Free The Dragon' Son by Kathryn Fogleman Page B

ready,” the dragon stated in his deep, warm voice. There was calmness in his voice but also the sound of a great and fearless warrior ready to charge into battle. Keegan wished that he felt as brave as the dragon sounded. He just prayed that there would be no battle, and he greatly hoped that he would find someone, other than the enemy, alive in his old home. But his gut and heart told him that he would face otherwise.
     
     
     

Chapter 5: Becoming a Dragon's Son
    After the mighty creature lowered himself to the ground and stretched out his foreleg, climbing onto the dragon's back was easy. However, once on Pharrgon's back, Keegan wondered how he was going to hang on to the massive beast. His father said that dragons were faster than the mighty racehorses of kings. But horses had long manes for a rider to grasp in hand, and the rider squeezed his legs to remain on the horse. This dragon had no spines to grasp, and his neck was far too thick for Keegan's legs to squeeze.
     
    Keegan began to imagine that they would be flying high in the sky, a mighty gust of wind would come whip him off the dragon's back. Then he would fall, fall, fall all the way to the crushing ground below. At this thought, panic began to set in on Keegan. "How do I hang on? You have no spines! And your neck is much too large for me to hang on with my legs or arms!" Keegan cried. His body began to shake with the thought of falling, so he sank down and gripped Pharrgon's neck scales as tightly as he could with his hands.
     
    Pharrgon looked back at Keegan with a sharp eye. "First, you must never panic. Panic has never helped anyone. Second, I do have spines, just like other dragons. Mine are lying down."
     
    Keegan sat up when he felt the dragon tense under him. A shiver seemed to go down the dragon's spine. Then triangular plates of golden armor began to rise up on his neck. Keegan then saw that plaited armor lay flat even down to the dragon's tail, waiting to be summoned.
     
    "Hold one of my spines," Pharrgon ordered.
     
    Keegan hesitated. The spines looked very sharp, and he was afraid he would cut his hand. He grasped one gently and cringed, then, with a relieved sigh, he grasped it tighter as he realized they were not sharp at all. The dragon smiled at Keegan, then turned his face away, lowered his head, and slowly began to stand. Keegan hunkered down close to the dragon, closed his eyes, and grasped the spine with all of his might. He feared that he might fall off as the dragon stood.
     
    "What are you doing?" Pharrgon asked.
     
    Keegan opened his eyes to see Pharrgon was staring at him. He looked down and was astonished to find that the dragon was standing, and the ground was about twelve feet below him.
     
    "I barely felt you move," he exclaimed, looking at the dragon with wide eyes.
     
    Pharrgon smiled. "I will not fly very fast," he said reassuringly and began walking toward a clearing in the trees, away from the cave. Keegan swayed gently from side to side as the dragon walked. It was a pleasant feeling. It felt as if the dragon hardly moved at all really, but the sound of his heavy footfalls and the swaying of his back made Keegan sure that the dragon was moving at a steady pace.
     
    When Pharrgon came to the clearing in the trees, he looked up and around at the enormous treetops, then crouched back on his haunches, and looked straight heavenward.
     
    Keegan firmed up his hold on the dragon's spine and tightened the muscles in his legs, licking his lips anxiously. If the dragon was going to jump above these tall trees, as Keegan assumed he would, it was going to be a mighty leap. Keegan did not want to fall off before they were even airborne. He leaned forward, closer to the dragon, and squared his shoulders. He tightened every muscle in his body, just as the dragon did.
     
    The dragon sprung, his powerful muscles propelling him into the sky and far past the leafy trees with their waving arms that reached skyward. He unfurled his