around her. The tip was twitching.
Mother. Xochi stood and padded to the large dragon, placed her forepaws on her mother’s arm. The dream, your dream, lead us to this place, to Renata. To our purpose. If this boy and his dragon can help us discover what that is . . .
Nayra whimpered. I–I know. I just never thought that you would have to leave me.
I am not leaving you. I am fulfilling my purpose. She looked at Renata and then back at her mother. Our purpose. Besides, you have my brother and sister. You still have family. You will not be alone.
Nayra lifted her head. How do you—Oh. Your memories.
There is no need to make any decisions just yet. Renata sat next to her bond-mate and placed an arm over her shoulders. After all, Xochi still has much flying practice to do.
+ + + + +
It had been two days, and Sharrah was still in a good mood. How Willem felt about Aeron had been obvious to her for quite some time, and she could tell that Aeron had felt the same about Willem—he just hadn’t realized it yet.
She shook her head, smiling. Boys. Well, Aeron obviously realized how he felt the other night, and showed it in spectacular fashion. Sharrah wasn’t much into the honeyed romance thing, but she had to admit, watching her friends that night had put a lump in her throat.
When she arrived at the Dragon Stable, Jessip was standing outside at the fence. He’d been dropping by a lot lately. Even a few months ago it would have upset her. But the boy—no, he was eighteen—the young man had changed quite a bit since that evening at the fall trade fair.
It had been a surprise learning that he’d transferred to Animal Craft, and, at first, she almost felt offended by his presence. However, after arriving back in the Caer from the Farm, he worked hard, did his chores with an eye to doing them right, and, to top it all off, he loved horses. How could she not warm to him?
Sharrah smiled, looking up at him. “Good morning, Jessip.”
In the predawn light, his short, brick-red hair looked almost brown. “‘Morning, Sharrah.”
The weather was still cold enough yet, that their breath left little puffs in the air. Spring wouldn’t start for another week or so, bringing warmer morning temperatures with it.
The large doors slid open, and Aeron walked Anaya out into the courtyard. She made a welcoming sound, raising her head to Sharrah.
“‘Morning Sharrah, Jessip.” Aeron raised his hand in welcome before walking back into the stable and sliding the doors closed.
Anaya stretched and unfurled her wings, spreading them out. Her breath-clouds were more than a bit larger than theirs.
“She’s such a beauty,” Jessip murmured.
A quick glance revealed longing in his eyes. Interesting. “That she is,” Sharrah said. “But how would you compare her beauty to, say, that of horses?”
“Oh, horses have a beauty all their own.” His eyes never left Anaya. “Gorgeous creatures. Smart too. But, well, dragons are so . . .”
Sharrah chuckled. “Yeah.”
“I almost feel like I understand horses, can understand what they’re saying, in a way. But dragons? They actually talk. Well, you know what I mean.”
Aeron walked out of his study, grooming chest in hand. He walked over to Anaya, placed the chest on the ground, and began pulling out brushes.
“Good morning Jessip, Sharrah.” Liara walked up to the fence.
“Good morning,” Sharrah said.
“‘Morning.” Jessip spared her a quick glance before turning back to Anaya.
“She’s grown so much,” Liara said, watching Aeron as he used a dandy brush on Anaya, “since that first night we all met her.”
Jessip nodded. “She was such a small thing, then. Well, compared to now, anyway.”
Anaya lifted her right wing, and Aeron continued brushing, moving below it.
“It’s kind of impressive that he’s been raising her all by himself this whole time.” Liara was smiling as she watched Aeron.
“Actually,” Sharrah began, “we’ve
Mother. Xochi stood and padded to the large dragon, placed her forepaws on her mother’s arm. The dream, your dream, lead us to this place, to Renata. To our purpose. If this boy and his dragon can help us discover what that is . . .
Nayra whimpered. I–I know. I just never thought that you would have to leave me.
I am not leaving you. I am fulfilling my purpose. She looked at Renata and then back at her mother. Our purpose. Besides, you have my brother and sister. You still have family. You will not be alone.
Nayra lifted her head. How do you—Oh. Your memories.
There is no need to make any decisions just yet. Renata sat next to her bond-mate and placed an arm over her shoulders. After all, Xochi still has much flying practice to do.
+ + + + +
It had been two days, and Sharrah was still in a good mood. How Willem felt about Aeron had been obvious to her for quite some time, and she could tell that Aeron had felt the same about Willem—he just hadn’t realized it yet.
She shook her head, smiling. Boys. Well, Aeron obviously realized how he felt the other night, and showed it in spectacular fashion. Sharrah wasn’t much into the honeyed romance thing, but she had to admit, watching her friends that night had put a lump in her throat.
When she arrived at the Dragon Stable, Jessip was standing outside at the fence. He’d been dropping by a lot lately. Even a few months ago it would have upset her. But the boy—no, he was eighteen—the young man had changed quite a bit since that evening at the fall trade fair.
It had been a surprise learning that he’d transferred to Animal Craft, and, at first, she almost felt offended by his presence. However, after arriving back in the Caer from the Farm, he worked hard, did his chores with an eye to doing them right, and, to top it all off, he loved horses. How could she not warm to him?
Sharrah smiled, looking up at him. “Good morning, Jessip.”
In the predawn light, his short, brick-red hair looked almost brown. “‘Morning, Sharrah.”
The weather was still cold enough yet, that their breath left little puffs in the air. Spring wouldn’t start for another week or so, bringing warmer morning temperatures with it.
The large doors slid open, and Aeron walked Anaya out into the courtyard. She made a welcoming sound, raising her head to Sharrah.
“‘Morning Sharrah, Jessip.” Aeron raised his hand in welcome before walking back into the stable and sliding the doors closed.
Anaya stretched and unfurled her wings, spreading them out. Her breath-clouds were more than a bit larger than theirs.
“She’s such a beauty,” Jessip murmured.
A quick glance revealed longing in his eyes. Interesting. “That she is,” Sharrah said. “But how would you compare her beauty to, say, that of horses?”
“Oh, horses have a beauty all their own.” His eyes never left Anaya. “Gorgeous creatures. Smart too. But, well, dragons are so . . .”
Sharrah chuckled. “Yeah.”
“I almost feel like I understand horses, can understand what they’re saying, in a way. But dragons? They actually talk. Well, you know what I mean.”
Aeron walked out of his study, grooming chest in hand. He walked over to Anaya, placed the chest on the ground, and began pulling out brushes.
“Good morning Jessip, Sharrah.” Liara walked up to the fence.
“Good morning,” Sharrah said.
“‘Morning.” Jessip spared her a quick glance before turning back to Anaya.
“She’s grown so much,” Liara said, watching Aeron as he used a dandy brush on Anaya, “since that first night we all met her.”
Jessip nodded. “She was such a small thing, then. Well, compared to now, anyway.”
Anaya lifted her right wing, and Aeron continued brushing, moving below it.
“It’s kind of impressive that he’s been raising her all by himself this whole time.” Liara was smiling as she watched Aeron.
“Actually,” Sharrah began, “we’ve
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