"Wow, it's been a big day!" Amiel mumbled to herself as she carefully wiped the blood off the little chameleon's body.
She was a little startled to hear him answer, "I guess so, since you only hatched this morning. It's been the biggest day of your life."
For the first time that day Amiel could hear the deep agony that Ches was going through in his voice.
"Do you want to know a secret? It's something you can share with your descendants when you pass on your memories." Intrigued, the small drake nodded.
"When chameleons were changed through your ancestor's experiments we didn't stop having parents. We might not have ancestral memory but we've been keeping records and passing them on.
"We, chameleons, remember what you've done and the various prices that get paid for such rapid evolution.
"I'm almost ready for the last step before I convert completely to drakiness. I need to know one thing. Please answer just one question truly and if the answer is what I need you'll get yourself a dragoon. Only," Ches paused, finally opening his eyes, "You'll need to make a pinkie promise that your answer is honest."
Looking down into his bloodshot eyes she quietly said, "I will answer honestly if I answer at all."
Ches asked his question and she answered, surprise writ large on her face. She blushed a little as they clasped pinkies. Amiel enjoyed making the pinkie promise a little more than was necessary. Actually, so did Ches.
"I need about an hour. When I wake up make sure you're ready to move. You might want to snack on the bear while you wait, I've heard they taste great."
Ches wasn't worried about any more attacks. Everyone with any street cred knew that Charles' team was the best assassin group in the region. If they couldn't complete the job then no one else would be able to either.
As Ches went through the finalstage of drakenisation his little body writhed like a sausage sizzling on a hot plate.
Amiel sliced off a bear haunch and wandered over to see who Ches's three opponents had been. Amazed, she found what looked like a set of triplets. Three devil scorpiods lay next to each other. Their limbs twisted at awkward angles and their oversized stingers still dripped green poison. She knew from her draconic heritage that these larger cousins of scorpions were considered among the most dangerous of foes. Fully grown drakes, experts in battle, had been known to be killed by a single scorpiod in seconds. Their poison was terrifying but their ability to coordinate attacks was legendary.
Yet one scrawny chameleon riddled with pain had overcome the three of them in less than thirty seconds.
"Just who are you?" She asked herself this question numerous times while she was waiting. Each answer she gave herself was less possible than the one before.
Almost three hours later Ches woke up. He basically looked the same though his face had begun to elongate and their were two little stubs where his wings would grow.
"Okay, the worst of it is over. Let's see if we can't keep you alive for at least one more day. But, even if we can't, it's your birthday. Let's go and have some cake before you die."
Amiel hoped he had a really twisted sense of humour.
They spent the next four hours sneaking their way back to Ches's home town. He assured her that cake was worth it. Much of the time spent travelling was Ches teaching her to notice what was going on around her. Occasionally he would spring an attack on her then show her how to counter it.
There was no taking it easy on her because she was a zero year old either. Little cuts and bruises covered her body. For a while she resented his actions but when she delivered an elbow to his face that sent him sprawling she suddenly felt better. Much, much better.
"Little, superior, smug, lizard. Can't even keep to one colour."
As she walked she continued to mumble insults at him.
Ches didn't mind. Even though drakes were born with a lot of knowledge and some innate skills it wasn't the same as experiencing life for oneself. He was actually impressed with how she was coping.
A nice fun birthday party was just what they needed.
They finally arrived at Ches's family home. After a huge day, the longest of Amiel's life, they wearily pushed the front door open.
Ches's Mum, Dad and even his family's pet gerbil was tied up in the corner. They were covered in blood. Ches took a moment to notice that while his dad was the colour of the grey rendered wall behind him his mum had a light green tinge to her tail.
His big, beady eyes blinked rapidly twice before they closed and slowly opened up. Then Ches looked around the room.
"Trust Mum." He smiled to himself.
Four, grey wolves and an old Gibbon Monkey sat smoking in the corner. The aging primate almost looked benevolent as he sat in the wafting smoke. He opened his mouth and bared his fangs aggressively at the weary pair.
Meanwhile, confused, Amiel looked down into Ches's blinking eye's.
"What's going on?" she asked.
"Long time, no see, Mranie." Ches said sadly to the gibbon.