Airibells,

the Little Dragon

Once upon a Time... a little dragon hatched out on an island far away. The volcanic island, the Dragon Hatching Place for generations, was picked for it's remoteness and for protection for the hatchling. The little dragon made her way to the ocean to catch fish to slake her ravenous hunger. Then she crawled out on the beach to sleep.

Upon awakening, she found that she had grown and so had her wings! She watched the seagulls and began to mimic their actions. Soon she realized that she was famished again. Only this time it was for the mineral rich white stones of the island. Her diamond teeth made quick work of the softer stones. Her multi-faceted eyes whirled with pleasure as she ground the stones to gravel and swallowed. In no time at all her tummy was rumbling. Before she knew it, her feet were barely touching the ground.

Now she began to flap here strong wings. Up, up, up, and away she flew! High up into the sky her powerful wings carried her. Up through the clouds. Higher than the birds! She flew and flew, soaring and diving through the clouds.

At last she began to tire. As the sun set she turned her nose toward the Dragon Hatching Island. But, she was far from her home. As the moon rose over the horizon, and the stars sparkled brilliantly in the night sky, she grew hungry again and flying seemed to be more difficult by the minute. Finally, she was skimming the waves. Then up ahead she saw flashes and splashes in the moonlight. Quietly, she settled into the water to rest. Soon she was surrounded by frolicking dolphins.

*Oh, look, it's a baby dragon! What's your name?"

*Dragon, I guess. That is what you just called me.*

*Oh, no, you have to have another name. We are dolphins, but we each have a name. I'm Speckles and this is my mate, Splotch.*

*I'm Diver.*

*And I'm Flyer, and this is Jumper.*

They each danced on their tail for introduction. The little dragon touched noses with each one in turn.

The dolphins conversed among themselves, *She flies through the air, so air should be part of her name.*

Just then her stomach rumbled, making a deep chiming sound.
*A-a-a-a-a-eeeeee, she sounds like a bell!*

*I've got it! Airibells!*

*Airibells, yes.*

*Airibells, oh, I like it.*

*I do too,* said the little dragon. *Airibells, shall be my new name! Thank you for giving me a name.*

*Well, Airibells, what brings you to swim with us?*

*I just learned how to fly today, but I got tired and could fly no more.*

*You are lucky you landed near dolphins frolicking and not sharks feasting,* Diver said.

*Oh, sharks are my favorite meal. I ran into some on a feeding frenzy yesterday. They were much tastier than what they were feeding on. What is your favorite meal?*

*Small fish or some shell fish,*sang Jumper.

*We stun 'em with our sonar, then they are easy to catch,* added Splotch.

*What would you like to do, Airibells?* asked Flyer, sensing her fatigue.

*I'd like to rest a while and then swim home. Do you know the way?*

*Oh, yes, we know were the Dragon Hatching Island is,* they all squealed together, *but it is two days swim from here.*

*I'm a good swimmer. I seem to be more at home in the sea than I am in the air. Would you mind guiding me there?*

*We'd be delighted,* sang the dolphins.

*We should rest now, so we can get an early start when the sun rises.

Then the dolphins sang their song to the moon and stars before sleeping. Airibells joined in the chorus.

The dolphins schooled together for protection and to help each other stay afloat. Airibells flapped her wings vigorously, trapping a big bubble of air under each wing for floats, she rested her head on her back to keep her nose out of the water.

Early the next morning they started on their journey. They swam, frolicked and hunted for food fish as they went along. That night they all went to sleep with full bellies. It was a spectacular sunset with the sun shining brilliant rainbow colors on some thunderhead in the distance.

Airibells awoke to an ominous vibration. *What's that?* she squealed to the dolphins.
*That is a hurricane!* said Diver.

*We'd best get a move on,* Speckles said. *We don't want to get caught near a lightning strike! Or we'll all be electrocuted; fried, not fun!*

So the pod started swimming as fast as they could for the Dragon Hatching Island. It was nearly dawn when the storm overtook them. The dolphins taught Airibells how to body surf the waves in order to keep in the air for breathing, then to dive just before the wave crashed over to keep from getting caught in the tumble. That was fun. Another good thing was that the fishing was excellent.

*Listen, underwater, what is that sound?* Diver chimed.

*That is the creaking sound of a ship of humans. Let's go! They may need some help,* Jumper called.

They followed the deep groans through the water, to find that the ship was indeed in trouble. The rudder had broken and now the ship was turned sideways in the trough. The next big wave swamped the ship, dragging it under. Eight humans struggled to swim to the surface. Each dolphin picked up a human to help propel them to air. Speckles, Splotch and Jumper picked up two humans apiece because they were the biggest. Airibells waited at the surface with wings outstretched for them to climb up on.

