Sirka

Sirka is the chieftain of the tribe alongside Terabithia. He is her counterpart in every way but one: their shared love for the tribe. He represents the fierce protectiveness of the Gladekeeper for her own children and great hostility for those entering her land with bad intentions. While Terabithia will allow any dragon to stay and believes every lie, Sirka is much more hostile with strangers. If there is something off about them, he turns them away to protect the tribe. Sirka's judgement happens almost immediately and is very difficult to shake even if he does allow the dragon to stay. Sirka cares deeply for his tribe and is willing to fight to protect it at any cost. He has learned to be tolerant of Terabithia's sometimes rather silly ways, and to balance them. Sirka is a master at diplomacy, understanding the importance of finding and keeping good, strong allies. Sirka truly hates the Beastclans. He has had eggs carried off by them and the dragons in his care out in danger during Beastclan ambushes. He is almost unreasonable in his hatred of them, but despite that Terabithia manages to convince him to ally with the non-hostile Beastclans. Sirka hates dealing with Beastclan ambassadors, but he understands the importance of maintaining a friendly relationship with them for the good of the tribe. Sirka's biggest regret is never knowing his mother, who risked everything to give him a home in the Viridian Labryinth. He hates how cruel the dragons of the Plague flight had treated her and wishes for reveng . He is fiercely loyal to the Gladekeeper and wishes to protect her land with his all and he hates the Gladekeeper's sister almost as much as the Gladekeeper herself does. ((Note: Plague flight is awesome and wonderful and the author is fond of her sister-flight))

Abandonment and Adoption
A single egg lay in a tiny nest tucked snugly in the ferns and flowers. It was a cold egg, an unattended egg destined to die. Indeed, it was supposed to die, but fate took a different turn. Two dragons were foraging in the woods, and they happened upon a bulb they were looking for. They found several of those bulbs, leading through the forest and directly to the egg. Was it fate, or was it an act performed by the Glademother? Either way, they found the egg and saved the dragon forming within from certain death. The little Mirror dragon almost didn't survive, the clan was certain he had died within the egg. But this little one was a survivor and he wouldn't give up. The Mirror Dragon was truly at home in the Viridian Labyrinth, he loved the sight and smell of things that grew, the beauty in the smallest flower and the peace that the whole land held. The other dragons in his adopted clan didn't realize the grim and distant Mirror’s devotion to his home, so they weren't at all surprised when he left the Labyrinth on a quest of self-discovery.

Finding his family, devoid of love
His travels took him to the Scarred Wasteland, where he finally found the clan that held his family. They were a wandering band of Mirrors, as ruthless as the reputation of the breed and far from delighted to see Sirka (for that was what the young Mirror decided to call himself). He learned of how he came to be, and was far from happy to hear the tale. The clan had been going through unusually harsh times that drove them to be more ruthless then ever. If a dragon died, it was eaten, no questions asked. One of them, the chief's mate and quite possibly the weakest one of them all left the band in secret to lay her eggs. She was Plague-born and a Plague-raised but she wanted a different life for her children. She wanted them to not undergo cruel cycle of hardship in the Scarred Wasteland. She chose to lay her nest in the Everbloom Gardens at the fringes of the Viridian Labryinth, where the Nature dragons were the gentlest. She laid a single egg, whispered a prayer that it would be accepted and protected and then fled as far away from the egg as she could, because she knew as the mate of the chief they would be looking for her. She was a traitor anf she had to conceal the nest for her future hatchling's protection. The band caught up with her and dealt with her harshly. She was exiled from the Scarred Wasteland, disowned by her flight and left to wander Sornieth maimed and barely alive. Sirka was horrified when he found this out, and even more so when he discovered it was his own father that led all of this. Sirka watched, petrified with fear, as the massive Mirror strode over to him. He attacked Sirka and told him to flee to the home of his Flight of scum, and to never return. Sirka began running, but then in an act of bravery or stupidity, he turned around.
“My mother, what is her name?” he asked. Sirka’s father snarled.
“I have forgotten it as I have forgotten her. It is as meaningless as her.” Sirka persisted nervously.
“What did she look like?” His father’s face softened as he allowed himself to remember for the shortest of moments.
“She was my mate becuase she was beautiful, I clearly made a mistake. Your mother, she had your wings but with markings that reminded me of the Plague emblem. She was darker brown than you with markings that helped her hide in the dirt, aiding her in stalking her prey. She joked that she looked like she belonged in the Earth flight in all but her eyes... They were hard, once, but they changed as she allowed them to soften. They turned from hard steel to putty, soft and disgusting. Like yours. She went from a proud leader to a snivelling, spineless, worm.” The older dragon’s voice grew into a snarl, signaling it was time for his son leave as fast as he could run.

