"It'll be done here any second," İzzet reminded Doryu. "It takes more than a couple hours to finish a large saddle, but I understand your impatience. I was just like you when I had my saddle finished."

"What spell are you covering it with?" Doryu asked as he sat on a boulder and sharpened a few of his arrows. With each strike, he could feel the tip become more skinny.

"I'm casting a spell on it so it doesn't wear out or break. Takes a while to make this. If you're saddle breaks in midair, you'll want to hang onto your dragon or tell them to land, otherwise you'll get nasty burn scars from their scales. And if it were to break in battle, might as well retreat or die."

"Seems as if you have experience?" Doryu asked with a smug face. İzzet rolled his eyes.

"Aye. I was flying with Danuška months after we had taken our first flight. Then, my strap broke. The whole saddle came apart and I was hanging onto her neck for dear life! Thankfully, I made it back in time and her saddle got replaced with her current one. But I didn't make it out without a few scars." He turned around and continued his work on Alaois's saddle.

"What was it like when the Rider's were...still around?" Doryu questioned as he finished sharpening the last of his arrows.

"That, my son, is a story for another time. Right now, you must take your first flight," İzzet said over his shoulder. "It's finished." Sliding off the boulder, he pushed past his father and admired the saddle. Two large arm holes hung off the log and were clipped together at a large strap with metal rings.

"Where'd you get the metal?" Doryu asked as he ran his hand over the leather.

"I had some extra supplies," İzzet shrugged. The arm holes led up to a saddle, quite like a horse saddle, but larger and without the horn. Metal handles were hidden on each side of the saddle along with a leather loop connected to another strap that Doryu suggested it'd go around Alaois's lower neck for support. Lastly, the stirrups rested lower on the saddle, which was similar to the random loop.

"I added these clips so you could attach objects such as weapon sheaths or travel bags. These handles right here are for fast flying." İzzet pointed to the hidden handles. "The loop up here is for regular flying or riding Alaois as he walks."

"Wow! This is amazing. Very different from Danuška's though."

"Aye. Mine was made more for combat. We didn't have the luxury back then of combining both a combat saddle and traveling saddle together back then. Plus, as a Rider, you need to be prepared to ride someone's else's dragon in any case of danger. Not all saddles are the same."

Are you ready for your first flight? Danuška asked as she glided down before them with Alaois following behind, but he wasn't a baby anymore.

"Alaois! You grew!" Doryu exclaimed as he admired his dragon's new appearance. His colors stayed the same, but his horns and spikes grew larger and longer, his tail was twice the size from before, and his wings were massive. Yet, he was still small compared to Danuška, but he'd reach her height within a couple years. Alaois smiled as he curled his tail tip.

"Come. I'll show you how to put on his saddle." Alaois lowered his neck to allow İzzet to slide the neck part through. Then, it eased down his neck and rested on his back. "You see the metal rings? Using your magic, you're able to break them then rebind them. It's a lot easier than having Alaois look goofy while he tries to shove his arms through." Doryu laughed before breaking the ring, having Alaois step into the hole and pull it up as far as it'd go, then rebind it back together where it stayed in place. He did the same for the other side. Alaois shifted his wings to fold against his side, pleased that he was able to have them closed and move comfortably without the fear of the leather rubbing against his scales.

So, how do you like it? Doryu asked. Alaois walked in a circle before answering.

I'm satisfied. Both you and I will have pleasant flights. My scales won't scar your skin, and I won't have the saddle pulling my scales off. Doryu smiled at his response. They were both happy with the result.

"It's really a magnificent saddle, Father. How'd you make it?"

"My father taught me. It's one of the most important things a Rider must know, aside from knowing how to cast magic and fight with weapons." Danuška walked to İzzet's side, where he climbed onto her back and strapped himself into his saddle. I guess I don't have a strap. "We'll see you in the skies!" he called out before Danuška pushed herself off the ground and soared in the air.

Well, I guess it's our turn, Doryu said to Alaois nervously.

Scared? the dragon teased as he shuffled his wings.

You try being in my position where I'm about to ride a dragon into the sky with no strap like my father has! Doryu climbed awkwardly onto Alaois and rested on the leather saddle. He gripped onto the loop on the front.

You rode a Scriptr without any safety along with a Griffin for a day without the reins. You'll do fine because I won't let you hit the ground.

Gee, thanks for that. He rested his feet on the loop stirrups and looked at his hands. Perhaps it's better if I use these handles, he thought to himself as he moved his hands to the metal handles that were on both sides of the saddle. Alaois unfolded his wings outward before jumping off the ground and flapping above the trees. Doryu clung onto the handles desperately, trying not to fall.

Oh, I'm going to love this! Alaois exclaimed as he outstretched his claws and smiled. When Alaois was gliding swiftly with the wind, Doryu moved his hands to the loop and relaxed. His own dragon. He wouldn't ride Danuška anywhere now that Alaois was big enough. In the open sky, they felt connected.

"You're a fast learner!" İzzet called as Danuška glided to the end of Alaois's wingspan.

"I had the best teachers." The gray dragon hummed quietly as she smiled. "I forgot how beautiful this place was from up high." The trees looked like bushes and the lakes and rivers looked like ponds and streams. Alaois twisted in midair out of happiness. Doryu ducked his head behind his neck and closed his eyes.

Stop, Alaois! The dragon returned to flying normal. Why would you do that?!

