Chapter 10
Just when Starglory thought her wings would fall off, Jerboa suddenly exclaimed, "There!" Starglory squinted, trying to see, for the sun was rapidly setting and shadows were being cast by the dunes. She saw it, a big, dark square brick sitting in the desert.
"We should find a place to spend the night before we try to find that dragon," said Jerboa. "They probably won't let us in after dark. We can probably find an inn or something in the courtyard. Sure enough, a small village was in the courtyard, with buildings and dragons walking around.
Starglory began to dive for the courtyard but Jerboa smacked her with a wing. "You go in through the gate. It's polite."She winged her way down and landed in front of the gate. Starglory followed.
Two burly guards were stationed on either side of the gate. They didn't try to stop the two as they walked through the gates.
"This way," said Jerboa quietly, steering Starglory with her tail. A long, low building of dark brick spanned one end of the courtyard. The other dragons seemed to be steering clear of it. A padlocked door with a guard in armor, armed with a long spear, seemed to be the only entrance or exit.
Starglory walked slowly up to the guard and shyly asked, "Um- I'd like to visit someone-"
"No." snapped the guard. He began to recite in a dry voice. "No dragonets under the age of seven may enter the prison without being accompanied by a parent or guardian over seven-"
"I'm her guardian." interrupted Jerboa.
The guard squinted at Jerboa. "You're over seven, then?"
"Yup," answered Jerboa. "I had my hatching-day last month."
The guard grunted. "Happy belated, then," he said sarcastically as he opened the door. "Oh, and I'm supposed to stay out here at night. So if you, say, accidentally release every single dragon in that place, I won't be around to save your sorry-" He said a very dirty word.
"Oh, I think we can take care of our own sorry-" Jerboa repeated the word. Starglory barely muffled her giggles.
A long hallway leading to another door was inside. Once the outer door had boomed shut, Jerboa said to Starglory, very seriously, "You can take care of your own sorry-" The word again! "Right?"
Starglory burst out laughing. "I'm pretty sure I can..." she said through snorts. "Are you really seven?"
"No," said Jerboa with a look of smug pride. "I'm six. But my hatching-day really was last month, so I was telling part of the truth. Fig always said I was-" She stopped, suddenly quiet.
"Who's Fig? What did he say?" Starglory pestered, but Jerboa turned away and was silent.
Starglory awkwardly pushed the door open. Jerboa sat down on the floor. "I don't think I'll go in... I'll wait for you here." said Jerboa, very faintly and somewhat snuffly.
"Jerboa..." whispered Starglory. Grief was coming off her in great waves, clear as day and twice as bright.
"I said go! Go find your crazy dragon..." Jerboa buried her head in her wings.
Go on and seek the brown dragon. Your friend needs to be alone. She fears anyone seeing her as weak.
Not you, groaned Starglory, rubbing her head. Have you got inside Jerboa's head too?
What she wanted to do was stay and comfort Jerboa, but had the weird voice ever lead her wrong. Not yet, anyway... With a lats glance at Jerboa, Starglory stepped into the prison.