I'll Be Dog-Gone (24)

I'll Be Dog-Gone (24)

RagnarRB -- I hope

"...that duck is more to your liking?"

Ragnar spun at Mr. Roarkes voice. How does he do that?!

"Compliments of the house." The white clad host motioned with one hand and one of the girls leaned towards the tub to offer the viking a cigar. The other leaned down to light it.

"I trust you are enjoying your stay here?"

Ragnar puffed the smoke to life. "Yeah sure...kind of relaxing..."

One of the ladies held open a bath robe. Climbing out of the tub Ragnar accepted it and then the chair that was offered at Roarkes little table.

"So what brings you here Mr. Roarke?"

"Checking on you Mr. Ragnar...and delivering a message."

puff...puff..."A message huh?"

Roarke smiled. " Yes, the lady you call Rae would like you to contact her."

"Yes. She made quite a grand entrance."

"That would be her. Did she say what she wanted?"

"Just that she was worried about a talking parrot."

Ragnar mulled that one over.

JilaCosa -- Oh, my feet!

Jila, Kaybe, and Vi laugh and laugh through the afternoon. So many tents, so little time. Finally, with all of their purchases, they decide to find a place to sit and rest. Jila takes off one boot and rubs her poor arches. They could not have had a better day to just wander and shop. As the girls notice that the sun is dropping behind the mountains the realize that they should return to Benden.

"So Vi, where's Rae?" Kay and Jila ask at the same time.

"You won't believe what she's done now." Vi says shaking her head. "She hijacked a dragon! I was outside painting when this young man hands me a note telling me that she'd left."

"Will you be going back to Fort Hold tonight?"

"Well to be quite honest with you," Vi looks over each shoulder to see if anyone is standing within earshot, "Fort Hold and the HealerHall are very nice but I think I'd rather stay with you two. Do you think it would be okay?'

"I don't think they'd mind." Jila tells her, "Let me ask."

*Would you ask please ask Lessa if she would mind if we brought a friend back with us tonight."

*Lessa would be pleased to have your friend stay.*

"No problem, Vi." Jila smiles. *Tuenth* Jila calls to the Bronze dragon, *Will you tell S'lel it is time that we returned to the Weyr. And please tell him we have found one of our friends who will be returning with us to Benden.*

*He comes to you now.* The Bronze responds. In just a couple of minutes the girls see S'lel coming toward them, another dragonrider beside him.

"Good evening, Ladies* S'lel stops in front of the benches where Jila, Kay, and Vi are sitting. "Tuenth tells me it is time and that we need more transportation for a friend. This is T'ran, a Bronze rider here at Igen."

Greetings are exchanged and the group walk over to where two Bronze dragons are resting.

"By the way Vi, how was the ride here from Fort?" Jila grins, remembering how ill her friend became at the first thought of flying on a dragon.

"Well, better." Vi says, realizing that it Wasn't quite so bad this last time. "I guess I was thinking more about finding you and Kay than about what I was doing."

"Would you like one of us to ride with you this time?" Jila didn't grin at all this time, she was quite serious. "I can ride alone with S'lel if you wouldn't mind going with Vi, Kay."

"Sure thing," Kay smiles reassuringly, "I think I'm getting the hang of this now."

They five mount their respective dragons and leap into the air. Ready, set, Between! Then out again, fast enough for Vi not to notice much. 'Thanks' and 'Goodnights' are given to T'ran and Redreth, and then S'lel leads them down through the Weyr to the dininghall. The three girls are not terribly hungry after all of the food tasting they have done this afternoon but Manora has had fresh bubbly pies made and the smell is incredible. A platter of pies and some Klah is set at the table and the girls nibble and talk.

"Jila! Jila did you hear me?" Kay shakes Jila's arm because Jila is staring into space.

"Oh I'm sorry." Jila says blinking, "I didn't mean to do that. It's just really hard hearing two conversations at once, especially when one is inside your head. Ramoth says that Lessa needs to talk to us now."

