A/n Hello dear readers! That last chapter seems to have caused a bit of ruckus for everyone. Trust me, it was just as bad, if not worse for poor Kaoru. But she's a strong girl.

On to the story!

Chapter 21

It was startling for Kaoru to see Kenshin half an hour later in line for his dinner. Eyes and heads turned to the banner of red hair. News of their return and near dragon execution had traveled fast and everyone buzzed about the possibility of another war and rebels with dragons. Kenshin spotted her right away and made his way over. Kaoru could only look down at her steaming vegetables and rice. She had no appetite for food but forced herself to go to dinner anyway. By then the sun had started to set and the cozy warmth of the commons area made it the popular place to be. It was near full.

Kenshin slid into the chair across from her with a sigh. "I thought you would be done with your meal by now. I am rather late." Gone was that strange dark look and the glowing yellow eyes.

Kaoru nodded but could only shrug. "I'm not that hungry." She said honestly.

"No, I wouldn't think so after that fiasco with the dragon."

Kaoru paused and look up at her master. He only spared her a glance before ravaging his meal.

"You knew we were there."

"We all knew." He said after he swallowed his bite. "Immediately. We're going to have to work on your stealth, that we are."

"Why didn't you say anything? Have us removed?" Was he mad? He didn't look mad.

"The Council had no idea. It was just Aoshi and the others. But we think that interrogation is something important that all pages need to learn. It's something anyone may have to do someday. Although today the man was rather easy to break."

Kaoru was shocked. This was an easy break? She never wanted to see a hard one. "Well if you all think it's important why won't the council let pages in?"

"They have this idea that it's not something you need to learn at the age most pages are. They don't even like squires in there either. They think it's a darker part of our job that's not for everyone. And that exposing you to it at such an impressionable age is harmful."

"What do you think?" Kaoru wondered. Did he think she shouldn't have witnessed what she did?

"I think that's a bunch of dragon shit," Kenshin said bluntly. "You don't have to lay a finger on a prisoner to interrogate them, you just need to learn how to play the game, and they are doing you and every page and squire a disservice by not allowing you in to learn. So we said nothing. We agreed to it when Misao and Yahiko first started sneaking in years ago."

So they had known about it for quite some time. Kaoru wasn't sure how Misao would take the news that her stealth wasn't fooling any of them. But there was something bigger and darker clouding Kaoru's thoughts and she picked at her food as she tried to work out how to ask her Master. "So...would you have killed the dragon if the man didn't talk?" she finally blurted. Her blue eyes darting up from her plate to her master and then back down again.

Kenshin tipped his head. "No."

Kaoru was pushing her food around her plate but at his simple hard word she paused and looked up. "Really? It sure did look like it to me."

"We knew he was weak minded and only needed a little push, that he did." Kenshin nodded to himself. "We try not to use such threats unless we know it will work." He added before taking a long drink.

Kaoru felt a heavy weight float off her chest. She had no idea how much the idea of her Master executing dragons had changed her feelings. "I was upset," Kaoru stated honestly, leveling her eyes with her master. "The idea of the poor dragon being killed hurt me." She placed a hand on the center of her chest where her heart had beat so painfully.

The hard look slowly ebbed away from his eyes and that kind and gentle Master she knew so well was returning. "You have a gentle heart." He paused and sighed softly through his nose. "Perhaps it is wrong of me to make you my page. I thought hard about letting you join another branch, the medics with Eli or-"

"No!" Kaoru realized she shouted when many eyes turned to her but she only gave them a glace before returning to Kenshin's startled wide eyes. "No, please don't get rid of me."

His mouth dropped and he reeled back. "I don't want to get rid of you. I want to place you where you might be happier."

Kaoru shook her head, her heart returning to beat painfully. "No, I don't want to. I'm happy being a page. I'm learning so much, and I'm happy with Kokuei and...with you." She ended with her voice just a whisper.

Kenshin let out a breath and looked away. Perhaps to let her compose herself. Kaoru realized she had let a few stray tears escaped and she dashed them away with the back of her hand.

