Elirra woke to the warm sun, and the dew dripping from her blue scale armor. She rose to her feet and shook off the dew from her long feathery tail, and small wings. She could not fly but they were useful when she was hunting in the water. Her patrols were becoming much shorter now that the clan grew to a size that its never been before. Jaxarrus liked the alliance he had secured with the smaller dragon's that nested in the cliffs deep in the jungle. She felt more secure herself knowing now that she would never have to fight her small winged friends and knowing more eyes would be watching over her nest.

She was on her way to the river, slithering her way through the trees and brush that would have never been an obstacle to her if she didn't feel so drowsy from the sleepless night. Her scales shined in the morning sunlight, and her talons could feel the soft soil that had moistened over night. Her trotting became repetitive and she noticed a few creatures stare at her as she made her way through the jungle. She had no intention of harming them... yet. She had no intention of hunting the night before either, but had no choice when a tiger thought her tail was prey. Her appetite would be treated for a few day's now. When she finally made it to the long river that sounded like a sweet lullaby to her ears, she dipped into it, not caring if anything was watching, nor caring if there was an intruder in the water. She was in her peak, and not many eastern dragon's were much larger then her at her age. Her talons and long teeth made up for the inability to fly. There has always been smaller flying dragons here but never like their larger cousins to the west that live in the mountains. Such dragons could not live here and hunt regularly. The tree's would only get in the way and the dragons here would only kill them if they were alone. But if she ever ran into such a dragon her only choice would be to alert Jaxarrus and hope that the dragon leaves in peace. They would never want to hurt there large cousins but would never let such competition start to live in the midst of our young. Elirra has never met a dragon as that and would not know what too expect. Whether or not she did, she could only hope to stay calm. For now the water filled around her, becoming her sweet serenity.

Before long she had to rise from the water and be sure that the clan was alright. Even her newer clan members, that some of the older clan members thought too be a horrid idea, served a great purpose in the clan now. She had a few friends already that were of there species and there was no reason why they couldn't get along. They ate some of the smaller prey that we would only eat if there was nothing left. She headed towards the small opening in the jungle were that led to a hill end. She could still smell her clan members, they were at least there early this morning. She could also smell Jaxarrus, who she was guessing to be guarding her eggs. She turned around to see if anything that would like to snatch her wonderful eggs, was behind her and looked into the sky for the birds. She entered the opening and inside was a line of trees that were tightly together and tall grass and bamboo served as a curtain on the sides. Behind the nest was a rocky wall. She had been preparing this nest for months. The softest grasses from the river beds on the floor of the nest to support the eggs and keep them warm, and the hardest and tallest bamboo along the sides of the nest to keep intruders from coming in. The tall grass along the tree's was just a good decision on where she should put her nest. As she entered Jaxarrus rose and frayed his feathers from behind his ears to show his excitement. He trotted to her, nuzzeling and rumbling his throat to show his deepest affection for her. She was pleased to see him again but couldn't help but notice there was concern in his deep green eyes. She slanted her head and her feathers on the end of her tail frilled up to show her concern.

“Please, don't be worried. Our eggs were never in danger.” Jaxarrus calmly explained.

“Then why can I read concern in your eyes? There is something you do not wish to tell me I assume.” She no longer sounded concerned, only curious.

“Well Nevea saw an intruder pass through last night in the dark sky. Her and some of her own followed to ensure he was not staying.” An intruder? What sort? A Phoenix? A Large bird?

“What kind of intruder Jaxarrus? Please do not hide words from me.”

“From what they saw it was one of our cousins from the west. As far as they saw he was an alone black dragon. He must have been on the trail of another one of his kind. Seeking revenge as they always do.”

“Oh I see, I'll be on the search then for the next couple of nights, too make sure he doesn't return.”

