'Hi Bambi! How are you doing?' asked Corinda as she stuffed the envelope into the pocket in her dress. Bambi sat down under the arch with her human friend and looked at her intently. 'I'm doing much better now, thank you, Corinda. I just heard from Norika and she tells me that she's finally getting an grasp of the human's techno-magic!' Bambi laughed. 'Well, I just heard from Mom and she tells me that Norika and Duesa are almost inseperable. They seem to be everywhere together, and generally having more fun than should be allowed. at least that's what Mom says.' Corinda looked over at Bambi and smiled. 'I think that your mom would almost say the same about you and I.' Corinda shifted her legs and said, 'I want to thank you for all the help you've given me over the last few months. I don't think I could have ever got as far as I have with the magic.' "Aiko is still going on about how dangerous you might be to every one around here, but she doesn't know you like I do,' snorted Bambi. 'I think that it was wonderful that Zlata put her in charge of Telmah's training,' laughed Corinda. 'She's been so busy answering questions from Telmah, that she hasn't had time to sit down to a proper meal.' 'I know, she's going to waste away unless she stops for a bit and eat.' observed Bambi. 'Hey!' she shouted, looking around, 'Where's Seneel? Usually he's not very far from you, is he okay?' 'Oh he's fine, Bambi. He's visiting his family for a few days, getting some advanced 'training' in dealing with humans, as his dad calls it. He'll be back in few days. I'll tell you, I miss that dragon so much already.' 'He's getting bigger these days, how soon will you be able to ride him when he flies?' 'Well, Carnetto has had me riding on Seneel when he walks, just so he can get used to my weight and I can get used to how he moves. Sometimes, he likes to whip around to try an throw me off. We only do that once or twice a day as it's rough on both of us, but I'm staying on longer. Maybe I'll get my eight seconds real soon!' Corinda laughed. 'Eight seconds? Why eight seconds?' Bambi asked. 'It's a rodeo term. the people will ride wild animals and the goal is to stay on that animal for eight seconds. Let me tell you, those are very long eight seconds.' Corinda replied, looking off into the distance. 'Were you in the rodeo?" 'I tried out one summer, a few years back. I got to work all the jobs I could on the circuit, just for the experience, from mucking the stables to getting on the animals and riding.' her finger drawing circles in the moss. I held on for eight seconds on this one mean Brahma. Like I said, those eight seconds are an eternity. But I did it! I couldn't move for a few days, but that's the last time anyone dared me to do something like that.' Corinda smiled, 'I got everyone's respect after that.' 'Oh!!!!' Bambi exclaimed. 'Norika sent me a recipe for Pizza, and some stuff that goes on it. Would you help me make some pizza tonight?' I'd love to. I haven't tossed any dough around in a long time. let's go! I'm hungry! Thank you all for the wonderful comments and faves. I greatly appreciate them all. As you can see, I've come back to tell the stories in Fae Valley. Have a great Sunday Mike Ute - Syltermermaid created Almudena whos is Corinda