[Fireheart]: 318.Short Stories.Tal-Inri.Tal-Inri Part II.Tal-Inri Part III.Tal-Inri Part V

I would have been happy to spend the rest of my days with that herd. They were such peaceful creatures, and in their day-to-day lives, they were quite carefree. I learned that they were very capable fighters, and when the occasional goblin or giant attacked the herd in search of meat their sharp horns, hooves, and teeth made them intimidating opponents.
Within my clan, I memorized the names of each individual. I had spent three days with the herd, and by now I was quite familiar with unicorn mannerisms and customs. Often I found myself babysitting several rowdy little ones to give their mothers a break. Unicorn foals were great fun, I discovered.
I mingled with other clans as well, and made some friends, though none of them felt as close to me as the Fire clan. I found out that the Light clan, the pure white unicorns with blindingly gold horns and blue eyes, were the presiding clan among the herd, and that the eldest unicorn, Father Brightglow, was “King” in the herd, so to speak. He was frail and his bones seemed to show through almost transparent skin, and his voice soft; but when he had something to say, the whole herd would listen. His authority was quiet yet commanding, and I admired him from the few brief chats I had with him- I found him very approachable.
Regrettably, I discovered that Flamedancer and I were to leave the next morning to travel to my destination in the Dragon Lands. I spent my last day socializing and saying my goodbyes within the herd and the clan.
As evening approached, I learned that Flamedancer had arranged for food to be brought to me from a nearby centaur village. Centaurs kept herds of animals, and the nearby village had supplied a cow, several loaves of bread, a wheel of cheese, and an assortment of vegetables for me. 
They had kindly butchered the cow and cooked it; they must have been keeping in consideration that I was not a full-blooded dragon and did not eat my meat raw. I ate my meal that night, enjoying it immensely considering that I had not eaten for a few days.
After my meal I settled, belly full, to the goodnights (and final goodbyes) of the herd. I went to sleep with a heavy heart that night.

The next morning Flamedancer wakened me at dawn. I slipped for the last time from the comfortable pile of unicorns and we weaved our way out of the meadow around the sleeping clans, and began our trek to the Dragon Lands.
The journey was not an easy one- as a human I wouldn’t have made it even a tenth of the way. We scaled several mountains and leapt across a treacherous gorge. Our travels took us an entire three days, from dawn to dusk. We arrived at the edge of the Dragon Lands as the phoenixes danced on the third day, and camped out for the night.
In the morning, the rays of the sun awakened me before Flamedancer had even raised his head from the bed of moss that we had chosen for our sleeping place.
The Dragon Lands loomed before us- a large, blackened, rocky expanse that became craggy, spiraling mountains and volcanoes many miles away. Beneath the plains of black rock lay molten lava, crawling and oozing up through cracks in the rock. Broken, glasslike shards of stone lay all across the plains. 
It was formidable, gloomy territory; Flamedancer had told me that the noble Elemental Dragons had accepted the region as their own to give the softer, slighter creatures of the world a more suiting habitat. Some dragons spent their nights in the Elven Mountains, hidden in caves, and returned to the Dragon Lands by day to meet in the Volcano- the crater of the dormant Volcano formed a large valley, and in the center of that valley was where dragons held court. 
I stretched my wings and cast a crimson glow on the rocky, gorse-brush covered area that was the border between the Tal-Inrian wood and the Dragon Lands.
Flamedancer stirred, then stood and yawned, looking me up and down.
You could use a bath…he mused thoughtfully.
I laughed at the prospect and surveyed my scales. Sure, they were a bit dull from all of the dust of traveling, but I would survive.
I shrugged and called, Come on, let’s go! as I began to pace over the Border. Flamedancer stood and didn’t move. I turned back toward him and spoke again. Come on, Flamedancer. We’ve got to go. We need to keep our pace, remember?
The twinkle of amusement was gone from his eyes, and now he looked serious. Fireheart, here is where I must leave you. The law speaks that you must continue on alone. I am not to set foot in the Dragon Lands to aid you. From now on, things are up to you. I will warn you; the Black Ones will kill you as readily as they would kill any other young dragon. They hope to end the line of Elementals so that their children might begin their dictatorship. They will stop at nothing if there is an opportunity to end your life. The Black Ones were banished from the Volcano long ago, but they make their living deep in the ground in the chasms you will find across the land. If you spot any in the skies, spread your wings and fly to the Volcano as quickly as you can.