He growled deep in his chest, “No you won't, if anyone is going to cross paths with him, it will be me. You will stay here and warm these eggs. I will not let you put yourself in such danger when our young will need you so soon.” She could only submit to the fact that he was right. Our young were going to enter this world soon, and even though they are safer then when me and Jaxarrus were born, she couldn't ignore the fact that she wanted to see them grow and hunt for the first time. She laid down in the soft bedding while bathing in the sun and nestling her eggs closer to her. So for the next couple of day's everything seemed perfectly fine. Jaxarrus ran into a two-legged again exposing us, but he did get away from them by entering the water so there was no way they could follow his path. The eggs had not hatched yet but weren't due to hatch for at least another month or so.

Elirra left the nest to her niece Risha, to hunt again and find some more bedding for when they young hatches. "Do I really have to stay here?" Risha asked.

She turned around to look at Risha and ignored her question and gave her a soft growl of warning not too leave. She followed the smell of a sweet tapir and some of her young. When she finally saw them a shadow casted over the valley they were grazing in and she ducked back into the brush watching for anything that she would have to defend herself too. She waited at least half the night now, and was early morning. The morning sun rose up to show her the way back to the nest more easily. She had not slept all night and could not find a trail that the shadow may have casted. As she made her way back she smelled of something decaying not too far away. She figured it would be an easy meal if it had not already been ripped into. She was weak and needed to eat to regain her strength back. It was near the river when she finally reached the astonishing site. A bronze colored winged dragon. Not one of Nevea's kin, in fact this one was much larger, very much larger. She stayed in the brush for a few minutes too see if it's killer was still by. She stepped out onto the pebbly shore. He had died near water, perhaps trying to take a drink before being ambushed. As she got closer, she could not believe her eyes. He had been ripped apart and his scaly armor looked like broken glass next to his dripping flesh. She could not eat him, he was of her kind, and to eat one of them would be unforgivable. She noticed a russeling in the air and turned to her side, too see a very large black and impressive dragon sitting before her. Obviously tired and worn out, but very angry and vengful. Jaxarrus rose from the water and onto the shore, buffing his chest out ready to fight at any moment.

“Stay back water dragon's I mean none of you no harm” at that point she knew it was a male and he had a hard time breathing and his right back leg was very injured.

“I strongly suggest you leave before the other dragon's come here. They don't take kindly to your race.” Jaxarrus hissed through his teeth. The black dragon's eye's shifted quickly to the water. I could see a small object in the water. I did not shift my weight but when I looked back at the black dragon he grinned his long set of teeth at me warning me to not look over there.

“If you water dragon's leave I will leave this place soon after.”

“We cannot trust you for you have killed one of your own kind on our land.” I headed for the water and I heard a hiss from behind me, “If you think you are in any position to order me from going anywhere in my own territory when you are as injured as you are, I suggest you rethink your decision.” I slipped into the water and dipped my head under the waters edge too see what exactly he did not want me too see. It was an egg. An egg much larger then the ones I have. It was dark blue and dark purple and shimmered in the light even through the water. I gently carried it out of the water with my teeth and set it on the pebbly shore next to Jaxarrus.

“That is mine...” Said the black dragon in a low, strong, and angry voice.

“I doubt that, from what I know the male dragon's of your kind don't stay around to help raise the eggs.”

“How would you know I'm probably the first one you have met.”

“Just give the egg to him Elirra, it is not our business and he has obviously come all this way for it.” He hissed at the black dragon, in a stance now to defend me if he were to lung. I looked at the bronze dragon and saw that it was not a male, but a female. You could tell it was a female just by looking at her face. I did not think the female dragon's of there kind could look so feminine. Her build though was strong and lean. She had scratches on her back, obviously ambushed.

“No, this is not his egg. That dragon there is a dragoness, he killed her for this egg. Probably to dispose of it.” I hissed as I thought of what cruel dragon could kill a mother that was just about to raise her young.

He screamed so loud, in anger, in ferocity that I would not allow this. I pulled the egg closer to me and put my tail feathers over it to keep it somewhat warm. Whether or not it would hatch now was beyond me. Normally an egg would die if it had sit in the water for too long.

