The sky was overcast and gave no helpful light against the smooth stone face. Falcon ran her hand over the surface hoping to feel some crack, some imperfection.

"Find anything yet?" The Enforcer asked as she stepped behind the Animal Healer.

"Nothing." was the frustrated reply. Falcon looked out over the shoreline; any tracks along that path would have been washed away with the incoming tide.

Back by the dunes Dora and Tama searched for any tracks that might have been missed.

"Maybe someone came up in a boat and grabbed her." Dora suggested.

Tama laughed, "Not with Falcon's dog around, they would lose a limb first. They banned him from the weapons practice area, cause the last person who tried to spar with Rissa... WHAM! Shadow was on 'em. Falc put the guard command on him that day, while some of us were off on a Quest."

"Dog, that thing looks more wolf to me." Dora said

"He is, I do that just to annoy Falc." Tama grinned.

"Why would you do that." Dora asked staring in disbelief.

"Because he is a pain in my,---" A voice answered right behind the young guard, causing her to jump.

"Now Falc," Tama began gently poking the animal healers shoulder. "Ya know ya love me."

Falcon’s face softened for a moment then grew hard again. A low growl escaped her throat and then she walked away.

The Enforcer watched the exchange with amusement, only a few of the younger members of the tribe got away with teasing this enigma, without having to risk bruises in the practice ring.

The Animal Healer kept to herself and her charges; allowing few to enter her personal space.

For now her eyes searched the beach and water looking for some indication as to the whereabouts of the Little Princess, for whom she cared, and she remembered………..

"Hello." said a small voice.

The woman stood quickly, she had been in such deep thought that she had not heard the child approach. "Hello." the woman answered.

The child held out her hand."I'm Marissa, what’s your name?"

"Falcon..... " with the calling of her tribal name Falcon shook away the memory of her first meeting with the little Princess.

The Enforcer joined Falcon and looked out over the water. "Do you think, a boat.."

"No," Falcon answered the unfinished question. "The gelding would have returned to the stable if anything happened to her."

Cave walls were bathed in the same soft glowing mosses as were the tunnel. Princess Marissa and Shadow walked deeper within. Soon the cave opened up into a large cavern. The walls were decked out in crystals of every shape size and color. But what really attracted the Little Princess was that in the middle of the cavern's sandy floor next to a huge funny shaped rock was a great, giant egg..... and it was moving.

Suddenly feelings of panic came into the Little Princess's head. Feelings that said "Help, I can't get out, dark"

"I'm coming." she cried and ran to the great egg. Shadow on her heels whining his protest.

Princess Marissa ran to the rocking egg and laid her hands on it. The mind jolt almost knocked Princess Marissa onto her back. Grabbing a rock from the ground she began to beat on the hard shell of the egg. "Here hit here with Me.," she cried out. A crack appeared in the shell and Princess Marissa put her fingers into it and pulled with all her strength.

CRAAAACK!!!! The shell split open and out tumbled a small silver Dragonette.

The Little Princess stared in wonder at the creature that was just her size.

"EEEEEEERRRRRP!" squawked the Dragonette as it looked to the creature before it.

"UUUURRRRP!" sounded again, its yellow eyes blinking, and head bobbing.

"Hello," Princess Marissa said softly.

"EEERP, PUUURRRRR" the Dragonette turned it head and focused one eye on Princess Marissa.

Blink, blink, and then a second lid opened and the dull yellow of the Dragonette's eye changed to a brilliant gold.

The Little Princess smiled and she spoke softly so as not to frighten the Dragonette.

"Well hello Golden Eyes, where is you mother?"

Marissa's mind suddenly filled with feeling of hunger, of need. She crooned softly a series of noises that Falcon had taught her to calm frightened animals.

Suddenly the Dragonette began to chirp moving excitedly from foot to foot, and seemed to be looking over the Little Princess shoulder. A warm breath of air enveloped the Little Princess and when she turned she found herself starting into one yellow eye the size of her head.

"Falc will you sit down and drink your tea before it gets cold!" Corde barked. The owner of the Java Hut smiled with satisfaction when the Animal Healer sat in her chair and just glowered at her. "Don't give me that I'm gonna kick your butt look Falcon, I know you better than that. I may be wuss first class but I know you would never hurt me. So you know where you can stick that look."

Falcon's mouth twitched as she tried not to smile. Picking up the mug she began to sip the herbal tea that Corde had set before her. Its warmth and medicinal herbs began to soothe her raw nerves.

Suddenly strains of some song about tights and men filtered into the room, and three more young Amazons skipped into the room. Dora who had remained a good distance for the Animal Healer watched as the three songbirds skipped over and sat themselves down around Falcon.

