Creative Corner

[center][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2379058/1#post_31760570][img]https://i.imgur.com/FD1rkPC.png[/img][/url] [font=book antiqua][b]FR Stories... And Stuff![/b] So... the Clan's Head Archivist, [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=251571&tab=dragon&did=17573144]Gigi[/url], made the executive decision that all the stories the Clan has about it and its allies' should be put in one place. And, well, here we are, I suppose. Um, anyways, hope you like them? Idk, I enjoyed writing them! That counts for something, right? Please refrain from posting here? I mean, if you want to, that's fine, but preferably if you want to tell me anything, PM, please~ It's mostly to keep the thread clean and easier to manage. [u]Table of Contents, or Whatever[/u] #1: [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2458351#post_33653015]After Every Storm[/url] - My first attempt at some romance, and Clan's Origin #2: [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2458351#post_33653017]Omnia Sol Temperat[/url] - Second romantic attempt, and tried a new writing style #3: [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2458351#post_33653750]Lost in the Storm[/url] - A commission, just a little adventurey and kind of fluffy story #4: [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2458351#post_33654513]SongVoyager: Odysseus & The Eye Of The Storm[/url] - To Be Added

The sky, clouded by the increasingly dark void of the oncoming storm, the foreboding rain falling from the restless mist. Swirls of cloud could be seen high in the sky as the Dragons of the Sunbeam Ruins hurried home, carrying their newly bought prizes back to their Lairs, preparing themselves for the unnaturally harsh storm. As lightning flashed across the sky, a lone shadow flew towards the relentless rain. The lightning flashed again, revealing the apparition of the female Dragon against the black sky.

The sleek figure, steely gray, made her yellow eyes glow against her face, though the brightness was dimmed in pain. The wings of the Mirror Dragon was forest green, her wings flapping against the gale and gusts in unguarded fervor. The rain, falling heavily in a harsh cold manner, felt soothing to the Mirror's tear streaked face, numbing the fiery darkness raging within her.

The Dragon, flying head long into the storm without a care, and would have kept going until.... Flash! The lightning of the storm struck in the fleetest of moments, but the Dragon couldn’t care, welcoming the approaching darkness. Free falling, the last thing the Mirror saw before she was swallowed by the void was a sudden a streak of blue and purple before the world went dark.



"....Nnn..."

Light filled the closed eyes of the Dragon, waking her slowly as confusion dripped away for her to be aware of her surroundings. She lay, curled, on a soft bed of creamy silk. The soft and warm silk felt soothing to the Mirror's cold, gray body. The soft light and warmth caused her to sigh in relief, almost falling back to peaceful sleep. But before she fell asleep, a thought struck her. She quickly sat up, albeit a bit painfully, causing her to cringe slightly.

"You're awake," a masculine but kind voice said. The Mirror looked up to see a large Guardian in the arch of the small Lair room. He stepped closer, giving her a chance to measure the newcomer. He was very muscular, but relatively smaller than other Guardians. When he looked down at where she lay, she noticed that he was still a young Dragon. His bright blue scales that covered his lean body contrasted his purple wings, His eyes glowing a warm yellow, standing out against the stern but not unkind face. She warily watched him to see if he was hostile, but he never stepped closer and didn’t seem to be threatening her, which gave her a chance to look around the room.

The room she was in was very plain, but clean and neat, the design a common sight in the Sunbeam Ruins. What little furnishing there was had the most simplest of decor, mainly just being the small bedding she laid upon and a small bed-side stone table. The room looked to have been newly cleaned, and she saw that the light filtered in from the semi-transparent window panes, giving the whole room a warm and cozy feel.

She glanced back at the Guardian. He walked over to one of the windows and pushed it open carefully with his claws. The light, bright from the new day's sun, caused his entire body to be bathed in it, making his scales glow. She watched him as he closed the window again, but this time leaving it cracked open a bit, letting in a small stream of continuous light and a small breeze. He glanced at her sideways before he walked back through the archway. She got up to follow him, but then found her left wing, covered in bandages, hurt greatly as she tried fruitlessly to refold them, and in the end had to let it hang down uselessly at her side.

"Don't," he called from the next room, out of sight. The Mirror huffed, but not having the strength to get up, she collapsed back on the bed in annoyed defeat. A moment later, the Guardian reappeared with bundle of silk hanging from his teeth. He walked up close to her, but not too close. Then he slowly dipped his head, laying the bundle on the ground. When he let it go, the bundle unfolded to reveal a variety of meat. The Mirror looked at it in surprise before glancing up at the Guardian.