One of the humans was a young boy. Airibells could hear his thoughts clearly, so she could communicate telepathically with him just as she did with the dolphins. She said, *Hang on tightly and we will swim you to safety. Tell your friends not to be afraid. We are all here to help you.*

The boy just had time to convey the message before she surfed the next wave. Luckily the storm was headed for her island. They could surf the waves faster than they had been swimming.

*Hang on tight and hold your breath, I have to dive!*

One fellow lost his hold, but Diver picked him up. Several others fell off in the next dive. Airibells held steady in the next trough while they climbed back on again.

It was about this time that the men realized that they were riding on a dragon and not a raft! One silly fellow got frightened and jumped off. Airibells simply reached out with her retractable taloned hand, scooped him out of the water and placed him on her outstretched wing again.

*Silly Human. We are trying to help you. Now hang on tight, I have to dive!*

It was hard work for the dolphins and dragon trying to keep the humans in the air. If it weren't for the humans she could have spent much more time underwater with the dolphins where it was safe. The men kept loosing their grip on the front edge of her wings. They were past exhausted, too. The dolphins would have to rescue them and bring them back to climb up on Airibells outstretched wings again.

Just about that time Airibells dove into a kelp bed and came up with the stuff wrapped all over her and the men. *Quick!* cried their leader, *tie it around your waist! Then hand the other end to me!* When he had all the kelp whips he straddled Airibells's neck and tied them around her neck like a collar. Now when one slipped off in a dive, he was able to climb back up his kelp whip to catch hold of the front of her wing.

Airibells, was near exhaustion, when Speckles squealed, *Ahead! The island is just ahead. We will have to swim around to the lea side, where the water will be calmer for climbing out.*

It was still another hour before Airibells surfed the last wave into shore. She thanked her Dolphin friends for their help. Then dragging herself and her precious cargo of eight half drowned, but alive men up onto the beach, she crawled into a cave and collapsed.
By the next morning the storm had passed. Airibells went out to fish while the men went out to find firewood. She came back with four big fish for them to eat. Her own belly full, she climbed to the highest peak to bask in the sun. When she awoke the sun was setting. She chewed enough white stone so she could easily fly down to the beach where she'd left the men. She called to the boy. He came running out of the cave to greet her. Angry yells followed him out of the cave. Airibells could feel fear and angry, superstitious animosity from at least three of the men.

*I apologize for leaving for so long today. Do you need more fish tonight. I don't want my new friends to go to bed hungry.*

"We are fine. We ate the last of the fish tonight, and had a little bit left over. Those were big fish that you caught us. We will need some more for breakfast though. There is not much else to eat on this island except seagulls. Some hemp grows here, but that's not edible, although, we can at least make rope, fishing lines and clothes from the fibers. I saw some lichen on the rocks. It might be edible or it might not, I'm not sure which kind it is."

*The seagulls do not eat it, so probably not.*

"Oh, it would have to be boiled first, and they couldn't do that, heeheehee. But speaking of boiling, we can not do that either, we have no cooking pots. Nor do we have any fresh water. We will die from thirst in just a day or two more if we don't get fresh water to drink. We found a few puddles today from the rain, but those will be gone in just a day or two."

*Hop on. I will fly you to my hatching cave on the other side of the island. There was a hot springs in there that may be fresh water.* Airibells lifted the boy to her neck where he hung on tightly. But when she launched herself airborne he slipped and nearly fell off. Luckily she caught him with the back of her hand, holding him in place while she settled back on the sand.

*This will never do. To fly with me we will both need safety harnesses. Right now, I will hold you around the body in my hand. Turn your back to me so you cans see where we are going.* Airibells grasp him around the middle and leaped upward into the dim evening light.

*By the way, do you have a name? My name is Airibells. The dolphins gave it to me.*
"Yes, my name is Shawn. I like your name, it fits you."

*Thank you, so does yours.*

By the time they arrived at her hatching cave it was near dark.

"We need some light. I always heard that dragons were supposed to breathe fire. Your breath smells like sulfur, so I'm wondering if you can too."

*I don't know. I've never tried to breathe fire. Stand back and let me try.* She huffed and puffed to no avail. It wasn't until she got flustered and hissed that her tongue scraped across the roof of her mouth creating a spark that ignited the fumes of her breath. Quickly, she breathed on a bush, setting it ablaze, then snatched it from the ground and held over her head as they entered the cave.

The burning bush illuminated the whole cave. There were egg shells everywhere. The spring bubbled up from the back. Shawn scooped up a crown piece of egg shell, rinsed it in the stream, then drank from it. He spit the water out. "Plllaatttt! It's worse than sea water, much stronger."

