6 Dragon Talk

CHAPTER 6

Dragon Talk The children and Ruskin walked down the moonlit path to Mermaid's Cove. They crunched over the sand and looked for the perfect spot to watch for the pegasus. Lucas set the basket of enderberries out in the open. Then they hid in the shadow of a large rock and waited. Soon Ruskin began to whine. "Shhh," shushed Lucas. The dragon swished his tail back and forth. "I think he hears something," Clara whispered. Lucas cupped his hand to his ear. The faint sound of a ship's sail flapped in the wind. The sound gradually grew louder. But it wasn't a ship's sail at all. It was the steady beat of pegasus wings! The snow-white stallion dropped to the sand and dipped his

nose into the basket of enderberries. Ruskin let out a welcoming squawk. The pegasus looked up and shook his mane calmly, as if to say hello in return. "He's so beautiful," Clara said softly as she gazed at the velvety down feathers on the wings of the pegasus. The pegasus twitched his ears at the sound of Clara's voice. He began to back away. Ruskin let out three short reassuring grunts and carefully walked over. The

pegasus relaxed and returned to the basket of enderberries. "Excellent work, Ruskin!" praised Lucas. Ruskin squawked proudly. "Can you ask the pegasus not to be afraid of us?" Clara whispered. Ruskin nodded. Then he began to chirp, squawk, and grunt. The pegasus nickered and lowered his head.

The great beast seemed to understand that the children could be trusted. When the pegasus finished the enderberries, Lucas stepped forward. "Why have you come to Wrenly?" he asked gently. Lucas noticed that the creature had smudges of dirt and scratches on his body. The animal shook his head. Ruskin then translated what the prince had said. The pegasus whinnied and

lifted his head toward the great cloud in the sky—the same cloud that had been hovering over Wrenly since the blue moon had begun. Ruskin whimpered understandingly. "What did he say?" asked Lucas. Ruskin loved to act things out for the children. First he pointed his muzzle toward the sky.