The Gable Forest

Leah kept her gaze resolutely fixed on Claire's back, watching as her friend practiced magic. Talon walked beside her, lowering his head to quietly offer advice. Taylynn and Koldis took the lead, escorting their group south, towards the caves that had once housed the Forest Clan, long ago.

Now, they housed a group of female dragons who'd given birth to clutches of eggs. They were going to see baby dragons! It was enough to distract her from a certain male drengr she'd spent way too much time ruminating over.

"Is there anything you miss about your home world?" Saffra pulled her from her thoughts. They walked side-by-side, following the forest path Taylynn set. Behind them, Bedelth and Jovari took up the rear.

"Oh, tons!" she told Saffra. "That's not to say I regret leaving, but I miss having access to my own private bathroom. And showers, whenever I want them. Mostly, though, I miss processed foods." She groaned, thinking about her guilty pleasure. "I have a bit of an Oreo obsession."

"What's an oreo?" Saffra's head tilted.

She sighed, wistful. "It's this wonderful cookie thing. It's got cream filling sandwiched between two chocolate wafers. When you dip them in milk..." She exhaled. "Perfection."

Saffra made a humming sound. "I'll have to take your word for it."

"Trust me, you'd love them. They even come in different flavors. I always bought the seasonal ones, too. It was the one thing I splurged on whenever I went to the grocery store."

"I see. What about Claire? Does she know about your obsession?"

"Oh, she knows!" Leah pressed her lips together to keep from laughing at the sudden memory that came up. "One year, she bought me an entire box of Oreo packs for Christmas. It was supposed to be a joke—a gag gift. But in reality, it was one of the best gifts I've ever received. I had Oreos for like...months."

Saffra laughed. "That sounds exactly like something Claire would do."

They both fell quiet. The forest was beautiful, filled with sounds of insects and brightly colored birds swooping about. It made sense that Claire loved it so much.

"You know," Saffra said after a few minutes, "you're going to make a great addition to our friends group."

Leah's chest squeezed. She hated to admit how hopeful she sounded when she said, "You mean that?"

"I do." Saffra's smile was genuine. "It will be nice for Claire to have someone from her past life by her side. The others will love you, too."

"Thank you," she breathed, trying to ignore the way her eyes watered—

"Let's rest here," Taylynn called from the front of their group, bringing everyone to a stop. They fanned out around a small clearing. It looked no different from the other clearings they'd used along their journey. If she hadn't known better, she'd think they were going in circles. No one else protested, so she assumed this was normal. It was their third day, and they were supposed to reach the hatching grounds by the evening.

Claire appeared beside her, hooking an arm around her neck. "Doing okay?"

"Yes, and you? How are your magic lessons going?"

Claire shrugged. "Okay, I guess, as much as I hate mage magic. Talon is a patient teacher—not that he'd be patient with anyone else. I think the mate bond has something to do with it."

"I heard that," Talon called from the other side of the clearing.

Claire's laugh was breathy. She seemed happy, despite the pressure resting on her shoulders. There wasn't much time for her to practice before they left the forest. Apparently, she needed to find balance with both mage and sprite magic, according to some prophesy Saffra had made. Only then would she succeed in taking on Kane.

"Oh, look, Jovari is glaring at you again."

"What?" Leah jerked her gaze across the clearing, but Jovari was deep in conversation with Koldis.

"Hah. Made you look," Claire teased. Leah pinched her side. "Oww!" Claire pinched her back, until they were in an all-out pinching war, something they hadn't done in a while. Soon enough, they were squealing and chasing each other around.

Talon caught on. He snatched Claire into his arms and offered a fake protective growl. Leah held up her hands. "Fine, fine. She's all yours."

"Oh, put me down," Claire demanded, her voice filled with mirth as she swatted at her mate until he set her back on her feet.

Leah took a seat on the ground beside Saffra, who offered her a parcel of food wrapped in cloth. They'd packed rations, which consisted of bread, cheese, dried fruit that almost tasted like candy, and nuts. The drengr grumbled about it plenty, but she didn't mind.

She was overly aware of Jovari as he took a seat next to Koldis and Taylynn. It seemed everyone had noticed the lengths they'd gone to avoid each other, even if they pretended otherwise. Jovari looked up and their eyes met. Her face heated. She offered him her best emotionless expression before looking away, feigning interest in Saffra's conversation with Bedelth.

