Book 2: Dragon Flight
Prologue: The Weller Family;
If you have read book 1: The Hatchling, you may skip right to Chapter 1.
Ty, Robin, Ruby, and Nolan Weller committed to being part of the exploration and settlement of a newly discovered planet in another Solar system 6 light years from Earth.
Ruby and Nolan agreed to go but wanted to bring “Uncle Dawnzereli,” their dog Pebbles, and they wanted ponies. Unfortunately, Uncle Dawnzereli and the ponies did not happen, but Ruby and Nolan were happy in their new home on New Earth.
Inspecting Solar Panels on the hill above their home, Ruby and Nolan discover two were destroyed. They found a pretty rock and were surprised that their science project was not a rock at all, but an egg.
Yikes! It hatches, and the baby is a relative of the clan of Dragons from the northern mountains. They help the baby out of his shell, and after the shock wears off he bonds with them; they name him Donzereli after their Uncle Dawnzereli back on old earth.
Ty and Robin are very disappointed (this is an understatement) that the kids kept this secret. Eventually, they and the other settlers accepted that there were real live Dragons on their planet, and everyday life settled into a routine.
Donzereli becomes the highlight of the Festival of Lights by flying all the children on his back, cementing the friendship between the two races.
Ruby, Nolan, their best friends Bonnie, and Shamus, tell their parents they would like to go on a picnic; the plan is approved by the parents. No one notices that more food than four children can possibly eat is packed, maybe the parents are exhausted from two weeks of Festivities.
The kids meet in the field surrounded by trees to meet up and travel by hovercraft for a day of goofing off and having fun.
They are caught off guard by the appearance of Dr. Rodney Allen, who insists on going along with them on their “picnic.” Thinking he would be the fifth wheel on their wagon they try to discourage him, but he insists; (bribes) they take him along.
What’s wrong with a picnic? They have their parents permission and an adult along? This is one of those, best-laid plans that can go wrong. Amazing how hot water and adventure, go together, isn’t it?
Chapter 1 The Morning after
Mornings at the Weller household is family time and includes a healthy breakfast and a discussion of the day’s plans. Today was like any other day with the added attraction of preparing to meet Donzereli’s parents. They would arrive soon to take him home with them. The arriving adult Dragons agreed to stay cloaked until they were inside the hideout fence. It would not do to scare the community before Ty and Robin had a chance to introduce not only one family of Dragons; but a whole community of them.
This is gonna be fun!
Ruby and Nolan were bursting with excitement and anticipation at seeing Donzereli again this morning. They had been daydreaming about how much fun they were going to have. After all how many kids have a real live dragon as a friend?
Ty and Robin were thinking of, how they were going to make everyone in their settlement and on earth believe that the Dragons are peaceful and not fire-breathing monsters.
“Let’s get one thing straight, you are not going to spend all your time with Donzereli. He is not to come down visiting you until we have introduced the Dragon clan to our people. You have chores to do and your studies. And by the way, those will be increased enough to keep you busy so you won’t have time to get into any more trouble.” Ty admonished.
The kids knew that they were in for a stern lecture, and were prepared with the proper “Yes Sir, we promise” answers.
What they weren’t prepared for was the next part of their punishment. “You will both work together to put your journal with all its information into an essay form. We need that to introduce Donzereli’s family and the whole clan of Dragons living up north to the community. You will start on your project today as soon as Donzereli’s parents take him home.” Ty said.
“And since you obviously are capable, I will be increasing your academic
levels of study to make sure you are not bored,” Robin added, received sighs, slumped shoulders, and sad eyes, but not a word or any whining.
Nolan looked up at Ty and said, “Dad, Donzereli’s parents just landed inside the fence of our hideout, and they are waiting to meet us.”
“How do you know that? Of course, that telepathic thing. I am not entirely comfortable with you having private conversations with Donzereli. You will keep us informed when you talk to him, understand?”
“Yes, Dad, we promise, can we go down to meet them now? Please.
“Yes, I guess we should not keep them waiting. No running ahead, we all go as a family. I hope they stayed cloaked until they were inside the gate of the hideout,” Breathed a nervous Ty.
Seeing a baby Dragon is a whole different thing than seeing a full grown adult Dragon. There was no way to prepare yourself to meet not one adult dragon, but two. Ty and Robin tried and failed.