I hadn’t realized that Flamedancer would be leaving me, too. I was frightened by what he was telling me. Tearfully, I began to protest, but he silenced me, coming forward and laying his horn against my cheek. I felt a faint tingle, and he stepped back, looking up at me. I have marked your right cheek with the emblem of the Fire clan. He explained. Everyone will now know that you are part of our family. If a Dark One sees this mark, it may be your chance for survival. Fire dragons are the second most powerful elementals, and they are the fiercest fighters. If you are killed, the Dark Ones will know to expect severe consequences. 
Will I ever see you again? My thought voice was small, like that of a lost child.
That is not for us to decide. Flamedancer told me gently. But it is possible. Do not lose hope.
I nodded. I wouldn’t. He knew that. I would miss him and the rest of the unicorns; but I had to get back home eventually.
I smiled sadly at him. I’ll never forget you. I said sincerely.
We have learned much from each other Fireheart. I will never forget you, either.
With that, we went our separate ways. I turned and began my journey into the Dragon Lands, and he faced away and wandered off, back into the forest. I watched over my shoulder until he faded into the morning shadows.
Then, I faced the mountains, setting my sights on the central Volcano. I squared my shoulders, and crossed the border between the black lava rock and the familiar rock of the forest. The heat rising out of the ground mirrored the heat of my body.
The sharp shards of obsidian and volcanic glass did not cut the thick pads on my feet at all. I became very aware of my long shadow stretching out behind me, as the morning sun grew higher in the sky, bathing me in golden light. My scales exploded with brilliant color and cast prisms on the ground around me.
Feeling a cool breeze that cut through the heat of the ground, I lifted my nose to the wind and inhaled deeply. I caught the unmistakable, spicy scent of other dragons. I was both excited and apprehensive of this. Nonetheless, the breeze put me in good spirits, and without even thinking, I unfurled my wings as I walked, and then sprang into the air.
With several pumps of my powerful wings I rose high into the sky, gliding on the thermals. I was far swifter by wing than walking on foot; the ground sped by far below me, as flatland gave way to rivers of lava and piles of volcanic stone, to spires and spears of volcanic glass, to hills… all of this spread out below me like a map. I was almost directly above the Volcano. I was higher than even the clouds. I suddenly closed my wings tightly to my sides and dove. The hills and chasms grew closer and closer….
I pulled out of the dive just in time, my tail grazing the ground. I glided close to the land until I managed to settle gracefully. 
What had I been thinking? I could have gotten myself killed… I realized that the dragon in me had taken a joy ride, and I remembered how Flamedancer had told me that I needed to beware of that.
I winced and walked forward. I was close to the base of the Volcano. It was the biggest volcano I had ever seen in my life; it was more of a massive mountain. I figured I would have to take flight again to conquer it in any less than an hour. To my left, a wide chasm loomed deeply. I froze, remembering what Flamedancer had told me about the Black Ones- the evil, ink colored dragons with glowing white eyes. They dwelt in the chasms of the Dragon Lands.
Heart pounding, I looked around desperately for a way to quickly put distance between the abyss and myself. Seeing none, I decided I would take flight and just pray that nothing caught me.
As I was spreading my wings, I heard the scrape of scales on rock from deep inside the gap. With a sudden burst of adrenaline, I sprang into the air, wings straining as I skimmed up the side of the mountain. Not far behind me, I saw the massive, dark, winding shape explode from the ground, gaining swiftly. The figure gave a deep, reverberating roar, and I knew I was in huge trouble.
Never has a dragon flown as quickly as I during that heart-stopping moment. I crested the huge mountain and dove down the inside of the crater, not even seeing where I was going. I think I had shut my eyes. I collided with the ground hard, and slid the remaining way, coming to a stop against something solid and unyielding. There was a great scuffling sound, several more roars, and then I blacked out from the combination of impact, exhaustion, and fright.