NightFall

Rated T+ for some... scenes.. just as a precaution really.

Pyxis opened her eyes slowly, uncurling her tail from her around her eggs as she nuzzled them; checking their temperature, and returning one of them back to the glimmering crystal nest as it started to float away. "Soon." she crooned, settling back around them, though this time she kept an eye open, she could here the others moving; and she wouldn't put it past one of Cetus's many rivals to try and steal one of their clutch. Afterall, the wildclaw who'd courted her was one of the strongest in the clan; though she was not his only mate, the fickle male often frolicking amongst the females when he could. In fact, Pyxis thought to herself, he'd only been to see her once since she'd clutched, leaving the female to fend for herself, and to protect their eggs alone.

It was in the dark of the night when the first crack appeared the wildclaw coming straight out of her sleep, sickle claws tapping the ground as she stood up, feeling Cetus approaching. Maybe one of these would be worthy of his notice; none of any of his clutches that he'd sired had been his 'heir' another wildclaw that he could groom himself. Pyxis leaned against him, and accepted his gentle carresses as the first of the eggs hatched.

Something was wrong; Pyxis could feel it. Without a second thought and barely a word to the rest of the hunting party, she'd darted off, weaving in and out of the Starwood Strand as she prepared to take flight. She had to get back to the lair. With a powerful sweep of her wings she leapt, taking to air in one powerful leap, her tail feathers helping her to avoid the floating shards that were common, dodging one large crystallike structure, she spotted the entrance to the lair.... before landing with a cry of despair next to the broken body of Scholar. With a gentle touch to his snout, she close eyes that had once looked at everything with such wonder.

His wounds were wildclaw inflicted; and she tore herself away from her child, Pyxis moved into the lair, worried now about the others, had another group attacked. She soon picked her pace when she heard the pain filled cry of Kesthul, the hatchling Cetus had taken under his wing.

Moving into the large chamber, she skidded to a halt.... barely believing her eyes..... Seso's corpse lay, his throat torn open as the other Wildclaws watched the battle that was unfolding. Kesthul was standing shadkily; his body protectively between that of his dead brother, and his blood covered father. Before Pyxis could move, Cetus charged, using his larger size to knock the juvenile over, before tearing into the youngsters unprotected underbelly; giving Kesthul no time to defend himself.

The wildclaw could only watch, frozen in place as her mate killed their hatchling, slowly she began to shake her head, sickle claws tapping the ground as her agitation grew. Watching as Cetus lifted his head high, his sons blood dripping from his dark colored snout. She took one step... another... before voicing a war cry of her own, charging at the older and larger male in anger.

She was outmatched, but she no longer cared, she slashed and scratched at the male, fury and despair driving her every attack; she aimed for his throat even as he retaliated, pinning the weaker female to the ground; until she finally stopped struggling, breath coming out in short pants. Her own body was covered in wounds; and she struggled to speak as Cetus lifted his head from the flesh he'd been biting down upon, his blooded crest flaring up he roared his victory. "Wh-hy?" Pyxis breathed, blinking sluggishly at the male, as he grinned down at her before responding. "None were good enough. Scholar and his books, Seso was a runt, always following Kesthul about. Kesthul.... he could of been great, i ordered him to kill the weakling...." He growled, licking at the blood on his hands. "He refused, and then said i was the weak one, unable to stay with one female, and by making others do my 'dirty work'..." He snapped. Pyxis struggled to keep her eyes on Cetus, focusing on the males throat. "So I did what he couldn't.... took down the runtling, and he had the nerve to attack me, ME! The great Cet....." His speech became gurgles; as Pyxis gathered her remaining strength and lunged up at him, her jaws closing on the drakes vulnerable throat.

He tried to get her off, clawing at the female but to no avail, gradually his struggles weakened and he fell to one side, his breathing becoming shallower, until they eventually stopped, still Pyxis kept her deathgrip on him, no longer able to see from the blood.

The other Wildclaws had to pry her jaws of Cetus's cold corpse; as they untangled the former mates. Not one said anything as they brought her to the healer. Eventually her physical wounds healed, but her soul was shattered; once she was strong enough, she just got up and took off, taking nothing with her, nor saying anything. The Starfall Isles no longer her home.

Pyxis traveled constantly, sleeping only when exhaustion hit, only hunting when the hunger became too much; gradually her bright iridescent hide dulled.

Night had fallen when the wildclaw collapsed against a ruined pillar; hearing a crack she shifted slightly, catching sight of an egg that must of fallen from its nest, though it wasn't a dragon egg, Pyxis still felt a pull to it, and she nestled around it, trying to warm it with her body. When the egg hatched, it was to reveal a vulture of the shatterbone variety, his colors reminding her of her deceased hatchlings; with that thought, she treated the vulture as if he was one of her own.

It was the harpy's that found her; and though wary of a strange dragon, they didn't attack, rather they informed the SolarBlade Haven dragons of her location. Edge and Naahmi where the two that went to greet her. Eventually, Naahmi coaxed the wildclaw back to the lair, and offered sanctuary for at least a few days.

"NightFall." She said to Naahmi, a couple of weeks after she'd arrived. "Pyxis died that day with Kesthul, Scholar and Seso." Her body began to shake as tears fell from her eyes, accepting the gentle embrace of the skydancer. "It was nightfall when their eggs hatched, and it can be my way of remembering them." For the first time since their death, she allowed herself to truly feel, her soul finally healing as she grieved for her lost children. "Never again will i allow such a travesty to happen to a youngling... could i.... would i be welcome to stay?" NighFall asked shyly, it would be a chance to redeem herself, a chance at a new life.