Fairytales belong in the air

It is a time where the riders are plentiful, a time where they are free to roam and travel on their own across the lands they had fought so hard to keep. A land where evil once strived to take everything, where power hungry wizards mowed down all of those they came across. All of those that strived for the light, and strayed from the dark. The dragons sensed times where changing, an upheaval was at hand. Their riders where present amongst the younger generation, it was their time. They came out of hiding, slowly but surely, showing themselves warily to those who contain a magic so potent it radiated out into the world around. Their eggs would crack, and they would hatch only in the presence of their riders, their companions. Each village was blessed with at least two or three of the gifted and their dragons. Those who would go on to turn the tables and defeat the evil that plagued the land. Protect the innocent, and the weak.

After many battles the wars where finally won, and the lands descended into that of peace once more. Ruled by small colonies that worked together when the times came to trade and keep each other alive. Villages that thrived, and where full of people happy to live side by side. Trade and farm the days away, sleep contented knowing they where protected at night.

The riders would set out with the sun, scan the world beneath them. Keep a watchful eye out for the citizens of their villages. The lands where not entirely free of the blood thirsty, not entirely free of evil. It lurked, in the shadows; in holes so deep you'd never find the bottom. Planning, and plotting to take back what they felt was theirs. The evil wizards who where left behind, in the wake of their kind having fallen. Pushed deep into the unexplored regions of the lands. Into hiding, disguised as the innocent amongst those who had no idea they where even there.

Cranorgs, beasts that where feared for miles around still lurked, waiting for the cover of the dusk to take to the planes and wreak havoc on unsuspecting towns. Hungry for human flesh, a hunter that had rightfully earned it's feared title.

Tonight is a night like any other, though the nights where beginning to become shorter now. The bright orange of the sun cast hazy shadows along the valley as she flew overhead. Her long red tresses tied back with a green lace that fluttered in the wind, her body was protected with small amounts of strong hide armor. Her head tucked in closely to her dragons spine, feeling how he moved with the currents of air, feeling his powerful wings beat and flex as they continued to rise higher into the sky. Her hold on the beast was loose and practiced, as they moved as one. Their vision merged, and she saw the colours of the world through his sharp eyes. How the earth moved beneath them, peacefully and without purpose.

Thos dragon a mighty beast, his scales shiny and red in colour and his eyes a piercing green. Scanning the surrounding area with ease, as he did every night. More than content with carrying his rider on his back. "I don't think we're going to find anything tonight" The girl thought, her voice would be wasted taken by the air if she had spoken.

"We don't find much these days" He thought back, his voice bouncing around in her head as he drawled his thoughts in a bored tone.

"I know, I know, but it's our turn, the others wouldn't be too happy if we got raided on our night" She chuckled as she thought of the last part. It wasn't likely in the days they lived in, but it wasn't impossible. They still had to be on their guards. A horde of Cranorgs or Drankor would not be a good thing. Cranorgs, though fearsome where not fire resistant.

Drankor, however were. The only way to kill them was close combat and that hardly ever turned out well. If a herd of them came through without the warning from the skies, the villages would be almost done for.

An ear piercing scream ripped through the crisp dusk air. Within moments the dragon had shot down in a nose dive towards the ground. "Easy! I don't want to die before I get there!" The girl thought with a laugh as she held closer to the dragon.

Soon they where landing easily on the ground in a patch outside a small forest. The redhead was off her dragon's back, and running towards the shadows of the tree's in the direction of the scream. Her swords drawn from their holsters on her back, unsure of what she'll find.

Another scream, there had to be at least two people. She was sure of it. Two women, she thought as she tried to determine what she would be met with once she reached her destination.

Her strong war toned legs carried her easily through the brush into the depths of the shielded darkness. Her dragon flew overhead, high above the canopy, providing what protection he could.

"Ahead of you, A group of nomads cornered by thieves, they're bound" The dragons voice flooded through her head, and she huffed. Typical, just typical.

A clearing ahead told her that's where they'd be. Slowing her pace, she moved around it, into a better position. Her eyes fell onto the scene before her, two women, tied to tree's opposite, two boys bound together seemingly unconscious on the floor. The victims, she assumed.

Her sight carried to three rather large men. They were each holding what looked like wands at arms length, pointed towards the group. The leader, or what looked like the leader at least was muttering something about being perfect for the job, and their master had chosen correctly. Rolling her eyes, the redhead sheathed her swords.

"There's another dragon" Her companion's voice rang once again, deep and worried. "It's friendly, I can tell that much. It can't get to her rider through the tree's" He thought again, this was good, this could help. Pulling her wand from it's holster strapped tightly to her leg she approached carefully before bursting into the clearing. "STUPIFY!" she shouted loudly, sparks flying from the end of her chosen weapon. There would be no need for spilt blood tonight. Two of the attackers went down, and with a few swift motions the trees around them sprang to life. Vines descending slowly and wrapping around their unconscious forms. "well, that was too easy" she grumbled.

"Who are you?!" The leader growled, "You have no business here! Leave before I kill you!" He shouted.

"I dare you" The redhead spoke coldly, her voice strong as she annunciated every word. She knew this would be easy, too easy in fact.

