The Fur and Frost Dragon Winter Games

Here is a little holiday tale Farloft passed on to me yesterday, 

which I thought you all would enjoy.

The Fur and Frost Dragon Winter Games

Norla shook and pulled at the furs Farloft was curled up on. “Time to get up sleepy head! The competition starts in two hours and you haven’t even had breakfast.” The youngling female furry dragon had been his constant companion since he arrived at the Fur and Frost clan’s stronghold in the far north.

“I’m up…” Farloft replied with a yawn.

Happy Holidays!

I hope you are all having a lovely Holiday Season. 

I wish you all the best!

Next week I will start the new fantasy story I promised you - "A Gathering of Dragons." Farloft is off on an adventure to save the Kingdom of Kerth from an invading force.

Until then, being a self-published author, I could not help by take the opportunity
to help you with your last minute shopping.

There are several GREAT reasons to give the gift of a book.

And if you feel like giving one of my collection, I would be honored.

The Star Traveler

(Scifi - YA to Adult)

In2Minds Trilogy
(Book 3 out in January 2018)

(Scifi YA to Adult)

The Farloft Chronicles

(Dragons for all ages)

The Shifting Books of the Twin Cities Series

(Paranormal/Fantasy/Romance Mature YA to Adult)

See you next week!

A Fantasy Short Story - Fur and Frost - A Dragon Love Story

This week I will continue with my posting of short stories for the Holiday season.

These are fun because you can have them emailed to yourself and
download them to read
while standing in those long lines at the department stores.

Today is
Fur and Frost - A Dragon Love Story

This story has also appeared here on this blog in serial form previously. 

By downloading it in its entirety, you join the many followers on my Monthly Newsletter. 

Each month I send out a letter with free reads, contests and author news.

If you enjoy this story, you might consider picking up a copy of
The Farloft Chronicles.

They are Dragon Fun for All Ages.

There are six middle-school formatted books,
two collected works formatted for adults
and one pre-school volume with 9 short stories and coloring pages.

To the Rescue!

A short story today for your enjoyment. Join Farloft and Darris as they rescue a little lost tyke.

To the Rescue!

Nakita sat on one side of the fence and the puppy romped around on the other side. The puppy was so cute it made the child’s heart sing. It was fluffy and white, with a patch of brown over one eye and ear. Nakita wanted to pick him up and cuddle him so very much. She had wanted a puppy of her very own, ever since the day she saw one in the window of the pet store in town. This puppy looked so much like that one.

She stuck her hand through the webbing of the chain-link fence and the little bundle of fur ran over to her and rubbed its head on her hand; just like it was her very own. This brought such a big smile to Nakita's face. When she giggled it licked her and whined with excitement. Its tale wagged so fast, it made its rump wiggle excitedly. Nakita could see it wanted to be with her as much as she wanted to be with it.

She tickled its soft ears. “Where did you come from?”

Happy Holidays to Everyone!

I wish you all a delightful holiday full of love and surprises!

A Christmas Celebration!

“Hold your paw right there,” Anna said to her father.

Farloft placed one large green paw on the paper to hold it in place while Anna wrapped the ribbon around the package. It was handy having a shape-shifting-dragon for a daughter. Her human hands were made for this type of work, unlike his huge paws.

The two of them were quickly wrapping presents while everyone else was off picking up the company. Clearair’s first stop was to pick up Theresa, the healer and Farloft’s best friend. Then they would continue to the castle to pick up Sarah, Theresa’s niece and the sorcerous in the kingdom.

James had left to pick up Adrian, the bard.

They were all going to celebrate Christmas in the dragon family’s lair where there was enough room for all.

A Tale of Pirates and Sea Dragons

This in one of Farloft's tales during the time of his friendship with Thomas. Farloft details his life with Thomas in Book 6 of his Farloft Chronicles "Dragon Memories, Dreams & Reflection."

A Tale of Pirates and Sea Dragons

“My liege, if you could but consider loaning me the services of your dragon, I can prove to you that my trading vessel will work,” Captain Lea pleaded.

King Alfred shook his head. “I do not doubt that you can do as you say, Captain. I saw your impressive machine pull into the dock belching smoke like Farloft himself. But you see, he is not my dragon, as you put it. Farloft is very much his own commander. You would have to approach him directly.”

Hanging his head slightly and working his hat between his hands, the Captain confessed, “I must admit, though I have sailed the wildest seas, the idea of confronting a dragon seems a bit daunting, Sire.”

“I will send someone with you to make your ordeal a bit smoother.” The King smiled and waved the Captain aside in order for the next of his subjects to come forward with their appeal.

The Pack Rat Mage

In this story you will be surprised to find out who has the courage to pilfer from Farloft's hoard.

