Adjusting to Ava.

Days past and I didn't see Mabel or Ava. Meadow began using the cave's more primitive hot nest instead of the modern one in Mabel's cabin, so Daisy began sleeping in the cave again. Why? Because Daisy couldn't handle anymore of Ava's 'personality'. Because of my duties on my territory, and all of the testing Daisy and I had to go through; I ran into Ava often. Soon enough I realized why Daisy wanted to avoid her.

My head shot up from my mossy bed a growl immediately coming from my throat, I could hear and smell an intruder in my cave, only to see Ava trying to clean my cave.

"How did you find my cave? And how did you get in here undetected?" I questioned calmly, though I was angry with her intrusion.

"Oh honey I am an expert in sneaking around sleeping dragons. I have been a dragon lady for a long time, and you are a dragon." I looked around my cave and noticed that the scales that had illuminated my cave were hanging on the ceiling, no longer pushing light up through the mossy floor, but shining down onto the cave from above. A framed picture of Mabel and I was sticking to the wall. I didn't remember ever taking a photo, but I had a feeling that Ava did. I looked to my side where Wisp, Nymph, Meadow, and Daisy were all sleeping. I growled, waking all but Daisy. The three little dragons instantly rose from sleep and stood up looking for a threat; once they noticed it was only Ava they curled back into Daisy's wings, falling asleep immediately. Humph some guards they are. I would have to work on their training more.

"You know Mabel really wants to come up here. You should invite her over." Ava spoke as she began scraping some blue lichen from the wall. I stood up planning to grab her gloved hand to stop her from ruining my cave, but instantly my horns were tangled in the hanging glowing scales. I was angrily swatting them with my claws, my arms flailing and slicing like a trapped animal. Ava stood and watched. With one of her gloved hands she scratched her chin.

"Hmm and it was so pretty. Maybe if I..."

I was doing my best to stay calm, but everything burst from my mouth before I could compose myself.

"Humans aren't allowed here! Not you, not Mabel, not any human! No one and nothing is to change my cave. My cave is natural and my home, it isn't a little rock dollhouse for you to decorate!"

At this point Daisy and all of the little dragons were staring, obviously worried for Ava's safety.

"Honestly what made you even think that the most powerful dragon on this land would want you to change their home?!" I yelled at her as I finished cutting the rest of the thread from my horns.

"Hmm not a very greatful dragon." Ava said, obviously not realizing the offense. "Fine I can tell when I'm not wanted." she said and turned heel to begin the trek back down the cliffs. My eye began twitching as I turned and really took in all of the changes she made. Wisp and Nymph had started to take down the strings and scales from the cave roof. I was grateful for those two, they were a bit spoiled, but they knew when they needed to be there. I shoved the fallen scales back in the moss where they belonged. I didn't even acknowledge the burning and shocking sensations given by the Mystic Whisper scales. I was grumbling thinking of all of the things I could have done to punish Ava, but couldn't do because... well humanity. I snapped out of my thoughts when I was slapped with a thin wing. I looked up and saw Daisy standing as tall as she could, trying to look intimidating.

"Go away you grumpy Gretel. Go spar with Switch or beat up a rock so you won't kill Mabel's mom." Daisy told me, trying to sound as though she was my mom. She might be a child, but she was fairly mature, and was definitely right about me needing to blow off steam. I kissed the top of her head.

"Me, Meadow, Wisp, and Nymph will put the cave back to normal." she said saluting me, causing me to laugh. I left the cave, and decided to take her advise and spar. I walked down the cliff and through the woods where Switch was. I stopped in my tracks when I saw Ava standing in the woods nagging at Switch, and wagging her finger. I listened in before she noticed I was around.

"I know you dragons can understand me. I have been in the dragon business for years, so listen here. You are being too tough on Mabel's dragon. That little Gull Wing disabled and small for her age, you need to treat her more gently. Also Mabel attends with her dragon, so you should go easy for Mabel too. Give them a handicap." Ava continued nagging Switch until I walked up to her.

"Oh Ivy you are here!" she said excitedly, "Can you tell this dragon how the lessons for the disabled Gull Wing should be easier." she said this assuming I would be on her side.

