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Chapter 9

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I awoke when the sky began to lighten. The sun had just touched the trees on top of the western ridge when Sarah's father emerged from his hovel. I shifted my wing so he could see his daughters. Sarah and Lily shifted in their sleep, snuggling deeper into my feathers. The man nodded, then shuffled off to an outhouse.

The village gradually came to life around me. The Milton family, whose home Mil'ly had destroyed and who had slept out opposite the bonfire, began to stir first. Mil'ly, slumbering by a copse of trees across the creek, woke next. She stretched, wings wide, first Down Dragon, then Urdhva Mukha Vritrasana, and gave herself a nice shake.

When the sun was half way down the canyon wall, the girls shifted again, and Lily leaned her head on Sarah's shoulder. Sarah opened her eyes.

"Good morning, little ones," I greeted them.

"Good morning, Yrog," Sarah replied. Lily grumbled a bit.

"Ready for a big day?"

Sarah raised her arms in a big strawn, dislodging Lily. Lily opened her bleary eyes.

"Where are we going today?" asked Sarah.

"First, you need to write a letter for you dad to give to Todd. Then, I'm planning to return to Tonerg. I need to send out hunt invitations so we can thin the monsters before tree harvesting."

Mil'ly exactly didn't saunter over. She genuflected before me. "Lord Yorg," she petitioned, "may I accompany you as your vassal?"

"Oh? What brings this on?"

"Mi'Lord, My Dame's lands are poor and poorly tended. If you accept my vassalage, I will strive to make your lands prosper."

I look down at Sarah. "See, this is what happens," I complain, "you feed something once and it follows you home like a pet."

"Hmm?" Sarah rejoins, "As I recall, I fed you the first time we met."

"Humph." I turn to Mil'ly. "Fine, I can always use a second set of claws, but you'll be earning your keep."

"Thank you, Mi'Lord."

"Hey Yrog," Sarah pipes up, "can we bring my sister along too?"

"Sorry, pet, the Pet Pod(tm) only fits one."

"That's okay. Lily can ride in the pod and Mil'ly can carry me." Sarah stands up and tugs her sister, "Come on!"

Mil and I blink and watch the two girls retreat to their family's home.

"Hmm....," I muse to the other dragon, "maybe I have been spoiling her a bit much."

Mil'ly nods.

"But you better not drop her."

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Shortly after the girls left, their father reappeared and strode over.

He bowed, "Mi'Lord Dragon, we were never properly introduced, I'm Micheal, Sarah's father. Thank you for looking after my daughter."

"The pleasure's been mine, Micheal. You're daughters are quite charming."

Micheal stands up straight, "May I ask, Lord Dragon, what do you intend with us?"

"A friend of mine noticed Sarah was quite homesick, so I've contrived to have you move to Tonerg. Rest assured, you and your family will be given a fair shake."

"And what do you plan for my daughter?" Micheal looks me in the eye.

"As stated, Sarah's my pet." I scratch my jaw with a hind claw. "In the near term, I plan to see to her education. Once she matures a bit, I may consider breeding her." I look at Micheal. "I promise to feed, water, and walk her everyday."

Lucky me, looks don't kill.

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Sarah returns with her little sister, who looks comic in an over-sized flightsuit. She hands a folded letter to her father. "Hey Dad, here's a letter to give to Mayor Todd. This way," she pulls Lily towards the Pet Pod(tm).

"Sarah," I interrupt her, "Aren't you going to say 'goodbye' to your father?"

Sarah stops and returns. She hugs Micheal. "Bye Dad. We'll see you when you get to Tonerg!"

Lily gives her father a longer hug. "Bye Daddy."

The two girls hurry off to the Pet Pod(tm). I relax till my head is eye level with Micheal. "Don't worry Mike. Your daughters and I will be sharing brunch with Mindy in Tonerg, likely before you've even packed."

Micheal shakes his head. "Please take care of them, Lord Dragon."

"Hike up this valley till it tops out on the ridgeline. Travel west from there and you’ll find the heart-shaped lake where I met Sarah. You could follow the outflow of that lake and eventually reach Tonerg, but it might be better to say high and follow the ridgeline North-east. Follow the high-lands north, and drop into the western canyon when you find a lake that flows that way. If you stay on the ridge too long, you'll reach my eyrie and have to backtrack. If you go past the the lake flowing west, you'll get cliffed out. Once you get to the canyon bottom, head downstream and you'll reach Tonerg. The whole trip should take about a week."

Mike listens closely and commits the directions to memory. He calculates, "Allowing time to pack, get lost on the way, and bad weather, it will probably take us two weeks." I nod. "No rush. I'll send Mil'ly to check on you in four days. Remember, my offer extends to your neighbors."

"Thank you, Lord... Yrog, was it?"

"Indeed."

Sarah sprints back to her house, the comes back out, clutching her violin, and jogs up to me, ebullient.

"Yrog, we're all ready to go!"