Not as alone as he thought - meeting Tera

Sirka left the foul wasteland and returned home to the Viridian Labyrinth. He cleaned his scratch as best as he could with his little knowledge of plants and healing. Sirka wasn't sure who he was anymore, his quest of self-discovery had done quite the opposite of what was intended. He gazed at himself in a pool of water, wishing he didn't see what he saw. He was interrupted from his brooding by a distant cry of terror. He began jogging to the noise, but the plants and foliage got in his way.
“Help, please! Someone, anyone!” Sirka heard the cry again and knew that he might not be able to help whoever was calling in time if he tried to run through the thick undergrowth. He sighed, and spread his wings to do what Mirrors rarely do: fly. He cleared the undergrowth and flew as fast as he could for a short duration until he continued his blazing sprint. The forest soon fell away and Sirka could finally see what was happening. A young Fae female was being attacked by two brawny Serthis males. Without hesitation Sirka charged them, distracting them so that she could escape.
“Go!” he ordered as he combated the two Serthis.
“What about you?” the fae asked, her bulging eyes stretched with fear and worry.
“I’ll be fine, just go! Fly away!” The Mirror ordered. The fae zipped away like a hummingbird. Sirka relaxed a little more as he fought and killed the Serthis males. Sirka wasn't sure what he was more satisfied with, saving another dragon’s life or victory against two foes. The only complaints Sirka possessed were the scratches all across his body, especially since his old wound had just recently healed. The large mirror dragon retreated to the cover of the forest, savoring the feel of springy moss on weary feet. After washing his wounds in a chilly river he retreated to a makeshift cave at the roots of a broad tree. That morning he continued wandering the forests and jungles in search of food and a place to sleep for the night.