"I'm glad you would rather stay with me. That I am." He started softly. He turned his eyes back to Kaoru and they turned hard again. "But with me, you will go into battles and you will have to attack people and dragons and maybe even kill them. Do you think you can do that?"

Kaoru opened her mouth and then shut it again. Could she do that? Kill people? Bad, cruel people she was sure she would. Like her old master, she had wanted to kill him a great many times over. But many of these people were not bad or cruel or in any way different from herself. They just wanted what she had wanted for so long. Freedom. But freedom was coming and they didn't need to fight.

"If these people are still fighting even though freedom is coming, then they are not fighting for the right reasons," Kaoru said carefully.

"Kaoru it doesn't matter what the reason is that they are fighting." He said in a low tone, his head ducking down slightly.

Kaoru glanced left and right. No one seemed to be close enough to hear them.

"They could be fighting for all the right reasons and we would still battle against them. We've done it before. I've done it before. Innocent people punished, harmed or killed." Purple eyes glanced to his left and then returned. "Just know that if you fight for this government you must always fight for this government. Sometimes you'll have to do things you don't agree with. But you have to remember the greater good that will come at the end."

The South wanted war again. Freedom was on the way and still, they wanted war. Kaoru could understand wanting revenge, but war was a horrible thing. Echos of screams rang in her memory. Women screaming for their husbands, her mother screaming for her father.

"Kaoru?"

Kaoru blinked and focused back on her Master. He was looking at her struggling. "I understand." She blurted. Looked down at her plate and realizing she hardly touched it. She shoved food into her mouth and made herself chew.

"You were in another place, that you were," Kenshin stated.

"I'm fine." Was all Kaoru was willing to say. She didn't want to remember the past. She didn't want to explain it to Kenshin or to anyone. She just wanted the memories to die away. Forever. Thinking and talking about them only gave them new life.

Kenshin didn't look pleased but let it drop, he sat back in his chair and regarded her silently with those intense eyes.

Kaoru scrambled for something, anything to take her mind of the memories struggling to surface. "What were the battles like? Now that you've fought with others who had dragons."

"Hard," Kenshin admitted as he cleaned his plate. "Dragons fighting each other is frightening, that is is."

"Really?" Kaoru sat up straight. "You were afraid?"

Kenshin nodded. "We've practiced before of course, but when it's real...it's horrible. I didn't like to see the other dragons wounded, I didn't like to see Kokuei harmed. It was the first time that I truly worried for his safety."

"Was he in any real danger?"

Kenshin nodded. And the look on his face frightened Kaoru. She didn't like the idea of a dragon being harmed. Caring for Enok taught her that people were responsible for caring for them if they raised them like pets. They were like children, they talked, had emotions. Was Kokuei worried? Was he afraid during battle? That idea made Kaoru feel alarmed and protective of the giant lizard.

"How are Bala and Enok?" Kenshin shifted suddenly, standing to take the dishes. Kaoru gladly let him take her half-eaten food away. She stood and followed him as he dropped off the dishes at the window.

"Enok was taken weeks ago," Kaoru stated, her heart painful. "I was upset."

Kenshin clicked his tongue and turned to set his arm across her shoulders and they walked out of the commons. "I know you grew attached to the little messenger dragon. I'm sorry his leaving hurt you."

Kaoru waved it away. "I shouldn't have grown attached. Caring for him was just a temporary job anyway. He wasn't even my dragon or a dragon that belonged here. I knew better." she muttered.

"It is not easy to tell your heart who to fall in love with and who not to," Kenshin said.

Kaoru knew he was talking about Enok but Kaoru couldn't help but think of the heated dreams she had been having about him and she was glad it was too dark for him to notice any blush. She glanced at him from the side of her vision. He looked tired and was sore from battles but even so he looked triumphant and sure. And yet he didn't seem cocky and even admitted to being afraid during the fights. His strong arm on her shoulder was not heavy but firm and Kaoru horrified herself by wishing his strong arms would wrap around her. Quickly she shoved the thought away and stumbled slightly as Kenshin took a different turn. He glanced over at her as she corrected her misstep.