With only a couple of minor wrong turns (no I still can't stop making those wrong turns :P~), Jila, Kaybe, and Vi make their way to the Weryleader's apartments. They knock, although they don't need to - Ramoth knows they are there, and are ushered in immediately.

"Sit, Ladies, please. We have things to discuss." Lessa offers them seats and refreshments are brought in. "First, did you find what you were looking for today, Kaybe?"

"Yes, Weyrwoman." Kaybe pats the bundle beside her, "Thank you very much. They are exactly what I wanted."

"Wonderful. And your friend?"

"Oh dren! Please forgive me, Weyrwoman." Jila finds herself majorly embarrassed at her forgetfulness. "May I introduce to you our friend Viridian. She stayed last night at the HealerHall with another of our friends, Raven-Kat."

"Aah yes.." Lessa said with a small smile "There has been some talk among the dragons of a girl who just this afternoon 'borrowed' a dragon from his rider. Lord Jaxom was quite put out."

"Rae does have that affect on people sometimes." Vi says, and the three chuckle quietly.

"The last thing we need to discuss is the Hatching." Lessa expression turns serious. "F'lar and I have discussed this with the other Weyrleaders and it is felt that you should not stay for the Hatching. You have the ability to talk to any and all dragons and this is a problem. Ramoth senses great emotions within you. We think that because of this you may accidently Impress the new Queen dragon. If you do, a choice has to be made. Will you stay here on Pern for the sake of the dragon or will you take the young Queen back to your world for the sake of your friends? There are not many Queen dragons here so I'm not sure that we could let you leave. Do you see our problem?"

Jila could see the problem, and her heart fell. She wanted so much to witness the Hatching and have Kay and Vi see it with her. But she knew what she had to do.

"I will leave before the Hatching begins, Weyrwoman." Jila says, a tear forming in the corner of her eye. Vi put an arm around Jila's shoulder.

"Kay and I will leave with you." Vi looks at Kaybe. "Won't we Kay.'

"Yes, of course." Kaybe agrees "I don't want to be hear if you can't, Jila."

"Thanks, guys." Jila says, the tear running slowly down her cheek "I really appreciate it."

The four women rise from their seats, and Lessa walks over to Jila and gives her a hug. Through her link with Ramoth Lessa feels Jila's pain at having to leave. "You will come back again soon?" Lessa and Ramoth ask together.

"Yes, of course. As soon as I possibly can." Jila smiles and hugs Lessa back.

There is a small knock at the door, it is Manora.

"A room has been prepared for our new guest." Manora says and leads Jila, Kay, and Vi down to their rooms. They find that Vi is in the room right next to Kaybe.

"Goodnight." They bid each other, and retire to their rooms for some much needed rest.

artickat -- “I’ve picked!”

Artic called to Roarke when she caught sight of him across the courtyard.

"Yes I know you have" Roarke stopped and smiled at Artic "There is just one problem..."

"What's that?" Artic cut him off frowning and asked Roarke "It's not a big fantasy or anything...at least I didn't think so...is it?"

Clearing his throat *How rude!* Roarke thought and continued "Well...it wouldn't be if the other person agreed to it but at this time they have refused."

"REFUSED?!!!" Artic cried out "But why?! I don't even know her!"

"That's another thing, it's not a..." Roarke was cut off once again as Artic continued as if he hadn't said a word.

"I've NEVER done anything too her...I just don't get it!" Artic scratched her head "Why won't 'Shelby Loven' meet me? I'm one of her biggest fans?" Artic looked at Roarke for the answer "What were you saying before?"

Roarke had enough of Artic cutting him off and he wasn't about to repeat himself. "Nothing! 'Shelby Loven' doesn't ever meet any fans, is known as a recluse and doesn't wish to be disturbed while here working on a new novel." Roarke ended with a curt nod "You will have to pick another Fantasy...I'm sorry." And without another word Roarke walked away.

