If she teaches me, Beetle thought, I can prove I'm good enough to fight! She looked at the package. Then at Jerboa. "Yes," she said, "Please help me. I want to learn!" Jerboa made a face that Beetle thought was a smile.
"Of course I'll help you, I said that before, didn't I?" She said. Her talons went to the package and she picked it up. "As I've stated, this is for you," she handed the package to Beetle. The camel hide was soft on her palms. "Well, open it." Jerboa said crisply, "Don't just stare at it all day."
Beetle shakily opened the parcel. As the camel hide wrapping fell away, it revealed something made of silver metal. "No," she gasped. She couldn't believe what Jerboa had gotten this, for her.
"Yes," Jerboa said, her gaze softened, "This is for you." The old dragon's heart ached, this dragonet could be normal- or somewhat normal, unlike her. Beetle looked up into her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered. She clutched the blade a little more tightly, "Thank you."
A few days later, Beetle and Jerboa were walking along the shoreline not far from her hut. It was a hot day with the occasional gust of cool wind. The found a suitable spot to train and decided to have lunch there.
Lunch was a few lizards, coconut milk, and some camel jerky. "It's such a wonderful day, don't you think?" Beetle asked. Jerboa sighed. "It is nice out," she said, "Good weather for swimming." Beetle's face lit up, "You can swim?" Jerboa shrugged and said simply, "I'll teach you sometime, if you want." Beetle nodded happily and looked out over the sea.
The salty blue waves crashed against each other, lapped at the shore, hid little fish that sometimes jumped out of the water. She couldn't see and islands, because they were farther down near the bottom of the continent. The sea-spray got caught in the wind, splattered onto her face, and up her nose. Beetle gave a violent sneeze and started to laugh. Jerboa had a slightly amused look on her face as well.
"You know," she said, "I heard that there's another continent across the sea." Beetle looked up, eyes full curiosity. "Really?" She cried, "Is it true?" Jerboa pondered this. "Well, I personally think it is, but a lot of scholars think it's a myth." She and Beetle looked out over the grey-blue water while she continued on, "Back when I was a small dragonet, my mother told stories about the Lost Continent. She said it was also shaped like a dragon. That the dragons there had strange wings and horns and plants."
"Strange like what? What did they look like?" Beetle questioned, "Did the plants eat dragons?!" "I do not know," Jerboa said gravely, "But I can try to find out." Beetle smiled with appreciation, "Thank you." Jerboa nodded, "No problem. Should we get training?" Beetle jumped to her talons. "Yes!" She cried, "Let's go!"