Fandarin soared lazily through the early afternoon sky. He flew only a few hundred feet or so above the valley in order to assure himself that he missed nothing on his initial inspection. He had taken care to cloak himself so the wildlife of the valley wouldn't be frightened.
     Benlora Valley was nearly thirty miles long and almost twenty miles wide. The terrain was varied enough to support a large variety of trees and other flora, as well as many types of animals. There was a large lake and several streams running throughout the valley, as well as flat, hilly, grazing and barren land. Although it was a non-aggression community, otters and raccoons fed freely on plentiful fish in streams and the lake, while the insect population was sufficient to support birds and other fowl within the valley.
     Under a copse of trees stood a herd of deer, ever quiet and watchful. Two otters played tag in a stream nearby, while a mother raccoon taught her young to swim in the lake. Fandarin spotted a limping bear just entering the edge of the valley. He knew it was headed toward Garalin for help and healing. Throughout the valley, Fandarin could sense Fagan's clan, ever alert to activity both within and outside their valley, continuously communicating with each other and alerting Fagan and Garalin to any unusual occurrences.
     Most intriguing to the dragon though, was the magic which literally saturated the valley. Some of it was old, some newer forms of magic. But the strongest was a totally unknown type to Fandarin. It was the same type he had felt in and around Garalin's cave and it reached out across the valley like invisible fingers. Though it was new to him, he sensed that it was far older than anything on the planet.
     The afternoon was starting to wane and after several passes over the valley, the dragon decided it was time for him to follow up on Garalin's suggestion and see if he could find a suitable home here. The cliffs, situated at the opposite end of the valley, proved to be formidable. They were barren, rocky and virtually straight up. It had a single waterfall tumbling down the face, forming small streams at the bottom. Other than small mammals and birds and an occasional mountain goat, no other animals lived there.  This would lend secure solitude for the dragon, assuming he would find a cave large enough.
     After eyeing a dozen caves, he chose to inspect a cave with a large opening and a substantial outcrop of flat rock. Using his senses, he detected no life forms inside the cave. Folding his wings, he landed on the flat rock area in front of the entrance, ready to become airborne again, should the landing fail to support his weight. He bounced on it a few times, but other than loose pebbles, it appeared safe.
      This looks like a promising one. Now, if only it is large enough for me to fit inside, he thought.
     Caution was utmost in his mind. No dragon ever wanted to enter a cave and find themselves stuck. Turning and moving toward the cave entrance, Fandarin began to glow. His scales emitted a bright silvery light- just another quirky power his body had that no other dragon had ever possessed before.
     It had manifested itself while he was yet a young hatchling. All dragons are born with an infrared ability to see in the dark, but it had to be developed. From the very beginning, Fandarin was intimidated by darkness. His dam, knowing this, had trained his three siblings first. She hoped, given time, he would outgrow his fear. Unfortunately, that didn't happen.
     The fateful day finally arrived, and with much well wishing from his sisters, Jenna and Maldonna and his brother Yorna, he knew his test would soon begin. Training consisted of riding his dam's back a full day's journey into the bowels of the earth and being left there to find his way back home. Since there was only one way in and out, you couldn't really get lost. You could, however, emerge rather batter and bruised from all the twists and turns and protruding rocks, unless you learned to use your night vision quickly. By adulthood, all dragons used infrared without thinking about it. For young hatchlings, the first time could prove a bit tricky.
    His mother had made sure he was well fed before hand and assured him again that no dragon had ever been lost in the tunnel. He already knew that. If you were going up hill, you were headed in the right direction. Simple. Right? Wrong! Being lost wasn't what upset the hatchling. Being labeled a coward did. He put on his bravest demeanor and determined not to shame his parents or himself. It was just that darkness scared the living daylights out of him.
