4

"There they are," Goliath tried shouting over the howl of the wind.

I was tired. I wasn't big or strong enough to hold this kind of weight this long. Part of the reason I agreed to this whole progression of events was because I would be able to see Wyatt again. I'd had to stop often to rest, but this last push I had to do in one shot. I landed gently on the edge of their camp.

My muscles burning as I set down the hatchling, and his new bonded. The man was more like a caretaker at the moment then a bonded. The two of them got along famously. It was nice considering how much I disliked the hatchling. He wasn't mine so it angered me a great deal that I was the one that had been forced to hatch him.

The anger was fading now that he was out of my pouch, but that didn't mean it would vanish completely just because I wanted it to. I understood the need for more dragons. I understood why I had to be the one to care for the egg. My anger would fade with time. I didn't want to feel anger toward the innocent hatchling.

I could control my feelings to a certain degree. I would eventually be able to remove that anger from me given enough time. Once I had my own eggs to incubate I would be filled with motherly joy. Similar to what a human would feel. I'd read the books.

I hoped for that kind of love, and attachment. Thankfully hatchlings were largely self sufficient so I wouldn't have to deal with a mewling, fussy lump when I finally got my offspring. Understanding the way humans reproduced would allow me to better help Wyatt with his peace mission. I didn't understand it. I wondered what this peace mission would accomplish in the end.

I liked Goliath, and I liked Aaron. I didn't care for his mother or any of the other humans. I didn't know what the whole point was. Then again I wasn't looking at the entire picture. I laid down casually in the grass.

Slightly disturbed, and yet drawn to Wyatt's unmoving body. I knew his mind was elsewhere at a glance. I didn't want to cross the distance between us. The ground felt holy in a way that made my instincts tell me to stay about a hundred feet away from him. His pulse sent out ripples of power that even the ordinary human that mothered Aaron could feel it.

Even she maintained a good amount of distance from him. I didn't bother crouching any lower. Goliath, and the mother were both strong enough to get down on their own. Aaron's mother would help him down. I remained completely still as I looked over the warm grassy field.

The hatchling started playing as soon as I let go of him. His human chasing after him. He was a big hatchling. At least I thought he was. Wyatt had mentioned something about his egg being big so he had to be big for a hatchling. His dull grey wispy scales said nothing about what he would be like as an adult.

His eyes were bright bronze color with red around the pupils. My curiosity at what he would be like when he grew was peaked. He was three weeks away from his first shed. His wings were developed enough to look like wings, but lacked the strength or size required to use them as wings. Wyatt hadn't been there to teach me to fly.

I understood now that he couldn't be there. I would teach him when he grew large enough. The way I wished I could have been taught. I flared my sore wings, and let them drop to the ground slowly. Resting them on the ground in a position that felt good.

After all the burning muscles, and long hours in flight I'd earned the break. I snapped to attention when something powerful came our way. I wasn't the only one that noticed the being coming our way. I was the first to spot her. The flowing mane, and cold demeanor.

She looked a lot like a horse if it weren't for the unnaturally graceful gait, and the horn that curved slightly backward from the center of her forehead. I cocked my head when I made the connection. This magnificent creature looked like the mythical representation of a unicorn. Her mane, and tail were a beautiful sparkling white. Her body was the same mystical white.

She had a slight silver tint to it. I stood keeping my wings flared, and low. Bowing to her out of respect. Her aura fluctuated in a way that reflected that she was pleased with my actions. Goliath sensed my actions, and mimicked them.

"I thank you young dragon," she tossed her head, "However I will soon prove unworthy of your praise."

Making her mane wave gracefully.

"I find that highly doubtful," I raised my head, and relaxed so I was laying comfortably on the ground, "The strength of your mana, and your skill with it is obvious to see for all."

Her stride sped up slightly. Moving into a happy trot. She enjoyed this attention. However. Her mana reflected a certain hostility toward the humans.

"I would ask you to refrain from showing my bonded, and allies hostility," I growled quietly.

The unicorn spirit calmed her aura. Nearly all of her hostility vanished from what I could sense.

"I ask you to forgive my anger," she bowed, "Humans have been mistreating this world, and all the creatures on it for some time. Many of my brethren perished with the fall of dragons. Their hostility toward those that remain angers me greatly. I have tried to make this place a safe haven for those of my kind."

"And it seems that you were successful," The mother spoke, "I think we're the first humans to last more then an hour in the forbidden zone in over a decade."

Her hostility flared for a moment when her moss green eyes stopped to focus on Aaron's mother.

"I did not appreciate my brethren being slaughtered before my eyes," she tossed her head, "You humans would react much more violently if you were the ones being attacked. I think the land I've taken is quite modest considering how much land I could have taken."