Chapter 33

Nedra entered the cave "my ohhh sooo silly sweet one Nedra she must put a stop to this adventuring, yes Nedra she must insist" with a hiss Nedra walked over to Miranda, kneeling down she gathered Miranda into her arms "come do not cry my delight, we have come to take you home to those that love you." Morpaw stood watching the others come piling into the cave, Virlane looked around "not quite as homey as I would like but we can fix that up in no time." Rav laughed "I think we're just here for a visit, father." Virlane grinned "ahhh right you are." Christopher rushed over and knelt next to Nedra giving her a worried look, gently he reached out and wiped the crystal tears from Miranda's cheeks "don't cry Mandy" Miranda opened her eyes hearing Christopher's voice then with a sigh closed them again. "The young one is very sick" Nedra nodded "this Nedra knows, but she can do nothing here, she must wait until we have passed once again through the mirror." Strut standing on the table his hands on his hips snapped "she maybe out like a light, but she promised to take us with her, you folks gunna keep her side of the bargain?" Alex looked at the odd little dragon "if she made a promise then we keep it, gather whatever you need to take and let's go." Nedra using just a bare touch of magic changed Miranda into her human form so that Christopher could carry her. Alex picked up her pack and mandolin and slung it over his shoulder. Mar turned to the old dragon "come along my friend, it's damn cold in this place for old bones" Morpaw shook his head, Renlock grabbed his arm "what do you mean no? you have to come!" Morpaw smiled sadly "my gentle Shelaw can not make a wild flight through the mist and wevrils, I am old and lame, I will stay by my Shelaw's side to the end."

Virlane grinned at Rav "you first son" Rav bowed "not at all, age before beauty" Virlane laughed then picked Morpaw up, Morpaw struggled "no I can't leave my Shelaw" Rav picked up the old dragoness gently "we'll try and make this as quick as possible my lady, fear not for the very best have arrived to lend a hand." Shelaw smiled "thank you young son." Kirk seeing the three small dragons called out to Alex "wait up I think you've got some passengers for that pack" Alex turned and chuckled, opening the pack two of the dragons climbed in, "you think I can't handle a wevril or two?" snapped Strut, Kirk laughed "no, we just don't want to step on you in the rush." Strut snorted but got in the pack. Hank, Brand, Connor and Kirk with Mar formed a column on either side of Christopher, Virlane and Rav, Nedra took the lead, Alex with the three other dragons took the rear.

Once again they fought their way through the mist and the wevrils, "you know if we had Trink here muttering and Zara puffing we would be out in no time" called Connor to his father. Alex laughed "no all we need is Izzie, she would boss them scared silly and they would all turn tail and run." Mar flaming a wevril grinned "this is almost as much fun as toasting Trink." Brand laughed "nothing will ever beat you toasting his rear, won't ever forget him screaming out of the house to land in a mud puddle." Mar roared with laughter "well I must say that was one of my better toasts." Kirk started laughing "there is always Laurel's forks." Virlane started laughing saying to Morpaw "we are a rather unusual group, but we're great fun at parties." Rav heard his father and started laughing. Alex winked at Mar "they don't know about drop or stalk yet do they." Mar's eyes lit up and he grinned toothily.

Reaching the mirror they passed through quickly Nedra the last to leave, stepping through the mirror, she touched it turning it to solid stone, suddenly the whole cavern shook, Nedra smiled "Nedra she did not care for those ohhhh soo snappy little beasts or the evilness of that place, it is no more, now we take the little tidbit home to her mama." Renlock stood a look of uncertainty on his face, Connor smiled "come on, you all need something to eat and warming up." Strut stuck his head out of the pack "better not be roast wevril though." Raimi sighed "shut up Strut." Strut sank down into the sack pouting. Laurel gasped and rushed forward, trying to get Miranda from Christopher. Alex moved her away "let's get her up in bed first urchin, then you can fuss over her all you want, we have a few others that are going to be needing beds." Christopher smiled at Laurel "I can be next in line to fuss over her." Laurel saw Virlane and Rav holding the two dragons and almost ran up the stairs. Bitsy looked at Kat with a chuckle "shall we go lend a hand." Kat laughed "we better, she might put them in a broom closet by mistake." Brand turned to Natalie "this group could use a good healthy dose of food, why don't you send it to the pool room." Alex opened Miranda's backpack and laid it on the floor, out came the three small dragons, Toledoes holding Ailysh's paw as he gently pulled her out, Jenee smiled softly and bent down "your safe here, nothing is going to hurt you." Strut snorted "that's what they're saying now, just wait." A sleepy eyed Zara flew down the stairs to her papa, seeing the small dragons she flew down to the floor, reaching out she wrapped her arms around Strut "little dragon" purring, Strut snapped pushing Zara away "hey you, get your paws off me, so I'm little big deal." Raimi grabbed Strut by the wings and shook him "can't you see she is only a baby, be nice or your a goner." Strut sneered at Raimi but didn't say another word, just found a table and sat on it glowering. Zara confused looked up at the big dragon then at bear who was wrapped snuggly in her little tail. Zara flew up and snuggled in her papa's arms staring at the three big dragons, carefully she reached out a tiny paw to touch Bartolow's fur "bear papa" Alex laughed "no puffball it's not a bear but a furry dragon" Zara her blue eyes wide as could be, quickly touched Bartolow's fur then pulled back her paw "ohhhhhhh furry" curling her tail around she held up bear for Bartolow to see with a big silly hatchling grin. Bartolow smiled saying nothing.

With a squeal Zara heard the door start to open Mar grinned wickedly, the new dragons blinked in surprise as the tiny hatchling disappeared from her papa's arms. Revanche walked in smiling "looks like I missed all the fun." Mar grinned "not at all, we're glad you could DROP in" Zara dropped down on Revanche grabbing his ears in her tiny paws making grrrrring noises" with each swish of her tail she smacked him in the face with bear. Laughing Revanche reached up and took Zara off his head "that's a Mar trick if I ever saw one." Zara grinned at Revanche then licked his cheek. Alex laughed, Mar chortled "Zara stalk" with a shriek startling the new dragons Zara flew out of Revanche's arms to land on the floor a few feet away, Zara stalked towards Revanche with little puffing growls. Revanche the dragon bent down grinning at Zara who was making little grrrrring noises at him, Revanche crouched with a "woof woof." Zara stopped with a confused look on her little face, then sat down "uh uh, grrrrrrrr grrrrrrrr no woof." Everyone started laughing, Revanche picked Zara up "yup it's grrrrrrr." Zara grinned, Revanche seeing his father coming down the stairs called out "catch" and sent Zara with a shriek of laughter tumbling and somersaulting in Rav's direction.