Aedan

I will fight and defend this clan, who welcomed me.

They had come looking for a fighter. He didn't know much, but he could learn. And they had gone to train together. They would protect the clan, together.
---
Aedan stared at his reflection in the glassy pond in dismay. He had looked like all the other male ridgebacks when he was young, but now that he had grown, he was... female? He put a clawed hand up to his distressingly short nose, unsure of the emotions roiling through him. What had gone wrong? He turned away from the pond, anger spiking through him as he saw his old friends huddled together. A bitter sadness quickly replaced the anger, though. It wasn't the fault of his friends that he had grown... differently. He walked back through the clan, noticing the glances that darted away as soon as he noticed them. The muttering that abruptly quieted and then stopped as he passed by. He couldn't live like this. He spoke with the clan leaders and obtained permission to leave, to sell his fighting skills to another clan. Get a fresh start. So he left.
~~~
"We're looking for fighters," the words were barely audible over the crowd of dragons at the auction. Aedan heard them, though. He pushed his way through the crowd, stopping only when he reached the two tundras.
"You're looking for fighters?" Aedan set his jaw, prepared to be laughed at again. He'd lost track of the number of times dragons had laughed at him, or looked at him with scorn.
"We are, yes." The female tundra turned to look him over. "Are you a fighter, or someone speaking for a fighter?"
"A fighter. Aedan's my name, and I'm looking for a fresh start. My clan wasn't very... accepting... of me." He met the tundra's gaze and stood a little straighter.
"I... see. My name is Bebe, and this is Vasalja. We have a small clan so far, but all are welcome." Bebe gave him a small smile. "Was your previous clan looking for a gift in thanks for your joining of our clan?"
"No." Aedan shook his head, taking a deep breath and steeling himself for ridicule. "My former clan leader simply requests that you treate me better than they did." He fidgeted for a moment as the other two dragons stared at him. "I'm... male."
"But you--"
"Im sorry that your previous clan couldn't accept who you are." Bebe interrupted Vasalja, narrowing her eyes at him. "You've found a home with our clan."
"Thank you, truly." Aedan ducked his head respectfully, finding himself beaming. He lifted his head and followed the two tundras out of the auction grounds. He spotted his former leader and lifted a wing to her in thanks and goodbye, and she nodded her head to him before going back to examining various food items for sale. He took to the air after the tundras, soaring away from his old life, and everything that had gone with it.
---
Aedan followed the two tundra into the lair of the Clan of Risen Embers, his steps slowing as he stepped into the main room. It was indeed a small lair, about a third of the size of his previous lair. There were around a dozen dragons scattered about the small space, and he felt himself freeze as most of them turned to look at himself and the two leaders.
"Who's the new gal?" A black imperial spoke up from where he was curled up with a coatl. The words made Aedan's heart pound, and he felt like he was going to be sick. He was foolish to have thought that he would be received any differently in a new clan.
"This is Aedan, and he will be training with Vasalja and myself, to protect the clan." Bebe narrowed her eyes at the imperial, tail thrashing the air. "He comes to our clan, looking for acceptance and a fresh start. I expect all of you to be as welcoming to him as you have been to one another. Anyone with concerns or questions can bring them to me directly." She turned back to Aedan, her expression softening as she lowered her voice. "There are some open nests over that way," she gestured with her wing toward the back of the lair, "and if you have any trouble, please let me know."
"Thank you," Aedan nodded to Bebe, then cast his eyes down and made his way across the lair to where he had seen some empty nests. A handful of hatchlings were scampering about the space, and he took care not to step on them.
A little coatl, bright of both colour and gaze, stopped and looked up at Aedan with wide eyes. "Why'd Shoa think you was a girl?" The hatchling cocked her head to the side, curiosity plain on her face with no trace of hostility.
"I..." Aedan looked over at the imperial for a moment before looking back down at the coatl and giving her a quiet smile. "Because the Gladekeeper got confused when giving me a body, and gave me a female's body rather than a male's body. But I'm still a male."
"The Gladekeeper can do that?" The little coatl's eyes had widened to fill her face as she stared up at him. "The Flamecaller would never do something like that."
"All of the deities can get a little confused when putting dragons' souls into bodies." Aedan settled down into the nest he had chosen and the little coatl scampered up to curl up on his back. He smiled as he watched her. "They have a lot of dragons to place, so it happens sometimes."
"Oh." The little coatl yawned and closed her eyes, stretching against him before settling down. "They should be more careful..." She trailed off as she fell asleep, still curled up on his back.
"That was a good explanation." Aedan turned to see Vasalja walking up to him. "Thank you for being patient with her, Chaos has endless questions. Some of the other dragons handle her far less adeptly. She came to us on death's door, and the Flamecaller blessed her. But she hasn't grown further since, so we suspect she may be one of the ageless dragons." He walked off without waiting for a response, leaving Aedan to lie there with the sleeping hatchling on his back. Aedan closed his eyes, finally feeling accepted and at home. He fell asleep with a faint smile on his face.
~~~
Yasha showed me her secrets. I shall use them well.

He had trained with the Wildclaw, when she had come to the clan. She had opened his eyes to the wonders before him, and he would treasure those experiences as he trained future dragons to fight for the clans.
---
I will train them to fight, so that they may better survive the deities' war. Mather watch over them.

His specialized training had caused his clan's leaders to give him the responsibility of training dragons who had volunteered to be exalted. He would teach them to fight. And in so doing, other clans sent tokens of thanks. He would collect them, wear them as badges of honour and pride for those who had trained so diligently.

ICE APRIL 2019

---
If this is a dream, I never want to wake.

He had awoken in the middle of the night, a tingling tickle on his nose. He brushed at it, scaring off whatever had been there, and had promptly drifted back to sleep. Now, in the morning glow of the Ashefall Wastes, he opened his eyes and noticed it. He felt his heart stop for a few moments before it resumed, racing now. He lifted his claws and touched at his nose, once short and stubby but now long and pointed. He twisted around to examine himself as he slowly uncurled from his nest. Yes, it seemed to be true. He had long ago stopped hoping that his body would one day feel 'right,' but it seemed that his prayers had finally been answered. He had been blessed by the Flamecaller, if the newly glowing scales along his wing tips were any indicator. He had served this clan in her name, helped to train new warriors to send to her, and now... Now. He felt his heart finally start to slow as the excitement that had accompanied his realization faded into pure, genuine happiness. The little coatl who often slept curled up on his back had stirred at his movement, and she let out a squeal of excitement when she looked at him."Aedan! You match!" The little dragon's cry rang out through the clan's lair, causing the dragons around them to look over and take note."Indeed I do, little one." Aedan gave her a soft smile as he got to his feet and headed for the entrance to the lair. "Indeed I do."