"Eat. To regain your strength," He simply told her as he walked back out. She watched him go till he rounded a corner and his tail disappeared behind it. She carefully leaned down to take a piece, her eyes kept firmly on the doorway, inner cautious instincts warning her this may be a trap. Her suspicion quickly disappeared, however, when she tasted the juicy and succulent meat, and she started to eat up all of it in joyful haste. She had just finished the last piece when she heard a chuckle. She looked up and saw the Guardian standing in the doorway, another silken bundle in his teeth, a small smirk evident on his lips.

"You're very underweight. Now I know why," he simply said after levying the silk down, revealing more meat. She looked at it in anticipation, but glanced at him, a mix of suspicion and gratitude on her face. He began to walk away before she asked him a question, causing him to pause.

"Why are you so kind to me? You've never met me before," She asked him, watching his reaction. He looked back at her, his yellow eyes glowing in thought before he answered her.

"Because you're hurt," he finally said, turning back. The Mirror frowned at this.

"Only because I'm injured?" She more stated than asked. He stopped again, but this time he didn't look at her as he still faced forward.

"Not all injuries are physical." He then left her to her own thoughts.



"Will you at least tell me your name if nothing else?" The Mirror asked him. They were both in the Library, reading a few of the many books that covered the walls along with interesting trinkets here and there. The Mirror had been pestering the Guardian the entire time with questions, but with his quiet and secretive nature, she hasn't been able to get a single answer from him yet. This time also seemed to be a silent answer, but to her surprise, he spoke.

"...Galiwyth." He said after a beat of silence, his eyes glued to the book open before him. The Mirror looked at him, observing him in quiet interest.

"Galiwyth? Interesting name. I kind of like it," she told him. This caused him to look at her, mild surprise in his eyes before he could try to suppress it. She just smiled back at his expression, feeling unexplainably happy. After looking at her for a moment, he abruptly turned his head back to the book, his face taking on the stern look he got whenever he was thinking deeply about something.

"...Why were you alone?" Galiwyth finally asked after a while. They were both again absorbed in their books, so it took a moment for her to process the question.

"Oh, you mean why I'm by myself instead of a Clan with other Mirror Dragons?" She asked back. The Guardian nodded, looking at her sideways. She thought for a moment, her smile escaping her lips as a foggy cloud floated across her eyes. But just as quickly, her smile reappeared as if it was never gone, if albeit a bit more sadly now.

"I… I'm not cut out for that sort of thing," She finally got out, choosing her words carefully, turning her focus to one of the windows, watching the sunlight dance across the ground. "So I thought that it would be best that if I left; I didn't want to burden them after all," she finished with a careless shrug, but the tone in her voice clearly showed she was holding back something. But Galiwyth just hummed and went back to reading his book, seeming not to take notice as Milithinal letting out a sigh of relief, happy he dropped the topic.

"...I always wondered something," Milithinal brought up after another few seconds of silence. Galiwyth turned to her, his eyes prompting her to continue.

"Where's your Charge? All Guardian Dragons have one, right?" The Mirror asked sincerely, tilting her head as she looked up to the bigger Dragon. He was silent for a few seconds before he finally answered, not looking at her directly.

"....Haven't found one." The far away look in his eyes caused a strange sensation in her chest, causing her to want to say something, anything, but she remained silent. She lapsed into her own thoughts, the air now seeming to be weighted like many stones bearing down on them.

"...What's yours?" The Mirror's thoughts broke at his sudden question, causing her to look up.

"Hmm?"

"Your name," Galiwyth explained. Again she smiled at him, relieved that the heavy atmosphere had subsided.

"Oh, my name is Milithinal," she said.

"Milithinal.... Pretty name for a beautiful Dragon," Galiwyth said quietly, still looking at his book, but tilted his head away so she couldn't see his face. Though he said it quietly, she still caught part of it. When she leaned over to his face, she saw that his cheeks were slightly purple in color. At first she thought he was sick, but then realized what it really meant.

"Are you...embarrassed?" She asked, surprise in her voice. He didn't answer her, but his cheeks grew all the more purple, almost magenta in color. This caused Milithinal to smile at this new discovery.

"You are embarrassed! There's no need to be, you know," she said a little teasingly. He only grumbled as she chuckled in that bright, sunlit room.



Many weeks have passed since Milithinal came to live with Galiwyth. As time went on, her injuries from her past were slowly forgotten and healed as she got to know the blue Guardian.

Despite her initial thought of him being just a quiet Dragon, she learned much about and from him. They would talk late into the night about many things, from what they read in books to their own life stories, though there were many things Milithinal kept from her new found companion.

She learned that he's the only child of two Guardian Dragons that both died before he hatched from being caught in the crossfire of warring Dragon Clans. She came to know many things that he dreamed and aspired to, as well many of his regrets.

