Day 48
Chapter 15
It was morning of the following day, with the previous spent helping Ilmatar regain her strength once more. While yet not fully healed she'd insisted on getting some fresh air outside the confining cave. Now she found herself on a small lip of rock protruding from the cliff in which the cave was set, overlooking the devastation brought on by the fire. Below the remains of the forest they'd encountered smouldered sadly, wisps of smoke still weaving from the black husks that once were trees. Over the horizon more thick, grey clouds rose and in the distance the sound of voices as dragons worked to contain new blazes.
Matar flicked her tail as she watched a gout of water spew, presumably from the collective mouths of several Water dragons, over a flickering swath, drowning it. Her green eyes then turned to the whirlwind, the Eternal Storm, the Twisting Crescendo. Normally it was a sight of majesty. Of hope. Joy. Now her heart was full of contempt as, in its now reverse cycle, drew in destruction from the neighbouring Plague and Fire realms. Oh but to be able to fly again with ease! And the thermals created by the heat would allow her to go higher, higher! ...but was that truly worth the price of their land being torn apart? Made sick? Ravaged?
With one of her signature sighs the Coatl flopped down into a more comfortable position as she began to go over the events of the past few days. While Anvindr was the most knowledgable about the situation it was Maki she'd asked to tell her what happened through the new Guardian girl. While she'd overly embellished the story with her own opinions and descriptions Matar refused to get help from either of her darker-coloured companions.
Vin she still refused to trust. How could she? He may be trying to prove that he “wasn't a bad person” but he'd still caused the death of her first friend and failed to save Saira after the stampede. It sickened her to see how close Makani had gotten to the Spiral in the interim and would frequently spirit the Fae away should the boys get too close for her liking. The only help he could offer were in the potions he'd
finally perfected thanks to that Ridgeback a while ago and his translation for Maki when the other two weren't about.
Eurus she couldn't bring herself to trust either even thought their initial meetings went well. It was great to meet another of her own species, however it was unnatural and a bad omen for Coatl to have dull colouration. His purple wings would have made up for it had they been a few shades brighter. As he was he was dark, he might be ill and he meant bad luck for all of them. It was extremely difficult for Matar not to flaunt her own colours in front of him. The urge to unfurl her shiny red wings, shake out her copper-red fur or even let these stupid scale-like protrusions glint in the firelight when he was nearby. If he noticed he didn't say anything. Most of his time was spent brooding in a corner.
In fact he was well aware of what he represented. During Matar's recovery Vin had gotten the grey dragon to tell the group about himself and Isaura, where they came from, what Vila had started to say but had the words lost. And of course, Matar had interjected, why they were still here.
As it turned out both younglings had been abandoned with Vila taking them in to care for them until they were old enough to travel alone. Eurus was by far the older of the pair, his story being that he'd been kicked out of the lair as a hatchling because of his unfortunate colouration. In a twist of irony it had been that colouration that had saved him from being eaten as he blended in with the grey hues of the Shifting Expanse until a worker, who had been aiding with the construction of the new generator, stumbled across him.
Isaura on the other hand had been left out of greed. Her family being so interested in the new volcano that was forming off-shore that they'd completely forgotten the lone egg. She'd hatched in a dark, burnt-out den and would have died had her squeaks not echoed far enough up the tunnels for her to have been rescued by an elderly couple who shared that passage.
Both had been taken to a multi-flight orphanage where they grew up together. Eurus resenting his family, refusing to speak of them and avoiding most other dragons entirely. Especially other Coatl. Sora however loved life and actively played with the other hatchlings. Vila had originally been brought in to teach the young Guardians what to expect later in life, initiating Sora's desire to constantly find “Charges” before the pull of the Search had even begun. Instead she'd fallen in love with the red-and-blue child and felt sorry for the dull Coatl, taking them under her wing for a time.
As for the final question, neither were sure either. Sora had said it was because this group seemed like fun and Russ had simply shrugged.
Matar huffed again as she lifted herself up, stretched and made her way down to the once-grassy ground below. She was getting hungry and their supplies from Saltwind dwindling. There was a river nearby, maybe she could catch herself a meal.
Picking her way carefully through the charred wasteland it wasn't long before she was at the water's edge, now ashen and thick. The thought to maybe not fish here after all was interrupted by the notice of something bobbing on the surface. Was that...? Yes! A dead fish! And not just one either; the bodies of dead fish floated all along the river. Hunger overwrote reasoning and she waded in to grab one, returned to the shore, shook herself out and prepared to tuck in.
“I wouldn't do that if I were you.”
Instantly Matar's head snapped up to glare at the idiot who dared interrupt her meal, coming face-to-face with the owner of the drawled, playful voice. A Skydancer, orange and black with purple wings and dressed in the most garish way possible. He was grinning at her, eyes lidded but not unkind. Pompous bastard, who did he think he was? “And you are...?” the red dragon asked suspiciously, not putting down the fish.
