Day 116
Chapter 29
This was it. That shining, joyous moment every doting parent or parent-to-be dreamt of. That magical moment when the world would bare witness to the arrival of new life as the next generation made a bid for freedom from their eggshell prisons. A moment of unbridled anticipation. In this instance nothing else existed. Only two excited dragons watching with bared breath as three green-swirled eggs wobbled and shook, a melodic tinkling filling the air instead of the usual cracking and tearing.
Practically bouncing off the soil walls of their makeshift burrow Noelani could not contain her excitement, making every possible effort to restrain herself from launching forwards and taking the unhatched clutch in her arms, pressing her hands together tightly and her body against his with such force that most other dragons would have been sent flying. The Wildclaw was grinning broadly, making those almost imperceptible little squeaks she always made when she was giddy with happiness as she was now and clicking her hooked claws against the dirt floor. It was always a joy to see her this way.
And yet Whisper could not even smile.
Every time Lani lifted her golden gaze, practically glowing with her barely contained excitement, to meet his own the Imperial would force a small grin, humming low in his throat in a poor act of his own joy, but the second she returned her attention to the shaking eggs, the movements growing ever more violent, ever more desperate as she cooed to them, his veil dropped. No. There was no room for joy amidst his concern.
He could tell by the size of the eggs. Wildclaw eggs did not get that large.
As his mate turned away once more Whisper squeezed his eyes shut, sucking in a long breath as he reminded himself of the reasons this had even happened. All the times they'd been there for each other. More so, the times she'd been there for him. The only one to would even try to understand him since he lost his voice. The only one with whom he'd managed to create his own language, and who understood him even without it.
Why did all three of them have to be Imperials?
Cursing his Deity for an uncountable amount of times for making Imperials the way She had the minty-blue Imperial could only watch and wait, offering both support and restriction for his smaller, cream-coloured mate as she grasped at his mane, tugged at his sensitive whiskers, rolled about along his sides to expel her pent up energies. It was this frolicking, this sheer abundance of happiness that he tried to focus on. Seeing her happy made him happy.
So why wasn't he now? Why must those accursed thoughts keep filling his mind, pushing out all hopes of joining the eager Wildclaw as instead images of tiny, shambling monstrosities pushed to the forefront. Did the curse even affect those so young? If these eggs failed, if even two of them did not make it... what would happen?
“Per-per? What's wrong?” At her voice the soily hollow beneath the tree reformed, the phantasmal beasts retreating as Noelani's bright eyes met his again. “You look so sad.” It broke his heart as Whisper saw the hurt in those eyes. Blast it all, he'd let her see his concern. But before he could begin to formulate a good cover up she tucked herself up under his chin, pressing her head into the underside of his jaws, letting out a soft trilling sound. “I know you'll be a great father, Per-per. You're always so soft and gentle when you're not fighting. You'll do just fine, I can feel it.”
Whisper didn't know whether to be grateful for her ignorance of the true reason for his worry or not. Surely Lani was well aware of the risks as well. He huffed a sigh, blowing at her faintly pink plumage with his breath as he brought an arm carefully over her slender shoulders. It did nothing to alleviate his fears no matter how much she believed in him. If she was oblivious to what could happen if the Imperial pups perished... Even if they didn't reanimate would she believe in herself just as much? That there was always a chance they didn't hatch properly or not at all no matter how much preparation went into it?
That said if something did happen Whisper was very prepared to blame that accursed Shadow Tundra for invading her mind in such a way. If the eggs failed his interference would be at fault. It was for that reason that, hidden within the ground, the bark, the roots he had set up a barrier of pure light. Trapped and unnoticed as it may be the orb would prevent the Tundra from trying something like that again. It drained the great dragon but he didn't care. As long as his family was safe. He leaned his head against Lani's, wrapping her with his tufted tail as he trilled back to her.
A short while passed as the pair rested together, watching their struggling eggs, when a skittering sound of scattered soil and pebbles heralded the return of Meifeng, the young Ridgeback screeching to a halt at the entrance to the barrow. “They're coming! They're coming!” she cried cheerily, hopping restlessly from foot to foot and casting her long neck back to look at the other dragons she'd herded. Seeing her own youthful energy brought smiles to both Whisper and Noelani's faces as they stared lovingly at each other. They'd debated whether or not to keep the hatching secret and introduce the pups later, but with Mei sulking nearby while everyone else was busy it wouldn't have taken much to pique her curiosity anyway.
