Ssserek relented slightly and nodded into the darkness. "You may."

There was a scrambling rush as Iggy made his way to Sally's side. He nodded down the hill and then placed himself so that Sally was between him and b.u.t.tons.

b.u.t.tons's voice was becoming harsh. The day had been too much. Her grief was almost drowning her. She curled her lips and was about to snarl when a small figure wavered and staggered slowly up the hill.

b.u.t.tons sat with a plop, dumbfounded, muddled, and entirely confused. It was a small cat, none too steady. But, head down, it was not about to quit as it tripped repeatedly. Soon, it stood at b.u.t.tons's side, leaning against her.

"Oooaaarrrrhh," he crooned as he looked up. Love and affection were there, but b.u.t.tons could only sit as she viewed the small cat. The small kitten's eyes kept crossing as he did his best to convey his pleasure.

Iggy piped up. "It's a him. And, look at his eyes. Wow! How he got this far is a wonder."

"I'll call him Cross-eye. Mommy Kitty didn't mind. It's her last, you see."

This was too much. "Ssserek," b.u.t.tons wailed. Her nose went, up and once again her voice dropped as her lament rose to the moon.

"Oooorrrrroooo!"

The End

How the Littlest Dragon

Saves the Day.

b.u.t.tons lay just outside the white fence in the shade of a small lilac bush. Her black nose quivered between her two front paws and her sharp little ears twitched to the near and far sounds coming her way from the Great Field and Forest. The light summer breeze added little to what her active ears heard.

Suddenly, a motion high overhead caught her attention. She rolled over onto her back and looked up into the wide blue expanse over her yard. The sky seemed filled with birds-all making a beeline to the Great Forest. How strange! Most of the birds were huge brown and red hawks, uncommonly seen so near man's habitations. Some were friends she recognized-some were not. Then, she noticed tiny flashes of brilliant color. Stranger still! Hummingbirds! The air was filled with hummingbirds-and they were weren't even fighting with each other as they usually did. They were all buzzing straight toward the hill, a small gra.s.s-covered knoll in the Great Forest.

b.u.t.tons got up to pace, intently watching the sky. Crows and crackles of all sizes were moving toward the knoll, their voices filling the air with loud caws and crackling gossip, when another sound intruded upon her mind. It was Sally, the beagle making her quiet way through tufts of gra.s.s and around the small, scattered clumps of brush. Soon, she could be seen as she scurried about brushes and twigs, her small, well-formed hand held erect, ears flapping. Sally was breathing hard as she abruptly stopped in front of b.u.t.tons, her ears laid back along her head, wonder and concern written across her features. b.u.t.tons smiled. She was always pleased to see her best friend. The two small dogs greeted one another, nose touching nose, bright brown eyes looking squarely into bright brown eyes. Before either could even yip, however, the angry words of Iggy, the ground squirrel, could be heard.

He was obviously berating Biff, the bear, and as expected, Iggy hurried from the field just in front of the lumbering Biff who was huffing close behind. Iggy started to speak before he could completely halt, but was caught by surprise as Biff sat and skidded to a stop on his round rump. Biff's round belly stuffed with the first ripe berries of spring slammed into Iggy, sending him tumbling head over heels. The rising dust covered most of Biff and, of course, all of Iggy who could only cough and gag as the dust began to settle on him.

Iggy rapidly scrambled to his feet, glaring into Biff's round features. Biff grinned hugely as he watched his small friend whose angry features were all but hidden by the coat of settling dust.

"You, you, you...," was all Iggy, the squirrel could get out before having to sneeze several times. Loud, very loud, and directly into the laughing face of Biff.

Both Sally and b.u.t.tons broke into chuckles as Iggy began to shake himself.

In his turn, Biff, the bear looked carefully at the small squirrel, and then he, too, began to laugh, his round sides heaving as he tried to contain his merriment.

Iggy grinned sheepishly, feeling very silly. Then, he looked about him, surveying his close friends. Then, he began to giggle, but the dust got the better of him. He sneezed, although he tried valiantly not to, but it was no good. He sneezed again, and then again, his small beady eyes peering out from behind his dusky mask.

As usual, they all broke into gales of laughter, Biff finally lying on the ground rolling to and fro. It was one of the bear's better tricks on the little trickster Iggy.

Finally, they all gained some control of their laughter, and each sat, Biff and Iggy side by side as they looked to their friends, Sally and b.u.t.tons. Smirking at one another, they felt as foolish as they looked, but they couldn't help it.

Then, their expressions changed, slowly at first, then very quickly as they rose to confront b.u.t.tons. Dusty and dirty as they were, their faces spoke for them. Something was up as their looks moved from grins, to questioning, then to wonder.

b.u.t.tons sighed.

"What's up now," she inquired, looking from the fat bear to the small squirrel.

Iggy began to scratch himself as he also began to talk, his words coming in short bursts between his more vigorous bouts of digging at himself.

"Well..." Scratch, scratch..."It's this way." Scratch, scratch..."We were... uh.... Just at the hill."

Biff broke in. "We were at the berries when suddenly..."