*The volcano must suck the sea water in through vents and spew it out here. So, you can only drink rain water? Why don't you do like the sun does and evaporate it?*
"I don't understand what you mean, evaporate?"

*The sun warms the water. The warmer the water the more water vapors jump up into the air. Then when it gets up to where the air is thin and cold, then it turns to clouds. When the clouds get enough water drops in them, they fall in rain.*

"How do you know this?"

*I can see it happening, can't you? Don't you see the air currents?*

"No, but your eyes are so different than mine, it's no wonder."

*I'm sure that this will work if we can just figure out how to catch the evaporated sea water.*

Shawn grinned. "I know!" He ran around gathering up egg shells. The smaller ones he placed in the sand in a circle with one in the center. Then he placed a large one over the others. "See? The water to heat goes in the center shell. It evaporates, as you say, then runs down the outside of the big shell to drip into the outside ring of shells."

*A fine idea! Gather up as many shells as you can carry all stacked together, and I will too. We must hurry. The smoke from this burning bush is getting thick in here and it is bad smoke!*

"Yes. My father says that hemp is bad to burn because the smoke makes you have bad dreams, even when you are awake. It will even make you crazy for a while. That's what happened today when we cooked our fish. We breathed the smoke and saw crazy things."

*This is as many egg shells as I can carry in one hand. Let's go.*

At the mouth of the cave Airibells tossed the burning brand into the stream to put it out. Then she picked up Shawn in one hand and the egg shells in the other. With a great leap of her hind legs she was airborne. Her night vision was as good as her day vision. At night she just saw things in a different light. She could detect the ultraviolet and infrared light waves at night.

She flew straight back to the beach cave where the rest of the humans were waiting. Airibells landed and set her precious cargo down. Shawn's father came out to meet his son.

"Father, look what we got. Egg shells so we can make fresh water from sea water and cook in too!"

"Good. Fresh water and cooking pots are a must." He turned to Airibells, "Thank you for bringing my son back to me safe."

*I would not let harm come to my friends!* she said bowing her head to him.

"Father, allow me to introduce Airibells. Airibells, this is my father, Prince Shane of Lightning Island, Second Knight and First Admiral of the Fleet."

*I am pleased to know your name* she said.

Prince Shane looked astonished. "I heard you inside my head, but not with my ears!"

"Exactly," Shawn exclaimed, glowing with pride that his father could hear the dragon too.

*Would crab shells do for cooking pots? Or maybe I could find a large oyster for you,* Airibells asked, returning to the subject at hand.

"They would work for a while, I'm sure. And both would be fine to eat." Prince Shane replied

*I will try to find some of both for you in the morning then. I will fly back to my peak for the night. I would sleep here on the beach, but some of the men might feel imprisoned instead of safe. I realize that several are frightened of me. The only reason that I would ever hurt anyone is if they were trying to kill me, then I would be forced to protect myself.*

The boy walked up to Airibells's mussel and gave her a big hug. "I know that you are our friend and protector. It's just that the sailors are ignorant and superstitious. It's not their fault. They don't know any better. It was the gruesome stories they grew up with as children that makes them fearful. Like they believe that a pile of rags left in the corner will magically turn into rats. They don't realize that the rats are just using the rags for a nest. It is the false stories and twisted truth like that which make them superstitious."

*But you know better. How?*

"I am lucky that my father is an educated man. And I am being educated by our best scribes, magicians, and bards. But, now we are lost at sea, with little hope of getting back." The sadness in the boy's voice and heart made Airibells lick him in the face to try to cheer him up. It did. He laughed.

*Do not give up hope, my young friend. I believe that I can fly you all back to your home. But, I will have to grow bigger and stronger to carry all eight of you. Also, you will need to make lots of hemp ropes to tie yourselves on with. How many days were you sailing when you were hit by the storm?*

Prince Shane answered, "We had been sailing thirteen days when the storm came up and we were in it for a day I think. It's was hard to tell, but it was morning when it hit and then pitch black. You rescued us just after it lightened up again."

*Hummm, that will be a long flight. I'm not sure that I can eat enough stone to keep me airborne for that long. I will have to learn to fly without it. This may take some time, so be patient my friends. I'm just a hatchling myself and have much to learn about life. Good night.*

"We owe you the debt of our lives. We are yours to do with as you will," said Prince Shane, and he bowed deeply.

Airibells was puzzled by the implications of his statement. She bowed her head and said, *I promise that I will do everything in my power to keep you safe and return you to your home.* Then she took three steps backwards to keep from showering them with sand when she lifted off. With a great spring of her powerful hind legs and giant tail she leaped on high and soared off into the night sky to her favorite sleeping peak.

