Jotun perched on a wall sconce. He was watching his father.
He hadn't remembered Jun from when he hatched. It hadn't even registered that he had a father. And now, he was told that not only was his sire a weakling and outsider, but that he, Jotun, was part of a bet that could save Jun's life.
It was an interesting concept. If Jotun was able to secure a mate, and he was confident he could, his children would be fully aware of their purpose from the moment of birth. He resented having been kept in the dark.
Beneath him, Jun sighed. Jotun glanced down. Something about his father fascinated him. He was such a stark contrast with his clanmates. His comrades were proud and strong. The scars lacing their hides were proof of their battle prowess. His aunt Phelga, who wasn't actually his aunt but his mother's friend, claimed that the use of magic was cheating. Only claw and fang could settle the score fairly. She praised Jotun on his speed and agility.
Jotun pricked his ears. He heard the scrape of claws against stone and the snarls of angry dragons. He unfurled his wings and fluttered out of the room. Jun looked up, startled.
Jotun flew down the halls until he found the source. A Guardian and a Coatl were attacking a gray Spiral. The Spiral was putting up a good fight, but wasn't able to deal any substantial damage because if she got hold of one, the other pulled her off.
Jotun's frills stood up in indignation. Two against one wasn't a proper fight. It was a sneaky, cowardly way to battle. With a battle between clans, for food or territory, every advantage should be exploited. But for arguments within the clan, fights should be fair.
He jumped down and landed on the Guardian's head. He raked his claws across its face, satisfaction welling up within him as he heard the resulting howl of pain. The Coatl whirled around and gaped at him for a moment. Then with a shriek it jumped at him, grabbing at his tail dangling down. Jotun dodged nimbly and lashed out with his teeth. He bit down on feathers, not flesh, but pulled anyway. The Coatl snarled and flinched away as a good chunk of its crest was lost, leaving it half-bald.
Suddenly something grabbed him from behind. The Guardian, blood dripping down its face, rumbled dangerously. Then he stumbled back as what looked like a gray rope wrapped around his neck. The Spiral yanked him off his feet. The Coatl lunged for her, but Jotun tripped it with his tail and dug his claws into his flank.
The Spiral uncoiled from the Guardian's now-unconcoius form and looked over the Coatl. It froze. After a moment, it dipped its head in defeat.
The Spiral glanced at Jotun. She was a soft, gray color, with a spotted hide and striped wings. Her eyes- he was startled to see her eyes were the same color as his father. She cocked her head curiously.
“Thank you for the assistance. May I ask why?”
Jotun folded his wings primly.
“It wasn't a fair fight. Unless you started it, in which case you got exactly what you deserved.”
The Spiral laughed. Behind her, the Coatl assisted the Guardian in getting up and leaving.
“Fair enough. My name is Kuri, Chosen.”
Jotun recognized the title given to dragons found as eggs or abandoned hatchlings. Chosen were outsiders, not having to pass a Trial, as they had no siblings. Their presence was viewed as a gift from the deities, therefore the title of Chosen. They also had acsess to magic unusable by the majority of the clan, which meant they were usually left alone.
“I am Jotun, Clanborn. May I ask why the duel started?”
Kuri started off down the corridor. Jotun followed.
“They've never liked me. I'm too noisy and annoying. Apparently I disturb their sleep.”
She turned and looked at him closer.
“Hey, I recognize you. Didn't you just have your Trial?”
He nodded.
“Yes. As you can see, I passed.”
“Isn't your father that prisoner? The Fae? There aren't many Fae here.”
That was because in mixed species clutches, the larger, stronger non-Fae sibling would almost always win, Jotun thought. Eventually the Faes are completely weeded out.
“Yes. He is.”
Kuri entered a smaller room.
“This is my den. It's much better than the hallway for talking. Why was he allowed to breed?”
Jotun looked around the room curiously as he answered. It was mostly bare, however one wall was adorned with strange arrangements of feathers, bone, crystals and animal hides, fastened to the stone.
“A bet. If his legacy can produce a strong, worthy heir within ten breedings, he goes free. Now it's my turn to breed, once I'm mature.”
Kuri stared at him.
“That's one of the strangest things I've ever heard. Does he choose your mate?”
Jotun's frills flattened.
“I hope not. I don't trust his judgement.”
Within the clan, breedings were rarely from love. Many were arranged by the leaders in order to further the clan legacy. Some were arranged by parents looking to combine their lineage. Jotun had a feeling his mother would chose a mate for him, and he had a bad feeling on who it would be. She had been watching a young Ridgeback female with a dappled, snaky hide and a nasty temper lately. But if he chose a mate first…
He looked at Kuri. She was strong, and large for a Spiral. Her hide was smooth and glossy, almost bare of scars. He hesitated a moment.
“Kuri, this probably seems very sudden, but would you be willing to produce a nest with me, when it's time? I will need a mate, and I don't get along with the female my mother will probably choose.”
Her wings fluttered suddenly and she coiled around the nest. She was clearly startled, and he was afraid she was offended. As a Chosen, she was likely to be bred with some of the strongest fighters in the clan, not a tiny, plain Fae.
“Well, I owe you a debt for helping me earlier. And besides, you're not one of those airheads, strutting around and swooning over their own magnificence.”
Jotun relaxed.
“So you'll do it?”
She swatted him playfully.
“Yes, I'll do it! As long as you don't mind listening to me ramble. I talk incessantly, I've been told.”
Jotun smiled.
“That's what earplugs are for, right?”
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Whoops, meant to post this sooner. Kuri will be RTB in 4 days XD
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