Chapter 8 

            Cody pushed the saddle out of the way just before Autumn and Avalsmokes came in, so they didn’t see it, luckily.

            “What are you doing here?” Autumn asked, showing Cody that she hadn’t come for him, like he had first thought happened.

            Cody found out he was a much better liar when he said, “I was thinking of becoming Omen’s apprentice, if I like blacksmithing, that is.”

            “Where is he then?” Autumn asked as she walked around the forge.

            “I’m working alone right now, he’s still asleep.”

            Autumn looked at him skeptically before asking in a friendly and believing tone, “What exactly are you working on?”

            That was when Cody began to freak out on the inside, and stopped lying so perfectly. In fact, he stood silent and motionless for so long, that even if he managed to make an excuse, Autumn wouldn’t believe it. And after a very short time, she seemed to realize what was going on.

            “Does it have something to do with that dragon of yours?” Autumn asked. Cody turned away and stared at the bench, knowing she wouldn’t believe him if he tried to lie, but also not being able to admit it.

            Autumn looked at him through very sad eyes before saying, “I pried too much, and it was unfair of me to ask you so many questions and try to force my way into your life. I won’t push anymore, and it’s completely up to you whether you want us to be included in your life.”

            Cody turned to her, and suddenly realized that she had never showed him the left side of her face since Inferno scratched it. Aval sat awkwardly in the corner, and seemed to be filled with forlorn hope of them becoming friends again. Then Cody remembered that Inferno had said that they had suffered enough. He also knew that Autumn could be very helpful in the near future, and she only questioned things when she wanted to be a part of them, since she never seemed to care about anything that she couldn’t become a part of.

            “Show me your face,” Cody said, completely concerned for her health at that moment.

            Autumn looked saddened and reluctant to show her scar, but happy that Cody cared if she was hurt. She turned her face towards the light, and a long gash was clearly visible from her eyebrow to her jaw, and Cody was sure it would be permanent. But he also knew that Omen was right, and the scar wouldn’t mar her beauty.

            Cody shrugged, turned back to his bench, and said, “I would be happy if you would join me and Inferno, but I want you to trust the things I tell you, and trust that I am hiding things that you should not know, and telling things that you should.”

            Autumn looked shameful for a moment, just before Aval stepped forward and spoke for the first time, “So, would you mind telling us what you’re working on? I don’t mean to be rude, but we’re still curious.”

            Cody felt confident now that he had his friends back on his side, though he was still slightly doubtful about their sudden change of heart. Nevertheless, he dragged the saddle back into their view from behind the workbench, and Autumn gasped with what he assumed was excitement.

            “A saddle…for your dragon?” Autumn asked.

            Inferno growled slightly. He had excused her for referring to him as Cody’s nameless property, but he was a little angry that she still hadn’t cared to use his name. Both Autumn and Avalsmokes started, knowing it was Inferno but surprised that he sounded so much stronger. They were also surprised since they didn’t know he was nearby.

            “Inferno, and yes, I’m making a saddle so that I can ride him, I think it makes sense since I’m a dragon rider.”

            “Autumn, Aval?” Omen said as he walked into the forge with tired eyes and the most basic clothing. “What are you doing here?”

            Aval, suddenly extremely confused, asked, “Why aren’t you surprised to see Cody here so early?”

            Cody couldn’t help it, he burst out laughing since Aval and Autumn apparently still thought he was Omen’s apprentice. Everyone gave him a dirty look.

            “You aren’t Omen’s apprentice,” Autumn explained as she chuckled a bit as well.

            Omen also seemed to understand things better, and asked Cody, “So, they know everything now?”

            Cody didn’t want to share the cave with them quite yet, but replied to Omen, “You know a bit more than them, since I’m not completely sure of how much I can trust them, but after some time I will reveal everything, and they know this. Although, I think me and Inferno are going to spend time alone for maybe a week after the saddle is finished, just trying to learn more for ourselves. We know nothing more than you do, except a few minor dragon facts that you could probably find in a dozen legends.”

            Everyone involved, dragon and human alike, were surprised by Cody’s mature speaking, and no one argued. Omen just walked further into the forge as he thought deeply.

            After a long pause, Omen finally said, “I should probably help Avalsmokes and Autumn with whatever they came for, then I’ll help you with your saddle.”

            Aval brightened up a bit and said, “Great! Would you mind sharpening my swords and Autumn’s arrows? We’ve been practicing a lot recently.”

            They walked off, and Cody continued making the saddle himself. He was actually very relieved to be alone even if the others were only about 20 feet away, and even avoided talking to inferno for a while. As the sun rose higher and higher into the sky, the saddle began looking better and better, until omen finally came back with his head a little sweaty from being so near the forge for a while. Autumn and Aval left the forge with there things, and Cody was surprised that they had been patient enough to wait around that long.

            “You need help now?” He asked as he sat down next to Cody and looked at the saddle. “Hey, you’re doing much better than I thought you would’ve, I might even say you’re better than me!”

