Part 7d. Evening Tea (The Rescue)
Returning from her short flight around the mountains, Kalhar found her little group of people again at he cliffs where Iyru and Oisin had spent the night. Safyre and Lewin where playing in the water, occasionally trying to splash far enough to make Enid and Tasrin wet. Kalhar smirked, they would never get far enough.
"I've seen them!" she called.
"Where?" Tasrin asked.
"A few miles to the North. They have a dragon with them."
"What will be, will be." Safyre said cryptically. The two other dragons suddenly nodded and started chittering in languages of their own. Enid wondered if they could understand each other if they spoke like this. Somehow the croaking sounds Lewin made were nothing like the high ululating sounds of Kalhar and even less like the soft murmur of Safyre. And yet they all stopped on the same time.
"I'll go get them." Tasrin said, shrugging about the sudden strange behaviour of the dragons.
I'll stay behind." Enid said.
While Tasrin was walking away she asked: "What where you just doing?"
Lewin looked up at her with his yellow eyes and just said, "We were calling the others."
"What others?" Enid asked.
"Iyru will want to speak to the Wave and Foam." Safyre said, "They will come swiftly now that I have called them." she seemed rather proud of being the eldest dragon around.
Kalhar sniffed disdainfully, "I called Bae'istal." she said, "He can't come though."
"Who's Bae'istal?" Enid asked.
"The dragon of the one he calls Knux." she answered.
"Too many dragons." Enid mumbled. 
Lewin looked shocked at her and said with a strong belief: "There can never be enough dragons. Not ever!"
Enid petted his head reassuringly and was rewarded by being splashed.
"I made her come!" he called excitingly at Safyre.
When Enid opened her eyes again a green butterfly - though by far larger than any butterfly should be - fluttered in front of her.
"Is that you Lewin?" she asked.
"You don't think I would suddenly sprout wings, did you?" he said, "I don't know what that is though."
Buzzing inquisitively the butterfly came closer and suddenly rested on Enid's shoulder. Leaning against her head, Enid felt almost nothing. The creature was incredibly light for it's size.
"I guess I have a new friend."

Through the buzzing she suddenly heard the propellers of Tasrin's heli. Looking up at the sky, Enid saw him bringing the heli in closer, being followed by a grey blur that would be the dragon Kalhar had mentioned.
The dragon landed before the heli and Enid got a closer look of the wild-furred, feathered grey-purple male before she went to help Iyru get down from the heli. Apparently she had sat on Oisin's lap so Tasrin wouldn't have to make two trips. Interesting was the word that went through Enid's mind. People should bottle the essence of Cyatri and sell it as an aphrodisiac.

***

Iyru stepped out of the heli and was rewarded by the sight of dragons playing near the sea. Hazen was already tempting a dashing orange female with a fiery look to her, with a race around the cliffs. In the water Safyre was playing with two other water dragons, not looking one bit like her and a small green dragon seemed to be everywhere at once.
"Let me guess, the green one is yours." she called to Enid.
"Beginner's luck!" Enid called back.
"Brilliant Deduction you mean." Iyru said, "Who are the other two?"
"I don't know, Safyre called them in saying something about a storm and lost. I haven't been able to make much sense of it all. Playing seems to be more interesting than letting us humans know what we need."
"When our boat capsized two of the three eggs we took were lost in the storm. We thought they had drowned, but according to Safyre they hatched and bonded each other. I asked her for their names, but apparently a name is something only the dragon in question can reveal."
Walking to the beach where the water dragons were playing 'Catch that Frog!', Enid noticed 'Wave' and 'Foam' were names that seemed adequate for their species. The wave was deep blue with a bunch of flimsy fins that made it look as if it could fly short distances over water. The foam was grey-white with a ridge of fins on his back, and a daring look in his eyes.
"Hello!" Enid said, followed by a "Hi.' from Iyru.
"Greetings." The foam said while his bond stayed silent.
"We would just like to know your names." Iyru said, "No strings attached."
"Mère." the wave answered first.
"Zey." the foam added, "Can we go now?"
"Sure. I guess." Iyru said, "Just drop in once in a while so we know you're ok."
The foam left, but the wave remained, "We will." she said before dashing after her friend.

