Faith to the Dark Chapter 1, a black cat fanfic

Back when the world was just starting there were two species that were part of the world. They were the children birthed from nature. Those species were the Dragons and the Elves. The dragons lived in the extreme environments, the volcanoes and the deserts and the carnivorous forests, and the elves lived in the easy going plains and valleys. Eventually the dragons and the elves met. The elves found out that the Dragons could change shape into elves, and the dragons found out that elves could use magic to manipulate plants how they were needed. Eventually a friendship was formed between the two races, and they lived in harmony with each other.

Over the course of centuries new species were popping up, like dwarves mining underground and into the mountains, and humans who were slowly encroaching on Elven Territory. The elves and the dragons held a meeting together. The Elves discussed how the humans were stealing their land, and the dragons spoke about how the humans were slaughtering them for their hides, talons and teeth. For a while they left the humans alone, but they moved away from the lands with humans in them, to find a better place to live. As the Elves and the dragons moved, the human population exploded and soon enough the Elves were calling another meeting to the dragons.

The second meeting the Elves decided that they no longer wished to just give the land to the humans. If the humans wanted the land, they were going to have to fight for it. The dragons agreed and then an alliance was formed. The dragons would teach the Elves how to fight and would allow the Elves to ride on their backs to help fight, and to protect the Elves from harm against the human spears. From then on only carefully selected Elven children became Dragon Riders. The humans quickly shrank back and admitted defeat, and the Elves took their land back, and the Dragons were no longer killed. Because of the atrocities that the Dragon Riders committed while saving their races, the Dragon Riders left and flew away, leaving the lands in peace. A few hundred years passed, a fleeting moment for the Elves and the Dragons alike, but the humans saw it as several life times, and decided, in secret, that they were going to take the land of the Elves, and once more slaughter the dragons.

As a result the Dragon Riders were once more born.

The day was young as she stood in line and waited for the inspectors. She was ten years old; by human time telling, but as an Elf she was much more mature than that. The way it was figured, she acted more like a human 20 year old. In Elven years she was 24.

Instead of dwelling on the humans, she looked down the line at her best friend, Wiley, and grinned. Wiley smiled back and rolled her eyes slightly. Both of them had been picked to be inspected to see if they were dragon riding material. Wiley was indifferent about it, on the outside, but she knew that on the inside, Wiley's heart was pumping twice as fast as it normally would, and she couldn't wait too much longer before it started to show on the outside.

As if that was what the inspectors were waiting for, the doors at the far end of the hall opened and five old elves walked through the door. They were all hooded, and long silver hair spilled out of the hoods that hid their faces. It was time to make a good impression. Before the elves pushed back their hoods to reveal their faces, she pulled herself up and stood ram-rod straight. Her shoulders were square and her eyes bright.

The inspectors walked over to the first Elf child and removed their hoods. They all had to stare into the child's eyes to see their inner workings. There were many small things that could turn the inspectors away from you. If you tried to hide something, they wouldn't accept you, and if you had any stains on your mind they would refuse you. Those were only some of the things that kept you from becoming a dragon rider.

Slowly time dragged on and children were eliminated. The inspectors came to Wiley and stared into her eyes for longer than they had anyone else. Usually that was a good sign, but sometimes it could also be a bad sign. During her childhood Wiley had lived in another village, and that village had come under attack by humans. Her parents had been killed and no one else from her village had made it out alive. It was a scar on Wiley's heart.

After what seemed like an eternity the inspectors moved away from Wiley and pulled her from the line. Wiley was going to be a Dragon Rider. One of the inspectors stayed with Wiley while the other four moved from child to child looking to fill the quota.

Soon enough it was her turn. The inspectors looked into her eyes and she felt the connection instantly. They were searching through her soul, looking for any taints or prejudices that would keep her from being a Dragon Rider. As they searched through her, the only thing on her mind was happiness for Wiley, and a great hope that she would join her friend among the Dragon Riders.

"Lynelle, you and Wiley are the newest Dragon Riders. Congratulations." The inspectors broke their connection with Lynelle and moved her from the line. Lynelle scanned the eyes of the rest of the children and saw that in a few there were looks of anger and hatred toward her and Wiley. Those people would never have made it to be a Dragon Rider, if by some miracle they did, they would taint the dragon and cause irreparable harm in the trust between Dragons and Elves.

