Chained With Scales Of Change

Chapter 4 - "Well, water we waiting for then?"

Vienna POV

*****Seven (and a half) years later*****

I landed on a bush and pulled a handful of raspberries off with my claws, I was lucky I had found them ripe so close to winter. As the years had went on, the berries had gotten scarce, we had started to resort to eat meat when we couldn't find any fruit. I nibbled on one and flew back with the rest of them, I landed on a branch on our banyan tree while shouting over the mindlink,

"Breakfast is here!". I heard their faint replies over the mind link and I prepared for them, I sat waiting for them as they flew through the trees, less graceful as me of course (hair flick). I looked over to my right as Aubrey landed next to me, he twined his tail with mine while keeping the tail bard away from my scales.

"Hello, Vienna." he mindlinked me as he untwined his tail from mine,

"Hello Prince Charming, any luck with finding any sunberries?" I responded hopefully. Sunberries were one of many non-native plants the Kymari had planted around the world, they grew on vines, and were bright orange like the sun, that was where its name came from. He frowned and shook his head, I sighed and handed him his share of the berries. He said a quiet 'thank you', and started eating while I waited for Meagan. She appeared and we enjoyed our small fill of berries, I went over ideas on what to do when winter comes while slowly munching on another berry. Flying south could be an option, the main problem was that only Aubrey was made for longer distances, and even then he could only fly for so long. Meagan was built for swimming, while I was built for gliding in between trees and branches of forests. Staying here was/would not be/and or, an pleasant experience. Those were our only options and both weren't any better than the other.

"Maybe this winter, we should fly south." my sudden suggestion startled them, Aubrey turned to glance back to me.

"That is gonna be challenging you know that right? We're gonna have to wake up, quickly find food, then fly until nightfall 'till we get to one of the south cities or forests. That is gonna take a huge toll on our energy." his voice was slightly confused,

"Yeah, I don't want to fly for that long..." Meagan piped up from her spot on my left. I growled,

"Well what do you suggest then? Freeze up here? No thanks."

He shrugged and finished his last berry.

"I'd rather not freeze, but you gave a good suggestion" his eyes slowly slid over to look at Meagan, she blinked and coughed startled at his pointed gaze. I raised an amused eyebrow at her actions,

"I-I think migrating is a good idea...we get to eat pineapples..." she looked at her talons as she spoke. Aubrey bursted out laughing,

"She loves her pineapples doesn't she?" he shook his head still laughing.

     I shifted restlessly on my talons as I looked on the horizon, it was time. I looked over my shoulder at the two as they flew up beside me, I nodded to them and they nodded back. I looked forward again and spread my wings, they quickly copied my actions. I leaned forward and flew off the branch, the others in tow. We flew for several hours before meagan and I need a break, I plopped down, huffing, on the branch of a tree. Meagan rolled her shoulders wincing, we had flown for eight hours and probably went as far as seven-teen kilometers, and boy, was it tiring. The next day, we had flown for longer, about nine-teen kilometers. Over the days, we had started flying for longer. Once it was around a week we were able to see a large city, its buildings were really questionable. I powered past Aubrey and flew towards the city, it was surrounded by high wall but could easily be flown over. I felt Aubrey's warm scaled wing brush against my wing as he flew up next to me, Meagan slowly caught up to me as we approached the city. I slowed down and ducked to land in a tree, Aubrey and Meagan landed beside me as we caught our breath. "Any idea how to get in? And I don't think we can just waltz in either." I asked searching the wall for any viewers.

"I have one," Meagan piped up on my left, I glanced over at her.

"Well what is your idea?" I tilted my head, actually curious.

"We could just swim inside" I looked over at what she was looking at and low and behold, there was a small stream going into the wall. A snarled erupted from my chest, the last time I was swimming was when I almost drowned, I can still remember the water filling my lungs. Aubrey's eyes softened at the white decorating my scales, he was the one to save me that day, and he could understand my reaction to swimming.

"Don't worry, I'll be behind you to prevent you from drowning." Aubrey reassured me, I clenched my jaw. I did trust him, but fear isn't always overcomable. I sighed and gave in,

"I trust you, but I can't guarantee that I won't have my head under the water." Aubrey smiled at his accomplishment and spread his wings, a smug look crossed over his face

"Well, water we waiting for then?" My face went dark at the pun, He was so dead later.

I watched as Meagan's form disappeared under the water, I slowly walked forward and hopped in as well. The water was cold against my scales, I kept my eyes glued shut and my head high above the water. I slowly started paddling forward once I reopened my eyes, I heard Aubrey slide into the water behind me as we slowly swam down the stream. My heart sank when we got to the wall, there were bars halfway over the hole. The only part where it wasn't bared was under the water. I tried to swim backwards but Aubrey's talons wrapped around my waist and pulled me under, I flailed under the water until we resurfaced. I pulled myself onto dry land when Aubrey let go, I stood up and shook out my scales before glaring at the soaked dragonet. Meagan seemingly materialized beside me and had the AUDACITY to say;

"Oh look, you didn't die". Oh and both Aubrey and Meagan had a whole lecture of "don't do this, and don't do that" later.

     I growled sitting a tree in one of the parks we found in the city, it was a good park because it was small and was filled with many fruit trees, it was also the closest to the stream. Aubrey flew up beside me with a sunberry in his talon, I looked at Aubrey with wide eyes. How did he find it? He seemed to feel my shock over the mindlink and chuckled,

"I took it from a plant in the city, no one saw me." he confirmed. I quickly snatched the delectable fruit from his talons and quickly ate it, while cleaning my claws I intertwined tails with him to show him my gratitude. I untwined my tail from his and squinted at the sky,

"It's time for my sunbath, whelp, see ya later." I spoke as I spread my wings. I jumped off the branch and glided through the trees until I reached my rock, it was a tall large black rock, that would always soak up the sun. I landed on it, paced on it a few times before laying on my stomach with my wings spread out. My eyes slid closed, and drifted off into sleep.

     I was awoken by Aubrey's panicked painfiled voice enter my head,

"I'm stuck over a visible Kymari path" my head snapped up as I was awoken fully. I hastily stood up and mindlinked him back quickly,

"Where are you? I'm coming as fast as I can" He sent a mental image of a path and a Kymari turning the corner, I launched into the sky and flew in his direction. I'm coming Aubrey... was my only thought as a part of the path appeared in my vision.