Nacreela

I.

The Saurus Clan and the Lair by the Sea have long been allies. Young dragons often travel from one lair to another, sometimes settling down to stay. So there was nothing unusual about the Lair by the Sea's decision to send Nacreela away.

But Nacreela thought there was.

There were advantages to being a quiet, well-behaved hatchling, and one of those was hearing things she wasn't supposed to. So she heard the rumors, whispered when the adults failed to notice her, of turmoil at one of the allied clans. They used words that didn't make sense together: ship and fall and something about a dream. Dragons left in greater numbers than usual, and when they returned many were injured or had haunted eyes. Some of them never came back.

So when they told Nacreela she had to go away, she threw the first and only tantrum of her life.

'I won't go! You can't make me, I won't!' Her claws caught on her mother's fur as she bit and kicked, desperate to get away and hide. The adults exchanged glances over her head, puzzled.
'Please,' she begged, 'don't send me away to die like the others. '

Iphigenia stared at her for a long moment, then sighed and sat down to explain. She told the hatchling that an allied clan had suffered from a great disaster, and dragons from the Lair by the Sea had gone off to help. She informed Nacreela that she wasn't being sent off to die, but to a different allied clan that was farther away from the danger. Furthermore, the dragons who were injured or killed helping Cloudkeeper's clan had gone willingly. 'We don't send dragons off to die for no reason, Nacreela. But this world is dangerous, and sometimes we have to fight. We have to help our allies. Just like the Saurus clan is helping us by keeping you safe.'

Nacreela thought hard about this. 'But how can I help our clan if I'm not here? I could...I could try to fight, if I could stay until I got bigger.' She hated the thought of going off to whatever was sending dragons back so broken, but she didn't want to turn her back on their allies, either.

Iphigenia hesitated. 'Sometimes...we have to help in other ways. Some dragons don't ever fight, they stay behind to keep the lair running. Or they tend to the wounded fighters when they come home.' Iphigenia's eyes lost their focus for a moment, as though her mind was somewhere far away. 'Nacreela...sometimes, even the dragons who come back without a scratch will need help. Being so close to death can leave scars that are harder to see.' Nacreela didn't understand, but there was so much conviction in her mother's voice that she didn't argue. And when they told her again that she was going to the Saurus Clan, she went.

Further reading: Wrimona, Ambrosius, Doldrum I, Saturnine I.

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II.

The Saurus Clan welcomed Nacreela with open wings. Wrimona was the first to greet her, surprising no one.

'Hello! It's so good to see you, little one! Come in, you can share this nest, we always have space for one more!' Nacreela was bemused by the exuberant welcome, but she did as the cheerful Tundra said. 'We have plenty of younglings who come here without their families, so don't worry! Our family is big enough for everyone, right Ambrosius?'

A golden male paused on his way out of the nest. 'Uh...yes?' His gaze dropped to Nacreela. 'Oh. Another one.' He hurried away before Wrimona could ask him to stay. A pair of dark-colored tundra hatchlings slipped away after him. One of them stared back at Nacreela for a moment, purple eyes startled. Then he turned and scampered off.

Wrimona sighed and watched them go. 'Isn't that sweet? All the hatchlings adore Ambrosius. You will too, I'm sure.'

Nacreela wasn't sure those hatchlings 'adored' anyone; they had looked like they were trying to get away. But she liked the bubbly Tundra mother, so she didn't say anything.

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III.

By the time she grew to adulthood, Nacreela knew she wasn't meant to follow in the path of any other dragon in the lair. The fighting and hunting paths were right out; the one time she tried she had felt too sorry for the beasts they battled. She wasn't deft with her claws, so most of the forge work and other jobs that required a delicate touch were out. She liked books, but she preferred listening to live dragons than reading about dragons long gone. And although she helped with the hatchlings as much as she could, they weren't her hatchlings. They didn't really need her.

But there were dragons in the lair who did need her, she thought. Other dragons seemed to find her presence soothing, and they opened up when she was around. Sometimes they told her about their worries or related stories of past traumas that they hadn't gotten over. Most of them just needed someone to listen. And Nacreela was good at listening. Finally, after a long afternoon spent listening to an injured fighter who was scared her wing would never heal, Nacreela went to the Clan Mother and asked for a space where she could meet with other dragons privately.

The Clan Mother was clearly startled. 'Why?' She had only spoken to Nacreela once - and somehow found herself talking about old history with one of the males - and couldn't think what the young Tundra needed such a space for.

'For listening,' Nacreela said. 'To help other dragons with the problems they can't handle on their own. It might not be as critical as providing food or protecting the clan from attack, but...' she thought of her mother's long-ago words, 'I think it's needed.'

And that was how Nacreela became the Saurus Clan's therapist.

Further Reading:
Doldrum II-IV
Argent Aurelius

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IV.

'...and I got to fly all day! Then I came back to the lair and made a new friend. Then Crimminy found me and I spent the rest of yesterday talking to Mother-'

Nacreela delicately interrupted the flood of information. 'And...how did that make you feel?' She could usually tell when a dragon had something to get off their chest, but this one was something of a mystery. He had been talking for an hour, and he didn't seem to have any emotional burdens to unload.

'Oh, I feel great!' the dragon said. 'Talking to Mother always makes me happy. I like talking to Crimminy too, but he seems sad sometimes. I don't really understand that. But hey, enough about me. What about you? How are you today?'

Nacreela blinked. 'I'm fine. But...well, I am a little confused. Did you have something in particular you needed to talk about? Usually dragons do, when they come to see me.'

Argent Aurelius grinned at her. 'Really? That's fascinating! I didn't know that, I just came in here because I hadn't met you yet. I'm trying to meet everyone, there are so many interesting dragons in our clan! But you must know that, if everyone comes to talk to you.'

Nacreela shook her head. 'Not everyone does. Some dragons come to me when they have problems, but I think some of the others are nervous about it. Others find alternative ways of handling things. But I would talk to everyone if they came in to see me. That's why I'm here.' Though clearly even dragons who don't have problems come to talk to me, she thought with some amusement. Argent Aurelius didn't seem to have any qualms about talking to the clan therapist, and it was a little refreshing to talk to someone who was so...well-adjusted.

'Oh! So you're here to help dragons who need it? That's wonderful! I bet you're great at that, you're so good at listening.' Argent Aurelius beamed at her, and Nacreela flushed a little. I guess I'm not the only one who can make dragons feel good about themselves, she thought. Argent Aurelius continued, 'Do you think you could talk to my friend? I think he's lonely, but he pretends he isn't. Maybe you could help him?'

'Well, of course...if he wants to come. I can't do much for a dragon who doesn't want to talk to me.'

Argent Aurelius bounded to his feet. 'Of course he'll come! I don't know why anyone wouldn't want to talk to you. Wait here, I'll go get him.'

Nacreela shook her head. She had met a lot of dragons in her time here, but never one so exuberant as Argent Aurelius. Maybe I should recommend his company as a treatment option. I can't imagine anyone feeling down when they're around him.

A scuffle in the corridor brought her out of her reverie. She looked up just in time to see that the golden dragon was back - and he was dragging another Tundra with him.

'See, I told you he would come! Nacreela, this is the friend I was telling you about. I'm sure you two will hit it off! I'll come get you in an hour, okay, Doldrum?' He pranced away before the other dragon could respond.

Nacreela turned her attention to the newcomer, who looked like he was trying to hide behind his shadow. 'So, Doldrum, is it? I'm Nacreela. Argent Aurelius said you wanted to talk?'

Doldrum glared at her. 'No.'

Well...this is certainly going to be an interesting session.