"Honey, whats wrong?"
She asked, concerned.

"You just returned 2 sevendays ago from your trip and your leaving again, and I might never see you again and thats going to be the worst thing in my life because I won't have time to argue with you as I grow up."

Delly chuckled.
"Beban, you could always ask the Head Council to move near the Weyr. And besides, I'm sure there must be alot of things I need to learn about it, you know dragons, riding and all."

"But what if the council doesn't want to move and you don't know where to find me?!"

Delly lowered her voice so her mother couldn't hear. But her mother did hear, as she had been thinking the same thing herself.

"Then, I'll shapeshift and cuase such a scandal that you'll know that you had to come and visit to make me see the world normally."
But it was a lie. She had stopped seeing the world that way since she had learnt how to control herself. Turning to her mother, she whispered.
"You will do everything in your power to let her visit me right?"

Her mother nodded, and whispered back.
"Thats why they made me the head."

Beban and her mother carried her stuff outside. And Delly sat in the room and thought. That mans name was Ivo. And he had strange blakc hair with yellow in the front, and a tail. A tail... she didn't know what Simon looked like, but he must look like him. Atleast she knew he was one of Simon. She wondered how he was related to him.
Beban felt a spark of childish delight run through her. Beban controlled it, and locked it up. As she changed into red breeches, a orange tunic and a yellow scarf around her neck in place of a choker, she smiled. She walked outside, and saw Zkoth watch her. She turned to her mother and her daughter.

"Why can't you come with me?"

"Because you know we can't miss the next sevenday or so because of the people who are coming."

Beban sensed something in her mother and warned.
"Don't do something stupid mom, I want to see you again, alive and not dead."

Delly smiled innocently, and Zkoth snorted. He'd seen the same innocent look somewhere before... and it was always before his rider did something very... Ivo-ish. Grinning, Delly sensed the dragon laughing privatly, and turned to him, her eyes sparkling a dangerous yellow.
They both arrived at the Healing Den just after, and Delly held on tight as they landed. Between was one thing that was strange. But riding on a dragon was another. The wings and the grace reminded her of... herself.

"Delly, lets go see the Sands, shall we? Zkoth's mate should check you out. And so should her rider."
His voice seemed amused. Well, it wasn't every day people found shapeshifters.

Nodding, they made their way forwards, and Delly grinned like a child.
As they entered the Sands, the women were still there, and they all gasped. Ivo didn't know what they were making a fuss about. They've seen his tail before. And they've seen a normal human before right? It was like she could...
Shezumi watched as Ivo came forwards, and smiled, amused. The girl glanced at her, and her eyes flashed yellow with amusement and with a sort of connection. Ivo didn't know it, but it wasn't him the people were gasping at, it was the red head girl dressed in shades of red, orange and yellow, with a scaled tail whipped around behind her like a weapon. The way she walked, the way she held herself, and the way her tail swung was in exact mimic to Ivo.

"Whats so funny Shezumi?"
He asked silkily.

Shezumi grinned with delight. So here was something Ivo didn't know, and she did! She turned to the girl and asked.
"You are?"

Delly grinned, and as Ivo turned towards her, her tail wipped up and disappeared.
"My name is Delly. I was brought here to be a candidate for the clutch by Ivo and Zkoth."
She brightened.
"You must be Shezumi, rider of Zkoth's mate!"

Shezumi raised her brow at Zkoth, and chuckled. As she felt the others watching, Baeris came forwards and asked.
"New candidate?"

Delly's eyes flashed yellow at the woman for a instant, but then, her eyes were a normal dark green.
"Yes, I am."
She replied. She was unsure about this woman, who was she?

"I'm Baeris, you could call me a Weyrwoman in a way."

"Oh?"
Delly replied. But she didn't know what a Weyrwoman was.

Shezumi was interested in this girl. She had a tail. What else did she have?
"Baeris? I'll go make sure Delly becomes comfortable, and I'll tell her about the clutch and everything."
She replied quietly, and all but dragged Ivo and Delly away, and led them to her Weyr.
"Ivo?"
That was all she said. She was interested in this girl, and also in where she came from.

"I think I can answer your questions more easily."
Delly said quietly.
"My name is Delly, daughter of a man named Simon who Ivo is related to. I... think you must be too."
She shrugged.
"You just don't seem 100% human. The way people look at you, and the way people talk near you."
She smiled sadly.
"Thats what I've gone through..."

