think it is because of her that I can speak. Well, her and Yona.”
“How has Yona helped?”
“She sings to me. She sang to me to comfort me when I was frightened after the gorge.” Eldola stretched and grimaced. He was aching. “I am so ill, Be-Elin. I am dying. Do you know why I am?”
“Yes, I do.” The great dragon wrapped her long, beautiful wing round the calliston, drawing him close in a way no one else could. “You are the last calliston, Eldola,” she told him.
They spoke for several hours, but before she left, Be-Elin gave Yona the recipe for a tonic, telling her it might help take some of the pain away for Eldola. She then leapt into the air and disappeared into the sun.
Yona and Beva stayed with Eldola over the next week as he became weaker and weaker, then he decided he wanted to climb up the small hill where he had taken Beva when they had first arrived. It was a slow journey, but he made it, insisting that Beva ride on him.
“I remember sitting here watching you draw your village plan,” he told the young girl.
“You jogged me!” she said, smiling.
“I am sorry. I did not really understand what you were doing, not then.” He coughed and wheezed then chuckled. “I do not always understand now, but I like watching you.”
The three sat in silence in the warm sun until Eldola reached out and drew Beva to him.
“I wish to spend some time with Yona now, my friend.”
Beva looked up at him and tears flowed down her face. “Are you?”
“I want to be able to say goodbye to you like this.” He put his head against her face and rumbled fondly.
“I love you so much Eldola,” Beva said.
“And I love you. You are my sister.”
Beva kissed his face again and again and then fled. Running down the hill, crying and sobbing.
Eldola put his head on the ground and Yona leant against him.
“You saved me,” he told her, his voice a whisper.
“You saved us.”
“I could not have done it without you. I remember those river crossings. I have never been more scared before.”
“Why were you so frightened?”
“Calliston cannot swim. None of us can.”
“You remember that?”
“No, I had to ask Be-Elin. I thought it was just me.”
“Oh!” Yona giggled. She looked across the gentle valley. “Your home is very beautiful, Eldola.”
“It is, isn’t it. Thank you for staying in the valley; I know you didn’t want to.”
“You did?” Yona turned to him in surprise. As much as he had recovered his speech, Eldola did not normally understand such subtlety, or so she thought.
“Yes. One day you should go home. Soon they will not need you here so much. Hekon says that some others from a village in the south are going to move here.”
“Yes, they are. There are a couple of villagers that have been suffering from local bandits and a lack of rain. Forty people; our village is going to triple in size!”
“That is good. It is a little too small I think at the moment. When they are settled, then you should go back to the sea.”
“I cannot. What about Beva?”
Eldola smiled. “She wants to go too. She and I talk a lot.” His breathing was becoming laboured and he shuddered slightly. Yona sat up and looked at him, her heart aching with fear. “I know you stayed here because of me, but I will be gone tonight. Beva says she does not want to live here without me, and she knows you do not wish to be here either. Phoran will go wherever you go. So, when I am gone and the others arrive, promise me you will go home.”
“But, I…”
“Promise!”
“I promise.”
“Good. Then now I am happy because I am home and you soon will be.”
They sat in silence a little while longer. Yona could feel the ragged breathing of the great beast and knew it would not be long. The sun was slowly setting behind them in the west.
“I am the last calliston on this land, Be-Elin told me.”
“I, I did not know.”
“She says that when her people die they believe they travel to the east over the missing sea. I cannot fly, but perhaps I will find my own way there. Maybe I can fly in my dreams.” He gasped and Yona held his hand tightly. “Will you sing to me? I want to take your voice with me more than any other.”
Yona nodded, and taking a long breath, began to sing.
I woke in the morning sun
Knowing this was my last day
I walked through the valley wide
And in the grass did lay
I danced in the little stream
Felt the water round my feet
And dreamt that I could fly
As my heart slowed its beat
I watched all my family
Working in the fields
And blew them many kisses
Hoping they would heal
Stood upon the hilltop
Looking to the east
And spread my wondrous wings
So new to this old beast
I flew into the air
And looked down upon land
And waved a final farewell
With my soft and gracious hand
And a voice reached up to me
From a girl who loved me dear
And she cried and blew a kiss
Into the night so clear
For I know that I am loved
More than any other today
And I leave the world a little brighter
As I travel on my way.
Yona finished her song and leant against the now still calliston. She was not sure when he had taken his last breath, but she hoped that as he had flown away in his dreams, he had left knowing how very much she had loved this most incredible beast; her best friend, Eldola.
Thank you for reading Yona and the Beast, a short story from A World Called Dirt. If you have enjoyed the story, please leave a review wherever you bought it from. If you would like to read Series One of Dirt you can find more details on the dirt website: