[SPEAKER_00]: Hello and welcome to another episode of The Kid Stories Podcast.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm Phil Bechtel.
[SPEAKER_00]: Let's get into a shout out.
[SPEAKER_00]: Marshall from Shreveport, Louisiana as a fan of the show.
[SPEAKER_00]: That's awesome.
[SPEAKER_00]: Marshall, I think if you were a character in the stories you'd be a moonlight hunter, tracking creatures that only emerge during the darkest nights, armed with weapons forged from fallen stars, and an unbreakable will to face the scariest monsters out there.
[SPEAKER_00]: Thanks for listening Marshall.
[SPEAKER_00]: Today's episode is the second in our new Magic Fix series.
[SPEAKER_00]: This episode is titled Ember's Flame Part Two.
[SPEAKER_00]: The Dragon Highlands rose before them like a wall of jagged stone and swirling mist.
[SPEAKER_00]: After two days of hard riding through increasingly wild terrain, Nora, Pip, Finn and Ember had finally reached the edge of wild dragon territory.
[SPEAKER_00]: The Dragon Highlands were a beautiful forest and prairie surrounded by a thin, rough mountain range.
[SPEAKER_00]: You had to navigate through this wall of mountain to get to the Highlands inside.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's even more intimidating than I imagined."
[SPEAKER_00]: Pipp said quietly, adjusting her grip on her horse's reins as they paused at the base of the first steep slope.
[SPEAKER_00]: The mountains stretched endlessly upward.
[SPEAKER_00]: Their peaks hidden and thick clouds that seem to pulse with their own inner light.
[SPEAKER_00]: Strange rock formations jutted from the mountain sides like massive claws, and the air itself felt different here.
[SPEAKER_00]: charged with ancient magic that made their skin tingle.
[SPEAKER_00]: Amber perched weekly on Finn's shoulder.
[SPEAKER_00]: His usually bright red scales now a dull faded color.
[SPEAKER_00]: He'd been unable to produce even the smallest flame since yesterday morning, and the black smoke that occasionally escaped his nostrils had grown thicker and more worrying.
[SPEAKER_00]: How are you feeling?
[SPEAKER_00]: Nora asked, looking back at their dragon friend.
[SPEAKER_00]: Tired?
[SPEAKER_00]: Amber admitted.
[SPEAKER_00]: and cold.
[SPEAKER_00]: I've never been cold before.
[SPEAKER_00]: His voice was barely above a whisper, lacking the usual crackling warmth that had always reminded them of a cozy fireplace.
[SPEAKER_00]: Finn gently adjusted his cloak to provide more shelter for the small dragon.
[SPEAKER_00]: We'll find the heartfire route.
[SPEAKER_00]: Don't worry.
[SPEAKER_00]: They began the treacherous climb up the mountain path, if it could even be called a path.
[SPEAKER_00]: The route was a little more than loose rocks and narrow ledges that seemed designed to keep visitors away.
[SPEAKER_00]: Their horses picked their way carefully and more than once they had to dismount and lead the animals around particularly dangerous sections.
[SPEAKER_00]: According to Master Cordelia's map, Finn said, consulting the detailed drawings she had provided.
[SPEAKER_00]: We can keep on this path and it'll lead us into the Highlands.
[SPEAKER_00]: Nora pulled out the universal tracking compass, hoping it might at least give them some general direction.
[SPEAKER_00]: But when she tried to focus on heartfire route, the compass needles spun wildly in all directions before going completely still.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's not working, she said, tapping the brass surface.
[SPEAKER_00]: There's too much magical interference up here.
[SPEAKER_00]: Great!
[SPEAKER_00]: Pip, muttered, looking around at the dozens of possible paths and cave entrances that dotted the mountainside.
[SPEAKER_00]: So were just supposed to search randomly?
[SPEAKER_00]: The group continued their trek up into the craggy peaks until they reached a place where the land plateaued.
[SPEAKER_00]: The ground became flatter, filled with trees and thick grasses.
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, wow!
[SPEAKER_00]: It's like a whole other world up here, said Finn.
[SPEAKER_00]: The group looked all around, wondering where to go first to find the route.
[SPEAKER_00]: After just a few steps, a gust of wind bushed into them from above, and they heard the sound of heavy, flapping wings, and more gusts of wind hit them so strong they braced themselves and the horse is stumbled.
[SPEAKER_00]: Before they even had time to look up, they were surrounded by three dragons.
[SPEAKER_00]: Huge.
[SPEAKER_00]: Dragons.
