~~~~~Chapter 1~~~~~

Seven years later

"Kita", said Royan, tapping her on her shoulder, "wake up."

"Noooo", Kita answers sleepily, batting his talon away.

"Happy birthday", Royan said.

"Five more minutes", Kita answers.

"It's almost midday!" Royan said, "You need to get up! Don't want to waste away an important day!"

"Ugh, fine", Kita said sitting up. She stretches and yawns. Royan loves to see her awake in the morning. He wanted to protect her with all of his soul.

"Close your eyes", said Royan, "I'll go get your present."

"You got me a present?" Kita asked closing her eyes.

He trots off away from the campsite to find the carving he had hidden. It was stashed in an old badger den.

"There you are", he said picking it up. It was carved from maple wood. It was a carving of Royan and Kita. They were flying over mountains. Kita was smiling up at Royan while sitting in the saddle on his shoulders, Royan was twisting his head to smile back at her.

He made his way back to the campsite with the carving.

"Took you long enough", Kita calls as he entered the clearing.

"Okay", said Royan, "open them."

She opened her eyes and her face lit up as she saw the carving. He handed it to her.

"You made this?" Kita asked.

"Yeah", said Royan.

"I love it!" Kita said.

She lunged forward and hugged his leg. Royan lowers his head and pressed his chin against her back.

"I figured today would be a good day to give this to you because today's the day we find your home", Royan said after a moment.

"Royan, I've already told you", Kita said, pulling away, "home is wherever you are. That became clear to me seven years ago on the brightest night."

"I know, I just...", Royan said, "Don't you miss your family?"

Kita sat down in the grass and Royan layed beside her.

"I do, Royan. But it's just that...I want to stay with you, and they'd try to kill you. Everyone is scared of dragons, and that means they'll kill any dragon without hesitation."

"But if we could try to talk them-"

"No, Royan! You can't talk people out of their fear!"

He curled his neck around to set his head in her lap. He looked up at her with sad eyes. They sat in silence for a while as Kita ran her hand over his snout.

It must be awful for her Royan thought Being torn between wanting to stay with her best friend and her protector and wanting to go home to her family.

"C'mon", Kita said, "let's get your saddle on."

He lifted his head to let her up. She walked over to the saddle and saddle pad. Kita slept on the saddle and used the pad as a blanket at night while Royan slept beside her.

Royan followed her and crouched down to make it easier for Kita. She draped the pad on his shoulders and moved it around until it was in the right position. He reached over to pick up the saddle and placed it on his back, as it was too heavy for Kita to lift. She shifted the saddle until it sat comfortably on his shoulders. She latched to buckle in front of his front legs, then the second latch behind them. She then clamped the metal circles fitted around his legs. She took out a buckle from a saddle bag and attached the two circles together. She put the carving in a large saddle bag.

"Okay, done", Kita said when she finished, "Wanna go visit Gaberiel?"

"Sure", Royan answered. Gaberiel was a blacksmith that they had met three years ago. Thankfully he was quite fond of dragons as well so he was willing to make them a saddle. Royan liked Gaberiel. He always gave him perfectly cooked goat meat.

Kita hopped into the saddle and fastened her buckle to the saddle to keep her on.

Royan went over to an apple tree. He stood on his hind legs and gripped the tree with his talons. He shook it vigorously making apples fall to the ground. Kita caught a couple of apples and began to munch on them for breakfast.

Royan took to the air, staying steady so Kita could eat comfortably.

He felt the wind barely graise his scales. He loved to feel the air under his wings lifting him higher above the world. He was sure Kita loved it too.

Kita tossed the final apple core to the ground. Now they could have some fun.

He tucked in his wings and went into a dive.

When he neared the ground he spread his wings and went straight up. He beat his wings to the rhythm of his heart. He inhaled and exhaled to the beat of his wings.

This was where they were both meant to be. Above the world when no one even knew.