Theo was basking at Camp one day when she noticed a young dragon scratching drawings into the ground. Theo stared, not sure if she was seeing things right. Never before had she seen a dragon interested in art.
Well, there’s Clyde and his music- but he’s different, Theo decided.
Nonetheless, here a female carved the sketch of a phoenix with one talon into the dirt.
“You have a skill!” Theo exclaimed. “It’s beautiful!”
The striker looked up at her, confused. She was a soft, subtle teal and her face was easily read, very expressive.
“What?” she asked in a small voice.
“Your drawing.” Theo nodded towards it. “It looks just like a phoenix.”
The shy striker looked down at it again. “I suppose it does look like one…” she replied, unsure.
“Oh.” Now Theo was confused. “Were you not thinking of a phoenix when you drew that?”
“No, I was…” she replied, cocking her head at the picture. “But…I didn’t expect this to happen.”
“What do you mean?”
“These marks,” she answered. “They look exactly like a phoenix.”
“…because you drew them that way…” Theo followed up, still not fully understanding why there was such an awkward miscommunication between the two of them. “I’m River,” she said, hoping to clear the air.
“Egret,” the striker returned introductions with a coy smile.
“Did you know you were an artist?” Theo tried cautiously.
“What is an artist?” Egret asked, puzzled.
“Never mind,” Theo dismissed quickly. It’s not worth the confusion. “Anyway, it was nice to meet you.”
She inched closer to Sky and her pupils as everyone began raising their heads and buzzing in chatter.
“What is it?” she asked Sky.
“River,” Sky lectured. “You really need to focus your hearing on what’s going on around you.”
“Well, tell me what is going on,” Theo urged her, curiosity mounting.
Sky nodded in a direction and Theo followed her gaze. Across Camp, she saw a striker standing in the way of Wycker. Wycker rarely came through Camp, and when he did it was never to waste time basking or napping. The only times Theo had seen him visit Camp was when he came to talk to someone already there. He had just finished saying something to Adder and was starting to leave when the striker blocked his path.
“Dunnock is challenging Wycker to a test of strength,” a female named Whinchat whispered to Theo eagerly. “Oh, he’s in for it now!”
“What do you mean?” Theo pursued, but the others hushed her, captivated as Wycker took his stance.
“Wycker looks like he thinks it’s a waste of time,” she commented, seeing his irritable glare she was much too familiar with.
“He probably does,” Whinchat replied, still watching. “But he has to accept or he would be seen as cowardly for backing out.”
“What does a dragon fight look like?” Theo asked.
“Just watch!” Cedar hissed at her and she fell silent.
Wycker watched casually as his opponent flitted around him, looking for an opening. When Dunnock leaped forward, Wycker reared up to meet him. Their forelegs locked, and the striker struggled to keep his balance as he wrestled the elder dragon. Suddenly, Dunnock pulled out. Again, he darted back and forth, waiting for another time to attack. The two clashed a few more times and eventually the striker gave up. Spent, Dunnock dropped down to all fours and backed away. Wycker stared him down, making sure it was obvious that the striker was the one to submit, and then turned to go on his way.
Theo’s companions relaxed after the tense excitement, except for one of Sky’s pupils, who, inspired, growled and pounced on the other.
“Why did Dunnock challenge Wycker specifically?” Theo turned to Sky, who laughed as though it were a silly question.
“Wycker’s a legendary wrestler,” she said. “He proved that back when he was a striker, himself. No one could ever beat him. He still hasn’t been beaten! That’s why strikers like to dare each other to fight him. But those that actually pick up the courage to do it are always put to shame.” Sky shook with laughter. “It’s quite entertaining, really.”
“Do females ever challenge him?” Theo inquired.
Whinchat was enthusiastic, nodding her head. “Oh yes! In fact, Jacinth held up a good fight with him for some time.”
Theo looked to see if Jacinth heard them talking about her. Judging by her smile of amusement, she did.
“Are you good at wrestling matches?” Theo asked her.
Jacinth nodded sleepily. “I’m pretty good,” she yawned.
Sky perked up. “You should give it a try, River,” she told Theo. “Quick! Challenge Jacinth while she’s still tired!”
“What?!” Theo balked. “I can’t beat her!”
“You don’t know that,” Whinchat opposed, getting up and pushing Theo towards Jacinth with the crown of her head. “Come on. It’s fun!”
Theo stood up nervously and Jacinth gave a sluggish smile.