"I thought we could look in on Bala. She has eggs now, right?"

"Oh! I'd like that." Kaoru agreed. "Yes she has eggs, they are about to hatch in fact."

"Have I been gone that long?" Kenshin wondered to himself.

Kaoru watched as his eyes grew hard and thoughtful and his mouth became a flat line. She wondered what he was thinking. About the prisoner? The battles he just endured? The future? About war? She wasn't sure she wanted to know but she hated that look on his face.

… . . …

Bala nearly beamed at the attention Kenshin gave her. The little dragon all but wagging her tail like a dog when Kenshin praised her on her clutch of green eggs.

"You are doing such a good job, Bala. Even with so many, you take care of each one." He said gently. Kaoru would have melted under such praise but it was nice to see the little dragon so happy. She pressed her head against his chest as he petted her neck.

"Kaoru's master was gone a long time."

"Yes, I was off doing my duty, that I was," Kenshin said as he scratched her firmly under the chin.

"That's good." She nearly purred, leaning against him.

Kaoru smiled at the two of them as she crouched near the nest of eggs. "Might I touch one?" She asked.

"Oh, yes. You can't hurt them, their shells are hard." Bala answered, keeping her attention on Kenshin.

Sure enough, the shells were hard as a rock. They were smooth and the color of dull dry sweet grass. They were also pleasantly warm to the touch. She wanted to lift one and snuggle it in her arms for warmth, but she didn't dare, rock hard or not. Suddenly, the egg her hand rested on wiggled. It was such an unexpected move that Kaoru jerked her hand away with a yelp.

"Oro?" Kenshin turned to the girl.

"It moved!" Kaoru gasped, leaning closer again. A different egg shifted this time and Kaoru pointed at it. "There! That one moved too!"

"Oh." Bala inspected her eggs, turning one around with her snout. "They will hatch very soon."

"That's wonderful." Kaoru smiled as she watched yet another wiggle about. "I can't wait to see them."

Again Bala beamed at the attention and down at her proud little clutch of eggs.

… . . …

"Jacob must be proud," Kenshin said as they made their way back to their compound. The Elf was not around when they visited Bala, which Kenshin found as odd with the eggs hatching at any time. But Bala didn't seem worried or in any way missing her master so Kenshin didn't push it.

"Beside himself." Kaoru agreed with a smile.

"That's good." He smiled down at her.

Kaoru went to look in on the giant lizard while Kenshin went to his quarters to build the fire back up. It was dark inside the tent but it was rather warm and comfortable. She bumped into Kokuei with her foot and she reached out to find the dragon balled up tightly. His back muscles twitched under her touch, giving away that he knew she was there.

"Hey, you big lizard," Kaoru muttered softly as she caressed the smooth scales. "I'm glad that you didn't get hurt in the battles.

Silence.

"Thank you for keeping Kenshin safe and bringing him back home. I missed the two of you."

There was a low rumbling deep in his chest that sounded like a loud purr. Kaoru knew that was all she was going to get out of the beast for now. It was cold and she didn't blame him. With a happy sigh, she gave the dragon a pat and turned back to find Kenshin waiting for her in the doorway. He was leaning against the wood and had his wooden drinking cup in his hand.

"Were you able to shift him?"

"Not at all."

Kenshin moved and walked into his quarters and turn to shut the door as Kaoru followed behind him. The room was blissfully warm and Kaoru shrugged off her cloak and put it away.

"I'm not surprised. You would be a dragon whisperer if you were able to get him up after a mission, with it being this cold." He sighed loudly as he sat in his stuffed chair and motioned to Kaoru to sit in the other. As Kaoru was making herself comfortable Kenshin turned to look into the fire.

"You must be tired. Wouldn't you rather get some sleep?" Kaoru stated, looking at the worn look on his face.

"I should." He grunted. And it seemed that was all he was going to say. Yet after taking a drink, he continued. "I've too much on my mind right now, that I do."

