A New Beginning

Chapter 15

Tessa's POV:

The next three days were very similar. We got to sing the Morning Song in the backyard before spending most of the day playing amongst the bushes and in the pond.

I got much better at swimming and flying. They still hadn't discovered my hiding spot yet, although I didn't go there if I thought they might see me.

Later in the afternoon, we would go back inside the house to nap and relax while Taureen and Aeria made and ate their evening meal.

   

       I yawned and stretched my wings beneath the heat lamp as I woke up from my nap. Dirk snored beside me, still fast asleep. I got up and noticed that the two strange Kymari were on the other side of the room.

Mom was once again glowering at them unhappily. I wasn't sure why she didn't like them. They never even looked at her. They simply visited with Taureen and Aeria like they did every evening.

I went over to the food bowls and picked out my favorite pieces. I left one raspberry for Dirk, although Mom would probably eat it if he didn't wake up soon. She really liked raspberries. Dad was lounging on Aeria's lap while she diligently buffed the scales on his back that he couldn't reach himself.

As I got a drink of water, I heard Dirk stir and wake up. He came over and quickly claimed the last raspberry. Spreading my wings, I flew a few laps around the room before landing on a wall perch.

I nibbled on an itchy spot along the edge of my wing. Rustling my wings back into place, I looked down, but to my dismay, Dirk was already on Taureen's lap. I snorted faintly and shook myself; the motion didn't produce any sound, but neither did it help relieve the growing itch on my wings and back.

I twisted a few times, trying to scratch the itch, but I wasn't able to reach between my shoulder blades with my front or back claws. The itch was driving me crazy and trying to chew on it with my teeth wasn't working very well.

I couldn't stand it anymore. Swooping down, I landed beside Taureen and picked up the small vial of oil in my mouth. I could barely get my jaws around it, but I managed to hold it securely.

With a jump and a quick wingbeat, I glided towards our guests. They were friends of Taureen, and they probably wouldn't mind helping me since both Taureen and Aeria were busy.

Soranto had always seemed more easygoing than Tkael, so I angled my flight towards him. I wasn't used to carrying something, and I almost lost my balance when I tried to land on his knee, although I still managed a good landing without digging my claws in.

Folding my wings, I gazed up at him. He seemed oddly still, as if he was holding his breath. He also looked somewhat worried. I tilted my head as I examined his expression – it was definitely worry.

I ignored Mom's hiss from where she lay under the heat lamp as I tried to figure out why both Kymari suddenly seemed tense. The vial of oil was still in my mouth as I tilted my head and attempted to trill at him, hoping he would take the hint.

He was mostly looking across the room, so I glanced back over my shoulder. Taureen also appeared somewhat concerned, although he was watching Mom. She was on her feet with her wings half-unfurled as she watched Soranto with narrowed eyes, still hissing.

Even Dad was sitting up alertly, somehow ignoring Aeria as she massaged the oil into his shoulders. Dirk was snoring on Taureen's lap.

"Why are you hissing?" I asked Mom, confused by her behavior.

After several long seconds, she sneezed violently before slowly settling back down on the sand. Her glare didn't ease up, nor did she fold her wings or spread them out under the heat lamp. The loud hissing subsided into a low growl, although she didn't look away from Soranto.