I I           “Do you think she’s old enough mom?” I said scrubbing Smilith’s hide with sand-soap. “Well, maybe soon, Kat but she needs scrubbing look how dirty she’s gotten!” mom said and smiled. “What did she get into? It’s not common for dragons to get this dirty.” I said scrubbing particularly hard on a spot of dirt, which would not come off. “Was she being chased again?” I asked looking up at my mother. “Yes the silly girl, this time it was close.  Blue Caleth almost caught her.” She said patting her dragon on he head. I liked my mom’s dragon. Smilith the green/yellow was very friendly, and small enough to be considered a racer. “K’lor’s dragon no way! Smilith is to smart to be caught by that brute!” I said stroking her shimmering hide. “You look better now all the mud’s gone.” I said to her. She snorted. “Yes, I’ve been telling her not to flirt so much with those slow ones. She had to fall into the brick maker’s clay to get away. Then the mud froze to her hide. “ Mom said chuckling. “Oh well, she is going to rise soon I am sure of it,” She said. “Now go and get father.”             I ran to get my father. I liked our hold; it was unique. It was almost one of a kind. Located in the frozen mountain range of the far north, our main goal was to drill the remaining firestones out of the mountains. It was decorated with furs and paintings of the beasts that once lived here. There were type of herder beast I did not recognize even a few types of what looked like wolves, accept they had horns. There were paintings of the lord-holders and other important people of our hold. My favorite was a picture that was shipped to the wrong address. It was curious that they would ship a painting addressed to a beach up here to far north. It was a picture of a sliver white creature with a flowing mane. It’s eyes shown like jewels in the mist of all the sliver, they were a deep ocean blue. It had four legs each tipped with a 3 toed paw. It’s back legs were the strangest, they had scales on them like a snake and looked awkward being ruby red.  On the end of each paw was a shiny black claw, of enormous length. Its tail was long and muscular and held a tip or fur on the end.  I stood in front of this painting and marveled at it from time to time wondering what it was. It almost seemed to have too much detail; I swear the eyes moved every time I looked away.                     I had no time to admire the painting now I had to find father. I caught a quick glance of it then, smack I ran strait into someone. I looked up at the man to apologize for running into him but I looked at his face. It was sprinkled with freckles and his hair was the color of sand. His eyes were old and king looking. I thought of only one person: “Father!” I yelled hopping up and down.  “Calm down, Kat!” He said hugging me. “Mommy wants to talk to you.” I said still hopping. “Okay but first I have a present, here.” He said. He rummaged in a box and pulled out what looked like a ball of fluff. I picked it up wondering what it was. I moved and I jumped, I had thought it was earmuffs. Slowly but surely, a tiny creature unrolled itself; it was sliver with a flowing mane and golden eyes. It had the back legs of a dragon, and the familiar 3 toed paws. However, this creature had blue and sliver membrane wings. “He looks like the creature from the painting.” I said to father as the creature yawned and curled it is cream-puff tail around its back leg. It stopped yawning and looked up at me. It made a surprising noise that was like the singing of a bird. “It likes you,” father said. “Soon it will be as large s the one in your painting.” He said gesturing to the painting. “Its color won’t change will it? I like his legs blue goes better with his eyes.” I said stroking the creature. “What is it?” I asked. “A ligon, a mix of an earth creature and a dragon. Very rare, only know to one place: Azon Weyr in The south. “ Father said. “ What type of earth creature?” I asked. The ligon purred and shook its head.  “It’s called a lion, I think. The tail and mid body of a lion, and the rear legs of a dragon. “ He said so I knew what a lion looked like. “What will you name him?” He asked. “How about um…Akkeneton.” I said stroking my pet. “That’s a good name. Now remember that, he is not a pet he is a friend. Now let’s go how your mother.” He said and took me and Akkeneton to see mom.                *************************************************************************************************** Two turns later…

Lady Kat