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Casey found that her mouth had opened slightly in her surprise, and immediatly closed it. The grin returned at the thought of talking to a dragon using telepathy. "That is so cool," she said in awe, her green eyes wide.

Damian nodded. A smile was still visible on his face. However, it wasn't as bright as it had been before. "Yeah. It's even more awesome due to the fact that so far, riders haven't been able to tap into dragons' thoughts who aren't their own. The dragons can, but the riders can't. And... that can be a good and bad thing," his smile faded and his eyes took on a serious and thoughtful glare.

"On the one hand, you can communicate things to your dragon around people like the Death Riders and not get caught because they can't hear it. On the other hand, there's always the off chance their dragons can understand and relay the information..." His voice quietly trailed off.

"Death Riders?" Casey asked, her curiosity tainted by a bit of concern. Who were Death Riders? The name sent a shiver down her spine; it just sounded ominous. She guessed it involved the people who stole dragon eggs, but she couldn't be sure.

"Yeah, I just remembered those people from my home land... What they were called. They're known as the Death Riders. Why, no one can really be certain, but there are a few probabilities you could conjure up. They're the ones who form the big bad guy's army. I'm still not entirely sure of his name. Though if I remember the stories my mother and father used to tell me when I was younger correctly... He goes by Kage... Or something like that."

Damian wore an expression that was just slightly baffled. Remembering all the bad stuff when he had been trying for so hard to forget it was confusing his mind. For all he knew, his parents could be dead by now for their resistance and their fault. They had cost the Death Riders and Kage to lose grasp of the new and only dragon egg in years. The one Cyclone had been in before he hatched. The one Damian had carried for miles before he finally arrived in a different town. And now, Damian was nearly positive that the same could be done to Casey. Though she didn't grow with the stories of the dragons.

In fact, until only a short while ago, she hadn't even known of their existence as far as he knew. But she had taken it fairly well, and Damian was certain she'd be more than up to the task.

"Well, at least we know what to call them now," Casey added, though her voice didn't sound as cheerful as it normally was. Hearing that an army of Death Riders were after you wasn't exactly a happy thought, and the added concern that they would probably be hunting them only added it to it. It wasn't surprising that Casey was a bit glum.

Suddenly, the egg started to wobble in her arm, rocking back and forth. "Oh!" she cried in surprise, placing the egg hurriedly on a nearby table. A small crack appeared, followed by a series of squeaking noises. She glanced at Damian, a glint of excitement returning to her green eyes. "Is it hatching?!" she asked.

Ooc:// Thought I should go ahead and do it, since nothing really exciting was happening at the moment. Is that okay? I can edit if you wanted it to hatch later on...

OOC: Yeah it's fine haha.

Damian's eyebrows crunched upwards in a bit of surprise as the egg began to wobble and squeak. A few cracks appeared and Casey looked excited as can be. It somewhat reminded him of how he felt when Cyclone had hatched from his egg. And because of that, he knew the answer to Casey's question. "Yeah!" He said simply, yet happily.

As the cracks began to grow bigger he looked back at Casey, excitement expanding in his expression too. A grin crossed his face and refused to disperse as he watched possibly one of the hugest moments in his new friends life. "This is it," he whispered. He said it as if each word had to be carefully placed. Or else things wouldn't be the same. But, of course, everything would go the same as they were meant to be.

In the back of his mind, though, Damian had to remember the Death Riders. They were here. And they would no doubt be after the dragons. Especially Casey's. They probably hadn't been successful in who knows how long. And if Damian's suspicious were right, and his parents had paid the price for their 'treason' then he would be next on the list. For leaving his home town and costing the riders their victory. They most likely wanted him dead. He had to be careful. For Casey's sake, to help her out with her dragon, but for his own too. Or else he may not live to breathe another breath.

The egg wobbled a bit more, the crack widenening. This was followed by a loud, final squeak, then silence. Anticipation shining in her green eyes, Casey leaned forward expectantly. A piece of shell was shoved away, pushed by a green nose. Casey gasped in pleasure, and the rest of the dragon slowly emerged.

It's wings were tucked tightly against its green frame. The eyes were a clearer, darker shade of green, gazing at the world with intelligence and curiosity. Sunlight gave the scales a glossy look, the green pure and rich. Casey's face lit up, and the small dragon turned towards her, cocking its head.

Slowly, trembling with excitement, she reached out her right hand. The dragon raised its snout to meet the approaching appendage, and Casey's eyes shot wide open. It seemed like cold, liquid fire coursed through her arm, coming from where she had touched the dragon. Blackness engulfed her vision, and she blacked out, collapsing on the floor.

Damian watched in pure bliss as the dragon hatchling shoved its way gently out of the cracked shell. He watched its expression, the tilt of its tiny head, and almost felt his own experiences engulf all over again. He smiled over at Cylone who was only inches behind him. And Cyclone gave a heavy grin in response. Words didn't need to be used here. They knew each other so well, they knew how each movement and each expression could show their own feelings.

They understood each other. But a few moments later, Damian found himself looking back towards Casey and just as she reached towards her new dragon, she fell. The light haired teen quickly bent down on his knees in a posture where he was in perfect stance to catch her. And when she fell, he made sure she landed in the safety of his arms. It must have been the connection, he thought. And the thoughts between Cyclone and Damian were so well picked up, that the huge black dragon was able to hear it. He nodded to signal his agreement.

"What do we do now?" He asked aloud, and turned to Cyclone. When Cyclone glanced at the tiny hatchling, Damian caught his drift and set Casey softly on the couch. After that, he ever so gently picked up the tiny green reptile. It gave a look at his palms in response, and perhaps a slight noise that Damian didn't catch, and he set it next to the unconscious Casey. Hopefully it would take a place and sleep soundly next to its new rider.

We'll show her how to ride when she wakes up, He thought to Cyclone with a smile in his direction. Cyclone nodded happily and laughed through the telepathic connection. You got it, he responded.

Casey woke up slowly, her hand itching and aching like a spider bite. As she looked at it, an odd silver marking appeared on her palm. The dragon roused as she did, and Casey sat up, stroking it gently. The dragon made a soft hum, almost like a purr, in content. She glanced around.

"Damian?" she called out softly.

Damian had been gathering riding gear and a few small pieces of equipment when he heard Casey's gentle voice. He came striding into the room where he had left her and gave a grin. "Well, look who's up! You kinda fainted when the spiral was etched," Damian gave a soft hearted chuckle. "Don't worry. Happens to a lot of people." He paused, looking at the spiral marking on her hand. He glanced at his own before quickly turning up to her again.

"So, do you want to see something cool?" He said after a few more seconds. He turned back towards Cyclone and grinned a wild expression. He kept this face structure on even as he turned back to Casey to await her answer.

Casey traced the silver spiral with her other index finger, the skin warmer than usual where the design was etched. At Damian's question, she nodded. "What kind of cool?" she asked curiously.

Bumperz...