Dragon Rider Play

"She certainly does," Pat smirked, watching Erika wander around aimlessly, snapping at the birds she scared up.

"He does, does he?" the Headmaster said carefully.  "Mark, will you please fetch Professor Lucius?"

Jeremiah chukled. "She does enjoy warmth and comfort, not that I blame her."

Mark nodded and went to the library to look for the bookwormish professor.

Luke tilted his head. "Am I in trouble? I didn't mean to. I was curious to see all the dragons, and then I saw Warrior and wanted to say hi, and then he tackled me and said I was his rider."

"Nor do I," Pat admitted, smiling. "If she gets around to finding anything, perhaps we can both share with Mellon?"

"No, you are not in trouble," the Headmaster replied calmly. "Ther is something I wish to confirm."

Lucius was where he always was; in his library with his books. He heard Mark and came to meet him, his small dragon draped about his neck. "Is there a problem?"

Jeremiah nodded. "I think that would be a good idea."

"Oh, okay." Luke said before he went back to petting and playing with Warrior, grinning widely.

Mark bowed his head in respectful greeting. "Not a problem so much a peculiarity that Headmaster Grumbledorf wants your knowledge on." He explained. "I have to leave and drop out of being a rider do to family matters, and my brother came to help. According to him though, Warrior is claiming him as his rider now."

Pat hesitated when she saw Erika dragging a deer carcass toward them. A lomng dead deer carcass. "Um, I changed my mind. I don't think Mellon will want to share that."

Warrior churred and started playing with Luke's hair.

Lucius brightened, and suddenly he looked years younger. "Truly? Oh, marvelous day! Did you hear that, Horatio? His brother was chosen!"
The Sprite dragon bobbed his head, chittering iin equal excitement. He clung tightly as Luscious snatched up a few things and jogged out of the room.

Jeremiah laughed some. "Hey, you never know."

Nightshade came back more slowly, tugging a massive groundhog almost as big as she was into the clearing.

Mark became confused. "Huh? Professor, please explain what's going on."

(That's a big groundhog since they are on average almost hip height...)

"Ewe, have you been hiding that?" Pat demanded, repulsed.
Erika purred at her and dug in.  Yep!  now THIS was dead enough!
Pat shook her head then smiled when she saw Nightshade.  "Hello, sweetheart.  Have a good hunting trip?"

"I have never seen it happen in my lifetime!  and yet it has!  Finally!" was Lucius only statement as he rushed to the rookery.  It happened!!

(Groundhogs out here can get pretty big. And Nightshade is a bit smaller than the other dragons to start with..... It'll still be a big groundhog, but maybe not quite that big. Sorry XD)

Nightshade purred. Can she share this with Mellon please?

Mark was still confused, but followed the professor. Maybe it would be explained more once there.

Luke just laughed and played with the dragon. He liked this guy a lot!

(Still a mighty Big groundhog!  I don't want to meet your groundhogs. XD)

"Of course!" Pat smiled, patting her.  "Well done, Nightshade.  You did a good job."

The Headmaster started to say something but paused when the excited professor brushed right passed him.  "Lucius, I was wondering if..."
"If a dragon could be bound to two people?  No, not to my knowledge, although i suppose it could happen with twins.  What we have here is something different!" Lucius replied excitedly, circling Luke and Warrior.  "We have a confused dragon!  It's only happened ahandful of times in history, and I cannot believe I have gotten to witness it in my lifetime!"
Warrior stayed where he was, stretched out on top of Luke, but he watched Lucius with an expression of surprise and nervousness.  He'd never seen the bookish professor so worked up.  What was going on here?

Nightshade Sat very proudly by her kill and purred. Groundhogs were nasty to fight, but she did it!

Mark frowned. "A confused dragon?"

Luke looked at Lucius curious. "Oh, hello. I'm Luke Drake, Mark's younger brother." He reached up a hand to shake.

"I'll help you carry it back," Pat said, picking up the thing by the hind leg with a grunt.  Heavy!
Erika licked herself off, churring happily to Jeremiah.  All full!

"Indeed!  Indeed!  It makes so much sense!" Lucius agreed, shaking Luke's hand in a distracted manner.  "If one sibling comes to the choosing that is close enough in whatever it is dragons sense, the dragon will bond to the wrong sibling.  They are happy enough until they discover their true bond.  I have read about this!"