Iggy kicked the fat bear right in his fat flank. Of course, there was absolutely no effect as he began again, the words tumbling one after the other.

"Hey, it's my story. You were just stuffing yourself as usual when it..."

Biff put one large paw out and easily swept the small squirrel aside, as he began again, "Ya, and it was the darndest thing. Wow, wait until you see..."

Iggy's screech of indignation interrupted even the usually imperturbable bear who glanced down to see what was causing the squirrel so much trouble.

Iggy was furious at the interruption and was hopping up and down. "You, you, bubble-brained, over-stuffed..." His breath gave out and he suddenly sat, plopping to the ground in sheer frustration.

Biff grinned. This was more like it. "Well, it is the darndest..."

"Stop your sputtering," barked Sally. "Let's go!"

Sally led the way with b.u.t.tons right behind. They quickly made their way through rough gra.s.s and brush, until shortly they were entering the Great Forest. Here, Sally turned and headed slightly more northward, veering one way and another as she found the easiest path. The heat of the sun was quickly lost as they entered the deeper portions of the great woods where the larger trees blocked out the direct rays of the sun.

Soon, a clearing could be made out in the distance, and then abruptly, the trees ended, leaving an irregular opening which was brightly lit by a sun almost directly overhead. In the middle and slightly off to one side, a small gra.s.s-covered mound rose.

In the trees nearest to the hill were many hawks of all species. They sat silently as they watched something on the hill. The trees glittered with the glory of hundreds of hummingbirds, their small figures barely visible individually. But the sparkling iridescence was incredible against the muted browns and blacks of the hawks. Contrary to their usual obstreperous behavior and ongoing fights, the hummingbirds sat quietly, intently watching the hill like the hawks below them.

It was an eerie and uncanny scene which had never been seen in the Great Forest that greeted Sally and b.u.t.tons. Sally abruptly halted, b.u.t.tons almost running into her. Each took a deep breath before continuing toward the hill. But it was an even stranger sight which greeted them as they moved toward the spot so keenly watched by the birds.

There, almost at the top of the rounded mount sat a creature neither they nor any creature of forest and field had ever seen. At first, b.u.t.tons thought it was a very large and hairless cat, somewhat long in the body with a short, pointed tail. But it was without fur, and soft brown in color. Its head was hung low, on a long sinuous neck, with its nose almost buried in the ground. Slender ears were laid back against the sinewy neck. Clearly, the hind quarters were larger than the fore. Its sides were heaving with emotion.

Soft sobbing sounds came to their ears as they approached the creature from behind.

b.u.t.tons coughed gently and the small creature lifted its head, turning as it did so to view the two. Sally's first impression was of huge lambent eyes, tears welling in them as the creature looked down at her. b.u.t.tons smiled. Surely, they were the most beautiful soft brown eyes she had ever seen, great pools of sadness, whirling with depths she had never before seen. Both small dogs approached, heads hung low.

The eyes were not the most remarkable thing about the creature, although clearly the most memorable. Folded neatly across her back were transparent wings, appearing too small and fragile for the creature, or for any creature her size, foreshadowing a strength yet unknown.

The brown creature looked down at the two approaching dogs. Her clean, smooth head tapered slightly to a rounded short snout. She raised her left forepaw and wiped a tear off. Her paw was tapered with long fingers and blunted claws. She held the paw delicately poised at her eye as she viewed them carefully.

Then, she sobbed, and raising her head upward, cried aloud, the small voice carrying across the woods and field. Hawks fanned their wings as hummingbirds whirled in giddy spirals above her head. They all felt her sadness, and the deeply hidden anguish, but none knew what to do.

b.u.t.tons sighed. Well, this is a new one, that was for sure. Just what to do. She didn't know offhand and she looked about, seeing for the first time that all of the creatures present were looking at her intently.

b.u.t.tons smiled her best smile and walked up the hill further so that she was more on a level with the brown creature. The creature watched her expectantly and did not miss the attention the others were giving the small black dog. Her brown eyes glittered, a bit of steeliness coming into them.

b.u.t.tons did not miss the look in the creature's eyes, and the small Scottie lowered her head just a little bit before addressing the creature. "May I be of service?" She stood very still as she spoke, watching the eyes only, but noting once again that the brown creature was near to tears once again.

"Ooohhhh," wailed the creature. "Where's the queen?"

b.u.t.tons smiled once again. "We have several queens in our midst, but whom in particular do you wish to see?" Her tone was soft, neither too sharp nor too artificial. b.u.t.tons waited.

Haughtily, the creature started to raise her head, but quickly noted the smile on the small dog's face. The creature sighed deeply, and answered, "The queen, of course, the one and only true queen." She faltered in her response. "Well, I mean, a queen always attends to me, and well..."

b.u.t.tons smiled more broadly. The brown creature sighed once again, more deeply. This wasn't going at all well.

"Oh, my," the creature sighed. She raised her head and slowly surveyed the surrounding forest. Then, she sobbed loudly.