"Ava that dragon you are talking about isn't 'Mabel's dragon' or 'that disabled Gull Wing", her name is Peculiar. I can assure you Switch's lessons are fair, and are actually optional. Most of the dragons don't bother with them. Peculiar is determined to be independent, so she works as hard as she can, and Mabel is simply moral support. Like a parent helping their kid practice for baseball." I tried to explain. Though she was getting on my last nerve with her acting like a Karen...to a dragon. Mabel and Peculiar showed up shortly, and I used that as a distraction for my escape.

I was walking up and down the river's edge listening to the water and trying to think of a way to keep myself from killing Ava. A huge whoosh of air blew behind me as Cortelco landed on the ground behind me.

"Sheesh is one annoying old lady all it takes to get you this riled up?" Cortelco mocked. "Switch doesn't seem to be her biggest fan either...or Daisy, or the Shadow Sights, even her family seems on edge. Why is she here again?"

I rub my hands down my face pulling down my lower eyelids. "Because I stupidly thought she would be a good teacher to Mabel. Now I can't boot her out because I would look like an idiot." I said sounding overdramatic even to myself.

"Wow how low has fallen the mighty False Human." Cortelco mocked again.

I plopped my body over Cortelco's back in a huff.

"Will you fight me? Switch is busy with lessons now. Please Telee." I pleaded

Cortelco just huffed "Ask Rose she is pretty grumpy since she laid those eggs."

My head popped up with my eyes wide.

"Rose laid eggs! Why didn't anybody tell me?!" I exclaimed nearly letting it slip out loud. I immediately turned around and went to the rocky cliffside where the Gull Wings typically stayed. I smelt out Rose and ran to her, she laid sleeping on the riverbank.

"Telee told me you laid eggs! I am so happy for you. Why didn't you tell me? How many?" I asked way to quickly for her to respond.

"I didn't tell you because I still don't like you; also eggs and hatchlings are just a waste of time. And there are four eggs." Rose replied in a bored matter. "Reticent seems excited though, so that is nice." she said her mood instantly changing to one of contentment.

"Ahh you guys are so cute? Is Reticent with the eggs? Can I see them?" I asked her trying not to sound like the dragon fangirl I had become.

"Yeah Reticent is with them go to him." she said then laid her head back down to continue her nap. I took in Reticent's sent and followed him to a shallow alcove in the cliffs side.

"Mama! Come see my babies!" Reticent yelled excitedly, rather uncharacteristically. I peaked into the alcove to see four perfect Gull Wing eggs.

"Mama aren't they perfect? Rose gave them to me, so they will always be perfect." Reticent said still staring lovingly at the eggs.

That dragon was talking as if he were the perfect prince charming of every little girls dream. Hard to believe he would more likely be trapping the princess in the tower.

"Your eggs are absolutely perfect in every way, no doubt. You plan on raising them like I raised you right?" I asked him genuinely concerned.

"Of course. Rose doesn't seem very excited, but I know she will love them as much as me. You will be the grandma now, not a mama again." I hugged his snout then backed off, remembering that eggs tend to hatch when I am around. Then sadly I remembered why I was awake in the first place. Then a brilliant anger management solution popped into my head.

"Reticent, if I make a cave on the cliff close to here will you move your babies there after they hatch? I can punch the cliffside and break a hole big enough to be a cave that would fit you and Rose." His head perked up when I said that it would be able to fit himself and Rose.

"My family would live together. Yes I will move our babies." He said excitedly. He wrapped his tail around the eggs tighter, with a dragony grin across his face. I turned around around practically skipping down the cliff trying to find the perfect spot for their cave. I stopped at an area of the cliff that the sun shown brightly onto. It was perfect, this would help keep the hatchlings warm, and the dragons could sunbathe while still being with the babies.

I cracked my knuckles and began punching the wall. It didn't take long to figure out that hitting a cliff with your bare hands doesn't feel good. Still I left a sizable dent in the cliffside. I decided it best to walk to Mabel's house to see if she had a solution to my sore hands. Before I could get to her cabin though I noticed that Mabel's scent was coming from all different directions. I looked closer and noticed that there were several locks of red frizzy hair tucked into tree bark and tied to saplings. That girl was tricky masking her scent so well. Though I could still make out her location as the scent was stronger. I could smell that she wasn't in her cabin at all. I followed her trail until I found myself in Callalilly's flower field. A hand popped out from the tall flower bed and attempted to yank me down. I stared down at Mabel who just whispered "Hiding from Mom."

I laid down next to her, the grass and flowers practically hiding us from anyone walking by.

