"Yay, I'm going!" Tytula squealed. Her offering had been happily accepted by Tolethven, and she was hopping up and down with excitement for the awarding of the hatchlings.
"What do you think you'll get?" Kody asked eagerly.
Another albino?
"I might get an albino, but probably not," said Tytula. "I think I'll get a blue or purple. Male, I'm sure."
"Well, good luck!" said Kody. "Are you sure you don't need help?"
"Yeah," Tytula said, scratching Perturmiles's neck. "I'll be fine. You males aren't too tough to handle, are you, Per-Per?"
Per barked and trilled at his keeper. Tytula laughed.
"I'm off," the buyer said, stepping through the portal. "Have fun, you three!"
* * *
Tytula stood nervously at the door to Tolethven's manor. She was beside Melf, and behind Kayun the vampire. The man carefully pushed the door open, and was immediately hit in the face with a massive foam bat.
"My heart is yours forever, moopiecakes!" the bat announced in the voice of a sighing young girl. Melf snorted with laughtet at seeing one of her gifts put to use. The young Drow girl holding the bat collapsed into hysterics when she saw Kayun's shocked face. Tytula grinned. This ceremony was going to be fun.
"I'm truly sorry sir," the Drow girl began in a quivering voice before she cracked up again. "Moopiecakes," Melf muttered as the two women entered Tolethven's manor.
"Why don't we all introduce ourselves," Tytula suggested eagerly. Then we can get to the Drakkins, she thought.
"Very well then," the girl said with a smile. "I am Kosca, Tolethven's daughter. He wasn't here to meet you himself because he's making sure the hatchlings are clean and presentable. He gave me leave to use one of his new toys in the greeting!" Kosca chuckled. "Now I suppose you'd like to go see the hatchlings, hmm?"
"Yes!" Tytula squealed excitedly. Melf laughed, and the party of buyers got up. They were led by Kosca deep into the manor, with the young girl swinging the bat all the way. Finally, they reached a pitch black room. Tytula took some night-vision goggles off of a table, and placed them on her nose.
The entire room came into view. It was full of Drakkins, all of which were wearing...bumper stickers. Tytula desperately held back laughter. Apparently, the breeder wasn't quite sure what to do with her gift, but he had found something quite creative for it. Cha-kinale was the most noticable of the lot, one of her stickers reading "My Student Can Kick Your Honor Roll Student's Butt." She seemed to be hiding something from view.
They're here, Tolethven, Cha called. Quickly, now. Tytula marveled at the way Cha bossed her keeper around. It was really quite funny.
Tolethven entered via a side door, leading two little males, a red and a purple. They were both gnawing on glowing rodent Drakkin treats, a gift from Kayun. Their eyes were closed as they enjoyed the snack. The three were followed by an unfamiliar man, bound and gagged and dancing a very lively jig.
"Nondar?" Kayun cried, holding back hysterical laughter. "What the -"
"I invited your friend over to preview the hatchlings and supposedly get one up on you," Tolethven told Kayun, dark eyes sparkling. "He looked so formal and stuffy that I figured he could use a little entertainment. You think he'd know better than to put on 'gift shoes' from total strangers."
Kayun smiled as Nondar glared viciously at him. He watched for a moment or two, then turned his attention back to the hatchlings. Noting the shift of attention, Tolethven continued.
"They're yours, by the way, and you can take the lord of the dance here with you when you leave," Tolethven chuckled. Tytula was shocked. Two Drakkins? To one of them? She turned to Melf, eyes wide.
Tolethven left them hanging for a moment, smiling. Finally, he spoke. "My lovely purple's clutch was indeed a special one, even more so than I'd thought. You see, she is the most recent female to be born in this city, nearly one hundred years ago. No one is sure of the reason, though there are certainly theories, and hotly debated ones at that. That stint of bad luck has finally ended with a bang. Cha?"
On cue, Cha-kinale rose, revealing two beautiful blues. They were identical in every aspect, and THEY WERE BOTH FEMALES. Each was wearing a lovely anklet - one was silver, the other gold.
"Two?" Melf murmered in awe. The silver-banded youngling turned her head to regard the woman.
"Twins," Tolethven added smugly, enjoying the two ladies' amazed expressions. "I was just as shocked, believe me, and they've been a handful to take care of." His tone became mournful as he turned to face Kayun. "I didn't want to saddle you with one of these spoiled ladies, my friend, and I didn't think you'd want to deal with the constant commands and orders."
Cha-kinale wasn't impressed with the description of her two precious daughters, and gave Tolethven a haughty telepathic talking-to.
"Well they are, and you know it," the breeder replied indignantly.
Not in the mood to tolerate such insults, the gold-banded youngster rose and sauntered over to Tytula and Melf. The silver stood quickly, and trotted behind her sister. It was the silver who chose her new 'servant' first, adjusting her sourse so that it would land her in front of Melf.
Not going to be left out, the other female arrogantly strutted over to Tytula. She sat down calmly on Tytula's foot, gazing up at her with an expression that made the hatchling look very much like Inrahi. In the Drakkin's mind, the roles of keeper and kept were quite reversed. Perhaps they really were...who knew?
Tytula knelt down, pushed the babe off of her foot, and scratched it behind its horns. The female yawned and trilled peacefully. Tytula gently picked it up, and it relaxed contently in her arms.
"Kosca sweetie, could you go fetch the food and bugs?" Tolethven asked, all the buyers otherwise occupied. All of the breeders had been in this same situation before, so there was no need to go over the 'intro to bugs' lecture.
"Buyers!" Tolethven said loudly, catching the attention of all keepers and Drakkin. "Thank you for visiting with your wonderful offerings, and for accepting your Drakkin. Or Drakkins," the breeder chuckled, glancing over at Kayun. The vampire had one youngling in each arm, and he was having quite a bit of trouble keeping track of them. "I hope to see all of you again someday."
Tytula accepted her bugs from Kosca, and went to join the other buyers for a nice lunch.
