The Secret Hiding In The Lake

There weren't always dragons in the Valley. Shadow Lane was a very quiet valley with only a few hundred people scattered about. The lake is the spot that the entire village would go to for all the best celebrations. It seemed smaller when walking around the full lake just for a breath of air. Staring across from the celebration spot there was a hidden secret that was peeking out. The lake seemed so much bigger looking out than it looked on the walk around.

Today's celebration is actually a week-long event. The reason for the stretch in time is that it is a very special day. Tahauna was celebrating her 15th birthday today. After the week long celebration for Tahauna's birthday she will be placed on a tiny raft to float on the lake for a full year. A blindfold will be placed over Tahauna's eyes so that she could not see anything that was happening around her. On the raft will be placed three baskets of preserves and drink to take along with her. If she makes it back home without any problems then she will be welcomed back with open arms. If Tahauna does not appear back on one year past the date that she has been set to float she will be forgotten and left forever alone.

This celebration happens with each child turning fifteen. Almost all of the children do not return back home. There are a few who arrived back without harm. Some that arrived back seemed to have gone mad with stories of voices haunting them the entire time. The celebration was starting when the mother of the village Anauda gave a reminder of the rules. Once the week of celebration finished and Tahauna's set to the lake they were all to leave. The villagers could not return to this lake until the date that Tahauna's was meant to return. There would be guards all around the lake to prevent anyone from sneaking by to make it to the lake.

Tahauna's eyes filled with excitement as the celebration began. This was a great honor to be sent onto the lake. All of the villagers were aloud to give Tahauna one gift to take with her on her journey. Some gave her clothing items to keep her warm. One villager gave her cloth to attach a tent where she would float in on the raft. The celebration seemed to go quickly by. The day came when it was time for Tahauna to take her place on the raft as many had done before her. Tahauna had some villagers help to load her raft with her items. She set up the tent that she was given. Anauda stepped forward to place a kiss on Tahauna's head.

Anauda spot to Tahauna in private to explain to her the rules she must follow. She was never to take the blindfold off and she could never step off the raft until she knew that her journey was complete. The only time she was permitted to remove the blindfold or step off the raft is if the caretakers welcomed her for a visit. The caretakers were the ones who created the village so that they may all have a home to live in. If the caretakers welcomed Tahauna for a visit then Anauda told her that she would have to make a choice. The choice to live out the rest of her life with them or come back home with her family.

Tahauna listened to the silence of the crowd as she floated out away from the village. She found it difficult at first to learn to see without seeing. The days passed by with warm days and very cold nights. It had been exactly two weeks since Tahauna floated onto the lake. She kept track by dropping beads into a basket for each day that passed. Tahauna could hear voices talking outside the tent where she hid. There were loud screams and the sound of an object hitting another object. Tahauna could feel the draft being pulled and began to fear what was pulling her.

Tahauna was very careful to follow the rules that Anauda gave her. She did not remove her blindfold even when she felt the warm wind on her face. The wind that she knew was the breath of an animal. She did not step off the raft as she felt the fur rub up against her back. Tahauna did not give the beast any whimpers to show her as being weak. She sat silently still in the same spot where she had been as this animal came aboard. There was no scream from her mouth as something sharp jabbed into her right shoulder.

Tahauna fought her screams as the fur surrounded her body and then shoved her down. A loud screech sounded out of the air and the fur moved quickly away. The raft bobbed up and down as the creature stepped away. The whispers were now louder asking Tahauna to remove her blindfold. The male voice told her that he was with the caretakers and they were inviting her for a visit. After thinking about it for a few long moments Tahauna did as she was told and removed the blindfold.

Tahauna adjusted her eyes from the very bright light of the sun. She looked in front of her to see a large hand reaching out to her into the tent. Reaching out to take the hand she climbed out of the tent. Standing in front of her was a giant man. He was not taller than the trees but this man was the tallest person that she had ever seen. The man introduced himself as Madid. Tahauna noticed something hiding behind the trees. Madid assured her that the hidden figure was friendly. He explained that the figure who hid was named James. Madid said that he hid because he was afraid that he would frighten her. Madid explained that Madid was a creature that flew with the birds in the sky. Tahauna waited for the creature that Madid spoke of to come out from behind the trees.

The creature was very tall with very long flaps for arms. It had a long tail that stretched out like a rope. James walked up to Tahauna and stared into her eyes. He rubbed her face with his then gently pointed his nose toward her shoulder. His voice came out kind of scratchy but still sounded human. He told her that they would fix her shoulder. Madid said that James was a dragon. He told her that there were many of them where they were going. Tahauna finally stepped onto the land and looked behind her. The lake seemed to be the same but the surroundings had changed. The other difference that Tahauna noticed was that this land was right in the middle of the lake. Tahauna felt a gentle shove and looked at James. James walked ahead and waited for her to follow.

