Kirin sighed, leaning against Merle and using the dragon as a 
backrest.  The dragon shifted nervously, and turned around to face her 
rider.  Kirin regarded her suspiciously.  >Hiding something, dear?<
     The dragon gave an almost audible gulp.  <Several things...> she 
said faintly.  
      Kirin frowned and faced her, turning around soshe could look her 
in the face.  >Letâs here it, tiny.  It canât be that bad.<
       <Well, I think....I mean....you know your...sister hasnât shown 
since she left that one day.>
      >What does that have to do with things?<
       <Yesterday her dragon pelted out of here too.  Which means sheâs 
probably gone.  Maybe sheâs hurt.>
      Kirin bit her lip and sighed.  ãWhy?  Why be nervous about this?ä
       <You mean you donât care about you own sister?>
        >If sheâs dead, sheâs dead.  If sheâs gone, sheâs gone.  And if 
sheâs hurt, sheâll squirm her way out of it somehow.  She always does.< 
A bit of annoying crossed over her face.  >Is that it?<
       <N-errr, yes.> 
      >Fine, Iâm going out.  Iâll take you flying later.  Promise.<  
       
     Kirin walked out into the commen room a few minutes later.  
Somehow, she felt incredibly cheerful.  Whether this was the fact that 
her sister was apparently gone, or that her dragon muttered a few 
sarcastic jokes into her head, no one could tell.   She got several 
surprised glances at her unusual good mood, but said absolutly nothing 
in response.  In fact, she was a bit suprised by the number of suprised 
looks.  >I hadnât realized I was being such a brat about my attitude.  I 
should probably make an effort to improve.<
	<Probably.....can we go flying now?>  the wistfulness in the dragonâs 
voice was astounding.
             >Sympathy monger.  Let me get some food.<
	<Humans eat every day.  We only eat once every few days.  Why?>
	>Donât ask me that!  I certaintly wouldnât know!<  she grinned, heading 
for the kitchens with a quick wave to her Îaudienceâ.  After a quick few 
mouthfuls she walked hastily down the corridor.  Hopefully before the 
cook could notice that sheâd went through and Îborrowedâ food with 
positely no permission.  
	After a quick stop in her room, putting on her riding books and 
deciding to not put on the heavy riding cloak until she had read the 
outside, she pelted down the corridor, accidently slipping on her cloAKS 
tip and running into someone.  Kirin opened her mouth to say something 
that probably *wouldnât* be polite, then snapped it shut again, 
remembering that she was trying  to be less of a brat.   Bending down to 
help him up, she said, ãSorry.  I wasnât really watching where I was 
going.  Are you okay, mister...?ä   then she turned an interesting shade 
of pink.  ãAhem, hello, Cygnus.ä
	Cygnus dusted himself off.  ãWell.  I think Iâm okay.ä  peering down at 
her, he said, ãI havnât seen much of you since...Melithâs hatching.ä
	That was when she turned a VERY interesting shade of pink.  >You didnât 
arrange this, did you, Merle?< 
	<No.>
	>This is completely coincidence?<
	<Yes.  But I still think you would make a nice pair.>  that was comment 
was accompanied by a mental smirk.
	He must have guessed her expression.  ãIs she still playing 
matchmaker?ä he asked sympatheticly.
	>Now what, oh all mighty one, should I do now that you have COMPLETELY 
emabrrased me?<  she asked her dragon sourly.  The only response that 
she got was a picture of two people riding a small teal queen.
	ãYesss....she is.  And she wants to know if she can abduct you.  We 
were about to go flying. ãthen, under her breath she muttered, something 
that sounded like a profanity about her dragon.  Now she got a mental 
chuckle.
	<Thanks for giving me all the credit.>  the dragon replied.  <Although 
it is a good idea.  I think>  She could have sword the dragon was 
preening.  
	
	



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Submitted by Shana Brosh

Dragons are neat,
Dragons are cool.
As everyone knows, dragons do rule.
Other animals fly higher and higher
just to avoid their fearsome fire.


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