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Date Posted: 20:10:03 03/06/05 Sun
Author: DS
Subject: Ch.4
In reply to: DS 's message, "Ch.3" on 20:04:33 03/06/05 Sun

Ch.4

Nite got to the library moments after the sun completed its rising. The library was a big building on the outskirts of Firond, and was one of the city’s many pride-and-joys. It was tall, and made of a rich marble. A golden arched doorway read Camyl’s National Reader’s Den in emerald letters. Though Nite didn’t care too much for the name, even she had to stop and marvel at the dome-shaped roof, making the place look like a palace. Camyl definetly encouraged reading.

Nite walked up the massive marble steps to a golden door, and silently pushed it open.
Inside was definetly a lot more comfortable than outside. The room of the first floor, yet big, had a homely touch to it. The gentle mahagony bookshelves were well polished, but not overdone, and the room was swamped not only with books but research tables; squishy, comfortable chairs perfect for reading; and windows, open to let cool air pass through but not the strong winds that could blow pages away. Even those who hated books could wish nothing more than to curl up with a good novel and read. That day, already there were many a people occupying the chairs. Several researchers had placed a great deal of books onto the table, and many people were browsing, looksing for a new book on this or a good novel about that. The many people enjoying themselves made the place feel secure and welcome.

If one ever wanted a book on dragons, Firond was the place to go. On the third and final floor, there was the largest section of books on dragons in Camyl. Many believed it was those like old Benjil, who aside from loving dragons, loved all creatures considered magical or unusual. Others say it’s because of the many families of soldiers that lived there, like Nite’s own, who loved to hear of the nights that had band together against the race of dragons. Either way, it provided more information than any one person could ever wish to know.

However, today, there was no one up there.
No one occupied the many squishy chairs of the room, and there was no one with an armload of books making their way to the desks. None seemed to walk through the lovely bookshelves of even the novels of dragonlore, and the place had an errie quiet with the absence of turning pages. Only the third-floor librabrian at the desk was there.
Nite walked up to her curiously, and gestured around. “Why isn’t anyone up here?”
The librarian looked at her, wide-eyed. “No one’s wanted to come up here. “ she said quietly.
“Why not?”
”Because he’s here.” The librarian said, as if that was explanation enough.
It wasn’t for Nite. “Who’s here?”
“An elf.”
That was enough for Nite to stare. Many people still feared elves after the war, and elves barely ever came into human territory, and vise versa. To have an elf here, in Ferond, was special…
And then, Nite remembered.
“Well, I need something from here. Do you think he’d mind…?”
“He said nothing about keeping anyone away,” the librarian said uncomfortably.
“Thanks.” Nite said. The image of the emerald filled her mind.

After looking through a few bookshelves, she found him.
The man was tall, as all others of his race were. About 7’5, Nite would guess, with dark, wind-swept brown hair brushing his shoulders. He was neither tan nor pale, and his chocolate brown eyes passed calmly from book to book, searching for the right one. His hair was parted at his ears, which were indeed very pointed.
Nite felt small as she hesitantly, silently walked up. He must’ve noticed her, she knew, but he showed no sign of it. She stopped next to him, and looked over at the books. Titles like, Dragons; How They Lived, and, Dragon Characteristics jumped out at her, and she was just deciding to check out the second when a voice startled her from her thoughts.
“You wish to learn about dragons?”
His voice was calm, and had an elegant accent that no human could copy. As she looked up, his eyes stayed on the books, but she was sure it was he who spoke.
“Yes. My name is Nite.” She said, taking special care not to sound too much in awe or fear. When he did not answer, she went on. “Are… are you the one who bought the emerald from Benjil?”
Seconds passed, but the elf replied, “Yes. Kind man, Benjil. I see why Lillian chose him.”
“Before her death.” Nite answered, nodding. “She was a wonderful woman.”
“Yes.” He replied, more to himself. “She was.”
“Are…” Nite swallowed. “Are you planning on checking that one out?” She pointed to Dragon Characteristics almost shyly.
“You may, if you wish. I plan to stay here longer, so it matters little when I plan to read it.”
Nite nodded. “Thanks.” Gently, she reached past him, and slid the book out of its place. Then, with even more caution, she left the shelve, and sat down in one of the comfortable chairs.

