by Darren Lewis
“Did my cat really tell you my name?” she asked. Cole lifted his head, his eyes sparkling and gave her an almost human nod.
“Yes. She's told me a lot about you and your family. That's why I asked her to bring you here?” he explained. Ellie shook her head, not in disbelief but amazement.
“And did you open the gate?”
Cole opened his mouth and started making huffing noises. With each huff a small black cloud came out of his mouth and drifted away.
“Well, it certainly wasn't the cat!” he huffed and Ellie knew he had made a joke and the funny huffing noise was laughter. She grinned.
“That scared me silly seeing that in the middle of the night.” She told him. Cole huffed his last huff.
“I'm sorry. I didn't want to scare you. I was just having a look around.” He managed to look embarrassed. Ellie waved her hand, dismissing the apology.
“It's okay. It was worth it.” She thought for a moment and then asked.”So why are you here, Cole?”
“Well, it's a bit of a story.” Ellie nodded and sat down on the dirt of the cellar floor as Cole began his tale.
*
“Many years ago, map makers would write `Here Be Dragons' on their maps. What humans think now is that those map makers didn't know what was beyond their knowledge so they simply wrote that. In fact those humans had found us and were being truthful.” Cole shrugged his large shoulders. “No one but a few believed them, and those that believed came looking.”
Ellie raised a hand to stop Cole.
“I don't mean to be rude, but how do you know about maps and history?”
Cole sniffed, slightly offended.
“I am educated. Humans aren't the only animals who learn.”
Ellie pulled a face, embarrassed and indicated Cole should continue.
“At first it was hunters. Men who tried to kill us so they could show us to the world.” Cole looked into Ellie's eyes. “You notice I said tried.” Ellie nodded and Cole shook his head sadly. “Dragons only kill to eat and then only what we need. But for the first time we had to defend ourselves from others. Anyway, some time after that others came and they were friendly. Eventually we lived together, learning about each other. As our trust grew some humans were permitted to ride on our backs.” Ellie's eyes grew bright, imagining how scary and exciting that would be. “A special bond was created between dragon and rider that it seemed could not be broken.” Cole looked down sadly. “But then two awful things happened. Those who could not form the bond grew jealous of the riders and then one of them found gold where we all lived.” Ellie had read lots of stories about dragons always wanting or needing gold for some unknown reason. Could this be where the story came from? Cole carried on.
“The riders and dragons were outnumbered, and forced to mine for the gold. Before, we had protected ourselves against such humans, but they threatened the lives of the riders, so the dragons obeyed. Ships were built and the gold was taken away. It was terrible.” Cole had closed his eyes. A tear swelled and then fell to the dirt floor below. Ellie sat completely still and silent. Cole sniffed and cleared his throat. “But there were two brave dragons and their riders. They knew that if this continued then the dragons were doomed. They convinced the other dragons that they must fight back. But to do that the precious link between dragon and rider must be broken.” Cole had made a tight fist with his claws, and pounded the ground as he said this.
“But how?” Ellie asked. “It sounds like they had to stop loving and caring about each other.” Ellie couldn't imagine having to stop loving her Mum, Dad or Jack. She did no matter what. Cole smiled his toothy smile, his long sharp very white teeth on show.
“Just because they broke the bond didn't mean they didn't love each other.” Cole tapped a claw on the ground as he thought about it. “Imagine being much older, would you still depend on your parents to live? No. You would have your own life but you'd still love them just as much.” Ellie frowned as she thought about it. Maybe she was still too young she thought as she couldn't imagine not living with her parents.
“So, the bonds were broken. Rider and Dragon separate again and they fought back. Many were killed on both sides. I….I wont go into details.” Ellie understood, she could see how painful this was for Cole. His eyes gleamed with unshed tears and he had pulled his tail tight around his body to comfort himself.
“Eventually the battle was over. They had reached a point that if they continued then both sides would die. Every human and dragon agreed to leave that place. The remaining dragons left their friends and enemies behind and set out into the world. They then split up, so humans would never find them again. The two dragons that had rallied them to fight left together knowing they had lost their riders, their family and friends and also their home.”
Ellie wiped her eyes, the thought of losing so much made the tears flow freely down her cheeks.
“To survive they decided to learn as much as they could about the world and humans. They travelled for many years and in many lands until they came here. The female dragon was ill. She died right here before this house was built.” Cole's voice was very soft now. “I don't think her partner knew she had laid an egg. She was too ill to tell him so I guess he just left after she died.” Cole shook his head, tears streaming down his face. “He doesn't know I'm alive, my father doesn't know!” and with that Cole buried his large head in his front legs and sobbed. All fear or doubts forgotten Ellie gave a small cry and rushed over to Cole. Without even thinking about it she laid an arm across his neck and stroked his head.
“I'm sorry, Cole.” She whispered tearfully.
*
“I found it!”
“Found what?”
“The string. It was in the bathroom.”
“What was it doing in there?”
“I don't know, do I! Having a wee?”
Ginger sat bolt upright. Now Dad had found the string he would come back out to tie up the gate and see that Ellie wasn't in the garden. She raced into the kitchen. Dad was in there, rummaging in another box whispering.
