The Dragon Dreamer, page 17
part #1 of Dragon Dreamer Series
Scree covered the boulder with oyster spat. The teensy oysters would soon fasten onto the rock and grow large. She glanced at her three fosterlings, who worked diligently nearby. “I’ve chosen well,” she told them, smiling her praise. They twirled their tiny arms happily and continued seeding oysters to grow pearls.
“This was a good move,” Orm told Scree happily. “Everything’s growing well. The copper-weed needed this light. And the shellfish farms really benefit from these waves. They’re flourishing.”
Scree noticed that his arms were drooping. “Orm, you should rest. I’ll take your youngsters. There’s a pod problem and Stur asked me to look after his. Eight juveniles. I’ll have my own pod!”
With Orm and Stur so busy, Scree watched their young octopi every day. Basic gestures were inborn, but most language and customs had to be learned. She taught the traditional pod language, skills, and more. Soon they could greet her in squid, dragon, turtle, or fish. Scree grinned. One did not need to be a pod leader to change a pod.
Scree’s arms jerked as she felt the crash of the summoning stone. That should be Kragor. She and Orm squirted through the water to meet him at the signal raft above their village.
Kragor grasped a rock, plunged into the sea, and followed them. He poked his head into Orm’s cave and looked about. A glowing tapestry of red, green and blue tunicates covered the walls. “This is amazing!” he signed. Then he ran out of air and shot back to the surface.
Kragor dove again for another look at Orm’s masterpiece. He exhaled slightly, releasing a stream of silvery bubbles that rose to the ceiling of the cave. The bubbles bumped together and popped, growing into a small, silver lake of air. The undersea air-lake had a mirror finish that caught the light. Kragor pointed and smiled.
Orm followed his gaze. “It’s an underwater sky, like the legend of Sorm and his quest for sea-sky.”
Kragor nodded. “Remember those glorious sunsets from our voyage, when the sky was reflected in the sea?”
“We were surrounded by color. It was like traveling inside a rainbow ball,” Orm replied, his eyes bright with the memories.
“Sea and sky mix in interesting ways, like octopi and dragons,” Scree added, laughing.
Kragor grinned. “Definitely!” He bowed farewell and flew back to the surface, leaving behind a trail of tiny bubbles.
Scree said to Orm, “I need you to take the pod of youngsters for the next few days.”
“Why?”
Scree gave him a bright, mischievous smile. “I’ll be hunting giant squid with Arak.”
Orm blanched. “Whatever for? They’re the hunters.”
“It’s time to change that. We need to know what they’re up to.”
“Scree, are you sure you weren’t hatched by a dragon?”
* * *
Arak recognized the fearless light in Scree’s eyes when they discussed giant squid. She wanted to confront them, and they could meet these deadly creatures during their next voyage. His new plan to find copper was not enough. Squid could destroy his skiff along with any copper he found.
Arak softened an empty honeycomb on a fire-warmed stone. He formed the wax into balls, putting the final touches on his own secret squid plan. Then he flew to the shore to check on festival preparations.
Arak landed just as Taron waded ashore, cold water sleeting off his scales like rain.
Taron pulled a long piece of seaweed off his ankle and announced triumphantly, “I finished the last octopus home!” His teeth were chattering.
Arak grinned. “Well done!” He eyed his shivering friend with concern and flamed a large pile of driftwood, which burst into a cheerful fire. Then he handed Taron three large, spiced fish rolls. “It’s nippy tonight, and working in cold water really sucks the energy out of a dragon. Let’s eat while you warm up by the fire.”
Arak tossed two salt-soaked pinecones into the blaze, adding blue-green flames of celebration. He smiled with satisfaction. “We have enough caves for most of the pod. And a hoard of lightning casts, floats, tea, spices, glowing fungus lights, and skiffs to trade. Everything’s ready!”
Winter stars winked overhead, and a cold wind blew. Taron moved closer to the fire. “We’ll be leaving right after this festival. But it’s so early, not even spring.”
Arak nodded. “Our second voyage. We’re truly desperate for copper.”
At moonrise, Arak and a host of dragons welcomed the octopi to their shore.
