Normally these days I try to post a new den of dari'karra at the first of the month, a little bit of a familiar pattern... but, it's not done yet. So have some Rheal for now. Everyone likes Rheal, and he likes you... admittedly normally for lunch. Rheal visits the seat of all human knowledge. A little thank you to the hilarious history of very real scientific beliefs for the inspiration on this one...

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Rheal goes to school

“Letter for you Johan”
With considerable effort the archaeologist pulled his head from the writings he was translating, turning his focus to the door to his office. Well, office was a slightly grandeous term, like calling himself an archaeologist, although… since he’d met the strange dragon Rheal, that term felt more fitting. Office however, had not. The room held, foremost, his bed, and little else but for his desk and chair. It was all he had in the world though, tucked away at the back of his employer’s offices. It made him embarrassed to have people direct themselves to it, however. He wanted this room private, but, it was where he had to work as well as live. At least the clutter was appropriate for an office, a fine mess of papers, reports from scholars, or more and more a collection of rubbings he had taken from ruins Rheal carried him to. His pillow was supporting a rather lovely vase from his last excursion. The mess was new, but nothing was finer than finally being surrounded by the work he really wanted to be doing.
He idly gestured to a small patch of relatively clear desk, and obligingly their courier placed the pristine white, folded letter upon the dusty tools he had found intriguing enough to keep from an earlier trip with the dragon.
Left alone, he was torn… the sweet embrace of learning and runes, or, the fresh intrigue of this letter. It was paper, bright paper, he hadn’t seen anything so, immaculate in years. There was only one place it could have come from. He set aside his quill and reading glass and instead picked up the letter, turning it over to see the seal. It was from the seat of learning, they called it the university, a place in the capital where those dedicated to learning gathered. He had visited it once but found them particularly pompous, and, ironically, possessing no end of strange conclusions. He blamed that soundly on their intolerance of fieldwork, it had been one reason he had never been inclined to stay. He trusted they would change… when their armchair assumptions started being proven resoundingly wrong. Logical deduction was fine, so long as they checked what, facts, they built it on. They had not all been bad though, he mused as he unsealed the letter, certainly his curiosity wasn’t abated. He hadn’t heard from them since he left… nor had he told them where he was going. All the more reason for his fascination…

“That seems a very small thing, to have your attention so avidly” Rheal mused. The dragon was laid to his belly outside the town, Johan sitting upon a strewn forepaw, re-reading his letter with a mild frown. He knew the dragon was getting bored… but he just, had to be sure
“It’s a letter”
“What is that?”
Johan looked up from the sheet “you know we make, marks, to communicate. Well, this is a version of that. We put our language to marks on paper, and send that paper to each other if you want to talk to someone far away without going there”
“Oh” Rheal noted, going silent for a few moments before adding “that seems very strange… one human or another needs to deliver the words, don’t they? Why not deliver your own words…”?
“It’s how we work” Johan smiled lightly “think about it. One person delivering one letter wouldn’t make sense, true. But letters are light. One person can deliver many letters at once”
“Oh…” Rheal sounded more, understanding this time “it’s specialisation again… one human doing many human’s work, on one specific thing. For efficiency”
“Exactly” Johan rolled a thumb down the letter, puzzled “if one person can do the walking instead of a hundred, it sounds more reasonable” He sighed “this one however… is a strange one”
“Why?” Rheal mused “It’s nice another human wants to talk to you… sort of”
“It’s what they’re saying that, bothers me” Johan frowned to himself. Bothers, wasn’t quite right, but it was the closest he had. “It’s from a big, place on the edge of the capital, where… self-professed intellectuals discuss the journals of people who have gone out exploring, and decide what they must have meant…” he shook his head lightly “that’s not entirely fair… though there was that, elephant fiasco… for the most part it’s a place of learning, where knowledge is gathered, and passed on. I learnt a lot about the past there, but it wasn’t for me. They never contact me… but now they have, and, they mention you”
“Ooh” Rheal’s paw shifted under him, forcing Johan to grip a talon. The big muzzle probed closer, Rheal peering at the sheet
“Come on… you’ll blow it away” Johan pushed the muzzle “but yes, they mention you… actually I have the distinct impression, despite what they say about, it being too long since they saw me, they’re really interested in you. They’ve extended an invitation for me to bring my… intellectually curious dragon to the university”
“I’d love to see such a place” Rheal mused “I like ruins, and exploring, but I could learn so much so quickly… and it might make exploring more exciting, if I know what to look for better”
“Rheal, I’m sure you’re imagining a building full of… me’s, but that’s not what it’s like”
“I’d still like to go…” Rheal added sulkily
Johan petted the muzzle and slid the letter into his coat pocket “Don’t worry, we will. I was going to make it your choice regardless” He tapped his finger between the nostrils “you… will need to behave yourself though, and be wary. Out here people accept dragons a lot more than in the heart of the lands humans live in”
“Really?” Rheal mused “why? The humans out here have a reason to fear and dislike us… we eat them after all…”
