[After Patrol]
Bohoc had enjoyed his rubdown and now was starving.  He'd used a lot of
energy keeping up with the larger Tergath, for every one of Tergath's wing
beats took about two of his.

As he flew out to go search for a meal, he suddenly had an excited call from
Trissana.

<Oh, you are back!  Aren't you coming to see me?>

Bohoc circled over the green and could see Syren and Trissana below him.
<*I was about to go hunting... but is it important?*>

<Yes, it is *very* important!> Triss answered.  <It is my hatching day, you
know!>

<Come on down,> she invited.  <It would be a shame for us not be able to see
one another on such an important day.>
<*Hatching day?*>  Bohoc wasn't exactly sure why that was important, and
even though his stomach protested he circled again and landed.

<And,> the pearl dragon added, <do you realize that it is a year ago that
you and your rider arrived here?>

<*A year ago?*>  Bohoc wasn't sure exactly what a year was, but it didn't
seem that long ago that they had first come to Cleft.  He settled down on
the green and nuzzled Triss and then Syren in greeting.

<Well, the way my rider explained that a year is a complete set of seasons,>
said Triss.  <Humans seem to think that is important.  But anyway, I know it
was a year for you because you got here the day I hatched.>

<And look!> Triss said excitedly, bending down to pick up something in her
teeth.  <Syren's rider brought us a ball!>

Bohoc watched as Triss tossed the round object into the air in his
direction.  He swiftly grasped it in his jaw and chomped down.  It didn't
taste all that good, but he was rather hungry.

<Not so hard!> Triss told him.  <That isn't to eat!  You're supposed to
throw it!>

<*Throw it?  Why would you want to do that?*>  Bohoc spat out the now well
chewed ball.  <*I don't think it was a very good present if you can't eat
it.*>

Triss bent down to look at the ball.  <Well, that isn't the point,> she
explained.  <You see, I pick up the ball...and you're  supposed to see if
you can get it away for me!>  She stretched her neck out in Bohoc's
direction, holding the ball lightly in her teeth, then began to slowly back
away from him.

Bohoc's eyes lit up with interest.  <*I chase you?*>  Now this sounded more
fun -- almost like a mating flight.

<Thaaaat's right!> she teased.  <Come and get me...er, *it*>

Bohoc leapt forward, but just as he was about to reach Triss and the ball,
Triss deftly tossed it to Syren.

Syren called out, <I've got it now... but you can't take it from me!>

Bohoc wheeled with a growl, and began to run towards Syren, beating his
wings out to help him.  But again, just as he was about to catch her, Syren
tossed the ball over his head to Triss.

<See, it's not so easy!> Triss chuckled, catching the ball.  But Bohoc moved
quickly, leaping right at Triss and landing atop the larger pearl dragon.
Laughing, the two went down together in a heap.   <Ooh, this is fun!> she
said.  <But I still have the ball!>

Growling playfully, Bohoc bit at the ball, and the two tugged back and forth
snout to snout.  They rolled around, ending up with Triss on her back and
Bohoc on top.  But still Triss's grip on the ball wouldn't loosen.  Bohoc
flapped his wings to try to pull away, but instead, his wings only managed
to tickle Triss's underbelly.  And to his surprise Triss let out an
incredible sound -- like giggling? <Stop!  Stop!  Stop!>  She gasped.

But it worked, as Bohoc sprung into the air with the ball.  He swiftly
landed and raced away.

Triss tried to hold onto the ball, but when Bohoc's wings started tickling
her belly, she broke out into laughter and let go...by the time she'd
recovered herself, Bohoc was launching himself upward.  She sprang up after
him, and chased him toward the waiting queen.  <Syren, get it!> she laughed!

The large queen rose up in front of the small green dragon and Bohoc banked
sharply only to find himself suddenly without any more green to run on.
Finding himself suddenly plummeting towards the water below, he trumpeted in
alarm, and beat his wings to stop the rapid decent.  The ball, however,
continued down into the raging waters and was lost to sight.

<*Oh, Triss!  I've lost the... thing!*>

He flew out over the water scanning for the ball.  He saw it bobbing and
bouncing from rock to rock and he swooped down to retrieve it.  He snatched
the ball in his talons and gallantly returned it to its owner.

