Board Thread:Fun and Games/@comment-34320391-20181119131046/@comment-34572969-20181129155157

Katina

Initiates were all gathered in the Mead Hall, chatting with friends, training or showing off their dragons or having some of the delicious yak stew that two of the candidates were handing out. Turns out, Kate- the one who made the stew -was a surprisingly great cook.

Me and a few other Initiates were- wait, I didn't tell you what happened with those three riders, did I?

In short, I managed to eavesdrop a little bit and found out what happened during the Trial. While I was off with Flame at the obstacle course, that Barny kid somehow managed to steal Aidan's Stormcutter mid-flight. From what I heard, he had teamed up with Garmal in order to do it, and if they were anything like Jack, I already hated them.

There was some bullying, backstabbing friends, yada yada yada you probably get the point.

Anyway, me and a handful of other Initiates were sat around a table talking. I managed to make some friends within the twenty or so other people, and somehow dragged myself into actually spending some time with them.

Rita was still looking pretty nauseous after her throwing-up incident, but she reassured us that she was completely fine.

"Seriously though, NEVER and I mean NEVER, be friends with Garmal. He will change you, and he'll ruin your life!" Isla, another trainee, explained to the group.

Aidan spoke up. "That must be why Barny is acting really mean..."

That made sense. If Garmal really was able to change people like that, it would explain why Barny was acting so differently.

"Has he done anything to you?" I couldn't help but ask. She explained how when she was younger, Garmal and his goonies used to tease her but after a certain incident that I interpreted as punching Garmal in the face, they more or less left her alone.

I hummed. "I get watcha mean. When I was younger Jack always used to- Flame!"

Flame was lapping like a dog at the stew I had set down. He looked up, licking the corners of his mouth and staring questionably at me as the others giggled.

"Flame! Don't eat that! That's human food." I picked him up, and he quickly scrambled up my arm and settled on my head. It reminded me of the first time we bonded.

We talked for a while after that, and for once I felt like I was actually making some friends.

Then Kate mentioned a race.

"Get ready to lose you guys!" Ar exclaimed, readying her dragon. Since Flame was not at all capable of pulling a full-on sled, let alone one with me on it, I was being a sort of referee.

"When I say go," I stated, stepping through the snow towrds the front. The others nodded.

"Ready...set..."

They began to prepare themselves for the race.

"GORILLAS!" I shouted out. A few went forward, but quickly returned as the others just shared puzzled looks.

"Huh?"

I smirked at their confused expressions. "Hah, I can't believe that actually worked," I laughed to myself. "GO!"

Their dragons bounded forward with a start as I watched from a distance, commentating the race in my head.

Aud, the one my mind had labelled as "the confident twin," ended up winning the race. As she celebrated and patted her Monstrous Nightmare's head,  Ispotted a Terrible Terror squirming around in Ar's hands. I reassured myself that it was probably just a stray that somehow ended up intermingled in the race, and the thought left my mind.

Eventually we all had to go, and I set down Flame as I entered my house. My mother was quick to greet me.

"Hi sweetie," she called from the kitchen. I replied with a "Hey" as I made my way upstairs.

"How was it? Did you make any friends?"

I paused. "I...think so? The other Initiates were nice, and we hung out a little earlier." I let that sink in myself. I actually made some friends?

Well, I suppose there is a first time for everything.