Trading began immediately. The pod arranged their items on the shore: sharp fish-fin needles, rare shells, pearls, colorful seaweed and vials of venom.
Scree gave Driana a large sack of copper-weed. “This is a gift. I hope it helps those sickly orange dragons.”
“It will!” Driana eagerly plucked up five precious vials of venom, replacing each with a lightning cast. “With so many hurt dragons, I really need this venom. It’s a stronger sedative than fire-weed.”
Scree signed her satisfaction. “These lightning casts will protect our caves. The blue-ringed octopi were surprised by my interest in their venom. Now they’re decorating their gardens with our pearls.”
Arak showed a new pod skiff to a knot of octopi. “We improved the design, and there’s a fish-skin shade over the stern. We also added a large container of red-root tea, for emergency sea trails. We can retro-fit your skiffs.”
Arak bargained good-naturedly with Orm. He agreed to add these improvements to the skiffs, in exchange for a sack of pearls and a pot of oyster spat. Kragor wanted the spat to grow oysters near the shore, as food. Arak thought this was an excuse to spend more time in the sea near his glowing tunicate garden.
Kragor took a huge cave pearl from his pouch and, grinning, he handed it to Orm. “Here, for your collection.”
Orm turned it about, staring in awe at the rare pearl. “I’ve never seen a cave pearl so big and so perfect. It’s just like the Moon legend.”
Kragor beamed with pleasure.
Arak smiled quietly. He had traded that cave pearl for Kragor’s cave light balls, to use in his secret squid plan.
On the last night of the festival, dragons and octopi feasted on gourmet foods around a crackling dragon fire. The colored flames cast cheerful shadows.
Arafine raised her wings and conversations ceased. “We all love the foods from our first voyage, especially chocolate. Orm says it’s a great source of iron. Now, Zarina will share her invention of our newest treat.”
Two small sacks of roasted cocoa beans were passed around. Dragons inhaled the aroma and octopi felt the flavors. Zarina described her early attempts at mixing plant oils, honey, and powdered beans. She brought bite-sized samples of her latest creations: a chocolate bar made with ground nuts, and “chocolate snowballs” covered with delicate white seeds. Clan and pod cheerfully munched away on the treats.
Arafine led the applause. “That was a delicious story.”
Zarina sat back down next to Arak in a quiet, shadow-lit zone beyond the fire.
Arak finished his chocolate snowball. “These would be perfect for the Winter Festival. How did you dream them up?” The fire crackled as a new log burst into flames with a bright shower of sparks.
Zarina smiled, but she flicked her tail worriedly. “I’m always at the clinic now, with so many sick and hurt dragons. My experiments are a great distraction for my patients, and they love eating my ‘failures’.”
Arak touched her shoulder reassuringly. “We should find copper on this next trip. We’ve planned much more time to explore.”
Arafine raised her wings again. “Arak has a legend to share.”
Arak picked up a sack and stepped forward. Dragons settled back with rustling wings while octopi shifted on their seats. The fire crackled noisily into the silence, as Arak faced many pairs of glowing eyes.
Arak took out a large opal sphere and held it aloft, sparkling in the firelight. “This is a fire opal. It’s rare, so not all have seen one.” He reached into his pouch for five smaller opals. “Pass these around and experience the mystery.” The opals were passed, with hushed exclamations at the hidden fire. Arak waited to recover the pieces. Then he raised his wings high, gathering their attention.
“The Moon and the Sun were in love, but they could not be together. The Sun was hot and came out during the day. The Moon was cool and came out at night.”
Arak picked up a large globe of cool white marble in one hand and a ball of fiery orange carnelian in the other. He held them high, far apart.
“Once, the Moon decided to wait. As night ended she hid low in the sky. She was pale white, unseen against the white ice. She watched the fiery sunrise, awed by its beauty. As the Sun rose in the sky, the Moon rose after him.”
Arak moved the spheres to follow the story.
“The Moon covered the Sun, holding him to her. The world saw the sky turn dark, as if night came early. The golden ridge scales of the Sun shone around her and this light was too bright to look upon. They were happy. But the Moon burned and the Sun grew cool. They could not stay together. Sadly, they moved apart. As they separated, a child of their joining fell from the sky. An opal was born, a cloudy moon with sunfire inside.”
