Bonder

Salvari slid from Helventh’s neck and thanked J'gen before walking the short distance to the Caer. As she walked in her mouth dropped open. It was huge inside! She shook her head, trying not to get overwhelmed. She looked around and found a sign that told her the location of the hatching sands. She walked down a long, dark hallway that eventually opened up into the hatching dunes. There was one dragon that she could see, a large gold. She looked around the dunes and then saw a board posted to the wall that had a few sheets of hide tacked to in. She placed her foot on the dunes and jumped back. “Whoa that’s hot!” She covered her mouth, not knowing how loud

she had just been and walked onto the dunes again. She bit her tongue and ran towards the board. If was a list of bonders and Naomith still needed some. She quickly signed her name, saw what caerlet she was assigned to and then ran back off the dunes.

She walked back into the Caer Bowl and looked around. She had been assigned to Caerlet 08 on the first level. Now she had to find it. Ave chirped helpfully and Salvari stroked him before walking straight and down another winding hallway. She wandered around the Caer for most of the morning before she admitted she was lost. She walked around some more until she saw someone and then asked, “Do you know where I could find caerlet 08?” The man scratched his head, looked around and then said. “Yeah, just turn right here and walk straight until you get to yours. The caerlet numbers should start at 10 in that hall and work backward.” Salvari thanked him and then walked down the hall he had pointed to. Sure enough, three from the beginning of the hall was caerlet 08. She opened the door slowly and looked inside. Ave immediately leapt into the air and circled around the caerlet. “Ave, get back here,” she said as she walked in a looked around. The room she was in now was the equivalent of her living room back home but much more sparsely furnished. There were tapestries on the walls but all were faded, the colors dull and forgotten.

She walked through another door and found herself in her bedchamber. The large posted bed filled up most of the room, which was considerably smaller then the main room. There was a dresser on the opposite wall of the bed and she went to look at it. “Ave come here,” she said as she looked it over.” Look at how old this is!” Ave chirped and then flew into another room. Salvari sighed and followed him. He led her into the bathing room, which took her breath away. The large wading pool took up most of the room and was continually filtering the water. She walked towards it and put her hand into it. “Wow it’s really warm. How do they do that?” Salvari brushed her hair back and then walked back into the main room again, where she went to the service shaft and called down for dinner.

When the tray arrived she took it from the shaft and placed it on the table, pulling a chair to it so she could sit while she ate. She ate quietly as Ave watched her. “Here, have some meat,” she said as she cut a piece for him. He grasped it in his claws and ate greedily, gulping it down and then looking at her for more. She shook her head and he curled up, still watching her eat. When she had finished she sent the tray back down the shaft and then sat down in one of the large armchairs and picked up a book that was lying on the floor next to it. “Hmm,” she said. “This looks interesting. What do you think Ave?” He poked his head up from under another armchair, snout covered in dust, and warbled. She smiled and said, “Come here.” Ave crawled out from under the chair and hoped up onto his owner’s lap where he curled up again and fell asleep while she opened the book.

She read for most of the afternoon and could have gone longer but she heard the lunch bell ring and she got up quickly, Ave

trying not to slide off completely. She walked briskly out the door, Ave clinging on for deer life. As she walked down the stairs he warbled angrily and she stopped briefly to pick him up and place him on her shoulder before walking down the stairs again. When she reached the dining hall it was already full of people but she found a table near the back and sat down. She sat alone for a few more minutes but two boys and a girl came up to her and asked if they could sit down. She said yes and they began to talk. “No, I just got here today,” Salvari said, answering Cesio’s question. “What color are you hoping to bond?” The girl, Rita, asked. “Well I’ve applied for Naomith’s clutch so you never know what colors will hatch,” she said after she finished eating a piece of bread. “You’re in Naomith’s clutch? Me too!” Salvari smiled and said, “What about you guys?” Cesio spoke up first and said, “I’ve applied for Naomith’s clutch and so has Dane.” Salvari nodded and continued to eat. After awhile she leaned back and said, “Well I’ve got to get going. Hopefully I’ll see you soon.” “Well of course you will,” Rita said. “Pre-bonders are always running around doing stuff for other people. I'm sure we'll run into each other again.” Salvari frowned and said good bye and then scooped Ave up and headed back to her caerlet.