“You want to give it a go, River?” Jacinth asked, lifting herself up off the ground and stretching her wings.
“No…” Theo moaned, staring up at her. Suddenly, Jacinth was looking very intimidating, all except for her face. Though her muscles rippled under smooth scales and her talons curved like those of an oversized eagle’s, her smile was consistently friendly.
“Sky is right, River,” Jacinth pointed out. “I am tired…” She yawned again, but Theo was suspicious that she had forced herself to. Now that she was up and awaiting a challenge, Jacinth looked perfectly awake.
Theo almost moaned involuntarily, remembering it was cowardly to back out of a fight. “Fine…but not here where so many dragons can watch.”
Jacinth laughed and agreed. “I know a good place,” she said and led the way.
Sky told her pupils to stay behind and they returned to their game of boxing and batting.
“Have some faith in yourself,” Whinchat whispered close to Theo’s ear. Theo was dismayed to see a number of dragons following her and Jacinth to observe.
Jacinth brought them over the creek and through some trees to a small grass clearing. Theo forced her stiffening legs to proceed to the middle of the circle, where Jacinth stood at the ready, waiting for her.
Sky, Whinchat, Egret, and Oriole gathered around. Even Cedar, the only male in the group, had come to see Theo and Jacinth’s wrestling match. Theo blinked, aprehending her humiliation soon to come.
“I’ll let you make the first move,” Jacinth offered kindly.
Theo began gathering up her haunches, then gave up. “I have no idea what to do,” she admitted.
“Just do what you saw Wycker and Dunnock do,” Sky encouraged and Cedar snorted.
“Yeah, do it just like Dunnock,” he said sarcastically. “See how that works out for you.”
“Shut up,” Whinchat voiced, ramming him in the side.
“Hey!” he exclaimed, shouldering her back. Theo sensed something going on between the two of them.
“River,” Sky asked for Theo’s attention. “All you have to do is support yourself up on your back legs,” she demonstrated, boosting her upper body up off the ground. “And try to push Jacinth over with your forelegs.”
Sky’s presentation reminded Theo of a game she’d seen Chadwick and Tyrone play as kids once. They stood on a log, just above the water and tried to knock each other off without falling in themselves. Tyrone was always good at evading Chadwick’s advances. She tried to envision what he did, wondering if she could copy his tactics.
Theo took a deep breath and reared back, alarmed to see Jacinth do the same. They fell heavily into each other, breaking apart and returning to all fours before they could lock forelegs. Theo gave a breathy laugh. How was it that Tyrone did it?
In unison, she and Jacinth again raised themselves. But this time, as Jacinth came in for her, Theo stepped backward and ducked out of t
he way, as she had seen Tyrone do. It was difficult to do as a dragon, but Theo used her tail to help balance herself.
She caught the surprise in Jacinth’s eyes as the dragon found herself falling forward with nothing to break her descent. Theo used the advantage, coming down hard on top of her to make Jacinth’s legs buckle out from under her. The bystanders gasped and Jacinth collapsed on her side, laughing.
“I have never seen someone do that before,” she barked as though it were the funniest thing. “You’re creative, River.”
Sky and Whinchat cheered in agreement while Cedar stared, mouth agape.
“Thanks,” Theo shied. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
“Oh please!” Jacinth leaped to her feet and added, “That was a good move, but I bet it wouldn’t work on me a second time.”
Theo grinned. “Yeah?” She exited the ring. “Well, I’ll just take your word for it.”
“I want to try that,” Whinchat announced. “Cedar, fight me!” She turned, attacking him on short notice as he shouted in surprise. Egret simpered vaguely off to the side.
“Did you make that move up?” Oriole asked Theo.
“No,” Theo confessed with a smile. “I stole it from someone.”
She refused to tell who, even though Oriole pleaded and begged. “Trust me,” Theo assured her. “You wouldn’t know him.”
“But I would know him!” Oriole insisted. “I know everyone!”
Theo shook her head, amused. Not every human, she thought. I don’t understand how that one move impressed them so much. It was barely anything! Perhaps they just think too directly, or maybe they aren’t as strategic as humans are.
Theo reflected on the comparison of humans and dragons for a while as the others wrestled some more.
I haven’t been mourning over my old life lately, she realized. If Damon were to find a cure now, would I still want to go back?
She couldn’t answer herself, and so she pushed the question out of mind where it could remain, untouched and forgotten.
Chapter 9