[SPEAKER_00]: Two dark green with long snouts, one a shiny brown almost gold, with a large horn sticking up from the end of its snout like a rhino.
[SPEAKER_00]: One of the green dragons hopped once toward them until its face was pressed into the middle of the kids and they could feel the heat from its nostrils.
[SPEAKER_00]: Finally, it growled.
[SPEAKER_00]: You dare steal from the Dragon Highlands?
[SPEAKER_00]: But we haven't taken anything yet.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeld, Pip, holding her arm so it shielded her face from the heat.
[SPEAKER_00]: Lies snapped, the other green dragon.
[SPEAKER_00]: Open your bags and show us.
[SPEAKER_00]: The gold dragon ordered more calm sounding than the other two.
[SPEAKER_00]: The kids scrambled, terrified, to open their adventure bags.
[SPEAKER_00]: They held their bags out with two hands, open wide, and the dragons looked inside.
[SPEAKER_00]: Where's your base camp?
[SPEAKER_00]: Take us to it!
[SPEAKER_00]: Return the eggs or will eat you!
[SPEAKER_00]: The green dragons were seething with anger.
[SPEAKER_00]: But we haven't, Finn began to answer and then realized what they had said.
[SPEAKER_00]: Wait, eggs?
[SPEAKER_00]: We don't have eggs.
[SPEAKER_00]: We came here for heart-fire root because our friend, one of the green dragons interrupted Finn by opening his mouth wide enough to bite him in half.
[SPEAKER_00]: But before the dragon clamped down on the boy, the brown dragon ordered.
[SPEAKER_00]: Stop!
[SPEAKER_00]: No measure for thieves, argued the other green dragon.
[SPEAKER_00]: They have no eggs.
[SPEAKER_00]: They're children.
[SPEAKER_00]: Said the brown dragon clearly the one in charge.
[SPEAKER_00]: Finally, Ember emerged from Beneath Finn's cloak.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's for me.
[SPEAKER_00]: The sick little dragon gasped.
[SPEAKER_00]: Black smoke puffing from his mouth.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm sick.
[SPEAKER_00]: They brought me here to get a heart via rude and we don't have any eggs.
[SPEAKER_00]: The dragons all took a step back and then leaned in closer.
[SPEAKER_00]: This time out of curiosity and not to eat the children.
[SPEAKER_00]: They peered at Ember, trying to figure out what kind of dragon he was, and noticing the sickly smoke trails coming from his nostrils.
[SPEAKER_00]: The brown dragon side, someone's been stealing our eggs, and we run into you.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's all very suspicious.
[SPEAKER_00]: But I'm sick for real.
[SPEAKER_00]: I can't make fire anymore.
[SPEAKER_00]: Let's dragon flame fever.
[SPEAKER_00]: The sickness is real.
[SPEAKER_00]: The green dragon acknowledged.
[SPEAKER_00]: But that still doesn't prove your innocence regarding the thefts.
[SPEAKER_00]: Then what would prove it?
[SPEAKER_00]: Nora asked desperately.
[SPEAKER_00]: The brown dragon considered this for a long moment.
[SPEAKER_00]: Help us recover our stolen eggs.
[SPEAKER_00]: And we'll consider providing the heartfire root you seek.
[SPEAKER_00]: You want us to find your eggs?
[SPEAKER_00]: Finn asked.
[SPEAKER_00]: But we don't know anything about who took them.
[SPEAKER_00]: Then learn!
[SPEAKER_00]: A green dragon said firmly.
[SPEAKER_00]: Pip looked around at her companions and then back at the enormous wild dragons surrounding them.
[SPEAKER_00]: How are we supposed to find stolen eggs when we've never even been in these mountains before?
[SPEAKER_00]: Your clever enough to make it this far?
[SPEAKER_00]: A green dragon observed.
[SPEAKER_00]: Surely you can figure out how to track thieves.
[SPEAKER_00]: Nora's eyes lit up.
[SPEAKER_00]: We do have something that might help.
[SPEAKER_00]: She pulled out the magical compass.
[SPEAKER_00]: This doesn't work up here.
[SPEAKER_00]: There's too much interference, but if we take the compass out of the highlands, we might be able to locate those stolen eggs.
[SPEAKER_00]: The brown dragon moved closer to examine the instrument.
[SPEAKER_00]: Hmm.
[SPEAKER_00]: Impressive.
[SPEAKER_00]: We run a magical repair shop, Finn explained, it's professional equipment.
[SPEAKER_00]: If this device can truly locate our stolen young, the brown dragon said, then perhaps there is hope for both our problems.
