by another and then a silence, Laranki could detect that they had clearly came from beyond the firewall that the dragons had created and so must be causing damage and suffering amongst the humans. Not caring for what may be happening to the humans, Laranki said, “The humans are ill; they are infected with a plague of evil and even if they wanted to resist, unfortunately they could not. The evil has taken hold and wants to take over this world. The world is to be cleansed of them and so any you have slain have only been cleansed sooner.”
The dragon was silent and Laranki wondered, ‘Does the dragon understand the hidden truth concealed within the words I have just spoken to her?’
“Can we fly beyond the river soon?” Laranki asked.
The dragon began nodding her head, as she said, “Soon; the winds are dropping, and their strength abating. We should be able to cross very soon if the change in the weather continues to be favourable.”
“You must have faith!” said Laranki.
Kolay’sha thought about his statement, knowing that Pearl had often talked of faith, of her God, but the dragons did not have a God. ‘We do not belong on this world and we are not a part of it. Where do we dragons belong? What did the unicorns and Pearl’s God have planned for the dragons?’
“There is nothing planned for the dragons but there is hope,” Laranki said.
Shocked, Kolay'sha looked at Laranki, and feeling her eyes upon him Laranki could imagine that the dragon thought that he had been reading her mind. ‘Which could be true,’ he thought, ‘for I know I have been told I would have knowledge to pass on to the dragons but I cannot be sure which direction it will come from.’
Feeling her need to better understand this, Laranki wished that he could explain everything to her, ‘but the truth is I do not know everything. I only know that there is information to give to the dragons.’
“Remember this, Kolay'sha, you must keep within the circle and you must remain high,” Laranki said, turning his head to look at the dragon.
“What do you mean?” Kolay'sha asked, looking into Laranki’s dark eyes.
“Fly high and keep within the circle,” Laranki replied.