BACK ALLEYS
Kale looked up. There was something strange around here somewhere. Like a presence about to make itself known. A soft tingly feeling in the back of his neck made him feel uncomfortable.
Kale stepped behind a garbage container and watched. Great was his surprise when he saw two dragons appear out of the Elsewhere. One was sunset-bright with flame-orange wings, the second black as night with silver hair. But Kale knew about dragons and their ways, he wasn't surprised that people were being searched even on this small planet. No it was the mask one of them wore that alerted him.
Even before the second shifted back he knew she was like him. A shifter. The first he had ever seen outside his family that was slowly diminishing.
Kale had learned of his people from his mother. She had been maybe the last in his lineage, though Kale couldn't know that for sure. People in his family line tended to disappear, like smoke. But his mother would never do that. She had chosen a human man and would stay with him for the rest of her days. Not even her
dragon half could change that. But he was at least thankful that his mother had shown him what he needed to know. Told him all about Ikhar and his losses. She had removed herself from the whole vengeance and looking for survivors, believing there were no others.
But it hadn't been that simple for Kale. Especially in his second changing there had been flashes of knowing. He could feel there were others out there, like sparks of connection that he could find if he just could keep his mind focused long enough. But he hadn't been able to, yet.
Lucky for him there was an easier way to find his people. Though that way wasn't full proof.
Kale brought his hand up to his eye, the small wavy lines under his fingers hard and smooth in a deep
bordeaux-red. The woman he saw only a few yards away from him however had a more elaborate tattoo. A black dragon, ranging from her neck to her eye, contrasted highly with her pale skin. She was so close he nearly shouted out to her, but at the last moment he kept his voice silent. Maybe she had no idea what she was... or maybe she was something else entirely.
Still doubting and waiting for the time to be right the woman suddenly felt him. She turned around and looked him almost directly in the eye.
"What is it with me and dumpsters?" she asked, "Hello! Is anyone behind there? I don't want to harm you."
Facing the fact that he had been discovered like a rookie on his first day, Kale rose from his hiding place and looked the woman directly in the eye.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"I am Draca." the woman answered.
Kale felt a shudder ran down his spine when he heard the name of one of the names his mother had mentioned. The
8 who had gotten away: Draca, Nove, Atasia, Taraya, Zyon, Prior, Elior and Ikhar.
"You can't be!" he said calmly, "Unless you are at least 250 years old."
"I haven't reached that age yet, " Draca smiled, "I was named after the founder of my line by my father Zaldoon. And I'm here to find my cousins... Are you one of them? Athail or
Mikhail?" she tried.
"I am neither. I am Kale of the Ikhar Line." he told her proudly.
"Ikhar..." Draca said letting the k and r sounds roll in her mouth. "I knew there were more lines, but this is the first
time I've heard a name."
"You know nothing of the 8?" he asked.
"I only know what my father told me and that is little. Apparently we are of the hiding type." Draca smiled ironically pointing at the area around her eye, "I guess I just am too much of a rebel to stay quiet."