The Morning Song (UWOC)

8 - Cubby

"How are things going with you?" I asked the two dragonets.

Abby was born into the wild flock in the park, and Dirk was born to a pair of bonded dragonets. They fell in love during Dirk's many visits to the park with his parents and their handler. Abby left the park to be with him, and she's never been happier.

I must admit that between the great food, the warm bed, and the scrubbings--life in 'captivity' is much better than living in the wild. I have been with Zubin for twenty years, and he has never told me no or scolded me.

"Nothing out of the normal. Did you ever find out who left the muddy footprints? It had to be someone in the wild flock. The Kymari have searched everywhere on this planet, and there are no more dragonets except what was made in the lab." Dirk answered, with Abby paying close attention.

"I bet it was Eric! He has always had a thing for you. I heard my parents talking about it once," she said lightly, but the statement seemed to short-circuit my brain.

"What?!"

Both of them sat straighter as they looked at me.

"You didn't know?" Abby whispered.

"No, I didn't. What did your parents say?" I had to hear this.

"Mom said that she noticed he follows you around the park when you are there, so she cornered him one day, and he admitted he always had a thing for you but just knew you wouldn't be interested, especially after you became bonded." Abby looked like she was telling the biggest secret ever. You have to love the young kids.

"I was in the park for seven years and in the wild before that. He had plenty of opportunities to come to me over the last thirty years. So, I don't think my being bonded is the answer. There must be something else."

None of this made sense. I think Abby has her information wrong. I decided to mind-link her mom.

"Hey Charlotte? According to Abby, Eric has a thing for me. Is this true?"

"She should have not said anything, but yes. He does. I'm not sure why he never approached you. Maybe you should ask him directly?"

Her words stunned me so much that I did not respond or react at first.

"I need to think about this. Tha--Hey wait. Why didn't anyone tell me this before?!"

"He asked us not to." Her words were soft and heartfelt, and I knew she spoke the truth.

"What's going on over there? Abby, are you okay?" Tran asked. Like most handlers, he doesn't miss much regarding their bonded animal.

I did not hear Abby's reply, as she did not include me in the conversation. Dirk leaned over to rub his muzzle against her own.

"I'm not mad at you. I'm just a little confused, that's all." I said as I didn't want her to feel bad. She is such a sweet soul. I leaned over myself and also rubbed up against her.

"I'm sorry if it was wrong of me to say. Mom just gave me what for through the mind-link."

Dirk and I cuddled up with her under the heat lamp and sat quietly as I thought through my previous experiences with Eric. Why would he never say anything?

Our friends all left about 20 minutes later, and I went to sit with Zubin.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asks me.

"Abby let loose a secret that she wasn't supposed to know about and got yelled at by her mom. It seems a dragonet has 'a thing' for me but never approached me all this time." I know my feelings can be felt with my words so Zubin will understand my confusion.