The other children were dismissed. Wiley and Lynelle waited in the hall with the five inspectors. Once the children were cleared and the doors were closed the five elves looked to Lynelle and Wiley.

"The hardest part is not over. There is still much that you must do, and so much that you will learn. At times it will seem impossible, but it will do nothing but make you stronger. You will be hurt, you might be captured and tortured, knowing what you know, do you both still wish to become Dragon Riders?"

There was no hesitation in their serious nods, and the fierce determination in their eyes never faltered. The Elves smiled at the two newest recruits and led them from the hall. Slowly they made their way through the compound and found themselves in a large dormant volcano crater. Sitting on the far crater rim standing with two dragons on either side of them, were two teenage boys. Neither one of them looked completely thrilled to be there, but they were both dealing with it.

The one directly across from Lynelle was taller than her, but only by a few inches. His hair was spiky and brown. He was dressed in blue and his nails were black. Dragons were gifted with orichalcum claws. It never broke or chipped and could tear through nearly anything. The only thing that stopped it was more orichalcum. Underneath his head of messy hair were piercing, golden eyes that saw everything. No doubt that was her dragon.

Wiley was looking at the teenage boy across from her. He was easily a foot taller than her, with forest green hair and bark brown eyes. His nails were also black, but he looked more interested than the other dragon did. He was watching her every move with interest, it was like she was the most interesting person that he'd ever seen. It made her wonder what he was thinking. Once she was close enough to him, she found herself wrapped in iron hard arms of nothing but dragon muscle. Wiley blinked a few times, wondering just what happened.

"Aren't you the most beautiful elf that I have ever seen! You are a pristine woman!" Wiley growled at him, and used her own strength to flip him over onto his back. Her face was bright red and she was glaring at the dragon that she had just flipped onto his back.

"Don't touch me," Wiley advised before straightening and bowing to the older dragon that her dragon had been standing next to. "Forgive me," she added.

Child, I have seen him act like that so many times, had you not harmed him, I would have been concerned. The dragon's laughter rumbled like thunder across the land. Wiley bowed again and returned her attention back to her dragon.

Lynelle walked up to her dragon and looked him over quickly before bowing respectfully. The dragon bowed back and looked her over. Lynelle had expected that and let him. Thankfully he didn't hug her and grope her like Wiley's dragon had.

"I am Lynelle, I look forward to becoming a team with you," Lynelle said with a sincere smile.

"You don't look like much. I think you would make me weaker instead of stronger. I'm not sure that I want you riding on my back." Lynelle felt her cheeks heat in rage. How dare he! She might not have had strong magic, but she was certainly a formidable foe when she chose to be.

"I'd be careful if I were you," Wiley warned the dragon. "She may not seem strong, but her magic is so immense that it lies dormant until it's needed. Once it has deemed that it is needed, her magic bursts forth without warning and can do serious damage before you realize what has happened." Wiley was glaring at Jenos who was inching toward her.

"I find that incredibly hard to believe. She doesn't even look like she can make a candle light from across the room. She probably wouldn't make a good cook either." Lynelle felt her magic surge forward then. Instead of lighting him on fire, the young dragon was encased in ice as the temperature around him dropped by ten degrees a second. Wiley sighed and shook her head, she had warned him. He was as stubborn as Lynelle was.

Lynelle stormed past the frozen dragon and leaned against the wall of the crater. She crossed her arms over her chest and huffed in anger.

"I guess I forgot to mention that it also comes out when she's angry," Wiley chimed with a sly smile and waved at the dragon that was slowly melting himself out of the ice block.

The two older dragons were rumbling with amusements, and the five inspectors were shaking their heads. They had picked the girls because they thought that they would be compatible with the young dragons. Apparently they had been wrong. Even they were not exempt from making mistakes

"You four are to learn to get along, as you will make up a team. Not to mention you have to get along with your partner. If you don't work together, then life is going to be hell for all four of you. Training starts tomorrow at dawn. Don't be late. Lynelle, will you thaw Train?" Lynelle huffed and let her magic flow out of her body. She melted the ice around Train and then stalked off back to the hall. Wiley hissed as Jenos before following her friend out of the crater.

You two are the most annoying younglings I have ever had the horror of meeting. Behave yourselves while you are with the elves. With the last parting word the two dragons took to the sky and left. The two young dragons watched and then followed the inspectors to their rooms.

"Jenos this is going to be a long, long training period…" Train muttered. Jenos nodded his head in agreement.