Kaoru turned to look at the warm and cheery fire. Was it her place to press her Master if he didn't want to talk? As a slave, no. But she was a page. His page. "You want to talk about it?" She glanced over at him to see his reaction.

He sighed softly. "If this war is not stopped, there will be many casualties, that there will. I for one do not want to see this come to pass. What the prisoner told us is very disturbing and I'm worried, that I am."

Kaoru tucked her legs under her and wrapped her arms around herself even though there was no chill in the room. "What did that man say?"

Kenshin looked over at her in surprise. "You didn't hear?"

"I heard something about the snow lands and dragon eggs but I could hardly understand the man and I was so upset at the idea of killing that poor dragon that Misao and Yahiko dragged me out before he could finish." She confessed.

"I'll tell you, it will be news soon enough. The Rebels have pushed further North than we ever thought they would. They passed the icy sea that separates us and the Snow Lands. There they have been raiding the nests of Ice Elementals." At her blank stare, he elaborated. "Ice dragons particularly these Glacier dragons. They are considered one of the most powerful and rarest breeds in the world."

"So they are raiding the nests to raise up these ice dragons for war."

"Yes," Kenshin confirmed.

That was rather worrisome. If the rebels had such powerful dragons a war could stretch out for months, maybe even years. The possibility made her heart drop. The possibility of so much death made it race fast enough to cause her to tremble. Freedom was coming! Why are they still trying to force war?

"However, we've been fortunate in that all the eggs have failed to hatch or died just after hatching, each and every time. Apparently, they can't take the change in temperature." Kenshin added, draining his cup. "The rebels flee out of the Snow Lands once a raid takes place or else the broody dragon comes after them. The shock of a new environment is too much for the creatures. I'm not sure this is the cause but I'm certain it is. I don't understand why they haven't figured it out by now."

Again Kaoru's heart dropped. "Those poor hatchlings." She sighed. Her eyes flashed and she lifted her head. "Why are these people so stupid! They want war so bad they are willing to cause the death of rare dragons. Babies out of the shell!" She slammed one fist against the arm of the chair and turned away, huffing in anger. Never had she felt such hate for her own people. But these were no longer her people. They were Rebels and they needed to be stopped at all cost. If not to keep them from stealing and murdering more hatchlings in their ignorance then at least to keep a bloody and long war from starting. She felt betrayed by them. Up until this point, she could somewhat understand their want for war but harming innocent little hatchlings was a sin Kaoru could never forgive. Not now after knowing dragons and caring for them.

Kenshin had wandered away during her outburst and had returned to pry her clenched fingers apart and press something cold into her hand. Kaoru found herself holding a small cup made of thick and heavy glass with lines cut into it for decoration. It was half full of a dark amber liquid. In her anger, she took a large mouthful and very nearly spat it out. She was only just able to swallow it and fell into a fit of coughing. Kenshin's eyes grew round in surprise and amusement and he laughed all the way back to his chair.

"You're supposed to sip it." He said once he had composed himself.

"You don't." She said in a hoarse whisper. "The Hell is that?"

"Whiskey. And I sip it most of the time." He argued, taking a sip from his own cup as if to prove himself.

"Not always." Kaoru's voice was coming back and she eyed what was left in her glass. She drank more than half of it, but the rest looked far too much for her to try and cough down. She sighed and settled deeper into the chair. The whiskey in her belly sat burning for a few long moments before a warmth started to spread outward toward her limbs. Oh, this was nice.

She took a cautious sip. It still burned, but not as bad as before and the warmth of the drink started to spread even before it hit her stomach.

"There, that's better, that it is," Kenshin said softly and with a smile.

Kaoru gave him a humorless smile and looked back into her drink for a moment before speaking. "Tell me more about the battles. How were they bad?" She was sure she didn't want to know. But she had to know.