"I'm sorry to break up this moment, but shouldn't we be headed back? Fairlight and Knux might be getting worried. That is if Fairlight hasn't made Knux play dress up tea party."
"Tea?" Iyru asked hopefully.
"We're coming." Enid said.
Iyru started dragging Oisin to the heli, making sure they would be the first to be transported.
"There's no need for that." Enid said, "Lewin has assured me he can get us all, plus the heli to the beach."
"He can?" Iyru asked.
"You're not joking?" Oisin asked at the same time.
"Frogs are becoming my favourite animal." Enid said with a broad grin.
"It is a handy trick." Tasrin grudgingly admitted, "I guess we'll be home early."
"Goodie!" Lewin called out and in a flash of light the beach was empty.

***

They returned to Kunmie to find their original camp destroyed. Wood lay washed ashore and there were few birds singing. This side of the island had had a serious beating.
"I hope Knux and Fairlight weren't here when it happened." Oisin said.
"I don't think Fairlight wouldn't have noticed what was going to happen." Tasrin said.
"By all likelihood she would probably have foreseen it." Iyru smiled, but her laugh was a bit shrill. "Where do you think they went?"
A dark shadow passed over them, making jagged shadows on the sand. Looking up the group of humans saw a black dragon with lightning wings touch down on the beach.
"Good, Bae'istal listened." Kalhar said with more than a bit of satisfaction.
"How did you even know of him?" Enid suddenly asked, "Lewin didn't."
"Can't I have a secret?" Kalhar asked. One look of Tasrin made her lose her attitude. "I figured that if Lewin could teleport, I could do so too. I remembered the beach and came back this morning. That's when I met Bae'istal."
"Do you think they all can do it?" Iyru asked.
"That would defeat the purpose of the game 'Catch that Frog." Enid said, "But if Kalhar did it, why wouldn't the others?"
Fairlight suddenly popped up from behind the bushes. "I see we were productive these past two days." she smiled, looking not only at the dragons but at the two couples that were standing close together. Victory was hers!
"You planned this?" Tasrin asked, his eyes darkening.
Quickly changing the subject, Fairlight suddenly said: "We've found some interesting plants. I think they're not poisonous so I've brewed tea from them. Anyone want a cup?"
"I don't care if it kills me!" Iyru called out, "I've been dieing for some tea."
Fairlight took a step back and motioned for Iyru to follow her. 
"Damn woman! Go faster! Tea." Iyru muttered under her breath getting a few weird looks from Oisin. 
Iyru smiled foolishly and said: "Tea addiction. Talk about it with your family."
"A-ha." Oisin said, deciding not to say anything lest he'd get the wrath of a junkie on his head. He knew better.
"I apologise about the crowded conditions of the camp, though I doubt anyone will mind sitting close together." Fairlight arched an eyebrow as if asking anyone to tell her otherwise. No-one made a sound, although Oisin could look a little happier about the prospect. 
"Hi Guys!" Knux said, coming down from behind a waterfall. You can go in through here and..."
Iyru pushed him aside yelling: "Tea!" and then said; "Sorry if I hurt you!" but really didn't look back to check if he was. In stead she made a run toward the fire where a pot of delicious-smelling tea was brewing. Sighing happily she took out a mug and filled it. 
"What kind is it?" she asked Fairlight.
"Something herbal?" Fairlight guessed. "Something that didn't kill Knux when he drank it."
"How can you be sure?" Knux asked, "I might be talking to you from beyond the grave."
"Nah." Iyru said, "No-one is going to ruin this for me. Tea is always good. And you would be even whiter."
"Hey!"
"You are looking a bit pale. Are you sure you're ok?" Enid asked.
"You do know we can't stay here forever." Tasrin said, "Headquarters will be expecting us."
"But... but... Tea!"
"Drink it and have Fairlight grind you a bag to take along."
Iyru, recovering from the shock of such a tea barbarian, said: "Ok. But we're coming back!"
"I will be coming here again too." Fairlight said, "Maybe even make a home here. This island is very interesting..."

Continue to Part 8

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