"How much longer will it take for us to reach the capital—after we leave the forest?" she found herself asking. In other words, how long before they might reach the capital, get rid of Kane, so that she could get on with her life and put space between herself and a certain drengr.

"Oh." Saffra looked thoughtful, taking the subject change in stride.

"Four to five days if we make good time," Bedelth answered for her. "Depends on the wind currents and how often..."

She didn't hear the rest of Bedelth's explanation as realization hit her. She glanced around. Everyone here was paired off. Claire with Talon. Saffra with Bedelth. Taylynn with Koldis. Panic welled in her chest. When it came time to fly south, she'd be stuck flying with Jovari, which meant she'd have to be close to him, she'd have to touch his scales, feel the warmth of him beneath her thighs.

"Oh no..." she breathed.

"Everything all right?" Saffra nudged her.

"Fine," she squeaked. "Just fine."

But it was not fine—not even a little bit.

***

They reached the cave at dusk. The forest around them had changed. Gone were the ethereal qualities she'd grown used to. It looked altogether ordinary, as a forest ought, with several types of trees, tall ferns, and long shadows that created patches of blackness.

"This is no longer spriten territory," Taylynn had explained once they crossed an invisible border, leading them through the trees, to a series of rocky openings.

"Woah," she breathed, her mouth going slack. Claire appeared beside her and snatched her hand. Their fingers twined together in anticipation.

"Exciting, isn't it?" Claire breathed.

They stood before one of three massive openings. "Definitely large enough to fit a dragon," Leah said aloud.

"Large enough to fit several," Claire agreed.

Saffra appeared on Leah's other side, offering them a grin. The others pressed in around them for a better look.

A scraping sound made them freeze. A small rock tumbled toward them, disrupting the quiet, then a massive shape appeared, silhouetted in the opening. Leah squealed, but quickly recovered.

A chuckle sounded behind her. She glanced over her shoulder. Jovari. She threw him a vicious glare that silenced him before turning back to the dragon that emerged.

"Fright," Taylynn said by way of greeting. She stepped forward, brushing her hand down the dragon's forearm. Fright hummed but Koldis emitted a low growl. Taylynn snorted, throwing her mate a fond look that also carried a warning to behave. There was a long silence, then, "He says two clutches have hatched, and the third is due any day. The other two females should give birth soon."

More shadows shifted, and two spriten females appeared in the cave's opening. They greeted Claire and Taylynn with bows of deference, introducing themselves as Ayla and Nushala. "The hatchlings are doing well," Nushala informed them. "There is much game to be had in this part of the forest and surrounding lands. Their caretaker feeds them well."

Fright hummed, standing a little taller.

"Is that so?" Taylynn looked pleased.

"Good boy," Koldis praised, his voice dripping with sarcasm, which brought a snarl of warning from Fright's jaws.

"Both of you—enough," Taylynn snapped, irritation getting the better of her. Leah knew little about the white dragon, but clearly there was some tension between Fright and Koldis. "Fright, lead the way," Taylynn commanded. "We will rest here a few days before continuing on."

The cave wasn't what Leah had expected. Instead of dark and damp, its walls had been smoothed out, with alcoves that acted as rooms. They descended deeper into its depths. Giant murals had been painted onto the stone, depicting dragons of various colors, some in flight, some hunting, others lounging in the forest or basking in the sun.

"It's...beautiful," she breathed, squeezing Claire's hand.

"This place was once home to an entire clan," Taylynn explained. The massive corridor opened into a large, hollowed out cavern. She gasped at the sheer size of it. How could something so large possible fit beneath the earth?

In style, it reminded her of the crystal palace. They were somewhere near the top, but the wide ledge—wide enough to fit dragon bodies—spiraled around and around to the very bottom, where a giant hatching grounds sat.

The shapes far below were mere specks of color. She knew with certainty that when they got closer, she'd see little dragons as they played off to the side. Giddy excitement bubbled up inside her. They weren't pets—she knew that. Yet, she couldn't wait to pick one up and cuddle it. Could she? Would they allow it?

