[piosenniel]

Angara flew down from her perch on the mast, toward the waves on the starboard side of the elven ship. She landed delicately on the prow of the small boat that Pio and Bird had been lolling about in, waiting for the rest of the ship's company to make a decision about the next step in their journey.

Bird lay back against a cushion placed against the stern of the small skiff and trailed the fingers of her left hand lazily in the lapping water. Her right arm was thrown across her eyes to shade them from the sun. She was humming an unrecognizable, but interesting tune.

The elf sat near the prow, using her small knife to carve a likeness of the merman from a piece of driftwood. He was resting on his crossed arms on the side of the boat, his lower torso still in the water, gazing dreamily at her.

'So, Levanto,' said Pio intent on fleshing out his features in the greyed wood with her knifepoint, 'do you think you'll come with us when we leave, or where might you go?'

He sighed, and then said in a breathy voice, 'I couldn't possibly leave you; we've barely gotten to know each other!'

Bird snorted and nudged him with her foot, throwing him off balance. The boat rocked energetically from his floundering, causing Pio to cut her finger. She put it in her mouth and jammed her tongue against it to stanch the flow of blood.

'Are you creatures done being silly?' asked Angara, who had gone quite unnoticed by the three.

'What can we do for you, Angara?', asked Pio, who had now immersed the still bleeding digit in the salty water hoping to close the wound.

'I've come to tell you that the ones on deck have come to a decision & request your presence.'

'Presence for what?', said Bird lazily, not relishing the thought of moving from her comfortable position.

'Something about a name,and a christening.', returned the dragon.

[ July 02, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]