*Riding the Storm

Intro: This came from something my niece said, and I heard about it from her father, my brother. "Stormed yesterday. On hearing thunder, daughter said, 'It's not thunder. It's dragons outside. I'm going to get my dragon.' "

Aidyl rested her chin on her hands and watched the trails of rainwater down the window. The gray world did nothing to lighten her spirits. At fifteen, Aidyl was one of a handful students at school who had yet to find her familiar. Some of the other children had been bonded for almost ten years; it was uncommon but not impossible. Everyone's sixteenth birthday was marked by their familiar. That was when the changed happened. If she didn't have one by then, she could practically kiss any chance she had at being normal. That and she would be asked to leave the school. No point in attending an academy of higher level training when she had nothing to train with.

"Have you tried looking out by the pond?" Nyleve asked.

Nyleve's cat sat on the floor and purred. Aidyl spared a glance at her friend and sighed. She wanted to be frustrated with the other girl, but she couldn't. It was a good suggestion, quite a few people picked up various familiars at water. Otters, frogs, fish, mermaids. It was just that Aidyl had already spent a week's worth of nights camped out by the water's edge.

"Maybe you should try the quarry."

Aidyl turned back to the window and breathed out. Her breath fogged up the glass and she drew her finger through it in a large "X."

"Thanks," Aidyl said. "I've already tried both those places and the meadow in the forest, the city center, the animal park, and the sand dunes on the west side of town." Aidyl had been hopeful when she went to the animal park. Having a tiger or an elephant would make up for the fact that she bonded late.

The light in the room winked out and the cat hissed.

"Blast, the substation must have blown again," Nyleve said. "I've got to go. No one's home and I have to check and make sure everything's alright."

"See ya," Aidyl replied lifting her hand and watching her friend leave in the reflection of the glass.

She refocused her eyes when the door shut and stared out into the still dreary world. A flash of light filled the room and a crack filled her ears. She stared out, the white image still seared into her eyes. Another flash another noise, but it wasn't a crack, it was a roar.

The lightning danced across the sky, spinning, diving, leaving a trail of light wherever it went. She ran out of her room, nearly flying down the stairs.

"Aidyl, where are you going?" Her mother called.

"Outside," Aidyl said throwing the door open.

"Be careful, it's thundering outside."

"No." She replied, to herself. "Not thunder. It's a dragon. My dragon."

With the rain pouring down her head, she raced outside and raised her arms. Welcoming the beast to her and bonding with the majestic creature riding the storm.