A New Beginning

Chapter 46

Dirk landed on a branch across from us, and Abby followed, looking somewhat flustered.

When Abby didn't start talking, Dirk began trying to explain, "Well, um, remember how I didn't want to be alone, but I wanted to track crawlers?"

"Yes," I replied slowly, wondering if my guess was lining up with whatever was actually going on.

"Dad gave me permission to join you guys as long as I think about it for a month!" Abby interrupted, suddenly finding her voice.

"Wow! I thought you had to wait until your first birthday. How did you talk him into that?"

"I had to beg a lot, but he knows that I've been thinking about it for a couple of months now. In the end, he just wants me to be happy."

"Of course," Glen drawled, "Dad also knows that it will take her at least a few months to work up the courage to follow the Kymari when they get close to the streets."

With a quick movement, Abby pulled an unripe fruit off the tree and threw it at her brother. He merely snickered as the hand-sized missile didn't even come close to his silver scales.

"But at least he won't object to her trying," I interjected, trying to break up the looming race and wrestling match. "Are you planning on following Taureen and Aeria, or are you considering another Kymari?"

Abby replied, "For now, Taureen and Aeria since I'll be able to talk with them while I try to get used to living in a house. Dirk and I are still discussing it, but we both like Tran."

"Tran is always so calm," Dirk said. "I've started hanging around him a bit more lately as a subtle hint. I don't plan on doing much until Abby is comfortable among the Kymari, though. We can go slowly. There isn't any reason to rush things."

She looked relieved, yet excited. "Just don't tell the others. My Dad is telling Keegan and Tasha, but I don't want the others to find out. Mia will become a pain in the rump the day she hears about it, and I would prefer to delay that as long as possible."

"Consider my lips sealed," I reassured her.

She looked at Dirk. "What do you want to do for the rest of the day?"

"Why don't we go see if the Ply-Ball players have arrived yet, play with them for a while, wash up in the creek, and go hang around the Kymari?"

That sounded like a typical afternoon when most of the other fledglings were on the far side of the park. Considering I hadn't seen or heard from anyone else yet, they probably weren't nearby right now.

"Sure! Let's go!" Abby said, promptly taking off, leaving the rest of us to catch up.

Luck was with us, and the Ply-Ball group was already practicing. Abby was much more at ease around them now, and she was just as daring as I was when it came to stealing the ball. Glen preferred to fly above and swoop in and steal it when they tried to pass it.

After an hour or so, Abby flopped down in the grass while panting. "Okay, I say we quit while we're ahead."

I was also out of breath. "Fine by me. The water is going to feel cold when I'm this warm, though."

"If it's too cold for you to walk into, then I can give you a push," she offered, getting to her feet and slowly gliding towards the trees.

With a goodbye whistle to the players, I followed her. Dirk and Glen abandoned the ball when they saw us leaving. When we reached the creek, I made sure to stay well out of splashing range of the green dragonet as I slowly entered the cool water.

Abby didn't even seem that interested in splashing me, and I kind of suspected that she was distracted by our upcoming visit to the Kymari. We normally visited them every day, but this was the first time she was going to do so when she knew she wanted to eventually follow us out of the park one day.

She asked, "What are you going to try and stick in Soranto's pockets this time?"

"Nothing," I replied before dipping my head under the water momentarily.

"Nothing? That isn't like you. He's going to feel unloved."

I grinned at her. "Sometimes it is just nice to enjoy their company. Besides, he started threatening to replace his belt pouches with ones I can't get into if I try to stick another caterpillar or grasshopper inside."

"I thought he wasn't aware we were intelligent?"

"That's the beauty of it – he's not."

"When do you plan to tell him?"

"Mom made me promise to wait until he's been my official handler for at least three months."

"When does he officially become your handler?"

"I'm not sure. I think it's when I completely move into his home, which won't be for a while."

"You'll probably manage that before I leave the park. It's scary and exciting – and the combination of those two emotions should not be allowed to exist."

I snickered and rolled in the wet sand along the water's edge, managing to get sand underneath my harness.

Walking out of the water, Abby shook the water from her scales. "The suspense is killing me. Let's go visit the Kymari. I just need to find a halfway decent flower to stick in Tran's armor."

"Sure. By the time you find a flower, I should be able to get most of the sand out of my harness."

She quickly flew off in search of a flower.