Laying under the heat lamp, I rested my chin on my hands in slight boredom. How odd, boredom never used to bother me much until I got used to being busy and working. Admittedly, I could still spend two or three hours just sunbathing, but that was beside the point.

Taureen was rolling up a section of rope as he sat on the couch. I raised my head slightly, eyeing up the end that was being pulled across the floor. Some days I wonder if this body actually has cat genes hidden in here somewhere, unless the desire to hunt just comes through in this fashion. I jumped off of the end table and snuck up behind the end of the rope, crouching down as I prepared to pounce.

Taureen slowed his rolling and was now pulling it in light jerking motions. I sprang forward to bite the end and shake it. Taureen pulled it lightly, and I rolled upside down on my back as I sunk my claws from all four feet into the end of the rope. His light pull caused my smooth scales to slide right across the soft carpet until I was near his feet.

He tied several knots in the other end of the rope and lightly tossed it further away. I swiftly rolled over and darted across the room to jump on it. I shook it before dropping it and bounding around the corner of the center table.

I waited in ambush, flattened to the ground with my ears close to my head. I carefully peeked around the corner before pulling my head back. I folded my wings tightly before running out and ricocheting off the chair to land on the knot.

My momentum sent me rolling with it grasped in my front claws while my back ones kicked energetically at it. I chewed lightly on the rope before dropping it like a hot potato to jump around it a few times before attacking it again.

Playfulness could get a bit out of hand in this body once it got going.

I darted around the table once more, and Taureen humored me by tugging it closer to me. Too bad for him that the rope is no longer my true target… I jumped out of my hiding spot and raced forward. Moments later, I had my claws gently wrapped around his foot and ankle.

He lifted up his foot with me hanging upside down from his ankle. He chuckled. “And just what do you think that you are doing? My foot was not moving.”

I made a chortling sound at him and mouthed his ankle. He reached forward to gently grab my back leg, and I transferred my attention to his hand as I wrestled with it.

Some time later, I lay panting on his lap; it was quite a workout to wrestle with someone so much larger and stronger. I looked up to see him watching me with an amused and loving expression. Since choosing to come back, I had been much more open and relaxed around Taureen. Somehow, he had become the big brother that I never had.

~

Alec dropped his hand with a sigh. “I give up. She simply doesn’t listen to anyone except for you.”

Soranto chuckled at his failed attempt. “It took you this long to figure that out?”

“I was hoping that as she got familiar with me, I might have a chance if I used her favorite foods.”

I slowly blinked from my place on Taureen’s shoulder as Alec dropped the piece of shia fruit back into the bowl. I had refused to show any interest in the delicacy that Alec had held, much to his disappointment. I might remain in captivity willingly, but I am not a circus monkey to do tricks for everyone.

Taureen was amused and proud that I wouldn’t go to anyone else, even if they held the best foods and used familiar commands. He asked Alec. “Feel like heading to the central park? I’m curious as to how she will act while off-leash there. She has been fine in the other parks we have tried, but I’m expecting that she will take off for a short time while we are there.”

Alec moved his gaze to me. “She has a tracker, right? It’s difficult enough to even find a fire lizard. Trying to find a specific one would be next to impossible.”

“Yes. We can follow her if she decides to take off.”

Alec stood up. “Sure, let’s go. I’m curious to see if her presence might draw the others out of the forest.”

All of us walked down the street; well, I rode on Taureen’s shoulder. He didn’t even have the leash on me. I had a sneaking suspicion that he was doing this as a test to see how I would react in the one place he had always avoided.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

“Hey Drake, do you happen to be near the west side of the park?”

He was somewhat confused as he replied, “Kind of. Why?”

I grinned internally. “Sounds like we are visiting the park and I’m getting off-leash for a bit. You’ll have to be brave enough to handle a couple of Kymari watching, since they probably won’t let me out of their sight.”

I could feel his excitement at my return. “I will head to that side of the park then. Let me know when you arrive.”

By the time the park was in sight, I was eager and impatient. I looked around as we passed the first trees along the border of the park. My wings were half-open in excitement, but I remained on Taureen’s shoulder, hoping he would let me explore shortly.

“I see you.”

My sharp eyes swiftly spotted him hiding in the tree leaves. “If I wait until Taureen gives the go ahead, I get more time running loose.”

His voice was amused. “Someone has figured out how to rig the system.”

