Chapter Twelve - Ottavia

Turning completely around I came face to claw with the strangest creature I had ever laid eyes on, which wasn't many when you got right down to it. It was all body and tail, and quite slender with a sleek black coat. It was holding what appeared to be a rock in its paws

"Hey! Watch that tail of yours! You almost swept me right back into the lake! I came out here to dry off, not to go back where I came from! You know, for a girl dragon, you're not very graceful." It sputtered with a shake of its head.

"Oh! Please forgive me. You spooked me! I thought I was alone out here. I did not realize I had company." I said feeling the blood rush to my head. If I had been human, I would have been blushing furiously. Recovering my senses I said, "Forgive my rudeness. I am Morrighan. With whom do I have the pleasure of speaking with?"

"My name is Ottavia and I can see from that perplexed look on your face that you have never seen one of my kind before. I am an Otter and we live near streams and lakes."

Suddenly the rock let out a loud "grrrruuummph" and squirmed free. Ottavia scrambled faster than the creature did and she took a quick bite on a leg and disabled it. "My dinner almost got away! Good thing I am quicker than that frog is!" she said with a smile, if you could call it that. She was exposing a nice set of sharp, white teeth and I took it as such.

"How is it that you are not frightened of me, Ottavia? I asked as politely as I could.

"I am used to it. There was another of your kind who used to come here to feed. Oh, pish-posh, what was his name…? Was it Brynmor! Oh poo, of course it was! Old Brynmor and I talked a time or two, but I haven't seen him in a while. At first I thought you were he until I noticed the different color of your hide. Should I be afraid of you?" she replied with a slight tilt of her head.

"Of course not!" I answered with a surprised look on my face. Now it all made sense to me. How Spot knew where to send me and the lack of surprise when I stated I needed to feed on more than what was available in the cave stores. "What did you talk to my fa… Brynmor about, if I may be so bold?" I stuttered.

"Aren't you the curious one, Morrighan. I knew about you, if that is what you are asking. His daughter! I didn't know it would happen so fast though. Your being here means that he is gone now. I shall miss that old fire-breather! Oh well, such is life. Gone with the old and in with the new." She said between crunchy bites of her supper. "This just means my boon to him is to start sooner than expected."

"Boon?"

Licking her paws clean she replied "Yes, boon. You see, your father asked a favor of me, a boon if you would. He requested that I help you along with a few things… you know, about life and womanly things. He knew that you would not have many females close to you. I can also help you learn to use the talents you already possess. Your father told me you would have his memories but you would still need help learning how to use them. He passed along to me those things that you would need to know." She paused a minute to let all she has said so far sink in.

"I know you have dozens more questions, but it is getting dark now and I think you should head back. I will be here whenever you are ready to start your lessons. Just call out my name when you arrive and I will hear you. My den is over where the lake turns back into that cove. There is a feeding stream there, but it runs quiet and I can hear over the noise of the water. I will be looking forward to seeing you again, Morrighan… girl dragon." And with that she turned on her tail and scampered back around the bend in the shoreline.

I sat there on my haunches stunned, not knowing what to think about all I had heard in so short a time. I knew I had to return to the cave but the knowledge that my father had spoken of me to Ottavia and had passed on some of his knowledge to her was almost more than I could take in. Another female to talk to! I also didn't know if I should take her referral to me as a "girl dragon" angrily or if she just meant it as an endearment.

Leaping into the air, I spread my wings and headed back towards the cave. "Quite an interesting day so far." I thought to myself as I pondered on the events of the last hour. Before I realized it, I was back at the cave. Dusk had faded into a clear evening. My rain spell had dissipated, but there was no worry over being seen at night. My darker color kept me from standing out against the night sky. As I alit I noticed my familiars, Spot and Bones, waiting for me at the entrance.

"You two have some explaining to do. Especially you, Spot. I know now why you sent me to that lake."

"You've met Ottavia, I take it? Spot said with a silly grin on his face.

"Indeed I have and the things she told me! She definitely is a talker and has a temper to boot. I found that out fast enough when I almost swept her into the lake with my tail!" I couldn't help the giggle that slipped out when I said it. "I am thinking you need to fill me in on a few details, don't you? I was caught completely off guard by her just as I was leaving to come back here."

"Come inside and I will tell you what I know." Spot replied over his shoulder as he and Spot slipped back inside the cave.

Following him inside, I transformed and redressed myself. I saw Korbin was already back and he handed me a cup of mead. "You look like you could use this, Morrighan. Your cats have filled me in on what was waiting on you up at the lake. I know Ottavia well. She can out talk the best of them! I have dealt with her ramblings a few times myself."

"Well it looks like I need to hear about her from more than one of you, don't I? I am still full and getting sleepy, so I think it best you get started before I fall asleep on you." I said through a yawn.

Spot looked at Korbin and through a quiet agreement he decided to start first. "Ottavia is an old friend of your fathers. She helped him once when a knight wounded him far from here. He had managed to fly to that particular lake before succumbing to his pain and fatigue. With her help he was able to heal his wounds and return to the cave. She kept him alive by bringing him food and water. They became quick friends and through their companionship he gave her the gift of long life."

He continued "Your father knew he would need more than our help with you. He also knew that Ottavia would not live long enough through her normal life cycle. After speaking with her and her agreement he gave her all the knowledge she would need to help you along. We were just waiting on nature to take over and your hunger to become too much to bear. We knew you would need to eat soon. It was my idea to not say anything to you, Mistress. I figured that Ottavia would introduce herself in her own way."

Korbin was nodding his head and added, "Brynmor was an intelligent dragon. He had amassed many powers but even he could not live forever. It took everything he had for centuries to find the spells to bring you to life. It finished him making you live. He thought he was the last of his kind. There were no more females left alive to his knowledge."

"To his knowledge? He thought?" I asked quickly catching on to his terminology.

"We are not certain that all of your kind are gone, Morrighan. I am not even sure that Brynmor was the most intelligent of his kind. If he could make one such as you… well, who knows?" He replied.

"Well Korbin, you are the Keeper of Secrets. What is it that you are keeping from me?" I demanded.

"That, my dear Morrighan, is for another time. What you need to do now is finish the project you have started, the early warning system. When that is complete, then you can start flying up to meet with Ottavia. We have many things to do before we can bring down Nepharious and his house. You will need her knowledge and your father's teachings to bring this about. We also need to start pouring over your spell book again to find more "difficulties" for the residents of that castle. We can't let them get too lax. Busy means out of our business." He replied rather strongly.

"Don't forget your place or your promise, Korbin. I appreciate your help with all of this and I understand that you hate Nepharious as much as I do, but you will tell me what I want to know. That I vow." I stated quite sternly. Heading for my bed, I said, "I am going to take a nap now. Wake me when Rhupert arrives, please."

Spot and Bones joined me on my bed. Bones looked at me after he got comfortable and purred "Korbin means well, M'lady. Don't count him out too soon. It will all be worth it in the end."