The chilling ocean winds buffeted Shadra as she gracefully skimmed her way over the water towards the coastal entrance to the city of Shalonesti. Once into the air, she was truly a magnificent sight to behold. Gone were the ungraceful tumbles over her own wings and the uncertain steps of the hatchling. In the air, she was in her element, a real dancer.

Her thoughts were as troubling as the winds were wild. The image of the young elven princess echoed throughout her mind, haunting her with the harsh realities the naive dragon had not yet been forced to face. The girl's sad eyes were what captivated Shadra most. Maegwyn was too young to have such sadness filling her. She was still a hatchling, and yet she had already witnessed much more than the dragon.

Angry at the idea that her beloved Kregor could somehow be connected with all of this, Shadra dove low towards the water, touching the tips of her wings to the breaking waves before gliding back up into the clouds. The wind against her body exhilarated her and she was reminded of the songs Rikkiri had taught. The elation momentarily washed away the hurt, her anger forgotten until she leveled out above the clouds.

Trilling mournfully to the sun, Shadra spied the portion of the coastline she was searching for and dove towards it, slowing barely in time to keep her crash landing from harming her too much. The minute she touched the sandy ground she became all legs and wings as she ungracefully tripped over herself trying to regain her balance. Snorting softly in annoyance, Shadra eventually righted herself and tucked her wings neatly along her body. Long tail twitching with agitation and excitement, she made her way into the elven city, occasionally stopping to inspect an interesting smell or fascinating animal.

"Did you come to play?" Maegwyn asked, sneaking out of the vallenwood groves when she heard the dragon's soft trilling. She looked around herself nervously and smiled at Shadra mischievously.

Hissing with delight, Shadra nuzzled the girl's hand softly, tickling her fingertips with a long, forked tongue. Maegwyn giggled and pulled her hand away, eyeing the dragon with puzzled consideration

"Not fair!!" She exclaimed suddenly.

"What isss?"

"I can't tickle you back!" Maegwyn frowned and giggled again.

"Where are your guardsss?" Shadra inquired, peering around the shadows curiously. She was used to sensing the sneaky presence of one or more warrior-elves whenever she saw the princess. She could sense none this day.

"Oohhh... Sleepin'." Maegwyn winked at Shadra and skipped down the trail towards the main street of the city. With a final glance over her shoulder towards Maegwyn's home, Shadra trotted off to catch up with Maegwyn.

Once they reached the southern gates of the city Maegwyn seemed a little more hesitant and thoughtful. Not fully comprehending the relationship between Maegwyn and the other elves that always sneaked after her, Shadra was oblivious to the young elf's nervousness.

"Lets do something!" Maegwyn exclaimed suddenly.

"What do you sssuggesst?" Shadra lisped, sitting back on her haunches and gazing up at a butterfly that had come to land on a nearby branch.

"We could .. discover something! Like real explorers!" Beaming at her own genius, Maegwyn slyly inched around until she could reach out and tug Shadra's tail gently. So enchanted by the butterfly, Shadra didn't turn in time to see Maegwyn's quick hands slide behind her back. Hissing softly, Shadra stood and walked in a slow circle, eyeing the forest behind her. As she turned, Maegwyn again tugged on the silver's tail. This time, un-distracted by the butterfly, Shadra tensed and leapt, turning in the air as she did and tackling Maegwyn. Gentle as always, Shadra was careful not to hurt the young elf as they fell. Maegwyn exploded in a fit of giggles as she squirmed out from under the dragon's pin and struggled to her feet.

"Come on," Maegwyn said insistently, "lets -go-"

"Where?"

The girl chewed thoughtfully on her lower lip for a moment, and then her expression brightened. "Ooh.. let's go to Icewall!" Maegwyn announced and started off through the forest to the dock of New Thalos.

As Maegwyn climbed the rope-ladder onto the Nomad, Shadra lofted into the air and landed gently on the deck of the boat. Delighted for the company, Maegwyn beamed at the dragon and turned to watch the activity on the dock as the boat prepared to sail. Her bouncing made Shadra fear the girl might tumble overboard but she somehow managed to keep herself firmly on the deck of the Nomad.

"I'm so glad you came with me! Don't you love boats?" Maegwyn asked, sitting beside the curled-up dragon.

"Yesss, though I would prefer to fly." Shadra told her.

"I would love to fly…" the girl said, wistfully. Shadra shifted her weight uncomfortably.

"I'm not yet ssstrong enough to carry you, Maegwyn." She told the elf, an embarrassed red blush creeping up from the base of her long neck. Maegwyn just smiled.

"Well, you could fly and meet me there!"

"And leave you alone?" Shadra hissed. Shadra didn't ever want to see Maegwyn hurt again, if she could help it. She intended to make sure the girl wasn't hurt. Maegwyn quieted and they enjoyed the rest of the journey in silence.

Once they reached the shore, Maegwyn started east along the coast, carefully picking her way across the treacherous rocks. Shadra's inflexible claws were not well suited to scrambling over the difficult foot-holds of the eastern coastline, and the ice could easily damage her unprotected feet. She lofted into the air, gliding above Maegwyn - always keeping one eye on the elf and another on the land around her, watching for danger.

