Gregor
I was curious about how Xavior planned to carry me when he dug into his pack and pulled out a large cloth with ropes attached to two handles.
“What is that?”
“An animal harness. We have to rescue animals from streams or remote areas sometimes. It’s much easier to work with someone to get them into the harness and fly them back to the estate. Plus, the cloth will block the wind.”
I thought twice about flying. “Maybe we should walk.”
“Don’t back out now. If we can get to your home in a day or so, I can take us directly to my grandmother’s. We could have your villain within a week.”
The possibility of avenging my mate spurred me on. I shifted as Xavior watched. He laid out the harness.
“Lay down here. When I pick up the handles, you’ll be cradled. Don’t move too much, or you’ll start spinning, and I’ll have to land.”
I nodded as I walked into the harness and laid down. Once Xavior packed everything else and somehow made his pack disappear, he gave me the benefit of watching him shift. I hadn’t realized how giant dragons were. He was easily the size of a house.
Xavior flapped his wings, and it made me whine a bit. He huffed out a breath and looked at me with his deep green eyes. I gave a small yip to let him know I was ready, though I didn’t feel it. He bent to pick up the handles with his mouth, and moments later, we were aloft.
When we landed, I knew we were within a half-day from the cabin I used to call home. The trees near me were still scented with mine and my mate’s piss.
Xavior shifted faster than me, and I marveled at it before my own shift distracted me. He was mostly dressed when I finished. I found myself disappointed that I wouldn’t be able to admire his body as I had when we bathed.
“It’s this way.” I pointed out the direction, and he nodded. We fell into step together, making good time. I could have ran in half the time, but I was unwilling to leave Xavior.
“Can I ask you a question? You don’t have to answer it if it’s too unbearable.” I knew then he wanted to ask about my mate. I nodded. Since he was helping me, it was only fair that I answer his questions.
“Why were you and your mate here by yourselves? Don’t most wolves run in packs?”
“My mate and I came here to establish our territory so we could start our own pack. We originally belonged to another pack about a day or so away on foot.”
Xavior was quiet for a time. I realized I missed hearing his voice. “Why doesn’t your grandmother live with the rest of your family?”
“Oh, well, she’s feisty. Prefers to live alone, especially after my grandfather passed a few years ago. We all take turns visiting her every month or so to make sure she’s okay, fix up her house, and tend to any other needs she might have. She’s almost a thousand years old. My father was the oldest child of three. My uncle lives far away and my aunt travels a lot, so it was left to our family to check on her.”
I smiled. “She sounds like an amazing dragon.”
“She’s my favorite relative. I volunteer to visit her more often than not. I’ll be sad when she passes. Thus far, visiting her has kept my wanderlust in check. I think my family won’t take it well when I leave. Most of them are artists and craftspeople. They are used to working the land and staying close to home.”
“Is something wrong that you seek to leave your family?” I was perplexed at someone willingly wanting to leave everything they knew behind. Even when my mate and I moved here, we had each other, and we were only within a day of the pack. Far enough away to create a new territory but close enough to visit.
“No, I love my family. I love who they are and the things they do. I don’t get along with my brother all that often, but that’s the only hardship I have. I wish my instinct and drive were centered around animal husbandry, or farming, or even painting, like my father, but it’s not. I crave the mysteries of life and travel. I want to learn new things, see new places, seek out and speak languages that I’ve never heard.”
We talked about our families and shared stories that made the path under us quick. I hadn’t realized we’d reached my home until I had entered the clearing, and the smell of the place hit my nose. It was familiar and rotten all at once. Death hung like a pallor, evident by the lack of any activity around the house—no birds or mice. No squirrels. I looked at Xavior, and his face looked pinched with worry and concern.
“Stay here. I’ll retrieve something we can use, and then we can leave this place.” He nodded, and l moved toward the cabin.
Memories flooded my senses as I recalled my mate’s laughter and nights hunting, along with quiet nights together in each other’s arms. It was a life thwarted by evil.
I found our meager collection of clothing and selected my mate’s favorite shirt. I’d gifted it to him over the winter solstice. I chose some of my own clothes, hoping Xavior would carry them in his pack. If I had to bathe to meet his grandmother, I assumed I’d have to dress to meet her as well.
When I came out of the house, I realized that this place held nothing for me. I gave it one more look and turned from it toward Xavior. The sympathy I saw almost broke open the wound I had tried to ignore when he’d held me earlier in his arms while I sobbed.
“Are you ready?” He asked.
Looked back one more time and wished I could burn it down. I turned to Xavior. “Could I ask you another favor?”
We watched as the cabin burned. Xavior’s breath caught the wood alight easily. It went up quickly. Xavior kept the flames from spreading to the woods around it with magical barriers. He was full of surprises.
For a moment, it reminded me of the witch that I had trusted in my home and near my mate. I felt a sudden anger rise up that I’d allowed the witch close enough to harm us. Then the anger died a quick death in my heart because that death was what I had wanted before I had met Xavior. I had sought this dragon out to provoke him into ending my life. Instead, he had given me a new purpose.
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