   His dam had left him at the bottom in a large cavern, telling him to recite his lineage before starting home. She had recited it with him as she moved away until he could no longer hear her. He had to complete the recitation before he could do anything else and it would take a very long time to finish. He tried his best to ignore the darkness, but it soon became overpowering. Other small fears began to grow until fear became all consuming.  He wanted very badly to run after his mother and seek shelter and comfort beneath her great wings. Somehow he was able to refrain from doing that and he found a wall and placed his back firmly against it. No dragon had ever been afraid of the dark- except him. There had already been lots of trouble for his parents with other dragons, because he was so many different colors. No matter what, he knew he couldn't fail this test.
     "Recite," he yelled. And he did for what seemed an eternity.
     When he finally finished, he was so stiff  he couldn't walk at first. So fearful had he been, that he hadn't moved the entire time he was against the wall. Now he just had to find the trail leading out and get back home.
     "That should be easy enough once this infrared stuff happens," he told himself.
     He waited. Nothing! Nothing except pitch blackness. Maybe he just wasn't trying hard enough. He concentrated with all his might on the night vision. Slowly opening his eyes, he looked around. Still nothing but blackness. Now what? Panic began to gnaw at him. Finally he realized he was still against the wall. If he ever expected to leave this place, he had to move.
     Just follow the wall until I find the opening, he thought.
     The idea worked fine until he tripped over a boulder, nearly knocking his teeth out, when he hit the floor face first. Fighting back tears and feeling totally abandoned, he nursed his aching head for several minutes.
     "How am I ever to get  out of here when I can't even see what's in front of my face?" he cried!
     He suddenly realized he could see right in front of him. Well, sort of. There was an extremely dim outline of something in front of him. Reaching out with his paw, he knew it was the boulder he had tripped over. Not much to work with, but the dim light offered hope that he could find his way out of this maze. He fervently wished the night vision would hurry and grow stronger.
     After several hours of stumbling around and banging himself up further, he was fast losing hope of finding his way out or that the night vision would ever become any stronger. Frustration and fear were now his constant companions. The darkness weighted heavily and ever played with his imagination. It constantly conjured phantom nightmares with outrageous, shattering accuracy. Curse the darkness that knew his every fear and played his emotions so easily! He couldn't produce enough vision to see where he was. It was only strong enough to allow him to see his worst nightmares materialize in front of him. Suddenly there was a loud crashing sound off to his left.
     "Mother," he cried!
     No answer.
     "Is someone there?"
     Again, no answer. There came a slight rustling sound. Now all his fears crowded in on him. More than anything he wanted his night vision to grow stronger, so that he might see, but it had remained virtually the same for hours now. Fandarin knew he was supposed to be alone in the cavern. He knew that sounds, especially crashes and movement, didn't happen without something being there with him. Every nightmare he had ever had, took on new life. Each one confronted him, terrified him and left him gripped in heart stopping panic.
     "I need to see now!  Oh please grow stronger now," he pleaded.
     The images around Fandarin become clearer and sharper. It happened so slowly that he failed to notice at first. Reality finally set in as he realized he was actually seeing his surroundings. There came another sound followed by a loud squeal this time. Following the sound's direction, he confronted two glowing red eyes staring back at him. They were angry, mean eyes. How big their owner was, he couldn't tell, but he certainly knew they weren't his mother's eyes. Also, he knew he was on his own and that his mother would never hear his cry for help. He needed to think of something fast. This was no nightmare. It was real. He decided on a bluff. Though frightened, he found he felt somewhat braver now that he could see. He shoved away the thought that he was yet small. He was a dragon after all and could do a strong imitation of his sires' roar. If ever there was a need, now was a good time for a roar. Steeled with the knowledge that he could do that, he filled his lungs with air. Stepping toward the eyes, he proceeded to roar his loudest. The beast suddenly jumped straight up, screaming back at Fandarin and turned around and ran. Only then did he see it clearly enough to realize that it was a rat. A very large rat.
     "A rat. I was scared of a rat? May my dam and sire never find out about this!" shouted a relieved young dragon.
     Raising his paw to wipe the sweat from his face, an amazing sight confronted and dumbfounded him. He was glowing. Every single scale on his body radiated a silver white light. This certainly wasn't night vision. Each scale resembled a miniature moon. Holding his arms out, he marveled at the radiating, sparkling light. His fears forgotten, he began to walk around the cavern and explore. Not all the stones in the cavern were dull and flat. Some answered his light with winks and sparkles of their own.