“Yes, well… that’s how humans work” Johan reflected bitterly “the less we know about something, the more fervent our hatred… in fact just about all human hatred stems purely from ignorance of the details. Out here, people see dragons, they see your power, and your vulnerability. They face the hard reality that you need to eat, they need to eat, and neither of us could escape unscathed from a feud, so, not worth it. Those deep, who have never seen a dragon, only see a big scary problem nobody is dealing with, so they get angry… because they assume in a maddeningly stupid way that a problem they’ve never examined in depth has no complexities that need considered”
“You seem irked” Rheal noted, nudging his snout to Johan
“I am” Johan grunted, and leaned to the warm snout “don’t mind me… it’s a pet peeve, one of the reasons I left honestly. Not dragons specifically. I grew up in a small village, and went to see these privileged idiots who waved off our difficulties as easily solved, when everything they suggested we couldn’t do because of an easily explained reason” he grunted “and easily ignored, by them” He shook his head “try explaining to them how a bright, sunny day can impede fishing, when it’s the middle of a heatwave, or explain the finer points of food spoiling… annoying”
“We don’t have to go…” Rheal added, though his reluctance was plain
“We’ll go” Johan reassured “I can survive one day, I’m sure…”

“Aren’t you ready yet?” Rheal whined as Johan crouched by his bag, sifting through the contents. Clothes, books, one or two of his notes he felt comfortable sharing, a few, small artefacts. In his head he imagined he’d have to justify working with Rheal, helping a dragon learn, or even bringing such a huge creature to so, potentially fragile a place as lost, overgrown ruins. These… were his shield against such questions and accusations. Without Rheal… none of these would have been discovered. He asked himself, not for the first time, if he should even bring them. Why did he have to justify himself to those pompous windbags, so lost in their own ideas… but… they weren’t all bad, he reminded himself. With any luck the experience would be nice, educational, mature.
He hefted his bag up and onto his shoulders. Enough whimsical daydreaming… time to face his torture. “I’m coming, Rheal. Just making doubly sure I have everything. You don’t want to have to turn back for something, do you?”
“No” Rheal admitted easily “this… will be alright, won’t it?” a rare flash of, concern “my kind don’t tend to venture so deep into the lands your kind live in. We’re not especially welcome”
“Fly high, don’t pounce on anyone or their livestock, and we’ll be fine” Johan reassured Rheal, stroking a hand down a scaled forelimb before scrabbling up the dragon’s body for the back “We’re more scared of you than you are of us… trust me. People can, lash out when they’re scared, but… give them no reason, and you’ll be fine. For the most part, nobody wants a quarrel with a dragon if they can avoid it”
Rheal nodded, snout easing under the labouring Johan to nudge him up onto the back “uh, huh… well, most humans don’t greet me as nicely as you. They shout, they throw stones, they shoot arrows. In general, they try to remind me that their nests are not easy hunting grounds… whether I want to eat them or not”
“I wouldn’t worry” Johan reflected as the wings spread to his either side “where we’re going, nobody has lifted more than a quill, never mind a bow…”

The flight was going to be a long one, Johan noted as he clung to the dragon’s back… he knew he’d be, far from what was considered presentable by the time they got where they were going… it was going to take a couple of days, even by dragon and even with his guidance. In his bag he had food, he munched an apple as they soared over rivers, looked down at villages and farmland. There was something interesting about throwing an apple core off a dragon’s back, watching it get caught up in the winds and blown far away, to spin its way down.
The night came, and they perched atop a small hill, out of sight of any, significant settlements. Dragons were not an entirely unobserved sight, even in these parts. It was impossible to stop a dragon flying wherever it wanted… even if, landing spots, people had some influence over. Still, it made sense to avoid more attention than they had to draw. The normally chatty Rheal all but flopped to the ground the moment he landed, an intelligible mumble before the dragon dozed off, worn out from flying hard and the excitement the beast held. Johan was less excited… he spent the evening huddled to the warmth of Rheal’s body and eating some dried meat, washed down with water from his flask. He wasn’t entirely sure what the day would bring, but… he hoped it wouldn’t disappoint Rheal… or get the dragon into trouble.

“The world looks so strange out here” Rheal mused, the pair flying slowly, carried aloft by high winds. For the most part their lack of haste was a matter of location. Johan had never seen the region from so high in the air, everything looked, so different. At the same time there were clear signs of humanity and Rheal was wary to land, except where they had been invited
“I suppose it would to you” Johan agreed, peering down… in the distance, he could see the capital. It was an impressive sight from up here… though, it looked a lot smaller than it felt. He could get lost in that place, buildings, high and low, so much looked the same. But, then he looked around and saw a distant forest… much bigger
“It’s like woodland, but made of stone” Rheal mused, eyes on the distant city “I’ve never seen a human nest so, big… it’s bigger than any nest I’ve even heard of a dragon having… it’s really quite intimidating”
“Is it?” Johan looked to Rheal’s back just to, stop his eyes aching from the long stint peering so far away
“Imagine encountering an anthill larger than your house… wouldn’t you find that intimidating?”