"We're Butch!" they finished together laughing. Three sets of feet planted themselves on Falcons lap and chair.

Dora almost choked on her drink, as she waited to see what would happen next.

Falcon looked slowly from the feet on her lap and chair to each of the owners.

"You are not men." she began, looking at the bare legs, "You are not in tights. But as for the other..."

"Don't do it Falc." Tama chimed in from the doorway. "Remember what you told me once about females and sharp pointy things?" Tama plopped into the remaining chair.

"OK the Queen is calling for a full out search again, she is even pulling out the cats."

"Now the way I see it, we are gonna retrace the steps the kid took and go from there…….."

"Heeellloo Madam Dragon." The Little Princess stammered. Clearing her throat Princess Marissa recited the proper introduction taught her by her mother.

"My name is Marissa, I am the Daughter of Princess Vicky of this Island. We Are a tribe of peace loving Amazons, and mean you no harm. Or your baby." she added quickly.

"EEEEERRRUUUUUPP" sounded the silver Dragonette as it placed its head on Princess Marissa's shoulder, gazing into its mother’s large yellow eye.

"A polite human child." The Dragon rumbled. "How interesting." The Dragon rose to her full height, spread her wings and in a low rumbling voice, replied to the Little Princess introduction.

"I am," a rolling rumble and, growl came from the dragon's chest. She lowered her head till again she was eye level with Princess Marissa. "In human speech, it means Dark Vengeance. I am the last of my line, save for my son, who seems to have taken to you."

Shadow was beside himself. He braced himself against the Little Princess's legs, teeth bared and hackles raised, growling in warning at the creature hundreds of time his size.

"At ease Dark One." The Dragon chuckled "I mean your charge no harm."

The Dragonette, his head still on Princess Marissa's shoulder was cooing softly. One of his small arms and wings was still around her in a protective gesture.

"Shadow, be polite." The Little Princess put her arm around the snarling beast, and sent comforting thoughts of safety and reassurance that there was no danger.

The Dragon shifted her head and gazed again at the small human. "You have the gift of speech. That is rare in a human."

"That’s what Falcon says." The Princess face falls, "Oh no I did it again."

"What is it Human, you seem upset?" The Dragon asked.

The Dragonette sensing the Little Princess's distress cooed softly. "Eeeeeeeeerruuuuuup"

"Its OK Golden Eyes, I just should have let Dora know where I was going. But I never saw that tunnel in the cliff before, and then I heard you calling, I just had to help."

"You heard my son calling from his egg?" The Dragon twisted her head; one clawed finger gently lifted Princess Marissa's face to look into her yellow eye. "You are indeed a very special child, human."

"Excuse me, but if you would please use my name. I find it most rude to be called just human." Her face set in a determent frown she put her hands on her hips and continued. "I am a Princess and my name is Marissa. After all how would you like being called Dragon all the time?"

A rolling chuckle came from deep within the Dragon. "You are human -- Marissa, and I am a Dragon, but you are right, I should not be rude. But I must tell you that my kind has little reason to care for humans. Your kind hunts to kill my kind."

"In classes we learn that lots of your kind eat my kind" Princess Marissa retorted.

Avalanche and Abyss, the Queen's two big cats, traced the Princess Marissa's tracks to the waters edge at the cliff face. They began to claw at the stone as if they wanted to tell the search party something.

"They have traced Marissa's movements to here." Queen Cyan said. "Falcon are you sure you could find no opening? No hidden door?"

"No my Queen, I found nothing. It's as if she just vanished."

"IIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSAAAAAAAAAAA" The Dragonette crooned. Trying to soothe the angry feeling he was getting from the Little Princess.

Princess Marissa turned and smiled at her new little friend. Looking back at the large Dragon she smiled. "He's trying to say my name."

"IIIIIIIIIIISSSAAAA" "IIIIIISSSSAAA" He crooned in delight.

"I've go to get back to the village. I’m sure I'm in trouble now. They must be looking for me. The Queen is gonna be so mad at me, and so will mother."

"Are you in danger little hu---- Marissa?" the Dragon asked.

"Only of a scolding." Marissa sighed.

"Is your Queen wise and fair?" The Dragon asked.

"Yes she is, but I did go off alone and now I can't get back."

"Come with me Marissa." The Dragon walked out of the cave and into the clearing. Smoke screamed in panic and ran into the dense foliage. "A pet of yours?" The Dragon chuckled.

It took some time, but the Little Princess finally convinced the pony that the Dragon would not eat him.

Dark Vengeance stood at the entrance of the cave and showed the Little Princess the great stone arch.

"This arch is an ancient portal, known only to Dragonkind. I will take you through it to where you entered. Follow me, and bring your pets."

