4
The flight took them a little over 2 hours. As they drew near the meeting place, they were greeted by a group of the large dark blue dragons that glided out of the clouds gracefully performing a figure eight. They were amazing to watch. They did a wide flip and joined up and headed straight for Jake. He was heralded by the lead dragon, First of the Ancients, Jake, we do you honor, and beg you follow us to our meeting place.
Young Warriors, we salute you! Jake replied. All the dragons gave a mighty roar of welcome. As they glided to the left and circled the plateau they could see 16 dragons below in a tight circle. They were hiding something in the center. Kate knew it had to be their ‘sister’.
The six dragons landed and fanned out in front of the others. Jake and the Dragons of the Light landed facing them. The humans all dismounted but stayed just behind their dragon’s right wing.
The large blue stepped forward and bowed to Jake in respect.
I am Wolf, lead dragon of this clan. We welcome the First and his Dragons of Light to our camp. You do us honor by considering us as allies. Perhaps you would introduce us to your Dragons and Riders.
We are indeed honored by your gracious welcome. Jake rose to his full stature and began the introductions. My Queen is very impressed with your size and strength. My First Wing, Rah is honored to be a part of this meeting. His mate Lady Jennie is also honored and impressed with your size. As Jake spoke, each dragon stepped forward and nodded. Finally they were ready to introduce the riders.
May I present our Riders; my companion and friend, Lady Kate; her mate and the Rider of my Queen, Daniel. Both Kate and Daniel stepped forward and bowed. Michael, Steve and Lady Ashley were next. Then it was John’s turn. We have brought a friend with us who you may find interesting; he is called Big John.
John stepped out from behind Rah’s wing and bowed to Wolf. The Blue Dragons eyed him for several minutes and then all keened approval loudly. Wolf spoke to Jake and proceeded to name all of his family. Then he stepped aside and the two dragons behind him lifted their wings. And this is our ‘sister’ and rider, Diana.
There stood a 6’ golden goddess; she was big boned, but all lean muscle. She was dressed in light tan leather. Her body was perfectly formed, ample breasts, which lead to a proportioned waist and hips. Her hair was honey golden and shined in the sunlight. Her skin was tanned a golden brown from days of flying in the sun. She lifted her bowed head and looked at them. She had hazel eyes that could bore right through a man to his soul. She stared at Kate, Daniel, Lady Ashley, Steve and Michael. Then she smiled and they were all caught off guard; her smile was completely childlike. She shifted her attention and stared at Big John wide eyed as she sized him up and down.
She stepped back, keened approval at her ‘brothers’, then she turned around facing John and blurted out, “Oh my, but you are beautiful!”
From behind her was heard a low whisper, “there goes the party dudes!”
There was absolute silence. All the blue dragons suddenly shifted and lowered their heads.
Suddenly Big John let out a huge bellow and began to laugh. The woman turned, and saw that he understood. She walked over to him and shoved him on the shoulder.
“They don’t understand girl, they have no idea!”
She looked at the riders and then back at John, and they both burst out laughing again.
Daniel looked at Kate, and the others, and turned to John questioningly; “What? What is it?”
John finally took a deep breath, he was bent over holding his sides; he stood up and laughing at Daniel he said, “it was them you dumb bastard, they can talk!”
Big John looked at the woman again, and she gave him another powerful shove on the shoulder that almost knocked him over.
This is going to be interesting, Jake... I think I'm going to enjoy this!!
He shoved her right back and she almost went down herself. She grinned at him stepped back and unabashedly looked him over.
“You have a good body, strong thighs and legs, a pleasing face. You are a strong choice for a mate!” her eyes danced all over him.
“You’re not so bad yourself, young lady!” He looked right into her eyes, matching her stare for stare.
“Curl a wave baby, it’s a go!” They all turned and looked back towards the blue dragons.
“That’s enough! I told you all to keep it buttoned up!” Wolf roared at them. The Blue Dragons all cowered back a bit. Wolf turned back and faced Jake. I am sorry about the deception. May I continue so the others can understand what we are saying?
Jake chuckled and nodded his assent.
Wolf began to explain; “Some of us had to learn her language; the head injury she suffered caused damage to her temporal region resulting in the loss of her telepathic abilities. She couldn’t make contact with us; this was unacceptable! Half of us agreed to learn how to talk. I ask your indulgence in this Jake, we did not mean to deceive you. We did not know it was strange until we ran into the crazy black ones. Some of them tried to attack a couple of us and when we asked them why; they completely lost it! Since then we have been able to use it against them. They think we are ghosts and demons.”