I chuckled across the mindlink. Drake watched from his hiding spot as Taureen walked along the path. When he reached a small pond, he sat on a bench while Tkael, Soranto, and Alec took seats on other benches, watching us in curiosity.

I looked around and could see roughly a dozen dragonets in hiding as they watched and waited to see what would happen. Taureen could tell I was eager to take off, but even without the leash, I waited for him to give the go-ahead.

He nodded in approval, pleased that I had remained on his shoulder. He held up his hand, and I jumped to his wrist. “Go on.”

With a trill, I launched powerfully off of his wrist, heading straight towards Drake full-tilt with a joyous cry. Drake and the others quickly closed in on me, and we dipped and swirled in our reunion.

“Where did they come from?”

I glanced over my shoulder to see that all four Kymari were watching in surprise. I banked around a red dragonet as I told Drake. “Feeling like heading a bit upstream? If we stick close by, they’ll probably remain where they are.”

With an upside-down aerial flip and a warble, he headed upstream. The rest of the dragonets came with us. I can practically bet that Taureen will have that tracker on and will be watching my every move.

We played in the shallow water, splashing one another in jest before reclining on the sunny rocks on the banks to sunbath. Drake quietly spoke in my mind, “Sorry about before.”

I hummed faintly in acceptance of his apology. “Don’t worry about it. It did help me realize that I prefer hunting sicora to sunbathing all day. Besides, I simply help locate them, and they do the dangerous stuff.”

“Doesn’t it bother you? Living in a cage like that?”

I tilted my head as I considered it, trying to put my change of heart into words. “Some parts are irritating, mostly the fact that he insists on hand-feeding me. But I’m not technically in a cage, I have full run of a big house and backyard. The word ‘no’ is a word I have yet to hear. It’s finally sinking in that no one can harm me, and I get to see almost every corner of the city. It took me a bit to get used to it, but it is simply a different lifestyle.”

He looked at me in curiosity. “What is the best part?”

A grin appeared on my face. “They have this fantastic oil that they massage into your skin, and it feels amazing. That, and the huge variety of fruit available.” I lowered my mindvoice, like I was imparting a secret. “And they have a fruit that tastes even better than sunburst berries.”

His eyes widened in disbelief. “Not possible.”

I chuckled and lay my head back down. “Well, if you were really curious, I know they have some of it with them, and they would probably offer you a piece just to see how close you would come.”

He snorted and shook his head hard. “Nice try. Simply having them watch me puts me on edge. I can’t even imagine approaching one. I have no idea how you are so relaxed around them.”

I snickered at his reaction. “I had months to get used to them. In truth, it’s only Taureen that I let touch me. The rest get hissed at. I must have lightly scratched Soranto at least fifty times by now for his attempts to pet me.”

He looked at me incredulously, as if I had lost my mind. “You keep scratching them, and you are still alive?”

“Soranto knew the risks,” I said, with an evil grin, “and I gave plenty of warning. Technically, with the new laws, they can’t harm a fire lizard. Besides, anyone who even thought of hurting me would probably have to go through Taureen first.”

He sent his disbelief over the mindlink, not quite believing me.

I tilted my head as another thought occurred to me. “He saw that scratch you made on my flank, and he thought that another Kymari did it to remove the tracker. He was furious. If it had actually been a Kymari and Taureen had found him, that person would probably be dead by now.”

Drake snorted in disbelief. “They would kill one of their own for simply harming a reptile? That doesn’t make sense.”

I blinked slowly and my voice was quiet. “I can’t really explain it well. Taureen was given a special rank when the Elders allowed him to keep and care for me. He would protect me fiercely, and any dragonet that ends up in captivity will have a similar protective handler. Between that and the new protected status that dragonets have, there would be serious consequences for anyone who attempts to harm us. Whoever broke the lock on the garden gate will be in severe trouble if they catch him or her simply because if I got out, I might have gotten hurt.”

He still seemed doubtful of my claims. “I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around that considering how many weeks we hid for fear of our lives after flaming that sicora so close to the Kymari child.”

“I don’t blame you. It took me months to wrap my head around it. I was in their care that entire time – and I still don’t fully understand it.”

He shook his head in amusement and rested his chin on the warm rock. The others with us weren’t aware of our conversation and contentedly relaxed in the warm sun, simply enjoying one another’s company in silence.