Belle was content to knit for a while and let Andy read. She'd be getting to the good stuff soon. She almost cackled at that thought.

"You know," Andy commented as she read, "this almost makes me ashamed that half of my family is Scottish. Almost."

Belle snickered. "Don't feel bad," she said with a grin. "As long as you're not a psychopathic killing machine I don't think it matters much."

Andy snickered.

"No, I don't think so," she replied. "Although my grandfather played a mean bagpipe."

"Hmm... Well, it's not quite evil psychopath," Belle said with faux solemnity. "So I think you're safe from the brothers."

Andy laughed a bit.

"Good to know," she said.

Belle grinned and finished with her knitting, putting everything away and stretching out.

"So, feel up to heading out tomorrow? I'm thinking you want to go over to Thurman land."

"Heading out tomorrow sounds wonderful," Andy agreed immediately. "And we could head in a general that-way direction, if you like. I'm thinking I want to finish what there is of the series first before considering any new acquisitions, though."

"Okay. Have fun with that." Belle grinned. "Anywhere in particular you wanted to go, then?"

"Not in particular at the moment," Andy replied. "Where ever you want to go is fine with me."

"Well, we'll see where we end up." Belle shrugged. "Long as we stop by Pern eventually."

"Fine with me," Andy said. "I figured you were just going to stop there anyways, regardless of anything else."

"I really just want a fire lizard or two," Belle said with a shrug. "We've already got two massive dragons, we don't need any more."

"Speaking of massive dragons and the care thereof..." Andy said, setting down the book. "I should talk to them and see if I need to jury-rig some sort of carrying harness until we can get back to a town."

Belle snorted. "Oh this is going to be fun," she said with a grin.

"You know, we did just pass through a little town, and there are usually cities by the big territories. So we'll run into a city soon I'm sure."

"I hope so," Andy replied. "I need to get Temmy's harness looked at anyways, but still." Standing up, she stretched. "Be right back, going to chat with my giant flying lizards."

"Have fun." Belle went back to scribbling in a notebook, completely unconcerned.

After a little while of talking to her dragons, Andy came back. Lien followed, and settled herself at the edge of the campsite. Carefully, she set the egg down next to her, keeping it close. The shell of the egg seemed like pale porcelain, but Andy knew better.

"They've opted to just switch carrying the thing," Andy said, sitting back down with Belle. "So I have no idea how this is going to work."

Belle snickered, looking over at the egg. "It's going to work very, very interestingly." She shook her head. "And probably be a little nerve-wracking at times. Because it always is."

"Well, that's not as bad as the Pernese," Thomas pointed out. He'd read some of the books in his spare time.

"True." Belle grinned. "But with fire lizards you can pack them in warm sand and carry them in sacks. Menolly did it."

"That's true," Thomas agreed after a moment. "I think I want a bronze."

"Ha! Of course you do. I bet you want me to get a gold too, huh?"

Thomas just grinned.

Andy snorted at the exchange and watched as Lien coddled the egg possessively.

"Honestly you two," she said.

"Not my fault," Thomas said with a grin.

"You are so lucky Eclipse doesn't know the meaning of half of that."

"Which is exactly why I'm saying it."

"You are way too encouragable for your own good, Thomas."

"So? You never complain."

"I should just claim not to know either of you," Andy teased. "Really, I should."

Belle rolled her eyes while Thomas just grinned and settled back again. They really made this far too much fun. Besides, their reactions were great.

Andy rolled her eyes again as well and settled back in to read for a while. They were stuck there for one more day, so she figured she would read what she could.

The next day Belle was ready to go, almost getting antsy. She wanted to get going, darn it.

"Whenever you're ready, Andy," she said, glancing over at her from putting little tiny braids in Thomas's hair. He didn't mind, since it worked for him feeding a little.