Maybe if she kept away from the eggs? Menolly peered up the cliff directly above her. There were some likely looking holds. She eased herself out the far side, keeping one eye on the clutch, basking in the hot sun, and reached for the first ledge.

Immediately the fire lizard came at her.

“Oh, leave me alone! Ow! Go away. I’m trying to …”

The fire lizard’s talons had raked her cheek.

“Please! I won’t hurt your eggs!”

The little queen’s next pass just missed Menolly, who ducked back under the ledge.

Blood oozed from the long scratch, and Menolly dabbed at it with the edge of her tunic.

“Haven’t you got any sense?” Menolly demanded of her now invisible attacker. “What would I want with your silly eggs? Keep ‘em. I just want to get home. Can’t you understand? I just want to go home.”

Maybe if I sit very still, shell forget about me, Menolly thought and pulled her knees up under the chin, but her toes and elbows protruded from under the overhang.

Suddenly a bronze fire lizard materialized above the clutch, squeaking worriedly. Menolly saw the queen swooping to join him, so the queen must have been on the top of the ledge, waiting, just waiting for Menolly to break cover.

And to think I made up a pretty tune about you, Menolly thought as she watched the two lizards hovering over the eggs. The last tune I ever made up. You’re ungrateful, that’s what you are!

Despite her discomfort, Menolly had to laugh. What an impossible situation! Held under a cramped ledge by a creature no bigger than her forearm.

At the sound of her laughter, the two fire lizards disappeared.

Frightened, were they? Of laughter?

“A smile wins more than a frown,” Mavi was fond of saying.

Maybe if I keep laughing, they’ll know I’m friendly? Or get scared away long enough for me to climb up? Saved by a laugh?

Menolly began to chuckle in earnest, for she had also seen that the tide was coming in rather quickly. She eased out of her shelter, flung the carry-sack over her shoulder, and started to climb. But it proved impossible to chuckle and climb. She needed breath for both.

Abruptly both the little queen and the bronze were back to harry her, flying at her head and face. The fragile looking wings were dangerous when used as a weapon.

No longer laughing, Menolly ducked back under her ledge, wondering what to do next

If laughter had startled them, what about a song? Maybe if she gave that pair a chorus of her tune, they’d let her go. It was the first time she’d sung since she’d seen the lizards, so her voice sounded rough and uncertain. Well, the lizards would know what she meant, she hoped, so she sang the saucy little song. To no one.