Though she did tell him a bit about her life and dreams of the future, she still couldn't get herself to tell Galiwyth why she flew into the storm that night, but she was grateful that he never pushed her for an answer. But despite being more than grateful for all he's done for her, her guilt kept eating at her, though she promised herself to never tell him her true feelings.

As time went on however, despite the seemingly endless kindness Galiwyth always showed her, Milithinal couldn't help but feel more and more of being nothing but a trouble to him. Whenever he goes out hunting, She always would want to go with him, but he would never allow her because of her injured wing. Even after it had almost completely healed, he still wouldn't let her come with him, saying it was too dangerous. Even with her injured status, the more she spent with the generous and kind Galiwyth the more the guilt grew, especially since he never asked for her to do anything in return.

After a time, the guilt grew too much for her to bear. I can't stay here, being such a useless freeloader, she thought bitterly. When he went to go hunting that day, she decided it was time to leave. But, whenever she thought of leaving this warm and bright place, her chest ached in a foreign way she never felt before.

Determination and guilt driving her forward, she ignored the pain pulsing from her chest, grabbing a small square of parchment and writing carefully, trying her best to ignore the tears swelling in her eyes. When she finished, she carefully placed the letter on her bed. Knowing he would be back soon, she walked over to her window and carefully opened it.

She stepped into the window sill, looking out into the starry evening, the sun below the horizon causing rays of purple to pierce through the clouds. Her wing, almost completely healed except for a slight pain from long flights, spread wide open with the other wing also opened wide. She felt the cool breeze on her face, so much different from the night she first came to be at this warm place. Taking a deep breath, she glanced back at the empty Lair, still filled with warmth.

"Goodbye," she whispered before turning back to the sky. She lifted her wings and took off, but though she knew it was for the best, she couldn't help but feel a piercing pain in her chest as she flew into the night, tears dripping like fallen stars.



"Milithinal?" Galiwyth called as he rounded the corner to her room, wondering why the Lair seemed so empty. In his mouth he carried a silk bundle containing meat he got from the Training Fields earlier that day. When he walked into her room, he stopped in his tracks when he noticed that the Mirror Dragon was missing. He looked around swiftly, and before he went to check the rest of the Lair, he noticed a piece of parchment on her bed. He walked over to it cautiously, fearing the worst. On it, it read:

"Dearest Galiwyth,

Thank you so much for all you have done for me. You have done much more for me then I could ever repay in these last few weeks. Though I have spent many hours with you, I have come to terms with my suppressed darkness, and very regretfully I can't stay any longer, as being a burden to you is something I have come to fear. I hope you will forget about me. Enlarge your Clan with your ever caring nature, and please don't think of me. Please?

With much more gratitude then I could ever show,

Milithinal"

He swung his head to the open window, looking out to the darkness of night, the moonlight's rays falling to the floor of the small cold room.



"Agh!"

The cry rang out into the night. The Dragon backed up, her still injured wing hung limply at her side as she held a claw to her chest where a scratch was visibly red against her gray body. Closing in were a group of feral creatures and monsters. The leader of the pack and the one who injured her stepped closer, the others circling around her. She backed up till she felt the bark of a large tree on her back.

Is this it? Milithinal thought as more and more of the vicious creatures stepped closer. The leader raised his claws for the final blow. She closed her eyes in anticipation, waiting for the strike. But instead of feeling the hit, she heard something startling. A furious roar echoed through the woods, causing all to look up. Descending from the sky, she saw in surprise the outline of a Guardian's wings and head, yellow eyes glowing out from the shadow.

All the creatures, scared from the second Dragon's appearance and sudden entrance, quickly scattered as they retreated into the trees. Milithinal stayed where she was, however, as she felt the gash on her chest bleed, but didn't take her eyes off of the Guardian as he landed.

When he touched down, he scanned the trees carefully before looking at her. She flinched slightly, her ear fins flattening slightly against her head as he stepped closer. When he was directly in front of her, she closed her eyes fearfully. But instead of anything bad, she was stunned when he did nothing.

When she looked up in confusion, her heart pulsed in pain. He stood in front of her, but instead of the warm yellow of his eyes she was so used to, they were dimmed from pain and betrayal. Before she could say something, anything, he turned his back on her. She watched him in heavy silence as he lifted his wings. But before he could take off, she found her voice.

"Wait!" She said, desperation lacing her voice. He paused, but wouldn't turn to look at her. She continued on in rushed pain and regret.

"Galiwyth, I'm sincerely sorry! I never meant to hurt you like this. I-I just never wanted to be a burden to you, so I left, because I thought it would be better this way!" She cried, staggering as she stood up. As she spoke, he slowly turned to look at her, folding his wings slightly.

