[Day 16 evening]

Dizzi was sitting on Cassandra's lap listening to her
read the story from the book that one of the healers
was kind enough to bring them.

They herd a moan come from Link's bed. Followed by a,"
Oh, my head."

As they looked over at him they saw him open his eyes
and asked where he was.

"Uncle Link!" came a delighted smile from Dizzi as she
leapt from Cassandra's lap and ran towards her uncle's
bed.

Link leaned over and gave the little girl a hug.

"Hello Dizzi." he whispered in her ear.

Tears started to flow from her eyes making his
shoulder wet. "I was worried that the monsters were
going to take you away like they did with mommy."

"Oh, Dizzi," he said, as he pulled the girl away and
looked in her teary eyes, "Do you think your big old
uncle is going to let some monsters get the best of
him?" Dizzi shook her head.

Cassandra walked over with tears forming in her eyes.

"Mom! Please don't..." Link started, but was cut off
by her crying.

"I'm just glad your safe!" Cassandra said in between 
sobs.

Lilliana stood at the door watching the emotional
scene. The gray-haired woman couldn't help but smile
at the tender family reunion. It was times like these
that made being a healer worth it. Now it was just a
matter of getting Link healed up so he and Amy could
work through whatever problems they had.

The young woman's confession really bothered the older
woman and she'd been thinking on how to help the
couple.

She saw that one person was missing from the group.
She had sent Amy home to get cleaned up and get some
rest. Lilliana grabbed one of her helpers and told him
to go and get her. Then she went to her next patient,
Link and his family ever present in her mind.

After finishing with a few more patients Lilliana went
back to her office. Pouring herself a cup of coffee
from the thermos on her desk she sat and started
shuffling through paperwork. This mysterious ailment
had her completely baffled, all the results of the
tests but a few had come in and so far nothing, as to
what was the cause. Fortunately so far, since
isolating this group from the main body of patients
flowing through, they as yet hadn't had another case
develop. This lead her to believe that it was spread
by touch and not airborne as she first thought.

She breathed a small sigh of relief as she thought of
her other patients, Link and his family came to mind.

Going to her overflowing file cabinet she pulled out
two folders. Returning to her desk she checked what
resembled an inbox. It was piled high with papers and
charts since the battle and it took her a bit, but she
found the current information on Link.

Thinking over Amy's confession, the Head Healer knew
she had to research all the possibilities if she was
to be of any help.

Amy was asleep when a knock at the door jarred her
awake.

She threw some clothes on to make her self more
presentable. When she opened the door she was greeted 
by a man who said he was sent to tell her that Link
was awake.

When she heard that, she was over come with joy. She
ran back inside and got dressed as quickly as possible
and took off across the green.

She almost knocked Cat over in her haste to get to the
med center.

Cat gulped. Amy was the one person she *wasn't*
wanting to see right now, not after the 'earrings
promise' she'd made to Dizzi...

But it certainly looked as though Amy had other things
on her mind and Cat hoped this was the case.

Trying to look nonchalant, Cat grinned at Amy.

"Hey, whatcha in such a hurry for? From the way you
came tearing around that corner, does that mean that
Link's up and about?"

"Yes! I just got word that he's awake!" Amy exclaimed
in an extremely excited voice," I'm heading over to
see him right now!"

"Oh, really?" said Cat, interested despite herself.
She'd seen the state Link was in after the battle and
it seemed amazing that he would be in a fit state to
receive visitors already. But he was a tough guy...

As Amy dashed off towards the medical centre, Cat
tagged along, at a respectable distance. Close enough
that the med centre staff would think they were
together, and hopefully let her in. But not so close
as to make her too obvious to Amy, who obviously had
more important things on her mind.

Amy headed straight for Link's room. Passing
Lilliana's office. She didn't notice that Lilliana was
watching her go by. She just kept on walking.

As soon as she got to her husband's room and saw him 
sitting there talking to Dizzi and his mother, her
eyes filled up with tears.

"Hello honey." he said as she started to cry and ran
over.

She hugged Link as she sobbed and whispered," I'm
sorry."

