Nimra (Working title)

[Shapeshifter]

• This is one of two stories I am writing at the moment.
  I have more on paper already but I don't really have the time to typewrite it right now, unfortunately.
  Please tell me what you think of this!
  
  Nimra
  by Tanja Galié
   Opening her golden eyes Nimra yawns wide showing her big sharp teeth. She stretches her strong body careful with her wings so she doesn’t crush them as she lay on her back. Grinning broadly the Furdragon flops on her stomach and pushes herself up on her legs. She spreads her wings coming through them with her maw to make sure her feathers are all right. Happy that she is fine she yawns again starting to leave her cave in a run. Reaching the top cavern she spreads her wings again, flaps with them and leaves the cave flying. 
  Breathing in deeply the fresh air she makes somersaults in the air happy to be alive. With her golden eyes she scans the forest beneath her but decides to fly to the plains. Turning sharply she sails around her mountain and spots a herd of bison’s in the distance. With some more flaps of her wings she picks up speed then pulls them close to her body. Without much effort she picks up one of the bison’s and breaks its neck with a strong shake of her head. Flying back to her mountain she lands on top of it and puts her prey down there.
   
  After taking a small bite she jumps off the mountain gliding down carried by the current and spreads her wings only when she almost hits the ground. Carried by the wind she floats over the plains turning softly this time so she heads south. Almost touching the surface of the dark blue lake she laughs from happiness and soon reaches after a short flight over grassland the shore of the sea. Knowing which way to take since she had done so almost every day during the past five years she flies higher.
   
  Nimra was looking forward to this day each month anew and she caught movement up ahead. She flies lower so her legs touch the surface. Lower and lower she glides until she is fully in the water only her head sticking out. Stopping she grins at the Waterdragon swimming on the spot while her friend dives and comes back up.
   
  “I hope the tides were good to you, my dear Risa,” she greets the fellow dragon.
   
  The Waterdragon who’s scales in all shades of blue were shining in the sun stopped smiling brightly. “Yes, they were. And the winds are carrying you well?” Risa wants to know in her soft voice.
   
  “We can test that if you are ready,” Nimra says rubbing cheeks with Risa for a moment.
   
  Nodding the Waterdragon swims back a bit and she starts to shrink as soon as she closes her green with blue sparkles sprinkled eyes. Opening them again she climbs Nimra’s back after swimming close to her again.
   
  “Let’s test it then,” Risa agrees burying her webbed paws in Nimra’s soft, dark blue fur with even darker stripes that shine in the sunlight.
   
  The Furdragon spreads her wings and glides through the water effortlessly before she takes off.
   
  Risa laughs happily always excited to ride on Nimra’s back as the wind strokes her scales.
   
  “So… how are your siblings today?” Nimra asks interestedly and flies ever higher.
   
  A movement to their side catches their attention when they reach the shore and Nimra can feel Risa take a firmer hold of her fur as she stops in mid-air. The bald eagle Gryphon intercepting them flies around them like a child giggling and waving with his clawed front paws.
   
  “There you are!” he shouts excitedly. “I thought you wouldn’t come!”
   
  Shaking her head Nimra grins turning her head to wink at Risa. “Thanks for asking. The winds are carrying me nicely, Pal,” she says to him and pokes out her tongue.
   
  “Oh, I’m sorry. But I was so looking forward to meeting you today,” Pal says hardly able to stay still and flying around the two dragons full of vigor.
   
  “We did these excursions before Nimra met you. For nothing in my life would I give up this tradition,” Risa clarifies and presses her legs into the Furdragon’s flanks. “Go on! I want to be in the water again!”
   
  Laughing Nimra nods picking up speed again and she feels Risa loosen her grip now that the Furdragon is in a horizontal position again. While Nimra is flying a straight line climbing higher steadily the Gryphon makes twists and turns, giggling and laughing.
   
  Grinning Risa watches Pal with her green eyes filled with blue sparkles and she strokes the soft fur beneath her absentmindedly.
   
