By Cynthia Wilfert
Eric pushed through the underbrush, cursing the strange echo effect in the valley. He could hear the faint strains of the ukulele, but locating the sound was nearly impossible. “I’m probably going in circles,” he groused.
As he stepped over a spindly creek, a large shadow blocked out the filtered sunlight. Eric peered upward, relieved to spot the familiar purplish scales of his dragon skimming the treetops.
“Took you long enough,” he yelled.
The response was a tremendous snort accompanied by a puff of smoke. The shadow shifted, and Eric adjusted his direction to follow into a nearby clearing. He stumbled from the trees and watched her glide in for a graceful landing.
Verity was small for a dragon, about twice the size of the average horse. She lowered her head and eyed him. “Have you lost the girl again?”
“I’ve not lost her at all. She keeps wandering away!”
“Hmm.”
Eric scowled. “I hope you enjoyed your prolonged morning constitutional.”
“I did.” Verity spread her wings, scales shimmering. “We’ve been out here for a week. Bathing was a necessity.” She flared her nostrils and reared her head back. “You might wish to try it. Perhaps Harmony keeps losing herself to get away from the smell.”
Eric’s cheeks burned. “We’re on a mission, not a vacation!”
“I was not vacating.” Verity tipped her chin, eyeing him down her snout. “On my way to the lake, I spoke to some foxes, monkeys, and an oddly colored bird. They are all evacuating and spreading word of the impending danger as they go.”
Eric deflated. “I’m sorry, Verity. You did well.” She’d been about the business of their mission, saving the native wildlife from what scientists had termed an “impending volcanic eruption.” He’d been the useless one. “I’m only frustrated with our unexpected human rescue.”
Verity lowered her head again and nudged him with cat-like affection. “Because she is pretty?”
“What? No.”
Eric couldn’t deny Harmony’s beauty. When they’d first found her singing to a flock of birds, twirling in her long skirt, blonde hair flowing in the breeze, she’d looked like a fairytale princess. Eric was more than pleased to rescue her. His frustration was born of her short-term memory issues.
Verity hummed. “I spotted her earlier. She’s sitting with her little instrument, singing to a pack of wild dogs.”
Eric flinched. “And you didn’t intervene?”
“Of the two of you, she seemed less distressed.”
The volcano had probably slipped her mind again. It was difficult to rescue someone who kept forgetting they were in danger.
“She isn’t a very cooperative damsel, but you can still be her hero.” Verity knelt so Eric could climb up onto her back. “Let’s go save her! Again.”
Eric sighed. No one warned him about matchmaking dragons when he joined the royal air corps.
He’d left Verity’s harness at last night’s campsite, but he was secure enough to fly without it. He held on with his legs and gripped her armored scales as she soared through the sticky morning air toward the mountain.
The ukulele grew louder. Soon Eric could hear Harmony’s sweet voice singing along.
They crested a stand of trees and circled a clearing backed by the mountainside. Harmony sat on a flat-topped boulder surrounded by a dozen canines. Some bobbed their heads. One howled along with a high note.
Harmony looked up with a brilliant smile as Verity landed.
A few smaller dogs took cover in the brush, but most of the adults held their ground and bared their teeth, growling.
“Hello, Verity!” Harmony chirped.
The dragon nodded to her as Eric dismounted. Verity stared the dogs down for a long moment, then barked once. The dogs fell quiet. Verity proceeded with a series of lower barks, growls, and yips. After a bit, the dogs joined the conversation.
Harmony watched, awed. “That is so amazing.”
Eric had seen Verity use this unique draconic talent to converse with everything from bears to bumblebees. He focused on Harmony. “I’ve been looking for you for hours.”
“Oh, hello again… um…” She stared at him, squinting.
“Eric.”
“Hello, Eric!”
Verity paused and angled her head close for a dragon version of a whisper. “I’m sure the forgetfulness is just her brain and nothing to do with your personality.”
Eric forced a smile. “She never forgets your name,” he said under his breath.
“I am unforgettable.”
Eric huffed. He couldn’t argue that point.
Harmony roamed the clearing. “Don’t you think this would make a great wildlife refuge?”
“Yes, if only it weren’t about to be flooded with lava.”
