Gardrania had watched Medda talk to Race, knowing what she was telling him. Medda had already told her younger friend her suspicion. "Are either of you Gifted?" Gardrania asked the cats as nonchalantly as she could.

Bellavia nodded. "I am. But only with females."

Gardrania took a deep breath, hoping no one would guess the basis of her next question. "So, you could tell if someone is sick or pregnant?"
"Yes. Why?"
"Just wondering."

Blink and Mush looked at each other. "I'll bet she was 'just wonderin''."

"Medda?"

"Probly."

"D'ya think?"

"I don't know. I guess she could be." Then his eyes widened. "He'll make us uncles!"

Mush punched his friend's shoulder lightly. "Don't worry about it!"

"You want to be junior's uncle?" Blink asked incredulously.

"People!" Bellavia suddenly called. "Shutup unless you want to be heard! We're here!"

Snipes peered around Blink. "Where's here? The front door? We're just gonna stroll right in!"

"Shut the kid up," Jerl said through clenched teeth. "These people have weapons far beyond our understanding."

"Say that again in English?" Blink interrupted.

"They could blow you to bits without your even realizing you'd been shot at."

Blink shrugged. "Simple enough. I get it."

Jerl continued, "Follow us and don't make a sound until we tell you you can."

"I was just—" Snipes began, getting cut off by the hand that Blink suddenly pushed over his mouth and held there tightly. Gardrania glared at him and Blink shook his head in mock disapproval.

"Now," Jerl began in a whisper, "Bellavia's going to trip the security system. Then we'll sneak in."

"This isn't the front door," Bellavia added with a grin. Then she silently crept up to a flat rock face with three symbols carved into the middle of it. Mumbling under her breath, she traced the second and third symbols with her claw. Then she quickly pushed down on the first symbol while covering the other two with her paw. There was a audible click, and the rock face slid open silently, exposing a dark corridor. "Follow me," she said, padding into it. Blink, Snipes, and Mush glanced at each other and were about to follow her when they heard a quiet, "Wait up!" Race was approaching them quickly.

"Don'tcha wanna talk with Medda?" Blink questioned softly.

Race gave him a strange look. "She ain't my life. I sorta need some time to think. Anyways, I ain't talked to you guys in a while."

"Well, the know-it-all over there says we ain't 'sposed to talk," Blink replied sarcastically. Mush elbowed him and Snipes snickered. Then they walked into the mountain.

--

Crutchy stood gaping at Kris, who sighed and said, "I suppose you want an explanation?" Crutchy nodded dumbly. "Alright. When my wife and I had our first and only child fifteen years ago, I was not there. My wife had to do everything by herself, with a newborn baby to take care of, too. She obviously could not go without sleep to drive our wagon day and night, so, once while she was sleeping, a snake or something crossed the path. Our horse, who my wife had trusted not to bolt actually did bolt then. Our daughter bounced out. By the time Jade woke up and went back, it was too late. The daughter I never knew was gone. Until now."

"How poetic."

"Thank you."

Crutchy leaned back against a rock. "Okay. So now I know who Drania's parents are. Maybe you can tell me what this dragon thing's all about?"

Kris looked confused. "Dragon thing? Oh, that. Actually, I'm from Paris, and when I came here I met a dragon. She saved my life and now has a dragonet. Who, I might add, was born on the same day my daughter was. My family is linked to dragons. Forever."

Maybe when I'm older I'll be part of that family, Crutchy thought. Like, when I'm forty or so. "That's also very poetic," he said thoughtfully. Suddenly he remembered where he was supposed to be. "Oh, shoot! I'm so stupid! Everyone's prob'ly in that place by now! Oh, I can't believe this! Why'd I do it to myself……"

Kris waited for him to start rambling, then said, "It doesn't matter."

"Yeah, it does."

Kris shook his head pityingly. "No, you stupid child, it does not. This is because I work here."

"You work for the bad guys." It was more of a statement than a question.

"It's logical, isn't it? This way I can look for my daughter without even breaking a sweat," Kris replied, shrugging.

Crutchy grinned and nodded. "Well, if you can get me in, lead on."

--

The trees were just a blue as Blazer sped by. Streak and he had both gotten their mother's, Comet, speed. He had another sister, Fiona, and two other brothers, Matthias and Martin, who were who knows where now.

Within minutes he was racing through the meadow, drawing closer to the mountain path he traveled so often. But when his breath began coming in short ragged gasps, he knew he needed to stop. With the breath he had left he gave three short barks. "Come on, Aquane," he complained. Then he saw the dragonet wheeling above him in the sky.

She landed and sat on her haunches, curling her tail around her feet. "I'm here. What do you need?"

Blazer pointed to the paper with a paw. "Jade said I'm supposed to give this to Kris. I was just wondering if you could tell me where exactly he is."

"Sure." Aquane launched herself into the air and called down, "Just keep going straight! That's the trail he's on!"

"Thanks!" Blazer yelled, beginning to run again.