cauldron of sorrel juice to boil.’
Yoshiko was horror-struck. It sounded impossible. He had no idea how he could ever be strong enough to lift the pot, let alone fly around Dragor seven times, but he felt a burning need to prove Guya wrong.
‘I told you it would be difficult! If I were you I would just not bother trying these tasks! They are great challenges, clearly too great for you,’ said Guya, but there was a certain sparkle in his eye as he said it.
‘I shall complete your tasks,’ said Yoshiko firmly. ‘And I’ll be back sooner than you think!’
With that he spread his wings to head for Fire School. ‘Oh, and one more thing, Guya,’ Yoshiko added. ‘Perhaps when I return you will be so kind as to stop calling me a little dragon!’
As Yoshiko flew off Guya chuckled to himself.
10
Training with Romao
Y oshiko was pondering about his first challenge, how he could become strong enough to lift Guya’s pot, and an idea came to him unexpectedly.
Ketu and Kiara were reminiscing about Yoshiko’s birth and were discussing their former Guard Dragon Romao who had just that week been awarded a promotion.
‘I always knew that dragon, Romao, would go far,’ said Ketu to Kiara. ‘When I saw him over ten years ago in that spear-throwing contest I knew that I must select him to be our cave guard during Yoshiko’s nesting period. In fact there and then I would have bet fifty glass stones that he would have made it to a senior guard like he just has.’
Yoshiko had only met his former Guard Dragon a few times, but he knew that Romao looked upon him like a little brother, having been there to protect him at the family cave during his hatching.
‘Do you think Romao would train me?’ Yoshiko asked Ketu suddenly.
‘You want personal training from one of the best Guard Dragons in Dragor! I expect you’ll be outdoing me at fire and flying soon.’ He looked delighted at his son’s request.
Kiara, as usual, responded with concern. ‘It is because of those Alana dragons picking on you, isn’t it?’ she declared. ‘Yoshiko, I do not want you training so you can start fights. We must deal with it another way.’
Ketu turned the warmth of his smile on her. ‘Kiara, my dear, please do not assume the worst. Romao will train him only so he can improve his skills, and it will be a benefit if he can protect himself should the need arise. I’ll have a message sent to Romao straight away.’ Ketu put a big spoon of Kiara’s homemade sticky mash into his mouth. ‘My son,’ he continued, ‘training with the Guard Dragons. What a proud elder I am.’
* * *
The next day Romao was waiting to meet Yoshiko after Fire School and Igorr and his friends saw him.
‘Need a Guard to escort you home?’ mocked Igorr, as Yoshiko headed towards Romao.
Romao, hearing the taunts, began to wander towards Yoshiko and Igorr backed away.
Yoshiko tried to force a smile as Romao approached and patted him with a friendly wing.
‘Ketu tells me you want to train with me?’ said Romao.
Yoshiko nodded. ‘I want to get strong, fly far, and become heat resistant …’ he paused as he looked at his plump body and then continued, ‘I need to be able to lift really heavy things like big pots. I know right now it is hard to believe.’
Romao smiled warmly as he looked at Yoshiko’s overhanging belly.
‘Ambition is great, Yoshiko, and indeed I am the right person to help you, but we must take it one step at a time. Have you yet managed any of the flight paths at the Trail Mountains?’
Yoshiko shook his head. ‘I stay away from the Alana territory.’
‘Well, we’ll start first with training your wings inpreparation,’ said Romao. ‘Lifting clay discs, and fan-beating the flames. That should be enough to give you the strongest wings of any dragon your age in Dragor!’ he added encouragingly.
‘Follow me,’ he said, and took to the skies, heading towards the Guard Dragons’ training grounds. He then picked up some
Yoshiko was horror-struck. It sounded impossible. He had no idea how he could ever be strong enough to lift the pot, let alone fly around Dragor seven times, but he felt a burning need to prove Guya wrong.
‘I told you it would be difficult! If I were you I would just not bother trying these tasks! They are great challenges, clearly too great for you,’ said Guya, but there was a certain sparkle in his eye as he said it.
‘I shall complete your tasks,’ said Yoshiko firmly. ‘And I’ll be back sooner than you think!’
With that he spread his wings to head for Fire School. ‘Oh, and one more thing, Guya,’ Yoshiko added. ‘Perhaps when I return you will be so kind as to stop calling me a little dragon!’
As Yoshiko flew off Guya chuckled to himself.
10
Training with Romao
Y oshiko was pondering about his first challenge, how he could become strong enough to lift Guya’s pot, and an idea came to him unexpectedly.
Ketu and Kiara were reminiscing about Yoshiko’s birth and were discussing their former Guard Dragon Romao who had just that week been awarded a promotion.
‘I always knew that dragon, Romao, would go far,’ said Ketu to Kiara. ‘When I saw him over ten years ago in that spear-throwing contest I knew that I must select him to be our cave guard during Yoshiko’s nesting period. In fact there and then I would have bet fifty glass stones that he would have made it to a senior guard like he just has.’
Yoshiko had only met his former Guard Dragon a few times, but he knew that Romao looked upon him like a little brother, having been there to protect him at the family cave during his hatching.
‘Do you think Romao would train me?’ Yoshiko asked Ketu suddenly.
‘You want personal training from one of the best Guard Dragons in Dragor! I expect you’ll be outdoing me at fire and flying soon.’ He looked delighted at his son’s request.
Kiara, as usual, responded with concern. ‘It is because of those Alana dragons picking on you, isn’t it?’ she declared. ‘Yoshiko, I do not want you training so you can start fights. We must deal with it another way.’
Ketu turned the warmth of his smile on her. ‘Kiara, my dear, please do not assume the worst. Romao will train him only so he can improve his skills, and it will be a benefit if he can protect himself should the need arise. I’ll have a message sent to Romao straight away.’ Ketu put a big spoon of Kiara’s homemade sticky mash into his mouth. ‘My son,’ he continued, ‘training with the Guard Dragons. What a proud elder I am.’
* * *
The next day Romao was waiting to meet Yoshiko after Fire School and Igorr and his friends saw him.
‘Need a Guard to escort you home?’ mocked Igorr, as Yoshiko headed towards Romao.
Romao, hearing the taunts, began to wander towards Yoshiko and Igorr backed away.
Yoshiko tried to force a smile as Romao approached and patted him with a friendly wing.
‘Ketu tells me you want to train with me?’ said Romao.
Yoshiko nodded. ‘I want to get strong, fly far, and become heat resistant …’ he paused as he looked at his plump body and then continued, ‘I need to be able to lift really heavy things like big pots. I know right now it is hard to believe.’
Romao smiled warmly as he looked at Yoshiko’s overhanging belly.
‘Ambition is great, Yoshiko, and indeed I am the right person to help you, but we must take it one step at a time. Have you yet managed any of the flight paths at the Trail Mountains?’
Yoshiko shook his head. ‘I stay away from the Alana territory.’
‘Well, we’ll start first with training your wings inpreparation,’ said Romao. ‘Lifting clay discs, and fan-beating the flames. That should be enough to give you the strongest wings of any dragon your age in Dragor!’ he added encouragingly.
‘Follow me,’ he said, and took to the skies, heading towards the Guard Dragons’ training grounds. He then picked up some
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