The Dragon Healer of Tone (World of Tone) by A. D. Adams

all smoke-colored, and it smells terrible in here.”
    “I am sorry, Dawra. I did not think about the smoke. The humans do this outside, and the smoke is not a problem.”
    After several sun-risings had passed, Dawra’s anger subsided to an acceptable level. Lowlack left after the meat burning incident and had not returned until now. He was carrying some seed rocks for Terra and with a bowed head hopped to Dawra.
    “Dawra, I am sorry about the other sun-rising.”
    Dawra, in a somewhat less angry mood, said, “I just don’t want anything like that to happen again.”
    “It will not. I promise. I came up with a way to cook the meat outside the cave.”
    “How?” Dawra asked with suspicion.
    “One of the boulders on the edge of the cave entrance is loose. We could knock it out and build the fire there. The smoke would be outside the cave.”
    “We’ll, I don’t know. I’ll think about it,” Dawra sounded doubtful.
    In a few sun-risings, after her daughter’s relentless nagging, Dawra agreed to Lowlack’s plan with some limitations. This time Lowlack would be able to ignite only a single piece of wood, and they would watch where the smoke went. If the smoke stayed out of the cave, she would allow a little larger fire with a small piece of meat.
    Lowlack pushed on the man-sized boulder with his enormous forearms until he worked it completely loose. Then with one powerful push the boulder tumbled over the edge. It dropped down the steep cliff hitting the rocks at its base and then bounced into the sea disappearing in a large splash of water. A bowl-shaped impression remained on the left edge of the cave opening. Terra could stand and reach into the bowl-shape without leaving the cave. Lowlack took one piece of wood and ignited it with his fire. The smoke traveled up along the cliff’s side never entering the cave.
    After seeing that the smoke stayed out side of the cave, Dawra allowed Lowlack to build a larger fire, and Terra was able to burn his meat to his heart’s content. He burned it for a long time, and then he allowed it to cool before eating it.
    The fire also served a second unintended purpose. It created light after the sun went down, and though dragons could see in the darkness, it was easier for Dawra to find the cave with the fire burning.

Chapter 16 - Clothes and Other Needs
    (Children Always Seem to Need Something.)
    338 set of seasons since the coming of the Averons
     
     
    Taking care of Terra was no small job. He needed so many things.
    After only a short time, Dawra discovered the little human needed clothing. She found that what she thought was skin was actually a covering made and worn by the humans. This seemed odd to her until she saw Terra without it. He was so small and frail looking compared to a dragon. She realized that without the covering he would freeze from the cold. Fienna told her mother that Terra was cold at sunset and he wanted what he called a blanket. She said that it was a large piece of the covering similar to what he wore. He would spread it over himself at sunset. The trouble was what to do? It was obvious that Dawra could not make such things. So, only one choice remained; steal them from the humans.
    “Lowlack, Terra needs some of these coverings. Do you think you could get some?” Dawra said as she showed him the ragged pieces of cloth.
    “I have seen this type of thing. The women dip the coverings in water then hang them on vines.”
    “Do you think you can get some?”
    “I think it will be quite easy. They leave them hanging on the vines all sun-rising.”
    Lowlack took off and returned with five vines full of clothes. Terra sorted through them and found ones that fit and found several of the blanket things he wanted.
    It became apparent that the little Terra needed to be cleaned. He had begun to smell. Dawra was not quite sure what to do. She asked Terra what his mother did. He said that his mother bathed him in a pool of water. Dragons would often dive into