  It had been a surprise when one day about 4 months ago Nimra had introduced her to the Gryphon. Risa had been gone for two days due to some business she had to help her father with. Pal had been a pleasant enough fellow and she tolerated his presence. With time she learned to like him and she appreciated the stories he had to tell from his family.
   
  The lake is tiny beneath them as Nimra flies higher to reach the top of the mountain. With one strong final flap of her wings they sail over the rim and spreading them wide she glides over the rim of the gray stone.
   
  Pal is making somersaults all over the plateau while Nimra uses the currents over the lake to climb a bit. Pulling her wings to her body suddenly they are in free-fall which makes Risa scream before she laughs whole-heartedly.
   
  Letting go of her friend’s fur Risa crashes into the water right beside Nimra and they both dive. The Furdragon is the first to reappear of course and she looks around for her friend.
   
  When Risa breaks through the surface in a high jump still laughing she is in her original size again. Turning in the air her back hits the water splashing Nimra as she is paddling on the spot close by.
   
  Giggling Pal watches them from the beach sitting there and he grooms his feathers.
   
  “Pal, come on!” Risa shouts. “Just a short dip!”
   
  The Gryphon shakes his head with a serious face this time. “Not even an Ancient will get me to swim!” he shouts back.
   
  Risa pouts pushing her lower lip forward which looks adorable in Nimra’s eyes. Knowing this scene too well Nimra swims around feeling that something is different today but she can’t pinpoint what exactly it is.
   
  “Puuuuuleeeeeaase,” Risa begs swimming closer to the shore. “Just once!”
   
  Shaking his head again vigorously Pal sits there unmoving obviously not ready to swim.
   
  Nimra knows this game for 4 months now but she never gets tired of listening and looking. In Pal’s opinion Gryphons didn’t swim since their feathers didn’t allow it. Her suspicion was that Pal was afraid because of an incident in the past. Though she had yet to proof her theory Nimra was sure something had happened to the Gryphon.
   
  “At least come over to us then so we don’t have to shout,” Risa beckons Pal with a bright smile.
   
  Used to this Nimra’s golden eyes follow Pal taking off and fly to their position and as usual Pal keeps flipping and turning.
   
  “Thank you,” Risa says in a normal tone now that she doesn’t have to shout anymore.
   
  “How is your family today?” Nimra asks Pal and watches Risa dive.
   
  Stopping at the question the Gryphon flies lower smiling brightly. “They are fine. Father, Dal, Para and Mother are getting ready for their journey,” he reports happily. “I’m not looking forward to…”
   
  Pal can’t finish his sentence though as Risa suddenly jumps out of the water opening her arms and she grabs for the Gryphon. With Risa being bigger Pal has no chance to get away and holding on to the Waterdragon they fall into the water.
   
  As soon as they are diving Risa lets go of Pal and the Gryphon struggles to get back to the surface, spitting water and cursing loudly as he comes up for air.
   
  Since Gryphons are really not made for water it’s hard for Pal to keep his head over the surface as he paddles with all fours wings thrashing about.
   
  Risa watches Pal laughing while Nimra shakes her head and grins. Not wanting to see the Gryphon struggle for too long the Furdragon takes a dive. Navigating slowly under water she comes back up so she is right beneath Pal.
   
  Feeling Nimra touch him he stops moving and ends up over her back; front legs on one side, hind legs on the other and his tummy on her back. Breathing hard Pal is grateful for Nimra’s help and can see as he turns his head tiredly that the dragon is swimming to shore.
   
  Risa is still giggling as she follows Nimra to the shore of the lake. Admiring her friend’s strength she watches the Furdragon walk out of the water. Careful with her cargo Nimra sits down on her stomach and turns her head to look at Pal. Risa can’t help but smile at Nimra’s way of being there for the Gryphon while the Waterdragon relaxes in the low water.
   
