Amaya's Storm (Book One)
Chapter Forty-Eight

I woke up to a pat on the face. Opening my eyes I saw Georgie standing in front of me. “Are we going to leave?”

I blew out a breath causing his hair to blow up away from his face. He giggled and I nodded my big head.

“I’m going to wake up Fox,” I swung my head around and watched him run around to Fox’s sleeping body. He jumped on Fox, who was startled awake, but managed to catch him and began tickling him.

I nudged Fox after Georgie stopped giggling, “What?”

“She wants you to get up so she can shift,” Jace told him, walking up on us.

“Oh right! Sorry,” He said, getting off of my front leg. I stood on all fours, stretching my back like a cat and reaching my wings up in the air, before shifting.

Jace handed me my clothes, “Thanks, Jace.”

“So how are we doing this today?”

“Baskets for those who can’t shift, and I’ll be keeping hold of the prisoners. Sound good?”

“Yeah that sounds great. I don’t know how many people here can actually shift, though.”

“I also thought if we have too many people in baskets to carry their stuff, we could use Jax, Alanza, and Matt to pull sleds.”

Fox laughed, “I don’t know if Matt or Jax will go for that.”

“Probably not, but Alanza can probably convince Jax, who can convince Matt. Boom, problem solved,” Fox rolled his eyes at my reasoning, causing me to smile. “Will you make sure your guys are up and ready?”

“Yeah,” he said, giving me a small smile and a kiss on the forehead before leaving.

“Come on Little Dragon. Let’s go check on your aunt and uncle, and see if they need any help,” Jace said, picking up Georgie

“Do we know how many can shift?” I mind linked Ian.

“I’ll ask Mom,” Ian said. I created the sleds I thought would work, and soon Ian’s voice entered my head again, “Mom says only a handful of them can shift. Most haven’t learned or don’t remember how.”

I couldn’t stop the growl that came out, causing the few clan members that were in the center of town with me to freeze. “Sorry, guys. I keep thinking the atrocities will stop, but they just keep coming,” I told them and they nodded their heads before going back to what they were doing. “Can she link the ones who can, and have them meet me in the center of town?” I asked Ian through mind link. “Jace, can you ask Alanza, Jax, and Matt about the sleds please?” I linked him.

“Sure. I’ll let you know what they say,” he linked back.

Soon seven older dragons were standing before me, including Mona. They each introduced themselves: Astrid Ellis and her mate Michael Ellis, Malani Bishop, Oliver Bailey, Oscar Weaver, and Poppy Lake. “It’s nice to officially meet you guys. Let me tell you what I’m thinking for transport,” I explained my plan for the baskets and sleds.

“I’m worried the baskets will fall apart on our way there. You have weak spots here,” Poppy pointed to a spot, “Here,” she pointed to another spot, “and here. If you bend your vines and plants like this instead,” she bent more plants in and weaved them in a new way, “you’re less likely to have breaking.”

I nodded my head and walked over to one of the baskets with her, “So like this?” I asked, bending the plants the way I thought she did it.

“Almost. Weave them a little tighter and closer to the handle attachment,” she said.

I did as she instructed and she gave me a warm smile. She helped me fix the baskets and offered her opinion on the sleds. “Thank you for your help. Plants are still new to me, although Kachina is teaching me as quickly as she can and as quickly as my obligations allow.”

“You’re doing well Amaya,” she said, hugging me around my waist, “Kachina is a great teacher. I can also teach you once we return.”

I wrapped an arm around her shoulder and gave her a squeeze, “I would love that. Thank you.” I looked at the others, who had been watching the exchange quietly, “Okay what do you guys say we get linked again, officially?” I pulled out one of my knives and linked myself back with them, so I didn’t have to invade their minds again. Niamh purred and cooed with each bond that clicked into place, happy to have more clan members, “That’s much better. Now let’s shift and get headed home.”

“It’s been so long. I know I said I could, but I don’t know if I remember,” Malani said with a quiet sob.

I went to her immediately, wrapping my arms around her. Niamh reached out to comfort her dragon, and we stayed like that until she calmed down and was ready to separate. Our foreheads pressed together, “Just let your dragon come forward. She’ll do the rest.” We pulled completely apart and she gave me a small smile and a nod, “Who wants to go first?”

“I would be happy to,” Oscar said, “But you all might want to move, from what I remember Ekon is pretty big.”

I smiled back at him as we moved out of his way. He groaned through his shift, but soon his large sand dollar colored dragon, Ekon, stood before us. I walked over to him and he dipped his head into my waiting hands, “You’re stunning Ekon,” I linked him as I rested my forehead in the middle of his massive head.

“Thank you, my queen,” he linked back. I didn’t correct him because I felt his need to call me his queen, rather than him feeling he had to for fear of punishment.

I stepped back as he took flight and bent the clouds to conceal him as he flew into the sky. “Okay who’s next?”

Malani blew out a breath, “I would like to try.”

I gave her a reassuring smile, “Just let her come forward. She’ll do the rest.” She nodded before walking out into the clearing and triggering her shift. Her medium ebony dragon did the same thing Oscar’s dragon did, putting her head in my hands. “Beautiful,” I linked her.

“My name is Alyx, my queen. Thank you for giving Malani strength,” Alyx linked back.

“Always,” I linked her before stepping back so she could take flight. I went through the same routine with each of them, meeting each of their dragons.

Jax came walking up after Mona, the last of them to shift, took flight. “Fox and Jace mentioned something about sleds?”

“Yeah. Would you guys be willing to pull sleds of stuff, anything we can’t carry with us?” He nodded, “Great! People should be coming into the center of town soon, so we’ll know how much you guys will have to carry.”

People began filling into the town center, carrying all they owned or wanted to keep, and for some people my heart ached because the amount they had or wanted to keep was so small. Ian and Jace helped everyone and their things load up into the baskets or the sled. Once everything was ready we shifted and flew up to where the others were waiting. Ian and Jace picked up baskets of people as well as baskets of stuff, whereas the elders each carried two baskets each of stuff. When I came down for my baskets and the two prisoners, Fox was waiting for me. “Can I ride on your back?”

I nodded my head and settled down in the middle of the clearing. He easily climbed onto my back, so I flew up and came back down for my baskets and two prisoners.