Rachel was shy. Almost painfully so, and she only liked places where she could maybe see her tree. How she'd managed to get her tree - or even A tree - was a mystery to even her other Rukel friends. Her dark green fur and lovely ivy-like fluff were quite attractive, but one could hardly see her when she was near that tree.

Others tried to get her to break out of her little shell, to come along to dances or activities, but there were altogether too many people there. She prefered to watch from afar, or even just listen because if something was within sight it usually meant they could see her too. She liked soft music, she liked gypsies and hippies because they understood that she needed to have her tree.

One might say that Rachel was a loner, but she wasn't. Sometimes it would be days before someone would see her, but she would be there, as near as she could without having quite left the safety of her tree... Peering out at them with those lovely rich brown eyes. Someone suggested that she perhaps needed a bit of counciling. Maybe what she needed was a friend.

***

There were so many little portals to and from Carramba, that it was almost by accident Rachel found one. She'd stuck her paw into it, and curiosity got the better of her. She glanced back, the campus would be there, waiting... her tree would be there, waiting. She gnawed at her lower lip, wouldn't it be waiting?

She hardly ever did anything impulsive like this, but this was too good an opportunity to pass up. So Rachel found herself on a quick, dark journey - rather a lot like in that book they had to read, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. She tumbled down onto soft dirt, but there were noises around her, humans or something like them?

She darted around, into a darker spot - but that was no good - because that spot was between the legs of a rather larger dragon.

But friendlier hands shooed her into the light again, and Rachel soon found out why. Well - things worked like this at the Nexus points like Carramba, magic of convienence such as the portal she'd fallen through being one of them. It was convienent to the universe to bring her, a little timid and shy Rukel to a place like Clan Akelara because there were tiny eggs on a tiny nest just waiting to hatch.

They were dragons, to be sure, but they were so small! That suited Rachel fine, but what didn't, was that the first couple hatchlings were romping around so hard on their nest, that they were causing some eggs to wobble around before they were ready to break! That prompted her to run out under the nest's lip, where one of the eggs fell open.

The hatchling that came from the egg as it landed was pretty, wooded-colors of brown, green. She looked confused a bit, but soon laid eyes on Rachel.

"You, I go with you," her voice was calm, quiet, "I am Lya-sel."

It turned out all this was being watched by plenty of eyes - and while Rachel allowed the little hatchling to grip onto her fur for support and safety, she knew that would be the last they'd see of her! Well, perhaps not the very last, wasn't there a record-keeper? Well they'd have to find out her name and all. But that was all! Then they would return to Carramba!

***

Name: Lya-sel Selampotato
Gender: Female
Color: Green-brown
Abilities: Breath weapon: Cone of Fog; Telekinesis; Chameleon magic (ability to hide anything or anyone that she wants, as long as the object or person isn't too large)
Bond: Rachel
Height at shoulder as adult: 9 inches
Personality: A bit shy, Lya-sel is still willing to take a breath and dive into situations that would have Rachel shivering in terror. She can't stand it for long, of course, and prefers the quiet company of her bond over others, but she'll willingly play Rachel's link to the world if Rachel wants her to.