            Despite feeling like a good little puppy, Cody grinned as he continued to work, and finished only minutes later. He ran his hand along the length of the saddle, showing it to Omen with a proud gleam in his eyes.

            The straps, which totaled to four in all, were 20-25 feet long each, and could easily be tucked away into the saddle so they didn’t dangle down to the earth when they flew. Two of the straps would wrap around Inferno’s lower neck, while the other two which were slightly longer would be hooked together just behind Inferno’s forelegs. The saddle was extremely durable and tough and therefore would likely last long. But Cody wasn’t worried about hurting Inferno, because of his tough scales.

            There was a patch of leather, thicker than reigns, but not quite a saddle horn, that would attach the saddle to the neck spike that would be in front of Cody as they flew. The reign-like straps then held firmly to the neck spike and the saddle at the same time so Cody had good balance and control of himself when he rode. Last but not least, the leg straps, five on each leg (three main straps on each leg in case he had to mount or dismount in a hurry) and a foothold so he could stand slightly and briefly, made sure that he would be in the saddle firmly at all times.

            “Impressive!” Omen said as he stood up and patted the seat of the saddle. “I wouldn’t have changed a single thing, and I daresay you did far better than I would have, without a doubt!”

            Cody beamed as he gazed at the saddle with both pride and astonishment. But then a question rose in his mind, and he felt truly curious why Omen did what he did.

            “Why did you give me black leather to use?”

            Omen tapped the side of his head and replied, “Use your brain. If someone sees Inferno and he has the saddle on, then they won’t see the saddle if it’s the exact same color as his scales. A man’s visual and verbal work can easily be traced back to him if someone recognizes it, which is more often then you’d think. It wouldn’t take much for someone to figure out that you are the rider, or at least that you know the person who is. If someone doesn’t see the saddle, they could just as easily assume that Inferno is the first of a race of wild dragons returning to the land, which is obviously much better than having someone discover you.”

            Cody pulled himself off of the bench with a sigh, stretched for a short time, and said, “So, you’re saying that if one of us is discovered, it’s better that the other isn’t exposed as well?”

            “Exactly.”

            “It seems pretty reasonable, I think,” Inferno said, speaking for the first time in a while.

            “You and that big beast of yours should go take your week break. Me, Aval, and Autumn will be here in town when you’re ready to continue with our adventures together. Just don’t forget to keep me updated!” Omen said with a hearty laugh.

            Cody nodded before saying, “Can do!”

            He picked up the saddle and heaved it over his shoulder before waving good-bye and leaving the forge. Not long afterwards, Omen disappeared from view as he went to the back of his forge, and Cody walked away through the forest. He was sure not to go through the town, so people wouldn’t see him lugging around a strange saddle.

            Only a few dozen yards away, Inferno was curled up in a small dent in the ground, watching the world. He greeted Cody pleasantly as he got a look at the saddle for the first time.

            “Absolutely amazing, especially since you never even needed the assistance of a skilled leather craftsman. Put in on me and I can fly us to your home.”

            Cody glared at him before replying, “I would be more than happy to put it on you and see how it fits, but you certainly aren’t flying me home.”

            “Fine, no flying until you decide we’re ready. But my mother explained to me that I would bond with my rider better when he rode me,” Inferno explained.

            “I thought you said that you had told me everything your mother had!” Cody yelled.

            Inferno looked at him ad replied, “For some reason, there are pieces that I can’t remember right away, and I just happen to remember them later. I’m sure there are hundreds of other lessons that I’ve forgotten, and we’ll just have to discover them together.”

            Inferno turned his head and exposed his neck, but Cody quickly replied, “I will put the saddle on you, and allow you to walk me to my house, but if you so much as flap your wings, I’m never getting on your scaly back again! And I’m only riding you because I’m also very impatient to ride. Not to mention, I want to get home quickly to explore the book further.”

            Inferno sighed with relief and turned his head away again. Cody reluctantly approached him, and swung the saddle onto his back with a strong sweep of his arms. It fit perfectly. Then Cody crawled under Inferno’s stomach, and connected the two long straps until they were what the dragon described as “amazingly tight”, which was evidently comfortable for him.

            “With my scales, it’s a bit harder to feel the saddle straps, so the tighter the better, just so you don’t fall off!”

            Cody laughed as he pulled himself out from under the large dragon, though they both knew that he was still very small compared to Argos and other ancient dragons. Cody then went around to the front of him, and buckled the neck saddle straps nice and tight. Lastly, he buckled the reigns to the neck spike in front of the saddle so he could have a good grip.

            Inferno turned his head around again briefly to say, “All ready, climb aboard when you’re ready, and give me the correct commands. Although, once we become closer, you won’t need to tell me, I’ll know you well enough to do exactly what you want me to.”

            Cody almost didn’t hear him; he was busy building up his confidence. Everything suddenly became a huge reality as he climbed Inferno’s leg up into the saddle, and strapped in his legs, extra tight to keep safe.