*****

The Pack Rat Mage

“Have you seen that pearl necklace I received from Queen Sophia?” Farloft asked, as he came into the main part of the cave.

Clearair waded out of the thermal pool in their lair. “It was in the top of the silver caldron with the other jewels in your hoard last time I saw it.”

Farloft sat down on his haunches and gazed lovingly at his beautiful blue dragoness. “You always shine so when you are wet from the pool.” He shook his head. He needed to keep his mind on the task at hand, not his lovely mate. “Have the younglings been playing in the hoard again?”

Storm Warning!

In this short story will meet an old friend of Farloft's, the King's scout and spy, Storm. A gryphon with a quick wit and some incredible power.

*****

Storm Warning

Farloft lay on the rock shelf above the entrance to his cave. His belly was turned up toward the sky and his eyes were mere slits as he basked in the mid-day sun.

“Ah…hum…” someone said, disturbing the dragon’s peaceful snooze.

Farloft didn’t have to look to know who had flown in on silent wings and landed below at the entrance to his cave. It would be Storm Gryphon. He was the only one who could get past Farloft’s exceptional hearing. His silent and stealthy ways were the reason the king employed him as scout and sometimes spy for the kingdom.

An Encounter - A Farloft the Dragon Tale

As promised here is a short story you can read in one setting. 

We will do this every Saturday through the holidays. 

In January I will start a new serialized story.

Haristaan - Art by Kitsooki of Deviant Art

Farloft and Haristaan had been traveling together for several weeks. The old dragon enjoyed the company of the younger black. Haristaan was quick witted, charming and best of all he was a good listener. The younger dragon seemed to absorb Farloft’s stories like a sponge. He never tired of the old one’s tales of times long gone by.

Farloft swooped to the right, did a flip, and looked quickly up into the puffy clouds above. This morning Haristaan had started a game of tag and currently he was ‘it.’ Farloft was not near as fast as the young dragon, but he did have years of cunning on his side. He knew Haristaan was just waiting for that perfect moment to dive from the clouds and tag him.

“Ha!” he laughed, “I see you.”

Haristaan’s black was hard to hide in those white fluffy clouds. The black dipped back out of sight, his exposed wing tip disappeared.

Isle of Mystery - Chapter 17 - The Conclusion

It felt to Farloft as though every member of his clan were gathered around him and desperate to hear where he had been and what had happened the six and a half months he had been ‘lost.’

His father and mother had not left his side since they spotted him approaching the lair from his jump point. His sister was snuggled so tightly up against him she was like moss on a tree trunk.

Personally, Farloft couldn’t stop grinning. It was so good to be home, even if he couldn’t get a word in edgewise.

“Give him some room to breathe,” his Father said to the collective group. “Let’s all give him some time to get his paws under him and then we can all sit down and listen to his story.”

Isle of Mystery - Chapter 16

“He’s so happy with his family home.” Farloft watched Rugarth with Ralgarth playing on the ledge outside their cave. He heaved a big sigh.

“You miss your family,” Mesanth said. “It’s only natural.” She draped a wing over Farloft’s shoulders. She knew that their visitor had become very attached to the clan leader. “Will you be going home soon?”

“There is no need for him to hurry off,” Trisk spoke up from her perch over their head in the apple tree. “We’ve only just returned home. You should rest up.” She addressed Farloft craning her neck to see him below in the grass.

“I do miss my family. Most likely they have given up looking for me by now.” He shook his head when he imagined what his parents must have gone through over the last few months. Many times he had wished he could send them a message, but there was no way. “I should leave soon.”

Isle of Mystery - Chapter 15

The next day, Rugarth led his party in a wide sweep of the volcanic island below them as he roared a greeting at the top of his lungs. Farloft wondered what was in store for them. Perhaps he was going to be introduced to another clan of dragons on this mysterious island.

The volcano at its center puffed plumes of smoke and ash. Farloft could see a river of lava trailing down its side and bisecting the island in its rush toward the shelf where it fell off into the sea creating giant clouds of steam. On either side of the lava the island was lush and green with huge palms and oasis’ of little valleys with glittering pools of fresh water. It was in one of these valleys that the party landed, in a meadow, beside a pool.

“Should we go up?” Daldrath asked excitedly.

“They saw and heard us. They will come down.” Tempith tucked her wings and lowered her head to the pool for a drink.

Isle of Mystery - Chapter 14

It was three days later and the dragon party sat behind a long table with the remainder of their gems spread before them. There had been no further contact with pirates on their journey through the last of the swamp to the Isles of Ryland.

The people of Ryland welcomed them with open arms. They prepared a feast and brought them presents of jeweled collars and gilded arm cuffs. The human children wove garlands of flowers to drape over the dragon’s heads and ringed their horns with bands of silver and gold.

