Dragonspell - Donita K. Paul [39]
The dragon opened tiny eyes, dark and glittering, and looked directly into her face. Its eyes locked with hers, and she took in a sharp breath as she felt the mind connection snap into place.
“It’s a boy,” she told Dar in a soft voice. “His name is Gymn.”
Dar’s music stopped. He slipped the harmonica into his jacket pocket and came to admire the newborn.
“He’s a beauty, Kale.”
The dragon flipped over on his belly and stretched. Kale felt his tiny feet pushing into her palm. He raised up on hind legs and cautiously his wings unfolded, stretching into a six-inch spread. The leathery membranes darkened to almost black but still the tinge of green held.
“Let him hear your voice, Kale. Sing to him.”
“What shall I sing?”
“Anything.”
Kale searched for something she knew all the words to. Ordinarily, a slave was not encouraged to sing, but she’d rocked many a fussy baby for the dames of the village, and those were times she was allowed to croon. She began to hum a harvest tune about seeds and sun, rain and grain. Dar pulled out his harmonica and joined her. Encouraged, she sang,
“Dry seed planted in the ground,
Wait for sun and rain to come ’round,
Hope in the future, rest in the land.
You are part of Wulder’s plan.
Toommba la-la, trillo coom day.
Toommba la-la, sen-sa-may.
Toommba la-la, trillo coom day.
Toommba la-la, sen-sa-may.”
Gymn perched in the palm of her hand, swaying gently in time to the music. Then his outstretched wings moved up and down with a rhythmic swish-swish. Kale felt his hind leg muscles tense as she started the second verse. Suddenly, he leapt into the air, flapped his wings with more strength, and landed on her shoulder. She laughed out loud as the tiny green creature snuggled up against her chin and rubbed her cheek affectionately.
Dar lowered the harmonica and smiled. “When will he be hungry?”
“Tomorrow,” Kale answered, “according to the book.” She reached up one finger to stroke the baby’s soft green belly.
“Then let’s get moving.”
“Moving?”
“I told you I have the wanderlust, Kale. We’ll explore The Bogs. We might find a trace of Leetu Bends or a clue as to where to find her.”
Kale’s heart plummeted. How could she have forgotten? Leetu was in danger. She closed her eyes and reached with her mind, hoping she’d brush against the presence of the emerlindian.
Darkness hit her. Gymn squeaked and fell from her shoulder into her lap. She opened her eyes to see his limp body across the fine material of one knickered leg.
“Dar?” Kale squealed.
“Don’t panic, Kale.” Dar leaned over the baby dragon. “He’s still breathing.”
16
FINDING THE TRAIL
“What happened?” Kale tried to keep the panic from her voice.
Dar ran a finger down Gymn’s back.
“Watch his tail,” he said, and again stroked the length of the animal’s back. When he reached the vertebrae at the base of the tail, Gymn’s tail tip twitched. “There! He’s unconscious, but there’s no bad damage if his reflexes are still good. He’s breathing, too, without any raspy noises or gasping. I think he’ll be okay.”
“But what happened?”
“I don’t know, and there’s not much point in guessing.”
Dar and Kale continued to watch the baby dragon. Soon his eyes fluttered, and he looked up at Kale. Immediately, he sprang to his feet and scrambled under the edge of her cape and into the top pocket.
“He’s afraid,” said Kale. “I can feel it.”
“What’s he afraid of?”
Kale thought about the sequence of events.
“I reached for Leetu, and that same ugly darkness met me,” she explained. “That must have been what happened.” She paused, cupping her hand over the cape where the baby dragon shivered in the pocket underneath. “I think he fainted.”
Dar chortled. “Well, I’ve never heard of a dragon fainting before, but he is just a baby.”
Dar got up and went to pack away the rest of his equipment.
“Do you want to go up a couple of layers in the cygnot? The air will probably be cooler and fresher.”
“Are you hot?” asked Kale.
“I’m not wearing a moonbeam cape, Kale. I am very