01 – Grown-ups Can Be Confusing

 

Once upon a time there was a little dragon. He lived with his mother in a cave behind a waterfall. His name was Feilong. His scales were a soft blend of turquoise and white. Some looked more blue, others green, and some shimmered pure white in the light.

«Good morning, Feilong,» he heard his mother say, and he looked up.
«Good morning, Mama,» he replied.
His mother gave him a serious look. «I have a very special surprise for you today.»
Feilong’s excitement was rather limited. «Another book? I’m really tired of reading.»
Unmoved, his mother continued, «We’re going on an outing today.»
Now Feilong’s curiosity awoke. «An outing? What’s an outing?»
«We’re leaving the cave today, and you’re going to learn how to fly.»
«I’m going to learn to fly?» Feilong spread his wings in anticipation, and his scales began to glow.
«Not here in the cave,» his mother said gently, «but outside, on the other side of the waterfall.»
Feilong was speechless. He thought aloud, «I’m allowed to leave the cave?»
«Yes, my son. You’re old enough now for us to leave your nursery behind.»
Feilong still couldn’t quite believe it. «I can go to the other side of the curtain?»
«Not only can you – you shall,» said his mother.
«Yippee!» Feilong dashed towards the cave entrance.
«Not so fast,» his mother stopped him. «You should first…»

The soft, steady sound of the waterfall had changed. At that very moment, a blue-green dragon’s head pushed through the curtain.

«Hello, my dears! Are you ready?»
«Granny! What are you doing here?» cried Feilong.
«Now, now,» his mother scolded gently. «Is that how you greet your grandmother? Let her come in first.»
«Oh,» Feilong felt embarrassed. «Okay… sorry.»

His granny entered the cave. She looked quite like Feilong’s mother. Both had scales mostly in shades of blue – blue-green, blue-grey, and blue-white. They shimmered in colours as if the sea and sky were touching the clouds.

Granny smiled and said, «I’ve brought Long Ziran with me, so he can seal the cave once we leave.»
Feilong was completely confused now. «What? Seal the cave?» he thought, beginning to feel a little frightened.

Behind Granny stepped a stately dragon with scales of green-grey and green-brown. Feilong had never seen such colours on a dragon before.

«Hello and welcome, Long Grandma,» said his mother, nodding politely. «Greetings, Long Ziran. Thank you for coming and for helping us,» she added with a warm nod towards Long Ziran.

Feilong still stood there, speechless and puzzled. His mother nudged him gently with her wing.
«Er… yes… oh! Hello, Granny,» he said, nodding towards her. Then he nodded to Long Ziran. «Greetings, Long… er… erm… ran.» He had forgotten the name.

Long Ziran smiled and nodded back. «Ziran is my name. Greetings, Long Fei.»
Then he turned to Feilong’s mother. «Greetings, Long Hai. It’s only natural that I help you. We all want to make sure this nursery stays safe.»

«Your grandchild will be the next one,» Granny added.

Feilong was now completely confused. «What are you talking about?»
Granny looked at his mother seriously. «You haven’t told him yet?»
«I was just about to, when you arrived,» she said, looking slightly embarrassed.

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