“Goodness! Eggs? Ooh it's so nice to see a family already being raised in this abandoned old hovel.” An unfamiliar voice chattered as a strange red and blue Spiral drifted into view next to the pointy blue dragon. He was followed by a similar, much more familiar dark shape as Anvindr coiled next to the unknown visitor. “Seriously, my word, Venilia and I and most of the clan didn't think
anyone would come back here any time soon! So a family! Already! Wow!” Venilia? Whisper tilted his head at the name, at this unknown Spiral gracing the scene with his bright presence. He'd heard talk of an annoying Imperial seeking to join the clan, perhaps that's who he was talking about?
“Gin, please, don't crowd them for Plaguemother's sake.” Vin replied in a somewhat strained voice, as excitement tugged at the level tone he'd tried to keep up. “Remember the last time we went to visit a hatching? It was a mess, Gin. A mess! Don't mess this up please Gin.”
The long, ruby jaw parted in a raucous laugh which the darker dragon failed to prevent himself from joining in with. “Good times Vin! Good old times! I missed ya, pal. You really need to fill me in on all the fun you had since leaving-”
“Okay you two, scoot.” came Ilmatar's stern command, silencing the snaky pair into dropping to the floor, though as the Coatl came into view a huge grin was gracing her scaled maw. Even after all the upset she'd gone through Matar was still eager to greet the newborns. It was good in a way. Perhaps it wouldn't affect her too much should she decide to find a mate and properly settle down to start a family of her own. “Honestly there's so much energy around here we could all probably power one of Stormcatcher's own machines. How are you two feeling?” she asked as she, too, flopped outside the den to watch.
Why was it whenever something was on one's mind that set them on edge or upset them, no matter how much one tried to cheer themselves up and hide it, the moment someone asks the negativity comes rushing back in again? Whisper's chest tightened like some great creature had seized him from below as the worried thoughts resurfaced. What was meant to be an elated melody of fast, high, jumpy notes fell flat and sour as uncertainty took over. Much as he tried to lift it the tune only became confused and empty.
Despite so many years of speaking near-perfect draconic Matar found herself asking Whisper what was on his mind in her own Coatl humming tongue punctuated with various hisses, a sound even more unsavoury to the ears than the sad mess Whisper managed. She'd stopped partway, blinking at the sudden decision to reply in such a manner and sinking low as everyone present stared at her. “I, um...” the Coatl coughed into her paws. “It was the humming I think. A-anyway. I wanted to ask what's up?”
“Oh my boy's just worried he's not going to be a good father.” Noelani cut in before Whisper had the chance to react, receiving a pointed elbow jabbing into his chest scales. “But I know he'll be just great. He just doesn't believe that himself!” A light, sincere laugh left her long throat as she tousled his golden beard. The Imperial managed to force a chuckle, hollow, humourless. Perhaps it was good that he couldn't speak for the pressure of potentially looming despair would cause him to blurt out every thought he'd ever had. “And I'm just... just... I can't wait to see them!” She bounced again, clapping her hands and squealing in delight. “Also why are you carrying flowers?”
The suddenness off the topic change caught the Coatl off-guard, her face flushing with embarrassment with the reminder of the odd bouquet in her grasp. Somewhere behind her that damnable Tundra chuckled. Of course he'd be here too; despite the barrier Whisper would pounce the moment the furry freak came within sight of the barrow. It was wise of him to stay back as he was.
Thankfully for Matar a chiming, tinkling sound like someone had methodically struck a series of musical tubes grabbed everyone's attention. Noelani gasped, face split in such a wide grin it was a wonder the top of her head hadn't yet fallen off. In hushed tones the patterned Wildclaw encouraged the little – relatively speaking – live to break their way free. Cracks spiderwebbed across each swirled surface. A tiny gust of air escaped as a hole formed, whistling through the opening.
“Wait! Where Guzy?” Briefly all eyes turned to Meifeng as the Ridgeback got to her feet, bounding out of sight behind Ilmatar. “Where Guzy? He's missing the eggs!”
Matar's brow furrowed, craning her neck back at the empty spot where their Snapper friend should have been, then turning to the Spiral pair for their opinions. “I asked him to help with Venilia. What's taking them so long?” Again that name. Help? Did something happen while Whisper and Noelani had kept holed up in their den?