*He didn't sound sorry!* Artic thought after he had gone. All that she kept thing was that 'Shelby Loven' was here working on a new novel. "Wait till I tell Vi! If Roarke won't help me Vi sure will!" with that Artic began to pace "If I was a Romance writer were would I be? Think...think...think..."

ArtistStudio -- Raistlan’s list was very long - but most

of the names on it had long been crossed off.

Indeed, the preponderence of the remaining names on that list belonged to Scoobs.... four of them....

Raven-Kat -- On the mountain-top,

night was just begginning to fall. Rae spread out a midnight-blue silk cloth and produced a deck of tarot cards. It had been too long.

"Okay, let's see what the cards have to say."

Rae quickly shuffled the deck and layed the first card down in the center of the cloth: The Tower.

"Well that's not good." Rae muttered to herself. "Hmm."

Rae layed the deck flat on the ground and selected the next card: Judgement.

"That's a little better." Rae stares at it. *A wake-up call awaits.*

Wheel of Fortune, reversed.

"Great." *Uncertainty...*

Queen of Sword: reversed.

*A hiden enemy...* "What the frell..."

The Chariot, Reversed.

*What the...? Shaky foundation... Drenn.*

Rae's hand trembled as she drew the next card. this was, without question, the most inauspicious reading she had ever done. The Hanged Man.

As Rae stared down at the spread, her first thought was, *I am going to have to burn this deck.* And on the heels of that *We are sooooo frelled...*

JilaCosa -- Jila rolls over to hit the snooze alarm

and hits nothing but air. *Where is that damn alarm clock?* she thinks angrily, as the buzzing in her head continues. She rolls over to the side of the bed to look on the floor, maybe it fell off her night stand in the middle of the night. No clock on the floor, and no night stand. *What the frell?* Jila sits up in her bed and rubs her eyes. The buzzing has settled into a constant hum which gets louder and louder by the minute. Suddenly there are urgent voices in the hallway, and a knock on Jila's door. She pulls the blankets up around her and yells "COME IN!" over the humming in her head. Vi and Kaybe enter the room, both still in their nightclothes and robes.

"Jila," Kaybe is the first through the door. "Lessa says we've got to go now!"

"WHAT?" Jila can't hear anything with the humming in her head. She sees Kay's lips move but her voice is all muffley. "SAY THAT AGAIN!" She tries covering her ears with her hands, and when that doesn't work, tries reading Kay's lips. "SHARDS! CAN SOMEBODY HELP ME? I CAN'T FIND MY FRELLIN' ALARM CLOCK!"

"JILA, IT'S NOT YOUR ALARM CLOCK!" Vi takes Jila's face in her hands, and yells in her ear. "IT'S THE DRAGONS! EVERY ONE OF THEM ARE HUMMING! KAY AND I CAN HEAR THEM TOO BUT YOU MUST BE HEARING THEM ALSO IN YOUR MIND!"

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU," Jila places her hands on Vi's "THERE'S TOO MUCH HUMMING GOING ON IN MY HEAD!"

"What are we going to do?" Kaybe says to Vi "If she can't hear us, she can't understand us."

"I know." Vi looks from Kay to Jila and back again "I don't know how to get her to hear us."

Then, inside Jila's mind, one of the dragon voices change.

*You must leave, Child* the thought/voice of Ramoth breaks through the humming. *The Hatching will be this day, and you must not stay. The sound that you hear is the welcome song of all the dragons. Your friends hear it too but not as you do.*

"THE HATCHING!" Jila yells at her friends, "WE'VE GOT TO GO!" Vi and Kaybe nod vigorously in agreement. *The dragons must have told her* they each realize.

The three hurry to get dressed, but take the time to gather all of their things. Nothing foriegn can be left behind. They reunite back in Jila's room, and Kay and Vi walk on either side of Jila in case she stumbles. She explains as best she can that having so many dragon thought/voices in her head is making her off-balance. First stop though is the Weyrleaders weyr. Kaybe takes the job off saying their goodbyes and thank you's so that Jila doesn't yell anymore.

