Chapter 2: Higher Education

"So where did you get that portable hole thing?" asked Shal. "I never even knew we had that."

"I've had it since before you were born," replied Versvechverthicha. "Cost me quite a lot to come by it. I always use it when I go hunting. Makes things so much easier to carry."

They were flying home, after a successful hunt at the cattle farm. Nobody spotted them, which is somewhat hard to believe considering the size of Shal's father (he was over 20 feet long from nose to tail). The sun had set and a crescent moon was visible in the clear night sky. They landed softly at the boulder, Versvechverthicha moved it aside, and they entered.

Shal's father placed the portable hole on the wall and let its contents spill out onto the ground. They divided evenly, according to who ate the most, and the meal began. Now dragons do not usually cook their food before eating it, since their digestive tracts are particularly resilient, and they do not catch food-borne bacteria or parasites very easily. A dragon could eat rocks and wood if the situation was dire, mostly due to their amazingly efficient metabolisms, and the fact that the energy from their breath weapon is used to aid in digestion. Therefore, the meal began almost as soon as the cows hit the floor. It was a very messy and bloody sight to see.

Dragons can eat an entire meal in probably less than ten minutes, but they usually spread this time by putting short breaks in between eating frenzies, to leave room for savoring the flavor and for conversation. During one of those breaks, Shal's mother, Calohexitharas, asked if Shal knew why Versvechverthicha permitted him to go hunting.

"It's because I'm the oldest," he replied.

"Partially," his mother replied. "It has to do with your maturity. Me and your father feel that you are old enough to start learning how to live on your own. Your father will be taking you hunting more often and-"

"Are you throwing me out or something?" Shal asked jokingly.

"No, no, no, Shal, we're not throwing you out. We just want you to be educated enough when you feel it is time for you to move on. That is why we plan on enrolling you in boarding school."

Shal gasped. "Boarding school? Why do I have to go to boarding school?"

"Because, intellectually endowed as we are, we lack the proper facilities to teach you everything, so home schooling is out of the question."

"But where will we find a dragon boarding school?" Shal asked, confused.

"You won't be going to a dragon boarding school," Calohexitharas replied. "You will be going to a human boarding school."

"What? Humans?" Shal said, becoming discouraged. "Why do I have to learn with those guys? They're too stupid to teach me!"

"That's not true, Shal. This school is specially trained in teaching the ways of magic."

Shal's ire quickly changed to excitement. "Magic? I'm going to be learning how to wield magic?"

"There is a small school out in the country that I've been scrying," Shal's mother said, motioning to the scrying pool. "It is not too expensive, and it is pretty close to here, so it t should do." For those of you who don't know, scrying is magically viewing something from a great distance away, such as through a crystal ball or a scrying pool.

"So, what do you think? The choice is up to you, Shal," his father said.

There was a pause, as Shal thought out the issue, weighing each pro and con in his mind.

Upon reaching his conclusion, he said, "Okay."

Everyone had gone to sleep. Everyone, except for Miirikekessearenk, who could not sleep. She crept quietly up to Shal, who was sound asleep, and she poked him in the side until he woke up.

Groggily, he said, "Whuh? What's goin on?" He looked over to Miir. "What's the matter?"

"I can't sleep," she said. "I can't stop thinking about how you're going to boarding school."

Shal got up and sat. "I still can't believe it myself," he replied.

"It's not fair," Miir said, frustration all over her face. "Why do you always get the special attention?"

"I was born first, and that's the way it is." He saw that that did not help much. "Look, if you were born first, you would have gone to boarding school instead of me. Mom and Dad are just doing what they think is best for us. I wouldn't doubt that they will teach you how to hunt and send you to boarding school when you are old enough."

"It's just not fair," Miir said, pouting.

"Fate is a cruel mistress at times, but one must remember that life does not revolve around fate," Shal said, imitating wisdom.

"That sounds like you read it out of one of our old tomes," Miir said, a smile slowly spreading across her face.

"Life is long, and your chance to attend school and receive the education of life will come in due time," Shal said. "There's no need to rush."

"I know. I'm sorry I got angry at you. I'm just gonna miss you. None of us have been apart for more than a couple hours, and now you're gonna be gone for nine whole months."

"Everything will work out in the end. I'll bet you it will."

He gave his little sister a hug and bid her goodnight, and she crept off to her side of the cavern.

Shal rolled over and quickly fell back to sleep, a sleep filled with wondrous dreams. He dreamt of wielding unimaginable power. He dreamt of living forever as a god among dragons, of attaining a level of greatness never before seen in the world. And in his sleep, he smiled.