Malachite’s first cloud making lesson was an unexpected event. Jade had to make a journey to visit here favorite Aunt, Marble, which meant that Granite had to take his 4 year old son Malachite with him on his daily cloud making chore.

Malachite loved watching his father make clouds. Granite would always start out by clearing his head by slurping up a gallon of water then he would shake the entire upper half of his body. Water would spray everywhere as the giant dragon’s head would shake like a wet dog.

He would then take a few deep inhales of air to get his internal burners primed and steam would start to come out of his nostrils. A few more deep breaths and suddenly there was a cloud climbing to the sky. Malachite jumped for joy. The youngster let out a yell, but instead of sound a small flame popped out of his mouth. The fire burnt the tail of an on looking sparrow. The bird quickly flew into the stream to cool his tail and gave Malachite a nasty look.

“Well my boy, your first flame,” Granite beamed with pride, “you should drink some water to cool your throat.”

Malachite took a drink, steam started coming out of his nose. He took a deep breath and there was more steam. So much so that the area around them started to fog up. Granite called over to Malachite, “please blow upward if you are going to make a cloud, your fog is so thick, I just walked into a tree!”

The birds that had been watching flew off for a clearing so they could watch the commotion more closely. Malachite grinned with pride. A thick low lying fog was one of his Grandfather’s specialties. He drew in more water and nothing. His little flame had gone out.

“No worry son, there will be many more days of cloud making in your future” Granite said, finding his way through the fog to his son, “you are a natural cloud maker.”

Far away, long ago, in a place where tall redwood trees and large caves covered the hillsides; lay the land of the Flower Pixies and Land Dragons…

The morning sky was crisp and vibrant blue. Not a cloud could be seen … except for one, rising from within the forest and billowing high into the sky…

“Hey Dad! Did you see the cloud I just made? It looks like an rabbit,” the young dragon called, as he admired the giant bunny floating to the sky. “Come out here, and we can play cloud maker together,” he said as he drew in a deep breath, and let out a steamy spew mixed with laughter and giggles.

His father could only turn back and remind him about the old tradition that dragon fathers do not live at home with the family very long. “Malachite, my son, you know today is the day I leave you. I have been here longer than most fathers already. The way of our land is for fathers to wander alone in the deep forest in search for the greater meaning of life.”

The tall, gray and rough Granite would miss his rumbles with his young and loving seven year old land dragon son. But this was not the way of the dragon. They are loner animals with anger in their souls. “You’ll survive, we all do.” The dragon said looking as if his own heart had doubts.