Both heads shook unhelpfully, Vin shrugging as Gin sprung into the air to look for himself. “What a time to be playing Silly Buggers.” The ruby noodle sighed, clicking his tongue disapprovingly. “She always does this, always has to be about her. Bet she's sat out there complaining we're not bringing the eggs out where she doesn't have to move.”
“Remembering of course the poor girl did get serthis acid thrown in her face.” Whisper bristled at the voice. The way the Tundra spoke made it hard to tell if he was joking around or being serious, though which ever were true the Imperial could easily imagine him sprawled out with his head in his hands like the first time they'd met.
“Serthis?!” Noelani spat, gathering the jingling eggs closer to herself as Whisper brought her closer to him in turn, instinctively wrapping arms, wings and tail about them all. “Here? What... what have we missed?”
Matar opened her mouth to explain only to cut herself off as a realisation unknown to the Lightborne pair dawned on her face. “Wait, where are our serthis and harpy?”
“Harpies too?!”
Just like that the spell of the hatching eggs was broken, fear and concern taking hold of the gathered group as they deliberated on what the next move should be, torn between watching the eggs hatch and finding their missing clanmates and familiars. “Allow me.” The Shadow Tundra - okay fine what was he called? Ayaz? Whisper snorted in place of spitting the name -
Ayaz stated in his irritatingly singsong manner. Supposedly he'd already left as Matar muttered something about 'how does he do that' under her breath.
Save for the tinkling and light whistling coming from the eggs everything fell silent. Hesitating and throwing each other worried glances the dragons all struggled to recover the mood which by now had become greatly muted. With much less but by no means removed anticipation they huddled closer together, occasionally gasping or making some small comment as a chunk of shell fell away.
First to show was a mottled greyish purple snout which peeped loudly as it tried to push through the tiny hole not yet big enough to let the rest of the head through. Second was a much more vivid purple leg that flailed as it struggled to find purchase as the rest of the hatchling tumbled around inside. All of Noelani's apprehension drained away and the Wildclaw once again found herself fighting the urge to jump in and just tear the eggs open for her babies.
The first, slate-coloured muzzle poked further out to reveal a face plastered with a beige-coloured mane, still soggy from the remaining mucous, eyes shut tight. With the rest of its sinuous body slowly sliding out a second storm cloud-coloured leg had appeared in the second egg, now comically waggling in the air with its partner, their owner squeaking indignantly. Then, at last, the final egg toppled and split, revealing the long body inside sporting scales not too dissimilar to Whisper's own blue ones.
A ripple of laughter, both of humour and joy, washed over the group, relishing the precious scene unfolding before them. It took time for all three to finish shedding their tiny prisons – the vivid purple hatchling had insisted on starting with its limbs instead of its face – but once they were free they all began crawling and shuffling around, bumping into everyone and everything, mewling hungrily.
“All of them are Imperials.” Noelani breathed, voice pitched much higher than usual, catching slightly as she fought not to cry. “They... they're...” Oh no, here it comes. She's realised, hasn't she? The danger? The fact none of them were Wildclaws like herself? That his kind was cursed with greater fertility than most dragon species to ensure there would always be a “healthy” population? “
They're so precious oh my Glittermother!” Oh. Right. Of course.
A disgruntled Whisper watched silently, inspecting the tiny trio as they explored the burrow, waiting to see if there was any sign of illness or weakness or deformity or
something that could possibly cause them to die. Paranoia held him firmly to his spot as his mate set about cleaning the gunk from each of her children's faces and the others talked amongst themselves. “What do young Imperials eat?” It took him a moment to realise he was being addressed, his small clan (apparently) looking at him expectantly. He tilted his head, not immediately sure what they were talking about in his distraction. As it sank in the adult Imperial lowered his great head closer to Noelani's, flicking ears, twitching whiskers and making odd, chuffing noises at her.
“Anything soft.” the Wildclaw translated, much to Ilmatar and the Spirals' confusion. She beamed knowingly at them in response. “So, what's left in the food store? Honestly I could go for something myself after being stuck down here!” So could he, really. Whisper had slunk out now and again to bring Lani scraps of meat so she didn't need to leave the eggs unattended but had neglected to get himself much of anything at all.
“Ooooh soft, squirmy, wriggly soft things?” Vegin asked in a disturbingly hopeful way. “Like slugs and snails and maggots and grubs and-”
“Yes, exactly like that.” Matar butt in, feeling rather queasy at the thought.
“I saw some near the pond! Let's go let's go lets go!” And he was already gone, zooming off into the gloom. It was amazing how much time had passed since the first cracking, going from early dusk to near nightfall.
