Chapter 2

Rav appeared in his father’s study with a grin “I hear you’re a new papa” Collin smiled, “her name is TeeLinn, her parents were lost at sea after their ship was attacked by pirates, your mother has her out in the garden.” Rav and Collin walked out to the garden, Rav teasing his father about now having a daughter to worry about, Kat was sitting on a blanket in the late afternoon sun, TeeLinn on wobbly little legs was padding around the blanket. In surprise Rav knelt down and looked at the little dragoness, her long multi colored body gleamed in the sun like a rainbow of scales, little tufts of the same color stood up along the outside of her tiny ears, on the top of her head were two small ridges of bright red, her little legs seemed to short to support her long body, her wings tucked so close to her body they were barely visible, little dark doe eye’s looked around wide with curiosity. Seeing Rav, TeeLinn let out a little squeak and scooted under her blanket, Rav picked up an edge of the blanket and peeked under it “hi sweetheart, aren’t you a little china doll, you going to come out and meet your big brother?” TeeLinn peeked back at Rav, who grinned at her, wiggling out from under the blanket she stared up at Rav then sat back on her haunches her long tail curling around her, she held out her little arms to Rav with a tiny purr. Rav picked her up with an awwwwww and snuggled her against his chest “what did Bitsy have to say?” he asked his mother, seeing the look on her face he grinned widely “you mean she doesn’t know yet? I actually know something before she does? I’ll never let her live it down” Rav silently said to Bitsy in a sing song voice “I know something you don’t” he chuckled hearing her laughing reply “you should be so lucky” Collin raised an eyebrow “what are you up too?” Rav grinned wickedly “teasing Bitsy” Collin laughed “oh well in that case be my guest” Kat looked at the two and laughed. “Well? what is it you’re supposed to know?” said Bitsy, Rav could hear the impatience in her tone “I’m not going to tell” he replied, Bitsy appeared on Rav’s shoulder and pinched his ear “what do you mean you’re not going to tell, have some respect for your elders and their need to be nosey...

“Ow” yelped Rav, startled TeeLinn let out a little squeak and scooted inside Rav’s shirt, Bitsy with a surprised look on her face lifted up Rav’s collar and peered inside his shirt, Rav wiggling around trying to get ahold of TeeLinn laughed “come on that tickles.”

His arms crossed over his chest Brand said casually “is there some reason you’re half inside Rav’s shirt, brat” Kat hid a snicker behind her hand, Bitsy looked up in surprise “oh hi dear, yes actually I was trying to see what he has hidden inside his shirt” Collin started laughing as Brand raised an eyebrow and drawled “you changed his diapers, brat, why the sudden interest now? has he grown something new?” Bitsy giggled then ooohh’d finding herself nose to snout with a tiny oriental dragoness who had stuck her head out of the neck of Rav’s shirt. TeeLinn blinked then ducked back inside Rav’s shirt then peeked out, “hi hon, are you going to let me take a look at you?” Bitsy said softly her small hand stroking TeeLinn’s neck.

TeeLinn crawled out of Rav’s shirt, Rav grimaced as tiny claws dug into bare skin, wrapping herself around his neck she stared at Bitsy, with a squeaky purr TeeLinn leaned close and licked Bitsy’s cheek, looking at Kat, TeeLinn held out her little arms. Kat took TeeLinn off of Rav’s neck and cuddled her, TeeLinn nuzzled against Kat’s breasts, Brand looked at Collin “while the women do their ohh and ahhh’s and teary womanly thing you can fill me in on this business of a call to all the Captains of the Flying Dragon Fleet” with a laugh Rav followed his father and Brand into the house.

Kat explained to Bitsy about TeeLinn as she fed her, Bitsy blinked then started to laugh as Mal appeared on the blanket monocle firmly stuck over one eye “baby ok? ohhhhhhh baby eat, good baby” Mal said peering through his monocle, Kat chuckled as Mal flew up next to her shoulder patted TeeLinn on her head waved bye bye and vanished.