Triss looked at the soggy remains of her ball with sorrowful eyes.

<*I... I... I'm sorry Triss.*>  Bohoc stammered, looking at her sadly.
<*I'll be right back.*>  He said suddenly and launched into the air.

He vanished as soon as he was clear.  He appeared over one of his favorite
hunting spots -- and swiftly caught up a smallish antelope type animal,
gulping it down greedily.  His hunger assuaged, he looked around the lovely
field.  Flowers had sprung up following the rain and they covered the field
in one incredibly fragrant and colorful blanket.

Flowers... yes!  Bohoc flew over the field scooping up the flowers in his
talons.  He pulled them up close to his belly and teleported -- arriving
high above the green where Trissana and Syren still waited.  Releasing his
grip, the flowers poured down upon the two dragons below as he circled.

<*Happy Hatching Day, Triss!*>  Bohoc called as he came in for a landing.
He nuzzled her, <*Am I forgiven?*>

She twined her neck around his, <Oh, yes.  Most assuredly forgiven.  They
are wonderful.>

Syren moved over to Bohoc's other side.  <Nice recovery.>  She grinned, and
settled down for a comfortable cuddle.

Triss settled herself down onto the ground, pushing her nose against the
flowers Bohoc had brought.  <They smell wonderful!> she said, delighted, her
tail snaking out to pull Bohoc down alongside her.  <You were so thoughtful
to bring them!>  She nuzzled him gratefully, making a soft purring sound.

Bohoc snuggled, relieved that Triss wasn't too upset about his destroying
the gift Syren's rider had given her.  The game had been fun...  <*I wonder
where we could get another ball...?*>

Syren looked around at the smaller dragon, <I can ask my rider...>

 Triss pulled the smaller dragon even close against her.  <Yes, do,> she
said.  <We'll be waiting.>

Grinning, Syren proceeded to settle herself down on Bohoc's other side,
sandwiching the green dragon between them.  <I can ask from right here, of
course,> she told them.  <I wouldn't want to miss anything.>

Syren was silent for a moment and then hmphed.  <Well, did you know that you
could make balls from the bladders of those beasts we like to eat?>

<Really?>  Triss looked surprised.

<*No!  Wow*>  Bohoc thought for a moment, then said, <*Well... shall I
try?*>

<Oh, yes.>  Triss grinned, moving away to give Bohoc room to wiggle free.

He slipped out from between the two females and flew off again.  This time
when he teleported back he held a large buck in his talons rather than
flowers.

He swooped lower and dropped the buck before landing.

After Bohoc had deposited it down in front of them, Triss peered curiously
at it.  <Um, okay...this doesn't look much like the ball.  The ball didn't
have fur...or horns...or anything else, actually...>

<I think we need to cut it open,> Syren suggested.

Bohoc raised one of his claws and extended a sharp talon.  He pressed it
into the side of the buck and pulled exposing the ribs.  <*You sure it's in
here?*>

<Go on,> said the queen.  <You're doing just fine.>

Triss nodded.  <Yes, I do seem to remember seeing something like that in one
that I was eating.  I think it's about...here!> she said, pointing a pearly
claw at the indicated spot.

<More like...here!> Syren corrected, pointing slightly forward of the spot
Triss had indicated.

Bohoc lifted his claw from one spot to the other, and then back again as the
two dragons argued.  <*Why don't I try... here?*>  He said picking a spot
half way between.

<Oooh, good idea!> said Triss excitedly.  <Go ahead!>

Bohoc sliced and long, thin, slimy coils oozed out of the opening as it
spread.  The three dragons exchanged confused looks.  Nothing that slipped
out of the widening gap looked anything remotely ball-like.

<Maybe it's further inside?> Triss suggested hopefully.

Bohoc, less cautiously now, ripped open the buck.  The remaining intestines
spilled out onto the ground.  Snorting in frustration, Bohoc snapped up the
spilled intestines, pulling them out of the way with his teeth.

Trissana eyed the resulting mess.  <No ball?> she asked sadly, bending down
to peer closely at Bohoc's work, stopping just short of touching it with the
end of her nose.