And also concerning, as Vunguza and this Venilia character had failed to show up.
It seemed that the stranger's insistence spurred those outside into foraging after all though as the Coatl rose to her feet, stretching out her long body and splaying her wings as a groan of relief reverberated in her throat. “Mei, you stay here with Lani and Whisper, okay?”
Meifeng, having already gotten up and running impatient circles around the group padded to a stop to stare sulkily up at Matar. “What? Why? I wanna go too!”
“It's getting late and I don't want you running off in the dark.”
“But Muuuu- Mataaaaaar.” Making a sullen noise as the feathery dragon pointed at the hollow the young Ridgeback begrudgingly plunked herself down next to the squirming heap of Imperial, who instantly took interest in the new shape and began to press against her. In a matter of seconds it was as if Meifeng hadn't been upset at all, giggling as she was smothered in a tidal wave of hatchling.
Rising to his feet, though still heavily stooped from the confined space of their temporary den, Whisper huffed a few times at his furry mate, trilling and nudging her affectionately with his nose. “I'll be fine with the little ones.” she replied, still missing the fear her giant partner held. “You go gather us up some grub and see what's going on. You deserve some fresh air.” That he couldn't deny. Lovely as this place was it was beginning to be a pain to brush out his mane for all the dirt and soil that kept catching in it, or that his antlers clipped the underside of the tree. Still his heart felt heavy as the minty-blue Imperial wound his way carefully above ground where he stretched out his cramped limbs. Surely, surely there was some idea of the danger? Even now he was moderately sure the young ones were all healthy and strong and weren't about to die there was still a possibility. Besides, each pup was about a third her size!
“You really going to keep carting those things around?” All eyes fell on the ruby Spiral as he darted around Ilmatar, gesturing at the bouquet of flowers each time he passed by. “Coatl don't even eat flowers why are you carrying flowers oooh are they for someone in particular? Is there someone you like? Come on, come on! Pleeeeaaase say!”
Matar snorted in response, one that could either have been in amusement, annoyance or a mix of both. “You know, you remind me of Anvindr when we first met. All mouth and no meaning.”
“And less killing...” Whisper heard the charcoal serpent murmur at a fair distance away from the chatting pair.
“If you must know that weird Tundra gave them to me. Something abou-”
“Oooooooooooooooh!” Vegin cooed excitedly, clapping bony hands together in delight. “Are we going to see more eggs soon?” A flash of colour narrowly passed by as Matar aimed to swat him with the posy.
“Windsinger's breath no!”
And that was the end of that conversation.
Despite himself Whisper chuckled at the goings on as the small group picked their way through the dying light back towards the pond. Ayaz rubbed everyone the wrong way it seemed, not just proving to be a particularly obnoxious blot of darkness within the clan. Which was something he still wanted to address. The clan part, that is. He and Noelani hadn't necessarily planned on staying, hadn't intended on having eggs out here. A discussion would need to be had soon and he wasn't sure how it would work out.
His thoughts were interrupted as a breathless Vunguza came scurrying up to them, heavy paws thundering under the Snapper's bulk with each gallop. “Och thank wha'e'er matters ye comin'.” He skidded to a halt, crouching low to catch his breath.
“Guz? What's the matter?” Matar inquired worriedly as the group came level with the squat, brick-scaled dragon. “And where are the beasts? I told them to stay close!”
“They... they were...” Vunguza wheezed, fighting to fill his lungs appropriately, “they must o'... must o' broke off partway cos... they were right there whit me.” Sufficiently recuperated the Snapper waved a thick arm at the others. “It's that crazy Imp lass. Somethin's not right whit her.”
A dark mask fell across Matar's face as she scowled, hopping into a three-legged run alongside their broad Waterborne friend. Whisper threw a questioning look at the pair of Spirals, their huge, saucer-like red eyes reflecting his confusion as the three took off in pursuit. They arrived to see Ayaz laying on a very still, very prone dark blue Imperial female, stroking her jawline and neck and whispering to her, too quietly to hear. Her once bright crimson eyes, now wide with terror, had clouded over, unnaturally darkened. A vermilion serthis and blue-grey harpy stood at her side, squabbling in beast tongue.