     Being a true dragon, curiosity over-powered his need to depart the cavern. He just had to know what those sparkles were. As he approached each one, he noticed there were many different colors. Some were blue. Others green. There were red, yellow and clear ones. Other rocks cast a silver or golden light back to him. So long had they been in darkness, that each stone seemed to try to out shine the rest and gather the light into themselves.  He laughed as he played his light among the thousands of scattered stones.
     So enchanted was he with all he saw, he completely lost track of time and how far he had walked. A particularly shiny area caught his attention. Walking over to it, he didn't understand at first what he was seeing. Upon finely crafted dwarven gold pedestals, sat four eggs. They had been carefully pieced back together and sealed. Joy filled his small being as he recognized his own birth egg and understood the other three belonged to his siblings. This was his parents' treasure trove. Jewels lay scattered all over the cavern floor, but the eggs had been preserved and placed securely on pedestals. This spoke volumes of where his parents priorities lay. He understood in that moment, just how deeply his parents cared for him and his siblings.
     Out of the darkness, a soft, yet powerful voice filled the cavern.
     "Fault not the darkness for being true to it's nature, Fandarin. Fear not the secrets hidden within the folds of its embrace. Have you not found far more beauty than ugliness tucked within its fold, as you cast your light upon the shadows," admonished the voice.
     The voice felt more ancient than time itself. Fandarin felt no fear upon hearing it, even though he couldn't find his voice to answer the old one. Respectfully, he took in each word spoken. The ancient one spoke of many things and Fandarin realized his future was tied to all he was being told. He didn't understand everything, but knew someday he would. For now, he was given only one task.....
     "Remember Fandarin. Remember."
     The elder's presence began to fade from the cavern. His essence departing as effortlessly as smoke into the wind.
     "I promise," was all the young dragon could get out before the ancient one was gone.
     Blinking, the little dragon shook his head, as if to clear it and to make sure this hadn't all been a dream. Maybe he had fallen asleep. After all, he was very tired. A weight in his closed hand drew his attention.  Opening it, his eyes widened as he gazed upon an incredible sight. Nestled in his palm, was an amulet containing a dragon and that dragon's scales were multi-colored, just like his own.
     "It wasn't a dream! It wasn't a dream," he exclaimed. "He was really here. I better find the exit. Boy, do I have a lot to tell my parents."
     Casting his light about, he began walking toward the cavern wall. It wasn't too long before he found the exit.
     "I'd better hurry, just in case my light goes out. The further I get, the less banged up I will be in the dark," he reasoned. He instinctively knew that his night vision wasn't much further along than when he'd started. With those thoughts in mind, he walked as fast as his small legs would carry him.
     On the way up, he noticed all the gems protruding from the tunnel walls.  A gold streak here, a silver one there. Sparkle, wink and shine everywhere. Each gem stone answering the call of his light and proudly showing off their brilliance.
     "My parents need no other dragon's hoard. This whole mountain is one large treasure trove. They must have created the tunnel and cavern and placed all the gems, silver and gold there themselves," he mused.
     Another thought occurred to him.
     Mother said there was only one way in and out. That rat didn't get in through our cave, so there must be a second entrance. I'll need to tell father right away.
     No dragon, regardless of their color, would ever allow more than one entrance to their hoard. Too much trouble otherwise. He chuckled, shaking his head at the notion.
     Engrossed in his own thoughts, Fandarin failed to realize he was finally back home until he saw his three siblings and his parents awaiting his exit from the tunnel. In his excitement at seeing them and all he had to tell them, he completely forgot he was shining like a homing beacon. However, everyone else certainly noticed. His siblings immediately hid behind Miriam, his mother, while she tried to hide her own surprise and greet him.
     Dandron, his sire, just stood there with opened mouth and a look on his face which suggested he might have just been struck in the head with a lightning bolt. The look of utter shock was followed by the muttered phase, "What now!"