  Pal’s breathing calms down and he lays on Nimra’s back with his eyes closed. Thinking some of this strength is back he lifts his front legs.
   
  “Put me down, please,” Pal whispers hoarsely and feels Nimra start to roll to her side.
   
  Coming to rest on his side Pal moves a bit to make himself comfortable then closes his eyes again trying to calm down fully.
   
  Nimra turns to face Pal and Risa sitting down again but isn’t able to say anything when suddenly a whirl of colors lands close to Pal with a loud screech.
   
  The wind from the wildly flapping wings ruffles everyone’s feathers and fur taking their breath away and only Risa is unharmed though the water splashes over her in waves.
   
  “Leave him alone!” the creature of wind and colors orders loudly.
   
  “Hey, hey… easy! Slow down!” Nimra shouts getting up and she moves forward going into a defensive stance over Pal with her front legs between her and the other creature so that she is standing over Pal.
   
  The Furdragon lowers her head so she is facing the creature and the brunt of the wind hits her. Having enough of this game she moves forward another step careful with Pal beneath her and pushes the creature off balance with a sweep of her head so they have to stop.
   
  “Enough!” she says in a loud, draconic tone.
   
  Caught by surprise the creature tumbles to the ground in a heap of feathers and fur and now it’s obvious that it is some kind of Gryphon though they look very different from Pal.
   
  Where Pal’s beak is curved like an Eagle’s the other Gryphon’s looks like it’s made for grain-eating and it is gray. The body of the other Gryphon is lighter, more agile and the neck is longer. Pal’s whole body is covered in feathers but the new Gryphon has only feathers at the neck, chest and part of the torso, the rest of the slender creature is covered in fur. Like Pal the new one has bird-like black/gray front legs with clawed feet but where Pal’s hind legs and torso look like that of a feline the other Gryphon as the body of an equine with hooved hind legs and an equine tail. The wings are exactly like those of Pal with the only difference being that the outside of the wings is brown with a hint of red and the inside is colorful like the rainbow. The fur also extending over their head is brown with a tinge of red; at the equine hind legs it’s becoming yellow with streaks of red-brown as well as the tips of the tail hair. The feathers at the neck are the color of the rainbow as well and make the creature look friendly though they are snarling at the moment. The ears are long and twitch from time to time covered in brown fur with tufts of fur at the tips.
   
  Opening their dark blue eyes now they look at Nimra and then at Pal gazing at the Gryphon tiredly.
   
  “Leave them alone,” he tells her in a whisper. “They’re my friends though… one of them is too carefree today for my taste.”
   
  Knowing Pal means her Risa giggles and then laughs relaxing in the water again now that the wind is gone.
   
  “I am Pal,” he introduces himself gazing at Nimra sharply who moves back now relaxing as well.
   
  Pushing themselves up off the ground with their front legs the other Gryphon gets up shaking their body and wings head lowered from the sudden move.
   
  “My name is Siara,” she answers still looking at Nimra and Risa suspiciously.
   
  Closing his eyes Pal takes a deep breath. “You’re a Hippogryph, right?”
   
  Nimra sits down on her hind legs watching the Hippogryph nod at Pal’s question. She is curious about Siara since she never heard about that race before. Feeling a piercing green gaze with blue sparkles upon herself she turns her head to look at Risa.
   
  With a miniscule motion of her head the Waterdragon signals her long-time friend to come back into the water.
   
  “I will leave you two alone,” Nimra says getting up and she walks back to Risa both of them going deeper.
   
  The two dragons enjoy their time together, swimming, laughing, talking and just having fun with each other. When they return to the shore Pal seems to be all right again and the Hippogryph is sitting next to him.
   
  Coming to a halt close to them Nimra starts shaking making them wet with the excess water flying around. She giggles when they try to shield themselves with their wings.
   
  Risa walks out of the water her scales shining and glinting as she sits down looking at Pal and Siara.
  
  
  To Be Continued