Page 134 of Tiger's Voyage

The noisy cacophony of the jungle suddenly stilled. We spun around in circles looking for the source of the voice but couldn’t find anything.

Who are you?the voice demanded.

I announced, “We are travelers seeking your aid. We need to find your brothers and the Seventh Pagoda, great dragon. We seek Durga’s Necklace.”

The dragon laughed with the sound of two large stones rubbing together, sending the birds flying to the far side of the island.

And what would you do to secure my help, young woman?

“What do you ask of us?” I ventured cautiously.

Oh, nothing … much. I just ask for entertainment. You see, I am oftenvery lonely here on my island. Perhaps you could provide some … diversionfor me.

“Entertain you how?”

How about … a game?

Kishan questioned, “Where are you, dragon?”

Can you not see me? I am very close.

“We cannot,” Kishan replied.

The dragon mockingly snorted.Then you won’t be very good at mygame. Perhaps I won’t play with you after all.

“He’s there,” Ren announced quietly. “Up in that tree.”

He pointed up, and my eyes focused on the canopy overhead. The leaves quivered, and when I peered closer I saw a golden eye blink.

Ah, good. You finally found me.

The tree rustled noisily as a large branch broke and drifted down to us. The dragon was perfectly camouflaged. Its head was brown and knobby like old driftwood, and its snout was long like a crocodile with pointed teeth. Two golden eyes blinked at me as it came lower. Large antlers sprung from the back of his head. Moss hung off the horns in sections as if it was being peeled away.

The dragon’s long snake-like body was similar to its brothers’, but it had golden taloned feet and scales resembling green leaves layered over each other. A brown beard and mane fell away from its head, looking like rich cocoa waves of corn silk. The silky hair grew in a thin patch down its back like a horse’s mane and ended at a long bushy tail. It was smaller than its brothers, but as it unwound from the tree its body seemed to grow. If stretched out, the dragon would probably be twice as long as the yacht. The green dragon’s voice startled me out of my visual inspection.

Weshouldbe formally introduced first. It is the proper way of doingthings. I am Lsèlóng, Dragon of the Earth. I already know you’ve met two ofmy brothers, the Dragon of the Stars and the Dragon of the Waves. If I decideto help you, you will meet my other two brothers, but I warn you now, theyare not as easy to get along with as I, nor are they as beautiful.It chuckled.

Curious, I took a step closer. “I thought you were the dragons of the five oceans.”

A golden eye blinked at me.How refreshingly bold you are. We were born of the five oceans. I was born in the warm Indian Ocean. Qnglóng was born in the Southern Ocean, Lóngjn in the Pacific. You’ve yet to meet Jnsèlóng or Yínbáilóng. The first was born in the Atlantic, and the second, in the freezing waters of the Arctic. Though I was born in the ocean, I reign over land, and I oversee all things that happen on land.

“Then who were your parents?”

The dragon blew a puff of warm air over me.Perhaps you are becomingtoo bold, my dear. Now shall we begin our game, or are you having thoughtsof turning back?

“We will play your game,” Kishan said.

The dragon smacked its lips.Excellent. Now in any game there mustbe a prize for the winner.

Lsèlóng lifted its head to peer into Kishan’s eyes. It held his gaze steady for a moment, and then moved to Ren and did the same thing.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

Skimming their minds. Don’t worry, young lady, I’m just reading theirthoughts.The dragon snorted and then raised its head in the air, nose pointed to the sky, and laughed uproariously.This will be the best gameI will have created in millennia! A most magnificent sport!It continued to chuckle.

“What’s so funny?” I asked.

They both seek the same prize, you see.