"It's just that, I couldn't bare to lose someone else who was important to me! I just couldn't..." She whispered the last part, tears falling unchecked. She looked down, her grey head hanging from all her pent up emotions she kept locked in her heart. But, before she fell into despair, she was quite surprised to feel gentle claws lift her up in a sweet, gentle princess hold, her broken wing carefully folded as he held her.

When she looked up in surprise and confusion, she was stunned when she saw the most gentle smile on his face as he looked down at her before concentrating back on the sky. He lifted his wings, beating strongly yet gently as he took into the air. Despite her many questions, he never spoke as they passed over the moonlit land, and the two fell into silence as he smoothly flew into the night.

"I never thought of you as a burden." Milithinal looked up, eyes wide. The Guardian stared straight ahead, refusing to look at her. "And, you're not the only one scared of losing someone important, for every Guardian has a Charge to protect." he stated, still looking ahead. She lay there in his arms, shocked at what he just revealed. Before she could say anything, he glanced at her with that same gentle smile, his yellow eyes glowing warmly. After a moment, she smiled, too, in warm, loving defeat, and it was a defeat she was most definitely willing to take.

"I guess we both have someone important to protect," she said softly, her eyes closed as she fell into the first deep and peaceful sleep she had in a very long time. Galiwyth just kept silent, the same smile on his face as he reached their Lair and home.

The end.

Notes:
- Fun Fact - This story won the Most Adorable Couple prize during the Cutest Couple Contest at the Sparks of Romance Valentines Event, 2017.

Atlas has always had mixed feelings about the sunlight.

Being the way he is with his strange affiliation towards water - more like being able to become the water, as it were - he's never been one to be out in the sunlight too much. Having always been more of a night Dragon, Atlas would spend his days sleeping and his nights going out and continuing on his way without a destination in mind. It's not that he didn't like the sunlight or was afraid of it, it's just that it always made him feel... ill, like he was going to melt away any second, and that wasn’t including the fact that his winter coat still hadn’t shed yet.

When he came upon the Clan, he was pretty sure he wasn't going to stay very long.

Clan Paladin and it's residents were very hospitable to him for the most part, allowing him to stay as he passed through the Sunbeam Ruins on his way to the Tangled Wood. He really didn't like the Sunbeam Ruins for the same reason he didn't like the daytime;the sunlight was just… too much. While he planned to stay only a day, something kept him from want to leave. Or, more specifically, someone.

Chocoll was harsh and unforgiving from the beginning.

The Ice Tundra did not accept Atlas' presence anywhere, just barely being able to stand it inside the library. Atlas didn't plan on spending most of his time there as he really wasn't one who liked to read much, but something about the other Tundra captivated him. Without even realizing it, Atlas stayed with the Clan for two days - a week, a month - all so he could learn more about the fascinating librarian.

Atlas soon came to realize what exactly this feeling was, and he wasn't the only one.

It happened about a month and a half after staying with the Clan. The other Clan members were more than happy for him to stay as long as he wished, and Atlas was going about like he usually did which mostly consisted of him flirting with almost all of the Clan’s members. Atlas simply assumed Chocoll didn't like him and wouldn't care if Atlas continued his flirtatious attitude to the rest of the Clan - not that anything would come of it, of course - but he soon found out he was wrong. Chocoll finally came upon him and berated Atlas for acting as such. At first Atlas was confused, but then realized that the other Tundra felt jealous, which gave a spark of hope.

Nothing would come of this love... right?

No matter what Atlas did, Chocoll's attitude to Atlas was almost always the same cold manner from the beginning, and Atlas felt lost. He knew there was no way Chocoll would ever come to love him, and for the first time Atlas felt his heart pulse in pain, a pain that was indescribable. Not being able to face the Tundra's coldness any longer, Atlas finally left one night without a word to any of the other Dragons, the ones he had learned to call his friends, and disappeared into the dark.

Where do you go when you have nothing left to go on for?

Atlas, being a Wind Dragon, always wandered without a destination in mind but always sure of himself on the way. Now, for the first time, he felt truly lost and alone. He traveled across the Sunbeam Ruins, not heading to the Tangled Woods anymore as he just wandered aimlessly, until he finally came upon the cliffside where the Sunbeam Ruins met the sea, the Beacon’ like a sentry down the coastline. It was an incredible sight to watch the sun's warm glow above the water, the waves lapping against the cliffs, but to the Tundra all he felt was a harsh, bitter cold, something far worse than that of the Southern Icefield during the winter.

Wouldn't it be better if he could disappear completely?

Atlas truly considered this. He could just simply walk of this cliff and become one with the only true friend he's made; the icy cold depths of the open sea. Making up his mind, Atlas turned back to the sunlit ruins and revisited his dislike for the sunlight; or, what used to be a dislike. Not that it mattered anymore, as not even the sun could melt his frozen heart. Sighing, he turned back to the cliff and, with his eyes closed with a silent farewell to his beloved, he stepped forward...