"Jila and I would like to thank you for letting us stay here at Benden." Kaybe says to the Weyrleaders. "And for letting Vi stay last night. I would like to add a special thank you for helping me with find the gifts for my friends."

"It was our pleasure and honor." Lessa says, she and F'lar both smile. As F'lessan runs into the room, then skids to a slower pace, Lessa turns to face Jila. F'lessan hands his mother an object covered by a brightly colored cloth.

"Kaybe, Viridian," Lessa holds the object out to Jila "She cannot hear me so Ramoth will tell her what I say. This gift is for you Jila. It is a Fire Lizard. Like the dragons, the egg of the Queen is golden so we know that this one will hatch as a Queen. You must keep this egg safe and warm, and be prepared with food when she hatches. Fire Lizards are not born with names so you must name her. Train her well, give her the pictures of us in your memory, and she will be able to bring us messages from you at anytime."

As Ramoth speaks in her mind, Jila removes the cloth from the object in Lessa's hands. It is a medium sized clay pot filled almost to the top with hot sand and a beautiful golden egg sits on top of the sand. Tears flow freely from Jila's eyes. She looks over at Kaybe and Viridian and see them wiping a few tears from their eyes also.

"Thank you" Jila mouths to Lessa, and thinks to Ramoth. Jila bows her head to the Weyrwoman and then walks the few steps between them and gives Lessa and then F'lar a hug.

"F'lar and I cannot take you back to that clearing," Lessa says apologetically "As Weryleaders it is our obligation (not that it isn't an honor) to represent Benden Weyr in Igen at the Hatching. S'lel and F'nor have volunteered to take you back. They consider it a pleasure. You will find them up by the Watchtower. Please come back and visit us again."

"We will." The three Scoobettes say in unison.

F'lessan takes the three around through the Weyr and out onto the Heights where they see S'lel and F'nor waiting. F'lessan waves at the two dragonriders and then heads back down to his own dragon. The girls walk over to where S'lel and F'nor are standing, waiting. Sitting down suddenly, Jila shakes her head and waves off the helping hands that quickly reach out for her. She takes off her backpack and with a little rearranging, places the clay pot with the precious egg into it.

"Jila's okay but her balance is off." Viridian tells the two dragonriders. Turning to Kaybe "If you think you can do the ride yourself, I'll ride with Jila and make sure she doesn't have a problem."

"Well, I won't really be by myself, " Kaybe winks at Vi "Yeah, I can do it. What about you? Are you going to be alright?"

"I am getting better at this." Viridian looks at the Brown dragon, and shudders only slightly at the thought of take-off.

The dragonriders make sure all the harnesses are tight and then the dragons make the leap out over the bowl and grab for altitude. Shortly they are go Between and when they come out they are at the clearing by the Longboat.

*The song will end soon* Tuenth tells her, as the dragons land and people dismount. *The Hatching begins."

The sound in Jila's mind has diminished greatly, her balance is almost back to normal.

"Thank you both." She says as she hugs both dragonriders. "And thank you too." She laughs, hugging the necks of both of the dragons. "I'll let you know when I'm back in the area."

Jila, Vi, and Kaybe start walking across the clearing to the Longboat. A gust of wind tells them that the dragons are airborne, and as they turn and wave goodbye the dragons roar a goodbye of their own and disappear Between.

"Now, where is everybody?" Jila asks of nobody in particular as they walk the rest of the way to the Longboat.

Sweetiepie Parrot -- “Well, it’s about TIME!”

Sweetiepie huffed as Jila, Kaybe and Vi trooped up the gangplank. "Do you see that storm approaching? We need some help up here."

Jila, Vi and Kaybe looked out to sea. The storm was hard to miss. Waves were rocking the longboat around like a cork and the wind was of a force almost high enough to uproot small trees. Lightning danced across the waves and thunder boomed seemingly right on top of them.