Daniel stepped forward with Kate and bowed to Wolf, “Daniel, rider of Queenie; she was from California wasn’t she? You speak the dialect of the surfer crowd, very unusual.”
One of the smaller dragons nudged Daniel and spoke, “Dude, look at her. She’s grinning at him like he’s a piece of candy, and I think he likes it. This may work after all.”
They all watched as she and John were talking to each other. Kate recognized what she was doing. Jake, she’s prancing in and out, being coy, and then attacking. She’s performing the mating ritual just as if she were a Queen dragon! Watch her, see for yourself.
They all watched, and it was obvious that she was doing what she had been conditioned to do, she didn’t know any different.
My Lady you are correct. I hope that John has control of himself; he is about to be tested.
“Are they still watching us? God I wish they would give it a rest.” John was tired of all the attention. “You want to go for a walk, away from them for a while?”
“Oh Yes! With you, I will go anywhere; I like you. You do not mind that we talk. Have you ever gone surfing? Surfman and I go a lot. Would you like to go? Surfman will take us, he doesn’t care.”
“What do you call surfing? I did it on the water with a surfboard. How do you do it?” He was enjoying her childlike manner. She was a stunning beauty, but so innocent. It was refreshing for him. He took her hand in his and they began to walk away from the group of dragons and humans.
“We find a thermal high up, and ride for as long as possible. One time we actually went around the whole world. Boy did we get in trouble for that one! Wolf grounded us for a month; it was awful. But we passed over a lot of land where there were humans hiding; I could feel them all down there. They were afraid.” She held their hands up, “I like this; I like you holding my hand. It feels very good. I would like you to hold me; I bet that feels even better.”
“It would not be proper behavior; we have to get to know each other first. Then if we both like each other, we could go to the next step and maybe kiss.” John said without thinking first.
“What is that? When do you mate? It all seems very complicated. Dragons know right away, and they just get right to it.” She was looking at him all wide eyed.
He started to laugh. “No, my sweet little girl; with humans it is different. First you date each other for a period of time. A little bit of kissing each time you are together; and then maybe some fondling, all before you decide to mate. And humans call it making love.”
“Oh, that does sound good. Love is the most important thing there is, without it there is just chaos and darkness.” They were still walking away from the group when she stopped and faced him. “But, why all the waiting? What is this kissing, show me this kissing.”
He was taken aback at first, but then realizing that she thought like a dragon, why not? “There are several ways to do this. First there is this way,” he took her head in his huge hands and trying to be careful, he tilted it and kissed her full on the mouth. He felt her intake a breath. He let her go, and waited.
“Oh! Oh this is good!” Her eyes were wide and the grin on her face was enchanting to John; “I can feel it throughout my body, tingling in my breasts. Yes! Show me more!”
John looked at this beautiful woman and unexpectedly realized that he could actually see himself with her. She was different from any woman he had ever spoken to. She was more like a dragon; and he did prefer dragons and their direct approach to things. Just maybe there is something here for me…he began to think.
“Big John; show me more,” she demanded.
“Ok, then there is this way.” John took her roughly in his arms and held her close and kissed her hard, probing her mouth with his tongue. He was pressing her to him all the while he was kissing her. He felt her body shudder and tremble, and then he let her go.
She stood there staring at him wide eyed, breathing very heavy; and then she slowly grinned and said in a deep husky voice, “This kissing is a very good thing!”
Big John could see he had started something here. Before he realized it, she had jumped him and they went tumbling down the slope before them. She was trying to kiss him. When they stopped rolling she was on top of him. He quickly flipped her over and pinned her down.
“It is the male who takes the female my dear,” he told her forcefully, “with her permission of course!”
“You have my permission! I want more of this human mating ritual; I like how it feels in my body.” She was totally oblivious of her actions, completely honest, just as dragons were.
“Diana, this is not the time or the place for this to happen. We must show respect to Jake and to your leader, Wolf.” He got up and he offered her his arm. She took it and stood, not too happy.
They began walking back to the group. As they did, he signaled Jake. This is going to work just fine. She needs to be taught a few human traits, perhaps by the women. Jake, she wanted to mate right now! She thinks and behaves like a dragon, which is great, but she is totally innocent of human things.
You have done well John. Come back over here and stand by Rah. We will take our leave shortly. Her brothers and sisters want to see if you have impressed on her. If you are truly her mate, they say that she will become impossible and demand that they take her to you.
Daniel and Steve could see the effect she had on John, he was trying to get control of himself; they really couldn’t blame him, as she was a stunning creature. She was looking up at him and grinning like a schoolgirl. She had a hold of his hand and wouldn’t let go. As they got closer, she looked at the other women and their men.
