Alba

Theme Song: afraid // the neighborhood

Born Noble, under the name of Candle-Light. His family's profession is making and lighting candles, or otherwise called Chandlers.

Cass-Mate

Lixue-Daughter

---

The Story Of An Albino And An Assassin

Alba liked Damianus. Maybe a little too much, but not many dragons cared or seemed to mind his mutterings.

He curled up, watching Damianus while the black and white dragon worked. Alba let out long heavy sigh, wishing he could have Dami's attention.

"Dami~" He cooed to himself softly. His neighboring den-mate -as he called it- rolled her eyes. Neferti had to deal with his mewls for Damianus ever since the black and white dragon arrived.

"My Wind God, just talk to him already!" Neferti yowled, shoving Alba in his side. Her much smaller body didn't do much, but to make her happy he rolled over to the other side in mock pain.

He sighed again, irritating Neferti because she knew what he was going to say. 'No, he'd never understand. It's not normal-'

"No, he'd never understand. It's not normal for a male dragon to like another. Besides, I know that Gantea likes me. I could just try to be normal, have a family..." Alba murmured, looking at his paws. Of course she felt bad for him, but he couldn't stay depressed all his life.

"I'm going to talk to him." Neferti announced, getting up from her bed. The sudden panic in Alba's eyes almost stopped her.

"He'll never talk to me again, no Nefi, don't do it." Alba said hurriedly, trying to block her path with his body. She slipped beneath his vulnerable abdomen, making her way across the clan area. Damianus worked on his new den, as he was relatively new to their wind clan. The area he had was in the perfect spot, underneath some very tall bamboo and in some nice sun rays.

Alba chased after Neferti, yet walked normal as if everything was fine on the outside. His heart was racing, his breath shallower and shallower the closer Neferti got to Damianus.
A breath caught in his throat once he realized he was too late.

Neferti turned around to face him while she was talking to Damianus, the black and white dragon's expression hard to read. Alba thought he was dying inside. He'd rather face rabid beastclans than go through this anxiety elapsed time.

Damianus raised his lip to Neferti, turning away from her in order to continue his duties. Alba could feel his heart breaking. Neferti's head feathers went down and Alba could hear her hiss from where he was standing. She stomped away, to the food stands he assumed.

Alba made his way back to his den. His wings sagged, his breath hoarse. Well, he said to himself, that was enough energy to exhume in one day.
"Wonder what Gantea is doing..." He whispered, voice cracking and still breathless from the tight feeling in his chest.

-That night-

Alba twitched violently in his sleep, the dreams within his mind very vivid and emotional.

A sudden weight pressed on his shoulder, causing him to wake up in alarm. Alba reared his head up, mouth agape and ready to bite. A familiar face stopped him in his tracks.

Alba closed his mouth, gulping at the sight of Damianus sitting next to him. He hadn't asked what had happened or really saw Neferti for the rest of the day after the little event... What was going on?

"...Alba. I'd prefer it if you don't sent someone else to tell me your feelings. What she said was... Odd. To say the least. I'd like to hear the words from your own maw, if you will." Damianus murmured softly. Alba had to remind himself that the black and white dragon was quiet for a reason, nothing personal.

"I ah..." Alba started, losing his words instantly. He took a few seconds to recuperate, ignoring Damianus's pale green gaze. "I believe that you are very handsome, and perhaps I admire you alike a female dragon would.. I'm sorry that you have to deal with this, I mean- I know how weird this is..." He whispered back, daring a look at Damianus.

Once again expressionless as the black and white dragon stared back.

"Quite one with words," Damianus growled. "So she wasn't wrong. I assumed it was a prank, but in reality you are repulsive.' The black and white dragon stood up quickly, as if being near Alba was similar to eating rotten food.
The albino dragon could feel his stomach curling in on itself. His chest constricted more than before, sending shooting pain throughout his body. Shame was evident on his face, as was sadness.

Damianus snarled and walked away through the darkness, leaving Alba alone and broken.

Alba let out a low pained sound, curling up into himself. He didn't want this to happen. He was repulsive and flawed, and nothing was going to fix him.