Madid wrapped her shoulder quickly and then followed James into the trees. Tahauna took one last look toward where her village should have been and then followed Madid and James into the woods. Inside the woods there was a clearance where James knelt down and Madid was climbing on his back. Madid waved for her to do the same thing. Tahauna walked up to James looking into his eyes. James told her that it was okay for her to do the same. Madid helped Tahauna climb up and then told her to hold on. James began to raise up with his flappy arms waving. Higher and higher they went until they were above the trees. James began to fly forward at a faster and faster pace with them.

Tahauna tried her best to hold onto James as his speed continued to increase. She looked down to see an entirely new world below her. Tahauna lost focus when she was supposed to be holding on. She had let go to slide off of James's back. She was falling fast toward the trees below her. Tahauna could see branches past her while she kept dropping down. The branches she was passing looked like they were floating in the sky. A tiny bird flew up to greet her with several alarming little chirps. Tahauna slammed into one branch hitting her head on the tip. Tahauna fell and fell brushing different smaller branches. Tahauna could feel her heart jumping around like it was about to break right out of her chest. The breath she was waiting for seemed to never come. Just as she was about to slam into a very large pointy tree Tahauna was shoved over and dropped into a nest.

The nest that Tahauna was no ordinary nest. The nest that she was shoved into was not a bird's nest at all. The nest belonged to a very long snake. The snake stared at her as it began to circle around her body. The grip began to tighten the more it circled. Her eyes were now looking into its yellow and red eyes. The snake's mouth opened wide as it moved closer to her head. A sudden very loud hiss came from its mouth. The snake loosened its grip on her as it whipped around to look at something behind it. Madid was standing right behind it with a very large shiny pointy object that he shoved into the snake's back twice. The snake tried to fight as it wobbled around. With every move that the snake made Tahauna was moved with it. The snake stopped fighting and started falling. Since the lower part of the snake was still wrapped around Tahauna she began to fall with the snake.

Madid removed the grip of the snake the rest of the way before it could take Tahauna along with it in the fall. James floating in flight next to the nest while Tahauna and Madid climbed on. Tahauna learned her lesson to not lose focus or let go. After what seemed like a very long trip flying over several streams and trees the journey seemed to be slowing down. James landed in another opening where Madid said that they would camp for the night. There was a cave in a very large boulder where they would all sleep for the night. Madid began unloading all of Tahauna's items that he had brought along. Madid set up the tent so that the closed end would be facing the outer part of the cave opening. It would slow down any surprises from sneaking up on them he said. James had snuggled up in the corner of the cave where he waited patiently for his meal. Tahauna set down while Madid cleaned her wound better so that he could add a fresh clean bandage. Once Madid finished tending to Tahauna's wound he began to start dinner. Tahauna joined in to help him set up a very fine meal for them. Madid cooked some meat for James to eat while he and Tahauna ate some of the food that she arrived with.

They all began to settle in for sleep after supper had ended for the night. Tahauna felt herself dropping fast into a very heavy dream. In the dream, Tahauna could feel herself being dragged. She looked to see what was dragging her? A lion was pulling her by her blanket to an opening that looked like it had teeth. Tahauna shook herself a little to wake up when she realized she was not dreaming at all. She rolled herself off her blanket to look around for a place to run. She did not see Madid or James anywhere in sight. The opening was an actual mouth of another dragon that was much bigger than James. The mouth closed after making a sound of a yawn. Madid was suddenly standing beside her with his hand on her left shoulder. James walked up beside the other dragon rubbing his head on its side.

Tahauna stood staring at the scene before her with confusion. James introduced the dragon as his father Terrance. Madid said that they sent Thomas to bring her while she was asleep. They said they had tried to wake her but she would not budge. After slowing down her breathing she followed them through the gates that stood behind Terrance. Inside the gate, there was a lot of chatter coming from all around them. Tahauna saw several dragons and people running around full of enjoyment. Tahauna recognized her brother Adam who had floated years ago but never returned home. Tahauna ran to her brother with her left around closing around him in a hug. He smiled a big hello to her. Adam explained that he decided to stay when he was offered the choice. He said that their family did know because the word was sent to them. They were sworn to secrecy so that every person after him made their own choice freely.

Everyone rushed to eat around a storyteller who sat on a tree stump. Tahauna and Adam joined everyone together. The storyteller told the story of how the caretakers came to be. The caretakers Tahauna learned were the dragons. They carried children from damaged villages to the village that they created so that they could have a safe home to live in. The village where Tahauna came from and the island that they were all on were hidden by very strong magic. Tahauna had always wondered where the new arrivals in her village had arrived from. The dragons were said to have come from a fallen star that landed in the lake. It turned out that the lake was not actually a lake. It was an extremely big ocean that stretched a very long way. The star that crashed was called a traveling star. The star would move around so that the planet was never in any danger. This star was not like your ordinary star. It had the light of a star but was actually a planet.