“Point taken” Johan noted “they swarm your feet if you stomp too close to the little ones, something that big… good grief…”
“mmm, hmm” Rheal shivered up his spine, forcing Johan to grip tight “I’m sorry… but I really dislike seeing such huge nests… imagining landing in one… it would be like… oh, like if you were dropped into a pit of rats… it’s creepy when you’re... surrounded by humans in all directions, and can’t see them all at once…”
“I imagine that’s the point of having numbers” Johan smiled a little bit, poking the back beneath him “forgive me if I relish in my kind intimidating you just a little close to how much you intimidate us”
Rheal snorted, and his shoulder rolled, forcing Johan to grasp to the neck for dear life… he doubted he would have been thrown off but… the scare of a reminder how high he was shut him up
“Anyway…” Johan continued carefully “I think it might be the big building down there… by the big road, but off to the side, do you see it? It’s a good distance from the city, luckily for us… they like their solitude”
“Oh… that one” Rheal’s body tilted as he banked in a turn “I’ll spiral down to it then… I assume they will all know I’m coming. I’ve poked my snout where it wasn’t wanted enough times to learn better…”
“You’d surprise me” Johan noted, clinging to the neck pre-emptively “besides… these are scholars. Even if they panic and start smacking your snout, they won’t be much of a threat to a mighty dragon like you, now will they?”
Rheal snorted “I’m not worried about that. Being smacked across the muzzle stings, you know? Pain is pain, I’d sooner avoid it”
Johan stroked the scales for encouragement, clinging tighter as Rheal descended for the grounds of the university.

“Heavens above that creature is huge…”
Johan stroked Rheal’s shoulder, urging the dragon to settle to the ground. A, tension was in the muscles though, and, reluctantly, he slid down Rheal’s side while the dragon was sat to his haunches, considering the surroundings with a twitching tail.
The grounds of the university were certainly grand, wide, and well-tended, fields of grass with pretty borders. The way Rheal was clenching his claws, the grass would need work, Johan observed.
His landing was hard, he stumbled, but was suddenly caught by firm hands that eased him up straight. He sighed, and looked to his support, blinking, before his face filled with a grin, embracing the man close for a moment “aha, Peter! You’re still here, it’s good to see you”
“You as well, Johan… but, my, just look what you brought” Peter eased back, looking up, to the looming dragon “I, really want to enjoy catching up but… I’m terribly sorry, your… travelling companion has, rather snatched by attention. He’s safe, isn’t he?”
Johan already felt himself relaxing. If there was one person here he felt he could trust, it would be Peter. He took, a long moment to consider the question though “I wouldn’t dance in front of his snout, but for the most part, yes” Johan looked up to Rheal fondly, petting a forelimb settled close to him “I think he’s a bit nervous”
“So am I” Peter admitted with a weak smile “I heard you were coming, and with a dragon no less, but I thought it some wild prank… just look at this beast… so, regal actually… my, it’s beautiful… I never thought I’d see one, never hoped to, in truth. Still, assuming he, doesn’t devour me, I’d say I was delighted to get to see this thing up close…”
“His name is Rheal” Johan added quickly “and he understands every word”
“Ah…” Peter looked up sheepishly. He took a step backwards when Rheal’s roaming head set its eyes upon him “I meant no offence. Rheal… I’ll remember it”
Peter looked back to Johan, clicking his tongue “I was asked to, await you… more and more I think the, more pretentious of our order are double checking if I get eaten before daring approach in person… I, need a few moments to collect my thoughts before I can even think what is best to ask you…” he looked back to Rheal “gods, the size of it… I thought horses were huge… but this beast… how ever did you tame him Johan?”
“Tame, is not the right word” Johan sighed “better to say I’m his pet… or if we’re being charitable, we’re partners. He’s… like me if I was born a dragon. Fascinated by archaeology”
“A dragon finds interest in such things?” Peter began to walk towards the building, beckoning for Johan to follow, which he did. Peter froze when the first dragon step echoed through the ground, before continuing to walk “My understanding was they were content flying, fighting their borders and eating anything small enough they see… although I’m very grateful the last point has proven false so far”
“It’s a… hobby” Johan considered, looking up to Rheal. He was getting concerned, the dragon was very quiet “Something he does in his spare time…” Johan considered “Is that about right, Rheal?”
“Yes… I suppose so” Rheal murmured, barely a whisper… but loud enough from a dragon “eating comes first, always, but I, look for the things humans left behind”
Peter paused again to look up to the long muzzle hovering above them both “he really does talk… astounding” he smiled a little “Rheal… am, I saying that right? I, won’t deny you, are terrifying, but, I’m glad you’re here, we all will be. So many of my fellows have been desperately hoping the rumours that… you existed were true. A dragon’s perspective could be so valuable”
“Really?” Rheal’s ears perked up a little “You humans were happy I came? That’s new…”
Peter sighed “I’m giving a pep talk to a dragon… ok… but, I’m being sincere, Rheal. You’re going to see, a lot of scared people… I’m, afraid that’s part of what you are, both sides are, nervous. But, refrain from eating anyone and watch where you step and, we should all relax in a matter of time”
Rheal hummed in answer and followed as they moved on. The building they neared was particularly large, Rheal’s wingtips didn’t even reach the roof, and, on approach the dragon kept trying, and failing to lift his head high enough to peer over it. The main entrance was, to Johan’s eye, needlessly extravagant. It oozed self-importance. High pillars, a set of doors almost large enough to fit Rheal. Impressively carved figurines on the walls, but while Johan could find some admiration for the craftsmanship, the attitude that festered within didn’t deserve it.
