Boredom was definitely not something Brinn had time for in the following days. Between gathering, drawing, and preparing herbs for storing, her brain was going in circles. "These leaves are dried. These are boiled with the broth kept in glass bottles only. Only the stalks of these plants are wanted. No, not the leaves, they are poisonous!" Tasha continued to give Brinn instructions.
Slowly, she started recognizing plants when Talsha would quiz her. Her notebook was filling quickly. During the cold winter months she would be able to study diseases and treatments. For now, she kept taking notes.
Though they traveled all over the mountains finding plants, Brinn's favorite spot was shouting distance from the cottage. Down the creek and around a rocky outcrop was a small pond hidden by the rocks and trees. Brinn would take her notebook and study or draw interesting animals or plants she found.
If the fall day was warm, sometimes she would take a short swim. The cold water would wake her up. Sometimes, a fish would nibble her toes.
Brinn loved the mountains just as she knew she would. She loved the sounds and smells of the forest. She enjoyed learning about the different animals they came across….and she always kept her eyes open for a dragon. Even though they had made their way a couple of times to some meadows in The Living Forest, Brinn still hadn't seen a single one. She asked Talsha about it one evening as she was cleaning up after dinner.
"Healer, have you ever seen a dragon?"
Talsha set down the notebook she was looking through and looked at Brinn. Mousy took advantage of the healer's open lap and hopped up.
Talsha automatically started petting the cat. "I wondered when you would ask. When I first started training, I couldn't wait to see a dragon." The healer's eyes shone as she smiled. "I had been here almost two years before I saw my first dragon. She was down at the pond getting a drink and was as startled by me as I was of her. I dropped my book, and when I looked again after saving my papers from drifting into the water, she was gone."
"What did she look like?" Brinn asked, intent on the story.
"She was gold and blue, and the sun shone off her scales like polished metal. She was the prettiest thing I have ever seen."
"How do you know it was a she?" asked Brinn.
The healer gave her a wink. "I did a little dragon studying before I came here. Females have a blue tint. The males have green."
Brinn remembered her dream from her first night. She had always thought of that dragon as a 'he'. She was right.
"I dreamt about a dragon on my first night here. He was gold and green," Brinn told Talsha. "He nodded at me."
She looked up to see the healer staring at her. "Did I say something wrong?" asked Brinn.
Talsha shook her head and started scratching Mousy again, who was wondering why she had stopped.
"It is said that when a dragon nods at you, it accepts you as a friend. I've only heard of one person who received that honor. My teacher told me the story."
"He was out gathering herbs one day when suddenly he heard a commotion behind a rock. When he looked, he saw a dragon about the size of a man caught in a trap. Afraid to approach it, he watched until the dragon saw him. Their eyes met and held. After a moment, the dragon nodded. Somehow, my teacher knew the dragon would not hurt him, so he freed it.
"A few months later, he surprised a bear while gathering berries. He was sure he was to be the bear's lunch, but at the last second, the bear turned tail and ran. My teacher turned and saw a green and gold tail disappear into the trees and knew the dragon's debt had been repaid."
"Wow!" was all Brinn could say.
There was quiet for a few moments in the cottage, both women lost in thought.
"That doesn't mean it is ever safe to be near a dragon," Talsha stated firmly. "If you see one, leave. If it sees you, nod respectfully and then leave."
"What if…" started Brinn, but Talsha quickly interrupted.
"No 'What if'! I don't want you to be a dragon's dinner. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Healer," Brinn replied, lowering her eyes.
That night, Brinn again dreamt about the green and gold dragon. This time, he spoke to her! The way he spoke was strange, though, for his lips never moved. Brinn just heard the words in her head. The words she heard were, "You are my friend, and I am yours. Together, we will save your kind."
When Brinn awoke, a sense of dread had settled in her gut. Save her kind from what? She did not share this dream with Talsha, but she also did not forget the healer's warning.