A towering spire to the west caught Shadra's attention and she watched it curiously. It rose up out of the ice around it and looked quite mysterious. Perhaps it would satisfy Maegwyn's adventurous spirit.

Landing, of course, presented a problem. The footing was uneven and Shadra had trouble with the smoothest of landing pads. She was afraid she could seriously injure her wings if she tumbled across the formidable landscape. She briefly considered landing in the sea and swimming in but the water looked as dangerous as the rocks, and she wasn't sure if she could climb up on the rocks before the crashing waves smashed her skull to pieces.

Hissing her unhappiness, Shadra picked the smoothest piece of the beach and gathered herself to land. Miraculously, she managed to tuck her wings along her body as her feet reached down to the ground. Stumbling a little in a clumsy run, Shadra managed to stop herself before she went tumbling head over tail. It wasn't until Shadra heard Maegwyn clapping that she realized her eyes had been shut tight the entire time.

"Wow! You landed very nice I didn't think you c--" Maegwyn stopped suddenly and blushed, clapping her hand over her mouth as if they could stem the flow of words.

"What isss wrong?" Shadra hissed, trilling with pride.

"Well, it is probably not very polite of me to say that!" Maegwyn fidgeted uncomfortably.

"But it iss truth. Do not be assshamed of the truth." Shadra said, grinning toothily.

"It still isn't very nice to say!"

"No, perhapsss not." Shadra nodded and shrugged. She often didn't understand softling customs. "I sssaw sssomething that might interessst usss."

"Oooh! What is it?" Maegwyn bounded up to the dragon's side, memory of the embarrassed moments gone in an instant.

"I sssaw sssomething growing out of the isssce. We ssshould inssspect it."

"Where?"

"It isss not far, thiss way." Shadra carefully jumped from one rock to another, unfurling her wings slightly and spreading them out to allow her to glide to safety at each leap. Maegwyn scrambled after her and they soon turned inland.

Shadra chose to walk with Maegwyn across the frozen expanse of ice they had found once they came inland. Since the land was deceptively flat, the craigs and juts of ice hidden by the overwhelming whiteness of their surroundings, she didn't think it would be necessary to scout for danger. She felt confident they would see it coming.

While they didn't actually see the danger until it was too late, Shadra did pick up the unfamiliar scent of unwashed ogres. So similar to the smell of rotting meat, Shadra ignored it until they found themselves surrounded by a band of marauding ogres.

Hissing and bristling her wings, Shadra snapped her teeth at the foremost of the ogres. Although still a hatchling, Shadra appeared to be a more formidable opponent than these cowardly ogres usually encountered. They were used to finding their prey half starved and delirious with snow-sickness. Instead they found a very determined elf with a small, but sharp, dagger and an angry-looking dragon. One of them poked at Shadra with its spear and she grabbed it in her teeth, snapping it in half and spitting the pieces to the ground.

Shadra was loathe to harm any creature, no matter how smelly or disgusting it appeared to be. She hissed again and tried to look threatening, hopping they would run off without a fight. Unfortunately, her challenge only angered them and they began growling and jeering, yelling in their incomprehensible tongue. Still, they hesitated, uncertain what they should do.

Maegwyn trembled beside Shadra but held her dagger bravely, unwilling to give in to her fear, as she once had. Shadra narrowed her eyes, gauging the distance between her and the ogre directly in front her. "Maegwyn, climb onto my sshouldersss, quickly." Shadra hissed. Shocked still, Maegwyn didn't move immediately, and Shadra flicked her tail out to slap the girl lightly into action. Maegwyn scrambled up and wrapped her arms around Shadra's neck.

"I thought you weren't strong enough!" Maegywn whispered urgently, although the ogres wouldn't have been able to understand her anyway.

"I mussst be." Shadra hissed and growled, charging the ogre in front of her. The surprised ogre stumbled out of her way, unused to prey taking the offensive. It only took a few moments to recover and soon all of the ogres were following them, roaring.

Maegwyn risked a peek behind her and saw that the ogres were quickly gaining on them. Shadra was having trouble running over the uneven icelands and it slowed her considerably. "Shadra, can you fly? They're going to catch us.. and they don't look happy.."

Laboring for breath, Shadra didn't bother to answer. She took a deep breath and Maegwyn felt the muscles in her back and shoulders tensing as Shadra lept into the air. Faltering at first, Shadra pumped her wings madly to keep aloft. Just in time, as the tip of her tail was nearly sliced in two by the swipe of an ogre's axe.

Maegwyn closed her eyes and tightened her grip around Shadra's neck. Once they got above the heavy clouds, the sunlight touched Maegwyn's eyelids and cheeks gently, urging her to open her eyes. Squinting in the brilliant light, the young elf gasped with surprise and delight.

"It.. it.. it is beautiful up here!" She whispered. Her voice was hoarse, although she hadn't known she'd been screaming until she realized how sore her throat was from the effort.

Shadra trilled with delight and turned south and west, returning to the Althainian coast. She would tire quickly, not used to carrying anyone, even if Maegwyn was a light child. Now that they were safely in the air and far away from danger, Shadra wondered how she was going to land…