Elodia's Dragon by Jerry Skell

Then she put on her flight jacket.
    "Then you have the flight straps. Bring them up over your shoulder, that’s good now cross them and buckle."
    Maryann climbed onto the rear saddle and made the adjustments, buckling herself down. Then with a nod from Ruth they were off. Davida soared and dived, rolled allowed herself to stall plummeting hundreds of feet. Elodia and Maryann laughing and screaming as Davida pushed the limits of her flight. Then too quickly she cloaked and landed quietly in their yard by the barn.
    "That was wonderful Davida!" Elodia gasped as she kissed her dragons cheek. "I could fly forever."
    "I thought I would soil my pants breathing and pushing like Aunt Ruth showed us!" Maryann said as she kissed Davida's other cheek. Then they both laughed.
    "But you didn’t black out," Davida said. "I'll meet you here in the morning. I will be cloaked." Davida flew off.
    They wore their uniforms for the rest of the day. Eli and Walter held them close when they returned. They had spent the day working in the barn. The repairs were much more extensive than anticipated.
    "You look so beautiful my little dragon rider!" Eli said as Elodia laughed.
    No one slept well that night. Eli and Walter worried for their safety. Elodia and Maryann were too excited to be flying. They ate a light breakfast, but carried a generous lunch and dinner in the saddle bag. They mounted Davida and with a wave the dragon cloaked and they were off. They climbed quickly and out over the ocean Davida uncloaked. Almost immediately they were joined in flight by more than a dozen dragons.
    They flew together for a while then one by one the dragons vanished with a pop. "Where did they go?" Maryann asked.
    "I will follow," Davida said.
    Suddenly they were thrust into an airless, freezing void. Then they were flying high over a frozen ocean. They saw before them a dark mountain that appeared to be on fire.
    "A land of fire and ice," Davida whispered.

Chapter 25 Into the Lair of the Dragons
    T hey flew over and around the burning mountain as other dragons flew in close pursuit. One large dragon was flying aggressively close.
    "That large male dragon scares me!" Davida said.
    "Let's do that maneuver we practiced, climb slowly and wait for him to follow," Elodia said. The large dragon fell behind, content to chase. "Now lose speed, then just before you stall, do a flip roll and dive at him breathing fire." Davida started a stall and executed a perfect flip roll. "Fire away, just miss him."
    "Whoops!" Davida whispered as the flames reached the pursuing dragon. The dragon rolled out laughing.
    "Well done little dragon. Why do you stoop to carry men?"
    "MEN!" Davida said with disdain. "It's women I carry."
    Davida's tart remark had the other dragons laughing. "Follow us little one, and bring your wo-men riders."
    Davida followed the dragons down as they flew through a misty cloud and into the bowl of a huge cavern. The cavern floor was covered with a soft sand. There were fires burning scattered on the floor and at least four large dragons with eggs. Even with the fires the cavern was cold with huge icicles hanging from the opening and ceiling. Davida landed and Elodia and Maryann dismounted.
    Elodia walked slowly. They counted seventeen dragons, the dragons ignored them as they walked. The large male dragon approached, "I am Loki, son of Brave, son of Flame, son of Tor, son of Blade, son of Loki of the first hatching. You are witches. You have brought us another dragon."
    "We had hoped there were more dragons. We are pleased to see you. We hope to continue the peace between us," Elodia said.
    "What of the promise?" Loki asked.
    "We honor the promise, man and dragon shall never join in battle against another," Elodia announced loudly.
    "You speak the truth witch. We are grateful to the witches for bringing us back."
    "We are happy to know that you are thriving. It has been our hope that you remain free."
    "Your home and numbers will be held as a secret by