Kenshin looked into his own drink for a moment. "They were not the worst I've been in, but they were bad." He stated flatly. "Dragons are fierce fighters, more so because their riders are at risk. It's like a mother fighting to protect her child, that it is." He didn't brag or boost or in anyway embellish the description of the battles. How wingmen would try and board a dragon in close combat. If they could threaten the life of the rider, the dragon was helpless and would do as they say. Even Kokuei had refused Kenshin's order to fight no matter the cost. The dragon stated he would do all in his power to keep Kenshin alive, even if it meant fighting for the other side. No amount of persuasion would make Kokuei waver. He would abandon all orders if he had to. Kenshin had no idea how to approach this talk. It was treason, but unspiced dragons were impossible to control. They would do as they wanted. Government orders be damned.

Kaoru sipped her drink as Kenshin spoke about one skirmish after another. Kaoru realized that she would be his wingman, and would have to protect his back if any decided to try and board Kokuei. She realized she would be the first target of any plan. The idea that death could come so easily made her all the more determined to learn to fight.

All at once her drink was gone and Kaoru felt boneless and surprisingly emotional at Kenshin's battle stories. She got to her feet, interrupting Kenshin as he spoke and wobbled over to him. He paused in his story to give her a warm, amused look that turned to uncertainty as she collapsed on her knees at his side and threw herself at him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and set her head in his lap.

"I'm glad you returned...unharmed...and the lizard too." She gasped before tucking her head into his stomach to hide the tears that flowed. Her muffled voice stated, "I missed you so very much, Kenshin."

… . . …

At first, he had no idea what to do with his hands. Quickly he downed the rest of his drink and leaned to set the cup on the floor before resting both hands on her back. Her shuddering proved she was crying, silently. Emotion flooded his heart and liquor fogged mind.

"I missed you too." He said softly, petting her gently about the head and back. He never knew just how precious she was to him until this very moment. He cared deeply for the small woman. She was everything he was fighting for. An innocent thrust into the world of slavery and suffering. He wanted to wrap her up in dragon leather, protected from anything the world could throw at her. She had suffered enough from the war that he helped usher in. She sobbed herself to sleep, he realized as her breathing slowed and deepened. Her body going slack.

Knowing she didn't light the stove in her room, he was certain it would be dark and cold. With some awkward maneuvering, he was able to get her into his arms and he stood and carefully carried her over to his sleeping quarters. He set her down on his bed and took his time looking over her face. It was dark in the room, with nothing but the light from the doorway, but he was able to map out every detail. Dark lashes, cute little nose, lips, soft and far too abused from her nervous habit of biting. His fogged mind focused on those lips and before he could think better of it, he bent lower and placed his lips over hers. Yes, they were as soft as they looked, she smelled of dragon and lavender. His lips trailed off her mouth and across her throat where the flowery scent was stronger. When his mouth parted to nip at her slender throat he caught himself and jerked away, standing ramrod straight.

What the hell was he thinking?

How dare he take liberties like that when she could not deny or welcome them. Quickly he tucked the cover tightly about her and marched out of the room. Once in the well lit and now overly warm room, he felt foolish and deplorable. She was his page, his charge. He was to raise her up well and protected. She well and truly is a woman grown but she was far too innocent for him to drag her into a relationship that would be rocky at best. Even so, he couldn't help but touch the tip of his tongue to his lips to recall her taste. Had he turned into a lightweight that a glass of hard drink would cloud his mind into being so stupid?

He scrubbed his hands over his face and threaded his fingers roughly through his hair, pulling the tie away so that his free hair wrapped about his shoulders. How did he ever start thinking about Kaoru in such a way? He always thought his attention on her was professional, maybe even family-like. Like an adventitious uncle telling his niece about all his misadventures and knowledge. But no, even then, he was suppressing his feelings for the woman she was. A woman trapped in a small body. His jealousy of Jacob had been real all those weeks ago.

He was unable to pinpoint just when his feelings for the girl had changed. But the point was that they had changed. If he was a smart and just man, then he would ignore them and do right by the girl by letting her learn on her own and ...no, he couldn't. He wanted her to feel the same for him and him alone. He was selfish and didn't care. He would not force her, never. But in his mind, he wished she would come to care for him for more than just being her master. But for being a man.

He suddenly realized he had fallen for her, and he was in some deep dragon shit.

