hello, friend, and welcome to my pinkerlocke! i decided that the direction my lore was going in wasn't what i wanted it to be, and that i had way too many dragons for my liking. so !!! here we are. i'm doing more of a modified pinkerlocke, in which i'm still doing things based on what pinkerton gives me, with a few changes. i'm using pre-existing dragons in my lair (yay, no needing to wait for rtb or anything like that) but i'm also going to be focusing on the lore aspect of it. as such, i'm not going to wait for pink to drop me a familiar to add a new dragon in, but whenever i feel the time being right. additionally, the only time a coli death matters is when there's a food or a death run pick.
not every day will be a lore update day, because windsinger knows i don't have the attention span to sit down and write a thing on the daily. i've had some things running through my head as i'm working, so hopefully even at the end of a day i might be able to jot down something or other to update every few days. the character list below will be updated whenever someone new joins the clan, in the order in which they join. if they unfortunately leave this earth, their portrait will be displayed in the lair, and separate from the rest of the crew. they'll be put up for sale for a day, then offered up for giveaway in a few discord servers, and exalted as a last resort.
in the beginning this takes place in my old homeland, the highland scrub of the shifting expanse. later on, the clan will move to the cliffs of the reedcleft ascent. once they reach the ascent, this is where the bulk of the story will take place. there's a possibility that they'll travel a bit, but for the time being, once text mentions they reach the ascent, they'll reside on a cliff facing the sea of a thousand currents.
hello, friend, and welcome to my pinkerlocke! i decided that the direction my lore was going in wasn't what i wanted it to be, and that i had way too many dragons for my liking. so !!! here we are. i'm doing more of a modified pinkerlocke, in which i'm still doing things based on what pinkerton gives me, with a few changes. i'm using pre-existing dragons in my lair (yay, no needing to wait for rtb or anything like that) but i'm also going to be focusing on the lore aspect of it. as such, i'm not going to wait for pink to drop me a familiar to add a new dragon in, but whenever i feel the time being right. additionally, the only time a coli death matters is when there's a food or a death run pick.
not every day will be a lore update day, because windsinger knows i don't have the attention span to sit down and write a thing on the daily. i've had some things running through my head as i'm working, so hopefully even at the end of a day i might be able to jot down something or other to update every few days. the character list below will be updated whenever someone new joins the clan, in the order in which they join. if they unfortunately leave this earth, their portrait will be displayed in the lair, and separate from the rest of the crew. they'll be put up for sale for a day, then offered up for giveaway in a few discord servers, and exalted as a last resort.
in the beginning this takes place in my old homeland, the highland scrub of the shifting expanse. later on, the clan will move to the cliffs of the reedcleft ascent. once they reach the ascent, this is where the bulk of the story will take place. there's a possibility that they'll travel a bit, but for the time being, once text mentions they reach the ascent, they'll reside on a cliff facing the sea of a thousand currents.
[center]Character List
[img]http://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/351966/35196585p.png[/img][img]http://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/351966/35196586p.png[/img][img]http://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/401344/40134303p.png[/img][img]http://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/485317/48531625p.png[/img][img]http://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/495237/49523630p.png[/img]
[img]http://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/495237/49523631p.png[/img][img]http://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/452299/45229873p.png[/img][img]http://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/460950/46094952p.png[/img]
Departed
[img]http://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/485317/48531626p.png[/img][img]http://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/446864/44686373p.png[/img][img]http://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/481607/48160647p.png[/img][img]http://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/481607/48160640p.png[/img][img]http://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/481791/48179037p.png[/img]
Table of Contents
00 - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2608622/1#post_37161422]Let It Burn[/url]
01 - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2608622/1#post_37176366]After the Storm[/url]
02 - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2608622#post_37191245]The Journey Begins[/url]
03 - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2608622/1#post_37208508]The Cave[/url]
04 - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2608622/1#post_37222690]A New Discovery[/url]
05 - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2608622/1#post_37240671]Cracking Up[/url]
06 - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2608622/2#post_37287977]Resolutions[/url]
07 - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2608622/2#post_37323469]Growth[/url]
08 - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2608622/2#post_37342885]Waiting is Hell[/url]
09 - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2608622/2#post_37351031]In the Garden[/url]
10 - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2608622/2#post_37370000]First Blood[/url]
11 - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2608622/2#post_37391120]Puzzle Pieces[/url]
12 - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2608622/2#post_37516702]Crystalline Chaos[/url]
13 - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2608622/2#post_37953709]It's Quiet Uptown[/url]
14 - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2608622/2#post_38325358]The Nocturne House[/url]
one more reserve, just in case
one more reserve, just in case
Let It Burn
Smoke and terror filled the air.
