Ishi was reassured by John's explanation of who cooked the meat. "Good to know." She agreed. Turning towards Chumana, she stood up and gently lifted her head up so Ishi could look into her eyes. "I think the walk back home will be good exercise for all the food she's has here. So perhaps we should start." Ishi smiled at John, so glad the day had gone well.
As John walked ahead with Iona in his arms, she walked side by side with Chumana. "I wish I could carry you, my love, but you, but I am not strong enough." She exchanged mentally with her. Chumana nodded, "Yes, but one day, I shall carry you." She said with a smile. Ishi's head immediate went towards her, "And how do you know that?" Again, Chumana smiled as if she had found a great prize, reminding Ishi of Iona in many ways. "Ulteth told me." Immediately, Ishi understood why Ulteth was so willing to spend so much time with Chumana. "Ahhhh, I think it will be a most interesting day when it comes." Again, Chumana nodded. They were nearing the Hatchling building and Chumana was just too tired to speak.
Before entering, Ishi waved at John as he left to put Iona down for the night. Chumana entered the building with great dignity. One would have had to know her well to even see the hint of tiredness within her. Soon she found a nice, clean sandy part of the room and laid down heavily. Walking up to her, Ishi told her she would return to oil her and left. It wasn't difficult for Ishi to get help, she discovered. She had only to ask and two or three young men willing carried a barrel of John's premixed oil to the Hatchling for her. She rewarded each young man with her sincere appreciation and fetched a small bucket, filling it with the mixture.
Quickly she advanced to Chumana who was already asleep. Gently she began to tend to her, but still Chumana awoke startled, until she saw Ishi, at which time, she laid her head down once more and just layed there, moving when Ishi needed her too. The oil feeling good against her skin. Her scent was that of a young girl wearing her mother's expensive perfume, and turned the heads of both human and young dragon as they passed by. It took an hour before Ishi finally was satisfied she had found every spot. Wiping her hands on a towel she had brought, she gently placed her hand against Chumana's cheek, "Sleep well my sweet Chumana. I love you and always will. I shall return in the morning." Ishi had finished just in time. The hatchlings that had been born with Chumana were already gathering around her. The males shoving for a prime place next to her.
As Ishi took the bucket and filled it once more, to the brim this time, she turned to look at the scene. It was amusing to realize that Chumana was already looked upon as a prize for just a glimpse of attention from her. Slowly her eyes lifted to Ulteth starring down at her. "I did not forget, my friend." She grinned. Ishi could've levitated up, but instead, she told Ulteth he would have to lift her. Ishi often amused him, perhaps that was why he loved her so. Ulteth had never loved anyone but John. John was his reason for living. But Ishi had captivated his heart first, long before John had laid eyes on her. And that was something Ulteth would hold dear. Never would he have believed he could feel so close to another human.
As he lifted her up, Ishi felt very much like Iona with John, and a giggle escaped her lips. Once he placed her gently next to him, he said, "I knew you would not forget." Nuzzling her he added, "John does a fine job, but he just doesn't have a woman's touch." He grinned. "I watched you with the little Queen, you are very gentle with her, Ishi. I've never seen another take as good care of their queen as you do Chumana." His voice soft, and only for her to hear. "Even the old Queen, who pretends to sleep, has watched the interaction between you and Chumana. I would say that it would be good if you were to befriend the Old Queen, I feel jealousy may rise within her. But, no one, other than their own trainer, has ever tried to speak to the old Queen on a regular basis. It won't be easy....but then, you don't seem to take the easy path, now do you?" He chuckled. Ishi came to the edge of the loft, her hand instinctively reaching up to scratch behind his ear, as she looked down at the Old Queen. "She would not hurt her child, would she?" Ulteth sighed softly, "It is not unusual for the Queen that is leaving to be jealous of the new Queen. But I sense something else in her. Her trainer has never cared for her position, and we have all known it. She could have been a great Queen, Ishi. A truly great Queen, if she had had someone like you."
A tear formed in Ishi's eyes, and she quickly turned as one fell down her cheek and onto her shirt. "I will do what I can for her." Was all she would say about the matter. But Ulteth already knew Ishi's mind was working on the matter. "But right now, I need to primp my friend so he is handsome for the ladies...." She giggled, wanting to lighten the time between them, though the old Queen laid heavy on her heart.
It took more oil to tend to Ulteth. Using the little Queen's oil, she reasoned that it was John's dragon, surely he would make enough for both dragons. She started on his head, going over every inch of him slowly and carefully. Every time she found a dry spot, a satisfying sigh would escape him. She found it encouraging, and smiled when she knew she had hit the right spot. She had worked down his back and both sides, now she climbed his massive leg. She found one particularly dry spot where his thigh rubbed against his stomach. "Oh my, this is very dry. Does it hurt?" She was surprised John had not found it. But she had to admit, she had already worked over an hour on her friend and still had a lot more to do. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she filled both hands with a heaping measure of oil and gently rubbed it into his flesh. Ulteth shuddered from the cool, soothing mixture. "That really is a nice oil." Ulteth said, "I wish John had made it long ago." He chuckled.
Once Ishi had finish his leg, she still had his other leg, tail and belly. But Ishi was exhausted. She had had a long day. "Ulteth, I think I need to take a break and a drink. Let me rest, and then I'll finish the job." Ulteth would not complain, he was enjoying this, so he encouraged her to do that. If she couldn't go on, he would not be upset, any other trainer would never have done this well for their charges. He just appreciated how far she had gotten. Wiping her hands of the oil on a clean cloth she had brought for this. She couldn't believe how soft her hands were all the way up to her elbows. Walking over to the water barrel, she opened the lid, dipped into the water with the dipper and took a long drink. Wiping her mouth, she closed the lid and came back over to sit near Ulteth. Softly speaking out loud, she observed, "You really care for the Royals don't you? I have seen how well you care of Chumana. I appreciate your help with her, my friend. But when you spoke so of the Queen, I realized.....or I think I have......you seem to have a connection with them both. Why is that, my friend? What connects you to them so?"