"So why mask your scent? I am pretty sure your mom won't be able to sniff you out." I said with a smirk. Mabel continued to look at the sky, "Because I wouldn't put it past her to nag a dragon into sniffing me out." she said in an emotionless voice.

"Yeah she is a bit overbearing." I agreed. "I actually need your help with something related to that." I confessed.

"I won't help you kill my mother." she mocked.

"Hardy Har Har. No it is the opposite I need an outlet to keep me from killing your mom, so I am making a cave for Reticent, Rose, and their family. But even my skin gets sore from repeatedly bashing my fists into stone...Wait why aren't you surprised about the eggs?!"

"Do you really have to bash your fists into solid stone to avoid killing my mother?" Mabel asked half with sarcasm the other with worry.

I just looked back at her giving her a look that gave her her answer. I shrugged my shoulders "It is what it is. Now tell me why you aren't shocked" I asked seriously. Did she learn about the eggs before me?

She spoke up grinning seeming to realize she had known something I didn't. "Peculiar told me." She said smiling, knowing that would confuse me.

"But you are human, you can't talk to dragons?! How?!" yelled sitting up straight.

"Peculiar came to me the other day really excited. I couldn't figure out why, and she seemed to be getting sick of my questions pretty quickly. So she scampered back into the woods and came back out with an orange leaf and a pink flower. She put those on the ground in front of me, then she went in search of four pebbles. She put the pebbles under the flower and leaf. Then finally with one of her claws drew a circle around it." Mabel explained with a proud look. I wasn't sure whether the pride was for Peculiar's intellect or her own.

"So a leaf a flower and some rocks? That's all it took to figure it out? There is no way you figured it out just like that." I said stating the obvious.

"Weeelllll there was a lot of guessing... like a LOT. But eventually I noticed that the only dragony orange thin I could think of was Reticent, then I remembered that he follows Rose everywhere. So I guessed if that's what the leaf and flower were and Peculiar hopped and spun around. And I thought how that was super cute which reminded me of that cute dinosaur movie. You know the one where the dinosaur gets a pet human?" she asked quickly but gave me no time to answer, "Well in that movie when they talked about family they drew a little circle around their little families made of sticks. So that is how I figured out the family part. and since dragons come from eggs, I imagined that that is what made them a family." I was impressed with her interpretations, and was going to say something, but once again she started talking.

"Oh, and just use some of your scales as armor of sorts. You will have to ask Bill or Will to make them into Brass knuckles or something though, because there is no way a sewing needle is piercing one of those." Mabel pointed out. You could tell talking to me had lifted her mood a bit.

I smiled at her and was about to stand up to go to my next errand, when suddenly Callalilly started letting out a high shrill. "Mama the other Mabel is bothering me!"

I bolted to the edge of the field where Callalilly was only to see Ava trying to gather some of Callalilly's nectar off with a large cotton swab. I tackled Ava to the ground, being careful to not actually harm her.

"I told you to respect my dragons! Not treat them like some experiments! Callalilly needs that nectar to catch her food. Don't steal!" I yelled, a low growl could be heard from my chest while I spoke. I got off of her as Mabel approached. I expected to be nagged and scolded by Mabel, but she surprised me.

"Mom, why on God's green earth did you think that was appropriate! These dragons aren't part of some experiment? Also Flower Frills aren't an uncommon species, so even if that was the case doing any tests on Callalilly would be unnecessary. That is supposing you actually had a good excuse. If this was any other adult Flower Frill you would be minced meat by now." Mabel made good points, against a person I dislike, all for the sake of my dragons. Though I still couldn't shake how uncomfortable it made me watching a child (grown or not) scold their parent. I held my hand up to silence Mabel. She scowled at me, but still stopped talking.

"Mouse I am not a fan of your mother, or what she just did." I said shooting a killer glare at Ava, "but I really don't approve of when people speak to their parents so harshly." I said calmly trying to sound mature. Ava grinned then opened her mouth to speak, but I quickly cut her off.

"Me on the other hand I have been given no reason to give you respect. So everything Mabel just said I am in 100% agreeance. You don't respect my dragons, whom are sentient beings. You don't respect me, though I am in charge of this territory, in fact you don't respect anything." Ava looked defeated, and Mabel obviously felt conflicted on whether she should console her mom or not. I turned heal and walked away, I needed to get indestructible gloves made. How on Earth was I going to learn to live with this woman?