“Leave now before we finish you off, you worthless kind of a dragon.” Jaxarrus looked at me and then frayed his feathers behind his ears up to perhaps warn the black dragon. The black dragon lunged at me, but Jaxarrus met him in mid air and the black dragon tried to take flight but Jaxarrus was too heavy so he started to drag him in the water. The pebbly shore began to shake and then Thrax came through the tree's. Jaxarrus pinned the black dragon down, who was screaming. Jaxarrus was hissing heavily and the black dragon got free of his grip to stand and looked straight at Thrax. Of course Thrax was the biggest eastern dragon of us all. His name meant giant in the ancient Draconian language. He normally didn't come down from his cavern but he brought his mate, at least that's who I assumed she was. She was very beautiful and was larger then me. Her scales beamed off yellow light but her scales were yellow and orange. Her feathers were long, and elegantly groomed, that were a brilliant red, and her eye's were such an electric yellow, they could pierce right through you.

“What monstrosity is taking place here Jaxarrus?” Thrax roared. You could even hear in his voice his strength and power. The black dragon stood completely still with his wings folded.

“This black dragon killed this female flyer here. Elirra found something he wanted, but she would not let him receive it. Why I'm not sure but he lunged for her, and I came to her defense.” He said with his stance in front of me and his eyes completely locked onto the black dragon.

“I see Jaxarrus.” Thrax said contemplating. “What is your name black dragon?” Thrax not sounding concerned at all about his name only troubled by how to address him.

“Denos, I come from the deserts to the west. I only wanted my egg back.”

“Well that is troubling because why would a female flyer want your egg... Denos?”

“ I'm not sure, I've been following her for a couple of weeks now.” He said as he hissed and turned from Thrax's gaze.

“You are sadly, telling me a hideous lie. You better leave our home before I let Jaxarrus rip you apart. It is very despicable that you would kill one of your own kind like this.” Thrax walked over to the dragoness still lieing there dead by the water. “Leave now, you horrid example of a dragon.” Denos took flight into the air and stayed hovering out of our reach for a few seconds then taking flight into the clouds where we could not see him. Thrax said something too his companion, something I could not here. She slithered through the tree's gracefully which looked like the direction in which Denos was flying.“Now Elirra, please tell me why you decided to stir such trouble with the disgraceful dragon.” Thrax said as he continued to inspect the female dragon laying there dead.

“It was not his egg. I was only guessing he wanted to destroy this egg.” I said as I put my head down and nudged the egg closer to him. He took it into his very large talons, and inspected the large egg closely. Sniffing it, and brushing his feathery tail against it.

“This egg is still alive but Denos was not even capable of breeding, so you were right it was not his egg. He was not of age to breed and this dragoness here well, I'm not sure of her story. She's bigger then Denos but looks drained. Whatever the case Elirra this egg was not our concern. You must get rid of it right away.” Thrax commanded as he pushed the egg toward me.

“But Thrax even though it is not exactly our kind, it is still of our kind I'm guessing. I don't think its a serpents egg. I would like to keep it. I have eggs back at the nest so I could keep them warm as well as this one.” I said pleadingly. If anyone had a last say it was Thrax. There was no going against his wishes.

“I will grant you this only once. I will watch you and the egg very closely and if this dragon gives us any grief, what so ever I will have my clan take it away to live with its own kind.” Thrax said mournfully. He has a kind heart and knows that my motherly effect is in better perspective now that I have my own young also. “By the way how is your nest? Perfect I'm sure. You've been nest preparing for months. Your mother raised you well.” He said approvingly and grinning his wide row of teeth.

Then a loud screech in the distance sounded the jungle, and the cracking of tree's was the last thing they heard with the flutter of the frightened birds. Thrax looked unconcerned, but Jaxarrus was astonished.

" Don't worry children, Dalin is taking care of our business." Thrax said while grinning. I couldn't believe thats what he sent her too do.

"Jaxarrus how did you find me so quickly after Denos confronted me?" I said questioning if he had been following me all morning.

"Thrax warned me, he saw Denos fly over his cavern entrance early this morning and told me to swim down the river." He said while inspecting the intregingly large egg.