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Dewprint and Poppyseed practiced almost every day. Feats of flight, the hard work of changing colors of things, setting objects into motion or stopping them in midair. Pretty soon, by the time that Harp was standing waiting for her own hatchling to come to her, the pair were obviously going to show off their training to the elders and do something that Poppyseed seemed to take in complete stride.

~I would like to get them, you don't mind do you?~ Poppyseed asked, and Dewprint chuckled.

"Well it's your decision, I don't think I'd do it myself, I mena, you've already got half a stone worth of ... stuff... on you. Where are you going to put tattoos?" Dewprint laughed as Poppyseed snaked his neck around to look at all of himself. His short wings fluttered as he levitated, swirling around like a pinwheel.

~I can put them everywhere! I know I am already marked but I want people to know that I am an Artist! A real one!~

Apparently they were so traditional, that Dewprint was not allowed in to watch. However, he did start getting itchy skin, was it pain? Was that Poppyseed's feeling? A remnant? Just because they could think together? He was kind of glad that they weren't allowing bonds in, because he wasn't sure he'd be able to even stay in the hut...

Shortly, well, after a few hours and the sun had gone down, Dewprint heard a *ahem* cough and turned to see a glowingly happy Poppyseed. "Yangwibbi, they look great!" He said, understanding now that the pain of the process was hardly a matter - it was the end results!

***

Would Harp's choice be any less active? Any more sedate?

The answer to that was... sadly,.... NO. A resoundingly loud NO. Full of herself from the moment she hatched, the ever-lovely Sagikkun swept through everyone's lives as a whirlwind. Well, more like a snowstorm or hurricane, because from an early age she was able to do water and ice tricks like nobody's business. That one time, she froze all the piercings on Poppyseed...

No one was safe from her pranking and tricks, certainly not elders, not Shields, no one. If she was ever serious, it was when Harp asked her to be, though that usually lasted all of a few moments. Harp, ever the dutiful 'parent' would sigh and ask again - but she did finally realize a trick to play on her bond. Not so much a prank, but a trick to use to get a moment's peace.

"I've become so lazy," Harp said, with a sigh. "My skills are going to fade if I don't use them."

~What skills are those? Can I do them? Are you good at them?~ Sagikkun badgered her.

"Well, I used to be quite good at tracking hidden prey. You know, in the brush and up trees or across streams. But now, I've been here letting Dewprint do most of the hunting. I may have forgotten how to track..."

Maybe she saw through it, but if she did, it didn't seem to matter to Sagi. She bolted off, ~you can try and find me!~ and 'hid'. Eventually Harp did go retrieve the hyperactive little lacewing, but this managed to keep both of them active and not in each other's way for quite a while...

***

Meanwhile, at another very strange location - under water and in a magically inclined domed city - Boldsword and Holly were watching and waiting. Somehow they both managed to understand the language which was being spoken here - though they knew it wasn't the language of their home. Perhaps it was their own magic, maybe something else.

This mysterious female creature, humanoid and elegant, introduced the clutch after much pomp. Shortly though, and completely missing the significance of what she'd really said - mostly because elves didn't need to mess with things (little did they know about half the creatures one or two elves shaped!) - the hatchlings started making their way toward the people gathered.

One of the crimson-pointed dragonlings, a dark gray with head held high, stalked towards the elf known as Boldsword. Stopping in front of him, she raised her eyes towards the elf, with a proud glimmer in her eye. I am Chisano. You are mine.

Beaming with pride, Boldsword nodded, "You sure are gorgeous, Chisano. I'm glad I'm yours. My parents will be really happy to see you."

A bit later, after some more weird antics that neither elf grasped (again, culture shock - what were these people doing?) another dragonet sped over to the elves.

I'm coming, I'm coming, don't leave mmmeeeeee! A crimson-pointed brown bolted headlong, practically crashing into Holly and knocking her down, before frantically licking at her face with his delicate pink tongue. I'm Izuru!

Izuru was glad that he hadn't been left behind, not that Holly had been going anywhere. Later they would discuss why no one would say anything about who the hatchlings parents were - at least not then.

"It's going to drive Harp up a tree," Holly laughed.

NEXT!!