Chapter 10

DeClan gently tucked Mal next to his mother and Tabby then got up, changed clothes, opened the door for Fuzz and followed him out of the room. With a large mug of coffee in his hand he went out into the garden, the air smelled of fresh wet grass, the flowers still damp from the rain during the night, he wandered through the garden noting the tree's, the flowers, the bushes all as he had sketched out on his plans, with a few large tree's along one side of the garden for the cat he guessed, he liked the addition of the porch along the back of the house. He went through the side gate into the front courtyard looking around at the wide green lawn's, the beautifully cut symmetrical small evergreen tree's and bushes, standing back he looked at his home and smiled "looks good doesn't it cat" Fuzz purred loudly rubbing against his leg, walking through the front doors he glanced around the large entry way for the first time he noticed the furniture and decorations, it all had a very feminine flavor to it with a chuckle he started going from room to room, in the dining room he looked over the long heavy table and chairs, DeClan went through the glass doors that had not been there before and found a smaller room, light and airy with plants hanging and on small tables, in the center of the room was a small round dining table, off to one side were door's leading out into the garden. "The little mistress enjoys eating out here, she says it feels more homey then the big room" Lynn said with a smile, DeClan nodded "I think she's right, it is much more comfortable then eating at the big table" Lynn wiped her hands on her apron and asked if he wanted his breakfast now, DeClan shook his head saying he wanted to just wander for a little while then he would be back for breakfast. "She wanted everything just right for when you came home, the little mistress did, a few things were off kilter but the big dragon Virlane fixed those up yesterday, now you don't have to duck going out onto the porch" Lynn told DeClan with a smile, DeClan simply nodded as he walked out of the breakfast room, which was the name Lynn used for it. At the back of the house he opened a door and looked in, raising and eyebrows he walked in, DeClan knelt down and put his hand in the oil pool, wiping the oil off his hands with a small towel, putting his hand in the bathing pool and felt the warm water, he smiled Mal should enjoy that he thought, then opened a door on the far wall. DeClan blinked and peered inside at the ocean waves and beach, bending down he reached in and picked up a handful of sand and let it trickle through his fingers. "It's great fun to play in, you can make it a warm sunny day or a moonlit night" commented Brand seeing the confused look on DeClan's face, DeClan tossed the sand back into the room and nodded "I don't think he knows how to play, darling" Bitsy said silently to Brand as she sat on his shoulder. Brand winked at Bitsy "the brat and I find it very ahhh invigorating, just have to watch out for sand getting in place's it shouldn't" Bitsy laughed "that's what the bathing pool is for, to wash the sand off" Brand gasped "now you tell me" Bitsy stuck her tongue out at him, Brand put his hand over his heart "promises, promises" Bitsy whispered in his ear, Brand grinned widely "a bite or a nibble?" Bitsy whispered again, Brand laughed "I'm going to take the brat here home for breakfast, if you need anything just give us a yell" DeClan stepped away from the beach door and held out his hand "I want to thank the two of you for all that you did to help, we are in your debt" Brand shook DeClan's hand with a grin "you paid that back ten fold last night with the lad and the leg sticking out of his mouth, I haven't laughed so hard in years, we need to use that on Falk come gathering" Bitsy laughed "I think that would be more then Falk could handle, you men are so mean" DeClan couldn't help but smile as the two left, Brand telling Bitsy he would show her mean, with Bitsy replying "I'll bite you" and Brand grinning "that's what I'm counting on." Rav found DeClan in one of the tower rooms, "I never got the chance last night to explain about what happened with Tabby" he said as he looked around the room that DeClan was in the process of turning into, from what he could see, a pretty amazingly well thought out wizards work room. DeClan handed Rav a large mug of coffee "I never could abide those little tea cup's" he commented, Rav chuckled sitting down. "Tabby's a storm dragoness, as I'm sure you're aware, I've never heard of such a young dragon or dragoness drawing the power of the storm like she did last night, but that's what she was doing without realizing it, someday she'll be able to catch that lightening bolt and toss it back or absorb it's power, that was the white glow you saw, she was pulling the the lightening to herself" DeClan sipped his coffee with a thoughtful look on his face "why? does it make her stronger? is it something she needs?" Rav hmmmmmm'd trying to decide how to put the feeling into words "no she doesn't need it, she could live all her life without it as many storm dragons do because they can't deal with the sudden surge, as to making her stronger, well it's an incredible