… . . …

Pounding beat at Kenshin's head and he frowned, muttering to himself as he turned away from the sound that threatened to pull him away from his sleep. But it continued, it continued so fervently that no amount of ignoring would allow him to slip back into his dreams. Eyes popped open, swirling with purple and amber and he threw back the blanket and he climbed out of the stuffed chair and stalked to the door.

Someone better be dying or a village on fire for such knocking. He yanked on the doorknob and the door slammed against the wall. Before him was the tall lean form of the elf. Jacob. The elf had his hand up to beat at the door again but he froze giving Kenshin a startled look. "It better be good, boy," Kenshin growled, his voice deeper, darker. Leaf green eyes darted to take in Kenshin's form. His ki was flowing thickly around his body, giving him an aura of unease. His chest was bare, marred by battle scars and his pants hastily thrown on and not tied.

"Talk!" Kenshin barked.

Jacob jumped, eyes returning to his odd colored ones. "Eggs!" Was all he was able to say, his mind had completely erased. "Their hatching."

Kenshin staggered as Kaoru plowed into him, pushing him away from the door. "What! Now? Already?" She rushed to get her shoes on.

Jacob could only gape at her in silence, his eyes darting between the two of them.

"Arg! Outta my way!" Kaoru pushed passed the elf and darted out of the courtyard. Jacob rushed after her.

Kenshin only sighed as he shut the door and turned to his room to change clothes.

… . . …

Kaoru didn't stop running until she reached the messenger stables. She didn't care if she left without a cloak and there was still snow on the ground. She wasn't going to miss this for anything in the world. She burst into the warm stables. All the dragons were still curled up in their stalls even though the sun was starting to rise. All was silent except for Colt and Eli chatting softly. Their heads could be seen over the breeding stable walls. Kaoru heard Jacob come up behind her as she rushed across the wooden floor. She scrambled around the gate as the two men inside moved out of the way. Colt reached out a hand to steady her as she came to a halt.

"Whoa, hang on there, don't get too close." Colt pushed her until she plopped down on her knees before moving away and allowing her to see Bala. The dragon was curled around her nest, tail touching her rounded nose, her eyes focused on her eggs.

"Did I miss anything Jacob asked as he gasped for breath, leaning against the open gate.

Eli was the only one allowed to move closer and he inspected the nest without touching the eggs or the dragon. "All are rocking now, five have pipped."

"Oh! Let me see." Jacob hurried over and Bala lifted her head.

"Master, look." She shifted slightly to allow him room. The elf folded his legs so that he could sit and Bala rested her head on his lap, her eyes still never leaving the dull green eggs.

"Yes I see Bala, the hatchlings are almost here." He caressed the scales around her jaw and leaned in to take a look.

"What's pipped mean?" Kaoru asked, feeling like she needed to whisper as she set a hand on the ground to lean forward but Colt set a hand on her head and pushed her back.

"Nu-uh, don't get close. Riders and medics only. Anyone else and Bala is liable to snap."

"Oh," Kaoru leaned back on her knees. She would have given anything for a closer look, but not her hand.

"Pipped means that the hatchling put a hole in its shell," Colt stated as he sat comfortably against the wooden railings next to Kaoru. He pulled out a scroll holder and removed the rolled up paper from it and opened it up. Kaoru leaned closer to see that it was a copy of Bala's lines and he was drawing nine lines branching off of Bala's name. One for each dragon, Kaoru realized.

"All of them are pipped," Jacob reported. Eli rustled around in the nest but Kaoru couldn't see what he was doing from where she was. "Two are starting to zip." He said.

"Zipping is when the dragon rotates in the shell and knocks a crack or a hole all the way around. Common for smaller breeds." Colt informed before Kaoru could ask.

"Oh, I wish I could see." Kaoru sighed and she strained to look closer.

"Kaoru can come closer," Bala stated, turning away for the first time to look at the girl. "You are such a good friend." She added.

"Oh. Thank you, Bala." Kaoru whispered and moved only just close enough to get a better look but made sure to stay out of Eli's way. The eggs were all rocking quite a bit, knocking against each other in the processes. Sure enough, all of the egg had holes and two had a series of cracks moving along one end. Bits of shell were breaking away each time the hatchling knock against it.