A Surprising Companion
Sirka wandered the forest in silence, contented to be wandering even if his heart throbbed with the unique loneliness of a Mirror dragon robbed of a pack. He was startled by the sound of flapping wings. He froze, searching for the heat signature of the creature he heard, hoping it was prey.
“Hello.” Sirka spun around until he was face to face with the little purple and blue fae he had rescued earlier.
“What are you doing here?’’ Sirka exclaimed. The fae’s crest fanned out, folding and unfolding quite rapidly.
“Are you upset?” The female’s voice, though high pitched, remained a monotone.
“Should I be?” Sirka asked, a little confused. The fae’s crest relaxed.
“So you’re not upset. It's hard to tell, since you don't move your crest. It’s truly a pity that you don't put it to good use.”
“What are you doing here?” Sirka asked a little more gently. Despite the fae’s monotone, he realized that he had probably frightened her. Sirka remembered hearing somewhere that fae dragons show emotion and tone through their crests instead of their voices and body language.
“Oh, I followed you.” the fae said.
“Why?” Sirka remained uncharacteristically patient, for he supposed that she would zip away in a heartbeat if he seemed angry, as most Faes did.
“I'm coming with you. I've lived my whole life in the Everbloom Gardens and I want to see the rest of the Viridian Labyrinth!” The fae’s crest opened again, but Sirka couldn't decide if it meant she was either excited or nervous.
“Why me? How do you not know I’m not mean and I don't like faes or that I'm leaving the Viridian Labyrinth?” Sirka loomed over the tiny fae imposingly, looking stern and possibly dangerous. This time, Sirka could tell he made the fae very nervous, but she didn't falter.
“Well, if you were mean and didn't like faes you wouldn't have rescued me, especially since you got hurt. As for leaving the Viridian Labyrinth, you've been wandering in circles for the past day. Plus, your eyes are that of a nature dragon. This is your home, which means you would know it well. You don’t wander in circles because you are lost. “ She was obviously serious about coming and Sirka felt impressed for her steadfastness against a creature at least eight times her size. He sighed, and nodded slowly. He would let the fae come with him to ease his conscience, for if she were alone she was more then likely to get in trouble. Or, at least, that's what Sirka told himself.
“Very well, you can come.” The fae bounced a little and glided around ecstatically. Even if Sirka hadn't been studying her body language for a while, he would still be able to tell she was beyond delighted.
“So, what are you doing?” The fae’s voice didn't show any emotion, but her crest was quivering with energy and enthusiasm.
“I'm searching for food.” Sirka replied. The fae nodded.
“I know some of the best insect catching spots in the Labyrinth!”
“Well, I don't eat insects. I eat meat.” Sirka told her. The fae froze in surprise.
“Meat? That's disgusting! Wait… Please don't eat me!’’ Her monotone voice quivered slightly.
Sirka laughed, confusing the fae even further.
“Eating other dragons? Even Mirrors aren't that savage!” he exclaimed, but with a twinge he remembered his family and their...ways. No, they weren't his family - they never were. The fae alighted on Sirka’s crest, chattering all the while. He was tempted to shake her off like a buzzing fly, but gritted his teeth and chose not to. Finally she lapsed into silence and Sirka relaxed.
“So, where are you going? How do you hunt?” she spoke again.
“You'll see when we get there! Can't I have a single moment where I can think without you blabbering all the time?” Sirka snapped. The fae fell silent, her drooping crest signifying hurt feelings. Sirka felt more annoyance than guilt, however. Mirrors don't talk much, preferring to speak with actions instead of words. Sirka felt a stabbing in his chest as he thought about his own kind. What he would give to find a pack of Mirrors to hunt with. He knew Mirrors in the Nature flight would be different than his birth pack, for better or worse, and he wouldn’t mind joining up with a band if they were friendly enough. Anything to escape the burdensome fae. To Sirka’s great relief she stopped asking questions and sat by a rotten log while he hunted a deer to eat. When he returned with a bloodied maw and meat in his stomach, he found the fae happily devouring insects that had hidden beneath the rotten log. She rode in silence on Sirka for the rest of the day, munching insects that dared to fly near them. Sirka almost forgot she was there as he searched for a place to sleep. Guilt once more pricked him as he watched her mope in the corner of their den, her crest drooping. Sirka realized she had barely spoken since he had lashed out at her.
“Look, I'm sorry for snapping at you. I should’ve been a little less harsh, you hadn't really done anything wrong.” Sirka said to her. She perked up immediately.
“It's okay, whatever-your-name-is.”
“Sirka.”
“Terabithia, but you can call me Tera.”
“Why are you wandering about like this, Tera? You should be with a clan.” Tera smiled sadly.
“I have no memory of my parents. I’ve lived my whole life in the Everbloom Gardens, trying to find my purpose. I've never really felt I belong in any clans, nor have I really had many friends. I have no idea what I want to do with my life and how I can serve Glademother, so I'm just wandering about, trying to find a purpose.” Sirka nodded. He could relate to the fae, but it was obvious she was sheltered, and as a consequence she was much more naive then Sirka, despite being the same age as him.
“You've told yours, so I guess I should tell mine…” Sirka had never told any dragon what he went through, and he found he was less heavy hearted when he was done. Tera was horrified that there were such dragons out there like Sirka’s father, and that there was actually a place barren of everything except death and destruction. They talked for a little longer until they settled down in opposite corners of the den. Tera slept easily, but Sirka lay awake for a while. Right as he was finally falling asleep, he was gripped with a sharp pain and cried out. Tera was immediately at his side.
“Sirka! You didn't treat your wounds from the Serthis, they’re infecting.” she told him, gazing at his scratches keenly. Sirka groaned, knowing if he wasn't distracted by this silly Fae he would've remembered to treat them. She left the den for several minutes and returned with various herbs. She treated and bound his wounds, instructing him not to scratch at them. Sirka could feel the difference almost immediately and fell asleep with ease.
They spent several days together, sleeping in a different place every night. Sirka still found Tera pesky (especially since she made all this fuss when he got hurt) and they argued rather frequently, with Tera hating how dramatic and tough Sirka was trying to be and Sirka getting annoyed by Tera’s talkative, overcurious and painfully optimistic nature. Thankfully, Tera sometimes was able to sense when she was talking too much and she would quiet down. Despite their arguing, both dragons tolerated each other fairly well as they wandered about all of the Viridian Labyrinth.