[SPEAKER_00]: A green dragon nodded slowly.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, help us recover our eggs and we will provide the heartfire route.
[SPEAKER_00]: But know this.
[SPEAKER_00]: If you betray outward trust, if this proves to be some elaborate deception, the consequences will be severe.
[SPEAKER_00]: Nora looked at Pip and Finn, reading the same determination in their eyes that she felt in her own heart.
[SPEAKER_00]: They had come here to save Ember, but now they had a chance to help the wild dragons as well.
[SPEAKER_00]: Will do it?
[SPEAKER_00]: She said firmly.
[SPEAKER_00]: Will help you get your eggs back?
[SPEAKER_00]: Good.
[SPEAKER_00]: The brown dragon replied.
[SPEAKER_00]: But first, you should understand why these eggs are so valuable to thieves.
[SPEAKER_00]: Dragon eggs are prized for two reasons.
[SPEAKER_00]: First, the shells themselves.
[SPEAKER_00]: Once the dragonlings hatch, the empty shells can be grounded to powder that dramatically amplifies magical potions and enchantments.
[SPEAKER_00]: And second,
[SPEAKER_00]: A green dragon continued grimly.
[SPEAKER_00]: Some baby dragons imprint on the first being they see when they hatch.
[SPEAKER_00]: Steel and egg?
[SPEAKER_00]: Control the hatchling?
[SPEAKER_00]: And you have a dragon that will serve you loyally for life.
[SPEAKER_00]: Amber made a small sound of distress at this news.
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, that's horrible.
[SPEAKER_00]: Indeed.
[SPEAKER_00]: The brown dragon agreed, which is why we cannot allow the thefts to continue.
[SPEAKER_00]: follow your compass, young ones.
[SPEAKER_00]: We cannot accompany you," said a green dragon.
[SPEAKER_00]: If the thieves spot us investigating, they will surely run.
[SPEAKER_00]: Return to us soon when you have uncovered any truths.
[SPEAKER_00]: In the meantime, we will keep your sick little friend.
[SPEAKER_00]: The huge green dragon reached over the children and used two massive claws to gently pluck ember off of Finn's shoulder.
[SPEAKER_00]: None of the kids wanted the dragons to take Ember.
[SPEAKER_00]: They didn't completely trust these dragons, and wanted to keep Ember close until he got better.
[SPEAKER_00]: But, they knew telling these dragons no would be a huge mistake.
[SPEAKER_00]: We will make sure he is safe and comfortable until you return.
[SPEAKER_00]: The kids understood they were taking Ember for insurance.
[SPEAKER_00]: To help make sure the kids found the eggs and brought them back.
[SPEAKER_00]: The dragons were desperate and angry.
[SPEAKER_00]: They said goodbye to Ember and turned away to leave the Highlands, as the three dragons lifted off into the sky, quickly disappearing into the clouds.
[SPEAKER_00]: For a long moment, none of them spoke as they walked.
[SPEAKER_00]: Finn kept reaching up to adjust his cloak around where Ember should have been, then catching himself.
[SPEAKER_00]: Pip wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve.
[SPEAKER_00]: He looked so small in those huge claws, she whispered.
[SPEAKER_00]: He'll be okay.
[SPEAKER_00]: Nora said firmly, though her voice shook slightly.
[SPEAKER_00]: We're going to get those eggs back and bring him home.
[SPEAKER_00]: The three of them turned back and watched the empty sky where the dragons had disappeared, each thinking the same thing.
[SPEAKER_00]: What if they couldn't find the stolen eggs?
[SPEAKER_00]: What if they never saw their little dragon friend again?
[SPEAKER_00]: As they hiked back out of the Highlands, Pip leaned over to Nora,
[SPEAKER_00]: So now we're Dragon Egg Rescue specialists?
[SPEAKER_00]: Apparently, Nora replied, at least it gives us a chance to prove where the good guys.
[SPEAKER_00]: And if we can't find the eggs, Finn asked quietly.
[SPEAKER_00]: Nora turned and looked at Finn.
[SPEAKER_00]: Then we'd better hope we can think of another way to convince them to help us.
[SPEAKER_00]: Somewhere ahead, lay the answers they needed, both for the missing Dragon Eggs, and for Embers increasingly desperate conditions.
[SPEAKER_00]: the end.
[SPEAKER_00]: Thanks for listening, friends.
[SPEAKER_00]: The website is kidstoriespodcast.com.
[SPEAKER_00]: Send all your drawings and things to kidstoriespodcast.gmail.com.
[SPEAKER_00]: Adios.