“Where's the knife gone now? Probably in the shower washing its hair.”
Ginger looked around and saw he had placed the ball of string close to the cooker. Ginger had a plan. Quietly, she jumped onto the side and walked slowly to the ball of string. She reached out and fastened her jaws around it, trying not to sneeze at the strange taste. Ginger noticed that the sound of Dad rummaging had stopped. She turned slowly. He still had his hands in the box but was looking straight at her. She took one step forward and he slowly raised one arm from the box. She took another step closer to the edge. He removed his other arm from the box and placed his hands on the edge, watching her. She reached the edge of the counter and bunched her back legs.
“Don't you dare.” he whispered angrily, pointing at her. She jumped, hit the floor and raced into the house followed by a yell and an angry Dad.
*
Cole had stopped crying but Ellie continued to comfort the dragon by stroking his head. When Ellie had stopped crying, a thought had entered her head. However, Cole had been too upset to ask. Now he had calmed down she voiced her question.
“Cole. How do you know all this if your mother died and your father left?”
Cole sniffed and swallowed.
“A dragon's memories and knowledge are passed to the young. My mother learnt about it from human writings. She thought it was an evolutionary trait, a way for young dragons to survive. It certainly worked with me.” Cole started shuffling around so Ellie stood up. The dragon stretched his legs and then stood his head coming level with Ellie's. Ellie was amazed and in a way a little jealous. Imagine that, she thought, everything learned by your mother and her mother and so on passed down to their babies. It would certainly make school a bit different.
“And you've been here ever since?” she asked.
“Yes, I haven't been able to leave until now.” Cole ducked his head and added quietly, “Well, I haven't wanted to leave u
ntil now.” He sighed and then lifted his head and continued. “I've lived in the woods, hiding, eating what I can. When the house became abandoned I came down here.” He swept his front leg around, indicating the cellar. “I've been living off rats, birds, anything that came along for a while now. I was about to make a meal of Ginger but she can talk very quick!” Cole smiled broadly at the memory. “She told me all about you.”
Ellie chuckled a bit nervously. “What did my cat tell you?”
“Ginger told me about the rabbits and how special they are to you.”
Ellie realised that she had been chatting away to Ginger when they had first adopted her. She had actually pulled out her Dad's book and read it to her new cat. Where her Dad had been amazed by his daughter's imagination, Ginger recognised it was true.
“And there was something else.” Cole added. Ellie tilted her head in query.
“Ginger said your Dad had the mark of the dragon upon him. That makes you very special.” Ellie was puzzled and frowned. What did that mean? She shook her head at Cole.
“I don't know what you mean.”
Cole raised a leg and pointed with a talon at Ellie's right arm.
“Here. He has the mark, yes?”
Ellie blinked, understanding shining in her eyes.
“But that's just a tattoo. A picture of a dragon he had done when he was younger.” She explained.
“So?” Cole replied. “The image is important. Your father thought so, Ginger thinks so and so do I. I've waited here many years without the courage to do what needs to be done. Now you're here.”
Cole sat back on his haunches causing Ellie to look up at him. He then lowered his head so they were almost nose to nose, this large dragon and young girl.
“I want to find my father. I can feel him I think, out there in the world. But I'm scared to do it alone. Ellie I want you to be my rider.” Cole raised himself once again but this time stood proudly on his back legs. He unfurled his wings which reached the walls of the large cellar. Ellie gasped and studied the dragon. He was beautiful. His scales gleamed in the orange light, he looked powerful and strong. She looked at his body and saw that the underside was completely different to his scaly topside. Here it was smooth, milky white, soft and vulnerable. Ellie understood. The dragon was deliberately placing himself in her hands. He was exposing his weaknesses to her to see how she would react. Cole was trusting Ellie with his life. She took a shaky breath and raised a hand to Cole's chest and gently placed it on his skin. It was warm and soft. Ellie raised her face and Cole looked down into her eyes which were moist with unshed tears of happiness.
“Yes.” She whispered.
Cole furled his wings around Ellie, raised his head and roared.
*
“What was that noise?”
“Sounded like a lawn mower exploding!”
“Oh well. Give me a hand with this cat.”
“No, it's Jack's snack time.”
“Great. Just me and you, Grace, me and you.”
*
Touching Cole's chest unleashed a torrent of memories into Ellie's head. Images of people, places, dragons, other lands. Being cold, hot, fighting, dying, joy and grief poured into her mind. It was overwhelming. She ripped her hand from Cole's chest and clasped her hands to her head. A part of her was amazed it was still the same size. It felt like a balloon tightening when it got inflated too much. It wasn't painful, the sensation was like constantly looping the loop on a wild rollercoaster and it wouldn't stop. Knowledge, smells, tastes of all the dragons from Cole's ancestry forced their way in. Meeting hunters, killing, defending. Meeting friends, riders, the power of the union with a rider, pain, greed, the battle, leaving home and exploring the world.
