After Caleya shot her last arrow she turned to NarieFah and said. "We have done all we can do and soon the protection of the egg will be out of our hands." NarieFah said, "I still believe the egg will be safe and I am happy for the part we have played." Caleya replied, "As am I, and no one could ask for more." Then she said, "Today you have fought as bravely as any Dragon Archer. But NarieFah, you must continue to be brave and have no fear when the flames come. Dragon Archers quickly learn that you can't hide from these flames and trying will only make the end worse. Can you be brave for me a little longer?" NarieFah looked up at Caleya and said, "I'll be brave if you hold me". Caleya replied, "Of course I will my dear girl. Of course I will hold you." They knelt holding each other, NarieFah shut her eyes tightly and could feel Caleya breathing. In the distance she heard the whump, whump, whump sounds of the dragons. By now she understood what the sounds meant, there were two dragons coming at them from opposite directions. Despite her promised to be brave she started shaking like a leaf. Disappointed with herself she thought, "I was doing so good during the dragon battle and that was much scarier. Caleya is a rock, oh why can't I be like her?" She held on to Caleya more tightly and the fear and shaking stopped. She told herself, "I will always feel safe when I'm with Caleya!" In the moments before the dragons arrived, her mind was wandering and she recounted all the events that had happened since she went in search of dragons. She started shaking again but stopped when she felt the crossbow's reassuring spirit. She thought, "it is funny that 'Protector' is not signaling danger as it had during the dragon battle. Maybe it is because we are out of arrows. I guess it doesn't matter anymore." Then deep in the back of her mind she had a very strange feeling, memories that were not her own. The feeling was growing and it kept getting stronger and stronger until one image became clear. It was the hatchling in the egg and she could see it! The hatchling was very happy and it was saying, 'THEY ARE HERE!' Then the memory was gone and NarieFah was left wondering if it was real. She said to herself, "That had to be real, and it must mean the egg will be safe!" She desperately wanted to tell Caleya but it was too late. For now she heard a thunderous sound and started to feel the heat of the approaching dragon flames. Caleya pulled her closer and the sound of the dragon flames got louder and louder until she could hear nothing else. She buried her head into Caleya and with tears of joy she said, "Caleya, the egg will be safe! We did it Caleya!" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Credits NarieFah: June by SissyB (http://contentparadise.com/productDetails.aspx?id=22325) Caleya: MDD Eirwenn by Maddelirium (RMP) Crossbow: from Bow Pack by Keihan (RMP) Tower by Stonemason Thank you so much for viewing and for previous comments and kind words - I very much enjoy reading them!!!