Onasi

Though there are many words to describe the imperial traveler, the ones used most often were the social butterfly, boy crazy, and hatchling crazy. The first was used even as she was only a hatchling. Onasi seemed to flit about from nest to nest, playing with the other hatchlings as she did so. As an only hatchling, it made sense that she would want to be around the other children, especially because of what her home life was like. Her parents were loving and cared deeply about her, but that was just the masks they wore when they were around others. They reprimanded her because of her behavior, saying that she was a disgrace to her family. Her father was the vocal terrorizer, yelling whenever she did something mildly wrong. Her mother was the one who was more physical. Often times the young hatchling would stay inside the ice cave, holding chunks of ice to bruises and cuts, tears welling in her light blue eyes.

Onasi didn’t let her parents’ behavior break her though. When she was well enough, she would still play outside with other hatchlings. As everyone grew though, they lost their penchant for playful behavior. Though they were never cold to her, they were also no longer interested in playing games, swimming in the icy water with her, or tossing around snowballs. When it was obvious she wouldn’t stop pestering her, the other dragons her age reacted harshly. The young imperial barely had parents and now she was without friends. She began to slip into a state of depression, hiding within herself. Her parents, thinking their daughter had finally grasped what they’d been trying to teach her for years, were proud of their efforts. They said that the bruises had toughened her, the words had made her stronger, the cuts healed with ice in her veins. But the torment didn’t relent. To ensure their work remained in their daughter, the pair continued, just as strict and unloving as ever.

The young imperial could only take it for so long. Eventually, she made the decision to escape and acted upon it months later. It took her weeks to plan and days to put her thoughts into effect. She escaped on a frigid and moonless night, planting evidence that would make anyone think she had drowned. Onasi left the world of ice behind and headed north, hoping to find somewhere that she could belong. It took some time, but she came across two other imperials while in the Tangled Wood. Each had been through trying times in their childhood and the trio quickly became friends. Together, with Mordeyrin and Rylen, they created a clan for dragons without homes.

The urge to fly around the world and go on adventures never quite left her heart, and Onasi volunteered to go on a search for other dragons. She wanted more friends, others to join their clan, but most of all she wanted a family of her own. As she searched, the imperial gave her heart to many dragons that she met. They would be mated for a couple months, long enough to have some hatchlings, but eventually, her mates left her. They told her she didn’t know how to be a mother, how to raise a family, that they were looking for a companion whose mental state was intact. Her mate’s leaving her, taking her hatchlings with them, only pushed Onasi more towards the edge. When it became clear that she couldn’t have her own happy family, she decided to take it upon herself to take that dream for herself. When she came across nests of eggs, she would snatch one or two and return to her clan, raising them in secret. She never told her friends about her actions, fearing they would take her children away, but it grew to be too much. They found out about her actions and though they didn’t reprimand her for it, they insisted she return the hatchlings.

After each of the young dragons had been returned, Mordeyrin told her that she would need to remain with the clan until she got better. Onasi saw no problem with her behavior, but she listened anyway. The trauma that she had gone through as a child had affected her and she didn’t even know it. Dragons came and left the clan while she stayed and that energy within her began to leave. She no longer felt that she needed to take others’ children. The imperial had her own, and while they might not have been with her, they were still out there. Now, instead of her heart aching for a family, she simply wanted a mate. Knowing she couldn’t leave and find one for herself, she was content to wait for the clan to bring one to her.

It didn’t take long. A coatl by the name of Xenophon entered the clan and they were drawn to each other. They became mates and soon had hatchlings of their own. Feeling that she was well once more, Mordeyrin and Rylen said that she could return to her travels. While she didn’t want to leave her children, her long-sought wish had been fulfilled once more. Ensuring that her mate would care for them, she left on a journey. Onasi was gone longer than planned and by the time she had returned, much had changed in the clan. Mordeyrin had gone on a journey of her own, to visit her family, and it had broken her. She was weaker now and a dragon had taken the opportunity to spread lies about her. The dragon’s name was Widow and she claimed that the clan’s matriarch could no longer perform her duties with strength. A war was brewing and though Onasi supported her friends, she did not join in.

She’d finally achieved her happy family and she didn’t want anything to ruin that for her. She had worked so hard to not only achieve that dream but also to heal mentally. Her childhood and changed who she was and she didn’t want it to happen again. And so the imperial supported her friends from the sidelines while she raised her children, happy to focus on her family instead of the war brewing in her home.


Amazing art done by Ratvork!