//------------------------------//
// EPS 4 
// Story: The Dragon Riders 
// by Dragontamer99 
//------------------------------//

rode on till night, Spirit was tired and I was tired. I rolled up the map I had been following an slid off of Spirit who lowered his head. I took off his saddle and grabbed the backpack. I ran through the items and saw a brush.

I took it out and after brushing my hair I took the brush to spirits hair. I decided to save my food but I have Spirit an apple and laid down. I was asleep in moments hoping to get a glimpse of my dragon. I dreamt. I was running through the forest again. Something crashing behind me.

I saw the clearing and made a dash for it. Once I got there I saw my dragon. It whipped it's head around and looked at me. I have a huge breath and I screamed "There's a man coming!" I woke up out of breathe. It felt like I'd been running a marathon. I stood up and looked for the sun. It was just coming up. 

I packed up my stuff an woke Spirit who tossed his head. I gave him another apple and brushed him again before putting the saddle back on. I rode again till the sun was right above my head. I looked at the map and talked to Spirit as if he was a person. I said, "well we need to find some water and if the map is correct we should go in that direction." I pulled on Spirits reins but he was already a step ahead of me. He knew where the water was.

I let him lead. After he had found the river I decided to think back on what the prophesy said. Two queens will rise and the new age will start, a species that has been dead for years never died completely. Two will rise and change everything. I have never heard anything about a dying species... Wait... The dragons? But what about two queens?

There is only one queen. Can there be a queen of dragons? Or will I be queen? I thought for a second, maybe my dragon is... No never mind. I'll just focus on finding my dragon. I looked at the map.... The flame tree should be a huge red tree 3 miles to the west of this mountain... Wait no... Volcano! 



I stooped down and took a drink and when I stood back up I felt refreshed. I stood and got back on spirit turned him to the northeast direction and drove him to a trot. After a while of trotting, I began to notice strange marks on trees. It looked like a carved crown. I pressed spirit a little faster and followed the crown trail. After about 30-35 minutes I realized I was still heading in the right direction. I was heading straight to the volcano.

I trotted on with new enthusiasm and even pressed spirit to go faster. By the time the sun started down, I could see the volcano! I kept my eyes on it and pressed spirit to go even faster. I made it to the volcano when it was starting to get hard to see. Once I was at the base I got off spirit and let him graze on the lush grass in the clearing.

I grabbed a sandwich and another apple and ate while watching spirit. After a minute spirit, full and content, walked over to me and decided to lay a little ways away to sleep. In the morning we would go east to find my dragon.





I woke up a little bit before dawn. Spirit had got up and started to graze and it had woken me. I decided to eat breakfast, which contained another Apple and a cold pastry. I got up and called to a spirit who came willingly.

I mounted him and turned east. I rode on marveling how beautiful the leaves looked today. They were all a light yellow/green. After an hour of riding, I started looking for the flame tree. I decided that a better way of doing that was to climb a tree.

I looked for a particularly tall tree and once I found on I dismounted and went to the base. I looked up and found the lowest branch which was sadly a few feet out of arms reach. I got an idea after about a minute of studying the surroundings. I went 10 paces away and faced the tree. 

I ran as fast as I could and jumped off a large protruding root and grabbed the branch. After I hauled myself up I grabbed the next branch and the next one and eventually I made it to the top where I had an amazing view of a huge forest. It was a sea of yellow and green.

I scanned everywhere and then out of the very corner of my eye I caught a sight of a huge flaming tree. At first, I thought it was actually on fire but looking more closely I realized it was just a tree filled with red and orange leaves.



It had dark oak too. It was beautiful. I got the direction of the tree and climbed back down. I jumped on spirit and turned him in the direction of the tree and willed him into a fast trot. It was a little after sun high when I found I couldn't ride spirit any longer. I tied him to a tree and got off. I grabbed my backpack and started my trek through thick vines. I managed to make a wide path. After a long time, it started to get dark and I made my way faster.

Going through vines and vines and more vines. It was tedious. I think the moon started to come up when finally I saw the red tree. I started to run through vines and push them aside. Then when I found a particularly thick place of vines I pushed hard and fell into the clearing where there was a red tree in the middle. I looked around and then my eyes popping I gasped.

TBC