Upon Wings Of Change

Chapter 49

Taureen settled on the couch with a sigh of relief. I knew that his muscles were sore from the energy weapon blast. Thankfully, the weapon hadn't been a larger one that could kill. He moved me onto his lap.

"Why did that Kymari dismiss Tran's warnings and try to move you?" I asked, looking up at him. "It was like he didn't think that I would actually do anything if he didn't touch me. Those were some of my best snarls and growls too."

Taureen sighed. "Deran is young and only about halfway through training. The four that accompanied us were actually on a training session. They had enough training to handle sicora and crawlers, but had not touched on unique topics such as bond animals. He was probably thinking about his first aid training and didn't take into account that you might attack another Kymari. Most trained animals won't harm a Kymari, even a stranger."

Taureen frowned slightly. "Although it is pretty common knowledge that many bond animals do not tolerate all Kymari, especially if their handler is injured, so he should have known better, even without Tran's warning. His training officer will be having a talk with him that I am glad I won't have to overhear."

The doorbell rang, and Taureen glanced at it with a sigh. "Come in."

Alec entered the door, and I sat upright in surprise at the scarlet and purple dragonets on his shoulders. Alec unclipped their leashes and said, "Okay, you can go."

They jumped off of his shoulder, and I sprang into the air to greet them as we circled in an aerial display.

"Tasha! Long time no see!"

I grinned at Serena as I did a wingover over her red wings. "It is good to see you as well! I see you are finally getting out a bit."

She chuckled in reply as she swooped under Tom, bumping her nose against his flank as she passed him. The three of us eventually gathered under my heat lamp to enjoy the heat and gossip. Alec sat on a chair across from Taureen.

I looked at Tom as I spread my wings out to collect the heat from the lamp above us. "How is it going? Is Alec driving you crazy yet?"

Tom sighed as he rested his chin on his hands. "I have been there and back several times now. You were right though; it wasn't quite as bad as we originally thought."

Alec examined Taureen. "I heard you got hit by a level four phaser, and Tasha took out the attacker before sending one of our trainees for medical attention."

Tom and Serena looked at me with big eyes as they overheard that. I grimaced as I glanced at Alec. Loud mouth. Can't keep any secrets, can you?

Taureen sighed before saying, "The captain was smuggling crawlers to the next star system, and we stumbled across them. The blasts knocked me out, so all we know is that the captain has burns on his face and claw marks on his neck. Deran made the mistake of trying to move me while I was out of it."

Alec blinked in astonishment. "Didn't he know she was a bond animal? They are usually quite protective of their handlers."

Taureen made a face, "Tran warned him, and he ignored it."

Alec snorted in disapproval. "Then he was a fool who needed more training. It probably saved him from an early death in battle."

Serena whispered, "You attacked someone?"

I winced at the reminder. "Yes. Taureen was out cold, and it felt like I was guarding Amanda's nestlings from the sicora."

They looked at me in confusion, not quite understanding why I would feel that way about a Kymari.