Link quietly replied," It's okay Amy. I'm the one that
should be sorry for what I said to you. You'll make a
great mother."

Amy's tears flowed anew when she herd that. The young
blond held him close as she cried.

************
Cat stepped back into the shadows, hoping that they
hadn't seen her. Curiosity might be one of her
weaknesses, but she could see that this was a private,
family moment.

Turning to leave, she almost bumped into Lilliana. Cat
put her finger to her lips and nodded towards Link's
room. Lilliana nodded in understanding, as Cat slipped
out into the darkness.

Lilliana stuck her head in the door and smiled. Now
this was her kind of healing, the kind that could take
care of itself. Motioning to Cassandra and Dizzi. As
the older woman and child left the room, Lilliana
smiled, seeing the tears of joy in Cassandra's eyes.

"I think that it would be nice for Link and Amy need
to have a few minutes to themselves to talk." Looking
down at the little girl she grinned, reaching out her
hand she said, "Dizzi, you know if we looked really
hard I think there might be some suckers in my
office."

The little girls face lit up at the offer of candy.

The head healer closed the door to the room and led
the woman and child to her office. "Aunt Cassandra,
can we go see Cloud too?"

"I don't know." Cassandra replied," Cloud has been
having some problems." She looked at Lilliana.

Lilliana knelt down in front of Dizzi." I talked with
Naomi earlier and she said that Cloud is finally
getting some sleep. I don't see why you can't, but
don't disturb him. Okay?"

Dizzi nodded as she took a sucker and placed it in her
mouth. Then she took Cassandra's arm and practically
dragged her out of the med center.

As they headed across the green toward where Cloud,
Belle, and the two queens are sleeping, they failed to
notice the green dragon following them.

Coo's emerald eyes lit up when she saw her little
friend emerge from the Med-Center.  Like a hunter
stalking it's prey the iridescent dragon left her
basking spot and slunk after Dizzi and her Aunt. With
her head low, her large teeth were reaching out to
grab the hem of Dizzi's dress when Cassandra, catching
a flash of color out of the corner of her eye stopped.
 The older woman's eyes widened as she glanced over
her shoulder and saw the large greenish snout directly
behind them.

Putting on her most pathetic face Coo puffed just
enough to get Dizzi's attention.

"Coo! There you are!" the little girl exclaimed, her
face lit up seeing the colorful dragon.  Wrapping her
arms around Coo's nose she hugged tightly, planting a
kiss on the smooth seafoam green scales.

"Can you believe all the stuff that's happened!" 
Dizzi almost shouted in her youthful exuberance. "And
Uncle Link is gonna be ok, isn't that wonderful! I was
so afraid when the bad men came! But Mr. Kaymann saved
me and Cat said I get earrings! And Miss Breezy had
lunch with me, but I bet you knew that already!  And
I'm so glad your ok!" the little girl's mouth formed
into an large O seeing the woebegone expression in the
large green eyes.  Stepping back Dizzi looked at Coo. 
"You're ok aren't you?"

Coo's lower lip came out, and the green dragon sighed
deeply, [I was wounded and my rider doesn't care!] 
Lifting her front foot dramatically she showed Dizzi
the broken claw.

*I heard that!* Breezy voice filtered into her dragons
mind.

Ignoring her human Coo tilted her head looking truly 
woeful.

"Oh Coo!" Dizzi said sympathetically.  "That looks
like it hurts! Here let me kiss it, when I get an owie
Aunt Amy does that for me and it always feels better!"

Reveling in her little friends attention Coo then
stuck out her back foot showing the child the puncture
mark in the scales where the one rogue had stabbed
her. Then she lifted her large wing revealing claw
marks from her tussle with Skull.

"Oh you poor thing! Miss Breezy didn't tell me you
were hurt so bad! Aunt Cassandra look at this! Poor
Coo!" Dizzi  wandered under the wing.

"I know Miss Breezy is busy Coo, so I will kiss your
owies okay and that will make them all better! Won't
it Aunt Cassandra?" The little girl nodded at the
older woman then kissing her fingertips she gently 
blew her child's kisses at the light wounds.

