I sat there and watched the spot where the baby dragon had curled up like a cat. Harper closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the nest. I was beginning to wonder if this was a quest thing, like we had to wait for the amount of time the baby dragon slept before I would see any more tracks. I didn’t like the idea, but it made a certain amount of sense.

  Especially since the tracks didn’t seem to exist before I followed them, which was an interesting thing in itself. Like I had to follow the infant around the chamber, and across time, if I was to find it. I was getting worried about the little dragon. If it were like other animals hatched from an egg, it would have some serious food stores, but not a week’s worth, or longer.

  On top of that, I hadn’t seen any rodents or insects that the baby dragon could eat. Unless it needed milk, like a mammal. Oh no, mammals needed a lot of feedings for weeks or months! No one here would know that any better than I. But I was really hoping the baby dragon was just napping in the tracking instance.

  Sighing, I pulled out the spellbook I had bought in Las Trussen. With everything that had been going on, I hadn’t even opened it. I opened the large book to its title page. Book of Mage Hand. The next few pages were very specific about what it was, unlike the other spellbooks. Does that mean the books don’t all come from the same source, like different authors wrote them?

  Mage Hand. A spectral reflection of your own hand. At level 1, it can be used to manipulate objects up to twenty feet away. Concentrate on moving your hand. At level 2 can increase in size. More options are available at higher levels.

  Spells Level Range Cost Damage

  Mage Hand 1 20 Feet 12 MP/10 minutes 4 HP Unarmed

  This would be useful even at the first level. Though the larger size made me wonder if I could do more damage with it or… or ride it, like in that cartoon.

  It took three hours before the tracks of the baby dragon started back up. I followed the tracks around the cave for another hour as it explored, gnawed on eggshells, and gazed out of the clutch area toward the barrier. The others tried to sleep during this time, leaving me to my tracking and plodding.

  I was afraid of falling asleep and losing the trail. I may have been overthinking it, but there may have been a possibility that I would have to start the tracking of the baby dragon all over again. Coffee would be nice, not as much as sleep, but hey.

  There wasn’t much I could do, however. I practiced the Mage Hand during this time to keep myself alert. The feeling was odd, but not unpleasant. Almost like a weighted blanket was being spread over my body, starting at my hand and crawling over my skin.

  My stumbling did little to disturb my friend’s sleep. Druzzik had attempted to stay awake with me, but soon was nodding off where he sat, his chin and snout resting on his chest. I stayed on my feet, knowing that even if I got to my knees, I would be out. Even with the spectral hand poking me.

  The tracks of the little dragon rushed from one place to the next, almost frantically. I went back and forth between feeling concern and annoyance, as I just wanted to know where it went. The combination of protectiveness and frustration was odd for me, as the only times I had felt like that were for my little brother. I spent so much time watching over him, taking him to school, or to his friends’ houses, or to the game shop, that I was familiar with the feeling. I’d driven him so many places… and the thought made me pause. Why did the thought of driving Sean make me feel cold?

  I have to fucking focus. The dragon, the beast. I have to follow it. Find it so that I can go home, I thought, running my hand through my shaggy hair. The jumble in my mind made it difficult to think or pay attention. I continued like this until it curled up, but this time at a different spot. It was odd, but I sat down to watch the point of the scraped floor of the cave.

  I wondered what it dreamed about. Its life was so small, and its world the confines of this cave where it had been born. Where was the mother of this baby? Had she abandoned it in grief over the loss of the others? That made little sense to me. In grief, we hold on to small hopes. Mothers keep their kids as close as possible. As long as the mother is mostly healthy in the head. But I didn’t know, not having kids of my own.

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Come to think of it, I really didn’t know much about dragons, here or at home. Was I just trying to humanize a creature with such different psychological and physiological needs and bents? Based on what Druzzik had said and done, and the stance of the Cinderclaws, dragons, or at least this dragon, had cared about their young. I didn’t know if that was part of being sapient. Hell, I didn’t know that much about psychology, only what I had picked up from that intro to psych class.

  I leaned against the wall, focused on the spot and how comfy the wall felt. Maybe I was going about all this the wrong way. This had to be a test of some sort, like an endurance test. Can Finn the Mage go the distance? Will he ever get the girl? Place your bets and tune in next time! I chuckled at the thought, imagining sports announcers analyzing my performance for billions of viewers. Or maybe more. Like a galaxy’s worth of viewers. Who knows? I wonder if I would have a following.

  My mind wandered as I drifted off to sleep.

