PART TWO: PAGES AND PROPHETS

Pronunciation: 'Fli'- flea

Kiiri- kih-ree- (like kiri)

Ietia- ee-esh-ea

A/N: Rather like this one as well… but, then again, I wouldn't be writing about a planet that I didn't like, would I? Hmm…

Summary: Doctor, this is why you return books ON TIME. I don't blame Angie for whacking you with that book at all, but then again the Great Wise Birds did tell me that this would happen…

Two: The Elders of Sky

Rose-

My cousin used to say that I never thought enough. Obviously, my mum disagreed- even now, she's still just as protective- but she's just the same as I am; we both act before we think.

So I thought- what about a planet where they thought a lot? Maybe it'd give me a push to start thinking about what came out of my big mouth before it did. I'd probably offend less people that way.

* * * * *

"Perfect, Tyler!" The Doctor grinned appreciatively as Rose told him where to go. "Just what you need- some out-of-earth philosophy."

"So where are we going?" Rose asked, laughing.

"I think it's time I paid a visit to my old mates, the Fli." He said without looking up, his attention fixed on the screen in front of him.

"You're taking me to see fleas?" Rose repeated, slightly miffed. The Doctor shot her an odd look, as if she'd just asked him what colour an orange was.

"What're you on about, girl?" he asked, shaking his head. "I'm taking you to meet the Fli."

Oh… because that's completely different. Rose thought sarcastically. "And I'm supposed to know the difference- how?" she asked aloud.

The Doctor ignored her.

****

"The planet Sky- home to the Fli; the oldest and wisest race in the universe- apart from the Time Lords that is."

Rose snorted. "You're nothing if not modest and humble, Doctor."

The Doctor's eyebrows rose, disappearing under the hairline of his hectic hair. "Was that the use of sarcasm I detected just then, Miss Tyler?"

"Could've been." She said tartly and looked past her friends arm, out into the world that they'd landed on. She was momentarily overtaken by a wave of vertigo sweeping over her at the vast expanse of blue sky that greeted her eyes.

Past the TARDIS doors was only bright, utterly blue sky, filling her vision completely- Rose's immediate reaction was that they were floating, but then she looked down in the general direction of the ground, and saw that there was indeed some solid earth- just not very much of it.

"Sky- almost literally solid air." The Doctor explained. "Sky used to be a small rock- about the same size as the moon- encased in an atmosphere that was more than double its size.

Rose nodded to show that she was following, urging him to continue.

"Then, around about eighteen and a half billion years ago"-

"Whoa." Rose muttered.

"- Sky's atmosphere caused the rock in its centre to crumble- most of it became dust and rock particles that eventually got broken down into pure carbon, which became gases- but some of the more tightly compacted rock chunks stayed together, and remained drifting around in Sky's atmosphere- rather like bubbles in water."

"So, technically, we're floating." Rose mused aloud- the Doctor nodded.

"Well, if we're going to be technical about it, every planet's floating in its atmosphere"-

"Spare me, science geek." Rose interrupted, making the Doctor glare. "I've suffered through ten years of science and have the failed GCSE to prove it- I don't need any more wasted lectures."

The Doctor shot her a hurt look- it made Rose fee slightly guilty, until it disappeared seconds later as his usual loopy grin returned. He shrugged. "You humans; not appreciation for science- fools-"

"Anyway." Rose cut him off before he could begin some epic ramble that she'd never stop. "You were explaining about Sky…" she prompted.

"Huh? Oh! Right," a half-crazed grin replaced the blank look as he launched into the next ramble. "Sky; hardly any land- which is great for the Fli, because of their body structures- and mostly air. The Fli sort of 'live'- hmm, maybe 'nest' would be a better word- right, yes, the Fli nest on the earthen parts and- well, you'll see in a minute."

Rose followed the Doctor out of the TARDIS, taking in her surroundings- it was slightly disorientating- the sky, instead of stopping and giving way to the land, just continued. She was surrounded by a vast expanse of blue, grey and white all swirled into the sky above her. It was like being so high in the air that you couldn't see any buildings, and you were level with some of the clouds, Rose decided. Except, she knew that if she walked to the edge of the earth, there would be no ground, miles below, if she looked down.

Maybe she wouldn't do that- Rose thought as she recalled what had happened when she'd stood on the fence back home and looked at the pavement, merely two feet below her. She's ended up with a broken fence and a sore elbow from over-balancing and falling. She hesitated to think what she'd get for looking over this fence.

Nervous at the memory, her hand sought the Doctors- his tightened around hers almost unconsciously, reflectively-as if he hardly realised what he was doing. They looked out together at the other rocks, floating several football fields away, hanging in the empty blue space like a disfigured bubbles, tiny shapes- birds perhaps-gliding around in the air above the rocky growths that almost resembled buildings. The immense vacant space stretching between them and the other rocks; a yawning chasm that stretched out into the universe. Rose opened her mouth to ask what they were going to do, but the Doctor beat her to it.

"Ah! Here we are- didn't think it'd take them too long- look." Rose followed his gesturing finger and gasped.

She couldn't help it- she took an instinctive step backwards as the rapidly increasing shapes drew nearer. She cast a frightened glance at the Doctor, but he just smiled and squeezed her fingers reassuringly. Rose inhaled sharply as the two massive silver giants closed their huge wings and slammed into the ground- sending a tremor beneath Rose's feet- their lethal claws churning the ground, leaving ragged scars as they regained their balance.

"Doctor… are those what I think they are?" Rose whispered as one of the beasts eyed her evilly with a reptilian black eye. The Doctor huffed.