The cover of the book was made of old hide, suggesting it was a very old book. Written in faded emerald letters on the front was the title, and she felt almost as if tresspassing on forbidden information as she opened the old binding to the first yellowish, prachment page.

Dragon Characteristics
By Stayr, year of 1514

Smiling a bit, Nite thought of how old the book must be. The year was 1724 right then, so the book was about 210 years old, and still legible. After flipping over two blank pages, she reached the table of contents, and quickly found the chapter she needed.

Ch.2 Male or Female?………Pg. 38

Gently flipping the old, crumbling pages, she turned to the chapter, and started to read. The first few paragraphs were all on how the male and female looked exactly the same to the untrained eye, and what similarities there were, but finally she found something useful:

Now, telling them apart was indeed much harder.
First of all, every good dragonlover must know the difference in the scales. As they started to take the place of the loose hide after only six to ten hours, the scales were the earliest ways of recognization, though very difficult and often confusing. The scales of a male would always be slightly bigger, with a sharper end to them. They were often grown in clumps of three or four, their first ones making a shape similar to the leaves of an Oak. Once they grew older, their scales took a more even shaping, and were a more diamon-like shape. The females, however, were born with the same type of scales they got later in life. A female’s were more of a tear-shaped, with the point sticking outward. However, it was hard to tell the difference most of the time.
Another way, though easier, was only good at certain times, when information was doubtfully needed. Once a dragon reached adulthood, the males had sharper scales than the females. Also, the females, when pregnant with an upcoming clutch, would tighten their scales together to make them almost skin-like, so the young ones could stay with their mother without being injured.

Nite gave an exasperated sigh. What good was this? Unless the dragonling’s scales were easily told as either tears or leaves, it would be no help whatsoever to her now. Eyeing the book, she looked at the next paragraph.

An easier way to tell was never really proven. It was told that dragons learned to talk…

Nite didn’t even bother reading the rest. Dragon’s couldn’t talk, and who needed an unverified answer anyway?
Angrily, she got up, slammed the book shut, and walked back to the shelf she’d gotten it from. The elf was still there.
“Here.” She said, giving him the book. “I don’t need it.”
He finally turned his gaze from the books, and Nite felt as though his shining, chocolate brown eyes could look deep into her soul.
“If you’re sure.” He responded.


Nite’s mind whirled as she made her way home. When she checked on her little friend, she was enraged to find out that the black’s scales didn’t really look like much; just harder pieces of hide.


For the next few weeks, everything went pretty well. Ray was normally busy training with his sword, so Nite was free to visit the black without worry. Her mother hadn’t awoken, so she didn’t have to explain why she had been hunting more often. However, her mind was not totally at ease.
The black got larger every day.
By the end of the first week, it was almost as tall as Nite’s knee. It had grown several inches in length, and was now a bit longer than her arm, including the long tail, the neck and head not included, though the neck was very long by now. The dragonling’s scales were completely grown in by then, and still didn’t seem either tear-like or leaf-like to a frustrated Nite. However, the creature was bright, and could keep Nite in a good mood. Before long, the creature had become her best friend.
The end of the third week, almost a month after its hatching, was the day something spectacular happened.

The young dragon—now too big to be called dragonling—was huge. The tip of its head was about in line with Nite’s nose. Excluding the neck and tail, the creature was about 5’2 long, and the tail seemed the length of the body. The neck was about half this length, and at the biggest part of the head, it was nearly the size of Nite’s own head. The neck now had spike-like neck-ridges, which went from the tip of the head to the tip of the tail. Its head was horse-like in shape, and the many-faceted eyes were more human-like now. They had whites and pupils, and though the white lost the mini crystals, the pupil-parts remained faceted, changing color with emotion. The head, too, had changed a bit. Not only was it bigger, but it had finer features. The ridges from the neck came up only to the back of the head, and, on the very top, were two parts resembling spikes even more than the ridges. At the base, they seemed as though they’d stick strait up, but they curved around, allowing the two ‘spikes’ to come down on the left side of its face. Also, as the curve from the fang-filled jaws went through to the bottom of the face, a strange sort of growing pattern showed up where the bottom of the face came to meet the neck. It looked almost like fur, coming out in a swept-fashion, at the side of the head. Its color had also seemed to become, if possible, darker.
All in all, the young black had changed.