The world might not be as cold as he thought.

Something soft, fluffy and surprisingly warm wrapped around his body, holding him back tightly. When Atlas turned to look, he couldn't process the sight of Chocoll hugging him from behind, using his wings to keep Atlas secure. When Atlas opened his mouth, not even knowing what he wanted to say, Chocoll slowly and quietly looked into his eyes, and with tears starting to stream down them, gave Atlas a tentative yet sure kiss.

The sunlight may be painful at times… but, perhaps, he could finally live in it’s warmth.

The End.

Notes:
- Atlas is based on an Ashray: A mythical creature that is said to be made of water, and when exposed to sunlight, they melt into a puddle.
- Written for Pride Month, June 2018
- Fun Fact, 'Omnia Sol Temperat' means 'The Sun Warms Everything' in Latin.

Garrett looked up at the tumultuous sky over the Shifting Expanse. The endless thunder clouds seemed even more restless than ever. Lightning streaked across the sky over the dry, dusty landscape. He turned back to the two Guardians behind him, both more or less battle weary at fighting automatons in the Golem Workshop throughout the day.

“A storm is coming; we need to get back to the Sunbeam Ruins before it hits,” he said, eyeing the orange and white Dragons. Borealis nodded in agreement as Matthew scanned the clouds.

“A storm? It seems perfectly fine to me, considering the clouds are always storming here,” he said. Garrett gruffly shook his brown head, glancing out to where in the distance he could see the Lighting Farm with the Tempest Spire looming far above. They radiated an eerie blue as lightning constantly struck them, energizing the bronze-colored spires with power. Beyond their craggy cliffs just within his view he could make out the edge of the vast ocean. There, he could see the clouds were much darker, more fierce and heavy, slowly rolling towards the Guardians. The storm is coming quickly… we must hurry.

“The storm will be upon us soon. Let’s head back,” he said as he opened his large, brown wings and took off. Matthew and Borealis followed suit, following close behind as they headed northeast towards the Sunbeam Ruins. As they flew, a noticeably strong wind began to pick up, the turbulence being strong enough that any smaller Dragons would have been knocked from the sky, but the trio’s powerful wings carried them onward, if albeit a bit unsteadily.

“Garret,” a rough, deep voice called from behind. He glanced back to see Borealis looking off in the direction of Sornieth’s coast. The mottles white Dragon glanced back, his naturally serious face carrying a hint of warning, and Garrett could guess what he was thinking before he said it. “...We won’t make it,” Borealis finally said after a pause. Garrett grunted, slowing down to a stop in mid-air, flapping his large wings to keep him from being pulled down by the increasingly strong wind.

“We’ll have to find shelter to wait out the storm,” he told his two companions. This time Matthew also agreed without argument, beating his wings unsteadily despite his strong muscles he’s gained from years of rough battling and training.

Garrett scanned the land beneath him. They were somewhere over on the edge of the Carrion Canyon, bordering the Highland Scrub, and thanks to this he could see an overhang that could potentially lead to an open cave right beneath the cliffside. He nodded towards the other two in indication before diving down towards the canyon below, the sound of Dragons wings close behind.

Once he neared where he saw the overhang on the cliff face, Garrett opened his wings to slow down his fall and land with natural ease onto the canyon floor. By now, the storm had really picked up, the lightning far more harsh than before, loud thunder rolling across the landscape in an unsequenced manner. Knowing it was only a short time before the storm hit, the large Guardian cautiously approached the cave he found as his two companions landed behind him. He peered into the dark cave for any inhabitants, noting how the smoothed walls indicated it was a lair, but the air inside was static and hallow, making it appear the cave was all but empty.

“Hello?” The voice echoed loudly throughout the cave, startling Garrett for a second before he and Borealis turned their glares to Matthew. Seeing their anger, he ducked his orange head sheepishly, causing Garrett to sigh and shake his head before heading into the cave.

“We’ll have to make camp here until the storm is over,” Garrett announced as they all settled a bit in the cave as the rain finally began to come down, first starting as a small prattle before quickly escalating to a downpour. Matthew huffed, small flames blowing out his mouth and for a short moment, giving the cave a golden glow before dissipating back to cold darkness.

“Make camp inside this cave till the storm blows over? That’ll take ages,” he said irritably, though he was begrudgingly happy, as a fire Dragon, to not have to fly through the wet rain. He sat, glaring out into the rain. Borealis walked further into the cave, and finding dried brush leftover from when the cave was occupied, carried it back to where the other two sat in silence. Setting the brush on the ground wordlessly, he let out a deep breath, igniting the brush to give the group warmth and light.