My mane whipped against my face as the flames dazzled my eyes. “Mom! Mom! Mom, where are you?” My shout was lost over the roar of the fire, and the smoke obscured my vision. I knew if I stayed here much longer, my chances for survival were very slim. I had to make a choice: I could die with my family, or I could live on my own.
The fire inched closer to me as I weighed the options in my mind. My family was everything to me. I couldn’t imagine living a moment without them. On the other hand, I had a strong instinct for self-preservation. I didn’t want to die.
Leaving my burning home was the hardest decision I ever made. I knew if I took to the skies, I would never be able to return. If there were any survivors, I would never be able to face them. I clutched my pearl tightly to my chest, and I spread my wings.
I could never come back here again.
Let It Burn
Smoke and terror filled the air.
My mane whipped against my face as the flames dazzled my eyes. “Mom! Mom! Mom, where are you?” My shout was lost over the roar of the fire, and the smoke obscured my vision. I knew if I stayed here much longer, my chances for survival were very slim. I had to make a choice: I could die with my family, or I could live on my own.
The fire inched closer to me as I weighed the options in my mind. My family was everything to me. I couldn’t imagine living a moment without them. On the other hand, I had a strong instinct for self-preservation. I didn’t want to die.
Leaving my burning home was the hardest decision I ever made. I knew if I took to the skies, I would never be able to return. If there were any survivors, I would never be able to face them. I clutched my pearl tightly to my chest, and I spread my wings.
I could never come back here again.
After the Storm
Days later, I found myself in the Highland Scrub. Much of the time between appearing there and leaving home was lost to me. I didn’t know how exactly how long it had been, but I knew the sun had risen and set multiple times. My wings hurt beyond anything I had ever felt before. I wanted nothing more than to curl up somewhere and sleep until my body was well again.
Unluckily for me, there was nowhere to hide here. I was basically in the middle of a desert, with no way out. It would take me days to get anywhere, and I didn’t have days left of travel in me. I forced myself to keep moving, even if I was just walking. As long as I was moving forward, I was still moving. A light breeze stirred the air and I squinted to keep the blowing sand out of my eyes. I kept moving forward, until I heard a rustling behind me. Against my better judgment, I turned, and found myself face to face with a mob of serthis.
Before I had the chance to process thought, my pearl dropped to the sand and I crouched in a defensive position. I lost myself in battle, slashing and biting until my entire body felt just as dead as my wings. I was alone, one pearlcatcher against three serthis. I gritted my teeth and dove to the sand as I dodged an attack. As I recovered, rolling back to my feet and spitting sand, and suddenly I wasn’t fighting alone anymore. A fan scorpion was using its multiple tails to fight some of the snakes back for me. I forced myself to my feet and lunged back into the fight. When the final enemy was gone, it looked like I was finally safe.
Safe, with a scorpion shadow. I wasn’t sure where it came from. I hadn’t done anything to attract it. I don’t think I did anything to save it. If anything, I remembered the pain of a sting, and that I had fought at least one mob of scorpions. “I guess you’re my familiar now, aren’t you?” I asked aloud. The scorpion didn’t answer; it just skittered along the sand behind me. I scooped up my pearl from where it fell during the fighting, and continued pushing my way forward.
After a few hours of slow steps, I finally found a small copse of trees and gratefully threw myself down into the sand. Even though it was nearing dark now, the sand was still warm from the heat of the sun. Nonetheless, it felt good on my skin. I curled myself around my pearl, and I settled in for the night. The scorpion followed me into the shade, and crouched in the sand next to me. I turned my head to look at it for a moment, almost like I was expecting it to say something. Of course, it didn’t. “Goodnight, then,” I murmured, and set about tending to my pearl.
funny thing is...i wasn't planning on posting this at all. i started this purely for loring reasons, so i haven't been tracking my picks as well as i should have. the drops are making the loose framework for plot, although i'm also kind of just letting things happen as they will. gaea got a plant food today. she's lvl25, and safe from dying in coli. keeping with the desert theme, she went a few rounds in the sandswept delta, and came out with a familiar!
After the Storm
Days later, I found myself in the Highland Scrub. Much of the time between appearing there and leaving home was lost to me. I didn’t know how exactly how long it had been, but I knew the sun had risen and set multiple times. My wings hurt beyond anything I had ever felt before. I wanted nothing more than to curl up somewhere and sleep until my body was well again.
Unluckily for me, there was nowhere to hide here. I was basically in the middle of a desert, with no way out. It would take me days to get anywhere, and I didn’t have days left of travel in me. I forced myself to keep moving, even if I was just walking. As long as I was moving forward, I was still moving. A light breeze stirred the air and I squinted to keep the blowing sand out of my eyes. I kept moving forward, until I heard a rustling behind me. Against my better judgment, I turned, and found myself face to face with a mob of serthis.
