Quil hesitated, “That would be correct. Normally dragons born of fire take on their natural dragon form immediately and do not retain their human memories. Trading one life for another. You both, however, retained your human forms and memories, but from what you have said it sounds like the transformation is a longer process.”
“Yeah, longer, a pain in the ass and still not done after over a year,” Amaya said annoyed.
“…Actually two years,” Quil corrected.
Amaya cocked her head and squinted her eyes slightly, “What?”
“It has been two years since the dragon attacked you at least. The travelers you mentioned, one a dragon named Gloria, were in Densai over two years ago, not one. That was also when I was last in the chamrosh territory.”
Amaya’s eyes widened slightly, “Are you telling me I’m missing two whole years of my memories?”
“Yes. We found you just outside Dawnbraught and took you with us when we confirmed you were a dragon. You were unconscious and…very ill,” Quil added as he watched Amaya react.
"Two years? Then when is it? Where are we? How’d-,”
Quil shushed her and Amaya quickly began to calm herself down but her head was still spinning, attempting to dig up anything past what she had told Quil. He answered her before she got herself caught up chasing memories that were not coming back, at least not now, “There’s no need to worry. A year is not that much time to dragons, but seeing as you haven’t really been around any for this whole time, at least from what you have said, I will tell you it is not much. Right now it is mid-fall and we are heading north past Densai to pay tribute to our ancestral halls.”
All of the Ancients’ Halls were north of Densai and they would be visiting more than Torvin’s on the way to Torvis, so he had no need to say any more than that.
Amaya seemed to have spaced out until she asked softly, “Can…can you teach me about…dragons. About what I am? Cause otherwise…I know squat.”
Quil smiled lightly, “Yes, that is another one of my duties, but only if you do me a favor as well.”
“What would that be?” she asked suspiciously.
“It would be a great help if you could share with us what you have learned about being the type of fire hatchling that you are, to Jason.”
“So you guys really are clueless?”
“Not the basics such as fire, but if you could get him to stop scratching and share what to expect, I think it would help make Shea, his mother, less inclined to incinerate you.”
“Yeah, I can do that. The thought of being less likely to be turned to ash is…comforting?”
Quil huffed a laugh, “Don’t worry, Shea has a better temper than her cousin Marion. Just follow me.”
Together they walked over to Shea, Marion, and Jason, Immediately Shea and Marion stiffened, narrowed their eyes and fell silent in near perfect unison, while Jason wearily glanced over at Quil, pleading with his eyes to save him from the two bickering, overbearing cousins.
“So, I assume her story checks out?” Shea inquired, giving Amaya a harsh look.
“Yes, and I will have Joyce check her out as well. In the meantime, she has offered to help Jason and in return, I will be teaching her about our kind. We are the first dragons she has had the opportunity to learn from which I can only see as being beneficial.”
“And just what can a wayward hatchling teach Jason that none of us here can?” Marion challenged, her temper starting to poke through.
“How about this?” Amaya dropped her cloak and before them a pair of blazing gold, red and orange feathered wings emerged, along with a matching tail and tail feathers and most notably red and orange scales and golden armor on her skin that was nearly identical to Jason’s except she had slim yellow gems embedded where he had spines and spikes in addition to a mane of metallic feathers that flowed from the base of her neck to the end of her tail. “I can tell you now that you’re going to want help when your wings and tail start to grow out and learning to walk and sit with growing wings and a tail is going to be…awkward.”
Shea was pleasantly surprised and didn’t try to hide it. She was still nowhere close to trusting Amaya but was glad to see that she would be somewhat helpful sooner rather than later. Marion, however, had made herself completely useless, openly gawking at Amaya’s gold armor and the gems in it. Jason didn’t know how to react. On one hand, he was relieved that he wasn’t an isolated case, but on the other, if growing wings and a tail were not going to be instantaneous and were anything like the itchy scales he was currently dealing with, he inwardly groaned at the thought.
“All of, that, doesn’t take long, does it?” Jason asked Amaya.
“The bulk of it lasts a few weeks, wings after scales, then tail and then your gold scales will become more like armor. I don’t know beyond that but I bet feet and legs are next, typically the itching from the scales forming is what I noticed happens first,” she rattled off nonchalantly.
“And it’s annoying me to no end right now. Please tell me there’s a fix,” Jason asked, trying not sound agitated.
“There’s a few different plants in the region that I found helped. Some are better than others or work better together, but I’m guessing I’ll need an escort.”
Shea spoke up, “I’ll send Joyce and Manus with you. She’ll be able to tell what in the plants helps so we can find others like them elsewhere. And Jason will…,” but she stopped short when Jason gave her the same look she had to her mother many times before when she had reached her limit with studying, lessons or anything mentally taxing and the only thing on her mind was taking a break, “…will join with the three of you so you can find something that helps more quickly,” she finished.
“Thank you,” Jason sighed with relief as he stood up and joined the others.
“All of you are to be back soon to help us gather up the rest of the supplies. We will be heading out early in the morning. Understood?” Shea commanded.
“Yes ma’am,” they replied.
“Then get to it.” Shea waved them off and watched them carefully before turning to Quil and Marion, “So, what is her story?”
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