Echo

"There weren't always dragons in the valley". My grandfather yelled slamming his fists upon the dining table. I looked outside the window to see Echo's purple eye glaring in at the commotion. Grandfather often talked about a time when dragons didn't exist. Along with a prophecy that speaks about when a dragon chooses you, both souls and bodies morph together. Only then will the world know the true History of dragons and where they came from. The world waits for the first dragon to choose its human.

Echo is fifty eight years old, my grandfather found her as a lone hatching swinging on a straw of wheat during harvest time as a young man. No one can recall where they came from. Echo has white scales that reflect the rays of light making them glimmer the colours of the rainbow, with purple eyes that hide the wonders of the universe, I often stare at them wondering what secrets and stories she has to tell. Her body is long and narrow making hunting in the ocean effortless. Echo has very large paws with sharp talons made for digging, slicing, and grabbing ocean prey. I like it when Echo brings back ocean creatures for us to try.

"Alice" my mothers says reminding me to finish the chicken broth laid out before me. I hide my disappointment at tonights meal. Mother always tries her best to cook pureed meals for grandfather who is loosing his teeth. I grab my spoon dipping it into the watery but chunky concoction trying not to gag at the sight. Suddenly Echo lets out a mighty roar, thumping her massively thick tail into the ground right outside. Grandfather and mother drop their spoons running to the window to see the reason behind Echo's outburst. She has her head pointed towards the Nu star. Nearby dragons also let out their call. I take this opportunity to tip my broth into both grandfathers and mothers bowls. I rise to place my bowl and spoon into the bucket of washing water as grandfather and mother return to their seats. Grandfather mumbling about past memories of him and young Echo.

In the morning I kissed mother goodbye as I headed off for school. My best friend Will was waiting by the school gates excitedly asking if Echo joined in on last nights howl. "Do you know what it meant" I asked. Will shrugged his shoulders saying "it could be a territory thing". I jumped as Izaac started to ring the bell, shouting "inside, inside... time to come inside". Art was my favourite subject, been able to draw and create magical forrest's where Elves, and Fairies live. My favourite character was an Elf I had named Dayris who had long black hair covered in red beads. He had broad muscular shoulders marked with tattoos of the night sky. His piercing sky blue eyes dazzled my breath away as I painted them. I reached to wash my paintbrush accidentally knocking the cleaning jar of water over. The jar rolled off the desk smashing onto the floor. The whole class went silent glaring my way, the younger children rushed over to witness the crime. "Alice, be more careful" said Mrs Blacksmith as I started to collect the broken bits throwing them into the trash. Back at my seat I looked down to see blood dripping all over my dress. Great I thought now this needs a major scrub. I had cut my arm during the cleanup. Will gave me his spare knitted mittens to press on my wound. "I knew they would come in handy some day" he said. I tried to carry on with my painting ignoring the throbbing pain, I glanced outside the classroom window to see the flicker of Echo's scales shimmering not so far away through the trees. Suddenly all the pain left my arm, lifting off the mitten my cut was healed. I nudged Will in the side showing him. "whoa wasnt that.... just bleeding?" I nodded not knowing what to say.

After school Will and I wandered down towards the beach knowing Echo would be out there catching some fresh fish for supper. Will also had a dragon close to his home, his name was Wander. He was much fatter than Echo and preferred to eat left over bones and scraps. We sat upon a small sand dune waiting for Echo to return. The waters raised around her body as she swam towards the shore popping out upon the sand with several fish hanging out between her razor sharp teeth. She stood and shook her scales dry from any excess water before crouching down so Will and I could climb on her so she could carry us home. "Thanks Echo I wish Wander would at least move his fat butt" Will mumbled as he clambered up. As we reached Will's house Echo opened her mouth letting him choose a fish. "Bye Echo, bye Alice" he said before departing. We could see Wander lazing on his back in the dimming sunlight. Echo rolled her eyes making me laugh before continuing on our way home.

Later that night, when mother and grandfather were fast asleep, I crept outside to gaze upon the brightness of the full moon. Echo crawled up beside me, nudging my hand that I had cut earlier in the day. I looked at her asking "did you heal this?" she nudged me again to confirm my suspicions. I patted her saying "thanks but you shouldn't have". She lay her huge body down with her head tucked between her paws. The moonlight made her scales glow a pale strawberry white. Echo curled her wing into a cosy tunnel for me to curl into, together we watched the stars twinkle and the moon smile. Slowly my tired eyes began to drift off, I whispered goodnight to Echo. Im sure I heard another voice within my head say sweet dreams Alice.

I woke warm and snug inside Echo's wing. No school today therefore Will and I are going hunting. I could hear him whistling down the road. Echo lay down for me to climb onto before walking down the valley to collect Will. When Will was aboard Echo spread her wings, started trotting her fat little legs while flapping her wings... Will held me around the waist while I held onto one of Echos scales... grandfather had cut holes in one for riders to hold onto. We passed our school teacher Mrs Blacksmith upon her purple dragon Pop returning from her weekly shop. Echo flew further than normal before dropping down to a clearing in the forest. I heard that voice from last night in my head say "Plenty of easy game here, a flock of deer to the North in 100m". I looked at Echo where she was already staring back at me before heading off into the forest with Will.

Going into the undergrowth I said to Will "I think I saw a flock of deer this way". We saw the deer nearly instantly. Will and I got out our bow and arrows. Within seconds we had two doe's down. My arrow pierced straight through the neck, while Will got a clean shot through the chest. We slit the necks to drain the blood. I quickly wiped away slobber... eww was I drooling at the smell and sight of deer blood, thankfully Will didn't see. I called for Echo. When she found us, Im sure I could see her smiling. She carried a carcass in each of her back claws going home. We dropped Will off first with his game... his father Joe tossed Echo a dead lamb that didn't survive the last thunder storm. Echo let out a little roar to show her thanks as we left. On the way home I asked Echo if she was talking to me, I got no reply. Grandfather was super elated with the doe and began to skin her.

I woke during that night from a strange dream... I was hunting in the woods, when out of nowhere Dayris appeared from behind a tree indicating for me to follow him. He lead me through the centre of a tree that opened upon a city with Elves, fairies and more dragon hatchlings than I've ever seen. "Come" he said lifting the trapdoor to an underground temple. I climbed down the ladder to a hall lit with fire lamps on either side. He turned left into a room... where Echo was waiting. Dayris turned to me and Echo asking "if we were ready" "Alice!!!" mother shouted snapping me wide awake, "your going to be late for school!!!"