The Kindest Act
Tera became unusually distant and lonesome one day, Sirka slowly found out she was missing her own kind. They stayed at a nearby clan, who welcomed them with open arms. Sirka found the food to be rather delicious, and the lodgings comfortable, but most of all he enjoyed conversing, hunting and sparring with other Mirrors. After a few days he realized he hadn't seen Tera since they arrived. He found the young fae in her element, chatting with a group of Faes. He watched them communicate partly with their words and partly with their crests alone. As he watched he realized the communication barrier between him and Tera. They often had difficulty understanding each other’s emotions because Sirka lacked a crest and Tera didn't exhibit the usual body language of dragons. A plan brewed in Sirka’s mind as he watched the Faes, one that would take a lot of effort but one that Sirka greatly liked.After a while Sirka returned to his own kind and spent more time with them until he saw Tera at supper. They talked for a while and decided to continue on the next morning. Sirka and Tera continued staying at various clans, all of them very unique from one another. Sirka followed through with his plan for a couple weeks, until he was finally ready. He decided to show Tera what he had been doing as they traveled in search of a new place to sleep.
“Hey Tera.” Sirka broke the silence nervously.
“Yeah?” Tera responded.
“I want to show you something.” Sirka lowered his head so Tera could hop off of his long crest and look at him. Sirka remembered the expressions and tones the fae dragons communicated with their crests. Sirka moved his stiff crest with some effort so it was lifted up and began almost vibrating it to reflect his excitement over his accomplishment. It felt unnatural and he would've been mortified if any other Mirrors saw him, but he was pleased at the effect his extra effort had on his friend. Tera’s eyes widened and her mouth hung open. Her crest signals were a bit harder to read than usual, after some hard deduction Sirka realized she was very touched. Sirka knew she also probably felt the communication barrier between him since he wasn't a fae, but he didn't realize just how much it meant to her.
“Sirka…” Tera’s voice cracked. It was Sirka’s turn to feel surprise. Was that a… tone?
“Thank you, thank you so much.” Tera’s voice seemed softer and… different.
“I've been trying to fit in more as well.” Sirka realized that Tera was attempting to differentiate her voice from her usual fae monotone to show her emotion.
“Thank you…” Sirka whispered, moving his crest as he did so. Tera just smiled.

