Page 102 of Upon Buried Embers
I’m not surprised he doesn’t find me attractive.
But he came all over your back.
I shiver.
Shaking my head at my own thoughts, I move further into the cave. Most dragons seem to be sleeping, or some, like a darker blue one who turns its head away from me, ignore my presence altogether.
Doren still isn’t too friendly with me, like his sister, Solia, but at least she just ignores me and doesn’t try to eat me. Hakon is curled up further down, legs twitching in his dream while Alter, a darker green dragon eyes me warily.
He’s an older dragon and quiet, but I find him quite charming.
“Hi Alter,” I say, as I walk to him. He huffs his greeting, eyes drooping. “Are you tired?” He closes his eyes as I stroke his snout, but quickly opens them. “Why not rest like the others?” He blinks. “Drogonah is here, he will look after you all.”
Said dragon growls.
“See? He will scare danger away.” Alter sighs, then wraps his tail around and under his front legs, laying his head on it. I continue to stroke him, uncaring of my empty bucket and begin humming to him.
I don’t know what the melody is, but it feels familiar, and it seems to relax Alter. His chest rises and falls steadily, fast asleep in no time.
I smile softly, hesitating for a moment before I place a gentle kiss on the tip of his nose.
“Sleep well.”
I rise, empty bucket in hand and walk over to Drogonah. He ignores me, but I know he’s listening.
“Is he having trouble sleeping because of me? Am I causing him to feel unsettled?”
Silence.
“He seems worried,” I bite my lip. “I know you’ll look after him, like you’ve been doing with them all, but he seems troubled.” He blinks a purple eye open at that. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
He stares at me for a moment, then he lets loose a rumble. I’m confused at first, but then I realize this rumble is different from the rest.
It starts off in long bursts, but then short ones are added into it and before I know it, I’m humming along with him until he stops.
“That will help?” I look back at Alter, and to my surprise, Drogonah moves his head up and down. “I will do it every night if I have to.”
He stares at me for a moment before he spurts a little fire at me, and I jump back.
“Okay, okay. I’m going,” I say, walking away. “And I won’t tell anyone you’re secretly a softy.” His answering growl is loud enough to shake the walls.
I laugh lightly, but then I look down at my empty bucket and sigh.
How am I supposed to fill this now?
A chuffing sound comes from behind me all of a sudden, and I spin, locking eyes with Escor who sits before me.
“Oh, hi.” His ear twitches. “I didn’t even hear you come in. Would you like to help me heat some stones?” His tail moves back and forth and I blink at it in astonishment as he turns and prances over to his stone circle.
I follow, a smile on my face as he sits down on his back legs, tongue out.
“You’re an unusual one, Escor.” I place a stone before him. “But I like you.”
He purrs softly, and then the heat of fire tingles my skin as he warms a stone.
“Good job!” I tell him, and hear the smacking sound of his tail bouncing off the floor.
I huff out a laugh, giving him more stones.