Whisper's chest tightened again, forcing a low snarl through his bared teeth. Every single aspect of the scene unfolding before him struck all the wrong chords, a cacophony of emotions from rage to despair ran through his mind as he sought out the correct target to focus on. Beastclan were invading the clan grounds already; he barely saw the shape bobbing in the water behind the fallen dragon where the bird and snake were chattering. Ayaz was here, that was already cause for concern as far as he cared. Lastly the same fears he'd felt watching his children hatch. The death of an Imperial within close proximity of their own kind would not stand. Who to confront? Who to attack? His claws itched as he dug them into the grassy ground beneath him.
“You! Snake!” Nathrach twisted around to glare at Ilmatar, Ociara doing the same and Laika submerging into the pond as the Coatl bounded over. Both Spirals rested on Vunguza's head as he stood, panting, also casting his blue-eyed gaze around at the potential offenders. “What the hell! I thought your friend said that the stuff she got hit with wasn't deadly!”
The harpy spoke again in beast tongue to Nathrach, who nodded and folded his arms over his chest. “No danger. No mean harm.” Was she practicing draconic? Why else would the serthis allow her to speak when he was the one Matar was addressing? “Only mean to force back, no hurt or...” Ociara glanced questioningly at Nathrach, who muttered a word to her, “kill.” she concluded, drawing her overcast wings tightly to her sides. “No mean hurt or kill.”
The serthis placed a hand on the avian creature's shoulder as he slid forward. “It wasss a hasssty decccisssion. We ssswear we are not your enemy.” With a quick motion Nathrach motioned with his free hand to a pile of rags topped with assorted vials, previously concealed behind Venilia's body. “I too thought perhapsss it wasss the wrong bottle thrown by acccident. Brought antidote, clean water with aid of your friend,” he nodded towards Vunguza, “to no effect. Likhina threw a deterrent. Burnsss, rash. No lasssting damage. Atheki sssupplied ointment to sssooth. Thisss isss not our doing.”
While he did not fully believe the serthis' words Whisper was happy enough, for now, to not come to blows with the beasts. There were only three of them and Matar was familiar with them all already, but while the Coatl argued with the snake and bird it took all of Whisper's will to not immediately snatch up the Tundra laying on the dying dragon's head, to roar his hatred and seer him in pure Light magic. The stench of darkness hung thickly about the furred one. Yet there was something else. Darkness, yet not. Muscles tensing under restrained movement the paler Imperial approached to inspect his fellow.
“She's already gone. Just went, in fact.” Ayaz stated as Whisper drew close, patting the dead Imperial's cheek as he sat up. “I was talking to her in her final dream to find the cause.”
Final dream? Whisper growled at the Tundra. Speak clearly! What was that supposed to mean?
“And?” It unnerved him how steadily Ilmatar had asked the one word question. Ayaz clearly bothered her just as much, why treat this reply as a common thing?
“I cannot say.” Fixing them all with his ever casual demeanour the Shadowborne grinned down at Matar, then up at the looming Imperial, around at the Spirals and beasts. “Although,” he stretched contentedly as though the unexplained death of a dragon didn't affect him in the slightest, “I can confirm it wasn't our guests. No poison or toxin or venom could cause something like this.” Nathrach and Ociara visibly relaxed as the weight of blame was lifted from them. Even Laika peered out from her watery hiding place.
But Whisper wasn't satisfied. No one was. The great Imperial nose-nudged Ilmatar, humming deeply and gesturing with his head up at the Tundra.
Tell him to get off. he mentally pleaded to her, knowing she wouldn't understand.
This is disrespectful! The Coatl hummed back at him questioningly in her native way of speaking. Neither understood the other, though it gave Whisper an idea. An idea that would need to wait as he urgently pointed at Ayaz, making sweeping motions with a claw.
“Whit you e'en daein', sittin' on her like that?” Surprisingly it was Vunguza who asked the question hopefully leading to the answer and result Whisper wanted. “Dinnae ye think that's a wee bit - whit's the word? - wrong?”
Ayaz glanced down in slow amusement at the Imperial he was still sat upon, as if it were the first time he'd realised. “Oh. Of course. How terribly rude of me.” With deliberate sluggishness the Tundra slipped down from his perch, sauntering straight over to Ilmatar to stand very much too close for anyone's comfort. “Come with me, clan leader. I shall show you what happened.”
“Wha- Show?” Matar blurted, unable to process the statement.
“Yeah I thought you said you didn't know what happened!” Anvindr piped up, squirming in the air as he attempted to rid himself of the pent up energy brought on by the rush of adrenaline that had brought them here, Vegin mimicking the action more from distress.