     Within a few minutes of being back in natural light, his scales began to dim until they were completely normal again. His dam and sire headed over to the far side of the cave for a private conversation, while Jenna, Maldonna and Yorna threw one question after another at him.
     Later that evening, Fandarin told them of his great adventure, producing the amulet as proof of the conversation. Given the extraordinary circumstances surrounding his home coming, no one had doubted him. The great elder dragon, Eternasaffinear, had been summoned to attend the telling. There had been many odd looks and quiet words spoken among the adult dragons that evening, with intense attention paid to each word he spoke.
     He omitted only two things. First, that the cavern was also the family treasure trove and second, just how great his fear had truly been. It would be many decades before the little dragon would confide to his mother how fearful he had been or the turmoil he had gone through because of his fear.
     Finally, Eternasaffinear took the floor, pacing to and fro for several minutes before he spoke. His great girth and height over shadowed all within the cave. Even thousands of years old, Eternasaffinear still carried himself as one half his years, his bearing commanding respect from all other dragons. He was the most important dragon living. Not because of his age or status.  He was renowned for his wisdom and guidance. He negotiated pacts between clans, brought renegades back into the fold and kept peace between all the dragon clans. No small feats, considering the diversity involved. Diversity for sure, but this one small dragon was proving to be one of the most vexing problems Eternasaffinear had ever encountered. With much deliberation, he spoke.
     "In all my thousands of years, Fandarin, I have never known a dragon such as you. I say this not in cruelty,  jealousy or malice, as I know other dragons have done. Rather I say it in wonder and amazement. Nothing has ever been recorded of a dragon who's scales can light up the night. The how or why of the matter, I have no idea. Apparently, you are the first, but then of course you are the first concerning many things already, hatchling."
     "You seem to have been marked for greatness. At the same time, these differences of yours may well make growing up a trying, difficult experience. Just remember you have a loving, loyal family, no matter that they seem stressed out at times." He paused long enough to level a stern look in Dandron's direction.
     "I doubt your youth shall be an easy one, but learn all that you can and feel free to come and talk with me should you feel the need. I firmly believe your visit was from the Creator himself or one of his servants, and I believe the amulet is a bond between him and you. It is powerful and imbibed with a magic, which is beyond my understanding.  I only wish I could be of more help, but this whole situation is like unto nothing I have ever dealt with. Given time and further events, perhaps I can help in the future. My sage advice for now is to say nothing of these events outside the walls of this cave, and I will follow the same course."
     With that much said, Eternasaffinear excused himself and headed for home. Fandarin's family agreed with the elder's advice. Thus began his long journey toward adulthood that night.
     Immediate surroundings finally returned Fandarin to consciousness and just where he really was at this moment.
     "Put away your memories, dragon," he admonished himself. "You have a new home to find."
     This being his first night away from home, he fought against his feelings of homesickness and forced himself to head inside. Once inside, he allowed his scales to glow their brightest. His night vision had never advanced more than half that of other dragons, so it was well that he could become what he referred to as a 'living light'.
     Immediately he saw the cave was winking and sparkling in answer to his light.
     " Oh no," he groaned,"not another gem cave. That kind of problem I don't need right now."
     Upon closer inspection, he found them to be only crystals. Those would serve a useful purpose. They would enhance the light from well placed torches and he wouldn't have to glow at night.
     Ignoring the crystals for a moment, he took time to really look around. The cave was more than adequate for his size and needs. It was certainly big enough to accommodate his growth spurts over several hundred years. A clear stream even ran through one side. Cascading down for centuries, the water had formed a pool in the cave floor large enough for Fandarin to relax in.  He found no indication that anything had ever really lived here. At least not for long.
     The wind blew across the valley from Garalin's home toward the cave. He detected the scents of pine, jasmine, heather, lavender, hyssop and a midred of other flora. All of it blended together to produce a heady, yet soothing effect. Mixed within the flora were the scents of otter, deer, bear, wolf, rabbit, squirrel and hundreds of birds. With one exception, all seemed right and peaceful at that moment. The exception was the brief, but steady whiffs of alien magic he had found in the valley. It wasn't an unpleasant smell, only different.
