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M'li's head was hurting. The lessons today had required much more thinking than she'd expected. So much so that she'd given herself a headache. Which was of course when Starelth called wanted her lunch. Her headache potion would have to wait. Feeding and bathing Starelth always came first. The teen preferred to feed first then have the green bathe. It was getting better and she didn't have to wear totally dingy clothes now because the green didn't need her meat cut quite so fine. That didn't help rider clumsiness. She'd almost dropped a couple pieces and had only caught them against her shirt. M'li hoped she could wash out the blood while she bathed Starelth.

My shoulder and wing itch M'li, the young dragon told her rider as she waddled toward the water. It was probably another growth spurt. The teen nodded, "we'll get it taken care of." Sh'shi had emphasized the dangers of patchy hide multiple times. Not that her dragon would have let her ignore it anyhow. I'sko and Deldowth are there, Starelth noted mildly to bring her rider's attention to the others.

"Oh," she looked up a bit, startled. She wasn't sure how she was really suppose to treat them. They appeared they preferred to be aloof. M'li nodded to the brown pair as they approached, but tried to keep a polite distance away. She didn't want to intrude. "Go get wet." She'd be getting wet soon enough.

Starelth rumbled happily at the thought of her bath. She needed no second encouragement from her rider. The green headed straight for the water. Greetings to you Deldowth, I wasn't sure you were awake and didn't want to disturb your slumber if you were. Have you had a bath already? She kept up her stream of conversation as she nosedived into the shallow water. The water was fun even if her rider didn't care for the coldness of it. It didn't bother her.

M'li glanced away from her green as the brown's rider actually spoke up. She hadn't been sure he'd even acknowledge she was even there. "Hello. Sorry to intrude. I'll try to keep her as quiet as possible." Maybe she should have taken her green further away so they wouldn't bother the boys? Oh well, it was a little too late for that now. She scuffed her toes into the sand and the few grasses growing there as she waited for Starelth to come mostly out of the water.

Starelth moved a bit deeper so she could submerge fully, but not so far out that her rider worried. She blew a fountain of water up with her nose. If the wind and sun was just right, those on the beach would see and bow of many colors in the water. Yours must be very fast to have you cleaned so quickly and already dry Deldowth. If the sun is drying you out though, you should have him spread more oil on, Starelth suggested helpfully as she cavorted and played in the water.

M'li watched the green with a soft smile on her lips. They'd discovered the colors in the water by accident one day. She'd seen them on rainy days when the sun had peaked through the clouds. It was a pleasant discovery to see they could make them themselves on a sunny day. Or at least Starelth could. She laughed as the green began her antics.

"I swear she has more energy after being fed." She would be that much more tired after she got cleaned, and M'li could leave her without worry that she'd get into trouble. "Yes she usually does." Normally by now she'd have called the young dragon back to begin her scrub. She looked like she was having so much fun today, that she figured to wait a little bit longer. M'li glanced curiously at the brown as he rose to his feet.

Hurt? Why would it hurt? The water moves out of my way. I just have to make sure not to scrape my chin on the bottom. The bigger she got, the deeper she would need to go before she could pull her dive maneuver. She lifted her head out of the water as the brown stood up. Yes! Come join me!

The young green enjoyed her splashing about. It was fun and different than just walking in the air. She floated in the water with her toes just barely touching the lake bottom. I don't doubt that. I haven't heard of anyone that has been slacking from our clutchmates. But doesn't the oil feel good? It soaks in pretty fast and doesn't leave much trace. Starelth perked up at the mention of their firelizard. Oh that is a good idea. M'li has two.

M'li let out a heartfelt groan of good humor. "Boy don't I know it! I think there's more of her after every feeding." Not that she'd have it any other way. It meant her dragon was healthy. That was a fact that constantly worried her, but she did her best to keep it hidden from Starelth. The green didn't need to worry about that, only grow strong. She noted the brown was much more cautious than her green as he stood at the edge of the water.

Starelth considered his worries. Yes, I suppose those things could happen. But I like going under the water. As for smashing my snout, I need to be aware of where the bottom is then. I have my rider watching me and if I get into trouble she will come to my rescue. She sounded confident about this. Starelth moved to slightly shallower water where she could stand and swished her tail back and forth. It's important for us to learn how to deal with these things no? You can go as slow as you need Deldowth. I will be here too to make sure you are ok. She crooned encouragement to the brown.

The green was puzzled by his statement about the blue for a moment. Here before him? It had always been M'li and the two firelizards in her life. Starelth looked toward her rider with confusion and question. The teen smiled and answered her question. Oh, M'li says the bronze was here before me, then I hatched, then shortly after that she found the brown's egg and he hatched. She sounded happy and confident now that it had been sorted out. They do, and they do what they are able for their size. She tilted her head and regarded the water. Do you mean if I stay under the water? Only if I try to breath in when my head is under. I quickly learned not do that. It is uncomfortable.

Starelth moved further into shallow water. We can have you practice holding your breath right here. She laid down in the water to show the larger brown that even laying down the shallow water didn't sweep over her back. If you lay like this Deldowth, then you can practice carefully putting your head under and holding your breath. I will show you if you want. She looked at him with whirling green eyes.

M'li smiled as she watched the dragons. There was so few their age. She hoped it wouldn't stunt their mental or social growth. These two looked to be doing alright. Look at how her green came over to reassure the larger brown. The silence was comfortable between them and she wasn't sure he was going to speak again, when he did. She glanced at him in surprise, then furrowed her brow as she regarded their two dragons. "I..... I don't think so. Greens like Starelth are smaller as adults so they reach their adult size sooner than say your brown or a bronze. If they grew at the same rate the larger dragons might burst their skins trying to keep pace and finish growing the same time greens did. When I lived at Benden and watched the clutches grow there, the greens and blues always finished first."