“For now, get some rest,” Garrett finally broke the silence as they all relaxed around the small fire, readying to wait out the storm. Hopefully nothing happens till then...



“...C-cold…” Matthew immediately brought his head up, peering into the dark. They’ve been waiting for a while now, and still tired from their battles in the Golem Workshop, they decided to take shifts, one always awake in case of needing to wake the others while the rest took a needed rest. It was Matthew’s turn to watch and keep guard, and with the storm still roaring outside, he was beginning to drift off to sleep again when he heard the voice.

Someone’s in here? He slowly stood up. Glancing at his sleeping companions, he weighed his options before deciding to head into the cave alone, dictating that if whomever was in there was hostile he was more than strong enough to handle it on his own.

As the orange Guardian slowly headed deeper into the cave, he was careful from making too much noise, wanting to catch the intruder by surprise. Soon the dark began to close around him again as the light from the small fire dimmed. Slowing down to a very cautious walk, he listened carefully, not wanting to be caught by surprise. Whoever you are, I know you’re in here, he called out wordlessly into the dark. To his surprise, a voice ahead, the same as before and louder, almost seemed to call back.

“I-it’s.. so c-cold…” Cold? Frowning, Matthew began to notice a soft light from ahead. Moving as quietly as he could, Matthew slowly approached when he reached a chamber deep inside the caves, and was surprised at what he found.

Here in the cavern, there was a large room that still had the marks of when it was used. The walls had marks from when furniture was leaned up against it. On the floor, a small a sap lamp emitted the blue glow Matthew had noticed, the ethereal light flickering softly. But what really caught his attention was what lay behind the lamp. Laying there was a small Tundra, it’s yellow fur almost a soft green in the blue light with small, blue wings. What’s a hatchling doing here? Matthew frowned in confusion, but then he noticed the Tundra shaking softly.

“Are you alright?” The Guardian said as he walked over to the little Dragon, but when he approached he noticed… He’s wet? How did he get wet… Did he slip past us in the entrance when the rain started? Matthew pondered this, observing the small Dragon. The Tundra flinched before peeking an eye open at the large Dragon looming above him. Matthew watched as the Tundra opened his mouth, expecting him to say something, but instead the hatchling sneezed and curled back up tighter, shivering badly. Not knowing what to do, Matthew reached down and gently placed his claws on the Tundra’s wet head, watching as he froze for a moment before relaxing underneath the Guardian’s touch. He’s cold, but his head is hot, and he’s completely soaked; he’s very sick, Matthew finally deduced.

“Are you okay enough to get up?” Matthew asked the little Tundra. Though it might’ve just been the shivering, it seemed he shook his head ‘no’. Knowing he couldn’t just leave the hatchling there by himself, Matthew debated for a moment before carefully reaching down and awkwardly picking the soaking wet Tundra up. The hatchling might’ve been very upset at being picked up like that, but he was so sick he just layed in the Guardian’s arms taking deep, heavy breaths as Matthew quickly grabbed the lamp and made his way back to the front of the cave.

Once at the front of the cave, he carefully set the Tundra back on the ground near the fire where he just curled up tightly again, shivering still. He blew another hot breath to bring the fire back up to hopefully warm the Tundra up a bit.

“Garrett, Borealis, wake up,” he called to them as he quickly ran back into the dark part of the cave to grab more wood and brush for the fire. Immediately the two Guardians sat up, alert thought confused at the sudden call.

“An enemy?” Borealis instantly got to his feet, baring his claws and fangs while looking around, but was confused when he didn’t see anything that looked like a foe.

“No, but we have another problem,” Matthew answered as he came over and set the few pieces of wood and brush onto the fire. The flames began to creep along the new wood, the fire growing and filling the cave with warmth. The other two Guardians looked down at the small yellow tundra, still curled up but having stopped shaking, still very wet and feverish.

“Is he lost?” Garrett glanced from the Tundra to the orange Guardian, raising an eyebrow in question. Matthew shook his head, not knowing anything for sure. They made several trips into the deeper parts of the cave, searching for anything that could be of use. Borealis found a few pieces of forgotten wooden furniture which they broke apart for the fire. Matthew found a dusty cloth tarp that in any other case he wouldn’t give a second glance but used it for the Tundra to lay on, figuring it was better than the cold, hard ground.

After a while, their efforts seemed to work as the Tundra dried and warmed up by the fire till finally it opened its eyes, much more clear and focused than before, but still very hazy. Borealis noticed the Tundra’s waking first, getting Matthew’s and Garrett’s attention and indicating the confused and scared looking hatchling. Matthew and Garrett discussed for a moment and decided that Matthew would talk to the hatchling.