“So, Peter, are things, like they were when I left?”
Peter mumbled something unintelligible before looking back “yes and no. Same people running the place, old ideas unshakable by time or fact. But, there are new faces, a couple I think are really going to like Rheal… probe his mind. Mind you… if I consider the whole situation rationally… one assumes the, stubborn lot were bright eyed with new ideas once. Maybe when it’s revealed all our research is… incomplete in its understanding, we’ll get stubborn and defensive too”
“The cycle of human ignorance” Johan smiled faintly “you know, if the opportunity arose, Rheal could always eat a few, misplace a paw or something”
“They’d mind, wouldn’t they?” Rheal added, a wet sound of tongue on scales. Johan’s amusement ebbed… he, had been joking but Rheal probably would eat someone if he said to. That was a piece of power he didn’t relish holding
“They’d give your dragon a stomach-ache” Peter added, softening the mood a little, gesturing to the doorway “think I see a few coming out to meet us… I imagine, a dragon can’t fit into our halls without damaging them”
“A pity” Rheal mused, wandering with little, soft steps after the humans.
Indeed, Johan saw the robed scholars walking down the stairway from the, grand doors. Some, more deserving than the title than others, in his opinion. He saw the, head of the university. Hunching with age, hair a darker grey, features so sharp they seemed they’d cut you. No hazard of course… that man wouldn’t let anyone get close enough. He kept his composure more than most, looking out, and upon Rheal. In some ways Johan was relieved. All eyes were on the huge dragon behind him. It helped him understand their motive for inviting him, they had no interest in him, and he had no interest in them. Just the way he liked it.
Although, there was one face he knew, that was in stark contrast to the composure of the head. A taller man, a few threads of youth remaining in his face, greying hair retaining a barky hue. The man was Joel, green-edged robes floating behind him as he rushed closer. Focus entirely on Rheal of course. Johan found a little smile. He’d had, little cause to know Joel, but he had no ill-memories of the scholar.
“Oh, thank whatever lucky whim of fate brings you… hello!” Joel moved before Rheal, waving up at the muzzle till it looked down, and lowered. The biologist staggered back a step “oh you’re a big fellow, aren’t you… sorry, sorry, you’re a little intimidating. I’m Joel, and you are?”
“Rheal” Rheal murmured, nostrils flaring as he sniffed “you smell like… dead plants”
“All the better to lessen your appetite?” Joel smiled, taking a step closer, feeling a palm to the scales on Rheal’s snout “oh this is a dream… just… look at you, large as life, a real dragon in the flesh, a dragon here and, not on the hunt… you’re majestic”
Rheal rumbled faintly “I like this one” he observed, looking to Johan
Johan sighed with a little smile he tried to hide “Joel is a biologist, he studies animals and plants. Just be careful he doesn’t want to study you in too much detail, Rheal. And if he says he’d love to see your insides, don’t let him, or swallow him”
“Hello Johan” Joel looked to him slyly “Fate has a sense of humour, does it not? You showed no interest in dragons beyond old legends, and you’re the one who finds one. Still, it’s good to see you… and this, magnificent specimen… will he let me examine him?”
“Ask him, but I’ll bet so” Johan looked up to Rheal “he’ll answer your questions too… never had a frog could do that, hmm? I was being serious though. He’s a dragon… he doesn’t understand some… metaphors, or… double meanings. If you do mention his insides… he’s thinking of his stomach”
“Noted” Joel moved back from the muzzle “ok… calming down” he exhaled “Please will you follow me, Rheal? I have a little garden around the side of the building, I keep my tools there… the, ahem, others don’t like the smell of, a lot of my work. I can examine you there, all peaceful… you, won’t mind, will you? I’d want to, touch, probe, myself, and my assistants”
“I, guess that’s ok” Rheal sounded hesitant, glancing to Johan
“I’ll be fine, and I’m not going anywhere” Johan smiled lightly “I might end up inside, but you can call in for me. You can trust Joel. He’ll be a little eccentric… but you have that in common I’m sure”
Rheal nodded, and dipped his snout to nudge Joel “I’ll follow you… plant human…”
Johan watched as Rheal was led away. Noticing, one younger face darting from the steps to pursue the pair as they moved around the building. He felt a little naked here without Rheal… it had been nice when he was hidden in plain sight by such a beast.