energizer, it's rather hard to explain the feeling of power that streaks through your body, most can't harness or control it but I have the feeling Tabby will be able too, which could be pretty amazing but also can be dangerous if she doesn't know how to handle it, that's why I commented last night when's she ready I'll give her a hand. I would like to suggest that you put up lightening rods until she is older, we get more then our fair share of storms in this area and I would hate to see this place get hit by lightening like last night every time one passes through." DeClan chuckled "that certainly made my heart skip a beat last night, thank you for the lightening rod suggestion, I'll take care of that right away, is it just thunder storms or any kind of storm that she will be attracted too?" Rav smiled "well I'm partial to thunder storms, but any kind of storm is attracting, even a simple rain shower can be fun to play in." DeClan saw the look on Rav's face like he wanted to say more, sighing inwardly he stiffened his back and waited for the caustic comments or derision he knew was to come. Rav saw the change in DeClan, his eyes suddenly cold and wary, Rav hoped that Zara could one day teach DeClan that not everyone was out to cause pain. "It's about Trink, he can be a major pest from time to time but we're all he has, the children become his little boyo's or the girls his little purties, Trink's been very special in all our lives, he's been there when we've laughed, cried, hurt, yelled and screamed always with a bow and tankard of ale to ease the heartaches, so if he gets under foot you know why." DeClan nodded then started chuckling "cough him up" a big grin spread across Rav's face "that was a good one, did you ever get Mal to let lose of the leg?" DeClan started laughing "finally, after Zara told him she wasn't going to feed him with Trink's leg sticking out of his mouth." DeClan and Rav walked into the entry hall still laughing, Fuzz padding along at DeClan's heels. Fuzz went into a crouch and let out a long low rumbling sound deep in his throat, DeClan said to the cat "do NOT touch the dog" Fuzz looked up at DeClan his eyes golden slits, then looked back at the huge dog, Fuzz tailtip slowly twitched as he stared at the dog, Hellhound seeing the cat let out a wild arrrooooowwwwww bounding forward, "Hellhound here!" snapped Raimi quickly, she had heard about the cub shortly after Falk had given it to Zara but it had slipped her mind, she groaned seeing the size of the cat, Hellhound turned and looked at Raimi his tail wagging as he went back to stand next to her. Fuzz who at the dogs howl had sprung straight up on top of a large chest sat crouched, Revanche coming in carrying Crispin rolled his eyes seeing the two animals staring at each other, Crispin wiggling out of his fathers arms went toddling over to see the new animal, Fuzz stared down at the child then back at the dog, giving DeClan another long look Fuzz sprang from the chest and raced half way up the staircase to lay on the stairs his tail slowly swishing. Revanche grabbed Crispin as he started to crawl up the stairs after the cat, DeClan said calmly "I don't believe the cat will hurt the boy or touch the hound, he is just being territorial" Raimi nodded keeping a close eye on Hellhound "we just dropped in to see the new additions to the family and to tell Connor there is some kid named Al looking for him." Laurel came down the stairs carrying a blanketed bundle "Zara is taking and bath and will be down in a little while" Revanche smiled "is that one of the babies, we're supposed to give Strut a full report" Laurel chuckled "this is both babies" going over and standing next to Raimi and Revanche, Laurel uncovered the sleeping hatchlings, Hellhound who wanted to see the babies too stood on his hind feet, his front paws on Raimi's shoulders sniffing and wagging his tail, like a black streak Fuzz was in between Laurel and Raimi hissing loudly, DeClan snapped his fingers "cat" Fuzz glowered at DeClan but padded over to stand next to him. Mal poked his head out of the blanket his eyes wide hearing Fuzz hiss, Tabby snuggled closer to her grandmama then with her black eyes going wide she saw Hellhound, a little paw came out of the blanket, his tail wagging furiously Hellhound nuzzled and licked Tabby's tiny paw, as Laurel quickly pulled Mal's snapping jaws away from the hounds ear. DeClan tisked, Mal looked at his papa and shook his head, DeClan shook his head back then with a chuckle took Mal from Laurel, kneeling down he showed Mal to Fuzz, with a deep rumbling purr Fuzz licked Mal all over, sniffing and pushing him a little checking him over, then looked over at Laurel, "Tabby is fine too" he told the cat, Mal gave Fuzz a squeaky purr licking him back, satisfied Fuzz laid back down by DeClan's feet, still watching Laurel. Rav chuckled "instead of us standing out here waiting for the cat to eat Hellhound lets go get some breakfast, then I need to head home and make sure there was no storm damage" Crispin holding his father's hand toddled along, pulling his hand away he plopped down on his bottom next to Fuzz, his small hand reached and petted the cat, giggling he stood up then fell over Fuzz, everyone froze except for