"georrff" groaned Sam as the little dragon woke her up by crawling over her carefully avoiding her back and tickling her stomach with its tail.
"Okay I'm up, I'm up"
Sam looked back at the dragon, which was looking at her expectedly. She sighed and looked at her watch that lay on her dresser; it read eleven thirty.
"I had better get changed then we can smuggle you out to the forest. Is that okay?" asked Sam.
The dragon moved its head in what could only be described as a nodding motion. Sam nodded back distractedly as she got up and opened her wardrobe to pull out a shirt. Then she stopped abruptly and turned back to the dragon that was lying on her bed with a look of amazement on her face.
"You understand me don't you?" said Sam more then asked.
Again, the dragon nodded. Sam approached the dragon slowly and when she reached it, she stroked the dragon's emerald scales.
"How? I mean do you understand English or something. "
Sam…Samantha…what does that mean?
That caused Sam to jump a mile and she looked around the room as if looking for someone that could have spoken. Her eyes roamed the room and when she was reassured that they where alone she looked back at the dragon. When she saw the mark, a sudden thought struck her.
"Was that you?" she asked. "How did you do that?"
As she finished the question, she felt as if something moved in her head. Then the dragon answered.
Yes, that was I. What does Samantha mean?
"Um Samantha's my name"
What is a name?
"Its what someone is called."
What is my name?
"Oh, um, I don't know, I guess I could give you a name if you want?"
Yes please.
"Okay, first I guess I need to know if you're a boy or a girl."
What are boys and girls?
"It's… um… I don't know how to explain that to you. Well you see I'm a girl and if I wasn't a girl I'd be a boy."
I don't understand.
Then Sam felt something in her head again she shook her head to get rid of it but it stayed there and she brought her hand up to rub her head when she saw the mark that the dragon had left on her palm right after it had hatched.
"Is that you? I mean in my head?"
Yes, I understand now and I have an answer, I am a girl like you.
"How do you understand? You didn't a second ago."
I looked at your memories of course
Sam wasn't sure what to think about that. All of these things where happening so quickly first a dragon hatched and now that same dragon was looking through her memories and speaking to her in her mind.
When I hatched, I hatched for you Samantha. Said the dragon
"What do you mean?" asked Sam.
I mean that you are the reason I hatched, not because you just happened to find my egg I would not have hatched for anyone else.
"Thank you."
So what's my name?
"Well how about I tell you some names and you tell me if you like them or not?"
Okay.
" okay" Sam echoed "do you like Aida it means joyful in old English."
No
"What about Claiborne, meaning Born on earth since you're the only dragon born on earth?"
No
"Jocelyn?"
No
"Audrey?"
No
"Ellie short for Elliot?"
No, but something else that starts the same way please, I like it.
Sam looked thoughtfully at the dragon for a while trying to think of another name that began with E that the dragon might like.
"I got it! How about Emerald, I think it suits you because of the colour of your scales"
Yes I like that a lot. I want that to be my name please.
'Yeah I like it to I think it suits her.' thought Sam.
So then, we agree it will be my name Said the dragon.
"You can hear my thoughts?" asked Sam although she found that it didn't really surprise her considering that she already knew that Emerald could look at her memories.
Yes, I can but if you don't want me to, then I won't.
"no that's okay its like having a friend in my head and if your going to live in the forest then I need some way to talk to you because I cant sneak off all the time to come and visit you."
Sam felt Emerald looking through her mind for what a friend meant and when she found it, she said
I'm glad you're my friend.
Sam looked at Emerald her first friend and thought back to her
I am glad too.
Sam turned around, pulled out a shirt from the wardrobe, and then pulled out the only jumper she owned from the back of her chest of drawers. She changed as quickly and as quietly as possible careful to mind her back.
We have to be careful when sneaking out Em, said Sam, because I hate to think what would happen to you if you where found.
I have good night eyes Samantha so you don't need that light thing that you packed in your bag before you slept responded Emerald
But how will I be able to see anything? Asked Sam.
Because dragon can share their abilities with those that they hatch to Answered Em
Oh, okay then.
Sam walked over to her bag, pulled out her torch, and placed back in the dresser where she had kept it hidden. Then she picked up her bag, which contained a few blankets for Emerald to sleep on. Sam went to the bed and picked up Em, who promptly leapt from her arms to her shoulder.
What other abilities do you have Em?
Well there are some that we will have to find out together and there are others that I already know about that we will have to get used to.
What are they? I mean the abilities that you already know about. She asked as she went to her door and listened carefully for any sign of Mrs. Hamilton or the other orphans. When she was sure of that no one else was on any midnight wanderings she opened the door and slipped out into the hall, it was then that Em answered
I will tell you when we are in the forest because I have a very good feeling that this is going to come as a shock to you. Replied Em
Do you mean a shock bigger then a dragon hatching for me and only me? She couldn't help asking.
Yes. And with that Sam knew she wasn't going to say anymore so she concentrated on sneaking down the creaky old stairs of the orphanage. Once she had successfully navigated the stairs she moved into the hall and as quietly as possible, she opened the front door and stepped out into the warm night air.
Sam turned and quietly closed the front door behind them and then she felt a tug in her mind she tried to push the unfamiliar sensation away and it stopped.
That was me I was trying to share my vision with you.
Oh, said Sam sheepishly, okay but before we start how exactly does this go?
I am not sure but I believe we retain our individual senses but the quality of your sight changes and will become more like mine, Replied Emerald. Are you ready for me to try again?
Sam just nodded and then she felt the tugging at her mind again this time however, she didn't fight it. For a second she seemed to see double but her vision quickly corrected itself and then it seemed as if it was daytime she could see everything with perfect clarity although her vision was tinged with green. Sam gasped and then said to Emerald
Is this how you see everything?
Its cool isn't it?
Very cool
We cannot stay this way for very long because it takes a lot of energy but once you become used to it, and I become bigger we can keep it up for longer. The same goes for this mind-talking thing the further apart we are the harder it is.
What happens if we keep it open longer then we should?
Sam we CANNOT do that. it is important that you understand this the effort of keeping the link open longer then we should will drain us of energy and could potentially kill us!
Oh, okay. Then we better get moving so we don't waste any time.
Sam started down the street and about ten minutes later, they reached the border of the forest. Sam's feet automatically led her to the place where she had found Em egg and she surveyed the scene, nothing had changed.
I think you need to be further in I don't want there to be any way someone could find you accidentally.
Her vision suddenly reverted to normal and she looked at Em worriedly.
I'm fine, just a bit tiered I didn't realize that it would take so much energy to hold the connection open. Sorry.
Sam brushed it off saying
It's no problem. Just as long as you're okay. I don't want my first and only friend tiring herself out trying to impress me in the future okay? She teased.
The only response she got was a playful cuff around the head from Em's tail.
They continued deeper into the forest and a quarter of an hour later they came across a small glade with a shallow creek running through it.
I like it here, said Em.
Me to, even at this time of night it is breathtaking. I am jealous of you.
Emerald just chuckled softly in Sam's mind and she jumped off Sam's shoulder and landed on the spongy grass.
Its also big enough for me when I get bigger although I am worried about the kind of prey I am going to find in this forest.