"Ragnar just got his boat fixed." Kaybe said.

"Yeah," Sweetiepie said. "If I let his tub get smashed against the rocks he'll break both my wings. Will you dames get to work?"

So Jila, Kaybe and Vi ran up and down the boat, battening the hatches, hauling the longlines and otherwise preparing the ship for the storm.

"I'll go down and look after the dogs." Kaybe said.

"Don't bother, they ain't there." Sweetiepie told her.

"Where's Honey? Where's my dog?" Kaybe asked.

"Kara and IQ took the dogs for a walk yesterday and haven't been back since. I think something happened to them."

"Oh no!" Vi said. "We have to find them!"

But then the storm reached the longboat and everybody had to hang on to something or get tossed overboard.

"Let's get inside!" Jila said and everybody fought the wind to reach the cabin.

Just as they closed the door, there was a loud boom of thunder and Geraldan the dragon, with ArtistStudio and Chryse aboard appeared in the sky over the longboat. Lightning forked in the clouds making all the hair on their bodies stand up with the static discharge. Lightning flashed again, striking the dragon's tail. With a roar, Geraldan folded his wings and dove into the ocean next to the longboat...

KaraS -- Up in the air, junior birdman

The paper airplane sliced through the air. With a little trial and error, Kara and IQ learned to control it's flight by leaning one way or the other. They steered it off after the giant whom they could see, striding off after the dogs.

The dogs were leading the giant a pretty chase and running him ragged. They had split up and as soon as the giant had one cornered somewhere another would bark from behind him and destract him so his captive could get away.

But the giant spied the paper airplane and turned to recapture the two humans...

SunAeryn -- “Hold onto the FRELLIN WALL!”

Rae looked around to see where that familiar voice was coming from.

"Sun? Is that you?" Rae askes as she makes it to the top.

"Yes. Frellin' idiot!" Sun exclaims as she hangs onto the rock face while the gentleman she had been climbing with plunges into the water below.

Rae chuckled, put out a hand to help Sun up. "Grab my hand, I'll pull you up."

"Thanks, that's the last time I "fantasize" about tall dark and handsome. I need to remember to add a frellin' BRAIN!" Sun huffs as she pulls the ropes up and gets them put away.

"Sun? Um...how did you get here?" Rae askes

"Well...I um..." Sun wasn't sure she should reveal her "talent" to Rae. Many people have made life for Sun and her latent "talent" hard. "I just made it here...isn't that what's important?" Sun asked, hoping that Rae wouldn't push the issue.

"So what's up with the cards?" Sun asked...looking at the less than cheerful set up.

Rae sighed, looked at Sun, trying to decide if she should push the issue of just exactly how Sun got to Fantasy Island.

*hey all...I'm back...sort of...don't know how often...but I'm trying. :) *

Raven-Kat -- “Always ask for a brain FIRST, Sunny.”

Rae chuckles, gathering up the cards. "The rest can be taken care of with gene-therapy and laser-surgery."

"What did they say?" Sunny asks, pointing to the cards.

"Same old-same old." Rae lies easily. "You know, adventure, excitement, ya-ya-ya..."

"Welcome to Fantasy Island." Rae adds with a grin. "Race you down?"

"Should we rescue your... friend?"

"Nah. Let him swim."

Rae shrugs. "This way, then." Rae pauses, taken by a thought. "This is a free-climb, right? No equipment?"

"Is there any other way TO climb?" Sunny inquires.

"I like your style, woman." Rae laughs. As they begin climibng down, she adds, "How long were you a PeaceKeeper for, anyway?"

SunAeryn -- Sun stops climbing....

"Well, I try not to think about that much. It wasn't pretty." Sun answers as she starts to climb faster.

"Hey, wait up...what's the hurry?" Rae asks, wondering what nerve she just hit.

"Sunny, did I hit a nerve? Just trying to make conversation, tends to make the climbing go faster...makes for better concentration." Rae added, hurrying to keep up.