I'm allowed to. I'm a dragon. I can fly however I please! Plus, you gotta admit, that would be a very clever tactic in battle. Doryu groaned as he thought about the idea of riding off into battle on the back of a large serpent with wings and firebreath.

Let's not think about that until we need to.

"Doing alright over there?" İzzet asked.

"Yup! Just dizzy from the sudden roll." He sat up properly as the dragons began to fly at a steady pace. "Now that Alaois is big and can fly, could we leave the Godertah Peaks?" His father was stunned by the sudden question.

"No."

"But we have two dragons now! Once Alaois grows in three days, he can breathe fire," Doryu said.

"And has he been trained in combat? Or have you?" Doryu stared at his father with no answer. "You'd get yourself killed if you come upon another battle. Remember Shahzad?" Doryu glanced at his shoulder. The pain has left and the only thing that remained was a small scar from where Shahzad's blade had struck.

"I'll be more prepared next time. You can teach me how to fight, and so could Danuška with Alaois." The dragons glimpsed at each other then at their riders. "I'm not a little kid. I'm sixteen, but it's not like you don't know that already." Not like you missed out on my entire childhood as well and didn't even think to come get me, but instead sent a bird to watch.

Your father just wants the best for you. Perhaps it would be the best interest to stay here a little longer, Alaois explained.

We're Riders. We don't need to hide away like meerkats. I don't want to spend the rest of my life living in the Peaks, wasting all the time we could've been out in the world.

"Danuška, go back to the cave," İzzet unexpectedly said. The dragon turned around and flew at a faster speed back to their camp site.

I think he heard you, Alaois spoke.

I didn't mean to hurt him, but he can't keep me enclosed forever. I'm allowed to venture off behind his eyes. And I'm sure you'd like to as well.

I think that he doesn't want anything to happen to you like what happened with the last Riders. Alaois flapped his wings once more.

Or he just wants me to turn up like him, with me being his son and future leader. He groaned as he rested his back against Alaois's scales.

You're more than anything like your father. You rode a Scriptr, faced down Shahzad, and survived an attack from a reptilian creature. You've done more in a month than most teenagers have done their entire childhood. Doryu chuckled as he sat up.

I appreciate the support. He looked over his shoulder to see his father and Danuška in the distance, their silhouette almost like a gnat. Come on, let's head back. It's getting late. Alaois shifted his wings into a sharp turn. Doryu hung tightly onto the metal handles as Alaois rapidly flapped his wings. He could see the faint image of Danuška resting on the edge of the cave with her tail hanging off. The two soon approached the cavern and landed before Doryu dismounted Alaois and stalked into the darkness. İzzet sat on the ground in the back corner holding up his head with his hand. Doryu tended to Jára, giving her a meat chunk that was stored away. She happily ate the food without hesitation and squeaked quietly.

"If I do this, you promise you'll listen?" İzzet asked quietly. Doryu turned his head and looked at his father.

"Yes," he responded.

"Very well." The man stood from the ground and walked to the edge of the cave. "Looks like you'll meet Parvin after all."

"Who's Parvin?" Doryu asked Danuška. The dragon did nothing but smile and inch closer into the cave. She wrapped her tail around the boy and held Alaois back with her wing. İzzet created a circle in the air, muttering something. It luminated the dark cave. The gray glow shined brighter in his hands as the circle got larger. A head appeared. The creature quickly leaped from the circle and landed on the stone, standing by İzzet's side.

"Doryu, meet Parvin," he said. The creature was a Griffin. It had tan and dark brown feathers, much similar to Jára's pattern. The beak and talons were a dark yellow and the eyes were a sunset orange. He had smooth feathers. On his chest rested a bit of armor that connected to large fabric, leading to reins that rested around the beak and a saddle on the back.

"How did you..the circle-he wasn't.." Doryu stuttered on his words as he tried to figure out how Parvin appeared from the circle.

"Teleportation. I'll teach you when I know you can handle it. It takes way more concentration and energy than lifting a pebble." Parvin ruffled his feathers as he crept to Danuška. "The plan is we'll ride on our Griffin's for the time being. The dragons will follow on the ground under the trees. If we come across any plains, we'll wait for clouds to come then soar above on the dragons. Got it?"

"Are we going to just survive on wild game then?" Doryu asked. To his side, Jára snapped at Parvin as he inched closer.

"For the time being. If we come across a city or town, we'll stay for a day to get real protein and sleep. As for the dragons, they'll have to stay hidden somewhere." Alaois walked to Doryu's side and rested his body on the stone floor, curling his tail.

I would like to not hide the entire time. I'm a dragon, one of the most feared creatures to live. If anyone sees me, they'll go running.

I know, Alaois. But, think again. If someone were to see you, they'd report their findings to Bokon immediately. Plus, if we do it this way, I'll have time to learn more magic and skills with my father while you can learn what you can from Danuška, such as fighting and using your fire when you receive it. The green serpent puffed out smoke from his nostrils in anger, but he understood why he must stay unseen.

"We must leave now if we want to get as much land coverage as possible." İzzet began storing anything he could into little pockets in Parvin's saddle. The rest he attached to Danuška's saddle.

"The sun is barely peeking over the horizon. Are you positive we should leave now and endure hours of darkness? Wouldn't it be safer to travel during the day?"

"If what happened with the Scriptr was what I think it is, Shahzad will be here any day now. We cannot waste precious time. Plus, if we leave now, we'll have a lesser chance of being spotted then in the day. We're very close to where you and Shahzad faced off, so he'll be looking here first." Doryu sighed, but turned his head and stayed silent while he began packing his things.