“DeClan needs to put a leash on that boy” Bitsy said with a grin, Kat laughed “I seem to remember a certain young fairy who used to sleep in Rav’s cradle with him while she watched over him” Kat started to laugh even more “I also remember when Rav stood bouncing on Brand’s back as that same certain fairy lay under him, while Rav held onto her braid shrieking MINE” Bitsy laughed then touched her hot cheeks “I’m still blushing over that one, especially considering how you and Collin sauntered into the bedroom and carried Rav out, at least you waited until you got out in the hallway before the two of you started laughing like loons” Bitsy and Kat grinned at each other then burst out laughing.

Mar, Marti’en and Trink walked into the dining room, Zara smiled at Marti’en, “it’s a good thing you’re back, Mar would have been walking on his lower lip soon he’s been pouting so much” Mar glowered “was not” Trink chortled “yea were and yea know it yea big ol puff bag, yea been hidden out in that lair of yours and not comin out since Marti’en’s been gone, growly company yea been too.” DeClan came in with Tabby and Mal, both let out shrieks of joy to see Marti’en back home, they gave her big snuggles and purr’s. Mal bounced in his chair “hurry eat, go see Mal’s baby” all three blinked, Trink chortled loudly “I’m impressed me boyo, yup that I be” Mar snorted, Marti’en laughed and glanced at DeClan and Zara “starting young is he?” Zara frowned, DeClan just laughed “it’s Kat’s baby not Mal’s” Mal shook his head “uh uh, share, Virlane said so” Trink’s jaw dropped open “Kat had a baby? since when?” Zara giggled “since a week ago and she didn’t have a baby, she has a baby, a tiny dragoness named TeeLinn Cho.” Tabby watched Mal muttering and pouting as he ate his dinner, leaning over she nuzzled his cheek and purred “Mal’s Tee” Mal nodded his little dark eye’s bright with tears. DeClan frowned as Mal left the table without eating his dessert, he had just waved nightie night and flown out of the room. DeClan found Mal in his room, it took him a moment to clear out all the billowing black smoke and heat from the room, Mal stood at his window, his little face covered with soot and streaks where the tears had slid down his cheeks.

Mar smiled kindly at Zara seeing the concern on her face as she watched DeClan follow Mal out of the room, “he will out grow his fascination with the baby” Tabby shook her head “Mal’s Tee” Zara smiled at Tabby “can you show mama?” Trink jumped back away from the table as a shimmering vision appeared, in the center played the hatchling’s Mal and TeeLinn, it changed to a young Mal and TeeLinn holding hands, with another rippling shimmer it changed to show a beautiful young woman with long flowing black hair dressed in a kimono, next to her stood a young man, his arm protectively over her shoulder, a young version of DeClan, the vision changed again to show an older TeeLinn and Mal, a small child holding each of their hands, one last time it changed to show an ancient dragon curled around his oriental dragoness. Mar blinked as Zara asked Tabby if she had shown that to Mal, Tabby shook her head “Mal knows in his heart mama” Marti’en smiled softly at Tabby “you don’t show often what you see do you? little Tabitha of earth and storm” Tabby shook her head “umm don’t see often, only when need too” she said and went back to her dessert. Seeing that Mar was going to pursue the subject with Tabby, Zara changed the discussion to the little ship in the beach room, which of course Trink had to go take a look at, dragging Mar along, as much as an elf can drag a dragon.

DeClan sat down on the window seat by Mal “are you upset because I said that TeeLinn was Kat’s?” Mal sniffled nodding “TeeLinn Mal’s” he told his papa with a little defiant roar “Mal’s baby here!” he roared again thumping his little chest with his paw. His little eye’s shimmering brightly with tears he looked at his papa “understand? papa, Tee always be in Mal’s heart” DeClan wiped the tears off of Mal’s sooty cheek.

“I understand more then you’ll ever know, son” DeClan picked Mal up and snuggled him against his chest “how about you think of it as Virlane and Kat taking care of TeeLinn until she’s all grown up for you, as Virlane said, you can share her. TeeLinn’s in their hearts too, you wouldn’t want to make Kat cry would you? no, I didn’t think so, that means having to share a lot and it won’t be easy, but your mama and papa will be there to help” Mal blew his little snout on his papa’s big once white handkerchief, DeClan chuckled “how about we repair the damage to your room then a hot bath, you’re a little on the grimy side” Mal grinned and hurriedly helped his papa.