Zkoth talked.
She is like you Shezumi and Ivo. I can sense her blood is like yours. And she can shapeshift as well.

"To what?"
Shezumi asked with interest.

Delly smiled a wary grin.
"If I am indeed like you, then is there something you can change into as well?"
She asked quietly.

Shezumi paused, and chuckled. Grinning, she turned to Ivo and said.
"Lets show her what we can indeed turn into."

Ivo grinned.
"Here?"

"I don't see why not."

Ivo changed into a feline of some kind. Delly didn't know what kind. But he was strong and fast looking. As she turned, she stifled a yelp as a long, snakelike... thing sat in her place. As she looked carefully, she knew what she looked like. A dragon she had seen in her dreams. Someone had told her it was a dragon, and she believed them.
Delly moved to the Weyrledge, the only place with room, and watched as they turned back into their human shapes.

"Well?"
Shezumi asked, almost arrogantly.

Ivo watched, and so did Shezumi, as the small, red haired girl was replaced by a scaled feline. Scaled with reds, oranges and yellows. Then the feline sprouted wings, and a long tail. It was a mix between a dragon-feline, and she glittered in the light.
People saw the light, but ignored it. It was coming from Shesumi's Weyr. Maybe it was her. But it wasn't.

Shezumi grinned slowly.
"There is something I can teach you, if you want."

Delly smiled.

***

Delly stood over the lake, and grumbled to herself. She had decided to skip a few things that stupid man was teaching everyone. But honestly, you'd think if you learn it seven hundred and fifty nine times, they could move onto something else!
The people here didn't stare at her, as much as they did back home. But sometimes, she caught them looking at her in a strange way. Looking into the water, she waded in knee deep, and let her tail almost creep out.
She wasn't angry. Just frustrated. She missed her mother and daughter so much, and she also missed changing. Ivo and Shezumi were nice people, but she didn't feel comfortable changing here in the...Healing Den. So she took out her frustration at the water. Her let her tail whip and splash around, and she snarled at people who stared.
Tired, she paused and floated, letting her tail balance her. The water was nice and cool, and almost slippery... she wondered when she would be able to see her father.
Sitting up suddenly with that sudden thought, she sighed and let herself drift back into the water.

"Having fun mama?"

With a yelp, she jump up, and watched her daughter grin at her from the side of the lake. Smiling, she dove underwater.... and grabbed her daughter into the water with her.
Shrieks and yelps were heard, as she tickled her daughter, but kept her afloat. Grinning, she watched her daughter and asked.

"Wheres your grandma?"

"Right here."

Smiling, Delly walked to the edge and hugged her mother.
"What are you doing visiting?"

Beban smiled impishly.
"Well, it just happens that I like to listen to my mother, and we brought the whole carnival to that place just outside this... Healing Den."

Delly hugged her daughter and mother, and stilled.
"Delly, have you had any fun at all the past days?"

"Why?"
Beban saw her mothers eyes turn yellow, and warned.
"Don't shift."

"I won't"
She replied pleasantly.
"Oh, by the way Beban?"

"What?"

"Hold on."

With that, Beban shrieked as her mothers wings sprouted out from behind her. She lifted her up, and flapped them in the air. This was the first time she'd done this. She hoped her wings supported her and her daughter. As they did a few loops in the air, Delly laughed, and her daughter relaxed.

"DELLY!"
A voice bellowed from bellow.

Delly stilled, and looked down to see a crowd gathering. She flapped her wings, letting them glitter in the air. They sparkled, and as she watched, Ivo and Shezumi laughed, while her mother giggle. Grinning with child like delight, she landed softly on the ground, and let her daughter go.

"So, anyone for a ride?"
She asked pleasantly, and picked up her mother.
"Ma? I want to talk to you alone."

"Could we get anymore alone?"

"Well, yeah."
She lifted them a bit higher, and asked.
"Will I ever see my father? I mean, it seems that Simon is Ivo's greatgrandmother, making me his great aunt. -Isn't that funny?- But I don't know if I'll ever meet him. I want to meet him, and tell him that its all his fault I killed that man."

"Oh dear...."

As they landed, Delly let her wings disappear as she touched the ground gently. She looked over at Baeris, who let herself smile slightly. She breathed a huge sigh of relief, and as everyone drifted off, she introduced her mother to Shezumi, and Baeris.

"And this, is my daughter. Her name is Beban, and she's turning 15 soon."

"And how old are you Delly?"

"17. Why?"