At the first rays of dawn, Airibells awoke and went to hunt for crabs and oysters. The crabs posed a problem of containment. She couldn't spear then on her retractable talons like she did fish because it would break their shells. Finally, she took each one to the surface and breathed fire on it to kill it. Then she could hang on to them with one hand without them crawling out. She caught and ate fish as she went along. After finding twenty-six crabs for the men's breakfast, she finally located a giant oyster in deeper water. It was open, so she stuck her tail in. The oyster clamped shut and she swam to the surface. Leaping like a dolphin from the water, she was airborne and flew to the men's cave where she deposited the load. She slit the back of the oyster open so she could get her tail out and the men could get to the meat.

Shawn came running out to greet his friend. Prince Shane followed. At his beckon two more men followed, but the sailors hung back in the cave. "Airibells, allow me to introduce Captain Hayman, and First Mate Bozer. Gentlemen, this is Airibells." They bowed, so she bowed her head also.

Prince Shane continued, "Airibells, we have a problem. If we use the hemp wood to burn to evaporate the water as Shane explained to us last night, the smoke will rise up with the water and poison the water. We were wondering if we could impose upon you to supply the fire with your breath. We could set the shell full of water on stones to hold the heat so you wouldn't have to wear yourself out."

*It would be my pleasure to do anything I can to help you get water. I will go collect some stones while you prepare the egg shells.* Soon she was back with several big rocks and boulders.

"Oh, dear," Prince Shane exclaimed, "we had imagined rocks the size of two fists!"

*No problem.* She picked up one of the larger stones, turned it over and over until she was satisfied with the angle, then set it between her diamond teeth and crunched. The lava stone shattered into hundred of small stones between the size of a fist or a head. *There,* she said with a toothy grin. *Take your pick.*

Bozer picked up about 10 and placed then in the hole in the sand. Then he set the egg shell with the water in it carefully on the rocks. At last the large egg shell was placed over the other shells in a semi-circle.

Bozer stood back to admire his handy work. "I left out one shell and dug a trench in the sand for you to rest your snout in. Hopefully it is comfortable for you."

*Thank you. It looks fine.* Airibells crunched up one white "float stone" as she thought of it and laid down on her belly. As soon as she felt herself start to become buoyant, she raised her head and rubbed her tongue against the roof of her mouth as she exhaled. Instantly flames shot into the air. She controlled her exhale until only a tiny torch flame shot from her mouth. Carefully, she laid her head in the trench. She adjusted her exhale until the flame covered the rock and flickered around the bottom of the egg shell. In only three controlled breaths the rocks glowed red. Soon the water was boiling. Airibells continued with her task until all five egg shells were filled with distilled water. This became a daily task for Airibells. When she caught sharks for herself, she carefully saved the stomach for the men to store the extra water in for the trip.

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It was nearly three months before Airibells was ready to make the flight. She worked hard every day, flying around and around the island, gaining strength. She fished every morning and evening, bringing in food for her human friends. The men worked diligently on building a raft for them to float on in the night time. Also to carry their provisions and half the men in flight. Shawn worked on making a harness for Airibells, but she kept growing out of it.

One day at dawn she took off flying in a straight line to see how far she could fly in a half a day. At noon she circled around and started back, satisfied with the distance she had made. She flew low, between the clouds and water. For entertainment, she adjusted her eyes to see beneath the surface of the waves. She watched the many multicolored schools of fish dancing and feeding in the ocean below.

On a ridge of shallows she saw a dark shape, bigger than herself. Airibells circled around and dove in to investigate. Upon closer inspection she realize that it was her Human friend's sailing ship! She was elated. Unfortunately the ship was too heavy for her to move. The mast had broken and been driven down through the middle of the ship with such force that it had broken the ship in half. Things were strewn all over the shallows from the ship. She found 4 casks, which she hoped might contain fresh water for the men. Clasping one in each taloned foot, she quickly flew to the surface & up into the sky. She circled high to catch the air currents that would carry her to her island.

She arrived with the sun still a couple of hours from setting. Riding the higher air currents made a great deal of difference in the distance she could cover. It was too bad that the men couldn't breath the thin air. She circled and glided in to the beach in front of the cave. The four sailors ran for the cave. Even after her feeding them and working with them for months, they were still frightened of her. It was sad, but she would continue to help them. Hopefully, they would grow to trust her.

She called to Shawn. He came climbing down the rocks where he had been gathering more hemp for rope.

*Look what I found. I hope this is your fresh water.*

"Father, father! Look what Airibells has brought us." He grabbed one of the casks and shook it. It sloshed. "I think it's water!"

First Mate Bozer was the first to reach Shawn. He pulled the bung on one of the casks.

to be continued.....

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(c) 2000, 2001 by Sharri Lorraine~