<*No? Maybe if I get these things out of the way...*> Bohoc replied as he
slurped up the juicy entrails, swallowing them down.  <*There... what's
that?*>  Bohoc poked at a deflated sack like organ.  <*Looks like it's flat,
too...*> he said sadly.

Triss perked up at Bohoc's discovery.  <Ooh, you're right!>  she exclaimed.
She tried to figure out why it was flat, though.  <Maybe we need to
put...air...inside it?>

Bohoc looked at the young female.  <*And how are we going to do that?*>  He
wondered.

Triss cocked her head.  <I saw my rider do something once...> She peered
closely at the object.  <If this is like that thing he had, then you put
your mouth on the end and, um...blow?>  Well, there was a tube of sorts
trailing from one end of it.  She tried to get her mouth around the tiny
tube, but when she tried to blow, most of the air simply whooshed out on
either side of her mouth.  <This isn't working,> she said.  <Maybe my mouth
is too large.  Bohoc, maybe you could do it.>

Bohoc looked at it skeptically, but since he was responsible for flattening
the other ball he gave it his best shot.  But like Trissana's attempt, his
also just resulted in a blast of hot air... but in his frustration he also
let a little of his flame sizzle past and there was the distinct odor of
cooked meat.

<Well,> Syren decided, <I think that this is something we should probably
let our riders deal with.  In the meantime...it would be a shame to let this
wonderful buck go to waste.>

Swiftly agreeing, Bohoc moved aside.

Triss nodded her agreement.  <Yes, it's a very nice buck,> she observed.
<And since it is my hatching day, do I get the first bite?>

Bohoc looked at Syren who nodded, <Why of course, my dear.>

Triss took a quick bite, then moved a short distance away to settle on the
grass.  <Don't eat too much,> she teasingly warned Bohoc.  <We don't want
you too full - you might get too sluggish to cuddle well!>

Syren gracefully tore off a leg and contentedly munched on it, <No, we
certainly wouldn't want that would we?>

Bohoc snorted.  Ignoring the two females he chomped off a large section and
swallowed it down practically whole.

<He certainly can eat a lot for his size,> Triss remarked to the queen.  <I
hope he doesn't have to fly anywhere for awhile.>

Bohoc snorted.  <*I am not planning on going anywhere... but if you ladies
would care to join me... I might just take a flight over to that big
comfortable ledge over there...*>

Triss hurriedly finished her portion.  Licking her lips, she got up and
began to move toward Bohoc.   <Let's go!> she said.

The three dragons winged their way over to the ledge, where the sunset
lingered the longest.  Sighing contentedly, Bohoc snuggled down, as the two
larger females snuggled themselves tightly on either side of Bohoc, both
wanting as much of him as they could get.  <Are you comfortable?> Triss
asked.

<*Ah, yes, very.*>   Trissana and Syren exchanged glances, and slowly leaned
their bulk against Bohoc.

<Now?>

Bohoc suddenly felt his air being squeezed out of him... and himself
becoming as flat as the ball.  <*Uh... ladies?  Could you move a bit,
please?*>

<This way?>  and the two squirmed in closer.

Well, Bohoc wasn't about to be flattened, and he recalled how Trissana had
reacted to his wings before, so he swiftly flicked his tail across and
tickled.

Triss reacted as expected, with her snorting laughter echoing off the walls
of the Cleft.  Bohoc held her at bay with his tail as he cuddled up next to
Syren.

<No fair!> Triss giggled, trying to use her wings to cover her underside.
<It's *my* hatching day!  You should be cuddling with me and using your tail
on her!>

Syren snorted, <I am *not* ticklish>

But Bohoc felt guilty, and stopped.  He hopped down from the ledge and
swiftly flew back to the green, snatching up one of the discarded flowers.
Returning with it he gave it to Triss.  <*I am sorry, Triss.  Happy Hatching
Day*>

The three dragons again snuggled down in the warm pool of sunshine, this
time to snooze away the remainder of the afternoon.

****
NRPG Many thanks to John for his playing out the part of Trissana.

Respectfully submitted by
Arlene Jacobs
AKA Bohoc joined to Andahar of Cleft Warren.