Before I had the chance to process thought, my pearl dropped to the sand and I crouched in a defensive position. I lost myself in battle, slashing and biting until my entire body felt just as dead as my wings. I was alone, one pearlcatcher against three serthis. I gritted my teeth and dove to the sand as I dodged an attack. As I recovered, rolling back to my feet and spitting sand, and suddenly I wasn’t fighting alone anymore. A fan scorpion was using its multiple tails to fight some of the snakes back for me. I forced myself to my feet and lunged back into the fight. When the final enemy was gone, it looked like I was finally safe.
Safe, with a scorpion shadow. I wasn’t sure where it came from. I hadn’t done anything to attract it. I don’t think I did anything to save it. If anything, I remembered the pain of a sting, and that I had fought at least one mob of scorpions. “I guess you’re my familiar now, aren’t you?” I asked aloud. The scorpion didn’t answer; it just skittered along the sand behind me. I scooped up my pearl from where it fell during the fighting, and continued pushing my way forward.
After a few hours of slow steps, I finally found a small copse of trees and gratefully threw myself down into the sand. Even though it was nearing dark now, the sand was still warm from the heat of the sun. Nonetheless, it felt good on my skin. I curled myself around my pearl, and I settled in for the night. The scorpion followed me into the shade, and crouched in the sand next to me. I turned my head to look at it for a moment, almost like I was expecting it to say something. Of course, it didn’t. “Goodnight, then,” I murmured, and set about tending to my pearl.
funny thing is...i wasn't planning on posting this at all. i started this purely for loring reasons, so i haven't been tracking my picks as well as i should have. the drops are making the loose framework for plot, although i'm also kind of just letting things happen as they will. gaea got a plant food today. she's lvl25, and safe from dying in coli. keeping with the desert theme, she went a few rounds in the sandswept delta, and came out with a familiar!
The Journey Begins
I woke to the sun shining on my back. My scorpion friend was gone, but I wasn’t too worried about it. It would return eventually, of that I had no doubt. I allowed myself to rest a minute longer before I forced my aching body up. I had to find something to eat. There was an ache in my stomach, duller than that of my muscles, but still very much present.
I needed to give my wings more of a rest than a few hours’ sleep, so I avoided the skies. I commenced wandering, pushing forward toward the sunrise. As I had predicted, the moment I left the copse of trees I had used for shelter, the scorpion came skittering to follow my movements. I dragged my feet in the sand, looking for anything that could possibly pass as food. I was lucky, to be raised knowing that life was precious and that bodies were not meant to be eaten. I didn’t need to hunt and kill for my food. I could sustain myself on plants, and they would always be enough for me. Unfortunately, plants weren’t in large supply in the desert.
Hours of searching brought me nothing I could eat. I found some abandoned chess pieces, a few bottles that rattled when they shook but were too clouded over to see within, some ribbons, and some horns that once were used to sound a battle call. Hours of searching, and I had nothing. My stomach was still empty, and my muscles protested my every movement. There was nothing I wanted more than to curl up in the sand once again and go back to sleep, except perhaps even a fistful of plants. I shook my head and pushed onward. There was a nudge at my side, but I ignored it. The nudge came again, more insistently this time. I turned my head and saw one of the scorpion’s stingers reaching out to nudge me again. “What?” I snapped.
It knew it had my attention. It turned around and started off in the opposite direction, and turned back to look at me and snap its pincers impatiently before taking off again. “Okay, okay, I’m coming.” It turned around every few steps to make sure I was following, until we finally came to an oddly shaped box half-buried in the sand. It was a bluish purple, and it seemed to be rocking where it sat. “That’s…strange,” I murmured. I clutched my pearl to my chest with one hand and reached for the lid with my other. Even stranger, it wasn’t locked at all.
The only item inside was a scroll. When I unfurled it, there was no writing on it; only a strange pattern. It seemed to spiderweb out from one corner of the page, and turned blotchy. I rolled it back up and slipped it inside one of the broken battle horns. Maybe it would be useful some day in the future. I lowered myself to the ground carefully and spread the items I’d gathered out before me to take inventory again. A few of the chess pieces looked well-worn and cracked, and one rook seemed to be near to crumbling to dust. I started to pick apart the bottles to see what was inside when I heard a dull thud from behind me.
I turned around to see a tundra folding his wings against his body, his cyan eyes scanning me levelly. “It’s not safe here,” he said flatly. “Come with me.” He spread his wings out and took to the skies with a few powerful strokes. I watched him for a few seconds as he circled above me, waiting. “I guess I have to,” I whined to the scorpion. I crouched down and it climbed onto my back, pincers tightly wound in my mane. “This better be good.”