“Sorry but, I have to ask…” Peter mused “now that he can’t hear us, will he be, alright? The dragon…”
“I’m not sure” Johan admitted “I think so. I’d only be concerned if he got overexcited and stopped being careful, or if he got bored…” he sighed “he spares me because I’m useful. He spares the town I live in because it would upset me. Humans are, to purpose for a dragon. If I wasn’t an archaeologist, and had just met him one day, he’d have eaten me without a second thought… fortunately, he wanted to come. Boredom… is less likely”
“Sombre thoughts… I worried about you when I heard the rumours a dragon was… well…”
“He’s remarkably simple” Johan mused “he explores ruins like a child explores cabinets. I think he’s still young… but I don’t know. I just hope I outlive this phase of his interest, and learn a lot for the world in the process”
“You’re taking it a lot more calmly than I would” Peter grunted “you make it sound like he’s one whim from eating you at every moment”
“Sometimes I wonder if he is” Johan sighed “who was that… chasing after Rheal?”
“mmm? Oh… Filen or something… one of those new faces I mentioned. Philosophy and psychology, with a hint into biology… too unfocussed to be anyone’s assistant, drifts around… but he churns up a lot of interesting thoughts, by picking up on patterns of thoughts shared around the building. He picked up on the… wilful ignorance at the top really quickly. Locks horns with old Dixon all the time”
“Dixon is still alive?” Johan looked to Peter “I swore he was on borrowed time even when I was here… I hated him so much”
“mmm” Peter mused “He’s not very tolerant of ideas that don’t fit into his opinion…”
“And insults the intelligence of anyone who dares… dares to disagree with his prophetic wisdom” Johan rolled his eyes “if I don’t run into him, it’ll be too soon”
“Johan… you received our letter” a new voice cut into their conversation… unpleasantly familiar.
Johan turned to look upon the, head of the university. He’d forgotten the man’s name long ago… nobody used it. He insisted on simply being called, Sir.
“I did…” he said simply “I wouldn’t have come, I have evidence to gather, research to do… but Rheal was simply intrigued”
“Yes… the dragon” the head looked to Peter “you can leave us now”
“Yes sir” Peter shot Johan an apologetic look, but hurried off
Once Peter had left, the head spoke again “I see you still bear resentment”
“What can I say… I don’t think water birds sprout from seeds and I don’t believe in the form of unsubstantiated associative reasoning you condone here”
The head grunted “you can clearly see the shape of those seeds, and the birds flying away”
“and them flying back… and the little birds”
“which look nothing like the others but are supposedly the same creature”
Johan rolled his eyes “Whatever. When I left I told you the one thing you had to do to know the truth. Visit a pond, every day, for one whole turn of seasons, and you’ll see the obvious… and I’m going to bet you haven’t… so what’s the point”
“We have more important matters… the dragon”
Johan nodded slowly “you didn’t call me here to talk… you wanted Rheal to come… why?”
“Somehow, you have accomplished a very valuable thing, Johan” the head observed, pacing slowly, keeping his focus on Johan “you have gotten a dragon to trust and follow you, where they stay aloof and predatory as a rule. But you have been using this to… explore the, meaningless relics you so fawn over”
“I’ve been learning a lot, actually” Johan noted coolly “no matter the era people make the same mistakes, perhaps because there are always idiots to ruin things which nobody ever nips in the bud, or maybe just because the human creature has a life cycle, which involves not learning from past mistakes and making them anew… but no… nothing valuable can be gained by revealing the cycle of our past mistakes.. not like anyone could ever, look at them and decide we need to be proactive for a change”
“defensive as always, are you?”
“I don’t consider it defensive” Johan observed calmly “blathering meaningless insults and self-assertions, that’s defensive. I’m laying out my ideas in full. I can’t help but notice you make a point of never offering any evidence against my points, just insults… I suppose you don’t gather much, sitting here”
“Enough” the head waved a hand down “the sooner you leave, the happier we both shall be”
“Agreed. I gave up on speaking reason to you long ago”
“This is about that dragon…” the head gestured towards the building “even grand as this is… that dragon could rip it down, given time. Their physical power is immense. We can exceed it, yes, but their power is part of, one creature. It can move more easily than any one contraption we can make… that is useful. The beast is useful. You can see that, I am sure”
Johan crossed his arms “yes, he’s useful. I assume you have a particular use in mind”
“Many” the head noted “imagine if the dragon became a war beast… the power it would give against his own kind. We could expand into dragon lands more easily. Provoke one into attacking, build a defence strong enough it would believe we are trying, and when it swoops, this beast of our own cuts its wings. A dragon downed without such risk to human lives”
“That’s sick” Johan noted “Rheal would never, ever do something like that”
“Then the power he would have, as an enforcer. The city expands, the long villages out near dragon lands are unruly… but a dragon visiting, painted flanks with the royal colours…”
Johan felt himself wince. That, he could see them tricking Rheal into doing. Go somewhere, eat a few people “yeah… bright idea, turn a dragon on your own people, that can’t blow up in your face… you’d never keep him under your thumb. He only tolerates me because we share an interest”
Johan considered the head… he knew the man was low… but this was stretching it “I’ll have no part convincing him into being your… militant tool”
The head grunted “oh? Ever the scholar, then perhaps the last option is more, enticing. A live dragon is a rare prize. It would not be too difficult to render him unconscious… the appropriate vapor, a firm strike… imagine all we could learn about his kind if we could examine his body, piece by piece”
Johan grimaced “you want to vivisect him? No”
“Why are you being so unreasonable?” The head growled “it’s a dragon, a vicious beast, a deluded one. Aid us in bringing it down, and you will be saving lives, enhancing our knowledge. Don’t tell me you care for it?”