Nightshade tried to help. It was a lot easier pulling it along with Pat!

Jeremiah smiled. "We'll get you all cleaned up once we get back to the rookery." He told Erika before he walked over to Pat and Nightshade. He bowed playfully. "Would you like me to carry it for you two?"

Mark smiled a little and looked back at Grumbledorf. "Does that change the standing on Luke staying here and learning how to be a rider?"

Luke watched the excited professor. "Either you have a sprite dragon, or one with Peter Pan Syndrome. I've never seen a Sprite dragon before. We don't breed them at our farm."

Pat laughed shook her head.  "Thank you for your offer, most gallant knight, but I believe my dragon and I will do quite nicely on our own."

Erika trotted after them, some of her scales still gleaming rather disturbingly.

"Yes, yes it does.  If your dragon truly has bonded to your brother, then there is no reason why he cannot stay," Grumbledort agreed slowly, still rather taken aback.

"What?  Yes, yes, yes, he is a Sprite dragon.  Can you command the young dragon?" Lucius asked eagerly.

Jeremiah laughed and followed behind Pat and Nightshade, in no rush at all. He simply thought as he walked.

Mark smiled some, a bit sadly. "I will miss it here...." He said wistfully.

Luke frowned. "Well, what do you want me to ask Warrior to do?"

"I met Mark's brother, Luke," Pat said.  "You should come meet him.  He's very nice."

"What is the first thing to come to your mind?" Lucius asked.

Jeremiah smiled. "Really? What's he like?"

Luke spoke aloud the inner workings of his mind. "Well, trying to figure out how exactly to create a viable machine to heat coils to warm up this here rookery, and how to do it so one can adjust the temperature as needed. To ignite it to start running on its own, I'm thinking a little bit of dragon fire." Luke paused. "Now the thought in my mind is wondering why Sprite dragons are so small, but then their close cousins the boulder dragons are so big.... Why is that?" Another pause. "Wait, you wanted a command for Warrior, right?"

Pat giggled.  "Excitable, passionate, and he likes to invent things.  And, you won't believe this, but he's smaller than me!"

"That is correct," Lucious said patiently.  "Tell him a command, something for him to do."

Warrior sat next to Luke, eyes bright as he waited.

"Really?" Jeremiah asked as he looked Pat over. He shook his head. "Nope. Don't believe it. Can't be smaller than you."

Luke thought for several moments. "Sit?"

Pat jerked her head toward the rookery.  "I'll prove it!"

Warrior tilted his head, whining.
"He is already sitting," the Headmaster pointed out dryly.

"All right then." Jeremiah said. "I'll believe it only if I see it."

"Oh." Luke said in slight surprise. He sat up himself. "Ummmmm.... can you please bring me the hammer that someone dropped over there?" He pointed to the object about ten feet away.

"Race you," Pat challenged then took off running.

Warrior obligingly scampered off and grabbed the end of the hammer.  He growled at the heavy thing as it pulled him sideways, but he determinedly walked it back to Luke and dropped it next to his leg.  There!
"My word!" Lucius said happily.

Nightshade sqwaked indignantly as Pat abandoned helping her carry the groundhog.

"First one's the worst one!" Jeremiah called after Pat and continued walking with Erika. He didn't feel quite awake enough to sprint yet.

Luke grinned and scratched Warrior. "Thanks!"

Pat skidded to a stop and came back to continue helping Nightshade.  "You're impossible," she said, making a face at Jeremiah.

Warrior quivered all over, churring and licking Luke.  He'd done it right!  
"Well?" The Headmaster asked.
"It's settled.  Warrior has... rechosen," Lucious said, shaking his head.

Jeremiah's grin widened. "Face it. It'd be boring around here without me."

Nightshade grumbled, but was thankful for the help again.

Luke laughed and tussled with the dragon.

Mark looked impressed and happy with it all. "Oh, Professor Lucius? Wouldn't this also mean Luke would need to take some lecture classes to catch up with everyone?" He asked.

"Yes it would," Pat admitted.  "It would be quieter, too."

Warrior crowed, pushing into Luke but letting him win.  He liked his new Rider!

"Yes, yes it does," Lucious sighed, but as long as Luke was willing, he'd put in the wok for it.