…A rider discovers the ancient home of the dragons, when their population was greater. Using their writings, he wanders the earth looking for dragon survivors. He locates an egg, and it hatches for him. Not wishing to be alone, the pair searches the globe for others. They find what they were looking for…
Chapter 7: Evander
Evander stretched out and lay down on the metal roof of the airship. The sun glared off the metal skin and windows, so he lay on his back and avoided looking at the ship. Off to his right, he could see the Wind Rider, her engine props spinning idly in the northern breeze. Small flocks of mallan circled over the clouds and he could see Carn out chasing them on his dragon. Fool, Evander thought, he could be seen by the passengers of the Wind Rider, and that would create questions. Lazily, he took a small flint from his pocket and struck a spark. Using the technique that Matthias had taught him, he made the fire hang in mid-air, then rotate in a whirling wheel of flame.
A large puff of smoke tinged wind blew the wheel into oblivion. Evander rolled over and looked into the face of his dragon. Zephyr stared right back at him in mild amusement as Evander stood up. He gave his dragon a light pat on the large nose and the dragon's eyes closed with contentment.
"Do you want to eat, is that it?" Evander asked. The dragon nodded in response and Evander smiled. He picked his vest up from the airship and slid it over his shoulders. The vest was hand-made by Evander. The plans had come from the ancient temple he had discovered ten years ago. Inside was a wealth of information about the ancient dragons and their riders. The vest was a deep orange and had a curved pattern on the collar and around one shoulder. He loved the vest, it was that of a high ranking dragon rider, as was the ornate saddle on Zephyr's back.
He rounded the massive head of Zephyr and hopped into the saddle. The fighting straps were attached, for Zephyr must have wanted to go after mallan without a bow. The birds were hard to catch and usually required a bow and a quick eye. The fat ones were slower and there seemed to be many in the sky at that time.
Evander touched the dragon's neck and the creature launched itself from the ship with a massive force. Evander was snapped back in the saddle as they took a giant plunge into the flock below the ship. Zephyr had been right. Evander caught one bird around the neck with his hand and his dragon had consumed two whole. Evander looked startled at the bird in his hand, still alive and trying vainly to bite him as the other had done two days before.
The lucky bird was jerked from his hand as Zephyr dived again and Evander grabbed the horn of the saddle, not wanting another bird in his hand and no idea what to do with it. Zephyr caught five more birds, a feast, before he made for the cabin of their home.
After he had untied himself, he noticed Matthias and Hoth in one corner. Matthias still had his shoulder bandaged and he waved with his free hand. He pointed to where Carn and his dragon slept and Evander saw five more mallan stacked neatly in a pile.
"Good hunting day, I assume. Hoth caught three without jumping off the ledge over there. Stupid birds." Matthias called over the snoring of Hoth.
Evander nodded and looked at the bulging belly of Zephyr. The dragon moved to his favorite spot and lay down. He began to snore in a very short time. Evander in the meantime leaned against Zephyr's side and turned to Matthias and began another spark. Matthias grinned as Evander turned the spark into the spinning inferno again. He created a small whirlwind on the palm of his hand and the two silently tried to conquer the other element. Matthias won easily, but not after Evander had seen a slight grimace of concentration. Evander was getting better.
They tried three more times, with the outcome the same. On there fourth, the other two riders and their dragons entered the room and Carth threw two more mallan at Evander.
"That makes seven for us tonight. We will eat well, like the people on the Wind Rider!" Carn said, throwing his boots into a corner and rubbing his sore feet. All four agreed and Evander went into the kitchen to cook.
He thought to himself as he brought the stove into life without any power needed, he was too tired. He couldn't remember when he began to cook, but he enjoyed it. The experience felt fulfilling. He began to whistle a happy tune, and, in the next room, heard Zephyr begin to hum the tune with him, making a joyous harmony.