Unsurprisingly, Mel found that she loved every aspect.
They had also made plans to build a house on the property, close enough to help but far away enough to be private.
Just for them.
In fact, Dallas had already picked out a plot of land not too far from the main spread and was planning on beginning construction soon.
Despite the events that occurred a week ago, Mel had felt fully welcomed by everyone at Dragonclaw, and the place was peaceful and beginning to feel a little more like home every day.
When they got back to the ranch, a large canvas overhang was set up, shading the main area where everyone was together, talking next to a table that was covered in different kinds of tasty food.
It looked like there was some commotion centered around the basilisk, who was currently in human form and looking perturbed by all the attention.
“What’s going on?” Mel asked Billie when they reached the group.
Billie laughed. “They’re still trying to think of a name for our new friend.”
“It’s plain and simple,” Reno was insisting. “We have to name him Rocky.”
The basilisk frowned, confused.
“No,” Sierra replied, shaking her head. “What about Bass? It’s nice and simple, short for basilisk.”
“Maybe, but he’s not the only basilisk,” Marian pointed out. “That could get confusing.”
Their basilisk friend nodded slowly, eyes flickering between Sierra and Marian and then away.
While everyone was deliberating, Mel and Dallas snuck their way over to Harrison, who was watching with a vague air of amusement.
“How is he doing?” Mel asked as Dallas watched curiously.
Harrison shrugged, folding his arms over his chest. “It’s been crazy busy around here with everything that’s happened in the last little while, but he seems to be doing okay. And he don’t talk much, but he does seem to listen.” He frowned. “Almost started a fight the other day, though, when he was eyeing Billie, Clancy’s mate, and Clancy took it the wrong way.”
“Ah, yeah, that would be a problem,” Mel said, turning back to watch as the contention of names intensified.
Suddenly, she got an idea, so she stepped up. “What exactly does the basilisk like to do?” she asked loudly over the rest of the group.
Everyone was quiet as they thought about it for a second.
“Well, he likes taking apart my tractors whenever he gets the chance,” Reno said finally.
“And eating raw meat out of the fridge,” Marian added, suppressing a grimace.
The basilisk perked up at the words “raw meat.”
Clancy nodded slowly. “And shooting.”
At that, everyone turned to stare at Clancy, completely wide-eyed as he stood there looking as fancy as usual.
Even Harrison seemed slightly concerned. “You let the basilisk shoot guns?”
“Yeah, what of it?” Clancy replied, smiling easily. “He obeys all the range rules, and he just goes out there to practice. Plus, it keeps him out of trouble. He’s already a crack shot.”
The rest of the group seemed mollified by that. Apparently, no one knew guns better than Clancy, so if Clancy said it was okay, it probably was.
“What about… Gunnar?” Mel mused. “Simple but has a nice ring, right?”
Reno nodded, smiling. “I like it.”
“I don’t know,” Beck said, scowling as he walked over and placed a hand on the basilisk’s shoulder and motioned at him with the other. “He don’t really look like a Gunnar to me, more like a Marvin or—”
But he didn’t get to finish the sentence, as the basilisk’s fist cracked through the air, sending Beck flying back a dozen feet.
Then the basilisk frowned and nodded slowly. “Gunnar. Yes.” He grinned and cracked his knuckles as if to end any argument. His eyes glowed, one red, one blue.
Mel cocked her head at his voice. It was low and gravelly as if it hadn’t been used in quite a long time.
“Okay, you can’t punch my mate like that!” Sierra exclaimed as she helped Beck up.
“Nah, nah, it’s okay, Sierra,” Beck said, chuckling and seemingly unfazed. “He’s got spirit. I respect that. It’d take more than that to harm a mountain dragon.”
“By the way, I wonder where Gary is,” Clancy said, looking around. “With this much food out, he should be around.”
Mel frowned. “Gary… Oh, that raccoon I’ve seen?”
Almost as if on cue, there was a rustling from the bushes by the porch, and out of them appeared a small raccoon who scuttled into the clearing.
Dallas pulled something from his pocket that looked like a cracker, then held it out to Gary, who took it and then relaxed on Dallas’s boot while he nibbled at it.
“Part of the family,” Harrison said. “Can’t have a party without Gary around.”
The rest of the group nodded in assent, and Mel just laughed as she looked down at the adorable little creature.
Once he was done with the treat, Gary’s eyes turned to Gunnar, and he eyed the basilisk curiously for a second before he got off Dallas’s boot and slowly made his way over to Gunnar.
When Gary was close enough, he sniffed Gunnar cautiously, but when the basilisk gave him a scary look, Gary squeaked in horror and scuttled away.
To everyone’s surprise, he made for Beck and hid behind him. The only thing visible from behind Beck’s huge leg was his small black nose.
“Well, I’ll be,” Harrison muttered, amazed.
Looking like he’d won the lottery, Beck reached down and patted the small animal’s head. “I knew he’d come around eventually.”
Sierra just stared at her mate with a look of adoration.
Mel laughed to herself, wondering if that was how she looked at Dallas.
Who was she kidding? Of course she did.
After Gary had sufficiently calmed down, they all sat down to eat. As they were sitting, Dallas cocked an eyebrow at Harrison.
“Any news from the double dragons?” he asked quietly.
Harrison shook his head as he held his plate for Marian, who was ladling large amounts of food onto it. “Nothin’ yet.”
“They’re probably busy,” Mel said. “I’ve been watching the internet, and all of the major news sources are completely denying that the event even happened. Though,
