A New Beginning

Chapter 50

Tessa's POV:

I yawned as the light in the tree alcove grew brighter. If this third sleepover was anything like my previous two, Soranto was probably the first person awake. I stuck my head through the leaves to double-check.

"Good morning," he greeted me cheerfully.

With a quiet whistle, I pulled my head back inside. I was glad that I had managed to pull a few leaves off some other branches and add them to my sleeping place to block out the light from the room in the morning. I wasn't always the most graceful early riser and preferred to wake up slowly.

After a while, I got up and lounged under the heat lamp. I hadn't buried myself a second time, somewhat to Soranto's disappointment. There was now an access flap so I could go into the backyard at any time. The backyard itself was changing little by little. Each time I came, it looked a little bit wilder.

I went outside to greet the sun. Singing alone no longer bothered me, and I easily got lost in the Song. Soranto and his family always came out to watch. As usual, it was a joyous occasion that made getting up so early completely worthwhile.

After the Morning Song, I had my breakfast and got my scales cleaned and polished. Soranto served the better breakfasts – and there was always cantaloupe somewhere in the bowl.

It was almost too soon before Adeline and Maria were saying goodbye as Soranto took me back to Taureen. He wasn't wearing his armor, and I knew today wasn't a day that Soranto was going to accompany us, since he had been with us yesterday.

As always, I was excited to see Mom, Dad, and Dirk again. Soranto didn't stay long, leaving so he could get to work on time. I lounged under the crowded heat lamp with the rest of my family. Soranto had given Taureen a larger heat lamp, but it was still crowded with four dragonets under it. There wasn't quite enough room for us to spread our wings.

Taureen's wrist comm beeped, and he checked it.

"This could be interesting," Taureen said, reading whatever was on his wrist comm.

"What is it?" Mom asked.

"Chiaben city wants us to check their cargo storage area. They think a crawler might have gotten into one of the cargo bins."

"Can we go?" I asked eagerly, sitting up at the thought of actually getting to join a real patrol.

At the same time, Dad inquired, "How did it get past the inspecting dragonet?"

"We are all going since it's in a city and not on a spaceship," Taureen said. "It turns out that a passenger transport brought far more cargo than usual. The docking station crew unloaded it before they realized it hadn't been inspected. Everything is locked up in a quarantined warehouse until a fire lizard checks it out."

"Cool!" Dirk exclaimed, fanning his wings. "I can't wait to go!"

Even Mom and Dad were looking more alert. I wondered if they were getting tired of all of the training when they already knew everything.

"I'm arranging for a shuttle to pick us up, so you might as well get ready. It's going to be the longest shuttle ride any of you have been on yet."

He didn't have to tell any of us twice. We rushed to get ready while Taureen and Aeria went to get their armor on and collect their weapons.

It didn't take them long to return, although all four of us were already lined up on a perch beside the harnesses by then.

"I haven't seen you this excited in quite a while," Aeria commented in amusement as she picked up Dad's harness.