Dragonwitch pt 1

Rena held on tight as her sister carried her over the valley. The dragon on whose back she rode scanned the ground for a place to land. The ground was covered in emerald colored trees. Rena looked down at the crystal water of the river that wove between the trees, and sighed. "It's beautiful," she said.1

"You impress to easily," the dragon said.2

"And you not easily enough," Rena retorted.3

The dragon swooped into a steep dive as they passed over a lake. Rena gasped as the cold water engulfed her. The dragon surfaced, and swam to shore, laughing.4

"Laugh all you want," Rena said from her sister's back. "Tarnesa will have your hide if I come in dripping wet." Rena slid off the dragon's back as they reached shore.5

"I would like to see her try," the dragon said.6

"You are too arrogant, Trinity."7

Rena washed her face in the lake water. She had only ever seen one other human, so she didn't know whether or not she could be considered beautiful. Her deep violet hair was the same color as her sister's scales, and was always pulled into a ponytail that reached her waist. Her eyes were silver, as were her nails, which were sharper than any human nails should be. Earrings in the shape of silver knots hung from her pointed ears.8

Trinity folded and unfolded her wings impatiently. "Can we go now?"9

Rena climbed on her sister's back, and they took flight.10


Trinity and Rena landed in a clearing, where a middle aged woman sat waiting for them. "Your late," the woman said.11

"Forgive me, Lady Tarnesa," Rena said.12

"You're forgiven," Tarnesa said. "Did you bring your supplies?" Rena nodded, and pulled out the candles she had made. "Light them," Tarnesa said. Rena nodded. She blew softly on each candle, and watched them ignite. "Good," Tarnesa said. "Now tell me, how is your family?"13

"My brothers have all now left," Rena said. "Mother has not decided what to do with us yet." She lay back against Trinity. "It is complicated because we are not just sisters, but twins, so we have the same heart. She wouldn't be able to separate us, and I could never be fully excepted as a dragon."14

Tarnesa eyed the two. "And what if you were to go live with humans?"15

Rena burst out laughing, but stopped when she saw the seriousness on Tarnesa's face. "I am not human as far as I'm concerned."16

"But others would see you as human. A strange human, true, but a human none the less."17

"What about Trinity?" Rena asked desperately. "We could not leave each other."18

"Who said you had to? People here are used to seeing dragons."19

"But not with people!"20

Tarnesa held up her hand to stop the flow of arguments about to explode from Rena. "None of this has to be decided today. I am simply telling you what must eventually happen. You are destined to end the war between the wolves and dragons, and for that, you must know what it's like to be human." Rena hung her head, knowing that Tarnesa was right. "You know," Tarnesa said. "I always thought it was interesting how your sister chose the name Trinity as her own."21

Trinity looked up. "Why?" Rena asked.22

Tarnesa smiled. "That," she said. "you will discover on another day."