"I'm lost," she cried. "I'm lost." The tears now came in floods, running freely down her face to cascade about b.u.t.tons and Sally. "I'm terribly lost. And... I'm so lonely." A catch in her voice momentarily stopped her, forcing her to take a long, deep breath.

"Perhaps," b.u.t.tons broke in softly, "if you would tell us more about yourself. We've never met anyone quite like you."

"Well, of course not." The words escaped the small brown creature before she could catch herself. "Well, I mean, I wouldn't expect you would have. I mean, I am the only one like me."

Iggy's voice came from the bottom of the hill. "Boy, I can believe that."

b.u.t.tons and Sally glared at the precocious squirrel just before Biff unceremoniously sat upon his small friend, only a tiny squeak coming from beneath the smirking bear. The small creature tried to hide a sudden grin behind her dainty paw, but failed before the quick eyes of Sally and b.u.t.tons.

The creature spoke up, "Perhaps, if your friend wishes to come closer, we wouldn't mind."

Sally started to say something but was nudged by b.u.t.tons.

"Oh, the royal... we?"

b.u.t.tons winked. "Right."

Both Sally and b.u.t.tons approached. b.u.t.tons looked up and smiled, her small black eyes gleaming with humor and friendship.

"Perhaps, if we knew you." b.u.t.tons sat and waited.

"Well, you see." The creature sniffed, trying to keep a tear from forming.

Iggy couldn't bear the waiting any longer and bounced up the hill to place himself directly in front of the creature. "Look, dummy, we can't forever be calling you creature creature."

"What's your name? You do have one, don't you?"

"Well, of course." She sniffed once again, but this time it wasn't because she felt like crying. She lifted her head ever so slightly, c.o.c.king it so as to glare more effectively at the disheveled squirrel who so boldly faced her.

"You," and she left little doubt that she meant Iggy only, "may address me as Darling Princess Vintrix Sarandra, Protectress of the Upper Reaches."

"Wow," was all Iggy could say as he abruptly sat.

Biff's gruff but humor-filled voice came from the bottom of the hill. "That'll take care of you, you little twit."

Princess Vintrix Sarandra went on, arching an eyebrow as she did so, "And," she sniffed haughtily once again, "all lower life forms." She couldn't help adding, "of course," as she glared balefully from Iggy to Biff.

Both b.u.t.tons and Sally were grinning broadly. That the small creature's eyes were beginning to twinkle had not escaped their keen inspection.

Of course, Iggy had seen the exchange between Princess Sarandra and his two best friends. Boldly surveying the new creature, he lifted himself to his full, and rather insignificant, height, and snorted. "Come on, get real. We'll just call you Sara." Then, he had to add as he ducked her swinging head, "just for short."

Before matters could out of hand, b.u.t.tons intervened. "Uh, if you approve, your highness. How about it, Princess Sarandra?"

"Oh, gosh, yes, I've never had such a name, or friends like you." She turned and surveyed the clearing and all of the birds in the trees.

She lowered her head to whisper in b.u.t.tons's ears. "Gosh, aren't they beautiful, the small ones? And, of course, the hawks are so stately." Her whisper carried clearly to all parts of the clearing and the trees, causing much ruffling of plumage and pirouettes by the hummingbirds. Her words were most appreciated.

Sally smiled as she inquired, "And, you will tell us something about yourself?"

Sara sighed deeply as painful memory after painful memory raced across her mind. She began slowly at first, but then, raising her head proudly, continued with only brief pauses between her words.

"I'm a dragon, of course." She raised herself on her hind legs, fanning her beautiful wings. "Of course, I'm not very big yet, but we're a long-lived race. Though there's not many of us anymore." She looked about her, the longing and hurt clearly etched in her youthful features.

She glanced around at her newfound friends. "There's so many of each of you. It must be nice." She sighed once again.

The irrepressible Iggy nudged her, his eyes large in his sharp features. "Gee whiz, I thought dragons were huge and ferocious."

"Do you breathe fire too?"

Sara smiled wanly. "We do get pretty big. In time. But I'm still young."

Iggy was not to be denied. "Yeah, but what about the fire-breathing?" He grinned smugly at b.u.t.tons.

Sara drooped, her shoulders sagging as she looked at her small inquisitor. Her voice was almost imperceptible even to the keen ears of the dogs and other woodland creatures.

"I can't."

"What?" Iggy was indignant.

He would have continued, but Biff, the bear had closed up behind at a glance from Sally. The bear placed both broad paws around the small squirrel and gently squeezed, effectively m.u.f.fling all protests as he carried Iggy unceremoniously down the hill.

When Iggy could breathe again, he harshly demanded of Biff, "Hey, you big lummox, what's the idea? Gosh, I wouldn't hurt her feelings for anything."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Just be quiet for a while, will ya?"

b.u.t.tons grinned at Sara, who had watched the proceedings with increasing interest. "Do you know what you have to do to begin breathing fire?"

Sara raised her shoulders and let them drop as she shook her head negatively. "I didn't get that far in my lessons before I got lost." She dropped her head conspiratorially. "The world's a lot bigger than I thought. I've been wandering for a long time."

"So tell us about it..."