Archon

War General
(once worked under Oddity as a commander, but when it became clear they were better suited for each other's jobs they happily assumed their new roles)




Archon grumbled miserably as he shook himself awake to the grating sound of yearling coatl chirps echoing around the cave. For the love of Sorneith, could he not find even a moment of sleep? Did the latest batch of feather-preening fools not understand the relationship between Nocturne and nocturnal?

Apparently not, he reasoned as a spiral streaked past him, moving so fast the air around him whistled. It was only thanks to years of experience both in the clan and on the battlefield that he pushed himself back far enough on his perch to avoid the booming wings of the imperials following suit.

He waited for the chittering of the skydancers to pass- but it never came. That's odd, he thought to himself. They usually weren't this far behind the Coatls, even in the heat of summer. He turned his head to look down into the hallway that led into the other caverns of the lair, but not a soul was too be found.

Curious, he thought to himself. Now wide awake, he found no harm in going to investigate.

He soared out of the cave, circling the valley and scanning the sky for his missing clanmates three times before the worry began. The first, and even the second time around he could tell himself it was simply some game, or a prank. But when he completed the third, he'd checked all of their regular hiding spots and they were still nowhere to be found.

He was racing back to the cave to search for Syren and Oddity, the clan leaders who were likely still sleeping in their private rooms, far from the noises of the younglings and the trainees as they had raced out of the cave.

He had nearly made it back too, when he was stopped by a faint voice in the wind, calling his name.



He halted suddenly, surprised as the small voice revealed itself not to be coming from the wind, but from the Fae who fluttered right in from of him. She smiled, and he immediately felt slightly comforted. If anyone knew where to find the others, it would be she.

"Kite," he greeted, "You startled me!"

She tittered as she found perch on his back. "My apologies, dear friend. I was in a bit of a rush to intercept you- I had thought you asleep!"

Archon huffed. "I was, until everyone and their long lost cousin stampeded out of the cave this morning. Where is my lousy guard, anyway? And everyone else, for that matter? Alstroemeria was meant to be on duty this morning."

"Oh, the ignorant yearlings. I apologize- I did tell Elio to be quiet when he fetched the others."

"I suspect he was, I didn't hear a thing as he passed- it was everyone else stampeding out that woke me. But perhaps Meria will have a partner tonight when I put them through their paces for their negligence."

"Oh, Archon, let them have just today! It is such a special occasion, after all." He could practically feel her giving him her cutest look through the back of his head. It was a special skill she had- even as one of the oldest dragons in the clan, she was still the smallest.

"And what could possibly be worth abandoning their duties?" He snorted with annoyance. Her tricks never worked on him anyway... at least not while he wasn't looking.

Kite clacked her teeth at his tone, but her soft voice didn't change it's tone when she spoke. "Their first snow, of course!" Her small wing reached around his head and pointed his eyes up. "It's not reached the ground of the valley yet, but Hercules and Elio sensed it this morning."

Archon looked where she'd pointed. He was taken aback- how is it he'd not thought simply to look down as he passed over the mountains? Each was covered in a thin blanket of snow- not much for this time of year, but it had been unnaturally warm as of late.

The snow that covered their mountain was perhaps the most impressive. Not for it's amount, or purity- but for the dragons that frolicked in it.

The tundras- Hercules and Elio- had never looked so at home, though Hercules had experienced a few snows with the clan now. Archon suspected it had to do with Elio's presence. It was nice to have another of your species around- he certainly appreciated the presence- albeit brief- of the nocturnes that passed through.

There seemed to be some sort of snowball fight going on- and it had clearly been started by the mirrors. Archon's heart nearly stopped working in his chest as he saw one of the youngest- Rifaah, a crimson spiral- nail Syren- the clan leader and a mirror feared in clans near and far- right in his glowing pink eyes. Syren growled, and Archon feared for Rifaah's life and he flinched as projectiles arched through the air at Syren's command...

Covering the youngling in powdered snow.

And Archon, for all his battle training and lack of sleep couldn't help it-

He smiled.

Maybe, he thought to himself, I could go easy on them. Just this once...

Then an idea struck him and he grinned. He streaked towards the mountain, sharp eyes already picking out the weakest links in Sryen's defenses.

...but not until tonight.

The End


Art:


Lovely Art by CasuallySleepy now called Tempter!