Johan found himself, taken aback. He searched his feelings and found… a question mark he hadn’t noticed. How did he really feel about Rheal? Partner yes, useful, invaluable… but a utility. Rheal was a unique form of transport… who ate people. Did he actually like Rheal, or, just liked having such an efficient partner… were they, friends outside of work… did they have any interests beyond the one…
“I… don’t know how fond I am of him, but regardless I object. He’s unique, valuable as he is” Johan shook his head “he’s a dragon who approached us, stays his hunger because we’re useful. I don’t want a short term gain out of him, I want him to live… maybe even be an example some more of his kind will find interesting”
The head grunted “then you are as demented as I feared… you want more dragons getting curious about us? Wandering close, getting hungry. Bah… fine” the head turned “I had hoped you would help… but I shall convince the dragon myself. You shall see, that the beast does not care about you… dragons are self-centred beasts. Offer a larger piece of meat and see its loyalties turn…” the head moved away “the dragon is staying here Johan… and it won’t take an ounce of force… you might as well leave… maybe it will eat you if I offer it something shiny”
Johan scowled, his stomach turning as he watched the head leaving… this was a stupid idea… he had to go and get Rheal, and dared to hope this talk hadn’t just been a distraction to keep him away. Yet, as he began to hurry around the building, in the direction Rheal had gone, the one question plagued him… why did he care about Rheal… and, in what way… when he thought of, why he wanted the dragon to live, to stay with him was so he could explore with Rheal… was he being selfish… did he even like Rheal… his own feelings confused him… and whether Rheal’s feelings were equally muddled concerned him…

“I think you’re looking at it through too human a perspective” Rheal mused, rolling a claw from a forepaw to his chin. The dragon was sprawled to his side, several humans moving around him, taking measurements, tapping scales. One, Filen, leaning to a hind limb, looking to the dragon with some intrigue while Joel was pushing at the belly plates
“Am I?” Filen mused “I mean… I would, but I don’t see how my thinking is human specific, over intellectual in general” he cocked his head “wouldn’t neighbouring dragons be, supportive of each other, even if you have territorial boundaries”
“I can see why you’d think that” Rheal hummed “I’ve seen humans… you are comparing dragons to humans, aren’t you? If a human lives beside another human, they have an… unspoken alliance, humans see other humans who share the same local space and resources as allies… dragons are not like that” He hummed, seeming to contemplate how to word his thoughts “you are thinking… they are neighbours… that is wrong. A better comparison is, separate human countries. Even when you are friendly, there is a layer of distrust, secrets, competition. Your relationship can be aggressive, heavily or lightly territorial… but you consider their issues to be their issues, unless it affects you directly… even that comparison implies too much closeness, really” Rheal flicked his tail
“I see…” Filen smiled “no, I see your point… I was thinking of you as too, human… one human by one human, and one dragon by one dragon… You’re really, solitary aren’t you…”
“Not really” Rheal mused “just territorial… humans are territorial too, but you form packs… and, huge packs. Your territories, are pack based, not individual based. You’re very territorial when pack meets pack, your… countries. We are territorial to the individual, like most creatures… would a cat spring to the defence of a neighbouring cat? More likely watch, learn about the danger while the other was killed, then adapt their behaviour for their own benefit”
Filen chuckled “I love this… I’ve never thought about it that way… but, we do squabble over land, resources, aggressive behaviour at those borders, just like any animal”
“Can I interject?” Rheal glanced down, to the human by his chest, Joel, bobbing his muzzle “mmm, hmm. You may have a turn, you’ve been quiet…” Rheal hummed “you’re touching me in places I’ve never been touched, it feels strange”
“Do you mind? We can stop”
“No, I’m just observing” Rheal hummed “it’s an interesting experience… being studied with the same fascination I’d study a ruin… it’s strange but I like it”
Johan wandered closer to the, interesting scene… it was relaxing to see Rheal playing so nice, he kept close to the hind limbs as he got close, rather enjoying listening in to someone else dealing with Rheal for a change.
