Cattail's two long dark braids swung back and forth like willow branches in a rough wind as she marched through the forest. Her determined feet undermined her purpose. Each loud thump of sheep- hide boot on leaves and twigs echoed through the dim woods, alerting any nearby creatures with any sense to her presence.
The island of Kreel had only recently stopped fearing dragons, instead of cowering in stone hovels at any sign of the flying beasts, Kreels citizens started to respect dragons, capturing and taming them. Already four of the other sheep- herders had guard dragons protecting their flocks from other thieving dragons. Cattail was beginning to understand that not all dragons stole. Dragons guarded. And she was going to have one.
Her trek had begun. Everyday she left her sheep to the care of her sister, Ekara, and ventured into the woods with rope, her sharpest knife, and a dragon's favorite food, mutton.
Thus far, Cattail had seen twelve terrible terrors, two small; a stumbling woodstalker, wouldn't be fast enough in the open fields; one nadder, who ad gotten away from Cattail twice; and one dragon she didn't recognize but had disappeared as soon as she got close. Cattail knew what dragon she wanted, a timberjack. It's gigantic, wicked sharp wings would give even the boldest thief second thoughts about flying off with her sheep.
So, march she would, into the depths of the woods to find a timberjack. It would be easier, she thought, if Ekara would help me. The extra pair of eyes to spot any sliced trees, the extra pair of hands to wrangle the long neck. The job would have been twice as easy. But Ekara was still scared of dragons. Big baby, Cattail thought.
A shrill sound pierced the still forest. Cattail jumped and close her mouth over a scream. Then, she froze, drawing her knife. Maybe it was a timberjack. Birds were flying away from the shriek, Cattail faces what they fled, head on.
After half a mile of uphill climbing, Cattail finally found evidence of a dragon. Light streamed into the forest where three huge pines had been destroyed. Not so much sliced but burnt and blackened, hacked and scattered. Rips and chunks were missing almost as if attacked by the teeth of an angry dragon. Sweet swan spit, this dragon must be ferocious! Perfect, Cattail chucked to herself.
For the next four hours Cattail searched for the dragon that mauled the trees; but as the light dimmed, she turned down the mountain for home.
With each step, the trees thinned revealing rolling hills and grasslands. Smoke drifted up from a small stone house, Ekara making dinner, Cattail thought with relief. Hunting had left her stomach grumbling with discontent. Just as she reached the stairs leading to the house , Cattail heard the familiar but concerning cry of a sheep in trouble. Hunger forgotten, she looked to the sound. No sheep in sight. But there was the noise again, coming from around the ridge. Cattail broke into a sprint, she was not losing a sheep to thieves, human or dragon. As she ran around the side of the mountain, Cattail came face to face with a dragon.
Gasping, Cattail stepped backwards in surprise and tripped on a loose stone. She fell. The dragons orange eyes were wide in surprise; then, they sparkled mischievously. With a wiggle and a leap, the dragon hopped over Cattail and made a break for the woods.
Cattail lay still for a few seconds, catching her breath. The sheep's desperate cry cleared her head. She could still save that sheep. Scanning the land, Cattail spotted a fluffy white sheep butt sticking out of a scraggly bush. She sighed in relief, the sheep didn't look injured, just stuck.
Forgetting the dragon, Cattail got down on her knees, and hummed softly to the sheep, which calmed at her mistress's the thorny branches out of the way with her shoulders, she tugged the sheep backwards. Protesting, the sheep squirmed and squealed, lashing out with her hind legs. "Ouch" Cattail yipped as one cloven hoof scratched her chin. Again Cattail hummed a few notes and soon the ewe was free.
Cattail diligently checked the ewe for damage but only found a few scrapes and no broken bones. That's way too lucky, Cattail thought to herself, after being chased by a dragon? No injuries? The dragon had definitely been here. It's clawprints followed the hoofprints perfectly, then they passed the bush. Maybe the sheep had been hidden enough in the branches that the dragon passed right by? That didn't seem likely. It must have gotten scared at the sound of my footprints, she thought proudly. Ha! Who needs a guard dragon. Cattail smiled then shook her head, braids flapping wildly. She defiantly needed a guard dragon.
"Cattail!" Ekara's voice rang out across the dark landscape. The sun had set behind a hill, Ekara was probably sick with worry. Cattail jogged back home, the ewe only a few steps behind.
"Where have you been?" Ekara asked as soon as Cattail ducked through the stone threshold. "I was getting seriously worried Cattail. What is a dragon… I can't even think about it. C'mon, don't go out tomorrow." Ekara looked pleadingly at her little sister.
At first glance, they didn't look related. Ekara had sandy hair in long ponytails, woven through with skillfully dyed wool ribbons. Her eyes were light blue instead of brown. But both had the same freckled button noses and round, rosy cheeks.
"Oh! Oh, are you bleeding?"
Cattail hugged her sister tight, she was always so worried, so cautious.
"Calm down, okay?" Cattail said quietly but forcefully. "A sheep got out of the pen or something. I had to get her out of a bush, silly thing kicked me in a panic. Really, it's nothing." No way was Cattail going to mention a dragon so close to home. The wooden sheep pen was tinder to a dragon with a mutton craving.
"Oh" Ekara sighed, taking a deep breath. "I thought I counted them all, that's my fault Cattail. Sorry, heh." Ekra forced a short laugh. "I was freaking out and it was my stupid mistake all along." Her voice grew serious again. "This is why I need you here watching the sheep, it's just not my… strength."
Cattail pressed her lips together. Ekara had a point, Cattail was a better shepherd, Ekara was a better, well, almost everything else. Spinning, weaving, knitting, cooking, cleaning, talking to people.
"No Ekara, We'll lose everything without a dragon to protect us. Soon our flock will be the only one without protection, the weak link, easy pickings for wild dragons."
"Wild dragons? As if there's another kind!" Ekara said, digging up an old argument. "We can't trust them to protect us, not after wha-"
"Just try Ekara" Cattail broke in, "try, trust me-"
"Ugg! Stop! Dinner's on the fire. I'm going to bed." Ekara climbed the ladder to the loft. She looked so tired. "I hope you're here to watch the sheep tomorrow, because I won't be."
"Ekara!"
"Goodnight."
Cattail scrunched her nose angrily, her mood was ruined. Although Ekara was an excellent cook, the meal tasted like dust. After dinner, Cattail sat by the fire staring into the flames, too nervous to go upstairs and face Ekara's wrath.
Left with her thoughts, she pondered over the dragon she had seen today. It hadn't been huge , only just bigger than a gronkle, but definitely not a gronkle. It was green, light green with some darker green and spines all over! Spines from nose to tail tip, even the wings edges were zig -zagged. Not the razor sharp wings of a timberjack , or the long neck and thin snout for that matter. This dragon had four muscled legs, a thick neck, and a large head. Really expressive eyes too. Not malicious. Her last thought before she fell asleep was this: He didn't even hurt the sheep.