The Very Start of It All
This was the very first thing I had ever written about The Tindoria Chronicles, which for the longest time, was actually titled Legend of Scalaed (Scalade in this version). This is so old in fact, Melanie and Jason had completely different names, did not live in Arizona, and weren’t even siblings. I don’t even think I had plans for it to be a trilogy! I had aspirations to fully illustrate the thing, but I wanted to wait until my book was done. Needless to say, no illustrations were made. I was eleven-years-old when I actually started writing this story.
As always, these deleted scenes have not been edited in any way apart from my own self-revision.
The Legend of Scalade
Written and Illustrated by
Hannah Pennington
Chapter 1
A Mysterious Egg
A long time ago in 1998 there was an eleven year old girl named Kathryn Smith. She was kind, curious, loving, adventuress, and caring. Her mother was a doctor and her father was a scientist.
One day Kathryn and her family went camping in Montana in the Rocky Mountains. “Kathryn, could you go and get some firewood? That way we can have hot dogs and lovely s'mores!” said Mrs. Smith “ Yes mom right away.” answered Kathryn. So she went immediately to the thickest part of the forest where there was two huge rocks. “Hmm, mom won't mind if I was just a few minutes late,after all how long does it take to get wood.” so Kathryn walked over to the giant boulders and suddenly she heard her father's referee whistle which meant come home. She quickly got some old logs ran back down the trail. “Here Dad I got the firewood you asked me to get.”said Kathryn all out of breath “Oh thanks Kathy!” answered Mr. Smith “Can I go hiking now?” Kathryn asked “Don't you want dinner first?” Mrs. Smith asked her daughter. “I'll have it later.” said Kathryn “OK I guess you can,go but be back in thirty minutes all right?” called Mrs. Smith “OK.” answered Kathryn.
When she reached the rocks, she realized that why just look at them when she can climb them. She just started to climb when she spotted a shimmer of red between the rocks. “I wonder what that could be. Maybe a Ruby!” so she stuck her arm inside the crack and felt something. She pulled it out. She was expecting a gorgeous red diamond in her hand but instead, a perfect oval stone the size of a foot ball with bits of red all over it. “What on earth is this, a stupid rock?” Kathryn was a bit angry because she tried so hard to get nothing but a rock but what she didn't know that what she had in her hand was something that would change her life. “Well I guess I'll just take it home maybe Dad might know what the heck this thing-a-mabob is.” she looked at her watch “Oh no! Ten minutes late I'd better be going!” She tried to run but the rock that she held so tightly was heavy and caused her to slow down. She did not want to drop it. “Oh there you are! What took you so long?” asked Mr. Smith “Sorry Dad but I found something that I think maybe you might know what it is.” and as Kathryn said this she handed her father the rock. Her father looked at the rock for quite some time and finally said, “I'm sorry honey but I'm afraid I don't know what it is but it is awfully pretty whatever it is, maybe you could go and put it with your rock collection you brought.” Kathryn gave her dad a look which meant “I want to know what this thing is.” “But I'll tell you what, when were done camping and we're at home, I'll go get some of my scientific tools and see if I can tell what this is OK? But right now I don't have any of my stuff with me.” Kathryn hung her head “Alright.” she said gloomily. She walked over to the tent and placed the rock beside her backpack. “Sweetie-pie your dinner's ready come and get it while it's hot.” shouted Mrs. Smith “OK.” answered Kathryn.
It was almost nine-o-clock at night and Kathryn was under her sleeping bag sheets. She was staying up late while her parents slept. With her flashlight, she was reading the book, George and the Dragon. “Wow, it must be great to be with a dragon like George." Kathryn thought. Suddenly there was a crackling noise near her backpack. Kathryn looked where the noise was coming from then it stopped. “Hmm, oh well.” said Kathryn then she went back to reading. But then the crackling began again. Kathryn ignored it. “Probably a dumb old bug munching on a leaf,” she said to herself. Kathryn let out a big yawn, she was very sleepy now. So she put a bookmark in her book and placed it in her backpack. She laid down in her sleeping bag and before she knew it, she fell fast asleep.
Chapter 2
Something Surprising
In the morning, Kathryn and her family were busy doing morning chores. Suddenly a Scion car rolled into the campsite. Kathryn paid no attention to it whatsoever because she thought it was just another family camping. Suddenly a boy from that car jumped out and came running up to Kathryn. Apparently, he knew her. He ran up to her and said, “Kathryn! Kathryn!” Kathryn turned around a little startled because at first, she didn't know him until the boy said, “Don't you remember me? It's me James!” Kathryn stared at him in disbelief. For she and James have been best friends ever since they were five until he moved to the capital city there, Helena. And that was a two hour drive to get there from where Kathryn lived. So she hadn't seen him for two years! “I have never been camping before, what's it like?” he asked “Well it's like... Oh I found a really strange rock thingy let me show you it!” said Kathryn. So they walked over to her tent and Kathryn went inside. But when she looked at the place where she left it last, the rock was split in half. “What on earth?” said Kathryn to herself. “Everything OK in there Kathryn?” asked James curiously and as he said this, He walked into the tent. “Well, I had a weird rock I wanted to show you, and now it's...” suddenly there was a squeal inside Kathryn's backpack. “What in the world was that?” whispered James anxiously. “I don't know, let's go have a look.” answered Kathryn. As they crawled to her backpack, they heard munching, “OK, on the count of three, we both will open my bag. One... Two... Three!” the two kids shoved the backpack open and what did they see, a little creature with shiny black scales, friendly childlike yellow eyes and red bat-like wings. It was in fact, a baby dragon. And it was chewing on Kathryn's granola bar.
“Kathryn, what on earth is that!” asked James as he looked inside the backpack and Kathryn answered,
“I don't know,”
“Ya don't know and it's in your tent, in your backpack, and eating your granola bar. Of course you should know!” yelled James
“No I don't!” shouted Kathryn and while they were fighting, the little dragon, who did nothing wrong, didn't like the tune of those children's voices. So it let out a squeal which meant, “Oh just shut up please!” So Kathryn and James stopped immediately and looked at the sad little creature “Oh Uh, sorry, it's just that, uh James and I were having a fight.” said Kathryn gently. Then she turned to James who said, “What ever shall we do with that... that thing.” and Kathryn answered, “I have no idea. But we mustn't let my parents know or mom will have a fit. But worst of all, they might make me get rid of this poor little innocent creature! Oh what shall we do?”
Chapter 3
The adventure has begun
Just then Kathryn heard her mom call. They immediately zipped up Kathryn's back pack and walked out.
~ end of archives~
