The Dragonlady

Chapter Twentythree

After an early breakfast, the couple made their way back to the enclosure where the dragon pair was earnestly feeding their brood. Blue's head jerked up from his purposeful scouring of the perimeter for food as Rin and Parmer opened the gate, but he quietened quickly and resumed his search, unperturbed by their intrusion. Seafoam was more guarded, but was quickly calmed by gentle words of greeting from Rin. Inside the nest, there was great activity. The babies were noisily demanding food, vying for attention by jostling their smaller siblings aside. The discarded shells had been reduced to little more than powder by the scrabbling of feet and swishing of tails and the nest was being lined rapidly with excrement.

"Ooh, pooh!" Rin exclaimed, holding her nose. "Seafoam!"

"Shouldn't she be cleaning up?" Parmer enquired, lugging a sack of seeds toward the nest.

"Yes, but there's so many of them." Rin grinned. "It's going to be difficult." She scooped out some seeds into a bowl and pushed it towards Seafoam. Eagerly, the mother snatched up a mouthful and began to feed the clamorous babies. Rin assisted, dropping seeds into open maws while Parmer spread the rest of the sack around the perimeter for Blue to 'find'. There was a bout of hectic scurrying as the babies were fed until quiet reigned at last. Seafoam dropped down with a weary sigh as the last baby settled for a nap.

"We have to clean this mess." Rin said. "Poor Seafoam, she's exhausted."

"How are we going to do that without waking them all up again?"

"How would you do it in the breeding enclosures?"

"Flush it out. The broods are smaller and easily moved. Here...not so easy."

"So... I think I have an idea." Rin grinned. "I'll need a blanket or bedsheet, something big enough to hold them all... washable too. Then we'll put them all in it, clean out the nest and place them back in when they wake up again."

"That might work...if they don't wake when moved." Parmer had doubt in his voice.

"They won't, if you handle them properly." Rin informed him. "Watch." She eased her hand under one of the occupants, singing softly all the time, and, once nestled in her palm, it was lifted up and away from its siblings, unaware and still asleep. Carefully, she crossed her legs, hooked her skirt over her knees to make a hollow in her lap and eased the sleeping baby from her hand onto the material. It didn't stir. Parmer watched in awe as Rin scooped it up again from her lap and placed it back into the nest without disturbing it.

"That's amazing!" He exclaimed. "What were you singing? I didn't recognise the words."

"My mother used to sing that when I was young to get us to sleep. I don't know the meaning of the words. I just thought if it worked on us, then it would work on these."

"Well, yes, it did. I made me feel relaxed too, although I was too fascinated by the whole thing to be affected, I suppose."

"I used to use it on Blue when he was small, particularly when he was restless and I wanted to sleep. I didn't know it would have an effect on you too."

"At least I know there's a way to get this nest cleaned, and to reduce the stench." He grinned. "I'm going to scout around for something suitable while I replenish the food. Some sacking should be good for now. We'll find something better from home for another time."

"Or I could run back and get something." Rin offered. "I'll be back before you've finished the feed run."

Parmer hesitated, then nodded, seeing the sense in the idea. Rin hurried back to the mansion while Parmer fetched another two sacks of seeds and mixed dried fruits from the store. While he began to scatter the contents, Rin dashed to the linen cupboards and selected a dark dyed sheet and began to return to the enclosure.