Rat

The smallest of rats infiltrated the clan homes. He was puny, underweight, and skittish.

As Deserrea cleaned the nursery, she caught sight of shadowed movement from the corner of her eye. Looking directly where she thought she saw an intruder, she saw nothing. Yet, she was sure there was something there just the moment before. With a smile and pat to Happy's head, she turned back and continued to wipe down the lunch tables, all while concentrating on the spot where she was sure something lurked in the shadows of the normally bright room.

Sure enough, as she finished cleaning the tabletops, she saw movement again. Without looking back (for she knew she'd see nothing yet again) she made a small movement with her wingtip and her familiar Happy happily darted into the corner and pinned the infiltrator by its tail.

Deserrae ignored the terror-filled squeaks coming from the tiny Fae youth and slowly approached him with a warm smile. "Calm your wings, little one," she soothed. "I would never harm a child." Then, reaching to touch him, she flinched away from his snapping teeth as she assured him in a sterner voice, "Stop that! How can I figure out how much to feed you if you won't let me look at you?"

At the mention of food, the baby's eyes widened and he stilled. Deserrae's touch was warm, yet he flinched as if accustomed to enduring blows over his tiny body, as if he were only used to violence. His bruises and bleeding bite wounds broke the matron's heart and she crooned a soft lullaby as she examined the baby for infected bites and sickness. Miraculously, he wasn't diseased from malnutrition, and his many small injuries were not infected or fevered. With another movement of her wingtip, Deserrae indicated Happy should release the babe to her care. Hesitantly, her aardvark familiar moved away from the terrified tiny terror and looked up to his favorite Snapper with a pleading look as the brave caregiver scooped the baby into her embrace and curled around him to warm him. "We're fine now, Happy," Deserrae assured the aardvark. "But Havoc and the clan leaders should know we have a new member." Happy made a questioning snort and the dark snapper gave a low laugh as she acknowledged, "Yes, they say there are no real leaders here, but we all know the four who really get things done. Now, run along and bring back Enchanter or chaos, please." With her reassurance, the Deepmine Aardvark moved through the shadows and left the room.

The warmth of Deserrae's bulky body calmed the Fae and he started to relax in her arms, reassured by her soothing voice even as he couldn't yet understand any of her words. He grew so relaxed that he didn't even tense to run when three adult dragons darkened the doorway of the cave. He trusted the crooning Snapper to keep him safe. Shrewdly, he watched the newcomers stop just inside the room and stare at him. The two Tundras weren't much smaller than his new friend, but the third dragon, a giant Guardian, towered over them all. As the Tundras and the Snapper spoke in quiet tones about his arrival and his needs, the Fae watched the giant raise her eyes to stare just slightly behind Deserrae. He watched her move her lips silently as she spoke to the hulking shadow that no one else seemed to see, and when the striped Guardian gave a smile and nod, the Fae knew he would be safe in this place - his new home.

Cutting into the conversation, Gala quietly smiled, "I think it's time to feed our little rat, then to bed with him. Then tomorrow," she sang, "he starts his training with me!" Her startled clanmates were silenced by her proclamation, but when she scooped the tiny boy under her wing, no one moved to stop her. Not even the giant two-headed rat spirit that faded away into the shadows.

As Rat grew, he found his powers came easily to him. And Gala was a wonderful teacher, both patient and fun. He spent every day learning to harness his growing powers and every night, he would curl up in the lap of the giant rat spirit that followed him everywhere and tell it of all the wonderful things he learned that day. As he spoke to the spirit rat, he noticed the one head was thoughtful and intelligent while the other was wild and crazed.

And as he spoke, he determined to do all he could to keep the crazed part of himself at bay.

Rat became a friendly dragon and soon the clan gave him the unconditional love he craved. Gala raised him as her own, even though she knew the restless spirit of of the Rat Lord moved through him. She was satisfied to give him the training that would control the chaotic spirit within the babe, and she trusted him to make good choices that would benefit their beloved clan.