Yectli

Upon learning that their daughter had forged her own way in life, and taken up residence in the Nature flight, they left her well enough alone. She was a strong one, she knew their ways. Their ways are the ways of Ice: it is never really forgiving, the ice simply takes what it does out of its own recognizance. That is how the Ice Flight makes its members strong: either you make your way in it and live, or you die and get consumed by the ice.

However, upon learning that one of her children was to be put up on the auction block, Xbalanque and Ixchel pleaded with the clan leader, the great Visenya, to intercede for them, and to bring their grandchild back with her, to bring her home.

After a moment of silence, Visenya gave a nod of her head in assent. She chose Altair to accompany her, and Helios, as he originally hailed from the lands of Nature.

The three set off to the Auction blocks, with only the required information, and only so much treasure as they could carry. It wasn't much, seeing as they were in more or less dire straits at the time, but they survived off the land, and that was at least something.

After hours of searching, they came upon the little one, a little hatchling with bright, expectant eyes, looking at the three of them. The auctioneers told Visenya about her parentage, and confirmed that it was Xbalanque's and Ixchel's grandchild.

"Little one," said the great black dragon, "we have come to take you with us."

This little one didn't understand why, or why she was even there, but she knew her mother had not thought much of her. Though she could understand WHY that was - to be strong, or to be weak. To live, or to die. To do something about her situation, or not.

She had not... done. Much. She was only a day old. Yet, she could understand that an opportunity was given to her.

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The little one didn't fly as much as ride on Visenya's back, made comfortable with whatever furs were with her new guardian. While on the wing, she was told that she would never see the lands of Nature again, but that she was to come back home to her roots, to where her mother began her first steps, and that she would be welcome with open arms to their clan, to their lair.

Her clan. Her lair.

There was much joy when Xbalanque and Ixchel laid eyes on their grandchild, a joyful hissing that was met with the other Coatls of their clan. The others in the clan simply gave proud roars as they were presented with the little one inside their lair. They asked for a name, and she couldn't give them one.

She hadn't been given one.

"In that case, I shall give you your name. From now on, you are Yectli," proclaimed Ixchel, "which beans Beautiful. You are beautiful, my beloved grandchild. And you are now here. Safe, and sound."

It was thus surrounded by her grandparents and the many new family members that she had in her new clan, that she slept soundly for the first time in her very short life. She felt warm, and hopeful as she fell asleep, wondering what the rest of her life would be like.

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After the days of her youth, being cared for by her grandparents and the others in the clan, she couldn't wait to see what sort of role Visenya would have for her. She was a decent hunter, and would help her grandparents out with the fishing whenever they needed it, but she felt like she needed to prove herself, especially to the leader of the clan.

Still after some time passed, it seemed that she would only help the clan by helping gathering food. Not that it wasn't anything to sneeze at, but she wanted more, and to do more. With this in mind, she went up to the great Visenya, bowed low, and asked to be trained by her to be a warrior.

Others in the clan stayed silent while this audience was held. Pride stepped forward, as did Cuauhtemoc and Huitzilopochtli, these three being warriors in their own right that helped to defend the clan. Visenya only shook her wings a little to warn them off from speaking up.

"Yectli," she spoke at last, "is this truly what you wish?"

"Yes, great one. I will work hard and do my best, for you and the clan."

Visenya mantled her wings and let her armor clink lightly as she stood and walked around Yectli, giving her the once-over. After humming deep in thought, she then sat on her haunches directly in front of Yectli.

"I will allow it. It is known to us that your sire is a great warrior, though it seems that you have a better temperament... I wonder why?" she asked with a note of amusement in her voice.

"You will start tomorrow. I shall train you, along with Obersaria over in the Coliseum training fields. Then we shall go up as you progress."

Yectli couldn't suppress a smile as she was directed to the clan's armory and picked out her armor.

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"That's it for the time being. We'll take a rest, and then we'll continue on forward through this arena."

Yectli wearily sank down to the ground, as Obversaria handed her a ration of food and a skin of water. She seemingly scarfed down her food and greedily drank down her water. It had been difficult after the last one, and she had been wounded, but thank goodness for the fact that Visenya was carrying around the healing poitions.

Oh, the miracle that were potions.

It had already been a good number of weeks since she first stepped foot onto the Coliseum's training grounds. Obversaria advised Visenya on how much they could push Yectli, and while she was annoyed at first, she then came to realize after a few days that she was completely right on point about everything. The first day was completely exhausting, and the second one was like putting her through the grinder, but she slogged on through regardless even if her muscles told her to quit, if her tendons pained her, she continued.

Now it was different. Now she was clearly at a higher level than what she had expected, she had been bringing in trophies for the clan to use, and she could feel the difference in her own strength. The beasts they encountered upped the ante in every arena, as it were, but it was fun, exciting, and it all showed her that she was becoming a great warrior in her own right.

She was going to be strong, she was going to do her part, and she was going to dominate her surroundings and make it work for her. Being with the clan had taught her how to survive off the land, and how to keep death at bay.

The ice was her home, and if she could survive out here in the most inhospitable crags, she could make it anywhere.

If only her parents could see her now. Maybe they might even be proud she could make it this far.

If only.

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She got a letter from her parents after a long while without any sort of contact. It was strange..

She didn't know what to say when she first got the letter, but she got word from them. They said that they were proud of her, that she had a sister somewhere still with their clan, but she wasn't a warrior, that she was a sort of healer, or at least tried to take care of her mother.

Also, they embarrassingly asked about whether or not she had a mate or not. Or if there were offers, and if there were who they were, or something to that effect.

But they mentioned that, because she was strong, that she was seen by their clan's scouts, and they had reported that she was strong, really strong. They were proud of her exactly because she was strong, that she was carrying on their legacy.

Strength and Might.

To celebrate, Ixchel and Xbalanque made a gift of new armor, Burnished Filigree Armor, the entire set of it, to show her dedication to Might.

Visenya herself, who had been saving for some scrolls for herself, decided to instead gift the young one with new scrolls to change her appearance. From Tiger, Stripes, and Underbelly... to Petals, Facet, and Glimmer.

She sent a letter back, but her father only sent a short message, saying that her mother had brooded again, and was tired of the work involved.

Yectli could understand that.

She wondered what that would be like, if she ever did that herself, when her time came.

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After some time, she met Hades, her mate. The things that she liked about him were his strength and his looks. So he had a few more eyes than others did. That means he wouldn't get caught off guard no matter what. Also, wings were like her own, so it felt fated to be, in a sense. She had her first clutch of eggs, and now those girls are on their own, having children of their own.

Now she reminisces about her life up until now, as she's brooding again, and wonders how the two eggs in her nest will look like once they hatch. Hopefully, they'll grow strong. They have it in their blood. Like her father before her, like herself, and like her mate, they should grow to be strong.