The arch shimmered. The two dragons; Princess Marissa; Shadow, and a very nervous Smoke passed through and vanished.

The small search party was standing on the beach when suddenly the big cats began to growl.

The stone face began to shimmer and a large opening appeared. The Princess Marissa emerged; followed by Smoke, who at a fast pace headed for home, and finally Shadow.

"Marissa!" shouted Princess Vicky. She quickly swept the child up into her arms.

Abyss and Avalanche began to snarl and thrash their tails. Dora looked in the direction that the cats were focused and almost fainted.

Falcon and the Enforcer leapt in front of the group, weapons drawn. They all froze, gazing up at the large Black Dragon that now stood on the beach.

"IIIISSSSSAAAAAAAAAAAA" IIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" A small silver Dragonette stumbled across the sand in search of his friend.

Princess Marissa wriggled free of her mother and before anyone could stop her she ran and stood between the Dragons and the armed Amazons.

"Wait these are my friends. I told them we would not hurt them."

Marissa stood and Golden Eyes putting a wing around her, crooned. "IIIIISSSS AAAAAAAAAAAAA"

"I gave my word as a Princess." she added.

Cyan stepped forward. "Then we will honor it." She watched as the small silver dragon crooned to the child.

"You are Queen Cyan." the Dragon said.

"Yes, I am Cyan, Queen of this tribe of Amazons on what we call the Island of Wants and Desires. On behalf of my tribe I greet you. We mean you and your young one no harm."

The Dragon lifted herself to her full height, spread her wings and in the manner of her kind answered the formal greeting.

"I am by your kind called Dark Vengeance. I am in your like a Queen of my kind. This small one is my son called Golden Eyes by the Princess Marissa, know to us now as Dragon Friend."

The Dragon lowered her head to be on a level with Queen Cyan. "But tell me why is one of your kind.."

Queen Cyan raised her hand and the Dragon fell silent. "There are some things not spoken of aloud."

"Then Queen Cyan, will you risk flight with me to talk in private?"

"NOT ON YOUR BLACK HIDE DRAGON!" the Enforcer snapped as she stepped forward.

"Yes I will." Queen Cyan said as she halted the Enforcer where she stood. Cyan herself stepped forward and prepared to mount the Dragon's back.

"Cyan are you out of your Amazon mind?" The Enforcer said.

"As guarantee for your Queen, I leave my Son. Will that appease you human?"

"Your word is enough." Queen Cyan said and mounted the Dragons back. In a moment they were airborne.

After some time, the Dragon landed and Queen Cyan dismounted. The two look down the beach and see two sleeping forms. Princess Marissa and a silver Dragonette, wrapped up in each other, on the soft dune grass.

"It seems we have two sleeping little ones on our hands." Queen Cyan laughed softly.

"He called, and she answered. She is a special human child." The Dragon spoke softly.

"Yes she is." the Queen agreed.

"I will honor our agreement Cyan, I know you will honor yours." The Dragon lifted a sleepy Dragonette and Princess Vicky lifted her child.

"You are the mother?" the Dragon asked.

"Yes." Princess Vicky replied.

"Perhaps in the time he grows before he is able to fly and returns to our home, we will talk of raising young?"

"I think I'd like that." Princess Vicky smiled.

The Dragon turned and faced the group.

"You," she addressed the Enforcer, "are loyal unto death, which is good."

"You," she spoke to Falcon, "teach her well of animal kind."

"You both," she then addressed Dora and Tama, "each have skills that will in time be great."

"Queen Cyan, as Queen of my kind, I extend the title of Dragon Friend, and Protector. Call on us, and if is within our power we will come. Later I will give you the key to the Dragon portal. But for now, the young ones need rest, and I need to go off world to feed my son."

"You don't hunt on the island?" the Queen asked in surprise.

"No," the Dragon chuckled, "I alone in less than a moons passing would strip the island of all animal life."

"Will he be all right alone?" Princess Vicky asked.

"If he is in trouble, I trust your child will know." The Dragon turned and walked to the cliff face. As the suns rays touched it the large opening reappeared, and the Dragon disappears within.

"Falcon." Queen Cyan called. Falcon stepped forward. "You, Tama and Dora will see to it that Vicky and Marissa get back safely.

"As you wish My Queen." Falcon bowed.

"And Falcon, continue with her training. We may just have to add Dragon as a second language."

"Can I watch while you try to explain that to Larc??" Tama grinned.

The small group left leaving the Enforcer and the Queen alone on the beach. The sun passed behind a cloud and the once open tunnel closed.

"Cyan what did you two talk about?" the Enforcer asked.

"Queenly things my friend, Queenly things. She knows much. I'm glad we have a new ally, and friend."

The End…..