“Is the dragon steel for trade,” one merchant asked, as he approached the table. “It would make some truly amazing crowns and pendants with the addition of a few of these fine stones.” He waved his hand at the gems scattered across the long table.

“I would like to make you a gift of mine,” Tempith said with a nod. “If I might commission a piece in return to be picked up by Rugarth on his return journey.”

Isle of Mystery - Chapter 13

“Colith!” Tempith roared.

The female dragon had been set upon by three of the flying contraptions of the swamp pirates. Their weapons cut into her flesh as they strafed across her. The sharp metal of their wings kept her from grabbing them by paw or teeth and throwing them into a spin. Every time she reached for one, it tucked its wings and dove in to rip another line across her vulnerable stomach or wing.

As the others tried to run toward the outcrop that jutted up out of the swamp to their right, Rugarth and Tempith did their best to fend off the pirates, but Colith’s wing had been injured in the first few minutes of battle and she had fallen behind. Her baskets of precious gems kept the pirates on her tail trying to drive her to ground.

“Go!” Colith roared, as she did her best to fend them off. “Take the rest and fly!”

Isle of Mystery - Chapter 12

Gord was unlike anything Farloft had ever seen in his world, or in this one. The colony was huge and the buildings were tall spires made up of steel and glass that reflected the sky and clouds around them. The dragons sailed in among them tilting their wings and catching the thermals and wind tunnels created by their height and close proximity. Rugarth lead them to the largest, and tallest, of all the towers, where he landed and tucked his wings in order to sit.

They all followed his example and lined up in a group behind him to wait.

It wasn’t long before a committee of Gord emerged from a door on the roof to join them. They were all dressed the same, male and female, in pantsuits of varying shades of gray with only a band around their upper left arm as a symbol of their rank within the community – red being the highest official, down through blue, to green, and finally to yellow. All colors were represented in the reception committee.

Isle of Mystery - Chapter 11

After almost an hour of walking they finally approached the main settlement of Tilmor. All the teams of working animals had been brought in and put in their corrals. There was no one visible except for a single female human standing in the middle of the town square with her hoe in hand.

“It is Dresda,” Tempith said with a sigh of relief over her shoulder to the younglings. “She is wife to the leader we dealt with last time we were here.”

Rugarth pulled up at the edge of the settlement, the rest of the dragons came to a stop behind him. He churred to Tempith and she advanced to his side.

“I think you should take the lead,” he said to Tempith and nodded in the direction of the human.

Isle of Mystery - Chapter 10

It was another five day’s trek before they saw the smoke billowing up from the forges of Lanis. Rugarth led the way, making sure he presented a powerful presence to the strong Lanis.

Paalsar was the leader of his people. He came out to meet them in his leather apron, his hammer still in one hand and the blade he was working on in the other. The man was built like a dragon without wings. His arms and legs were huge and muscular, and his chest a barrel which made his voice low and powerful. The muscles of his arms rippled as he placed the hammer and blade down on his anvil. A woman, Farloft later found out was Paalsar’s wife, Medeev, came to stand by his side. She rivaled her husband with her muscular arms as she folded them across her chest to listen in silence as Rugarth and Paalsar greeted each other.

Rugarth was the first to speak. “It is good to see you, my old friend.”

Isle of Mystery - Chapter 9

“We’ll buy new ones when we get to Gildon.” Tempith tossed the broken basket to the side of the trail. She and Pier finished redistributing her load. She was one of ten females on the trading mission. “We have to have new strong ones. They will hold precious cargo on the way home.”

Farloft handed Pier the last of the stones that spilled out when the bottom of the basket gave out. “Even more precious than these?” he asked, as he handed her a large emerald and what looked like a rough cut diamond.

“Far more,” Tempith said in a laughing voice. She was a large blue dragon with a lovely pattern of rose splashed like wet paint across the breadth of her wings.

“I can’t wait to get to the meadows beyond Gildon,” Pier said, changing the subject. “I have never seen dragons hunt.”

“We’re going to hunt?” Farloft said with enthusiasm.

Isle of Mystery - Chapter 8

Farloft scratched at the side of Rugarth’s cave entrance to announce himself. There was a worn patch in the rock where many before him had requested admittance to an audience with the ruler of the Moreth Clan.

“Come in,” Rugarth’s deep baritone rumbled. “Sit. I will be with you in a moment,” he said without turning to see who had entered.

The old dragon was sitting before a wall filled with chalk symbols almost from floor-to-ceiling. The runes were in long columns as if they were lists. Rugarth made one last mark with a large piece of chalk, then turned to face his company. The chalk dust had mixed with the silver of the scales on his paw. He had been at this for over an hour now.

“Ah, Farloft… I was just making a list for Kennoith of the issues which need attention while we are away trading.”

“He isn’t going with us?” Farloft has thought the senior human would accompany them.