“Hello,” Matthew said in a more or less failed attempt at a gentle voice. The Tundra immediately flinched back, clearly not trusting the strange Guardian that for all he knew could be there to kidnap him or something. “Look kid, me and my friends here won’t hurt you,” Matthew said, trying for a different approach. Luckily, it seemed to work as the Tundra eyed him cautiously but not as fearfully as before.

“We won’t hurt you, but we would like to help. Can you tell us why you’re here and where your parents are?” He asked gently. The Tundra remained quiet for a few moments as he seemed to judge them. Matthew was beginning to wonder if trying to help the hatchling out was a bad idea when the little Dragon finally spoke up.

“I… I got separated from my parents when the storm started,” he muttered softly. He glanced outside at the raging tempest that had picked up, visibly flinching slightly when the thunder rolled. “Me and everyone… We were all trying to get to our new home in the Lightning Farm, but then the storm hit us and… a-and I got lost…” He sniffled, tears pooling in his bright blue eyes. Garrett eyed the two, and they nodded as they stepped away, giving the little Tundra space.

“I think we should help him,” Matthew whispered, feeling sorry for the lost hatchling.

“It’s for you to decide, Garrett,” Borealis whispered gruffly, and the orange and white Guardian turned to their leader. The warrior closed his eyes in thought for a moment before nodding, coming to his decision.

“We’ll help him,” he said finally. The three turned back to the Tundra who had finally settled down.

“What is your name?” Garrett more stated than asked. The Tundra wiped his eyes, rubbing away the tears that lingered.

“My name is Raphael,” he said meekly. Garrett grunted in acknowledgement. He glanced outside where the storm still was raging strong.

“How did you get in? Seeing we kept watch at the entrance, you could not have passed us,” he asked, turning back to the Tundra curiously.

“I came in through a different way; there are a bunch of different ways inside,” he explained when he saw the confusion flit across the Dragons’ faces.

“Show us,” Garrett asked as they all stood. Raphael scrabbled to his feet only to collapse back down. Matthew, seeing the hatchling’s struggle, walked over to see what was wrong only to found that the Tundra, though much better now that he was dry and warm, was still very sick.

“Alright, come here,” Matthew said as he gently picked up the Tundra again, this time allowing the Tundra to sit comfortably in his arms before they headed back into the caves. Borealis grabbed a piece of wood to use as a torch before stamping the fire out.

As they ventured on, they came across several different hallways and rooms that Matthew had missed in the dark. Raphael pointed them down the hallways with ease till finally they noticed the sound of rain. The sound grew till finally they turned a corner and found another cave entrance, smaller than the main one they first came through.

“You know this cave almost as if you lived here,” Matthew remarked as they approached the entrance. Raphael nodded, giving a weak smile.

“This was our home. When the wind blew me away into the Canyon, I found this way in when I saw I was near home,” he explained. They made it to the edge of the entrance and looked out into the storm. By this time the storm had lessened greatly, the wind not as tumultuous and the rain not as harsh. Matthew looked down at the hatchling in his hand, giving him a reassuring smile when he noticed Raphael’s fear to go out into the rain again.

“Do you think you can show us the direction of where your new home is?” The orange Guardian asked. Raphael nodded enthusiastically, the thought of going home softening the fear that held him.

“Yeah! It’s that way,” he pointed excitedly out into the rain despite his weariness. Garrett signaled his companions as they all took off, Matthew a bit more carefully than normal as not to move the sick Tundra too much. They flew straight through the rain, ignoring the unpleasant wetness as they followed Raphael’s directions. After a little while they noticed a blue haze through the rain, seeing the Tempest Spire and Lightning Farm grow closer.

“Over there,” Raphael pointed leftwards, Matthew noticing the Tundra growing weaker.

“We have to hurry, I don’t think he’ll last much longer,” Matthew called to his companions through the rain. They flew faster in response, heading towards one of the spires of the Lightning Farm but giving it a wide berth, not wanting to get shocked as lightning continuously speared into it. They all dove to the base of the plateau, fanning out their wings to slow down their fall when they neared it, the raindrops streaming off their wings.

“There,” Raphael looked over at a cave near the far left, too tired to even point. The trio walked over to the cave, Matthew using his wings to shield the Tundra from the rain. When they reached it, there found a large metal door on the wall. Garrett rapted on it, the three waiting impatiently. Not getting a reply, Matthew knocked, louder and stronger than before, but still no reply.

“You’re certain this is the right lair?” Garrett asked the Tundra who just nodded slightly. Matthew noticed the Tundra’s temperature rising, his face flushed and eyes hazy.

