DAY 1
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Despite Renegade's declaration, they did not immediately go out and scavenge for nest materials. The most pressing priority was rest - the first proper one they'd had since setting out. They slept in three hour shifts, trading off for three cycles - absolutely leisurely compared to the hour long naps they'd snatched earlier in their journey. Now that they'd found a place they could settle down in for a while, it was a luxury they could afford again.
Then it was time to gather supplies. The benefit of being in the Starwood Strand was that it was, well, a strand. Being dragons who ate only seafood, this was ideal. Fabrial had made sure to send them off with packs full of food, healing potions, and battle stones, but they could hardly rely on those supplies forever. After a brief argument - Renegade wanted Sacred to stay behind in the makeshift lair and guard their things, which of course Sacred refused to do - they took their packs and set out to where the trees receded and the shore met the sea. Sacred hummed with pleasure as their claws sank into the sandy beach. She loved the sea and its salt-tanged breeze, the sun shattering against its surface like a multi-faceted jewel. She hadn't had the occasion to visit it for a long time. It was a shame it took exile to bring her to it again.
After a bit of searching, they found a large cove, perfect for harvesting. At high tide the sea washed a bounty of ocean creatures into tide pools up the beach, and when the waves receded again, all manner of tasty fish found themselves trapped. Sometimes the sea left behind other gifts, too. Renegade nearly stepped on a magical vial, and Sacred found a necklace amid a particularly dense school of fish, presumably attracted by the shiny trinket.
They worked quickly, gathering up armfuls of fish and mussels, some to eat fresh, but mostly to preserve for later. Fortunately, one of the dragons from their clan had had the foresight to pack them some foldable baskets. Sacred built a fire on high ground and began gutting and smoking their harvest, filling the baskets, as Renegade continued to harvest the pools.
Their hunt for food was a race against time. When the tide rose again, the tide pools would be engulfed, freeing the trapped seafood - but that was only secondary to what else the tide brought. Their clan had made various contracts with their local maren tribes, regarding how much could be fished from where. Out here, though, far from home, the two dragons had no such agreements. They had no wish to find out how hostile the maren tribes here might be.
As Renegade continued to forage, first for fish, then for seaweed and waterbugs in preparation for the hatchlings, Sacred methodically cleaned and worked on preserving the food. Every so often a stray breeze blew the smoke right into her face, making her eyes water and drying out her tongue. Her work had also attracted flocks and flocks of gulls - they circled overhead, watching, waiting for her to lower her guard, swooping down to steal some fish when she was distracted. To her dismay, a few gulls succeeded, shrieking their victory as they snatched a fish and swooped away, chased by a cloud of compatriots all squabbling for a share of the prize.
Sacred whined with irritation and swiped at the next bird that dove for her fish. Her claws slashed deep into the unlucky gull, killing it. The other gulls, seeing the sight, screeched with alarm and flew away.
Sacred sighed in relief and moved the gull carcass to the pile of food to process. Fortunately, she had finished with most of the fish. The sun was high in the sky and warm, and she doubted the seafood would keep much longer. She gutted and filleted the ones that remained, turning her mind to the question of the eggs as she worked.
For now she could safely leave them in the bag, but as both eggs continued to grow, they wouldn't be able to fit for much longer. Besides, the bag wasn't meant to be a long term substitute for proper brooding, especially for more than one egg - they needed to be turned properly every few hours, and Sacred didn't want to think about what would happen if one started hatching while still in the bag. But if she took up brooding full time, then Renegade would have to hunt and forage alone, for four. The more they gathered today, the more leeway they would have, but she didn't much like the idea even so.
She looked up from her musing to see two gulls, one brown and one green, by her baskets, examining the smoked fish. She jumped up, waving, fish knife still in her claws. "Get away!" she scolded, hoping to startle them enough into leaving without stealing anything.
To her surprise, the gulls didn't scatter, but they did obey her command, waddling away from the basket and towards her. Sacred eyed them warily, but the two birds settled beside her, seemingly content merely to watch her work.
Well, that was certainly something. Sacred had been burying the fish offal, but as she gutted the last two fish, she flicked the innards at the two gulls. They screeched and hopped about, clearly delighted, and made short work of the offering. Then they waddled closer, chirping, for all the world like hatchlings begging for food.
Renegade chose that moment to pop back in with an armful of seaweed. "What's this?" he asked, looking at the birds.
Sacred shrugged, grabbing the seaweed from him and helping to spread it by the fire to dry. "I think we just got some new pets."
"You would," Renegade sighed. "We're about to have two hatchlings out in the middle of nowhere, and you adopt two birds on top of that." He grumbled, but Sacred could see the amused affection in his eyes, and, when he thought she wasn't looking, she saw him slip the birds a clam.
Sacred watched the two birds squabble over the treat, watched the tide slowly come in, the sound of the waves slapping against the sand growing louder and louder as it approached. Below her, Renegade ran between the waves, ostensibly checking to see what the sea left behind, but Sacred suspected he was enjoying sending the shorebirds scattering.
Everything is going to be fine, Sacred thought as she tended the fire, oddly content. It was going to be hard, but every clan had to start somewhere. There were worse ways to start than this.