The Journey Begins
I woke to the sun shining on my back. My scorpion friend was gone, but I wasn’t too worried about it. It would return eventually, of that I had no doubt. I allowed myself to rest a minute longer before I forced my aching body up. I had to find something to eat. There was an ache in my stomach, duller than that of my muscles, but still very much present.
I needed to give my wings more of a rest than a few hours’ sleep, so I avoided the skies. I commenced wandering, pushing forward toward the sunrise. As I had predicted, the moment I left the copse of trees I had used for shelter, the scorpion came skittering to follow my movements. I dragged my feet in the sand, looking for anything that could possibly pass as food. I was lucky, to be raised knowing that life was precious and that bodies were not meant to be eaten. I didn’t need to hunt and kill for my food. I could sustain myself on plants, and they would always be enough for me. Unfortunately, plants weren’t in large supply in the desert.
Hours of searching brought me nothing I could eat. I found some abandoned chess pieces, a few bottles that rattled when they shook but were too clouded over to see within, some ribbons, and some horns that once were used to sound a battle call. Hours of searching, and I had nothing. My stomach was still empty, and my muscles protested my every movement. There was nothing I wanted more than to curl up in the sand once again and go back to sleep, except perhaps even a fistful of plants. I shook my head and pushed onward. There was a nudge at my side, but I ignored it. The nudge came again, more insistently this time. I turned my head and saw one of the scorpion’s stingers reaching out to nudge me again. “What?” I snapped.
It knew it had my attention. It turned around and started off in the opposite direction, and turned back to look at me and snap its pincers impatiently before taking off again. “Okay, okay, I’m coming.” It turned around every few steps to make sure I was following, until we finally came to an oddly shaped box half-buried in the sand. It was a bluish purple, and it seemed to be rocking where it sat. “That’s…strange,” I murmured. I clutched my pearl to my chest with one hand and reached for the lid with my other. Even stranger, it wasn’t locked at all.
The only item inside was a scroll. When I unfurled it, there was no writing on it; only a strange pattern. It seemed to spiderweb out from one corner of the page, and turned blotchy. I rolled it back up and slipped it inside one of the broken battle horns. Maybe it would be useful some day in the future. I lowered myself to the ground carefully and spread the items I’d gathered out before me to take inventory again. A few of the chess pieces looked well-worn and cracked, and one rook seemed to be near to crumbling to dust. I started to pick apart the bottles to see what was inside when I heard a dull thud from behind me.
I turned around to see a tundra folding his wings against his body, his cyan eyes scanning me levelly. “It’s not safe here,” he said flatly. “Come with me.” He spread his wings out and took to the skies with a few powerful strokes. I watched him for a few seconds as he circled above me, waiting. “I guess I have to,” I whined to the scorpion. I crouched down and it climbed onto my back, pincers tightly wound in my mane. “This better be good.”
The Cave
I followed the strange tundra for what must have been a few miles. I heaved a sigh of relief as he finally began lowering himself to the ground. He touched down near the mouth of a small cave, and I dropped the final few feet onto the dusty ground and supported myself on shaky limbs. “We will be safe here,” he assured me. “Come in.”
Inside, the cave was lined with shelves filled with bottles and jars of food, shelves filled with trinkets and materials, and in the back of the cave there was a mass of fabrics I could only understand to be a bed. Two deep red mounds of fur lay among the fabric, and I lowered myself to the dirt floor as the scorpion clambered down from my back. “This is nice,” I said slowly.
“Abrielle, Redara, wake up,” he pressed, walking to the back of the cave and pushing at the fabrics. “We have a new friend.” The two red masses stirred and came up from the bed, revealing themselves to be tundras. “Introduce yourselves, please.”
The larger one stepped forward first. “I am Redara. I am something of a healer. Vaesna taught me everything he knows.”
“Which isn’t much,” the smaller one added. “I’m Abrielle. Vaesna found us both as eggs. He raised us. He’s the only family we know.” She looked to the ivory tundra with an almost adoring gaze. “Without him, we’d probably be dead by now.”
“Don’t say that,” he said sharply. “You two would have just fine without me.”
“Doubtful,” Redara quipped. I glanced between all three of them, stroking my pearl absentmindedly while I watched the small tundra clan. “And who are you?” She was speaking directly to me now, piercing me with a fierce cyan gaze like she would try to see through me.
“My name is Gaea,” I murmured. As quiet as I was, my voice still reverberated around the cave. “I lost my home to a fire, so I’ve just been wandering, looking for somewhere new.”
“Do you know where you’re going?” Vaesna asked. “You’re looking for a new home.”
My only reply was a shrug.
“Well, it doesn’t make sense to go out on your own,” Abrielle said decidedly. “You should come with us.” Redara reached out and stomped the smaller tundra’s foot, causing her to recoil in pain. “Dara, you’re a healer. Vaesna is a fighter. What do I do? Paint and gather food. I’m no use in a fight. Vaesna could use a partner.”