She went over to Kate. Kate looked at her and smiled. She looked at Lady Ashley. “Do I look the same? Am I a woman too? Am I pretty?”
Kate signaled to Ashley and she came over. Then Kate took Diana and moved away from the group for a bit. “Diana, you are a lovely young woman. Yes, you are very pretty. You just have not been around humans; you need to learn a few things.”
“Then the man Big John will want me?” she asked smiling.
“I assure you, the man John wants you now.” Kate tried to explain, “It would be poor etiquette to mate now. You have guests, and there is a time and a place for such things. Do you understand?”
“That is what he said also. I like the dragon way better; you see-you like-you mate! There is not all this posturing. Ah but it felt good when he kissed me, I want more of that. Why must he stop?” She was confused about human actions.
“Having grown up with dragons, you only know their way of doing things.” Lady Ashley told her, “Perhaps you could visit us for a few days. See what it is like among humans. You would be most welcome.”
Her eyes grew wide in panic. “No! I will not leave my family. This is who I am, and I will not try to be what I am not! Perhaps the John man will visit me again and stay longer.” She walked away quickly, turned and looked for John, and then went over to him, “please, John, do not leave yet. I would be with you a little longer; I would learn more from you.”
“I’m sorry Diana, but they say I have to return.” He gently caressed the side of her face and bent and kissed her again. He let her go and turning he climbed on Rah’s back. She stood there watching him; he could see tears in her eyes. He felt like a heel leaving her like this. She didn’t understand what he was doing and it hurt her. Thinking like a dragon, she was out of her league with the humans.
As he sat on Rah’s back John began thinking to himself, why do I have to go? Why can’t I stay, what’s waiting for me back in camp? If this didn’t pan out, then I could always return.
Jake immediately picked up the change in John’s demeanor. John, what are you thinking of doing?
Rah started to take off, John looked down and saw her burst into tears, turn and run down the knoll to one of the smaller dragons, Surfman, he guessed. He watched as he wrapped his wing around her.
Jake and the others took to the skies and joined him and they turned and headed back towards Dragons Hill.
Shit! I can’t do this! Jake, this is wrong; I can feel it in my gut! Big John begged Jake, Please, ask Rah to take me back. I can’t leave her like this, it just doesn’t feel right. So she does things like a dragon; so she thinks like a dragon, so what! I prefer dragons, Jake please, let me go back to her.
Jake asked John; are you sure you want to do this John?
Jake, I have never been so sure of anything. Big John knew instinctively his life was with her. It feels right!
Well spoken, Warrior John! Wolf spoke directly to John. Return to our sister with our blessings if you so desire.
Jake spoke to Rah, who agreed with John, and he broke ranks and circled back and glided over to the knoll.
Diana looked up and saw them returning, her frown was replaced with a big grin. She ran to him as fast as her feet would carry her. He barely had time to jump down off of Rah when she was on him. They tumbled down the knoll and she pinned him down, trying to kiss him. He quickly flipped her over and told her she had to learn a few things. She laughed loudly and told him to ‘button it’, and hurry up and ‘do the kissing again.’ He did, for several long minutes; and felt his heart soar.
22 very large Blue Dragons keened the ‘Welcome Call’, and the valley thundered with their echo.
Several hours later, Daniel, Kate, Steve and Ashley were discussing it back at camp. Kate was commenting, “She behaves just like a dragon, even the way she perceives things, it’s the same way dragons look at things; absolutely amazing!”
Steve added, “And poor John, did you see the look on his face when we started to leave? I really felt for the guy.” Steve shook his head back and forth, “but then he chose to go back. Now that really threw me for a loop.”
Daniel chimed in with, “just like with dragons, it was quick. They see and decide, and that is that. Lord, I tell you his life is certainly going to be interesting.”
Kate interrupted quickly,, “I think you all missed the point, they chose John. And he agreed to be with her on her turf. This meeting was for John’s sake, not hers. She already knew; it was John they were testing. It was done very subtlety; I figured it out when they were watching John and Diana interacting with each other. I noticed that each one was intently studying John’s reactions to Diana. Their whole demeanor towards him changed when he started to laugh. They realized that he understood they were the ones speaking, and he was fine with it.”
Kate looked about at them and then continued, “Yes, his life is going to be exciting. But more important gentlemen, these dragons are going to be very powerful allies. They could make the difference in the coming battle.”
“Well, I for one am happy for John.” Daniel told them, “I know for a fact that he was a very lonely man. He wouldn’t let anyone know, but I could see it every time he saw the riders together. The women in camp liked him a lot, but not in a romantic way. He was thinking of leaving and heading west, following his dreams as it were. I hope this works out for him, he deserves it.”