Not that she should be interested in it. But, hell, it would've been a lie to say she wasn't.
Rian turned so he faced away from Rhydian. "I'll keep you company, Auntie Laney. Come on. The faster you turn, the faster he changes."
Trying her best not to laugh at Rian's attempted serious tone—let alone tear up again at him calling her his aunt—Delaney complied. She strained her ears for any sound as well as scanned the corners of her vision for any sudden bursts of light. There hadn't been much information about how a dragon-shifter changed, let alone any videos. Given how everyone had a camera these days with their phones, it was amazing none existed. The DDA must have a hand in keeping them off the internet to prevent any possible paranoia or fear.
After a few pops, a half roar filled her ears. Turning around, her mouth dropped open.
The black dragon was about four times her height, his scales dark but slightly iridescent at the same time, the faint sunshine making them a multitude of colors.
Even in his dragon form, the scars showed on his cheek. But she barely paid them any heed, especially when Rhydian raised his wings up behind him and spread them.
The sun highlighted the faint veins and bones of the impressive wingspan.
He was powerful, yes, but beautiful, too. She wondered how anyone would want to kill such magnificent creatures simply for their blood and then go sell it on the black market.
Rian cheered. "See? I told you he likes to spread his wings. He won't take me up into the air. But maybe one day, he will. I have to be older, though. Maybe he'll take you up into the sky, too?"
At the thought of flying on a dragon thousands of meters in the air, the blood drained from her face.
The dragon let out a puff of air she swore was a snort.
Clearing her throat, she stood a wee bit taller. "I'm not the best with heights. But given how I don't have wings, I think that's understandable."
The dragon snorted again, somehow making the magnificent creature adorable.
Not that Rhydian would like being called adorable, she bet.
Rian took her hand and tugged. "Come on, Auntie Laney. You need to pet him. He's smooth and a little soft, and not at all cold like the stories say."
She moved with the boy and frowned. "What stories?"
"The ones in the school library. They have heaps and heaps of children's books. But most of them are written by humans, so they're always wrong. I don't always have scales on my back. Or on my feet. Or horns on my head."
Somewhere in the back of her mind, she wondered if the dragon-shifters had thought about writing their own stories and publishing them. It could help dispel the negative stereotypes floating around. And starting with children would be a good first step.
However, they reached Rhydian's dragon form and he gently butted her shoulder, scattering her thoughts about books. Rian translated Rhydian's movement. "He wants you to touch him. Dragons love to be petted and scratched, and so many other things. I'm not sure why they like baths in cold lakes so much, but they do that, too."
She gingerly touched Rhydian's cheek. The slightly warm, smooth surface surprised her, despite Rian's warning.
Gently caressing his cheek, she smiled as the dragon closed his eyes and hummed. He acted like a cat or dog receiving a good scratch.
Rian piped up again. "He's happy. Try scratching behind his ear."
Running her fingers over Rhydian's scales, she finally reached behind his ears. She expected to find more scales, but there was a small patch of skin behind the ear, with no scales over it.
She wondered what other secrets Rhydian's dragon form held.
Careful not to hurt him—hey, it was possible she could hurt the dragon—she ran her nails back and forth against the leathery skin. The dragon's hum increased further, the sound reminding her almost of a loud cat's purr.
Since Rhydian couldn't talk, and even she knew dragons didn't have special telepathic powers, she asked Rian, "So humming is a good thing, right?"
"Yep. But he's humming really loud now. You must be better at scratching and petting than me."
The dragon opened his eyes, the pupils more slitted than before. She murmured, "I wish you could tell me what you're thinking right now."
Rian said, "He can't, silly. But there are dragon signals, loads of them. Once I can shift, I'll have to learn them all." Rian spread his arms and mimicked flying. "I can't wait."