For story prompt please see here.
Cal pulled lightly on the reins, and Kimberly responded by starting to slowly move the cart forward. Cal knew this was not going to be a quick journey. None of his journeys were ever quick. It was easier now that Creature, his moth dragon, was big enough to fly about a mile ahead, and come back. Then, through a series of snuffles, grunts, and taps he would let him know if the road he was taking was safe or not.
In-between his learning, Cal had trained Creature. The people of the village who at first were a mixture of curious, delighted and concerned when he brought Creature with him out of the lantern forest, now were so used to him they hardly even looked up when he passed over their heads. Creature had proven himself a blessing to the village.
Once Creature had warned of lean and hungry wolves who had been stalking a heard of sheep. Although small for a dragon, he could still let out a thin stream of fire and had been enough to scare off the wolves.
When Cal said his goodbyes to the people of the village, those who had seemed such permanent fixtures in his life, he thought that some of them would miss Creature more than him.
Septunia had wet eyes, which she dabbed at with the apron she always wore.
“I know I encouraged you to go,” she half laughed, “but now you are I can’t help but wish you weren’t.” Cal folded the woman who had once towered over him in a hug and placed a kiss on the top of her head.
He had been terrified of Septunia when he first met her. The herbalist and healer had asked to see him not long after he emerged from the Lantern Forest. The news of Creature had spread quickly. She wanted to examine the moth-dragon.
The children had always talked about Septunia with a tone of warning, wariness, or a delight in scaring each other.
“She has all kinds of potions in her cottage. All of them can kill you,” they would say.
“She’s a black witch, masquerading as a healer,” said another.
“She once threw a cat at me,” someone said.
Cal had taken the path up to her cottage as slowly as he possibly could. Hoping that something might happen to put off their meeting. None of the adults were afraid of Septunia. He saw her laughing with the other adult in the village. Often someone would give her a fresh baked loaf of bread, or a cake. His parents practically pushed him to her cottage. He had pleaded with them not to make him go, who knew what she would do to him.
His father had knelt down so his face was level with Cal’s, and he could feel his hot breath on his face.
“You,” he said with his soft gentleness “are the great Cal of the Lantern Forest, Dragon tamer. What scares you?”
“Everyone says...” Cal started to say.
“Everyone says,” scoffed his father. “Cal, if I listened to what everyone said you would never have gone into that forest. If I listened to what everyone says I would have taken Creature back that first day.”
“Cal,” said his Mum, he could tell from the direction of her voice she was standing behind and beside his father. “That woman helped me birth your sister. I’m not sure she would be here without her. We were very poor then, and she would not accept payment. Someone that kind is not going to harm you.”
Despite everything that his parents said, Cal was still nervous. She had told his parents she wanted to see Creature. She might not harm Cal, but she might harm him. Creature, picking up Cal’s feelings, was hoping from foot to foot on his shoulder and whickering in concern.
Septunia opened the door and invited him in. Helped him sit at her table and put his hands round a warm mug of tea. She tried to coax Creature out from Cal’s hair, he refused. Cal heard her lean back in her chair and stay silent.
Not many people stayed silent with Cal. Most assumed that they needed to tell him things all the time. His sister always told him what people were wearing, as though that was the most important thing. His friend, Kewan, had always told him about the horses and dogs he could see, and any other animals that happened to be around. Lately though, Kewan had started telling him more about girls. His father always described the land around him, the tree’s the plants, the names of every rock and hill. His mother was always describing cooking and baking. Very few people sat with Cal in silence.
Cal would get used to Septunia’s silence. They had qualities all of their own. There was a thick silence when she was totally engrossed in a project, and a fireball falling from the sky would not disturb her. There was a thin tight silence when she felt something was defeating her, but was determined to understand it. There was