Chapter 3
Rose smiled when she saw Drakeal’s head shoot out of the mouth of the cave. She wanted to laugh, but chose not to. When she landed, a circle of dust was kicked up around her. She was almost blown off the edge of the cliff when Drakeal roared angrily.
“What was that for?!!” Rose demanded.
“Where were you?!!” Drakeal snarled, “You said you’d be back when the sun reached its highest point!!! 4 DAYS AGO!!!!!!”
Rose blinked. “I had some trouble getting past my father…” she explained, “Sorry if I worried you…”
Drakeal snorted. “As if I’d worry about a Mortal,” he said, hiding his relief.” Rose put her fists on her hips, half offended, half amused. She saw through his relief’s disguise but said nothing.
“What does that mean??” Cherry asked, having no proper education as a child.
“It means that you’re gonna die,” Drakeal said smugly, “and I’m not.”
“Hmph,” Cherry snorted, crossing her arms across her chest, being naturally defiant. Drakeal smiled a toothy grin, laughing. It sounded like a snake hissing. Rose smiled, walking up. She sat on Drakeal’s foreleg.
“I worried about you, too,” she said, teasing him. Drakeal snorted. “So what are we doing?”
“I am going to roam the country, searching fro a way to get back to normal.” Drakeal said.
“I have nowhere important to go, so I’m tagging along.”
“Then I’ll go with you,” Rose said, “I was disowned by my father for disobeying him…”
“You’re staying here.” Drakeal said.
“I’m going!’
“You’re staying!”
“I’m going whether you like it or not!” Rose shouted, vines swaying threateningly.
Drakeal sighed. “Fine…” he said, reluctantly, “You can go…” Rose smiled triumphantly. Drakeal sighed again, defeated.
“So,” Cherry said, “Where do we go first?”
“We go…” Drakeal thought out loud, “to the Chulda Ports where there are hundreds of stands with thousands of possible options.”
“Then it’s settled,” Rose said, “To the Chulda Ports, it is.”
“Then climb on,” Drakeal said, almost slithering out of the cave, “I can fly faster than anything on this Earth.”
“Umm…” Cherry said, sounding uncertain, or scared, “I don’t do so well in the air. I feel better on the ground.”
“So you feel more comfortable falling victim to all the horrible creatures in between here and there.”
“Well, if you put it that way…” Cherry said, climbing on while Rose laughed. Rose climbed on after Cherry was secured down by more vines. Vines wrapped around Drakeal’s scaled stomach, around Rose’s waist and lap, and back again, securing her down.
Drakeal stepped up to the edge of the cliff. The forest that stretched between the city and the cave was very far down. Cherry gasped.
“I think I want to get off now!” she said, tugging at the vines that acted as a harness.
Drakeal jumped. He kept his wings close to his body sp he could go faster. Right before they hit the ground, Drakeal snapped his wings open and they leveled out, zooming over the forest, on their way to the Chulda Port Marketplace.