Collin slowly opened his eye’s and smiled, finding himself looking into a soft pair of doe eye’s, TeeLinn was standing on his chest her little paw patting his jaw.

“hungry? sweetheart” he whispered, TeeLinn shook her head with a comical look of disgust on her face, she held up a little wet blanket, chuckling Collin picked her up and quietly slipped out of bed, in a minute she was clean, dry and warm, snuggled against her new papa’s chest as he purred softly, content TeeLinn closed her eye’s and went to sleep, her tiny paw laying on his chest over his heart.

Trink, Mar and Marti’en walked into Collin’s study, “that’s a fine howdydoo, not even lettin old Trink know about a new hatchy” Collin chuckled “we were giving her a little time to get used to us then planned on having a family get together so you all could met her.” Marti’en nodded “where are Kat and the new one?” she chuckled seeing the little face peering over the edge of the desk, little paws holding on as TeeLinn sat up on her papa’s lap where she had been curled up in her blanket. Mar rested his chin on the corner of the desk with a wide grin, Trink chortled “yea going to scare her grinning like that, yea look demented with all them big ol teeth showin” Trink sauntered around the desk “whoooeeee now yea be a lil purty, that yea be, gunna come say howdee to ol Trink?” TeeLinn looked at the funny little man with the green bow in his long beard and kind, gentle eye’s, who was holding out his hands to her, she looked up at her papa then back at Trink and held out one little paw, Trink smiled picking her up.

Mal and Zara came flying in “baby come story time?” Mal asked Collin, looking around he frowned “where’s Mal’s baby?” TeeLinn hearing Mal’s voice used her little paws and parted Trink’s beard, peering out she gave a squeaky purr, Mal blinked then giggled as he flew over to the back of the chair Trink was sitting on, resting his chin on Trink’s shoulder, Mal giggled again to see TeeLinn wrapped around Trink’s neck, wiggling around TeeLinn put her little chin on Trink’s shoulder and purred at Mal. Mal grinned giving her tiny cheek a lick “can baby come?” Collin looked at Zara, “story time?” Zara smiled and explained that every Tuesday they have story time, it was Lexi’s idea, she, Con, Falk, Bartolow even Trink she said smiling at Trink, come over and read a story, each taking turns every week, then she let him know that Crispin, Ailysh’s little ones and Alana come for story time also. Collin checked with Kat, who came in the room smiling saying she thought it was a wonderful idea, smiling at Marti’en Kat commented that they should ask the mistress of story telling to join the group, Marti’en chuckled saying she would be delighted. Mal seeing the sad look in Mar’s eye’s gave a purr “Mar tell story too, Mar got lots stories” Mar beamed “I can sure tell a whooping good tale” Mal giggled at Mar who grinned back at him. Kat asked where Tabby was, Zara smiled saying that Tabby was at home with Lexi, the girls were redoing Tabby’s room, they had all ready done Mal’s room, Mal nodded enthusiastically “got new bed, boat bed” Mar raised an eyeridge “boat bed?” Zara laughed “you should see it, it’s a bed shaped like a ship, the footboard has a little platform with a ships wheel, the headboard is a mast with a sail, it even has a treasure chest for all of Mal’s booty. Trink chortled “me purty Tabby’s been busy it sounds like” Zara chuckled “actually I think she just helps come up with the idea’s, Lexi seems to be the one who’s making all these fun things” Collin keeping an eye on TeeLinn who was laying on Trink’s shoulder, her eye’s half closed asked if anyone had seen Lexi’s dragoness, and got a negative reply from everyone. Mal stopped purring at TeeLinn and looked up at Collin “Lexi scared of dragoness, terrible temper Lexi says to Tab” Mar hmmm’d “I wonder if that’s why she is afraid of dragons, I’ve seen the way she edges out of a room if any of us are there” Mal licked TeeLinn’s cheek “Lexi happy talk to animals an playing with her magic” Marti’en chuckled “so she talks to animals does she, tell us about her magic, Mal” Mal patting the little red ridges on TeeLinn’s head as she purred sleepily shrugged “Tab says Lexi has lots magic all hidden inside emerald dragoness” Mal giggled “Tab says Lexi gunna blow up Finbar soon.”