“You can’t just invite strangers along with us,” Redara hissed. Vaesna stepped forward and flung out a wing to put up a partition between them and me.
“Do you want to come with us?” he asked me seriously. “We’re going to the Windswept Plateau. It’s a safe place for all of us. Wind dragons welcome everyone. You’re welcome to come with us, if you’d like.”
I studied his cyan eyes, looking for any hint of insincerity I could find, but there was nothing other than unbridled honesty. “Normally I’m a pretty fair hand at fighting. I’ve been flying for days, though, and I can’t remember the last time I ate. I’d be more of a burden to you than anything.”
“I was actually just about to go out foraging, if you’d like to come with,” Abrielle offered. “We have some plants left from last week’s gathering, but if you’re going to be joining us, we’re definitely going to need more.” She pushed her way past Vaesna’s outstretched wings, and saw my pained expression. “Don’t worry, we’re not going far. And we won’t have to fly.”
The Cave
I followed the strange tundra for what must have been a few miles. I heaved a sigh of relief as he finally began lowering himself to the ground. He touched down near the mouth of a small cave, and I dropped the final few feet onto the dusty ground and supported myself on shaky limbs. “We will be safe here,” he assured me. “Come in.”
Inside, the cave was lined with shelves filled with bottles and jars of food, shelves filled with trinkets and materials, and in the back of the cave there was a mass of fabrics I could only understand to be a bed. Two deep red mounds of fur lay among the fabric, and I lowered myself to the dirt floor as the scorpion clambered down from my back. “This is nice,” I said slowly.
“Abrielle, Redara, wake up,” he pressed, walking to the back of the cave and pushing at the fabrics. “We have a new friend.” The two red masses stirred and came up from the bed, revealing themselves to be tundras. “Introduce yourselves, please.”
The larger one stepped forward first. “I am Redara. I am something of a healer. Vaesna taught me everything he knows.”
“Which isn’t much,” the smaller one added. “I’m Abrielle. Vaesna found us both as eggs. He raised us. He’s the only family we know.” She looked to the ivory tundra with an almost adoring gaze. “Without him, we’d probably be dead by now.”
“Don’t say that,” he said sharply. “You two would have just fine without me.”
“Doubtful,” Redara quipped. I glanced between all three of them, stroking my pearl absentmindedly while I watched the small tundra clan. “And who are you?” She was speaking directly to me now, piercing me with a fierce cyan gaze like she would try to see through me.
“My name is Gaea,” I murmured. As quiet as I was, my voice still reverberated around the cave. “I lost my home to a fire, so I’ve just been wandering, looking for somewhere new.”
“Do you know where you’re going?” Vaesna asked. “You’re looking for a new home.”
My only reply was a shrug.
“Well, it doesn’t make sense to go out on your own,” Abrielle said decidedly. “You should come with us.” Redara reached out and stomped the smaller tundra’s foot, causing her to recoil in pain. “Dara, you’re a healer. Vaesna is a fighter. What do I do? Paint and gather food. I’m no use in a fight. Vaesna could use a partner.”
“You can’t just invite strangers along with us,” Redara hissed. Vaesna stepped forward and flung out a wing to put up a partition between them and me.
“Do you want to come with us?” he asked me seriously. “We’re going to the Windswept Plateau. It’s a safe place for all of us. Wind dragons welcome everyone. You’re welcome to come with us, if you’d like.”
I studied his cyan eyes, looking for any hint of insincerity I could find, but there was nothing other than unbridled honesty. “Normally I’m a pretty fair hand at fighting. I’ve been flying for days, though, and I can’t remember the last time I ate. I’d be more of a burden to you than anything.”
“I was actually just about to go out foraging, if you’d like to come with,” Abrielle offered. “We have some plants left from last week’s gathering, but if you’re going to be joining us, we’re definitely going to need more.” She pushed her way past Vaesna’s outstretched wings, and saw my pained expression. “Don’t worry, we’re not going far. And we won’t have to fly.”
A New Discovery
They gave me a few minutes to rest before Abrielle ushered me out of the cave. She wore a golden scarf over her face to keep out the sand, and handed me a length of tattered silk so I could do the same. We walked in silence for a while, walking past cacti and low-lying shrubs that had already been picked over by local life, as much as could be found here.
“So, Vaesna found you, too?” Her voice shocked me out of the comfortable silence we’d fallen into, and I caught sight a group of meerkats running off as they caught scent of us. I ambled over to a patch of marigolds and picked them over, adding the buds to a satchel that Redara had thoughtfully given us on our way out.
“Yeah,” I said dismissively. “I was trying to gather food, a lot like we are now, except I wasn’t as well prepared. He…came upon me, and offered me safety. And then he brought me to you guys.” I clipped the buckle of the satchel together and returned to the tundra, ready to move on.
