Chapter 4: Hatchling
My popularity in Daret village had risen greatly over the next few days. All the girls wanted to be with me, while all the boys hung out with me. Life was pretty sweet. The egg had not hatched after a week of being in Daret.. I started to doubt I was its true rider. It was to be my 13th birthday in three weeks. The entire village was invited, and all were coming. My doubts about the egg continued until eleven days of the egg being in Daret. I was sitting in my room, finishing an essay of decimal addition when: Crackle! "Mum!" I called out. My Mum, Dad and sister walked in to the room. The egg split open on the bed and revealed a tiny black dragon about twenty centimetres long. He fell off the bed and landed on his bum. He squeaked.
"Oh, how cute," said my sister as she ran up to him. She couldn't touch him. I leant forward and touched him on the nose. A bright flash illuminated the house. I looked at my palm. A black dragon symbol was there.
"Cool," I said.
The dragon went with me every where over the next ten days. To school, to the library to my friends place and even to bed with me. We developed a friendship so powerful, nothing could tear it. And as my birthday drew nearer, people started to like me more and more. Just before my party, Snips (His current name) came into the house from one of his walks. He had a huge scar on one of his legs and was he was crying.
What should I do, I thought. What was that spell Jurmgal used on my hand? Oh yeah Waise heill. "Waise heill," I said at his leg. It didn't work. After a few more tries I got the spell to work. The effort left me a little depleted, but it was worth it to see him smile. I grabbed my sword and let Snips hop on my shoulder as I went out the door to go to the party.
The party was in the main plaza of Daret about north-east of my house. Everyone was down there. I was greeted by hordes of people and congratulated on my birthday. Almost everyone patted Snips and tickled his throat. The Mayor then got up and said his speech; "Welcome friends, neighbours, dragons and mostly, Ashley. Well before we get started, I have a few words of caution to lay upon you all. The Black Knight has been searching for followers ever since his master died twenty years ago. He has enlisted the Urgals, the Ra'zac and some…Dragon Riders. The Bla—"
"Aren't the Ra'zac extinct?" asked a villager.
"No, they're not, just in Alagaesia. Anyway, as I was saying, The Black Knight's army is—"
"HERE!!!!" someone yelled out, and sure enough, a black dragon was riding towards us, followed by ra'zac mounted on lethrblaka and Dragon Riders.