Two Days Later

Two days after her scales started popping out Daisy woke up, just as I had. This time though, unlike most mornings: I couldn't see her when she woke up. The DDP sent over two eggs to Mabel, and she didn't want them hatching quite yet, but with me around they would hatch near instantly. I think she just wants to see if eggs hatch around Daisy. Cortelco had fallen asleep next to me, and I sat on the river banks pondering whether unhatched dragons super speed grow so they can hatch to see me. Then I heard familiar small and quick pattering of two feet running to me, and I could smell Daisy as clear as day. Behind her I smelled Mabel, I could tell she was yelling but I didn't care to listen. I would remain calm and pretend I hadn't heard them coming. Soon enough Daisy popped through the wood line her scales were beautiful, though they were nothing like mine. I could see the shiny tint that covered her golden white scales. They looked so fragile, whereas mine were dull, but very sturdy. I didn't even notice she was holding something though.

"Sissy look this baby popped out of a egg on the bed!" I looked to her arms where a white Spirit Speaker hatchling was dangling like a ragdoll. "I called her Meadow." Daisy said proud at the name she had chosen, not realizing that you can't name dragons. Before anything could register in my mind Mabel popped through the forest line. She was holding a Creek Creeper hatchling softly, and was breathing heavily after chasing Daisy through the woods. Mabel began to speak to me through labored breaths.

"I...ugh.. I'm sorry. She opened her eyes and was thirsty. I went to get her water, and when I came back she had found the eggs and one had hatched in her hands on the bed." I sighed and pinched my eyebrows. I looked over to Telee who was scowling at the new baby Spirit Speaker. Daisy had gained some newfound courage and stuck her tongue out at the large dragon. "You are just mad because Meadow is cuter than you ever were."

I laughed which caused a grumble half growl to come from Cortelco. I walked to Daisy and knelt in front of her small, now scaly, figure. "Daisy did you know we aren't supposed to name hatchlings?" I asked her calmly.

"Well duh." she responded as though I had asked her something babies should know.

"Jasper told me that since Telee is a Spirit Speaker you got to name him. So when I got one I named her too... but my Spirit Speaker is prettier than yours." she whispered the last part. It is true that a Spirit Speaker will stay with whomever it imprints to, name or no. Judging on how Daisy isn't getting bit for how badly she is holding the hatchling, it can be assumed that it is imprinted to her.

For the first time I really looked at this tiny hatchling Her leathery hide was near completely white, and her eyes had a pink hue to them. Even the nails on her many toes were white.

"An albino Spirit Speaker. That has to be one of the rarest dragons out there. Okay little Meadow," I began speaking to the hatchling, "our resident Creek Creeper, Valorous, can communicate with hatchlings like you. So if you need to tell Daisy anything ask him to relay." The dragon tilted her head obviously confused, but she looked sluggish now as well. "Oh it is too cold for hatchlings!" I grabbed Meadow and the Creek Creeper and ran as fast as I could to Mabel's cabin. I held the hatchlings as firmly to my chest as possible, and covered them with the other arm, to block out the wind. Meadow was struggling and trying to bite and scratch her way back to Daisy, and the Creek Creeper just whimpered. Luckily against my scales no damage was done, my sports bra would be a casualty of this run though. "Meadow you will see Daisy soon. I am just faster than her on foot, so I am getting you to a warm place fast. I couldn't tell if she understood and calmed down or if she was just too sluggish to fight anymore. I got to the cabin and ran to the hidden elevator down to the nursery where I placed the two cold reptiles on the hot nest. Before anyone came back, I went to Mabel's closet and grabbed a jacket to cover my now bare chest; as my bra had been torn to pieces by sticks as well as a small dragon. I heard a thud on the roof followed by a thunk that came from the second floor. I went upstairs to see Daisy had clumsily entered through the window, after landing on the roof.

"Where is Meadow!?" she yelled at me. This sweet little girl yelled at me. Looks like overprotective dragon mom was a trait of our species, no matter the age.

I gave her a growl, which seemed to calm her, but really all it did was quiet her down. "I put Meadow and the Creek Creeper into the nursery t..." as soon as the location was revealed she ran, not letting me finish. I rolled my eyes and followed her at a walk. When I got down to the nursery Daisy was holding Meadow. trying to warm her up. The dragon was still moving slowly. "What is wrong with her? Did I do something bad?" tears started to form in Daisy's eyes.

"Daisy some dragons are cold blooded, and that means their body gets sluggish and doesn't work quite the same when they get cold. When they are bigger like Cortelco, they can handle it themselves, but hatchlings need to be taken care of. Meadow will be fine when she warms up. Just put her back on the hot nest and let her rest. There are beds in here if you want to stay by her." I explained and told the girl.

She nodded her head as she put the tiny dragon back on the heater. I pulled out one of the cots that was built into the wall, and placed the saddened Daisy on top.