---

Along the length of a week or two, Alba hadn't left his den unless he needed to. He didn't want to socialize, he didn't want to gossip. Nothing mattered. Damianus's words really got to him.

The albino dragon got up for the first time that day, realizing his need for food. He approached Shardsinger, the cook of the clan. The blue bogsneak knew something was amiss with Alba, but he didn't pry.

"Here is the usual," Shardsinger chirped after he prepared his clan-mate's food. "Taking it back to the den again?"

Alba replied with a small nod as he took his meal. His den was safe, away from everything else in the world. He left Shardsinger and his cavern of food, heading back to where he came from.

His walk back was interrupted by Neferti with her apologies again. He ignored the small coatl and decided to shuffle around her. Her calls from behind him were made in vain.
Once he arrived, he plopped down onto his wonderful bed. His food was so close to his mouth when-

"Alba?" An unusually deep voice murmured into his den. He couldn't recognize the voice right away, so he sighed. Setting his tasty smelling food down, he peeked out at who called him.

A dark wildclaw with a large feline headdress on stared back at him with haunting pale green eyes. Alba felt a lump grow in his throat. This dragon was the clan assassin, one of the most dangerous members. His name was Cass if Alba could remember correctly.

"Yes?" He questioned quietly.

"May I enter?" Cass replied, shifting his weight from one leg to the other. "I'd like to talk with you."

Alba didn't have a proper excuse to say no. He let Cass come into his den, shifting farther inside the cavern like structure. The wildclaw sat down, reaching for his headdress.

Alba didn't know this dragon well, but he knew that the talk must be important if he was taking his beloved headdress off.
When the three Wildclaws arrived, Cass, Vessa, and Myri, they had a large meeting with the clan. More like an orientation, as they do with every new member. Alba had spoken to Vessa, who explained to him and a few others that they wear these headdresses as a symbol of honor. Nothing too detailed, but she wanted to express the importance of wearing them.

Cass gently took his headdress off, letting Alba get a good look at his face. Dark swirls of blue sat underneath the pale green eyes, while his head bore obsidian darkness. His feathers were bright in contrast to his dark scales, yet they were absolutely stunning.

A mottled pink warmed Cass's cheeks.

"May I... May I eat with you?" Cass asked cautiously, setting food down. Alba's eyes widened.

"Of course," Alba replied. Speechless, he stared at Cass as the Wildclaw began to consume his meal rather quickly. He had forgotten about his own, but his stomach reminded him that he needed to eat.

The albino shoved a few fish into his mouth, thinking hard. A sudden laughter snapped Alba away from his mind and back onto Cass. The assassin beamed at Alba, trying not to laugh much.

"You're very cute when you space out." Cass commented, looking down to his claws. "May I come back to eat here again tomorrow?"

Alba couldn't believe his ears. Something inside him died a little however, and he sighed deeply. Cass flinched at the sigh.

"I'm not sure you'd like to, I'm not-" Alba started, his voice strained.

"-Normal?" Cass finished, raising an eyebrow. He shook his head, smiling softly. "No, you're not. I heard what happened that night. I was on the night shift... I don't condone that behavior, so I had a word to say with Damianus. Least to say, he didn't get away from my conversation unscathed. Sure, he might not like me anymore, but what he said to you was beyond rude. And least to say, I didn't get away unscathed either, but that's in the past now. I wanted to let you know though, that you have me with you. I mean, if you'll let me. I may not know you well, but... Please let me get to know you."

Alba couldn't believe it, he didn't know what to say. His emotions were so twisted up, but gosh darnit Cass's emotions were so genuine. His heart fluttered lightly.

"I would love to see you tomorrow. And maybe the next day after that. A-And thank you, I don't know what to say," Alba blurted, a fine shade of pink lighting up his own cheeks. "Getting to know you would be wonderful."

---

Alba curled around his new mate, nuzzling noses with his dark and bright wildclaw. Cass purred as a reply. Alba was finally happy, his heart full. This time, of true love.