“They may have gone out to search for him,” Borealis gruffly suggested, looking out into the rain. Garrett frowned in thought before turning to his companions.

“Matthew, stay here in the case Raphael’s parents return. Borealis, we will go and search the area; I’ll take right, you go left,” Garrett instructed. The white and orange Guardians nodded before Borealis and Garrett took off into the rain, heading in opposite directions while staying clear of the spires. Matthew ducked underneath the small overhang to try and keep himself and the hatchling out of the rain. He glanced down at the Tundra.

“You’ll be alright, your parents will be here soon,” Matthew ensured the sick Dragon. Raphael nodded before closing his eyes, letting out rough, raspy breaths. Hopefully they come soon, the orange Guardian thought as he looked out into rain.

“Matthew,” Garrett called through the rain. The younger Guardian immediately shot up, looking expectantly as the brown and white Dragons approached, followed by two others, an orange Tundra and a red Ridgeback.

“Garrett! You need to come quickly, Raphael won’t last any longer without help,” Matthew called back. The Tundra and Ridgeback, hearing their little hatchling was in danger, shot past the two Guardians. Landing, they raced over to where the brown Guardian and yellow hatchling waited in front of the door.

“Raphael!” The Ridgeback cried happily with concern, taking her hatchling from the Guardian’s claws. The older Tundra joined her as they looked him over. They called out to him, but he wouldn’t respond, laying in their arms unmoving except for his shaky breathing.

“We need to get him inside,” the orange Tundra dictated, and unlocking the door by typing in a password, he ushered all of the Dragons present into the lair. Oncer inside, he lead the group through a series of advanced and scientifically equipped hallways to a large chamber filled with various electronics.

“Lay him there,” the Tundra told the Ridgeback. She carefully placed the young Tundra onto a white table inside a large glass chamber. Sealing the chamber shut, all of the Dragons present watched in anticipation as the older Tundra and the Ridgeback moved about, activating a series of switches and functions. The chamber began to hum to life, electricity coursing above as it fill the chamber with power.

“Turning stabilizer on,” the orange Tundra announced.The Ridgeback nodded and quickly turned a series of dials. To the right, a monitor turned on with what looked like a pulsating line, much like a heart monitor. The line however was short and irregular, much to the Dragons’ concern.

“We’ll try to get his body stabilized; ready?” The Tundra turned to the Ridgeback. She nodded, and he turned back to a large switch in front of him. “Three, two, one… now!” He called, and they simultaneously pulled their own switches.

The chamber hummed with energy, and for a brief moment a powerful current ran through it, blinding all the Dragons. When it subsided, the five adult Dragons looked upon the little Tundra, still curled up on the table while white steam hovered inside the chamber, clouding the glass. The monitor beeped, and this time it was a steady, strong tempo. The Ridgeback opened the chamber door and rushed inside to her hatchling’s side.

“Raph? Raphael?” She asked softly, carefully picking him up. For a moment, nothing happened, but to everyone’s relief he blinked open his eyes. Seeing the Ridgeback and older Tundra, he smiled happily, though tiredly.

“Mama… Papa…” He said, and the relief on the parents’ faces was indescribable as they rejoiced at the hatchling’s recovery.

“Are you sure you can’t stay for dinner?” The Ridgeback asked again as the three Guardians headed towards the door. “We can’t even begin to explain how grateful we are,” she smiled as the orange Tundra came up, the hatchling in his arms smiling happily.

“We would be honored to, but we must get home ourselves,” Garrett told her. The hatchling jumped out of his father’s claws and bound over, wrapping his claws and wings around the arm of the Guardian.

“Thank you for helping me get home!” He said, smiling up at the three. Matthew smiled back and gave the little Tundra a pat on the head as he let go.

“Let’s head home,” Garrett told his two companions who nodded in agreement. They stepped outside where the storm had finally passed. The clouds still rumbled unhappily, but even here in the Shifting Expanse the sun decided to break through them even if only for a moment. The Guardians opened their large wings and took off, Matthew waving a final goodbye at the happy family before following his companions back to the Sunbeam Ruins.

The end.

Notes:
- Disclaimer - I have, like, no medical practices, and I don't think you can stop being sick like that, but... hey, I'm from Light, not Lightning, so I used a bit of imagination.
- Actually, I wrote this when I wanted to write something due to my boredom. For all it's rushed-ness, I think it turned out pretty good, anyways.

To Be Added. Maybe. Sometime in the (possibly) near future.


Notes:
- Though the story and 'character's' of the Myth take place a long time ago, Odysseus and Hedron are active members of the Clan in present time. Like, the SongVoyager stories are kind of AU that way.
- That being said, I made up everything about the Wind Flight; I apologize.
- Originally written for Story Contest of Mistral Jamboree, 2017