“And you just followed him? Just like that?”
I gave her a pointed look, not quite understanding what she was trying to get at. “I could have died on my own. He or Redara or even you could have killed me. It wouldn’t have mattered much. I figured I could use the company either way.” We walked on for a while longer, slipping into a tense silence.
“Wait, what’s that?” Abrielle dashed forward toward a clump of brush that seemed to be trampled over. Her golden scarf slipped from her face and rested at the base of her neck, falling forward as she leaned over to inspect something.
“What’s what?” I asked, following her with a much slower place. As I drew closer, I caught a glimpse of what she was leaning over and was instantly filled with a mixture of dread and sadness.
“They’ve been abandoned for a long time,” she said sadly. “I can’t smell any trace of any dragon that’s not us.”
“Should we take them, then?”
“I don’t think we have a choice.”
A New Discovery
They gave me a few minutes to rest before Abrielle ushered me out of the cave. She wore a golden scarf over her face to keep out the sand, and handed me a length of tattered silk so I could do the same. We walked in silence for a while, walking past cacti and low-lying shrubs that had already been picked over by local life, as much as could be found here.
“So, Vaesna found you, too?” Her voice shocked me out of the comfortable silence we’d fallen into, and I caught sight a group of meerkats running off as they caught scent of us. I ambled over to a patch of marigolds and picked them over, adding the buds to a satchel that Redara had thoughtfully given us on our way out.
“Yeah,” I said dismissively. “I was trying to gather food, a lot like we are now, except I wasn’t as well prepared. He…came upon me, and offered me safety. And then he brought me to you guys.” I clipped the buckle of the satchel together and returned to the tundra, ready to move on.
“And you just followed him? Just like that?”
I gave her a pointed look, not quite understanding what she was trying to get at. “I could have died on my own. He or Redara or even you could have killed me. It wouldn’t have mattered much. I figured I could use the company either way.” We walked on for a while longer, slipping into a tense silence.
“Wait, what’s that?” Abrielle dashed forward toward a clump of brush that seemed to be trampled over. Her golden scarf slipped from her face and rested at the base of her neck, falling forward as she leaned over to inspect something.
“What’s what?” I asked, following her with a much slower place. As I drew closer, I caught a glimpse of what she was leaning over and was instantly filled with a mixture of dread and sadness.
“They’ve been abandoned for a long time,” she said sadly. “I can’t smell any trace of any dragon that’s not us.”
“Should we take them, then?”
“I don’t think we have a choice.”
Cracking Up
We loaded up the three eggs into our satchels, carefully wrapped in our scarves so that they wouldn’t get damaged by the travel. After a brief argument, we decided that it was faster to fly back to the cave, and we didn’t want to be exposed with the abandoned clutch for any longer than necessary. The cave was safe; the desert was not.
When we returned, we were met with two startled looks. “What’s going on?” Vaesna asked immediately, as Abrielle touched down and gingerly took off her satchel and pulled out the scarf-wrapped egg. I landed beside her and brought out the two eggs that I had brought back, as well as the small amount of food we had gathered. Vaesna hurriedly snatched them up and placed them among the blankets at the back of the cave and wrapped them closer around them.
“We found them while we were gathering.” I spoke quickly, figuring it was better to get the words out of the way quickly before anyone else could speak out against the actions. “Abrielle said that it smelled like they’d been abandoned for some time. I didn’t want to just leave them out there alone. What if they would have hatched there, and been killed by serthis or something?”
“What if they hatch here?” Redara countered. “We can sustain the three of us just fine. It’ll be a stretch to accommodate you. What do we know about what’s going to come out of these eggs? Nothing! How do we know these are even dragon eggs?”
“What else would lay eggs this big?”
“We’ll figure it out,” Vaesna said decidedly. “If I have my way, there’s never going to be a hatchling out there on their own. We’ll take them in. If Gaea stays with us, we can all take turns at the hatchlings and gathering.” The way he said it made it seem like it was the end of discussion. I nodded, although nobody’s attention was on me.
“What are they?” Redara pressed. “I’ve never seen eggs like these before.”
“It is the end of the year,” Vaesna pointed out. “The Night of the Nocturne is upon us. I would bet a week’s food on them being nocturne eggs. They’re not out often, so I’d guess that a pair came out of hiding to lay a nest and met an unfortunate end. They could have been forced out of their home. Maybe the eggs were stolen. We’ll never know.”
“If they’re not out often, how do you know so much about them?” I asked.
“I did a lot of reading back home,” he replied dismissively. “It doesn’t matter. What does matter is what we’re going to do once they hatch.”
“You said I can stay with you, right?” My question was directed to Vaesna himself, but all three tundras nodded. “We can stay here until they hatch. Like Vaesna said, we can take turns. One of us can tend to the eggs, the other three can go out and gather for food.”