Arak held the moon and sun balls high, overlapped. He moved the spheres apart, letting the hidden fire opal drop to the sand, sparkling as it fell. “It is as rare as their love.”
Arak found himself gazing at Zarina as he finished.
Clan and pod enthusiastically showed their appreciation. Arak bowed and returned to his seat near Zarina.
“That was lovely,” she whispered.
Arafine raised her wings for attention. “Scree has offered to share a legend that no other octopus or dragon has ever heard.” Murmurs and motions of surprise rose from both land and sea sides of the fire.
Scree rippled quietly up the ramp to the shallow, water-filled platform. She raised two arms and silence fell over pod and clan. “This is the legend of Teera, the first squid. Vorm told me the story before he died.”
“The Sun looked down upon the Sea. She was still and calm. No warm or cool streams moved through her. There was no life.”
Scree paused, holding still in the relative silence, letting them imagine this lifeless world.
“The Sun wanted more. He cast a huge pink pearl into the cold depths of the Sea. The pearl was a warm and living stone. It warmed and changed the water. Currents flowed from the pearl. They were long, winding and strong.”
Scree lifted Veera’s pink pearl up high, turning so all could see. The lustrous surface winked with reflected sparks from the fire. The crowd whispered softly. Few had seen this rare pearl from the abyss, far larger than any from their realm.
“The Sun shone its red light on the Sea. The currents became solid arms. They were as flexible as a stream of the Sea, and moved like the flowing flames around the Sun. The arms captured the Sun’s light, sparkling with red and yellow. The pearl became a head, and two golden eyes flamed bright upon it.
“The Sun was pleased and named her Teera. She was a true child of the Sea and Sun, with arms like currents and flames. Her skin was dark and changing like the Sea. Her eyes and arms had golden lights like the Sun. She lived in the darkness of the Sea, in the abyss. But Teera spoke with the light of her father, the Sun. Life spoke with lights in the dark, secret places of the Sea. Currents flowed and twisted. The Sea had movement and life.
“Even today, squid live in the depths with their mother, the Sea. They surf her deep, strong currents. But when it is time to make new life, they rise to the surface and greet their father, the Sun. They feast on the swordfish, his gift. When new squid hatch they are pink, like the pearl, but they grow red like the setting Sun as they mature.”
Scree bowed into the stillness. As if released, dragons vigorously flexed their wings and thumped their tails. Octopi flashed gold with appreciation and wove words of praise. Gold matched the dragons. It was now the accepted color for applause and questions at Trading Festivals. Several octopi added the diamond edges and texture of dragon scales.
Scree looked her surprise when Spar lifted two golden arms high and signed, “I never thought that they’d have legends.”
“Squid are dangerous, but civilized in their own way. Their language is truly beautiful, with flashing patterns of red and yellow lights, and their words have poetic meanings.” Scree made a series of bright spots on two raised arms. “This means ‘greetings’ or ‘welcome’, but it has a longer meaning: ‘May you surf the tangled currents of the sea forever.’ The literal translation is a window into another world, a different way of living and thinking.”
“Do they make art?” Kragor asked.
“They tell stories and dance. They glow brightly through life. But they have no solid homes or possessions. There is no place for art. Giant squid mostly live alone. The Sea is their home, and it is everywhere. Vorm could not understand why a creature would seek the limits of a home that is tied to one place, or how anyone could be homeless. Home is where you are.”
There were no more questions, so Scree returned to her log seat in the sea.
Arafine raised her wings for attention. “It’s late, so we’ll let the fire die out. Tomorrow, clan and pod will begin our second journey together. Honey and chocolate are delicious, and the copper crop is doing well under Orm’s care.” She bowed to him while dragons thumped their tails. “Let’s wish this new voyage success.”
Scree motioned to Arak. “Your opal has red and yellow flashes like squid lights.”
“It does, doesn’t it?” Arak placed the large fire opal securely in his chest pouch.
“We’ll be traveling through squid territory,” Scree reminded.