“I’m curious about your scales” Joel noted, resting a hand onto the belly plates “As far as I know, nobody has ever, examined a dragon so closely, not so, peacefully… we have so many tales, people like to, tell stories”
“I’ve heard some of them” Rheal rumbled softly “they’re funny. Humans like to dramatize”
“Yes…” Joel stroked the scale “heroes whose bones don’t shatter when smacked aside by paw or scale”
“And dragons who shrug off armies, but will fall to this one” Rheal rumbled
“I hope that doesn’t offend you”
“Not at all” Rheal smiled a little “your stories are fair in some ways. You make your, human heroes more impressive by making them immortal, and make us seem more intimidating, so that the deed of fighting us sounds more impressive. Both human, and dragon are made mighty beyond the real in those… I find an amusement in them”
“mmm… well I was curious about your scales… I don’t wish to test it, of course… but I’m wondering to their, strength”
“Oh” Rheal looked down himself “you won’t breach the belly, I don’t think. Not even another dragon can do that easily… but honestly that is the only place I am defended. I need to be light and flexible to fly, no extra weight, and scales which aren’t too thick and, hard to move my limbs in”
“It’s surprising…” Joel sighed “I assumed your scales would be… at least three times as thick, I have had other reptiles across my desk, and they were very sturdy”
“Many of the scale attack from ambush” Rheal noted “you can have thicker scales if you don’t need to be aerobic… flying is very intensive, so is chasing prey… I’m surprised my kind still has scales at all if I’m honest… you’ll find them thinner and more fragile than much smaller reptiles… it just has to be. Except, the belly… seems protecting our wings was deemed, important enough to armour the other side of me… it’s also how I sleep, normally”
Joel nodded slowly “I really hope you shed one while you’re here… I’d love a sample”
Rheal chuckled “I might… check the ground where I’ve been settled… but, don’t pull one out… it hurts”
Johan moved around the hind leg, catching Rheal’s eyes, setting them agleam “Johan! I missed you, but I like these humans too now”
“Good to hear” Johan wandered closer, sighing to himself. He couldn’t spoil Rheal’s good mood too abruptly… “glad to hear they are off menu. I was scared I’d find you wide bellied and dozing off everyone who came near…”
Rheal smiled sheepishly, snorting “I wouldn’t even think of it”
Johan petted a settled hind leg, unable to think of anything, fitting to add to Rheal’s comment. He took a moment to look around though… surveying. He just wanted to get away from here, without ruining Rheal’s time as much as possible. The last thing he wanted was Rheal feeling there were humans plotting to manipulate. Their relationship was… confusing perhaps, but he didn’t want it to end… and certainly not from the actions of others.
Rheal meanwhile had seemingly resumed his conversation with the others “you have to bear in mind of course that I’m smaller than I look… you see my puffed chest out front, but that’s my widest point, the muscles, and behind that the wings add a lot of size… I’m more like a bird than a lizard, really” Rheal chuckled to himself “I think if one of us ever starts developing feathers, they’d replace our scales in a few generations. Probably, it seems to work for birds after all”
“Filen!” the youth winced, looking towards the main building, Rheal’s gaze following curiously as a larger scholar, robes adorned in bright red stalked closer. Johan sighed… there was a familiar face… Dixon. “Now I find you… I should not have to look for you, insolent pest…” the man did pause in his tirade to glance to the dragon, snorting “chatting away with a beast of low morals…”
“Hey” Rheal whined, indignant
Filen folded his arms, keeping leaned to Rheal “actually sir, I am finding a dragon’s perspective on our philosophic questions very enlightening. I don’t agree with everything, but his perspective is refreshingly different”
Dixon eyed Rheal, the dragon cocking his head to the venom “We’ve developed our knowledge over generations of hundreds of minds… I doubt some, cave born beast can have any wisdom to add”
“I think it’s been interesting” Rheal added haughtily, thudding his tail “I have spoken with humans before, but meeting those humans who… develop and heighten the human perspective to its purest form, show me most clearly the fundamental biases all human reasoning is skewed by”
Johan had a moment of delight seeing the colour flare in Dixon’s cheeks “and what supposed biases are these, dragon?”
“Well the simplest is the starting assumption that you are special” Rheal reasoned “it’s like I was discussing with the little one here, I’ve never been human, and never been under this bias. When I see humans, I see you as another animal, an interesting one, but no different really. Humans seem to draw absolute lines between yourselves, and other creatures. In fact, the little one was saying you, actually consider behaviour of your kind, and other animals entirely separately… that’s so bizarre”
“I’m not surprised a dragon fails to notice our intelligence” Dixon crossed his arms “we think, dragon, the wild beasts live on instinct, we reason, we, have control”
“No, you don’t” Rheal countered smoothly “see, this is the problem. You are intelligent, yes, as am I, but it’s not that simple. Intelligence is not some… unifying, awakening force… it’s just another trait” Rheal hummed lightly “you, and I, act on instinct too. I hear humans speak of what feels right, of what makes them feel uneasy… these feelings are your instincts, what feels the right thing, is what your instinct tells you. You can second guess your instinct but gaining that skill didn’t strip out all the instincts of your ancestors. Most of the time you do what you do because that’s instinct, and you never question it… I’m surprised you’re not more introspective” Rheal looked off “but then maybe it’s because you’re a pack… you see others who feel the same as you, you don’t question things as much when you have consensus… I need to decide for myself, alone…” Rheal rumbled faintly “an example I like is those tools you use… they are bizarre to me, but, humans are surprised some of these associations are not obvious… but, looking at things that way is part of your instinct, not your intelligence. We share intelligence, but… you feel that means more than it does” Rheal shook his head “I don’t blame your viewpoint, you’re a pack, it’s natural you feel your own kind is special… empathy is part of your instincts, and it has served you well… but that’s just humans… you can’t reasonably apply that to everything…”