“Why don’t you stay with them, then?” Redara twitched her tail toward the eggs. “You found them. You want to keep them. You take the first shift, then.” I made my way toward the bed and curled up among the blankets, curving my body around the eggs. I wrapped my tail around the outside of the blanket surrounding them. The others left the cave in silence after picking up some empty satchels and some horns filled with water. I rested my head on my pearl and closed my eyes, happy for some true rest.
Rest, that is, until I heard the telltale cracking of an egg hatching.
Cracking Up
We loaded up the three eggs into our satchels, carefully wrapped in our scarves so that they wouldn’t get damaged by the travel. After a brief argument, we decided that it was faster to fly back to the cave, and we didn’t want to be exposed with the abandoned clutch for any longer than necessary. The cave was safe; the desert was not.
When we returned, we were met with two startled looks. “What’s going on?” Vaesna asked immediately, as Abrielle touched down and gingerly took off her satchel and pulled out the scarf-wrapped egg. I landed beside her and brought out the two eggs that I had brought back, as well as the small amount of food we had gathered. Vaesna hurriedly snatched them up and placed them among the blankets at the back of the cave and wrapped them closer around them.
“We found them while we were gathering.” I spoke quickly, figuring it was better to get the words out of the way quickly before anyone else could speak out against the actions. “Abrielle said that it smelled like they’d been abandoned for some time. I didn’t want to just leave them out there alone. What if they would have hatched there, and been killed by serthis or something?”
“What if they hatch here?” Redara countered. “We can sustain the three of us just fine. It’ll be a stretch to accommodate you. What do we know about what’s going to come out of these eggs? Nothing! How do we know these are even dragon eggs?”
“What else would lay eggs this big?”
“We’ll figure it out,” Vaesna said decidedly. “If I have my way, there’s never going to be a hatchling out there on their own. We’ll take them in. If Gaea stays with us, we can all take turns at the hatchlings and gathering.” The way he said it made it seem like it was the end of discussion. I nodded, although nobody’s attention was on me.
“What are they?” Redara pressed. “I’ve never seen eggs like these before.”
“It is the end of the year,” Vaesna pointed out. “The Night of the Nocturne is upon us. I would bet a week’s food on them being nocturne eggs. They’re not out often, so I’d guess that a pair came out of hiding to lay a nest and met an unfortunate end. They could have been forced out of their home. Maybe the eggs were stolen. We’ll never know.”
“If they’re not out often, how do you know so much about them?” I asked.
“I did a lot of reading back home,” he replied dismissively. “It doesn’t matter. What does matter is what we’re going to do once they hatch.”
“You said I can stay with you, right?” My question was directed to Vaesna himself, but all three tundras nodded. “We can stay here until they hatch. Like Vaesna said, we can take turns. One of us can tend to the eggs, the other three can go out and gather for food.”
“Why don’t you stay with them, then?” Redara twitched her tail toward the eggs. “You found them. You want to keep them. You take the first shift, then.” I made my way toward the bed and curled up among the blankets, curving my body around the eggs. I wrapped my tail around the outside of the blanket surrounding them. The others left the cave in silence after picking up some empty satchels and some horns filled with water. I rested my head on my pearl and closed my eyes, happy for some true rest.
Rest, that is, until I heard the telltale cracking of an egg hatching.
Welcome Home
When the gathering party returned with satchels full of food and useful trinkets, they were met with the same surprise my nap was interrupted by. Two hatchling nocturnes, about as different as they could be, blinked up at everyone. A boy and a girl, one with abyssal leathery skin and the other a more golden hue, one set of pale green eyes and another that mirrored Abrielle’s caramel.
“I’ll be damned,” Redara whispered. “They are dragons.”
“Nocturnes,” Vaesna affirmed, without so much as dropping a satchel. “They eat insects and meat. Hopefully they can learn to only eat insects. Meat isn’t going to be easy to come by around here, especially with all the vultures.”
“What’s going on with their eyes?” Abrielle asked. “Shouldn’t they be blue-y like yours are? Or shouldn’t they both be the same color, at least?”
“They must have been stolen.” Vaesna removed his satchel and set about putting the contents away with surety. “Do they have names yet?”
“How – no, they haven’t got names yet,” I stammered. “How would they have names yet?”
“Well, I’d imagine you would name them.” The answer came so simply that it seemed stupid I hadn’t thought of it. “What does the third one look like?”
My eyes found the third egg, sat unmoving in the nest amidst the broken shells of its siblings. “It hasn’t hatched.” I felt a pang of sadness, almost like it was my own egg that had failed to thrive. I hadn’t failed at anything, but it felt an awful lot like I did. Two of the three hatched healthy, and that should be enough. Still, it was impossible not to feel the loss of the life that the third egg could have held.
