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He thought to thes His own parents in the cave, Wistala tasting rainfall, a wolf howling at the reat, gaunt black dragon, a nal-flame on their Isle of Ice

A s within

"Did you hear a tap?" AuRon asked, woken from sleep Sometimes they spoke; sometimes they used theirto theht, my love," Natasatch said She rarely fell fully asleep, and never when AuRon was out hunting "It’s a regular Blighter Su, there’s so much noise"

"When will they come out?"

"Oh, it won’t be for hours yet Be cal Five is what my parents had Three males and two females"

"We should be so blessed"

"If we are, I’ll need your help," AuRon said

"You know you have it What is in your mind?"

"I want to keep the males apart Until we can ons have always been that way, AuRon"

"Does thatonto keep all the onelles would wander the earth mateless if "

"What would you teach theer to protect the weaker I’d teach the weaker to outsonelles teach cooperation to both"

"Can dragons change the inheritance their nature gave them?"

"They must If they are to survive--if we are to survive, they s you expect of dragons"

One of the eggs wiggled as the hatchling within changed position The mates turned to their clutch Natasatch put her head close to the eggs and began to sing:

Listen , for now you shall hear

Of the only seven slayers a dragon ue across their restless egg He tasted the shell of their first clutch Cool and dry coeness set him aquiver