Cassandra rolling her eyes hid her amusement of the
pitiful dragon. The older woman was still unsure about
the large reptiles and she was glad that Dizzi was at
least using a little discretion in kissing Coo's
owies. In the seamstress's mind actually kissing a
dragon was probably akin to kissing a frog and neither
prospect was very appealing. But she couldn't help be
fascinated with how the dragons had taken to Dizzi and
were so gentle with the child.

The sea-green dragon was extremely pleased with
herself and the more the little girl fawned over her
the more pathetic Coo  became.

[ummmm you're right Dizzi! That does make them feel so
much better!]  A loud screech from Dizzi startled the
dragon, "Oh Coo! What happened to your beautiful
tail."

A loud snort erupted from the iridescent dragon,

[Big Blue went way down in snuggle points, that's what
happened!] Coo replied very disgusted as she curled
her tail around for further inspection. [And believe
me when I catch up with him he's gonna hear about it!]

Even Cassandra expressed concern over the burnt spot
on Coo's tail, the colorful scales charred black from
Vlad's flame.

Coo was definitely enjoying herself and making the
most of the situation when a loud snort interrupted
the group and Anthra appeared.

The small black dragon had been watching all the time,
seething.

*How sickening* she thought as Coo fawned and turned
herself this way and that to show every little scuff
and minor abrasion to the little girl. *How
degrading*.

Finally her indignation had gotten the better of her,
and Anthra had let out a loud snort.

Dizzi, Cassandra and Coo turned round as one, and the
little girl gave a squeal of delight.

"It's Anthra!" she yelled. "Hey, Anthra, are you okay?
Have you got any hurty bits that need kissing better?"

The black dragon was about to let out another snort of
disgust, but then she suddenly realised that it was
such a sweet offer from Dizzi...

But no. That would be stooping just *too* low.

*No* said Anthra. *Nothing of any importance* said the
totally-uninjured dragon, as she stood proudly before
Dizzi.

*Let's take a look at you* Anthra continued, nudging
Dizzi with her snout to make her turn round. *Make
sure you haven't been hurt.*

Dizzi giggled, and Cassandra looked nervous.

Coo snorted at the smaller black dragon, <Of course
she's ok, you'd have known that if you'd been paying
attention! But then still being a hatchling, I guess
your brain isn't fully developed yet!

Belle opened her eyes and looked over at the foursome
and rolled her eyes.* There they go again.* she
thought as she went back to sleep.

*Should we intervene?* asked Malani, concern in her
voice.

*No, just a youngster's squabble,* said Amethyst,
raising an eyelid. *It'll blow over.*

*Youngster's...?* began Malani. Even Anthra was older
than her, and Malani was probably one of the youngest
dragons at Norwall, despite being the breeding queen.
With a smile, the golden dragon settled down to sleep
again. Amethyst hadn't classed her with the foolish
'youngsters', so that was okay.

*********

Cassandra looked at the two dragons unsure of what was
going on.

*Hatchling?* hissed Anthra, pulling her head back and
narrowing her eyes. *Well, I suppose next to you I
*am* youthful. Some dragons learn to keep their wits
about them as they age...* Anthra cast her gaze around
the other dragons resting on the green, and even added
a slight nod of respect towards the queens, *... but
others, sadly, don't,* she added. *Maybe the shock of
seeing your rider elevated to such a lofty position in
the warren has addled your brain, hmmm?*

<who are you fighting with now?> Cat's voice came into
Anthra's mind.

*Only the green feather-head*

<the green....? Oh, Breezy's dragon.> Cat surmised.
<Well, so long as you don't cause any problems for me
with Breezy, okay? I'm trying to keep out of her way.>

*Oh, trust me* Anthra replied smoothly. *Go back to
looking for that good-for-nothing male of yours - that
was what you were doing, wasn't it?*

Second-guessed again, Cat guiltily shut up.

