Hello Readers! Got another chapter for you, slightly delayed, but I've been busy. Enjoy! And PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW! I enjoy hearing what you think of the story!

Chapter 12:

A New Point of View

Throughout the rest of the day, Fenrir attempted to learn how to control his body from the eyes of the dragon. It was a disorienting experience to say the least, like he was watching someone else do everything he thought. Especially since this was the first time he could see his new Elven features. Every hour or so, he was forced to return to his own sightless body so the dragon could recover. After a few minutes of rest though, they would continue. They carried on well into the night this way, until they both decided it was enough for the moment.

Fenrir watched the image before him sink off into the distance until there was nothing left, save the eternal blackness of his own blindness. After a few bumps and close-calls, he managed to wander his way back to his bed. As he lay down, he felt relief sweep through his aching muscles. It was sore enough to walk after so long being bed-ridden, but he had also realized a painful truth. Although he was seeing through the dragon's eyes, he still felt his own body, meaning he now felt quite bruised after tripping over furniture and running into walls throughout the day.

Uh, Dragon?

Yes, Two-Legs?

Thank you…

Do not dwell on it. I simply did not want a blind fool to be guiding my flight in the future… but you are welcome.

Although neither would admit it, Fenrir could sense that they both were somewhat closer now after sharing the same body for such an extended period of time. While the purpose and focus of the exercise was sight, the close contact of their minds let their memories slip freely between them. While the dragon's memories were few and blurry, Fenrir felt the dragon viewing his with slight interest.

And strangely, Fenrir didn't mind.

He did not feel the need to hide his emotions or experiences from the dragon. Though they were not the closest Rider and Dragon in person, there was a strange comfort in the contact.

The comfort of a Rider and his Dragon.

Fenrir lay back and relaxed into his pillow, content with the progress they had made over the course of the afternoon. Soon the embrace of sleep took him under, and he gave into it gladly.

He awoke the next morning to the sound of footsteps ascending the staircase to his room. He could feel that the dragon was still in his chosen spot on the balcony, and asking the visitor who they were seemed too easy now, so he reached his mind out to his reptilian partner.

Who is it?

He heard the wood creak as the dragon lifted his head. A few seconds later, Fenrir received a mental image of a surprised, wide-eyed Queen looking into the dragon's eyes.

He chuckled.

"Hello Mother" he laughed. He kept the image of her bewildered expression in his mind. He found it amusing.

"Fenrir? How did you know it was me?" she asked.

Fenrir pointed to the curled up black dragon on the balcony. At least he hoped he did. Throughout all their practice yesterday, he had memorized the layout of the room, including where the balcony was. He was forced to, to avoid running into things.

"My…" was all she replied with.

May I?

The dragon slowly sat up.

I am to be used as your eyes only when necessity demands it, not whenever you want to talk to someone…

Fenrir simply waited.

…Fine.

The dragon gave into his request and Fenrir was temporarily blinded as the morning sunlit room streamed into his vision.

After a few seconds of getting his bearings, Fenrir watched himself rise from his bed and walk to his stunned mother.

"Impressive?" he asked with a laughing smile.

His mother gave him a hug, laughing.

"Most impressive, son. Many Riders have learned to share the senses of their dragons in the past, but never so quickly as far as I know, and certainly not to such an extent as what you two have achieved" she replied approvingly.

Fenrir grinned at his accomplishment.

His mother shook her head after a moment as a thought entered her mind.

"Oh, yes, I almost forgot. I came to bring you breakfast and to tell you that some of our healers will be arriving soon to continue working on your eyes" she said, raising her hand, which Fenrir had not noticed was holding a bowl of fruit.

Gods, please let me have some meat soon.

He returned to his bed with the bowl, sitting on the edge to enjoy the small meal. He allowed the dragon to have his eyes back while he ate. Once he was done, his mother took the bowl and they talked until the healers arrived.

Fenrir borrowed the dragon's sight again when he heard them enter the room. There were three of them. They wore olive green robes and had on rings with lightly glowing gems on each finger. Without a word, they took seats near his bedside, except one, who knelt beside him and raised his hands over Fenrir's blindfold.

"Fenrir, these are three of our most experienced healers. They will each take shifts working on your eyes until they exhaust their energy, at which point the next will continue and so on. You were asleep during the other healing sessions like this, so this may be slightly uncomfortable. I will stay here though if you need me" his mother reassured him.

Fenrir braced himself as he released the eyes of his dragon and the first healer began working. At first, he felt nothing. But of course that didn't last.

It was a slight tingle at first, which slowly grew to an unpleasant squirming, until it was an unbearable movement inside his eyes. It felt like something burrowing around inside his skull, like a bunch of snakes trying to escape through his eye sockets. He tried to confine his pain to small grunts but the pain showed no signs of stopping. As the first audible yell of pain escaped his lips, he felt his mother slip her hand in his. Thank the gods she was Elf, because the force he squeezed her hand with would've shattered the bones of a normal man. He was sure it hurt her, and he wished he could stop but the agony had taken over his body. She simply whispered to him, trying to sooth him, hiding her own discomfort as her hand was probably bruising.

After what seemed like hours, the pain faded. Fenrir lay gasping for breath.

"Is it over?" he asked with weak hope.

"No, that was only the first healer. You still have two more to go. Hang in there Fenrir" his mother replied sympathetically.

Fenrir heard the second healer take his place beside his bed and raise his hands. He thought he heard the man whisper an apology, but he wasn't sure, as the pain once again continued. Another lifetime of torture passed with the sick feeling of worms sliding around his brain. As Fenrir began to lose all feeling in his face, the pain finally faded briefly once again. He braced himself for the final assault on his senses. The tingle built up again until it had returned to the immense agony of before. At some point during the torture, Fenrir began to fall in and out of consciousness until he passed out completely.

He awoke the next day, late in the afternoon judging by an image he pulled from the black dragon's mind. Despite the unbearable pain of the experience, Fenrir felt like the healers had done well. He still couldn't see, but he could feel his eyes. He could tell they were there and intact. He was pretty sure they were there to begin with, but he couldn't feel them, there was just a numb, empty space that he couldn't sense before.

Soon after he had woken up, someone entered the room. Another quick image from the dragon's mind revealed it to be his mother.

Before she had even sat down, he began to beg for the healers to return. They argued over his request for a few minutes before she gave in and she sent for another trio of healers.

Fenrir endured another long session of worms in his skull. Hours later he awoke to find that he could open his eyes. He still couldn't see, to his great disappointment, but he could move his eyes again.

Day after day, Fenrir requested the healers, suffering through the torment for hours. There was only slight improvement after each session but it was progress nonetheless. The dragon had left during the second session, unable to take the pain that was shared with him through their mental connection.

The rest of the week continued in blurry pain of healing sessions, until Fenrir fainted for the final time on the night before training was scheduled to begin.

He awoke on the morning of training still sore, but he had resolved to attend the studies with everyone else, and do just as well.

Are you ready?

His dragon rose from his area of the hatchery.

Yes, Two-Legs. Are you?

Yes, although it has come to my attention that you don't have a name. We won't be able to communicate well in a study group if I have nothing to call you except "Dragon"

Actually, I have already decided on my name.

I thought it was a decision for both of us but okay. What did you name yourself?

Aunyx.

Fenrir thought the name over.

I think that sounds perfect.

I am glad you agree. Shall we go to the Training session now?

Yes.

With Aunyx's help, he made it out of his room and very carefully down the staircase to the forest floor. They began to make their way towards the training grounds, filled with anxiety.