She couldn't see Cole anymore or the cellar. In her mind she saw Cole's father bending over Cole's mother, weeping, begging her not to die, not to leave him alone and then nothing, just black. Then an explosion of light as Cole burst through the shell of his egg and she saw the world through his eyes. She knew Cole's pain, his struggle to survive, his loneliness. How he wanted to find his father but afraid to do so. Then his joy at finding Ellie, a rider, his rider.
*
Ellie was curled up on the floor of the cellar. Her forearms clenched against her ears, hands clasped together, fingers entwined around the back of her head. She was breathing heavily and shuddering. Cole had curled his own body and tail protectively around Ellie. He had also laid his head on the dirt floor as he absorbed all of Ellie's memories.
Chapter 5
Ellie slowly opened her eyes. They felt heavy, as if she had woken in the middle of the night. She pushed herself up and looked around slowly as her head and body felt tender. She was alone. She saw a shaft of light on the stairs. The door to the cellar had been opened.
“Cole?” she asked softly. She heard her name whispered and looked around quickly, but there was no one in the cellar but her.
“Cole!” she repeated loudly. The whisper again, but this time she thought she heard two words.
Ellie. Upstairs.
Ellie stood up. She was slightly wobbly on her feet but feeling better with each passing minute. She went up the stairs and saw the door had been smashed off its hinges and was lying in many parts on the floor. At the top of the stairs she turned and saw the front door was now open lighting the previously dingy hallway. Damp had mottled the walls and the floor was bare. The floorboards were warped and creaked as she stepped on them. She continued to the front door and into the overgrown garden. Grass stood tall, weeds, flowers and bushes competing for every ray of light that penetrated the canopy of trees. The wind blew the trees and sunlight seemed to ripple across the garden. A path had been trampled into the centre of the front garden and there, stood proudly, was Cole. He had once again extended his wings and his tail curled high into the air. Ellie could see now that he was a magnificent red, though where the sun struck his scales they reflected the colours of the rainbow. She walked across the trampled grass towards him, his fiery eyes followed her. Ellie's eyes fixated on his, and her breath caught in her throat as she thought: he's mine. This is my dragon! Cole smiled and again she heard that whisper in her head. It said gently.
And you are mine.
Ellie understood then that through joining with the dragon they could hear certain thoughts the other had.
As she came to stand in front of Cole he spoke aloud.
“We have joined. You are my rider. I am your dragon.”
Ellie knew what to do with out even thinking about it. The memories Cole had given her had responded to the dragon's words. She went to one knee and bowed her head, now placing her in a vulnerable position before the dragon. She spoke formally.
“We have joined. You are my dragon. I am your rider.”
She looked up with joyful tears in her eyes and saw the same emotion reflected in Cole's. He leaned down and whispered.
“Get on my back.”
*
The air up high was freezing.
Ellie didn't care.
Cole banked sharply to the right, making her scream with delight.
The memories of flying from all the other dragons and riders lived in her head making her the most experienced and talented rider that had ever lived. Ellie had found that she could call upon these memories when she needed them and then lock them away. The thrill was intense. It was like visiting a crazy, demented amusement park with one spectacular ride. But, she thought with a laugh that was lost in the wind, this is my ride! No sharing! As Cole swept his wings to keep them aloft she cold feel the power in his chest, the muscles working hard, his tail sweeping from side to side to keep them balanced. Ellie felt something else at work within Cole's body and she opened her mind to those memories of dragons past. Something else in the stories was true, they could breathe fire!
*
Ginger had decided to find refuge under the bed. Any cat owner knows the dangers to fingers and hands from swiping claws when trying to shoo a cat from under thei
r bed. Ginger had heard Ellie's Dad stomping around, calling her name and muttering angrily to himself. Ginger was sure he was only joking about some of the things he was promising to do to her when he caught her. Then he had stopped for a while after Mum had called up the stairs for him to be quiet. A few minutes later she heard softer footsteps and a gentle voice calling for her, trying to coax her out. Ginger lay down and relaxed. This could go on for some time, she thought, there was no point in being uncomfortable.
*
No wonder the other humans who couldn't ride had become jealous, Ellie thought as she looked around. Cole had spread his wings as far as he could and they were gliding back to the ground. They had flown as high as Ellie could bear and they had both marvelled at the beauty of the world below them. Ellie had wanted to go higher but Cole had refused, saying it was dangerous as there wasn't enough air for them to breathe.
Cole landed in a field a few miles from the house. Ellie immediately jumped from his back, ran around to face him and hugged his neck. Cole huffed a laugh and wrapped a leg around Ellie's back.
“That was wonderful!” Ellie's muffled voice exclaimed into Cole's neck. Cole let go and stepped backwards, a serious expression on his face, his heavy brow drawn tight over his eyes.
“We must be careful. From a distance people may mistake me for a large bird or kite, but up close, they may not believe it but they'll know what I am.” He tapped his chest. Ellie nodded in agreement and sat down cross legged in the grass. Cole studied the area around them to make sure they were alone and then lay down next to Ellie, resting his head in the grass at her knees. Ellie stroked the ridge above his eyes and shook her head in wonder. Then she heard Cole in her head, not so much words but images and a request. She gave voice to his question.
“You want to find your father?”