“Only the one to possibly save your life.” His grin widened sweetly as he moved closer, trying to pluck the carcass from her paws. She turned away. “Tsk tsk you truly aren't aware are you.”
“If you don't mind,” Matar hissed lowly as she shuffled away from the stranger, “I'm hungry and kind of sick of Plague dragons. If you'd
kindly leave me alone.”
He chuckled, undaunted. “Perhaps I am being a bit forward, hm? Allow me to introduce myself.” He placed a claw laden with ivory bands on his chest. “I am Venril. Master alchemist. Some call me,” his eyes narrowed and his grin widened, “the Poisoned Mind.” Ilmatar recoiled but Venril was quick to intercept. “No no! Don't you worry. It is title only, I promise. However I can use that to tell you that the fish you are about to snack on? Ash from the fire has polluted the water, killing it and the others. It is not safe for you to eat.” He drew back, absurd horn adornments clinking with the movement. He closed his eyes, grin turning into a small, sweet smile. “I mean unless you like being sick? It won't kill you but you would be very, very unwell.” The last few words sounded almost menacing.
Ilmatar stared down at the fish, suddenly not feeling hungry after all, then glared back up at Venril intent on not showing weakness by dropping it. “What do you want?” she snapped. “Or is it your life goal to go around putting people off their food?”
The Skydancer was silent a moment, though the smile did not waver. As he moved to get back in front of her again she noticed that he kept his head purposely angled to one side, hiding the other. “No. But I don't like seeing unnecessary illness.” There was a glint in his red eye that Matar didn't trust. Quick as a flash a claw struck out, snatching the fish from her claws. As she protested he bit into it. “Yes. Definitely too much ammonia. You're lucky I came by when I did.” And he threw the rest into the river.
“B-buh! But! Why? You-! Skydancers don't even eat fish!” the Coatl sputtered, not making any sense of what was happening.
“No but I do test for harmful substances. And that one would have been harmful my dear.” That smile. That damn smile. “And with that, I shall bid you adieu. I have other unwary sods to keep from poisoning themselves and ingredients to collect for my... projects.” With a whip of his long, elegant tail he began to saunter off downriver. Ilmatar however was having none of it.
“Oh no you don't!” she yelled, scampering in front of the smaller dragon the way he had with her. He simply tossed his head and continued, still hiding the other side of his face. “I'm talking to you!” she grabbed him by the black scroll around his neck, forcing him around. Only for her to gasp, let go and retreat a few steps. Where on one side black swirls made lovely patterns the other was a hideous scar, marring what would have been a truly handsome face. And he wasn't smiling any more.
“Do that again,” he hissed, voice dangerously low, “and I will follow you and make sure you will never trust water again. You won't see me. You won't hear me. But you will know I'm there. Watching.” He trotted away at a much faster pace this time. Matar let him, watching with wide, worried eyes as he unfurled his wings at a distance and took to the skies through an opening in the cracked branches.
Four pairs of eyes looked up to see Matar return. Questions were asked but she didn't hear them. Maki clambered onto her head but she didn't know he was there. She plodded over to the pelt rug and flopped down, back to the rest of the group as she stared blankly at the wall. Why was this happening? And why to her? Saira's words echoed in her ear, along with the reiteration from Vin when he'd passed on her dying request. Speak to your father, one last time. Perhaps she should go home after all. The world didn't want her out here. Everything had gone wrong the moment the Crescendo had stopped.
Vin regarded the Coatl sadly as she refused to budge from where she'd set down. No amount of encouragement would divulge where she'd gone or why she was this way. She remained pointedly silent, even when Sora did her best to irritate everyone in the cave. He drummed his thin fingers together as his mind worked to figure out the next move when a new voice called inside.
“Hello? Are you here?” A tall, thin figure appeared in the light at the entrance. Bipedal. Wildclaw. “Please I heard a group of dragons passed by here? I was hoping you could help me find someone.”
Apart from the stubborn Coatl all eyes fell on Vin, who shrunk back from the sudden expectation. “Uh... um. Ye-yes! We're here! We're not in the best shape but we're here! I mean I think everyone's happy to let you in we've been through a lot and we don't know who to trust and-” Isaura reached up to clamp his mouth shut with a playful, knowing grin. He smiled weakly behind her claws.
A lithe, pale Wildclaw female with almost glowing yellow eyes slowly walked inside, long claws clacking against the stone. She reached into a pouch at her hip, pulling from it a large, beautiful geode that sparkled a pale green in the light and held it out in offering. “Forgive the intrusion. I've been searching for a while for my extended family. I heard my uncle found a mate and settled here in the Wind region and had eggs. I was delighted by the news and wish to see my new cousin except he had gone missing.”
He. Missing. Wildclaw. Wind. Vin stopped breathing. His chest tightened.
Don't say it. Don't say it. Don't say it.
“I don't suppose any of you have seen a purple Wildclaw boy named Ahio?”
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