Artemis who ran the entire island was introduced to Tahauna by James. Artemis took Tahauna and her brother Adam inside his cave to talk. Artemis offered them a different choice than he had ever offered. He asked them if they would like to both stay there and have the rest of their family join them. Artemis said that he was aware that the mother of their village would not come without the rest of the village. Artemis said that he was offering for the entire village to join them. He asked Tahauna what she thought of the idea? Tahauna thought about the thought for a very long time and then said that she thought it would be a very good idea. There was plenty of room there on the island for all of them to live. Artemis said that he thought it was about time for the island people to meet the village people.

Tahauna agreed to the idea and then looked at her brother awaiting his thoughts on the idea. Adam was filled with happiness that showed in his eyes as he agreed to the idea too. Tahauna, Adam, and Madid were to leave the next day to head back to the village with the offer of the invitation. Madid was going to show Tahauna around the village. Madid had shrunk down to the size of a very strong normal man. He told her that it was magic for protection. Tahauna brought flowers to the fairy village in the trees. Tea was served by Tarm and Marm who were two very intelligent Apes. They said that they were people, not Apes. Tago loved laying on Tahauna's lap because he had claimed her as his person. Tago is a dire wolf that was still growing. There was a fish family that had fish faces but human bodies to roam about.

The day was fading fast with a quick passing full of so many introductions. Tahauna's snuggled into her new home in her new bed. The dreams that visited that night were dreams of the new faces she had met during the day. In the morning Tahauna was awoken by her brother Adam. Madid had already loaded the ships with the supplies to make the trip back to where Tahauna arrived from. The hugs were shared with the others as they headed off back to meet the other villagers. Tahauna was surprised to see all the villagers waiting at the lake. Adam told her that it was already time for her return. He said that time moved differently on the island. Tahauna was the same age but the rest of the villagers had aged a year while she was away.

The group followed mother Anauda into a private area as they discussed the invitation that was sent. Anauda said that the invitation would be discussed over dinner that night with the rest of the villagers. Tahauna spent the day with her brother Adam showing Madid around and introducing him to all the villagers. After supper that night Anauda called a meeting for all the villagers to attend. The mother discussed the invitation that was sent so that everyone could have a say in their own choice. It was decided by all the villagers that they would all go. Anauda explained to them all the new creatures along with the people that they would be meeting. The mother said that they would all get things set to go and leave in a few days. Mother Anauda explained to Adam and Tahauna about the new strangers that had arrived a few days ago. The mother said they left but said that they would be arriving back. Strange adults had never arrived at the village before.

The new arrivals had always been children. Madid carried a worried look on his face when Adam told him what his mother has said. The guards were kept on the lookout for the next few days as preparations were made. The Ship that was now four big ships to carry all of them was completely packed with supplies. Just after all the villagers were on the ships the strangers arrived. The ships were already heading out in the water when the small boats from the strangers started to follow them. A cloud surrounded the ships to where the small boats could no longer see them. Guns were making firing sounds toward them. Madid told the villagers to head for safety below until they were in a safe area.

The two-week journey back to the island had passed by fast when they were away from the danger. The entire village arrived with Tahauna and the others at the island. Everyone arrived safely back with James and the rest of the islanders. Madid went straight to Artemis to make him aware of the little boats filled with dangerous strangers that had arrived. Artemis gathered many of the dragons. They flew off toward the village without another word. Artemis arrived back with the other dragons. Artemis said that there would be no more trouble from the strangers. He made them leave and warned them not to come back. The strangers were disarmed before they left.

Two months after all the villager's arrival Artemis called a meeting along with the mother. The two of them explained that there was another surprise in store for everyone. The surprise was that the star was fully healed and could now fly back into the sky. Everyone was given a choice to go or stay. Artemis explained that it would be safe for all of them to go. Mother told them all that they would all change a little but it was not a bad thing. The change would bring them new wonderful adventures together. The villagers took a few weeks to decide on a final decision together. They chose Artemis and the other islanders in the sky. The decision was made to begin helping the villagers start their change. The mother was the very first one to go through the change. Mother changed into a very bright white dragon. Some were dragons while others became different beautiful creatures. Tahauna because a brightly lit red dragon and her family became different shades of red dragons. Madid Turned into a shiny and black tall dragon with a fierce strength to help protect the entire island.

When the change was complete the island began to glow. The island started to lift up toward the sky as it was surrounded by a ship that was a safety shield for the island. The sky was so different when the change happened. Space was dark as they floated by to go to the resting spot. The resting spot was to join the other half of the missing star. Tahauna looked at the little dragons before her with a smile formed on her dragon face. The little eyes stared at her full of excitement. The little dragons were hers and Madid's little dragons. Tahauna was now the storyteller of the islanders. Tahauna was no longer a little dragon but a full-grown dragon with a family of her own.