Roxy lightly sniffed the outer rim of the Sands as Rowe stared idly at the rock hard eggs. "They'll be hatching soon" Keel was slumbering peacefully, half-buried in the warm sand she'd come to love while Prynne was perched on Rowe's shoulder, grooming her face. A low whine came from Roxy, who wanted so badly to run out and examine the black dam of the eggs who was drowzing next to her children. Rowe hadn't allowed her even this close to the Sands since they had arrived for fear that she might either hurt one of the eggs or get hurt by the dam. "I know you want to, love but it's for your own safety! Come on Keel, Prynne. Maybe we'll go for a walk....I need to get out of all this tension." Bounding playfully ahead, Roxy snapped at the small green flit as she flew just out of the canine's reach, teasing her, squealing in delight at each snap of Roxy's jaws.

Just as Rowe exited the Sands and was out in the open air, both firelizards stopped what they were doing and began to hum, followed by the deep bass of the dragons. Immediately the constricted atmosphere lifted off the weyr and was replaced by one of excited anxiety. Roxy pelted for the Sands but wasn't as fast as Rowe, who stopped her just at the entrance. "No! Go back to our dorm!" she commanded. Whimpering, tail between her legs, Roxy obeyed and slunk off for their bedroom as Rowe joined the others on the Sands. No sooner had she taken her place and squirmed into the white robe did the first egg begin to shudder and crack, revealing a narrow green head. She twisted and wriggled but couldn't seem to break the rest of the shell. Rowe was caught between helping the green and not wanting to come in the middle her and her chosen.

Just then a canine came bounding onto the sands yelping as the sand hurt the soft pads of her feet and slipping, skidding straight into the shell. "That's not just any canine....that's Roxy!" Rowe thought with mixed emotions of dismay and worry. "Roxy, watch out!" she called. Roxy struggled to her feet as the green hatchling, now free of her shell and flapping surprisingly white wings struggled to stand. Rowe rushed forward to push Roxy out of the way just as the hatchling snapped playfully at the canine's tail then looked up at Rowe and crooned. She gasped in surprise and delight, never guessing the dragon her pet had pretty much clobbered would take a fancy to her.

Is she always going to do that? "Hellitamath, no, don't worry she won't make a habit of that." Hugging the small green-white, Rowe lifted her up and led a yipping Roxy off the hot sands to the table of food. While Hellitamath inhaled meat from a bowl, Rowe inspected Roxy's hurt feet. "Almost serves you right," she scolded the canine, "I told you not to come out there for a good reason! That black could have eaten you in one good chomp if you'd've given her half a reason to!"

My mom wouldn't do that, she knew that Roxy meant no harm to me or my brothers and sisters.

Rowe heard the slight tone if indignation and hurt in Hellitamath's voice. "I didn't mean anything bad by it, Helli. I know she probably wouldn't hurt a fly...except maybe that blue who was your sire...she didn't seem to keen on him..." Hellitamath sniggered and nosed Roxy's paw. Is she going to be okay? "Oh yes, she'll be fine. Nothing some numbweed and a good lesson in obedience won't cure." Rowe said playfully, rubbing the top of Roxy's head. But the canine was more interested in what was in Hellitamath's bowl to care about her sore feet. Rowe sat back as Roxy, her dragon and both firelizards eagerly shared a larger bowl of meat.