“Maybe it’s not ready,” Vaesna soothed. “We’ll stay here until the hatchlings are grown, and then be on our way. It’s too dangerous to fly with two hatchlings. I should know.”
“I don’t think we should,” I argued. “Stay here, I mean. There’s four of us, two hatchlings, and an egg. I’m big enough, I can carry them all. As long as you lot can carry whatever supplies we need, we can go.”
“We’ll need to move on within a day or so.” The male tundra’s voice was relatively flat, even if he was agreeing with me. “We had to cover some distance while gathering today. What you two managed to find on your own within a small radius was pretty much all that was left around here. I managed to get almost a full jar of beetles. They won’t last too long, I know, but it’s better than nothing. We won’t be able to stay here much longer, especially with three new mouths to feed.”
“You only eat plants, right?” I asked cautiously. “I don’t have to. Keep them for yourselves, I can teach the hatchlings to live off insects alone. I don’t want to have to make you guys stretch yourselves too thin to accommodate me.”
“You’re one of us now,” Abrielle beamed. The darker hatchling toddled up to her, blinking his green eyes as he screeched out some form of mimicry of her words. Abrielle spread her wings as far as she could, and his icy wingspan opened up to copy her movement. “Okay, he’s cute,” she laughed.
“I think I’ll call him River,” I decided. “He’s different shades of blue, I think it’ll suit him. And I think the little girl will be…Phoebe.”
“Phoebe,” she squeaked, curling her wings around one of my hands.
“Yeah, Phoebe, that’s your name,” I laughed. “You learn fast, don’t you,
Phoebe?”
“Phoebe!”
Welcome Home
When the gathering party returned with satchels full of food and useful trinkets, they were met with the same surprise my nap was interrupted by. Two hatchling nocturnes, about as different as they could be, blinked up at everyone. A boy and a girl, one with abyssal leathery skin and the other a more golden hue, one set of pale green eyes and another that mirrored Abrielle’s caramel.
“I’ll be damned,” Redara whispered. “They are dragons.”
“Nocturnes,” Vaesna affirmed, without so much as dropping a satchel. “They eat insects and meat. Hopefully they can learn to only eat insects. Meat isn’t going to be easy to come by around here, especially with all the vultures.”
“What’s going on with their eyes?” Abrielle asked. “Shouldn’t they be blue-y like yours are? Or shouldn’t they both be the same color, at least?”
“They must have been stolen.” Vaesna removed his satchel and set about putting the contents away with surety. “Do they have names yet?”
“How – no, they haven’t got names yet,” I stammered. “How would they have names yet?”
“Well, I’d imagine you would name them.” The answer came so simply that it seemed stupid I hadn’t thought of it. “What does the third one look like?”
My eyes found the third egg, sat unmoving in the nest amidst the broken shells of its siblings. “It hasn’t hatched.” I felt a pang of sadness, almost like it was my own egg that had failed to thrive. I hadn’t failed at anything, but it felt an awful lot like I did. Two of the three hatched healthy, and that should be enough. Still, it was impossible not to feel the loss of the life that the third egg could have held.
“Maybe it’s not ready,” Vaesna soothed. “We’ll stay here until the hatchlings are grown, and then be on our way. It’s too dangerous to fly with two hatchlings. I should know.”
“I don’t think we should,” I argued. “Stay here, I mean. There’s four of us, two hatchlings, and an egg. I’m big enough, I can carry them all. As long as you lot can carry whatever supplies we need, we can go.”
“We’ll need to move on within a day or so.” The male tundra’s voice was relatively flat, even if he was agreeing with me. “We had to cover some distance while gathering today. What you two managed to find on your own within a small radius was pretty much all that was left around here. I managed to get almost a full jar of beetles. They won’t last too long, I know, but it’s better than nothing. We won’t be able to stay here much longer, especially with three new mouths to feed.”
“You only eat plants, right?” I asked cautiously. “I don’t have to. Keep them for yourselves, I can teach the hatchlings to live off insects alone. I don’t want to have to make you guys stretch yourselves too thin to accommodate me.”
“You’re one of us now,” Abrielle beamed. The darker hatchling toddled up to her, blinking his green eyes as he screeched out some form of mimicry of her words. Abrielle spread her wings as far as she could, and his icy wingspan opened up to copy her movement. “Okay, he’s cute,” she laughed.
“I think I’ll call him River,” I decided. “He’s different shades of blue, I think it’ll suit him. And I think the little girl will be…Phoebe.”
“Phoebe,” she squeaked, curling her wings around one of my hands.
“Yeah, Phoebe, that’s your name,” I laughed. “You learn fast, don’t you,
Phoebe?”
“Phoebe!”
