I’m not sure. Looks like at least one other dragon.
Dragon! We need to get down on the ground and through the portal!
You need not fear; you are a dragon rider.
Dragon passenger more like. I’ve got no spear, I can’t fight on your back.
I doubt you’ll need to, they don’t look aggressive. I’m just going to take a look.
I saw the two of them much more clearly as we drew closer. The dragons approached us from the left as we swept past to the right, heads whipping around to check the other out. One of the riders held his hand out, making the international gesture for ‘go down’. Miazydar snorted at this and pulled away, taking a much more abrupt route to the ground. He dropped like a stone, much like he did when catching prey, pulling up with a flap of his wings when we got closer.
I felt like I almost fell from the dragon’s back. He landing in a ready crouch, his tail beginning to lash, something that was upsetting the people still lingering in the square. Tone it down, M, I said. There’s still people and stalls at this time of day.
Get behind my wings, was all he would say.
What’s going on? You shift and we can go. Nothing’s following us through the portal if we don’t want them to. Let’s go.
No, we don’t run; he said with a shake of his head. He raised it regally as other dragons landed, sending whoever remained in the square running. One dragon was OK, but three?
The riders dropped from the shoulders of their beasts with easy grace, close fitting helmets removed and tucked under arms as they ambled towards us. I took a look at the faces, kind of human-looking, though both sported the kind of pointy ears, complicated hairstyles and superior attitude of high elf cosplayers. One was male and had long black hair, the other was a female with honey blonde hair and bright blue eyes. “Who the hell are you and what do you think you’re doing, flying an unregistered dragon over Damorican airspace?”
Great, it appeared I’d been pulled over by the Dragon Highway Patrol.
“Tess and Miazydar and we’re about to leave Damorica, so it won’t be an issue, officer.”
“Officer?” the man’s head jerked back and he glanced at his partner.
“I don’t know this dragon,” the woman said, walking closer under the arch of M’s neck, a frown on her face.
“His name is—.”
“No, that’s not what I meant. I can ask him myself if I have need.” She looked over her shoulder at the man. “An unregistered dragon? Anek, has there been such a thing in the last two hundred years?”
“Not to my knowledge.”
She stood before Miazydar, arms crossed and her expression changed slightly. It was as if she was a bit constipated and feeling uncomfortable or as if she smelled someone else’s fart but was too polite to say anything.
“What are you doing?” I said, coming to lean on M’s shoulder. She tried to do whatever she was doing a little harder, then backed away with a hiss of frustration.
“I’ve tried to speak mind to mind, but his shield is too strong.”
“Then perhaps you’ll do me the courtesy of speaking to me in person.”
Miazydar’s voice, in reality, was much like it was in my mind: deep, gravelly and grave. I stifled back a chuckle as both of them jumped back, their dragons’ heads whipping up to regard us with big yellow eyes.
“Great one, you speak?” she said.
“Of course I do. These,” he raised one huge claw, “are hardly appropriate for communicating gesturally, now are they?” He moved his massive talons around experimentally, all our eyes following the movements. “I’ve had a nice day flying and then caught and ate a fresh kill, not sentient,” I got a quick side-eye, “so yes, I can speak, but unless you have something intelligent to discuss with me, I ‘ll be shrinking down into the abominable form I need to exist on Earth and going through the portal.”
For a minute the riders just stood completely still, evidently digesting what was said. M just shook his head, a shiver running along his spine until his original shape condensed, just as he said it would. “Ready?” he said to me. I just smiled and nodded.
“Hold!” We had made it ten steps before the riders reacted. I heard the hum of plasma spears before I turned around and saw them aimed at us. “What devilry is this? This is not how dragons act, what they do!” the guy, Anek said.
“So you draw the weapons of your forebears against us? For what crime?” M said, his fur beginning to stand on end. “Where is your honour, rider?” I stood dead still, listening to the low whine of the plasma blades, only able to breathe when they were finally lowered. Everyone was wide-eyed and breathing heavily, not sure how we got where we were.
“I must report back to the Council. You understand that,” the woman said.
“You do what you need to,” M growled.