DeClan who chuckled, he could almost hear the cat sigh as Crispin started crawling all over him, Revanche picked Crispin up and followed everyone into the dining room. Once Laurel was sitting down Fuzz padded over staring at Tabby, Raimi chuckled "he's certainly keeps a close eye on them doesn't he" Laurel nodded as she pulled back the blanket letting Fuzz check Tabby all over, Fuzz eyes flared as he smelled the dog on Tabby, he started licking her all over, Tabby gave a tiny purr. Revanche laughed "they won't need a bath this morning if he keeps that up" Mal's eyes lit up and he held out his little paw looking at his papa, in his paw a tiny basin, DeClan smiled "after breakfast" taking the little basin and setting it on the table. Lynn came out of the kitchen carrying a large platter, DeClan frowned "Lynn do you need help in the kitchen?" taking the platter and setting it on the table without moving from his seat, Lynn smiled "things have been a might hectic but I can handle it" Rav coughed nodding at the platter that was now floating down the table in Fuzz's direction, DeClan shook his head "Tabby, the cat has already eaten, he doesn't need anymore even if he asks for it, put the platter back" the platter slowly moved back to where it was, Revanche grinned "how did you know it was Tabby?" DeClan smiled "because Mal is too busy at the moment chewing the buttons off my shirt and if he had wanted the cat to have the platter it would be on the floor right now" Fuzz realizing he wasn't going to get anything off the platter laid back down by DeClan's feet. DeClan tried not to frown as Zara came in, she still looked pale and tired, Zara gave Hellhound a big hug, smiled at Raimi and Revanche, gave Crispin a snuggle, looked to see where Mal and Tabby were, then fixed herself a plate and sat down, Fuzz put his head in her lap and purred, she smiled and gave him a long hard scratch behind the ears. Tabby held out her small arms to her mama, Laurel smiled and gave Tabby to Zara who snuggled her against her chest as she ate, DeClan sat watching Tabby her little eyes following Zara's spoon back and forth, when her tiny tongue came out each time Zara put the spoon in her mouth, he chuckled "I think someone is tasting your food for you" Zara looked down at Tabby in surprise "isn't she to young to be eating regular food" she asked looking at her mother. Laurel smiled "it all depends on the hatchling, Connor started eating almost from the second he hatched, Miranda didn't want anything but milk for months, you started eating food early also, try giving her a little taste and see what she does." Zara dipped her spoon into the porridge and put a little dab on the end of the spoon then blew on it for a minute, Tabby watched the spoon the whole time, with a smile Zara put the end of the spoon in front of Tabby and touched it to her lips "try a taste sweetie" Zara told her, Tabby her eyes wide licked her lips, DeClan laughed seeing the ohhhhhhhh look on Tabby's little face as she opened her mouth for some more, it turned into one spoonful for mama, one tiny spoonful for Tabby. Mal clawed his way up his papa's chest to his shoulder everyone started laughing to see a small spoon sticking out of his mouth and a hopeful look on his face as he tried to make MmMmMm noises around the spoon, DeClan took ahold of the spoon and sighed "you have to let go of it if you want a taste" Mal let go of the spoon with a silly hatchling grin his mouth already open for a bite. DeClan put a small spoonful of porridge in Mal's mouth, then blinked as the porridge came flying back out of Mal's mouth a horrified look on his tiny face as he spit and wiped the porridge off his tongue with his little paw. DeClan said calmly "I gather you didn't care for the porridge" as he wiped the porridge off the front of his shirt, Mal stuck out his tongue and wrinkled his little snout up then pointed to a piece of toast with jam on it that was on his papa's plate. DeClan glanced at Zara who gave him a why not look, he handed the toast to Mal who reached out with his little paws his black eyes gleaming, first he licked the jam with a loud MmMmMm then chomped on it. Revanche covered his mouth trying not to laugh as Mal turned and looked at his mama his little fangs clamped on the toast as he grinned around it, jam all over his snout, Rav laughed and started to tell Revanche and Raimi about the stuffed leg. "And on that note I think it's time to head home, Raimi why don't you toss Crispin to me and we'll go visit his grandmother" Revanche looked at his father in surprise, Rav said silently "Zara and DeClan haven't had a moment's peace since he got here, I doubt they've had a second to say one private thing to each other, I think it's time for everyone to tactfully withdraw" Revanche smiled "I will have to tease Mar about that, it was great to see the little one's, they will have to meet Ailysh and Toledoes kids, should be fun" Raimi handed Crispin to Rav with a smile "don't be surprised if Strut doesn't show up to see for himself that the babies are fine, he was snorting all over the place fussing about them being early, take care" they all waved and with Hellhound at Raimi's heels left, Laurel chuckled as she carried dishes into the kitchen.