She looked confused, then her gaze drifted up to the volcano. “Oh!” She spun back to the dogs.
“Don’t worry. Verity will convince them to evacuate, and the king will rehome them.”
“But there’s an injured pup!” She hurried into the pack and reemerged with a young dog holding a lame paw close to its body. “She won’t be able to run. The pack won’t leave her.”
Eric grimaced. Then he repeated the fateful words he’d said when they found Harmony. “She can fly with us.”
“Thank you!”
“But I’ve left the harness…”
“That’s no problem. Eric is very strong,” Verity proclaimed, a glint in her eye.
Five minutes later, he found himself aboard his dragon with a sharp-toothed puppy in his arms and a pretty girl pressed against his back.
“Hold on tight!” Verity called over her shoulder. She winked at Eric and took off with a jolt.
“Verity!” he yelped, clutching the pup to his chest, her nails sinking into the skin of his forearm. Harmony’s arms closed around his waist as they soared above the trees.
Harmony laughed, bright and delighted. “This is wonderful, Eric!”
Yes, it was. Despite the blood running down his wrist, Eric grinned into the wind.
This was a moment none of them would forget.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
What a rich and immersive world you crafted. The dynamics between Verity and Eric were super entertaining. The tension kept me engaged. Thanks for sharing such a delightful story!
Thank you so much for reading and for the lovely comment!
I really appreciate the compliment about the rich and immersive world. I think that is one of my favorite things about short stories: the little taste of something that could be much bigger that sets off the imagination.
And my favorite part to write was the banter between Eric and Verity. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Great story! I can just imagine Eric and Verity saving Harmony over and over and over again. 😆😀
Maybe when they get back to civilization, Eric and Harmony go on a real date. Then of course Verity would have to tag along and stick her head through the restaurant window from time to time to make sure Harmony remembered Eric’s name (and perhaps to snag a nice scone or rack of ribs off a serving platter…).
Thank you so much for commenting!
“Eric had seen Verity use this unique draconic talent to converse with everything from bears to bumblebees”
Now perhaps this skill of Verity’s is magic, but I’m skeptical. Bumblebees don’t understand growls and grunts. The only language they understand is DANCE.
I’m remembering a video I once saw of an ostrich ‘dancing’ – spinning round and round with wings lifting away from its body, arching its neck, pausing to run a few yards before twirling again. Awkward, but beautiful … and passionate! I think a dragon with Verity’s skills and personality could certainly communicate through dance if needed. :)
Thank you for commenting!
As Verity starts to dance her warning for the bees, scientists hundred of miles away see wildly swinging seismographs traces and think “THE VOCANO IS ERUPTING”
HA! I love it.
… But one of the lower-tier scientists speaks up and disagrees: he’s certain this is a tornado. Arguments ensue. Someone suggests it is a whole new phenomenon… a volcanado!
Then a custodian wanders in and is like, “Dudes. Haven’t you ever seen ‘Dances with Dragons’?”
😂😂🤣
Great story! I always enjoy reading new stories! The writer is very talented!
Thank you so much, Sharon!
I loved this! Wanted it to keep going! A sequel, perhaps?
Excellent writing!
Thank you, Millie! It is a great complement when someone wishes a story was longer and there was more to enjoy. :)
Great story. It’s very funny (love the banter between Eric and Verity) with lyrical writing and a great plot/ending.
Thank you so much! Writing the banter was my favorite part. :)
Your writing is so visual.
The story ended before I knew it and the depth of the characters lends itself to a series. Perhaps a Part II?
Thank you! I really enjoyed writing these characters; I’m so glad you enjoyed reading them!
Your writing is so visual!
The story ended before I knew it and the depth of the characters lends itself to a series. Perhaps a Part II?
Thank you!
You captured Harmony’s qualities delightfully, and added two more fascinating characters.
Thank you! Reading the info sheet on Harmony’s character really sparked my imagination; she’s so vibrant and quirky. I enjoyed writing an outside perspective on her, and got rather attached to Eric and Verity in the process.
“Of the two of you, she seemed less distressed.” Fun!
“Of the two of you, she seemed less distressed.” I laughed out loud at this line! The dialogue, Eric and Verity’s friendship, the world–it’s all so wonderful together!