A rush of air buffeted them before a massive blue dragon rose to greet them. She gasped. This one had scales a little lighter than Jovari's. She was a female—all the dragons living here were (except for Fright). Even with her wings outstretched, she could soar comfortably around the interior of the cavern. The female paid them a glance and a warble of greeting, before settling on the ledge opposite them. A moment later, she disappeared into a massive chamber beyond.

"That's Despair," Ayla explained. "Her clutch is the first that hatched. The hatchlings are below. She takes excellent care of them."

"Where did she go?" Saffra asked.

"To her private lodgings. She probably needs space. Mothering nine hatchlings is a great deal of work."

"They don't...nurse or anything?" Leah found herself asking.

Much to her relief, no one laughed at her question. "No," Ayla said. "They eat meat upon coming out of the shell—and let me tell you, they are voracious when they emerge." The spriten female crinkled her nose, but did well to hide her disgust. "Their mother is responsible for teaching them how to eat, to walk, how to work their wings, etcetera. It is why we did not kill the mothers upon delivery of their clutches."

Leah gasped. "You were going to kill them?"

Claire exhaled, sharing a pointed look with Talon. "It's a hot topic of debate, but no."

Talon looked as if he wanted to disagree, but smartly kept his lips pressed together.

"The mothers are in exile," Taylynn said. "They have agreed that they will not stray far from the cavern. They have held true to their vow. Besides, where would they go? Their clan is gone. There is no one left for them but their hatchlings and each other."

"Let's go down," Claire said.

It took an hour to reach the bottom. By then, her feet were aching. The pain was immediately forgotten the moment she set eyes on the small shapes of color darting about.

She gasped.

Claire was less dignified. She squealed before rushing forward, only to stop abruptly. "Can we...would they allow it?"

The nearby shape of a mother loomed over the hatchlings, observing their play. Her scales were almost pink in color. Leah couldn't help but glance between the mother and young hatchlings, similar to cats in size. There had to be at least twenty. Nine from Despair. The rest must have belonged to the mother on guard-duty.

"That's Histeria," Ayla murmured beside her. "She's a bit protective, but she will not stop you, if you'd like to say hello. Be warned, they are extremely curious creatures. Let them sniff your palm first. If they decide you aren't a threat, they'll allow you to pet them or even pick them up."

The males hung back while the rest of them darted forward, eager.

The little dragons on the edge spotted them first, and began chortling with curiosity. She held her hand out as several rushed over. Word spread, in the form of chirps and warbles, until they were swarmed by the little ones. Snouts were pressed against her palm. Beside her, Claire and Saffra giggled. Even Taylynn wore a soft smile, reaching down to scratch the eye ridges of a hatchling nearest her, before sweeping it up into her arms.

They were all sorts of colors, like a veritable rainbow dancing around their feet. She reached for a small green that had finished sniffing her palm, and lifted. It warbled in excitement before reaching out with its small talons and snatching fistfuls of her tunic. It clung to her and she giggled, scratching its eye ridges as Taylynn had, before finding other places that left it humming with pleasure.

"They're extra itchy at this stage," Nushala explained. She held a small purple that squirmed in her arms before tugging on her hair. "They grow so quickly that their scales get stretched to catch up with their frame."

Little talons pawed at her legs and she looked down. Some of the other hatchlings were trying to climb her. They looked up at her with eager eyes. They wanted to be held. Her heart was close to bursting at the sight.

A choked laugh split the air.

When she glanced over, Claire was sitting cross-legged as a swarm of hatchlings gathered around her, each vying for attention, mostly scratches. They pushed their hatch mates out of the way to get closer. "Are you guys going to come help, or what?" Claire called to the others. The males all stood off, observing but her order brought them forward. Soon, even Talon was grinning, a little red dragon in his arms.

Fright made a humming noise before stepping into the cluster of hatchlings. Immediately, the little things shrieked with excitement and began climbing him as he plopped down on his belly. He merely hummed in annoyance, but something told her he was only doing that for show. His fierce regard tracked each little hatchling with...was that pride?

"He likes to act like it's insufferable," Taylynn explained, appearing beside her, looking at Fright with an amused expression. "But I think he secretly enjoys being a father figure to them."

"Do they have names?" she wondered.

"Not yet," Taylynn confirmed.

"The mothers will name them at a naming ceremony," Ayla said, holding a small bronze colored dragon, "as is customary for their culture. That usually happens about a full moon cycle after hatching."