"Yeah, if you say so. Look, my life as a PK wasn't all that great...I was...different than everyone...I don't know anything about my parents...I know I had them...I do remember being taken...but that's it." Sun finished as she dusted her hands off, standing at the bottom of the cliff, watching Rae finish climbing down.

"Sun, how the frell did you get down there so fast?" Rae asked, still more than half way down the cliff.

"Um...I just did." Sun answered, dodging the question.

"Sunny....." Rae started

"Look Rae, I'm sorry I'm not answering you...it's just that I've learned from experience that when I tell people how I can do stuff....they get all fweaky on me and I find myself alone. It made it really hard to be a PK. So I left." Sun finished

"You just left? They let you?" Rae asked hoping down.

"No, they didn't 'just let me', but yes, I did leave." Sun responded

Rae noticed a look of emense pain on Sun's face, but it left as quickly as it appeared. *What gives?* Rae wondered as she watched Sun walk towards the main house of Fantasy Island.

JilaCosa -- Seeing the water race up to greet them...

Artist realizes the consequences of hitting the water at top speed strapped to the back of a dragon. As quickly as he can, Artist pops the buckles on the harness holding Chryse.

"WHAT THE FRELL ARE YOU DOING????" Chryse screams grabbing the straps and trying to rebuckle them.

"No time to explain!" Artist yells "Just hold on tight!"

Closer and closer races the surface of the water. Artist pops his own buckles and grabs Chryse's arms.

"JUMP!" Artist pushes Chryse over sideways and they both fall off the dragon and into the water just as Geradan hits the surface and submerges.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Jila cries as a picture of what is happening outside comes into her mind. Kaybe and Vi jump to their feet not knowing why Jila is yelling. "We've got to get out there! Artist and Chryse are in the water! We've got to save them!"

The three run out the pilothouse door grabbing the life preservers and some ropes. Tying one end of the ropes to the rail and the other to the life preservers, they throw the life preservers out into the water where Artist and Chryse have just resurfaced.

"Are you all right?" Viridian hollers through the gusting wind.

"I think so." Chryse hollers back, noddin her head. She really wasn't sure but she didn't think anything hurt. Chryse grabs onto a life preserver and looks around for Artist. He has, thankfully (Chryse thinks), found the other one. Jila, Kaybe, and Viridian pull in the ropes as far as they can and tie them off. Artist climbs his rope to the deck and then pulls Chryse in and up. The group struggle back to the pilothouse battling the wind and the rain that picks up in intensity by the passing minute.

The wolf, Natasha, has done some searching around the Longboat and has found towels for the humans.

*Tell them I am sorry. I didn't mean........*

*It's okay, Geradan. I'm sure they don't blame you.*

Mouse2000 -- “Must think....”

Artic mumbled to herself as she walked around, thinking about how to meet Shelby Loven. She almost walked into Mouse who was doing some heavy thinking of her own.

"Hey. Think of what you want to do yet?" Artic asked her.

"Not yet. I want to do so much, I'm having a really hard time picking just one thing." Mouse confided.

"I picked mine, but Mr. Dork, oops, I mean Roarke" she added with a sly smile, "won't make it happen." Artic groused.

"What did you want to do?" Mouse asked her, intrigued.

"Is this like a birthday wish, where if you tell, it won't come true?"

"Well, you already said he won't do it," Mouse argued," so why not share it with the group?"

"Ok. I want to meet Shelby Loven, the Romance writer."

"OOOOh! I've read some of her stuff. Pretty racy, but good!" Mouse said with a smile. "Well, I guess you're going to have to think of something else, or else, help me think!!"

(*WB Sunny! and way to go, guys - 500 replies!!)

Viridian -- 500 REPLIES?????

Time for an intermission!

Okay, kids get up and stretch. Those who must, you know where the restrooms are. I'm going up front for some Raisinettes-- Anyone want to come?

