The Finding by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson Page A

looking very old as the morning light cut deep shadows into his wrinkled hide. Jahrra wondered if he knew that the children were there because she was getting the impression he was trying to sniff them out. She was almost tempted to sneak up on him and surprise him but another glance at her new friends told her that maybe she should introduce them to her mentor a little more gently. It was obvious from their terrified expressions that they’d never seen a dragon before. Well, at least a friendly one.
    Hroombra stopped sniffing abruptly and turned to look directly at Jahrra. Her grin widened and she skipped towards the looming reptile not at all fearful or cautious of him. Gieaun and Scede simply looked on in horror.
    “Young Jahrra?” Hroombra sounded quite confused indeed. “What are you doing skulking around in the shadows?”
    “I was going to sneak up on you but I thought that if I actually frightened you and caused you to shout my new friends might faint!”
    Jahrra giggled cheerfully, hoping that Gieaun and Scede would see now that Hroombra was harmless. When she looked in their direction, however, she noticed that they still crouched behind the stone rubble.
    Hroombra smiled and spoke, “It seems you’ve been distracted with the task of making friends. It’s alright children, you can come out. I won’t eat you.” The voice was deep, soft, kind and definitely not hostile. “Come on. I assure you no harm will befall you.”
    Hroombra’s speech wasn’t coaxing but patient, proving that he’d dealt with many terrified children before. Jahrra immediately stood up taller and told her friends that she’d known Hroombra her whole life and that he was a wonderful storyteller.
    “Come now, everyone out in the open!” the great dragon said once more, “My name is Hroombramantu for those of you who don’t already know, and you can call me Master Hroombra. Now what should I call you?”
    By this time Gieaun and Scede had mustered enough courage to crawl out reluctantly from their rock barriers. “I-I’m Gieaun,” answered the girl in a voice that could have belonged to a mouse.
    “And you?” Hroombra nodded towards her brother.
    “Scede,” Gieaun put in, her voice still small but audible. “He’s, my, my brother. He doesn’t say much. He’s shy.”
    Now that Gieaun had spoken and realized she wouldn’t be swallowed after all, she became a little more confident.
    “Well, Gieaun and Scede, it’s nice to meet you two. But we must get moving. The day won’t wait,” Hroombra said.
    “We’re not staying here?” Jahrra asked in surprise.
    “No.”
    “What about the others?”
    “They’ll meet us in town.”
    “Town?”
    Hroombra smiled at his small pupil’s incessant questions. Most schoolmasters would’ve grown impatient by now but not Hroombra. He took a small breath and answered, “In Aldehren, where the schoolhouse is.”
    “Why can’t we stay here?” Jahrra pressed, becoming slightly upset.
    “Oh, no Jahrra, you must go to school and be taught by a teacher of your own kind. A dragon may be a good tutor for you on occasion, but it’s not for most children,” Hroombra said seriously.
    Jahrra stood with her brow furrowed. What’s wrong with having a dragon as a teacher? she wondered to herself.
    “Well then, shall we get going? It’ll take quite a while to get to the schoolhouse. Unfortunately I’m not as young as I used to be or else we could fly there. We’ll have to make do with walking.”
    Jahrra, Gieaun and Scede looked up at Hroombra in disbelief. Walk?! All the way to town? Jahrra thought with horror. She was certain it would take her more than a day to walk to town.
    Hroombra realized what they were all thinking and smiled once more. “Don’t worry! You three can ride on my back. We’ll arrive faster that way.”
    Jahrra’s expression of disbelief turned to one of enthusiasm and even Scede and Gieaun brightened as they imagined riding atop a dragon. Jahrra scuttled