"Oh." Leah stroked the dragon in her arms, looking down at it with growing fondness. They weren't pets, but she couldn't help but wish she might bring it with them to the capital. "Why wait? Wouldn't it be easier if they had names now?"

"Because dragons name their offspring after characteristics," Ayla explained. "It helps that they know a little of the hatchling's tendencies before they choose a name for it. Once a hatchling has its name, it will no longer be a hatchling but a juvenile. It will remain so until it reaches mating age. Usually fifteen to twenty years."

"Huh. What kind of names do they pick."

"Usually descriptors range from positive to negative, from happy to sad. Fright, there, is an example of a fearsome name. Though he has changed from his namesake. Envy, Pride, Fury, Rage, Spite, Torment, might be some negative namesakes. Vigilance was the first drengr king. His was a positive name. Others like Astonishment, Delight, Gladness, Triumph could be positive namesakes as well. Each name tends to influence the dragon into being what it's called. The magic of it makes it hard for a dragon to turn away from what they become."

"Huh. I see."

"Those of the Ice Clan often chose darker names," Ayla continued. "But I think Fright will push them away from such a trend, at least for these little ones. They will be the dawn of a new clan, perhaps. One that isn't bloodthirsty. Perhaps names likened to aspiration and hope will help usher into a new way of life."

"That would be good," she found herself saying. She hated the idea of these cute creatures becoming bloodthirsty and destructive. They seemed so innocent. "So it's all about nurture, in this case. Not nature."

"Some would argue otherwise," Claire said, joining the conversation as she stroked an orange that had climbed into her lap. "But I believe that dragons become what they are encouraged to become. Not all dragons in the days of old were bad. Vigilance and his friends, for example. Some believe it is impossible to change their nature, but these hatchlings are going to prove the world wrong. Aren't you?" She lifted the orange until she nuzzled its face, as if it were a furry puppy, then began speaking in gibberish to it.

"Would you like to see the eggs?" Ayla asked, looking at her.

"Oh, yes!" she breathed. The others looked just as eager.

"Come," Ayla said, "But leave the hatchlings. They are too clumsy, still, and Craving would have a fit if she saw them stamping around her clutch."

They bid goodbye to the little creatures before traipsing after Ayla and Nushala onto a sea of warm sand. It was littered with colorful shell fragments that sparkled up at them. The heat seeping through her feet was delightful after days of walking, and helped to ease the ache. She had half a mind to simply take a seat here and sand soak her sore muscles.

Craving was a deep purple in color, her scales almost black. She was curled off to the side of a clutch of some twenty eggs. An eyelid peeled open as she regarded them, wariness in her gaze.

"It's the largest clutch, yet. She is very proud—don't get too close," Nushala warned. "Their maternal instincts over unhatched eggs are much more aggressive. Until they hatch, she will guard them day and night."

"Does the color of the egg dictate the color of the dragon inside," Leah found herself asking.

"It does," Nushala confirmed.

They stood off to the side and watched as Craving got to her feet, shook the sand from her scales, then went around to each egg, nosing it into a different position."

"She rotates them every hour or so, to ensure that they stay warm all over, and that the baby inside gets to rest in different positions."

"It's so...cute," she couldn't help saying aloud. Craving must have heard her because she gave a sound that sounded a lot like a harumph, throwing her a glare, before sauntering back over to her resting place. "Cute in a very dignified way, of course!" she amended. But Craving had already closed both eyes. If she had to guess, the protective mother was only pretending to sleep, and was very aware of every person standing near her eggs.

"When will they hatch?" Saffra asked, her voice laced with longing. They only planned to stay a few days before moving on.

"Any day now," Ayla said. "You might just get to see it."

Hope burst open in her chest. Time was of the essence. Claire and Talon had a throne to reclaim. Yet, she couldn't help wanting to stay as long as it took, to see the hatchlings break free of their shells. Perhaps they would get lucky.

Judging by Claire's expression, her best friend felt exactly the same. 

💕❤️💕Don't forget to vote for this chapter!❤️💕❤️

Happy Friday Bookdragons!

Okay, but aren't baby dragons just the cutest?! I was so excited to put a scene with them.

Next week's chapter is also from Leah's POV. See you then!

--Mel