A Dear Friendship
To another dragon, it may seem silly that simple things like moving your crest or making your voice sound like less of a monotone meant so much to Sirka and Tera. But both dragons knew just how hard, awkward and different from what they were used to the actions were, and it deepened their friendship when they realized that the other would do something like that for them, and it bridged the gap between them. Indeed, it did make a difference in their communication. Sirka and Tera argued less since they understood each other more and were able to talk in an easier and more natural way. They didn't feel alienated from each other as they used to, and they also felt like they were talking to a dragon of the same species. Sirka saw Tera less as an annoying little dragon who communicated weirdly and began treating her more as a peer, like she was another, more fragile, more gentle Mirror. No, not a Mirror - but something dear all the same. Tera saw Sirka as less of a stiff, dull dragon and saw him change in more than one way. Sirka was more open to talking and lost the harsher parts of his nature and the hurt inside of him from the moment he realized he didn't belong with both the dragons who raised him and the dragons he shared blood with slowly began to mend.Dragons would often talk about the Mirror and Fae about they left. One dragon would remark on how unlikely of friends they were, and even more unlikely their deep bond was. The curious onlookers sometimes would wonder aloud on if they were mates, and were often surprised when they found out the pair were just friends.

A Beloved Companion - and a New Family
One day, Sirka had noticed Tera had acted differently during their stay at the clan they were staying at. Instead of casually mingling with the other dragons, Tera seemed to take interest in the clan as a whole. She asked for a tour of it, and talked a lot with the clan leaders as well as many other dragons within the clan. He shrugged it off and forgot about it, until Tera began to talk about different clans they had visited.
“Y’know Sirka, I've been thinking.” Tera told him.
“You’re always thinking, overthinking.” Sirka laughed.
“No, I mean really thinking. And I've decided something, Sirka.” Tera’s tone and crest seemed serious.
“And what would that be?” Sirka was intrigued, as well as worried about what this impulsive dragon might have decided to do.
“I think I want to start a clan. I would have lots of hatchlings, but I'd also welcome every dragon who needed a place to stay. The clan as a whole would serve the Gladekeeper and some members could serve her more personally if they wished. ” Sirka was speechless for a second. He knew all her behavior pointed to this, but he was truly astounded she actually decided to do it. He knew when Tera decided something, she carried it through. He knew that ever since Tera told him she was coming with him in his travels.
“You do realize you need a mate to have hatchlings, Tera.” Sirka tried to sound casual, but he was actually feeling rather sad, as well as concerned. He would miss the silly little fae and he wasn't sure what he’d do without her, but he was also wondering when she had chosen her mate. They never stayed at a clan long enough for Tera to really get to know a male fae, and Sirka was worried she hadn't chosen a mate who truly deserved her. He racked his brain to remember if Tera had been talking to any male Faes recently, he did hope she hadn't fallen in love with that one, arrogant Fae. He had thought she was just interested in taking to him because he was an architect, but maybe there was a deeper attraction....
“I know, I’ve already found one.” Tera interrupted his thoughts.
“Do I know him?” Sirka asked.
“I think you know him very well.”
“And who might that be?” Sirka tried to keep the apprehension out of his voice. He knew Tera had probably met several male Faes, and he also knew that he disliked many of them. In fact, he hated most every male Fae Tera had ever talked to. He didn't know why...
“You are so silly sometimes, Sirka! You'll be my mate, dummy.” Sirka was truly flabbergasted.
“Erm-I mean-err…” Sirka tried to say something, but he couldn't.
“Yes?” Tera asked sweetly.
“...This is all so sudden…” Sirka admitted. Tera nodded.
“Oh, right, sorry. Sirka, will you be my wonderful, boar-headed. Mirror mate?” The poor Mirror male was quite flustered. He exhaled, and spoke.
“Only if you'll be my lovely perfectly irritating fae!” Sirka exclaimed, and then they both laughed. Sirka had never really thought about Tera as anything but his good friend that he pretended to be annoyed by, but he realized he loved her.
“So, where do you want to have this clan?”
“The Everbloom Gardens, where I lived almost all of my life. I miss that place, even if I was anxious to get away from it.” Sirka nodded.
“Fine, then hold on tight to my crest and don't you dare let go." And with that, he took off running at a massive speed that only a true Mirror could accomplish towards the Everbloom Gardens.

He had no idea that this tiny clan would grow into a large tribe, or that it would eventually move to the Gladeveins, but he knew one thing: he, finally, had a family.