            “Go forward, slowly. Let me be in silence until I get the hang of this,” Cody commanded as politely as he could as his whole body shook with nervousness.

            Inferno obeyed, and slowly stepped forward and began to follow a wide trail through the forest that he had evidently made himself by walking through often. Cody was curious why he did it, but was still terrified and clinging tight to the stiff ropes of leather in front of him.

            After a short while, Cody relaxed, though very slightly. He began comparing Inferno’s movements to that of a horse, and was pretty amazed at the differences and similarities. A horse was lean and built for speed and endurance, while dragons were basically stronger and built for battle and flight. But dragons, at least Inferno anyway, were still clearly capable of running as fast and as long as a horse if they had to.

            Inferno walked with strong, sturdy legs, and made Cody think that dragons were basically like horses, but much better. They could fly, they could fight, they could hunt, they could defend, they could talk, and if legends were to be believed, they could use magic. But Cody also began thinking that dragons weren’t better just physically, but they weren’t mere mounts to trade and sell and buy at will like pieces of meat, they were companions. Not like domestic dogs, but like humans, they were friends to their riders.

            No, Cody thought to himself. Not friends, siblings, but more than siblings. He recalled What Inferno said only a short while after he hatched, I read your personality, and knew that it matched my own.

            Then Cody realized; Inferno wasn’t a pet, he wasn’t a friend, or a brother to Cody. He was Cody. He was an exact replica of the rider, except he seemed wiser, and was a giant scaled organism, not quite human. It wasn’t long before Cody understood that he and Inferno were one, and would live as one. They were still two separate beings, but their similarities brought them together and fused their futures to be one. They would live and perish together. They would be everything, together.

            Cody began to grow accustomed to Inferno’s rhythmic steps, and even started to enjoy it. He instantly knew that he was definitely meant to be a dragon rider, as he had never felt that way astride a horse. He could feel what Inferno had told him about, he could feel their minds linking together more closely, and their bond strengthened to what he thought at the time was unbearably strong. Cody could practically feel himself walking along the forest floor, and they were truly one at that moment.

            Suddenly, very quietly at first, Inferno produced a very low sound, somewhat like humming, but more full of emotion. Cody figured he could probably use the humming to communicate with anyone and anything, by just putting his emotion into sound. But it wasn’t a form of communication; it was a gentle and soothing song of pleasure. Though Cody was reluctant to admit it, his wondrous excitement at the sensation of riding had passed to the dragon, and he too, was pleased. But it was unmistakably clear that they weren’t ready for flight, and Cody had been the wiser of the two in the decision about whether they should fly to his house or not.

            Only moments passed before Cody came into view of his house, and their bonding ride was over, even though the mind link had been permanently strengthened from the experience they shared. He climbed out of the saddle and landed on the ground with unsteady legs, making him fall backwards into a pile of leaves. He noticed for the first time that it was the middle of fall.

            “What now?” Inferno asked as he turned towards Cody and laid down to be level with his eyes.

            Cody patted his forehead and asked, “Should I take your new saddle off?”

            Inferno shook his head and replied, “I’m actually finding it quite comfortable, and it would save you much work in the future if we leave it on. My scales will protect me from the rough leather.”

            “Then what do you wish to do now? I told Omen that we’d take about a week off to grow accustomed to each other more, but I’m not nearly ready to fly with you, and I’m sure you feel the same way.”

            Inferno nodded slowly and answered more quickly, “There is much for us to learn, why not read the book? Clearly Argos and his rider aren’t waiting for me to develop, as we had first thought, maybe they are waiting for us to learn the basics of dragons and their riders.”

            Cody nodded and walked to his house saying, “Go to the other side of my house, in the forest outside my bedroom window. I want us to be as close together as we can be from now on.”

            Immediately inferno disappeared as he raced through the forest at a great speed, swinging around to the other side of Cody’s house. Cody walked into his house and took his jacket and boots off, just before noticing that his parents were at the table again, watching him curiously but not saying anything.

            Suddenly, his mother asked more out of conversation than curiosity, “What happened to Avalsmokes and Autumn? I haven’t seen them around lately, and you used to have them come by the house almost daily.”

            “I just saw them in town not too long ago, they’ll probably be coming around about a week from now, but for the time being I just want to be alone,” Cody said, satisfying his mother. “Maybe I’ll go out into the forest a bit, that alright with you?”

            He wasn’t asking their permission, he was mostly wondering if he was needed sometime that week. He was answered with a quick shake of the head from his father, who was staring glumly at the table, probably missing the map that Argos’s rider told Cody to take. But Cody couldn’t be troubled with his dad’s sadness; he had a book to read with his dragon.

            Cody walked down the hallway and turned into his room before shutting his door behind him. Inferno’s black head could be seen very faintly in the forest’s depths a ways away. The rider pulled the ‘Valor of the Dragon’ book out from under his bed and propped in on his lap.

            “Ready to read?” Cody asked Inferno as he opened it up to the contents page.

            “Quite ready indeed!” Inferno replied excitedly.