The next morning Mira woke up early but well rested. He was a bit frightened at the thought of finding himself face to face with a dragon, but at the same time he was looking forward to going back home.

He turned around to look at Leif, and Leif turned around suddendly and opened his eyes, before sighing.

- Sorry. I'm not used to sleeping with other people - he whispered.

- You have the senses of a dragon - observed Mira with a smile. Leif smiled back and relaxed.

- Good morning - he said, letting himself smile a bit more. He felt strangely at ease with Mira, even though he had just met him the night before.

For a moment they looked at each other slowly, with calm and curiosity. Sometimes their eyes would meet and avoid each other, and then they would meet again, and Mira blushed and smiled shyly.

And Leif understood, but didn't really understand.

They got up and washed their faces, then went to have breakfast. There was fresh fruit and Leif's mother was warming up some water with aromatic herbs, helped by a funny little black dragon with huge eyes and little clouds of smoke that came out of its nostrils.

- His name is Charcoal - Leif told Mira, who was staring in amazement at the creature, fascinated. - He helps us in the kitchen. He's a bit booby, but very affectionate. He gets offended if you don't give him something good when he helps you.

- Can I pet him?

The young Dragontamer chuckled.

- Wait for him to cool down. You'll burn yourself, otherwise.

They sat down to eat.

- Is your dragon like him? - asked Mira, curious. Leif laughed.

- Ruby is huge compared to Charcoal. He could eat him in one bite and he'd still be hungry! But luckily domesticated dragons don't eat other dragons and more importantly, they don't eat people. They are used to eat whatever we give them.

After breakfast the two boys said goodbye to Leif's mother and went out, not before having fetched Mira's dry clothes.

Right after they went out Leif whistled loudly and, from the back of the building, a giant red dragon flew and landed in front of them.

He was huge, like his tamer had defined him. He was slim and well proportioned, with a long and pointy face, and a pair of very big wings; his legs were relatively short, had sharp claws and his tail was pointy at the end. He had yellow eyes with elongated pupils and a very fierce gaze.

Leif caressed his neck and head like he would have done with a dog.

- Mira, this is Ruby, my dragon. Ruby, this is Mira.

He then disappeared inside the house, leaving them alone, and Mira prayed that the dragon wouldn't decide that he wanted to try human meat.

- There's nothing much to eat, here - he whispered, showing him his thin arms. Ruby stared at him and the boy noticed that he had the same piercing gaze as Leif. As dragon as tamer, he found himself thinking, and that made him smile.

Leif came back, holding something that looked like a saddle for dragons. He put it on Ruby like he was harnessing a horse and then he ordered him to go wait for them at the beach. The dragon flew away.

- Why did you send him away? - asked Mira, a bit relieved.

- He'll wait for us at the beach. We are not going alone; I have to ask Yorick to accompany us - explained Leif. - Yorick is an air Dragontamer and he's always available.

They walked in silence for a while. The village was already awake and people on the street and at the windows didn't miss the chance to greet Leif.

- Everyone knows everyone, but only Dragontamers are known even outside the island, in other islands. At every change of season all the Dragontamers of the islands participate in competitions with their dragons. The winner gets to take home some supplies for their island, from other islands - Leif couldn't suppress a smile. - We are a rich island, but these days more than others.

They went up a hill, on which there was a single house. A boy was sitting on the roof and greeted them with a gesture, smiling.

- Hi, Leif! And hello to you too, sweetheart! - he yelled, before letting himself slide down the roof and jumping in the air. Mira brought a hand to his mouth.

A second later Yorick burst into laughter, clinging to his dragon's neck, that was as big as Ruby and maybe longer, pearl aqua.

Leif snorted.

- Always showing off, you... - he grumbled. Yorick landed with a jump in front of them, together with Lutfi, his dragon.

- I am Yorick! - he introduced himself, excited, shaking Mira's hand and ignoring his friend. - And what's your name, sweetheart? I've never seen you.

- Mira - answered he shyly.

- What a beautiful name!

- Yeah, yeah, now cut it with the compliments - intervened Leif. - Can you accompany me, Yorick? Mira has to go back to his island.

- Already? What a shame - commented the air Dragontamer, winking at Mira. - I've just met you and you're already leaving, sweetheart.

Mira blushed.

- Yorick! - called him again Leif, annoyed. - I'll go ask Elin, otherwise.

- And rob the princess of her beauty sleep? Never! Let's go. Do you want to ride with me, sweetheart? Or with Mister Fire?

- He rides with me - answered Leif for him, harsh. Yorick laughed, and his grey eyes sparkled.

- I didn't ask you, Mister Fire, I asked the cutie. Mira?

Mira nodded.

- W-with... with Leif - he confirmed. The air Dragontamer smiled at him, then went to take the saddle and put it on his dragon.

- See you at the beach, lovebirds! - he said, mounting on Lutfi and flying away.

Leif shook his head.

- Yorick says a lot of dumb things - he snorted. Mira smiled shyly.

- He seemed funny, to me.

- He does that trick every damn morning - grumbled Leif, shaking his head again, irritated. - Every morning.

They started walking to the beach.

- Who's Elin? - asked Mira, breaking the silence. For a second Leif didn't answer, tensing his jaw.

- A water Dragontamer - he said only.

- Why did Yorick call her 'princess'?

- Because she's very pretty - he explained briefly. Mira didn't insist.

Yorick waited for them with Lutfi and Ruby. Some kids looked at him from afar and whispered between themselves that one day they wanted to be a Dragontamer like him.

- Now we'll mount on Ruby. Hold on me tight and you'll have nothing to worry about - whispered Leif in Mira's ear. He helped him mount on the dragon, before sitting in front of him. Mira wrapped his arms around his waist and pressed himself against his back.

The dragons took off calmly. Mira laid his head on Leif's shoulder, closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, then opened them again.

The sky was the most beautiful blue he had ever seen and, if they flew higher, Mira thought that they could touch the clouds.

Flying seemed beautiful.

- Tell me when you see your island! - said Leif, snapping him out of his thoughts.

- Okay!

They didn't have to fly much.

- Can you fly lower? - asked Mira, seeing a strip of land. They approached the land and Mira felt a knot in his throat: the log of a coconut tree was floating not too far away from some furniture. Half of his island, which wasn't big to begin with, was now underwater and there was no living being.

- Is this your island? - asked Leif, but he didn't need an answer, because the sob which escaped from Mira was more than obvious.

They flew higher again.

- Yorick, go search for a while more - ordered the fire Dragontamer. - I'll take Mira back home.

Yorick didn't comment that Mira didn't have a home anymore; he just nodded, even though he wanted to go back with them to comfort Mira.

- Keep your eyes open, in case you see a little girl and a dog - concluded Leif. They left. Mira cried desperately against Leif's back.

The trip back to the island was shorter than the one to go.

- I'm sorry - said Leif, once they had dismounted. Mira buried his face in his neck and kept sobbing. The Dragontamer, after a second of hesitation, hugged him.

When Mira calmed down, they went to the village.

- You can live here - said cautiously Leif. - My sister never comes back home, you can stay in her room... my parents will understand! You can fish... and there are many jobs you can take. I'll introduce you to the other Dragontamers, they're all nice like Yorick. And... and... you can have a dragon, if you want one, and I can take you to the competitions...

Mira stopped and gave the boy a dejected look.

- I don't think I have other choices - he muttered, and Leif felt stupid.

- Yeah... sorry.

Once they got home Leif updated his mother on Mira's situation, and she agreed to let him stay in her daughter's room.

- Come. I'll show you your room.