"Whatever you do, please don't call them dragons, Rose." He said- why couldn't he keep his voice down? The noise was attracting the attention of the animals- Rose tugged on his sleeve, but he didn't notice. "Because they're not- they're Vargen."

Rose didn't care what they were called- she barely heard what the Doctor said. Despite her friend's relaxed manner, she couldn't shake the fear from her at the sight of these two huge beasts.

The Vargen were what Rose would have automatically called a dragon; reptilian, huge and horned, it seemed the right category for them. Their scales were a dull silver, though some shined brightly, as if polished; two frighteningly large horns- curled tightly like a rams- sprouted from their heads, and a third grew from the tips of their snouts- the larger of the two had a second, smaller one higher up on its nose too. The creatures looked deadly, and both had a cold predator glint in their eyes- enough to freeze Rose to her very bones where she stood.

"Rose, relax. They won't hurt you." The Doctor's voice broke through the haze of fear, clearing her head enough for Rose to speculate whether the Doctor wanted her dead, or if this was just a mistake- how could these… these Vargen not hurt her?

Foolish human. Rose jumped as the words reverberated through her mind, making the Doctor laugh. She relaxed her tense muscles ever-so-slightly at the sound. Before Rose could ask, the voices sounded again.

If we wanted your life, human, we would have taken it before now. Rose felt reassured by the words- they were true, after all- and her fear gradually melted away.

We heard your call- we know what you want. The words held a ring of mockery, and Rose could now discern two voices from the tangles of words- she detected a vague hint of feminine softness to one them and it was this one that spoke again.

Doctor...

The smaller of the Vargen padded forward- Rose felt no fear now as the silver creature drew level with the Doctor and touched his forehead with her snout.

It has been so very long. The female said- now Rose had studied it, she could see that the creature's body was thinner than the other, its face slender- drawing away slightly. Rose watched as the sunlight glinted of the scales on the creature's neck- now devoid of any fear for the huge lizards, she could appreciate the beauty of them; their eyes held not malice- as she'd previously thought- but an astounding gentleness.

"Oh," The Doctor breathed, falling back on his heels as he stared at the Vargen in front of him. "Kiiri?"

The silver female blinked her deep dark eyes slowly and dipped her head.

It is gratifying, Time Lord, that you still remember me, after so many centuries. She hummed. Rose felt a stab of jealously, and then felt instantly silly- why was she jealous in the first place, let alone over a giant reptile? She couldn't find the answer, so she let it go. The Doctor, oblivious of her little internal conversation, turned to her.

"Rose, this is Kiiri- a good friend I've know for, well, almost my entire life- Kiiri, my... companion, Rose." He introduced, and Rose felt slightly confused- was she supposed to shake Kiiri's paw?

A simple nod will suffice, human. Came the reply- Rose felt slightly unnerved that the she-Vargen could read her mind, but then realised it didn't really matter; she'd had so many other people probing her consciousness, another wouldn't hurt.

You can feel safe in the knowledge that I do not pry, human. The female's silver-black eyes glinted and she turned back to the Doctor. She is your parabatai- yes?

The Doctor's eyes shot to Rose's, and coughed, looking uncomfortable. "Um, no." he said quickly. "Just my friend."

Kiiri sniffed as Rose felt a stab of hurt lance through her chest at the Doctor's words-a feeling she couldn't rightly explain.

Pity. She would make a good Ietia.

"Anyway," the Doctor looked even more uncomfortable, and Rose longed to ask what the strange words meant; they were obviously of the Vargen's native tongue- something she had no knowledge of. She made a mental note to ask her friend later, when they were alone. "Shall we?"

If you wish. Came to reply, this time from the previously silent male Vargen in the background. If you are ready. The Doctor nodded and turned to Rose, who returned his gaze warily as the two Vargen drew nearer.

"Ready?" He asked, his familiar grin making her relax- without waiting for an answer, he put one hand on either side her waist and lifted her up and onto Kiiri's waiting back- Rose felt a stab of panic and confusion, and she looked over at the Doctor, who was grasping at one of the pale spines on Kiiri's neck, using them to haul himself up behind Rose. The Doctor must've sensed her fright, because he whispered soothingly in her ear.

"It's alright- Kiiri won't let you fall." Rose fought the rising sense of trepidation as realisation dawned on her about what they were about to do.

"Are you trying to give me an early death?" Rose hissed behind her as Kiiri unfolded her slender legs and stood up- Rose could feel the muscles of the she-Vargen's wings rippled in preparation under her hands, and she grasped tightly onto the chain attached to the thick metal band around Kiiri's neck. The Doctor still had a strong hold on her, one arm looped around her stomach and the other slung across her shoulders- he still didn't seem at all nervous about what Rose knew was coming.

"Have you done this before?" She breathed her voice unsteady.

"Of course!" The Doctor laughed. "It's brilliant- used to do this all the time back on Gallifrey- blindfolded."

Rose tried to answer, but at that moment, Kiiri tensed her legs and flung herself into the sky, snatching anything Rose could have said away in the wind.

A/N: Right people- have done my old trick again- I think it's going to be a recurring incidence.

Okay- to all yous out there who know Spanish- you'll probably know then that parabatai means 'closer than brothers.' Well, in this I've sort of tweaked it a bit, so that it is now 'closer than friends.' If anyone knows the Spanish for that, please tell me! Obviously, the Vargen's language isn't Spanish, but I liked the word and the meaning so I though I'd use it anyway… reviews? Possibly?...