Kaybe0 -- Making sure all was well

with Artist and Chryse, and knowing that Jila was checking on Geradan, Kay watches impatiently for signs that the storm is lifting. Where are Kara and IQ and the dogs? Were they okay? Reaching over to grab a saucer that was sliding off the counter as the boat lurched, her stomach did a little lurching of it's own. Kay was fine at smooth sailing, but, her stomach was letting her know that it wasn't nice to churn it around like that. She hoped they could find the dogs and Kara and IQ in time to visit Fantasy Island with the others. They must be having fun. She smiled, remembering the surprise she had for them, when they were all together again. She just needed to see Rae first. Making sure that Chryse was okay when they landed, Artist had not landed in the water very smoothly, and Vi noticed a bruise appearing on his arm. Kay went off to get some ice, while Viridian searched for an ice bag to put it in.

Honey Pup -- Ecstatic at being free

Honey and the other dogs were having a wonderful time running as fast as they could. Ahhh freedom. This was the most fun they had since starting this vacation on the boat. Barking excitedly, Honey was trying to keep up with the big guys, when, all of a sudden, she looked up and saw the largest human being she had ever seen appear in front of them. Scared to move, Honey did what all Cocker Spaniels do when they are that afraid. She made a puddle. Turning to wait for his friend to catch up, Juno spotted what she had done. "Aww Honey, you have to stop that. The other guys will think I'm being friends with a big baby." When she started whining, he went over to her to lick her face. "I guess it's okay this time, but, just don't do it anymore, okay?" Seeing her eyes still as big as saucers, he said "What is it Honey? Why are you being such a fraidy cat? We were having fun. Don't be scared. Kara and IQ are here with us. They will take us back to our mommies when we are through playing. Come on." About that time, Juno saw the shadow of the giant coming across the floor, and he looked up to see the object of Honey's fear. Juno forgot that he was a big guy now. He was, after all, still young. And,,, he made a puddle too. Both pups, wishing more than anything in the world, that right this minute they were in their master's arms, couldn't move to save their lives. They were rooted to the spot in terror. The other dogs, seeing their predicament, came to the rescue. While part of them rounded one corner, barking to get the giants attention, others ran through his legs (only the bravest ones did that), causing him to turn around to chase them in another direction. In the midst of all the chaos, Bernie the St. Bernard (Honey's nickname for the kind dog), barked at them, to come quickly. They finally were able to look Bernie's direction, but, still too afraid to move. Bennie, the Basenji, thinking more direct action was needed, ran up and nipped the two on the legs, hastening them into action. Once running, both pups took off for dear life, not stopping till they ran into the side of Sir Dane, the Great Dane, who was busy watching to make sure the giant wasn't headed this way. "You kids stay close to us!" he growled down at them. He had no need to tell them this, as they had every intention of sticking right by their sides. When Sir Dane and Bernie saw that the giant was gaining on Mamu, the Malamute(Juno gave her this nickname, just because he knew it irritated her) and the other dogs, They started barking frantically to get the giants attention to them. When he turned and headed back to them, they all took off around another corner. "Come on sweetheart, keep up", said Bernie, giving her a push from her rump. About that time, they saw the humans in a big paper airplane flying around. "They are leaving us here!" yiped Juno in agitation."Wait for us!" he barked frantically. Then, they all stopped short and watched, as the giant saw the plane too, and headed right after it.

Raven-Kat -- “Roarke, my wish.”

Rae said. "I have it. I want you to give Sunny some pleaseant childhood memories to re-live. Drenn, even _I_ have a couple..."

"Well, now, wouldn't that fall under the category of HER wish?" Roarke inquired softly.

"She won't ask, so I wish it for her."

"I will inquire." Roarke promises. "If she is receptive..." he shruggs.

"Thankyou." Rae turns to find the others.

"AND?" Rae repeats, frowning. "Don't start putting conditions on these things, Roarke."

"No, not at all. I had an offer, actually."