  “Oh shit, Finn! Wake up!” Harper said as she shook me awake.

  “What? Oh, hell no... I fell asleep!” I said, disappointed in myself. Before I started to really panic, I quickly glanced at the spot where the baby dragon had curled up, and the spot still glowed faintly. “Oh, thank God. It hasn’t moved yet.”

  “At least you got some rest. How long were you following that thing?” she asked, concern in her voice.

  “I don’t know. An hour, or maybe three.” I kept my eyes on the spot. I had no idea how long I had been out, but I didn’t feel too rested.

  Harper patted me on the shoulder. “I wish I could help keep an eye on the tracks. This is a lot for you to do on your own, Finn.”

  “Coffee would be nice, but I don’t know if we can heat up water without a fire. I don’t have a spell like that.” My Firebolt spell was the closest thing I had, but functionally, I could only use it to start a fire. And there was no way I was going to make the mistake of using the eggshells as fuel. I knew the smell well enough, and down here it would just linger.

  Harper pulled an odd device from her backpack. “It’s interesting what things can be found in a mining town. Like liquid fuel stoves. Less smoke, adjustable heat.”

  “No way! Really? Harper, you are amazing!” I exclaimed, grinning.

  Harper grinned back. “I know I am, but it’s nice to hear. I’ll get some coffee going. It would be welcome to all of us.”

  With a cup of coffee in hand, I was in a much better state of mind to pay attention. I sipped the glorious brew and felt the gradual effects. This was a much better way to wait and watch, and I pulled out a biscuit to gnaw on.

  As I finished the coffee and biscuit, the baby dragon moved again, this time slower. Though not as fast, it began its search around the room once more, stopping at one point or another to chew on an eggshell. The bite marks were highlighted, though I could already see them. It was a little odd, but it explained the bite marks on the shells that hadn’t been highlighted before. And yet, with all the shells on the ground, I hadn’t seen it until it was in sequence.

  Druzzik and Jerseil still slept, having not been aroused by the delightful scent of coffee percolating. I didn’t begrudge them their rest, as it meant they could get me out of here when it was time. I would really be out of it then if this whole tracking marathon continued at the same pace.

  Harper sipped her second cup of coffee and watched me follow the tracks of the baby dragon from one wall to the next. I could almost hear the pitiful cries the poor thing might have been making as it searched for its mother. And with it moving slower, I doubt it will last much longer.

  “Come on, little one, show me where you are hiding before it’s too late,” I muttered to myself worriedly. But it was no use. The tracks followed the same pattern as earlier, checking everything within the room, but with longer stops. Poor thing was tired and probably starving. I didn’t doubt the eggshells were good for its teeth and possibly scales, but if they had any caloric content, it would be a wonder.

  Though I wanted more coffee, I knew that would really be bad for my bladder. I didn’t have to go just yet, but that would change if I drank one more cup. And I had to keep watching the tracks. I just hope it doesn’t try and go out of the barrier into the area controlled by the Mole People. No sooner had I thought that, than it headed to the barrier. “No, no, no! Don’t go out there; it’s not safe. And it stinks,” I pleaded.

  As if it had heard me, it went up to the barrier and didn’t move for several moments. Then, when I was worried it was just getting its courage up, it retreated to the clutch room. “Good baby dragon! Now show me where you went to hide,” I said to the tracks.

  But the baby dragon wasn’t quite ready to show me. Instead, it wandered around for another half hour before going to the back wall again. But instead of doing the whole curling up thing, it walked right through the wall!

  “Holy shit!” I said loudly.

  “What is it? What happened?” asked Harper, standing up.

  “Come here for a moment,” I said. “The tracks went right into the wall, right there.” I pointed at the spot where the tracks bisected the wall and disappeared. Hoping she had an answer, I looked at Harper.

  “I don’t know, but it’s unlikely dragons can walk through walls,” she said. Putting a hand on the cave wall. “Seems solid enough. Just like it should.”

  “What’s all this noise about?” asked Jerseil with a yawn. He came over to us. “Did something happen?”

  “Yeah, the baby dragon just walked through the wall like it wasn’t there,” I said.

  “You saw it, Finn, the baby dragon?” He asked and rubbed his eyes.

  “I meant the tracks went through the wall,” I clarified.

  Jerseil reached out and touched it. “Hmm. It feels like stone. But I wonder,” he said, now fully awake. “It might be like the barrier, only made to look and feel like the cave wall.”

  “Great. Does that mean I have to try to go through it?” I said, leaning against the wall. And I stumbled.

  Right. Through. It.