Lyrici

The young dragon stretched his head higher. A sapling speaker, standing on it's nature carved log, Placed the crown on his head. The veil part draped over the sides of his face while the winged part stayed on top. This, he knew, was the sign that he was Natural- that one male and one female of each species had decided he would suit them. This meant the only not natural thing he could wear was his crown. But he could now also communicate with all creatures, great and small. He remembered his initiation ceremony that morning. He had woken up to his mentor, Oracul, telling him that it was time. He stepped out from within the bush he had slept in and saw his challenge. An emperor had risen. It seemed to be his task to tell it to stop destroying, and make it his servant until he deemed it ready for rest. This would be the final creature that accepted him, and he would succeed or die. The emperor stepped towards him, and he began to sing. Oracul gasped. They were only supposed to speak, but he had decided singing was a form of speaking. He sang a wordless tune, rising, falling, cresting. The emperor was captured. The song spoke of freedom, of flight. It spoke of love, life, contentment. When he was finished, the emperor curled up, in the middle of the giant clearing, and fell asleep. The clan did not know what to do. In the past, Naturals would command the emperor to back down, and use their will and strength of mind to get it to submit. After a few minutes the beast didn't wake up, and he went to eat breakfast. when he came back, there was a large mound of earth upon which sat a little glass bottle. It held a small scrap of paper that said Lyrici. He brought the paper, in the bottle, to Oracul and asked what it was. His mentor gasped, and hurried away. Later that day, he was approached by Oracul who began to tell him what his morning had meant. "You are not just Natural. You're Natureborn. This rank is given to those that have such harmony with the elements they are one step away from a god in drake form." He took this in, and then asked, "But what does Lyrici mean?" and Oracul replied, "This will be your new name. We will have a naming tonight. Then you will leave us to find a family who will not trap you, but who will free and protect you." He nodded. "What do I need to do to get ready?" "Just be your best self." He- no, Lyrici returned to himself. By now they had finished his naming and were adjoining to another room to eat and celebrate. About halfway though, his head was spinning from the noise and from the energy. He went outside and curled up on top of his favorite rock. It was a flat gray solid one, that was big enough to accommodate his whole body. He was staring off into the woods when he noticed Oracul walking towards him. He offered Lyrici a silver birdcage. In it was a beautiful white dove. She looked up at him from her iron prison with her gray eyes and seemed plead to be let out. He flipped the cage door open and the bird flew out and landed on his shoulder. "In my years I have raised hundreds of Naturals like you. Some perished, most made it, but none were Natureborn. At the beginning of my training, I was given this bird. She and I are one. We know the same things, and even from far away our minds connect. So I give you her for your journeys. You and her will speak mind-to-mind, and what you tell her, I will know. Her name is Oracul, just like me. She will always stay with you." At this Lyrici was overcome with emotion and, for the first time ever, hugged his mentor. "I'm going to miss you, Oracul." "I'm going to miss you too Lyrici." And with this they each went their separate ways for the night. Lyrici went back to his den for one last night, and had no dreams for the first night of his life.

^^amazing art by Fragaria