Soon all of them were zipped and everyone was focused on one hatchling that was prying it's shell apart with its tiny claws. Kaoru could glimpse the tiny snout and ever so often a dark eye would peer out. Every time it scrambled to pull the shell open Kaoru found herself holding her breath until the hatchling gave up to rest. She was somewhat aware that Kenshin had joined them. She could hear him murmuring to Colt behind her. Yet she didn't dare look away from the nest.

The hatchling gave one great heave and Kaoru watched as it shoved all four claws into the crack. The shell gave way and the hatchling tumbled out, squawking like a half-drowned bird.

"Oh, there you are." Bala immediately touched the baby with her snout and began to clean it with her tongue. The contact caused the hatchling to cry all the louder and struggle on weak wobbling legs over the rest of the eggs towards its mother. It was pale green with a yellowish white underbelly. Kaoru realized that in the wild the hatchling would be impossible to pick out from the grass. Perfectly camouflaged.

Kaoru's hands began to ache and she looked down to find that they were clenched tightly and pressed painfully on top of her legs. She wanted so much to take up the hatchling and clean it herself. The little thing would fit perfectly in her palm. Its wings were still pressed tightly against its body giving it the look of slightly plump lizard.

In all the distraction more eggs had zipped and a second egg was already being pushed open. Spurred on by the cry of the first hatchling and the soft purr like sounds from Bala, all the eggs seemed to increase in activity.

It seemed like only minutes later when each and every egg lay empty and Bala and Jacob were doting over nine tiny hatchlings. Kaoru found that she was kneeling for so long that her legs had gone completely numb and Colt had to heft her up and hand her over to Kenshin where she plopped on her butt at his feet and painfully stretched out her legs. Kenshin draped her cloak over her shoulders, having brought it with him. She grinned up at Kenshin and then turned back to watch Eli carefully pick up each dragon and peel open each wing, inspecting the hatchling for defects. Upon finding their wings, they would flap wildly and squawk in protest at being handled and turned over. Bala would watch closely, uneasy at the cries but knowing that Eli was not harming them. Ever so often she would nudge her baby and flick her tongue over it reassuring the hatchling that she was still there.

Eli called out genders. He sexed them so quickly that Kaoru couldn't possibly see how he was doing it. Jacob would then state a name and Colt quickly took it down for his records. Five females and four males. Soon all the hatchlings had been looked over and their names taken. Each one was cleaned and then Eli marked each one with a bit of paint on their necks. Each color different so that they could tell them apart. Soon they were silent, sleeping against Bala's warm belly.

Kaoru had found her feet after the pain of numbness went away and stood beside Kenshin who was silent, but looked pleased at the sight.

"Come. It's almost noon, you need food, that you do."

At the mention of food, Kaoru's stomach gave a loud rumble. "Noon? Has it been hours?" Had it taken that long? Kaoru felt like it was only moments.

"It has." The red-head said with a smile as he draped his arm across her shoulders and led her out of the stall, Colt, and Eli following them. He turned to look over his shoulder. "Would you gentlemen like to join us?"

"Oh, I will," Eli stated.

"No, thank you," Colt answered. "I want to get these officially recorded." he held up the scroll holder.

Kaoru turned to ask Jacob but he was sitting with Bala's head in his lap and seemed glued to the squirming pile of new dragons. Her question died in her throat and she sighed with a smile.

A/n Sqweee! new baby dragons are here! How exciting!
And that stolen kiss, shame on you Kenshin. Shame on you! I know you can slip in a moment of weakness but Kaoru was not awake and that's not nice! Well, he's guilt s punishment enough, for now. At least let the girl be awake to enjoy it! she's been dreaming about it as it is.
Real talk: I've taken a bit of a break in writing this past month. But I've picked up on it again. Camp Nano starts in April and I believe I'll be focusing on the Reluctant Alpha. that story needs an update. How say you, dear readers?
Thank you for reading! reviews are loved.