     By the time Fandarin finished exploring the cave, the valley was dark. The animals preferring day light were bedding down and the nocturnal ones were beginning to stir. His sharp hearing and honed senses allowed him to hear the owl and fox. A mother ferret was going off to hunt for her evening meal, as were most all the night creatures. This entailed leaving the the safety of the valley to hunt. Having crossed out of the valley, they entered their natural, wild environment. Most were hunters, but could just as easily become the hunted. Other predators had caught onto how this worked and waited each evening for the exodus of the creatures from the valley to see just what their catch might be. Predominate forces and luck would rule the night.
     A full moon shone down this night. Looking out, Fandarin took in the beauty of the valley all bathed in moon light. The white light cast shadows through the pine, oak, birch and maple trees as the winds whispered gently though their branches. It lingered to catch the vibrant colors of the gentian flowers in the meadow, and its beams playfully danced upon the streams and cascading waters. He observed a troupe of fairies who had come to frolic in one of the streams. Such delicate and beautiful creatures. Moon light reflected off their wings, casting colors not unlike his own. By the lake camped a human family of travelers. They were about to begin their evening meal and were making ready to bed down for the night.
     High up in the sky, he caught sight of one lone dragon soaring through the cloudless night on his way to who knew where. Fandarin lowered his shield enough to know that the dragon was not of his clan. He wouldn't make any contact with this dragon. Tonight he wanted only solitude and sleep.
     He decided the cave would definitely suit his purposes, but he would wait until tomorrow to contact Garalin with his decision. He knew that Fagan would be less than pleased with his decision. Somehow he would have to make peace with his distant cousin and hopefully, she would come to realize that he was no threat to her.
     He sensed, more than saw, Garalin and Bandit with another human, and guessed that it must be Cyion. He wanted very much to meet this man, but it would have to wait until another time. Fandarin's thoughts were scattered, and today had proven to be very traumatic for him. He had left the only home he had ever known in search of a new one and his thoughts nagged at him, making him wonder if this had been an irresponsible act. His sister, Jenna, had left the cave and established her own abode to the north, while Maldonna had made her home somewhere to the southwest. Yorna was still at home and showing no desire to leave yet. Technically, there was no hurry for any of them to establish a territory. They were still quite young by dragon years and many dragons stayed at home until about the age of fifteen hundred years. This afforded the parents sufficient time to train their young up properly in things like magic, fire breathing, self defense and so on. It went far in insuring the survival of their offspring. Fandarin and his siblings were only around one thousand years old now. His sisters had matured quickly, but that was normal for dragons. Yet they would keep in close touch with their parents for the next several hundred years.
     Intuition helped Fandarin decide it was time to leave. It seemed that everything his sire tried to teach him took on some abnormal trait, which insured that Dandron would end up beside himself with frustration. Many times they had sent him to see Eternasaffinear for his instructions. The elder dragon was even hard pressed at times to help. The older Fandarin became, the more often it was that he would have to work the lessons out for himself. There were just no guidelines to go by in his case. Whatever he did and learned, it almost always set new precedents. His family had always remained loving and supportive, but he knew they were also somewhat relieved with his decision to leave.
     Without realizing it, Fandarin had nestled down into a comfortable position on the cave floor. Thinking these and other random thoughts, it wasn't long before the young dragon was lulled into sleep. If his dreams were troubled, they were quickly vanquished. For upon the gentle breeze blowing into his new found cave, came the heady relaxing scents of the forest and blending in was the faint smell of the alien magic Fandarin was so curious about.
     "Remember, Fandarin. Remember," came a soft voice.
     "I promise," he murmured as he drifted further into sleep.
     Soon a soft rumbling sound could be heard coming from the cave's mouth, while inside his amulet glowed a warm and protective light around the dragon. Fandarin had found his new home.
 
 
 
 
 
 

The End

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