"Avada Kadavra!" The boy shouted weakly, like he didn't really mean it. Standing wide eyed as it bounded off a strong shield charm she had cast around herself.

"Expelliarmus" She yelled back before he had time to move for another spell. The redhead quickly moved into her next and he was taken up into the living tree's unarmed and screaming bloody murder.

She turned back to those tied up. "Our wands! They took our wands!" One of the girls yelled.

Rolling her eyes the redhead looked around the surrounding area's, her eyes fixed on a pile of what looked like sticks. Quickly grabbing them, she unbound the victims. "Hurry up! Who has the dragon?"

"Me, I do, but she can't carry us all" The blonde girl spoke, her voice seemed dreamy and panicked at the same time.

"Tell her to land with mine at the edge of the forest, I can carry two more with me" She quickly explained.

'I can't carry three for long' Her dragons voice rang again, rebounding in her skull.

'We'll take them to the village, it'll be safe for them there' She quickly thought back, suddenly in a rush to get the group out of there.

"You two grab one, I'll get the other" She ordered, hoisting a man with black hair off the floor. His groans sounded as she roughly pulled him around.

"Through here" The brunette of the two spoke, her voice seemingly calm and commanding. "They'll be awake soon, and I don't know how long those vines will hold" She spoke again, shooting a strained smile back at the redhead.

She was right, snapping sounds emanated from behind them as they hurried through the trees. Shouting soon followed, then a bombardment of spells cracking and splintering the bark of tree's they managed to duck behind.

Soon they were out of the dense tree's and into the clearing. Both dragons awaited them eagerly. The other was a light blue colour, with bright eyes that seemed to study the redhead as she emerged from the tree's behind the three that where obviously familiar to her.

She rested the boy she was all but dragging down onto the grass and went to help the others get the unconscious man onto the pale blue beast. Her hands found his shirt, bunching into it as she pushed him up towards the beast's shoulders. Holding him along with the brunette as the blonde climbed behind him. "Go, up now we'll be quick" The redhead ordered, and dragged the brunette back towards the gleaming red dragon. The familiar gust of wind and sound of beating wings reached her ears from behind them.

Once they where at her dragons side, she helped hoist the pair onto her companion with ease. Climbing onto his back behind to two easily, he took off. The girl in front of her seemed to tense as they rose higher, followed by sparks of spells fading into the distance.

Their fly home was as uneventful as it was before the commotion happened, and soon they landed before the gates of her home village. Lytherise was a small farming village, humble in size.

Quickly climbing down, she helped the others off the dragons, and was almost instantly met with soldiers to help carry the boys in, to the medics that resided there. As they where carried away, she sighed in relief, a breath she didn't know she had been holding.

One of the other riders approached, "Do we need to get the others?" his voice held a frantic undertone to it. The war had taken it's toll on him especially hard. He was a large man, broad shoulders and his hair as equally bright as the younger girls.

"No, it was just what seemed to be thieves, they're magical, these" she motioned behind her towards the two girls standing warily beside the gates "are magical".

"I'll let the others know" The man spoke, and with that he was gone once again.

The redhead turned to the girls she had helped rescue and smiled a careful smile. "I'm Ginny, and this is Loci" She spoke as she made her way towards her comrade, flattening a hand against his scales soothingly. The large beast seemed to nod at the two, and then towards the slightly smaller blue dragon. "And that was my brother Ron, he's also a rider of Lytherise" She introduced all she needed to.

"Luna!" The blonde said happily, a dazed smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Thank you for aiding us, we've been running from those creeps since our village was destroyed by the dark lords followers." She explained "And this is Raina, the boy that was with us, His name is Neville, and I'm sure he thanks you too" She smiled an even wider smile.

The redhead turned to the brunette who was yet to speak, and smiled a shy smile, rubbing the back of her neck. "And, you are?" she asked politely.

"I'm Hermione Granger, and I hate heights or I'd have said thank you on the way here; but thank you for helping us and the boy with us was Harry" She smiled a small sheepish smile.

"Well, Hermione" Ginny spoke, bowing her head slightly, "Luna, and Raina it is very nice to meet you"

Loci relaxed behind her, and moved towards the wavy haired girl, nuzzling his nose into her stomach only to be met with a shriek of delight.

"Loci likes you" She smiled a cheeky smile up at the brunette before throwing her a wink. Causing the brunette to blush a deep blush.

Someone clearing their throat behind her caused the redhead to turn around. Her brother was stood rather awkwardly, twiddling his thumbs. "They are welcome to stay for as long as they wish, however, we'll have to put them in the barn" He spoke, flicking his eyes between his sister and the two girls.

"nonsense, they can have my room, I'll sleep with Loci in the barn, and I'm sure there's enough room for Raina here if she has no objections" The redhead regarded the blue dragon kindly, her light hazel eyes sparkled as she took the magnificent creature in, before they looked towards the dragons owner.

The blondes smile never faltered. "I'll stay with Raina also, She likes the company" Her answer was sweet, and fair.

Hermione cleared her throat, and looked slightly awkward. "I really couldn't be the only one to put you out of your room, I'm okay with the barn too" she said politely.

The redhead beamed, clapping her hands together. "well Ron, looks like we're all sleeping in the barn!" She smirked a cheeky smirk before waving for the pair to follow her towards their residence for the evening.