Filen grinned “I love this dragon… really blows my mind on the construct of morals”
“Nonsense” Dixon grunted, walking away “You have work to do, Filen, and you’ll get the whip if you don’t”
“How’s that for low morals” Filen murmured, petting the leg beside him “but perhaps that is the lesson you teach me, oh wise dragon. Sometimes life isn’t about fair or right, it’s just about survival. I’ll get to my tasks… I hope you visit again”
Rheal nodded his head to the youth, humming, looking down to Johan “you look tense”
“A little” Johan admitted, eying the older scholar who was, disappearing “I want to go home, really, Rheal…”
“Oh” Rheal flicked his ears “but it feels like we only just got here… maybe, I can come back on my own… I know the way now, and a few of these humans are quite charming”
Joel sighed a little “Loathe as I am to ever say goodbye to the worthy study… I’ve gained a lot of measurements… this could, really re-write the book on dragons”
Rheal rumbled softly, looking to Johan “you wouldn’t believe some of the things they thought…”
“I would” Johan noted “I know their train of logic. Inappropriate associations. They feel they’re being scientific because they compare one thing to another, ignoring every difference they should have been paying attention to… just not thinking it through”
“I suppose” Rheal murmured “don’t ruin it for me though, I’m enjoying talking with them…” he looked to Joel “just, consider all the angles…”
Joel bowed, and waved his assistants away, moving around to personally collect their notes into a hefty armful, waddling for his, little hut. Johan had to admit… it did stink out here.
“So, are we going?” Rheal mused
“If you can bear it”
The dragon sighed, rolling to his paws with a stretch “I’m a little stiff… let me loosen up”
Johan sighed, but relented, looking around and, pausing when he saw Peter on approach, nodding to the approach of his friend. Peter was moving quickly, but walking… so fast a walk he looked neither like he was rushing… nor nonchalant.
“What’s wrong?” Johan pressed as his friend got into earshot
Peter shook his head, nodding towards Rheal and gesturing to the corner of the building. Johan nodded gravely, before looking to Rheal “I’m just going to get a last stretch of my legs, say goodbye to some people, Rheal… you wait here for me”
The dragon snorted in answer, yawning a soft roar as he stretched his back. Johan moved with Peter, till they got around the corner.
“What don’t you want him to hear?” Johan pressed again once they stopped
“There’s talk of trying to capture him… I didn’t want a panicky or angry dragon… but, you’re leaving?”
Johan sighed “yes… the head made it clear they have ulterior motives for Rheal… I’m going to take him away… I think he’s enjoyed his time, but… he’s a good-hearted creature. This sort of trickery just isn’t in his experience”
Peter nodded slowly “that’s probably best… I don’t know that they’d succeed… but I’d sooner not let them try. A failed attempt could be as troublesome as a successful one”
“Indeed” Johan rested a hand to Peter’s shoulder “he… does want to come back, maybe by the time he does, things will have changed… maybe I’ll see you again if I come back with him… I do respect you trying to actually change this place”
Peter smiled a little “good luck with the dragon… do try not to get eaten, or trodden on”
“The eternal struggle” Johan embraced Peter for a moment, before parting ways, moving around the corner and back towards Rheal. The dragon was sat, forepaw resting to his belly plates, tongue rolling up his snout, before looking down to Johan, and stretching out and down to his belly.
Quickly Johan scaled up the body, surveying from the new height, but the coast looked clear. A lost robe drifting in the grass, but no sign of people beyond that. With the urging of his boot, Rheal sprang, hammering wings to stay aloft, panting deep but riding steadily, up, till the winds caught at him and he could bank away.
All the while, Rheal’s eyes were down, watching the ground below. He hummed faintly
“I’m sorry to drag you away” Johan added
“it’s ok” Rheal hummed “I was close to eating a couple of the little poking ones. All I said about instinct… sometimes no matter how much you try, it’s irresistible. But they’d have hated me for that”
“It’s a long way back” Johan reflected “we can take a more direct route this time I think… but I’m afraid it might be a fair way till you can hunt without treading on toes”
“I’m fine” Rheal hummed “I just ate”
“Pardon?” Johan looked from the horizon in time to see Rheal’s tongue lick his chops. The dragon looked back to him with ears low
“Well… these humans, came to talk to me, but they just kept saying such nasty things about you… I thought, they must not be ones you like… I, thought you wouldn’t mind if I ate them”
Johan swallowed faintly, looking below himself. The scaly back, somewhere below the belly, within, people digesting “you know Rheal… it might be best if you wait a while before going back there… If it’s who I think, I don’t mind but… some of them might… it’ll blow over”
Rheal hummed “so long as it didn’t upset you… I only ate them because I was sure… sure they weren’t, ones you’d like”
Johan stroked the dragon’s back, going quiet as he considered what the dragon was telling him… people devoured, that was a familiar thing now… in some ways the bigger question he asked himself, as the dragon carried both aloft and into the skies. Had… Rheal just shown him, loyalty…? Sometimes he wondered what went through that scaly head…