Arak nodded. “I’ll bring plenty of fishing spears and you’ll have the venom. We have skins painted with squid lights.”
Zarina flicked her tail worriedly. “You really think you’ll find giant squid?”
Arak shrugged his wings. “It’s possible, but not likely. It’s a big sea. We’ll spend more time on land hunting copper.”
Zarina grinned. “Don’t forget chocolate!” She stretched her wings and pulled back, wincing in pain.
Arak stepped closer and saw for the first time an unhealthy orange tinge to her scales, almost masked by the amber firelight. He gripped her arms and stared fiercely into her eyes. “Don’t short yourself, Zarina! I will find copper.”
She gazed steadily back, making no effort to escape his grasp. “Arak . . .”
Whatever she might have said was lost when a young dragon with a network of scars landed right beside them. “Karoon broke his leg and you’re best with that injury. He’s at the clinic.”
Arak released Zarina. She turned away and wrapped her wings affectionately around the messenger. “Tell Driana I’ll be right there.”
After the youngster left, Arak said, “She’s the dragonlet attacked by dweer. She can fly. That’s terrific! I haven’t seen her around.”
“Dorali is painfully aware of her scars. She spends most of her time at the clinic, helping, learning like a sponge.”
Arak smiled at the image. “Sponges learn?”
Zarina snapped her tail irritably. “Dorali absorbs knowledge like a sponge soaks up water. She’ll be a great healer, and having her around is almost like having my own dragonlet. Have a safe voyage!” She twined tentacle to claw with Scree and Orm. Then she touched foreheads with Arak, gave him a dazzling smile, and flew away.
Arak kicked the sand. This was just great. He was leaving, while his rival would be under Zarina’s care. And was she even interested in a mate? The clinic was her home, and it seemed that Dorali satisfied Zarina’s dragonlet interest. But worse, she was shorting herself, probably giving her patients part of her copper rations.
He kicked the sand again.
Arak looked up. Scree was watching him. He took a deep, calming breath. “Let’s discuss the squid. What do you know of the abyss?”
* * *
The following dawn, Arak cast off from the dock. The skiffs flew due west, skipping across a calm sea before steady, moderate winds. Salt flavored the air and grew in crystal patterns on the mast.
Arak signaled the pod at noon. He furled the skiff-wing, slowing as the skiffs merged together into a raft. It was time to rest.
Kragor welcomed Orm aboard with a question. “How would you define art?”
“Art can be realistic or abstract, but it should be well-balanced. It must be pleasing to the eye or ear.”
Arak finished coiling a long rope and stowed it safely. “What about taste? Zarina’s chocolate snowballs are incredible.”
Orm sighed and covered his body with puffed snowballs. “True. I made a sculpture that combines touch and taste.” He described the special carving he’d made for Scree.
Kragor nodded. “Dragons can’t appreciate texture the way an octopus can. But we can sense the crisp, shifting folds of the magnetic field. It’s like seeing and feeling combined. We follow magnetic lines to find our way.”
The sound of clinking mugs announced that it was time for tea. Driana filled her kettle with water. She added a claw-full of fragrant red-root tea, a stick of cinnamon, a sprinkling of nutmeg and a pinch of herbs. Then she breathed bright, hot flames onto the sturdy iron kettle. The old copper kettle had been ground up for supplements.
Orm stared into the flames. Arak closed his eyes to better focus on the delectable and reassuringly home-like scent of spiced tea.
Orm turned to Arak. “You can see magnetic lines? How does that work?”
Arak reached into his pouch. “I can show you the idea. See how the clear light breaks into colors when it goes through this crystal?” He held his quartz prism at the perfect angle, and a bright rainbow appeared on the skiff-wing. “Colors are hidden inside the light. This crystal lets us see them. The magnetic field flows around the world, and a dragon’s inner eye can see it.”
Orm made a playful rainbow appear on his skin. “How do you use this invisible field for art?”
Kragor held his hands like wings. “I once made a sculpture with carved lodestones, a mobile. I could close my eyes and see/feel the bright shadows in the magnetic field.” His hands flexed and swooped. “My silver-gray ice dragon moved with the wind.”
