[Child of the 7th Age]

The afternoon dragged on with unaccustomed slowness. Child kept an eye on Idril who appeared both silent and thoughtful. Angara had spent most of the day performing various tasks between the ships at the bidding of Pio and Bird.

The dragon, however, had disappeared for several hours, and Child was beginning to wonder where she had gone. When suddenly, above her head, there came a strange noise, as a great whirring and the sound of gliding things.

All in the ship looked to the sky, for Angara was high above, spinning from one end of the vessel to the other and taking obvious pride in her strength. Child had seen her wayward pride on other occasions, but this time what she saw filled her with awe.

For spinning with Child were five other dragons, each a different color of the rainbow, some smaller and some larger than the other. Angara trumpeted her warning: "These are my kin, all that were left from the First Age, after the attack of the Dark. For surly you know, that in the Music no creature was formed evil or without will of their own. We are all that are left of these orignal creations for the rest were spoiled in the marring of Arda. Now, I will not say we are good. For good is one thing to a dragon and another to a man. But we are loyal to those whom we care for, and we hate the Shadow for what it did to our kin."

"Our services, fare Idril and Tuor, are at your command." Angara bowed and tilted her head with a silent acknowledgment to Child.

Child's heart filled with something close akin to what mere mortals call a mother's pride.