Coo snorted in laughter at the black dragon, *Lofty
position! Ha! Get
real! Having to take care of babies like you is a bit
beneath us, but
somebody's got to do the job!*

*Ahem! Just who are you talking to!* Breezy's voice
popped into Coo's
head.

[Who else! That little no-color dragon wannabe!]

There was a second of silence, *Oh! Your little buddy
Anthra!*

[She's not my little buddy!] Sputtered the iridescent
dragon. [She's a
pain in the a.....]

*Remember!!!* Breezy said sharply, cutting off her
dragons tirade. 
*She's
young, show a little dignity,* the redhead sighed then
added,  *do play
nice!*

Coo pulled herself up to her full height, stretching
her colorful wings
she sneered at the smaller dragon, *Age does have it's
advantage, 
little
one! At least my rider serves a more *lofty* function,
other than 
catching
lower life forms!"

Dizzi looked back and forth between the two angry
dragons then over to 
her
Aunt, "Aunt Cassandra why doesn't Coo and Anthra like
each other?"

"I don't know." Cassandra replied.
 
She made a mental note to talk to Breezy about this as
she pull Dizzi close to herself to try to protect her
if a fight broke out.
 
The two dragons hissed at each other and began to
circle, trading insults.  Their large claws stirred up
grass and loose dirt and small whirlwinds of swirled
around their large feet. Draconian heads popped up all
over the area to watch as the smaller Anthra and the
larger Coo squared off snout to snout, neither willing
to give an inch, their hisses turning into roars.
 
Soon a white blur appeared out of nowhere side-swiping
both females, making them stop long enough to catch
their balance.
 
Cloud glared at both females. "Do you mind, I was
trying to sleep!" he growled in a tone that tolerated
no argument.
 
<You two disturbed the only restful sleep I had in
days!> he told him.
 
<Tell that green bubble head to stay away from my
Dizzi!> Anthra told the large white.
 
Coo snorted,<Dizzi is my friend too, and I'm not
giving her up with out a fight!>
 
The arguing continued. Cloud listened until he
couldn't take any more.< Enough!> he roared. He glared
at the two,<Dizzi belongs to mine and Belle's riders.
Also if you two don't learn to share I'll personally
make sure you two don't come any where near her! Under
stand.>

Coo opened her mouth for another snort, but clamped it
shut seeing the look in the white dragon's eyes. 
Cloud had been the one to help when that awful Skull 
are attacked her, so for him only would she back off.
But sharing her little 
friend with the nasty hatchling just wasn't an option.
Glaring at Anthra the iridescent dragon turned away
feeling definitely slighted.
 
Having said what he needed say, Cloud headed back to
where he was sleeping a few moments ago.
 
"Cloud!" came a delighted sequel from Dizzi. The white
looked and saw a black haired girl running toward him.
She ran up and hugged Cloud's leg.
 
Cloud bent down so Dizzi could climb onto his back."
I'm glad your feeling better." she said as she hugged
Cloud's neck.
 
Cloud got up and slowly walked toward the spot where
he had been sleeping. As he walked Dizzi said," Cloud.
No matter what you will always be my favorite. I love
you Cloud."
 
A gasp came from the dragon as a lump formed in his
throat. He finally realized what keeps a family
together. It was love. this type of unconditional love
is what kept Amy and his rider together for two years
even with his obsession of revenge.
 
<I love you to Dizzi.> he replied as he laid down to
get some sleep with Dizzi still on his back.
 
Belle, Amethyst, and Malani all could see a small
smile on his face. They also saw a tier roll down is
cheek.
 
Belle smiled then she looked over at Anthra and Coo.
She wasn't sure but Anthra looked hurt by Dizzi's
words. She dissided to go console her.
 
As Belle left, Malani nudged Dizzi. The little girl
giggled.
 
"Your pretty." she told Malani as she stroked her
snout.
 
<Thank you Dizzi.> she said knowing full well that
Dizzi couldn't hear,< Of all the things troubling
Cloud, losing you was troubling him the most.>

Sumited by,

Max for Link and family;

Tree for Lilliana, Breezy, and Coo;

and Carina for Cat, Anthra, and Malani


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