Leon

Just as Rexi said, a Guardian dragon was the next to arrive at the den, which the clan had dubbed the "Refuge of the Sight".

The dragon arrived a few days later as a storm was rolling in, kicking up the sand and ash in swirling whirlwinds that flickered with embers, but were quickly reduced to smoke when the rain began to fall. The sizzle of water against lava was comforting, and the dragons of the Refuge lied down to rest in their cave.

Inside, Rio looked up slowly, uncoiling her long body before saying quietly, "He's arrived."

"Who?" asked Duran.

"The Guardian. He's here."

The two Spirals, along with Red, left the cave and stepped out into the rain. Sure enough, a purple guardian with bright green eyes was sitting before one of the lava pools, wings spread to keep the rain off of the source of warmth.

"Good evening," he said without turning his head as the dragons approached.

"Hello." Duran and Rio slipped under one of his large wings, shielding themselves from the rain.

"My name is Leon," the Guardian continued, his head still lowered and his eyes closed. "You must be the dragons of The Sight. I have been searching for you for many long moons."

"You've come to the right place," said Red. Leon lifted his wing, gesturing for her to come stand beneath it, shielded from the rain. She accepted the kind offer, and stood by his side.

"How many are you?" asked Leon after a moment.

"Ten strong, with you included," replied Red.

"Then the time has come. They are here as well."

"Who?" asked Red.

"The dragons of Shade," said Leon. "Descendants of Shadow Fae, shapeshifting creatures from another world, they have taken the form of dragons with skins blacker than the night. It is here that they've come to breed and begin a new lineage."

Stargazer had made his way out of the den and over to Red's side as the Guardian was speaking, listening intently.

"Their first offspring will have red eyes like their parents," continued Leon, "but once they have settled, their eyes will begin to reflect the element of their new land, and that will mark the new species, set permanently in a dragon form."

"Do they mean us any harm?" asked Rio.

"It's unclear," Leon said. "Their hostility depends on our reaction to them as they begin to cross the veil. If we attempt to resist them, they will fight back, and they are strong. But I believe we may coexist... which is why we are all gathering here. If anyone can initiate an alliance with these creatures, it will be the Children of the Sight."

"How do we let them know we want to coexist rather than fight?" asked Duran.

"We leave them an offering representing our desire for peace and understanding, a show of mutual respect."
The dragons turned to face Shiloh, who was standing in the rain behind them.
"If they accept our offerings, they will show themselves," she continued. "Only then can we speak with them, an interaction that will end with either alliance or resistance."

"What kind of offerings do they accept?" asked Rio.

"We must build an altar first," responded Shiloh. "It must be carved from obsidian, a stone as black as their skin, and we will place it atop the cliff. We will then surround it in precious stones that we harvest from the earth, along with any other trinkets that seem worthy."

"Obsidian wont be hard to find around here," noted Rio. "Lets wait out this storm, and then we'll gather a nice slab to begin carving."

"Sounds good to me," agreed Duran.

"I will stay here," said Leon as the others turned back for the dry safety of their den. "The warm rain on my skin as I sit before this pool helps to clear my mind."

"You are welcome in the den whenever you please," Stargazer said as the other began heading back. "It's very large; we weren't sure how many different dragons would be joining us."

Leon gave a nod, an then slowly folded his wings.

"I will join you in a bit," he said gently.