Nite had moved the black into a little shack, about twelve feet from the house, where they stored emergency items. The young one didn’t object, but she could feel the lonliness it emitted and the joy it got at company whenever she visited. Nite had long since gotten used to the idea of feeling the young one’s feelings, and had, finally, agreed that the bond really was there.


One morning, as Nite was bringing the blacks breakfast, she had a weird feeling. It was a feeling of new ability, and she supposed that the black was giving her this feeling. Getting excited, Nite started wondering on what the dragon might have learned. Maybe it wished to try and fly? The wings were about three times the body length now; she should start soon, by Nite’s judgement.
She soon found out. As soon as she opened the door to the shack, she felt the rush of graditude the dragon sent, and then something completely new formed in her mind.

Nite!

Nite was taken aback. The voice in her mind was not her own; it sounded higher, younger, and had a beautiful, gentle accent, as indescribable as an elf’s. She was just wondering if she’d imagined it when—Nite!
Nite looked around wildly, and then her eyes rested on the black. The young dragon was staring at her intently, its eyes wide and sparkling a yellow of excitement. Could it be…
“Was that you?” she asked, wondering how odd it was that this was her first time speaking to the creature as though it could understand.
Yes, silly.
Nite was taken aback. “But… how…?”
Did you think I was a speechless dragon?
Nite had no idea how to reply to that. “But, you’re… an animal. Dragons are animals.”
And so are humans.
Nite’s eyes widened almost fearfully. “But… the books didn’t—”
Did you think all could be found in a book? The black asked curiously. You’ve always been much smarter than that, Nite.
“How…” she swallowed. “How do you know my name?”
You’ve told me before.
“Oh.” She shifted her feet, but her eyes never left the dragon. “Well… how do you know so many words?” Humans learn them all one by one, she thought.
I’ve heard you use them before. You talk to me a lot. And, I’m not a human, am I?
“How… how did you…” Nite didn’t know how to ask.
The dragon’s eyes got a pink tinge of embarassment. We share a bond, Nite. I can hear when you think, unless you wish me not to.
“Oh.” Nite was not feeling very intelligent anymore. For a few days, it seemed that she’d figured out a lot about the dragon. She knew what it ate, when it slept, how fast it could run, all sorts of things. This added so much more to it all. And, surely if it spoke, it had a personality all its own, just like a human…?
The dragon seemed to laugh at something, though Nite couldn’t quite think of what it might find funny— it.
“Are…” Nite didn’t know a polite way to ask. “Dragon, are you a boy or—”
She got a burst of draconic sound as a result. At first, Nite thought the beast to be coughing, but soon, she came to realize that the way the fanged mouth curled upwards into a smile and the orange in its eyes showed definate signs of laughter. Apparently, it was amused by something she’d either said or done.
At first Nite couldn’t think of what, but smiled as she finished her sentence. “…girl.”
Yes.
Nite only then noticed she was trembling. This whole ordeal still freaked her out, and it seemed her dragon’s voice was something that she hadn’t yet gotten used to.
The dragon crooned to her with concern. Have I distressed you?
She smiled as the dragon started pawing the ground in corncerned exasperation. “Naw… I’m just surprised, that’s all.”
The dragon cooled a bit. Good. You will get used to me again in time?
Nite remembered back when she’d learned the dragon was longer than she was tall, and how that made her feel. “Well, yes,” She answered truthfully. “I know I’ll get used to this.”
Good. The black crooned, walking up to Nite and nuzzling her head against Nite’s stomach. Nite stopped trembling as much. The dragon’s show of affection was something she was used to.


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