*Apollo had been working extensively with Aurthur at the wyvern stables since he had moved into the Shimmerscale lair. There he was taught safety, first and foremost, for while these creatures were bred to be cattle of sorts, they were still dangerous, and could tear out an unwary throat.

He also learned about the different breeding lines, so that they could make larger wyvern for even more meat for the orphanage. After his first week, Aurthur had thought he had sufficient training, and left him to do his work alone. Apollo didn't mind, the work took his mind of things, and it kept him busy, as well as repaid the Shimmerscales for their hospitality in taking him in. After all, he was a full grown adult, not a wet hatchling.

And so, most every day of the week, Apollo could be found there, in the stables, tending to 'his' charges with great care, though he could occasionally be found outside a short distance from the barn, lazing in the shade of a large tree.*

*This happened to be one of the times that he was lightly dozing beneath his favorite tree near the barn, when the sound of someone walking through the grass woke him. He lifted his head from his forelegs, blinking the sleep from his eyes, and he smiled.*

"Hello lady Icer, it is nice to see you. What brings you out here to the wyvern barn, on this fine day?"

"But of course, it doesn't bother me in the least, Lady Icer. It seems that there will be a good number of wyvern, and large too. So there should be no problems at all keeping the orphanage fed this year at all."

*He was glad that she wasn't close enough to him to read his thoughts. Were she one of his family, she would feel the turmoil, and the darkness within.*