Oracle awoke to a tickling on her nose, between her nosehorn and her forehead. One eye opened a slit, and the other followed a second later, both widening in surprise.      "Niaryalii?" she asked, blinking, then raised her head smoothly and yawned.      The little human on her nose balanced delicately as she moved, and smiled sheepishly, brushing a stray lock of bright red hair out of her face, revealing a silver marking between green eyes that shone with the vibrancy of youth. She seemed no older than twenty, physically, but those eyes also held the depths of joy and sorrow that only age conferrs. She was much, much older than even the dragon on who's face she sat. "Oh come on, Oracle. You that title makes me nervous."      The dragon grinned. "That's why I use it."      The girl rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless.      "What brings you to visit, oh great one?" Oracle teased. The suva loved playing with the girl, even if she was the deity of life. She was just so fun to mess with!      Another roll of the eyes, and the feather-light being perched on Oracle's nose answered the question with one of her own. "How are they doing?" Her green eyes turned down to the pile of sleeping dragons. And then she was there, having teleported directly, and was seated on Oracle's right arm.      "They're just fine. I haven't had a batch like this one since... well, since a couple of the Representatives were hatched. I'm almost certain one of them will turn out like Angel. And you didn't answer my question."      The girl looked embarassed for a moment, her head ducking low in a most un-deity-like moment of timidity. "Oh, you know. I was just wondering..."      Oracle waited a few moments, and when the other didn't go on, she nudged her slightly with her beak. "Wondering...?"      "Well, if you had too many hatchlings to look after, I wouldn't ask at all, but I thought that maybe, with Ceniik's help..." she paused again, but this time went on before Oracle could poke her again. "I have a hatchling that needs someone to look after him."      Oracle blinked, then looked indignant. "Now see here, I would never be too busy to care for another hatchling!" For all that she was annoyed, the large dragon managed to keep her voice low, so as not to wake the sleeping younglings below. "I am insulted that you seem to have so little faith in--"      "It's not a suva," the girl interrupted, and Oracle blinked. "I'm sorry, Oracle. I truely do have faith in your abilities, which is why I trusted you with the hatchlings in the first place. But I've never asked you to care for another dragon before. I wasn't sure how you'd take it. I hatched him, but I can't possibly look after him myself, what with all the mage trouble and whatnot." The girl looked up at Oracle, hope shining in her eyes.      Oracle, for her part, had been a little startled. The girl really hadn't ever asked her to care for another species of dragon. Though she would never say no. "Would I raise it just like these little ones, and let it go in a month?" She hoped not. She was beginning to miss raising a youngling to adulthood, watching it grow and blossom into he being that could potentially change the world.      "No," the girl said softly, and Oracle raised an eyeridge. "You would take charge of him and raise him up into whatever he will become."      Now that was more like it. Oracle beamed, and the girl looked relieved. "Where is he?"      A portal opened mid-air, and the girl reached into it, and pulled her arms out slowly.      Oracle watched with growing awe. He was about the same size as one of her own kind's hatchlings, and a rich purple-black. White mane and silver claws and tiny horns stood out against the deep color of his scales. But for the fur and scales, Oracle could have almost sworn he was one of her kind, though she had never seen such a color on one. He was glorious.      The hatchling stirred in his sleep, opening one bright blue eye, and went back to sleep. Oracle vowed then and there that she would care for him as though he were one of her own children, as she cared for the other suva hatchlings. She would teach him what she knew, but in the end, allow him to choose his own path.      The girl nodded and carefully set him down in an empty space in the pile of sleeping dragons.      "I'll check back every once in a while," she said, softly as she stepped back out of the circle of Oracle's protective arms. She looked as though she were about to go, but then seemed to remember someting. "Oh, I nearly forgot." Stepping close again and bending over the little hatchlings, the girl reached out and brushed the tiny female hatchling that had reminded Oracle of Angel. "This one," she murmured, and straightened.      Oracle blinked. That one what? She watced as the girl smiled and winked. Before the dragon could say anything, however, the redhead had disappeared in a puff of rapidly dissipating vapor, leaving only a gentle scent of evergreen trees and lush fields.      That was odd. She shook her head. No stranger than the girl-deity usually was, however. Oh well, she was probably just checking to see were the little one would end up. The incident would soon be forgotten as an increasingly joyous Oracle gazed down at her armful of charges. She would have to explain the sudden presence of the little non-suva to her daughter and the other hatchlings, but they should all be able to take it in stride. Especially the young ones. They were still at that age where they would accept any new playmate, regardless of age, appearance, or species. Which was a good thing. A good thing to keep active in them as they grew, too.