"Daisy this isn't your fault. You didn't know any better, and you just wanted to show off your new lifetime best friend. Meadow won't die or get sick, she just needs time to heat up and grow up." I explained as calmly and soothingly as I could.

"What do you mean "lifetime best friend"?" Daisy asked. I was oddly proud that I managed to avert her attention from the hatchling's health.

"Spirit Speakers imprint on the first person or animal it sees." I started to explain.

"What is imprint?" Daisy asked raising a hand and a wing.

"You know how baby ducks think that their mom is whoever they see first?" I asked, giving her an example.

"Yeah." she said.

"That is imprinting. Since Spirit Speakers imprint to you they will have an instant lifelong relationship with you, except it is a million times stronger than a duck's bond." I began explaining again as Daisy was nodding her head. "Spirit Speakers will stay by your side no matter what, and when you die they will die as well. Just think of it like they want to be with you forever so they follow you to heaven." I explained in terms a child wouldn't find scary.

"Okay... but why does she have to be my best friend?" Daisy asked.

I shrugged my shoulders; "I suppose you could have a different relationship with her if you wanted. Most of the dragons here call me Mama, others call me Master. I raised most of them like a mother, so that makes sense. The ones I didn't raise call me Master because I am in charge here, but Cortelco is different. From the day he first saw me he knew he would spend forever with me, and that we were equals. So we call eachother by name, and are best friends because of our bond. It may be different for you. I hope not though."

The girl jumped off of the cot, walked over to the heated nest, and made a cave with her wings covering the two dragons and making an oven of sorts to heat up the hatchlings all the way around.

"Daisy me and you don't get warm like humans after we get our scales... so I took Meadow so I could get her to the warm nest faster. I know you could have flown but the sky is colder, and you didn't know where the hatchling's nest was. Daisy nodded her head.

"Thanks for saving my Meadow. I think I will make her my little sister, instead of my best friend." she said with a somber face that looked to the tiny white dragon.

"You know your Spirit Speaker sister looks a bit like a ghost." I told Daisy trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, whereas I look like the proud mystical beast I am." We could hear Cortelco say.

"You are just jelous because Meadow is unique, beautiful, and one of a kind."

Before Cortelco could give his response Mable burst through the nursery door disrupting our conversation. Daisy didn't know any better than to bring a hatchling out, but Mabel did. She wasn't going to be let off the hook. If looks could kill, my glare would have killed her a thousand times over. I could see the worry in her eyes, but as soon as she saw Daisy she knew the hatchlings were safe; then Mabel looked to me, and knew instantly that it should be herself she was worried about.

"I..I didn't have time to put the little guy in the nest because Daisy woke up and ran away." Mabel tried giving an excuse, that didn't work. Even Daisy was glaring at Mabel at this point. I grabbed Mabel's arm and dragged her out of the nursery, away from Daisy and the hatchlings.

once we were out of earshot of the nursery I began yelling. "Even if Daisy left that was no excuse to drag another baby along! Creek Creepers are frail hatchlings. You could have killed him! Even if one hatchling was dragged away with Daisy, that doesn't mean you should neglect the other! For God's sake they sleep for hours after hatching you wouldn't even need to watch him! You know Daisy is faster than you, why even bother chasing after her! I thought you knew what you were doing: You were raised around dragons by a dragon lady! Why don't you think before you act! You are a dragon lady now! Act like one!".

I looked to Mabel expecting excuses, but I just saw tears and snot running down her very red face. She clenched her fists and jaw tightly. You could tell she wanted to say something, but we both knew at this point it would only come out as a sob. I breathed a few deep breaths. I will call your parents, your mother will give you lessons, and your father will observe Daisy and I. That statement is what broke Mabel, she went from sad and guilty to angry instantly.

"I am a grown woman! You will not tell on me to my parents, I am not a child anymore." She said nearly yelling.

My eyes turned yellow and I growled instantly.

"You will submit. This is my territory, I will bring here whomever I desire. This is not a punishment, it is a necessary action. You know as well as any other I hate others coming onto my territory, but you must learn.". I took several breaths before I spoke again. My choice is not based on the fact that they are your parents. I chose them because I trust your father. I would rather that Mrs.Horn would not teach anyone, and I know your mother is a responsible dragon lady who doesn't have any hatchlings right now." I explained calmly while pinching my brow. We both stood quietly for awhile taking deep breaths to compose ourselves before returning to Daisy

"Put some ice on your eyes. They are pink and puffy still." I said trying not to sound cold myself. Rationally I knew this was simply a mistake, but the dragon side of me just wouldn't let it go. It seemed to continually eat at me. My head kept saying she wasn't reliable enough even though I knew she was. Trying to shake this feeling of distrust was hard. It wasn't... human. This is something the DDP needed to know about.