Grass rustled as Ayaz's tail swished over it. “I said I cannot say. I did not say I didn't know or that I wouldn't.” He grinned toothily at the Spirals before returning his attention to the Coatl. “But were you to join me I
can tell you there.”
“An' where's 'there' exact like?” Vunguza interjected, moving to push between the two and offer Matar some space. Ayaz simply slipped around the Snapper, returning to his original spot.
“A place only she may see. For now.” Lavender disks gleamed as they regarded the red dragon expectantly, turning to leave but not moving more than a few steps as he waited.
Ilmatar did not move, staring after the leaden Tundra a moment longer before glancing back up at the dead Venilia. “Should I have let her stay sooner after all...?” Her questioning look switched to Vegin, the ruby Spiral all but knotted up at this point. “Vegin, right? I... I'm so sorry. I don't... I don't know what to say.”
A flash of red and blue and Vegin was hanging somewhat limply in the air in front of her, wringing his hands in a fashion not too dissimilar to Anvindr during his moments of anxiety. “I mean she... we weren't really friends as such, you know? Just kinda close, kinda hung out, kinda did stuff. Not that I don't- didn't like her except being so persistent and overbearing and making it all about 'me me me' you know? Just tagged along with her cos I wanted to get away from the old clan cos of stuff there and... and...” Falling quiet Vegin simply fell to the ground, still. At first it seemed he'd fallen asleep as his kind tended to do, except his eyes were still wide open, blankly staring at the blue heap. He lay there like all the energy in his coils had up and left.
Without any further conversation Matar hopped forwards then, laying the strange bundle of flowers she'd been carrying all this time next to Venilia, lowering her head in guilty respect. “I'm sorry, Whisper,” she looked up at the great blue-and-yellow dragon with pained eyes. “Could you... tend to her? Sorry, you're the biggest one here and she needs... plus you're both Imperials, you'd want to...” She turned away, unable to finish.
He understood however. Humming a low, mournful dirge for the one he never met Whisper began to push his head under her belly, lifting her gently so that the body rolled onto his back. Anvindr dropped down, hefted the bouquet, placed it atop the corpse for them as the Imperial flared his fringed, buttercup-golden wings and took off to find a place to lay Venilia to rest.
Watching them depart until both Imperials faded into the night Ilmatar then turned, first, to the beasts. “I am also sorry for blaming you for this.” There was a strain to her voice, forced to accept her fault. “You three are still very much welcome here, though again I do ask you stay with one of us at all times.”
Nathrach nodded slowly, face unreadable. “I ssshall ssstay with the long, dark one,” he motioned to Vin hovering uncertainly over the prone Vegin, “Laika ssseemsss content to ssshare the water with the round one,” this time he pointed at Guz, “and there wasss mention of eggsss. Occciara wissshesss to help care for the brood.” The harpy bowed low at her mention.
“Am broodmother for old flock. Know how to tend nests.”
Thoughtful concern knitted the Coatl's brow. “I don't think the mother would appreciate that right now. But she and her mate, the male Imperial who just flew away, do need to know about you all. Vin, think you can do that for me while Guz acquaints himself with the maren?” With his plate-sized optics it was hard to tell if the look the Spiral gave her was of shock or not. Regardless he nodded, slipping Vegin onto his back and beckoning the beasts to follow him.
“Whit aboot you?” Vunguza asked, giving Ayaz a suspicious glance over his shoulder. “Y'ain't gaun whit that loon are ye?”
Matar's green gaze softened apologetically at the Snapper, hardening as it turned to the Tundra, flinching at the absence of his grin. Lacking the usual humour Ayaz watched with set seriousness as he waited for her to join him, mouth normally curved at the corners now pressed in a thin line. “You promise to actually tell me everything this time?” Matar demanded, feeling her spirits wavering at his change of attitude.
“I swear to tell you everything you need to know.” Giving Vunguza, the beasts and the Spiral one last wary glance, then twisting her head in the direction Whisper had flown, Ilmatar paced to Ayaz's side and the pair walked together towards one of the caves dug into the cliff's base.
Next Chapter
Inventory/Notes: Breed/Gene x2 OR Gen 1 Purchase x1, Wisteria Badly Injured for 2 days, Acacia for 6 days.*
*As of the time this was meant to be posted.
Whoops this ended up being longer than I expected.
I'd offer her a place in my lair, but idk what I'd do with her lorewise, I'm afraid. Hopefully someone else will be able to offer her a good home <3
< Right back at ya.
