A Flash of Temper

Astra had been getting more and more frustrated with this drill. When was she going to fly? She was bigger and less manueverable than Checkers. She thought that trying to hit that rock was an unfair test. And then there was the 'reading of the wind'. One had to be a mage or scholar to understand it all. Surely dragons did not need to know all that?

She wanted some time, alone, to just try her new skills. She did not think that she was learning anything that she could use. When the wind died unexpectedly and she fell short of the rock, she took a deep breath, and fired a great fan of flame onto the rock. It felt good to release all that pent-up frustration. Although she could not land on the damned rock reliably, she showed that, in combat, the object that rock represented would have been doomed.

Checkers had been following behind her, noting Astra's form. Checkers' wing was still not quite up to powered flight due to the wallhugger fight. She was hoping that within two or three days that she could make a few short flights. In order to overcome this problem, she had planned on riding in the middle of Astra's tail to observe her stroke on powered flight, as well as making some observations from the ground. She was going slowly so that Astra would not develop bad habits, and would not hurt herself.

When she saw the great fan of flame, and the pique of anger from the dragon, she increased her drag and stopped short of Astra. An angry dragon was an intimidating creature. It now dawned on Checkers that she was training that dragon how to fly as efficiently as a Glider. Now she was not sure that this was a good idea. If that dragon ever turned on her people, then she would be to blame for arming it with the knowledge of flight. The creature before her seemed to be less 'Astra' and more of a 'dragon', and all the terror that that represented.

"I think that it is time to head back," Checkers said simply.

"I agree," replied Astra. "That little demonstration got my point across, didn't it?" she thought. Astra knew when she sent out that plume of flame that it was hitting a harmless rock; if her action would had endangered someone in the party, she would have had enough self- control not to do it. She gave the matter no further thought.

The two did not exchange a word on the walk back.

The sun had just risen over the eastern horizon when they had rejoined the other three. Sartoma said, "You had lots of practice with landing today. I think that it is time that you and I sit down, Astra, and we talk a little bit about some of the magical talents that dragons have. Solbert has a few things that he needs to show you about defending yourself from threats. He will work with you this evening, just as the sun is setting. Solbert and I talked, and he suggested that we stagger our sleep, so that someone is always awake in case of threat. Fred and I will sleep at night. You and Checkers will sleep in the afternoon. Solbert will sleep in the morning. That way we will minimize the chance of you being seen."

"That makes sense. I am looking forward to learning about the ways of the dragons from you," said Astra.

Astra and Sartoma then sat in the shadow of the caves on a rock bench. Solbert excused himself, and went to sleep in a cot near the entrance to the cave.

Fred expected Checkers to be interested in hearing what Sartoma was about to say, but for some odd reason, she appeared not to be interested, wanting to go off on her own.

1. Fred chose to listen to Sartoma.
2. Fred chose to follow Checkers.

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