Lost Change

Chapter 56

Ivy led me around at first. She showed me a few of the trees where fresh fruit could usually be found and we had a light breakfast. Another dragonet found us after that and sang out a greeting to Ivy. Ivy joined her friend in a quick dance, with each of them spiraling and looping around each other in a happy reunion.

I spent a moment just staring at the newcomer. Her scales were a brilliant red that stood out against the greens and browns of the foliage around us. She seemed to shine in the late morning light, standing out clearly upon the branch she sat on. Privately I thought I liked the softer green of Ivy's scales better, but... counting myself, this made the third dragonet I had ever seen. And she made for the third color I had seen.

Just how many different colors did we actually come in...?

"Nate? Do you mind using the mindspeech for a bit?" Ivy trilled out the question to me as she settled down on the branch beside me. "You're blocking Amanda, and she would like to say hello."

I grimaced at the realization the newcomer must have been trying to talk to me. I imagined being back outside the den in my mind and began hearing the whispers of conversation from the other dragonets. "Sorry."

"It's fine! Nate, this is my friend Amanda; Amanda, this is the dragonet I was telling you about."

I tried not to worry about what Ivy might have been saying about me. "Hello."

"Hello, Nate. It's nice to meet you." The red dragonet smiled at me, then looked back towards Ivy. "How is Trenil treating you? Has he done anything that I need to go bite him for?"

Ivy grinned and shook her head. "No, he's still being nice."

I zoned out as the conversation shifted. The distant whispering of different conversations distracted me, and I was dimly aware of Ivy asking how Amanda's fledglings were doing. My head started to hurt as I tried to keep track of all the different trains of thought running through my head.

I took a nervous look around me. I could tell Ivy wanted to talk with her friend and I didn't want to pull her away, but I was fast reaching the limit of how much talking I was comfortable with.

As soon as there was a break in the conversation I excused myself by saying I wanted to be alone for a little bit, and Ivy nodded sympathetically. I heard her telling Amanda that I had been through a few rough months as I flew off, and I shut off the myriad whispers and thoughts of the other dragonets with a profound sense of relief.

I glided from branch to branch for a bit after that. It was a very nice park - there were plenty of trees providing shade and branches to rest on, but also plenty of paths and open areas where one could lie in the sun. There were sandy areas that would feel good to burrow into, like the bowl of sand Minna had provided for me, and there were random streams that were deep enough to bathe in... though I didn't see fish in any of the streams I visited.

I wasn't sure why that bothered me. I didn't need to actually eat any fish, but... catching them had been a routine for me for so long. I had a feeling I might miss it.

There were other animals too - songbirds flew off when I landed too close to them on a branch, bees ambled from flower to flower, squirrels ran for a tree and chittered angrily at me when I flew overhead. I could spot Kymari, too; couples having picnics, individuals out for a stroll, children playing under the watchful eyes of adults. The park must have been miles across, and seemed to have room for everything.

But what I noticed most were the other dragonets.

They seemed to pop up anywhere I went. One chirped a hello at me from where it lazed in the sunlit path. Another watched me fly by from the partial cover of the leafy canopy. A pair of fledglings giggled and splashed in a stream while their parents watched from the shore. Yet another fought with a far-too-determined squirrel for possession of a juicy strawberry.