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Entry 11
I spent a good amount of time out in the fray that evening, stocking up on as much food as possible.
My mind was a jumbled mix of guilt and anxiety that I couldn’t quite comprehend. The best I could peg it down to was just being overwhelmed by how drastically my life was changing each day.
As I felled another troupe of moths and picked up their wings and legs, I realized something else: I had begun to enjoy all this fighting and gathering. It was the only thing that seemed to clear my mind recently, and the payoff was huge—not to mention vital.
Soon Arc and Lily would be old enough to start fighting for food as well. I wondered how they’d feel about such a task; my throat tightened with fear as I imagined them heading out on their own. They’d never be able to hone their skills with me protecting them, but these monsters that were nothing to me posed a serious threat to inexperienced dragons.
At once all I wanted was to go back to the cave where we were safe and comfortable together, but gathering food was more important. If I worked hard enough this evening, perhaps I could stay there for a proper rest.
I needed to get to know that little fae, too. It was kind of rude… cruel of me, even, to have left it right after hatching. It was so strange a circumstance, though, and I desperately needed to get food—especially after the introduction of another mouth to feed. Though to be honest, I’m a bit leery of fae.
It was something I needed to get over.
I kept fighting until I couldn’t carry anything more, and began building up speed to take flight.
A quiet but desperate series of chirps from behind had me skidding to a stop. I turned to see another bird. More or less: about half-bird, half-rodent.
It seems I’ve attracted another mouth to feed. A small one, though; it looked to be the perfect size for that fae. I allowed the little sparrowmouse to hop into my hand before I took flight.
Landing on three legs wasn’t the easiest of tasks, but I’d certainly done harder things in the last few days. I dove toward the mouth of the cave and braced myself, skidding on the stone floor for a few feet. I came to a stop near the entrance to the stairs, almost smacking into the bear.
The hatchlings, all gathered at the fae’s bed, turned to address me.
“Hi Wafer!” Lily shouted with delight, grinning widely.
“Hi,” Arc greeted in a much more subdued tone.
“Hey guys,” I replied as I joined them in sitting by the bed.
I inspected the still-nameless fae. Gods she was bright... like the sun, the stars….
Arcane dragons are known for their love of astronomy. I am not an Arcane dragon. Despite our access to The Observatory of all places, I never peered into a telescope myself. I just didn’t care.
But now I wish I paid more attention, because there was nothing on Sornieth I could compare this creature’s brightness to. And then I recalled something one of my former clanmates was extremely excited to have found one clear night.
“Nova,” I addressed the tiny fae. “Yes, I’ll call you that, I think. Nova, I have a friend for you.”
I placed the sparrowmouse beside her and let the little fae get accustomed to her new familiar.
“Present?” Lily questioned, looking from the newest and smallest clan members to me.
“Well, I suppose so,” I began. “Nova needs one just like you both do. Every dragon deserves a familiar, as they say.”
“But you don’t have one, Wafer,” Arc pointed out.
“Ah… yeah, I don’t anymore. For now, anyway,” I dismissed.
“You used to have one?” Arc asked.
He was getting pretty sharp.
“Yeah, I did… I used to look after all sorts, actually.”
“What happened to them?” he asked.
“Yeah!” Lily added, her eyes wide with curiosity.
“They live somewhere else. I had to move away,” I answered simply. I didn’t really want to get into it—especially not with a bunch of hatchlings. They wouldn’t be able to understand anyway.
“Why?” both Arc and Lily asked.
“I… uh.”
How do I get out of this?
“…Aren’t you guys hungry?”
“YES!” Lily responded with enthusiasm, hopping from side to side.
Arc just let out a sigh and nodded.
“Glad to hear it, because I got a ton of food for you guys!” I responded, trying to sound as cheerful as possible as I worked to sidestep that conversation. I took food of every kind out and gave everyone their portion.
Nova’s appetite was impressive for a creature as tiny as she was, and Lily gobbled her food as quickly as ever.
Arc, however, picked at his share slowly. He looked up at me with a bit of a sad expression. “Wafer?” he asked quietly.
“Yes, Arc?” I replied, a bit concerned at how solemn he seemed.
“Do you miss them?”
I flinched. I knew he meant the familiars, but the question was enough for me to think back to my time in Pepper’s clan with my one-time adoptive family there. It stung to think of more than I could say. It took me a while to find my voice again.
“I-I… yeah bud, I do.”
