They landed outside the warrenlady's office and, quickly dismounting,
entered the office.  However, they couldn't find the warrenlady anywhere.
Looking around, they spotted one of her aides and asked about her whereabouts.

"Didn't you hear?  She and that new wilder were out today and a wildcat
attacked.  The wilder fought it off, but not before he was wounded badly..."

Tanya didn't hear any more; she was racing out the door, the egg forgotten
momentarily.  Pa'gan, hurt!?  She leaped aboard Poldera, narrowly missing
crushing the poor egg, and thought *The hospital!*


Cali watched Tanya's back disappear down the corridor and shrugged as she
followed more slowly.  She cradled the egg gently, wondering what had
happened to the mother and whether they'd done the right thing by bringing
the eggs back to the Warren.


*If you hadn't they would have died.*  Lute said matter-of-factly *Did you
really want that to happen?*


*No of course I didn't.*  Cali replied   *I'm just thinking how that poor
creature must feel.... We waltz in and steal her eggs.*


*She would probably have abandoned them anyway.*  Lute said comfortingly
*Lesser creatures do that if their nests are disturbed.*


*Lesser?*  Cali giggled, pausing to look at Lute as she sunned herself on
the green.  


*Well she certainly isn't a dragon!  I could sense her... but she was very
faint. She wasn't very intelligent*  Lute raised her head to stare at her
rider with sleepy eyes.  *And she didn't *look* like a human......*    She
settled her head on her forelegs again as Cali resumed her walk to the Med
centre.  Sometimes Cali couldn't tell if Lute was joking or not.....  


She pushed the door open and entered the bustling hive of the Warren's
medical building.   She paused briefly to ask how Pa'gan was before going
in search of Thorin.


<..>


"I couldn't just leave them there."  Cali said as she drew the egg from the
front of her shirt and placed it into the basket they'd filled with sand.
"They would never have hatched if we'd left them where they were."


"You say Tanya has the other egg?"  he asked as he adjusted the lamps over
the sand.  "Do you know what she intends to do with it?"


Cali shrugged  "Sorry.  She was running out of Trinale's office before I
had a chance to draw breath.  If I see her again I'll have her bring it to
you."


Satisfied that the egg would be warm enough he stepped back and let Cali
see their handiwork   "It might not hatch you know."  he warned her again.


"I know.  But at least I tried.  I wish I knew where the mother had got to
though.  Lute said she might have abandoned the eggs even if we'd left them
there."  He nodded at that and she sighed as she looked at the small blue
egg  half buried in warm sand.  


"I better go see to Lute, and leave you to get on."  Cali turned away from
reluctantly  "Thanks for your help Thorin.  Promise you'll let me know if
it even looks like it's hatching?"


"I promise."  he grinned at her wistful tone.


With a last glance at the egg she left the room.


<..>

<Next morning>


She jumped awake as the book she'd been holding hit the floor with a thump.
She'd spent a lot of time the night before looking through her books trying
to identify the creature they'd found the previous day but without any
success.  She groaned as she stood up, rubbing her back and shoulders to
ease the stiffness caused by a night sleeping in a chair.


*You're getting old Cali.*  Lute said with mock sympathy


*Well thanks sweet thing.  With a friend like you.....*


*You don't need any others.* Lute finished smugly. 


<..>


*I'll just be a few minutes Lute.*  Cali said as she slipped to the ground
outside the medical building   *I just want to check on the egg.  So if
anyone wants me......*


*Just don't be -too- long.*  Lute snorted disgustedly as Cali disappeared
through the door.   *I'm hungry.*


*Just five minutes.....*


<..>


She peeped round the door open when no one answered her knock.  Seeing that
it was empty, she stepped inside and crossed to the basket of sand still
basking under the warming lamps.  She checked the exposed surface of the
egg, pleased to see that it was warm to the touch.  Someone had obviously
turned it recently.... 


As she watched the egg rocked gently, and a small crack appeared in the
perfect shell.  She held her breath waiting for it to move again.....


Suddenly a blood curdling shriek assaulted her ears.  Wings and claws
tangling in her hair  the mother creature attacked her as it had the day
before.  She ducked away, and it scratched at her face and hands as she
tried to bat it out of the air. 


As she tried to evade the fury of the small animal she knocked against the
table that the basket was sitting on and sent it flying......
Instinctively she reached to save the egg, catching in both hands just
before it hit the floor.  The animal redoubled her efforts when she
realised that Cali now held her precious egg.


"Stop you stupid animal!"  Cali shouted over the noise  "I'm not trying to
hurt it.  Look!"  


She thrust the egg in front of her, and the creature twisted away to avoid
harming the very thing she was trying to protect.  Hovering in mid air she
hissed and scolded at Cali, darting forward to stop her each time she made
a move towards the door.


"What on earth is all the noise about?"   a voice called from the doorway
"You're making enough fuss to raise the dead in here."


"I wouldn't come in any further."  Cali called urgently, keeping a careful
eye on the animal hovering in front of her  "She's not too welcoming.  If
you could bring some help I'd be really grateful....."


She heard some whispering and shuffling outside the door, but she couldn't
concentrate on what was being said since the egg chose that moment to begin
rocking frantically in her grasp.  The hovering animal chirruped excitedly,
as a long crack appeared in the shell.  


The mother flew at Cali again, and she ducked away thinking that it meant
to attack again, but the animal landed heavily on Cali 's shoulder,
gripping tightly with her sharp claws, and stared at the egg as the crack
widened and a blunt, wet snout poked through.  Calling encouragement she
shifted fretfully, her needle sharp claws making Cali wince in pain.


With a final effort the small hatchling broke from it's imprisonment to
flop exhausted into the girl's cradling hands.  The tiny body was naked and
wet, the wings mere stubs.  The tiny pink mouth gaped open, and a high
pitched creel issued from it.....


"It's hungry."  Tanya said from the doorway  "Here I've brought some meat
for it."  


She set a bowl on the table and Cali threw her a grateful look as she
started stuffing the crying baby's mouth.


"How did you know?"  she asked as she fed the creature, the meat in the
bowl rapidly disappearing.  


"Because the other one was hungry when it hatched."  Tanya replied  "I knew
this one wouldn't be far behind, so I had Poldera ask Lute where you'd
taken it... and here I am.  Just in time too.  How did she get in here?"
She nodded to the adult that was still perched on Cali's shoulder.


"That's something I'd like to know too." a quiet voice added


Both girls tuned to face the figure standing in the doorway.....


Submitted by

Caliban, Lute's human


NRPG

Tag anyone?



-- 
Mint,  the voice and soul of

Timi Caplain  FO   USS Javelin       Caliban & Lute,          Dragon Lands
Lillith the Mage     Broken Lands     Minty, Kirimith's rider  Dragon Lands   
Naomi, QueenRider to Amethyst, Norwall's WarrenLady,  Dragon Lands

http://www.netkonect.co.uk/l/lovers/mint/norwall.html
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