Nadja sat on her cot facing Aidan, who stood by the door.
"Hey-um.. thanks for the save earlier," he stuttered.
"No problem, your mother sure is a witch," Nadja replied.
"More like a bitch, and she's not my mother. My mother died five years ago. She's my aunt," Aidan corrected.
"Oh. I'm sorry for your loss. And no wonder she's your aunt, you two look nothing alike."
"Yeah, it'd be a real shame if we looked alike."
Nadja laughed. -Tell your friend to watch his tongue.-
Nadja jumped to her feet, "What was that?!"
"What was what?" Aidan asked.
"Who said that?" Nadja cried, scanning the room.
"Do not look at me!" Aidan muttered.
Nadja brought her hand to the side of her head, "Ughh. They warned me this would happen!"
"What would happen?!"
Nadja closed her eyes and focused, -Helloooo! Purple?-
-Sorry to have startled you. I'm the purple dragon by the way,- the purple dragon said timidly.
-Oh its alright! I was just caught momentarily of guard,- Nadja murmured.
-Well now that that's over, I am not very fond of the name Purple.-
-But that is what you are!- Nadja exclaimed.
-I am a dragon that does not want to argue. Could we just find a more suitable name?- the purple dragon asked.
-Fine, how about Ingo?- Nadja inquired.
The dragon shook its head.
-Maik? Azadeh? Ihepani?-
-None of the above. Try something more feminine, I don't want to be mistaken for a male after all.-
-Oh,- Nadja felt herself blush, she was using male names on a female dragon, -How about Betaína?-
-That is it. I can feel it!- the dragon exclaimed.
-Well, Betaína,-
"Ummm. Should I go get Phoena?" Aidan interrupted.
"What? Oh! Sorry. My dragon Purple-err-Betaína and I just had our first conversation," Nadja cried.
"How was it?" Aidan asked.
"Really stranged. Betaína speaking was like having a second subconscious."
"Wow! Well... I guess I'll be going," Aidan muttered as he slipped out of the tent.
Nadja sank on to her cot and shifted so she faced the stretching dragon on the ground, -So what do you want to do now?-
Betaína seemed to shrug, -Anything is better than nothing, though I believe I hear someone approaching.-
Dusty sunlight began to filter into room as Phoena pushed the tent flap open. "Pack your things Nadja! We will be departing swiftly!" With that Phoena disappeared from the door way.
-What was that all about?- Betaína asked.
-No idea, but it seemed urgent,- Nadja answered, grabbing her saddle bag. She began to shuffle around the tent, looking for things to pack.
When Nadja felt sure that she had everything, she adjusted the bag to sit securely on her shoulders and stopped. Extending her arm like a branch Nadja waited patiently as Betaína scrambled onto the cot and then fluttered to her arm. The purple dragon crawled across Nadja's arm until she came to rest on her shoulder. Nadja turned around slowly, examining the tent one last time. Finally, the girl and her dragon strode forth from the tent and into the world.
OOO
Sooner then Nadja would have liked Phoena called the group to a halt. As Nadja brought her horse to a trot and to walk she stole a glance at the sky, the sun had nearly sunk below the horizon. Turning to Aidan she saw him dismounting his mare already. Nadja noted he looked a bit queasy. Slowly Nadja brought her left leg up over the saddle, and jumped to the ground.
Nadja had begun to brush the dirt and horse hairs of her clothes when Phoena threw herself at Nadja, shoving her into her horse. Aidan, being wiser and quicker jumped backwards into his own horse, sparing Phoena the trouble.
She couldn't make out the Phoena's commands over the whining of the horses, shouted spells, and the blood curdling shrieks of an unknown foe. Glancing at Aidan, who had already mounted his horse, one arm thrown protectively over his dragon whom had dug his claws into the saddle, Nadja decided she should do the same.
OOO
-Betaína! What is happening?!- Nadja screamed as she rode further from the commotion.
-I know not, but is has caused great distress,- Betaína responded, waves of fear and confusion distorting her usually calm emotions.
Nadja held out her arm as Betaína soared overhead. The purple dragon turned into a steep dive, coming to a stop just in time. Betaína settled onto Nadja's arm and then scrambled to her shoulder.
Nadja heard Aidan's horse shriek as he urged it to faster. Nadja decided to do the same by pushing her heels into the sides of the horse.
OOO
Nadja felt as though she was flying. She figured Aidan, who rode on her right, felt the same. To her left a male elf who's name she could not remember rode. Overhead a human rider whom Nadja had only ever caught glimpses of flew on their dragon.
An inhuman shriek filled the air. Its noise shattering the false calm of night. The hair on the back of Nadja's neck and arms stood up. Betaína growled. Her horse tried to rear up. Nadja dug her heels further into the sides of her horse and willed it to go faster. The creature who chased from behind gained speed. Nadja glanced up and saw Phoena and her dragon join the human rider.
Betaína shrieked as the creature began to close in. Nadja could hear her heartbeat in her head, her adrenalin spiked. She screamed something unintelligible. A flash of crackling light hit filled the air. Swiftly the burning light found its mark on the monster's chest. Nadja realized seconds later that the flaming light had come from her. Though she did not remember what spell she used.
Nadja slumped forwards onto the neck of her horse. She felt very faint, empty even. Nadja wished she could sleep for a fortnight.
OOO
Nadja stretched wearily, she was still sore from her ill advised spell casting. Though it had not been the first time she had used magic, it was her first real taste of spell usage in combat. Slowly she pushed the tent flap open, blinking at the bright sun.
Nadja strolled towards the motley circle of people (most were elves) mentally preparing herself for a scolding.
"I presume you have learned a lesson from your hasty spell casting?" A very battered and tired looking Phoena murmured. Nadja nodded solemnly.
"There will be no punishments?" The human rider inquired.
"No punishments," Phoena replied, with a hint of finality. Nadja sighed with relief.
OOO
"Being tired and sore are punishment enough, it would seem," Aidan whispered as the two walked towards where their horses were grazing.
"Oh yes."
Aidan flashed a flicker of a smile at the comment but frowned again, "you could have died."
"I am well aware of that," Nadja replied.
"I didn't know if you were going to be alright. You had fainted and weren't stirring, Phoena said you would be fine, but I didn't believe her," Aidan muttered, anger and despair gripping his words.
"It was terrifying on my half as well," Nadja declared, "Though how about I never do that again. Deal?"
"Deal."
Nadja wrapped her arm around Aidan's shoulders, "Com'on lets go see what our dragons are up to, friend."
"Friend," Aidan uttered, his voice so faint Nadja couldn't hear it, as he smiled the first genuine smile his face had seen in years.
OOO
A/N: I hope this chapter was ok. It was the first real action scene ive written. Updates will now be every other week. Also readers can now visit me on tunmblr im .com !
Next chapter sneak peek: It will be from Murtagh's pov.
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