The test flight.

Tahlaya held her breath as she watched her girls run down the hill.
She held her fists to her mouth as they stretched out thier wings,
sunlight glinting off the  suncoloured hide.

Catching a warm updraft, Sunny and Ipsy left the ground.

{* We fly! WE FLY! *}

Tahlaya felt the air rush past her skin, the excitement she got from
her girls gave an adrenalin buzz that made her want to do it again and
again. As they looked around, she had a view of the ground. She could
see the others on the hill and H'nry at the bottom. She realised that
she had almost 360 degrees of vision.
She and her girls were on a high that they would never again
experience. Their first flight.

Tears filled her eyes as she watched her girls coast down the hill and
land not to succesfully, knocking H'nry off his feet

<Well done my loves. You are so clever. I'm so proud of you.> She ran
as fast as she could towards them , finally crashing into the soft
hide of their side.

"Are you alright H'nry?"

"I'll survive this time," he laughed. 

Tahlaya was so excited she hugged and kissed the bearded man. 

{ It was your foot that triped us when we landed Dipsy Ipsy.}
* Was not*
{Was too.}

<Girls, girls, don't bicker. It doesn't matter about landing you can
learn, but only if we act as a team.>

{* She started it! *} came the double pout.

Tahlaya sighed. She had a feeling that they were always going to be
like this.
H'nry looked at her in understanding.

"I wish for once they wouldn't argue," she smiled weakly at H'nry.

He put his arm round her shoulder and whispered conspiritorilly,
"Could be worse, they could have had three heads."

			**********
Dawn the following day

Tahlaya woke up befor dawn out of habit. And it was this time of day
that reminded her of her family.

{* We will take you, when we can fly, Tahlaya. *} the girls sleepily
crooned. 

<I know my loves, I know,> she replied as she got out of bed and
scratched their eyes ridges. 

She went to the cold room and got out two buckets of fresh meat.
Taking them outside to the pool, she feed the girls and then lovingly
washed and oiled them. She marvelled at the amount they had grown.

They wanted to play but Tahlaya wanted to get to the kitchens.

{You don't have to work there now, 'Laya.}
*You have us to work with.*
{And to play with.}
*I wouldn't mind ~playing~ with that large Cloud,* giggled Ipsy in a
roguish tone
{Soon Ipsy, we can have the pick of the males when we rise to mate,
they will all want us.}

Tahlaya felt the rumbling laughter of her dragon in her mind and the
thought of Storm made her shiver with excitement.

<Did we....> she enquired again to her girls.

She watched the two golden heads look at each other and then back at
her. They both snorted in her direction making her hair ripple, and
closed their four blue eyes.

{* Not saying !*}

			**********

Breakfast in the dining hall.

She came out from the kitchen carrying a large basket of warm
pastries. Setting them down on the table, she turned and looked around
the hall.

It was still early and there were a few early risers in for
breakfast. She saw an odd looking sight at one of the tables.
A young man and an much older man in a wheelchair. She recognised the
young rider. He was human to the wild female.

She picked up a large plate and placed a selection of warm pastries on
them.

"May I join you two gentlemen?"

They looked up and the elder of the two tried to raise himself out of
his chair, but only suceeded in wheezing and coughing.

"R'fas sit down, you can try chasing the nurses back at the med
centre, they might not run as fast as this one."

Pulling out a chair for Tahlaya, he introduced himself,

"I'm F'gon and this old rogue is R'fas, and you are, M'lady?"

"Enough of the old, F'gon," R'fas rattled.

"I'm Tahlaya," she said sitting down next to F'gon and smiling at
R'fas. "You ride that beautiful rainbow dragon."

"And you will be riding that two headed monster," smiled the greying
man, "So my old flying  bag of skin and bones tells me."

<Who's old skin ond bones, my decrepit human?>

R'fras laughed loudly ending in a fit of coughing.

Tahlaya poured out some water for the old man. He sipped it slowly.
"That old dragon of mine always gets the better of me," he wheezed,
mirth shining in his eyes.

"I apologise for not coming to congratulate you on your joining
Tahlaya," F'gon bowed and kissed the back of her hand.

<She understands, Love. I think she will make a good friend,>
Starlight mumered .

Tahlaya saw F'gon's eye glaze over and a smile appear on his face.
<We shall see, my Love. We shall see.>

"I hear you are a fighter. My brother is in the army, he started to
teach me how to use a sword. I thought maybe you could carry on my
education?"

R'fas interupted.

"Ahh now this young warrior would could certainly show you a thing or
two," turning to F'gon he continued, "but don't slice up this pretty
maid, like you did Dirk." Again his laughter was acompanied by
coughing.

"The honour would be mine M'lady."

"Please call me Tahlaya, I'm just a mere baker and do not deserve the
title of M'lady."

"And a damn fine one, if these buttery morsals are made by your fair
hand," R'fas mumbled with a mouthful of cake.

"And you Sir, are an old rogue," she giggled.

Turning to F'gon she said, "I'm awake before dawn most days, I have
seen you on the practice fileds. Let me know when it is convienient to
begin our lessons. But for now I must head back to my duty."

"To the kitchens?"

Tahlaya threw back her head in laughter as she stood up to leave,

"No my duty as slave to a dragon."

She moved round the table to R'fas, bending down, she kissed him on
his sallow weathered cheek.

"And you behave yourself." She stood up patting his hand.

She skipped out towards the door.

			**********
The Hatchling barracks.

"Eliana?" Tahalaya  said as she walked into the young girls room.
She was sitting on the floor next to her little dragon. Tears were
running off the lavender hide.

{Taerith's rider is frightend Laya.} Sunny's voice was quiet in
Tahlaya's mind.

*She wishes she could go home to her family, taking Taerith with her.*

The understanding and sadness she felt from her dragon was startling.
They obviously had a soft and helpful side to their nature, and only
bickered for effect and attention.

{* Make her stay Tahalaya. *}

The older girl sat next to Eliana and gathered her into her arms,
smoothing down her hair. Holding her close, the young girl let all her
fears tumble out.

"I thought it would be nice to have a dragon to ride and show off. I
thought that we could all go home and I could be with Papa and my
friends," she sobbed. "Then I heard other riders talking about...
about... you know...."

"Shhhh, I know what you mean, but I'm sure that Taerith will know when
you are ready. She won't let anyone do anything unless you are sure it
is what you want."

"How do you know? You are older than me and you.. you...have had
boyfriends. And your girls are so  mature like you. Taerith say's I
shouldn't worry, but when she raises to m...m...mate, I don't know
what to do. Supposing it's someone old and mean and harsh and cruel
and....." she broke into tears, her dragon nuzzling up to her.

<I won't let anything happen to you my little human. We can deal with
this when you are ready. I would not let anyone harm you. I love you,
I will protect you.>

Eliana's sobs abated slightly and she slipped from Tahlaya and hugged
up close to her dragon.
The purring noises her dragon was making calming the young girl.

"Eliana, it's time to go to the meeting with Gazella."

The young girl kissed the snout of Taerith and the lavender dragonet
nudged her side. Eliana rose gracefully from the floor, holding her
head high and sniffing slightly, smiled at Tahlaya and said,

"Shall we go?"

			
nrpg:

I'm back!!!

I shall try and do another post to get Tahlaya and the girls up to
date.

Frankie hope I  didn't get F'gon  too wrong :)