Kirin shrugged inwardly.  Cygnus was right, why not enjoy herself
before she left?
She found herself smiling despite herself.
What could it hurt to enjoy the occasion?
     <She's finally getting some sense knocked into her! > Merle exclaimed
with what could have been a mental grin.
      Kirin felt her smile turn into a grin.  >Don't get used to it, tiny.<
      <I do have a name.  Believe it or not.> Merle told her sarcastically.
       Kirin ignored the last comment.  "Sure Cygnus, I'll dance  with
you."  Dancing isn't that bad, she thought. . .I just don't like social
events-And I think this is the most social I have been in a long time.
       <If you are going to fall in love with Cygnus, you might want to
inform me.  I *am* your dragon, after all.>  The statement was put
jokingly, but it had a lot of impact.
       >Smartass dragon. Very unlikely.  I never commented when you said
you were in love with that dragon, whatever his name is. So don't complain.
Or joke, for that matter. >  Kirin was still dancing, but not as smoothly,
and Cygnus looked concerned.
       "Is something wrong?" he asked.
      " My smartass dragon.  Thinks she can get away with anything." Kirin
grumbled.
      " Well, she Probably can.  She's bigger than anyone that would
reprimand her."  Cygnus was laughing.  " What did she do?"
      Nothing you want to hear about, she thought.  "Nothing important,
just annoying."
Taking the opportunity to changed the subject, she grabbed a glass of wine
and sipped it slowly.   "Where were you sitting at the hatching Cygnus?
Merle is complaining about how you stepped on her tail."
      "Front row.  But next time Merle just happens to be standing outside
of the grounds, I'll be sure that I don't step on her tail."  He smiled
slightly.  Kirin wondered if his mouth was stuck in a permanent smile, or
if it was a habit.  "Well, you never told me where you were going camping."
      "I was going to visit some distant family, then maybe actually camp a
few days. . ."
Distant family, she thought.  That was one way to classify it.
      >My family or your family?<  Merle asked.
      <Yours.>
      "Where do they live?" he asked, the very image of curiosity.
       "South. . .very far south." she said slowly, trying to pick a good
set of words.  There people didn't know about the southern warrens that she
had come from, and she had no intention of telling them anything-not now,
anyway.
      He seemed about to ask another question, but was interrupted when
Inagua started singing.  She has a beautiful voice, she thought to herself.
She had just started to sneak away from the party when she reminded
herself that she couldn't look too suspicious, sneaking away.  And no
matter what she told herself, she was having a good time.  Why else would
she be smiling, something she rarely did?


-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Tag, Allen.


Submitted By Shana Brosh