Shirmea wouldn't be reassured until Yorgreph was up and about, demanding that Shirmea get his tail back home or he'd haul it back. Shirmea laid down again, shifting his pearl so that it was resting between his front talons.
When the goblin, Frer as they were calling him, skulked back into the cave suddenly, Shirmea flinched, ears flattening. At least he didn't jump. He kept an eye on the goblin as Frer moved to a darker part of the cave, blending in seamlessly with the shadows he seemed to be made of.
Business? Shirmea didn't dare ask, but it sounded like someone or a few someones would soon be joining them. Who would possibly travel in that downpour?
Shirmea wouldn't be reassured until Yorgreph was up and about, demanding that Shirmea get his tail back home or he'd haul it back. Shirmea laid down again, shifting his pearl so that it was resting between his front talons.
When the goblin, Frer as they were calling him, skulked back into the cave suddenly, Shirmea flinched, ears flattening. At least he didn't jump. He kept an eye on the goblin as Frer moved to a darker part of the cave, blending in seamlessly with the shadows he seemed to be made of.
Business? Shirmea didn't dare ask, but it sounded like someone or a few someones would soon be joining them. Who would possibly travel in that downpour?
Although Frer was pretending to be sleeping, Sunat knew that the goblin was not. She felt that the goblin was as distrustful of the new arrivals as Shirmea was of him. Frer never really talked about his past much, but working for the Shadowbinder surely was what made him so suspicious...
Some time passed in silence and, eventually, the new arrivals showed up, soaking wet and not quite happy. There was some brief discussion back and forth, then they headed towards the back of the cave, Tyroanti escorting them along the way.
Although Frer was pretending to be sleeping, Sunat knew that the goblin was not. She felt that the goblin was as distrustful of the new arrivals as Shirmea was of him. Frer never really talked about his past much, but working for the Shadowbinder surely was what made him so suspicious...
Some time passed in silence and, eventually, the new arrivals showed up, soaking wet and not quite happy. There was some brief discussion back and forth, then they headed towards the back of the cave, Tyroanti escorting them along the way.
Shirmea started to doze off when the sound of footsteps brought his attention to the cave mouth. A pair of dragons came inside, looking wet and miserable. He watched Tyroanti lead them deeper into the cave.
His ears perked slightly. Shirmea wondered who they were, but as no introductions were made he figured that it wasn't his concern right now. He lay his head back down, chin resting on his pearl. "Who are they?" He asked anyways, unable to contain his curiosity.
Shirmea started to doze off when the sound of footsteps brought his attention to the cave mouth. A pair of dragons came inside, looking wet and miserable. He watched Tyroanti lead them deeper into the cave.
His ears perked slightly. Shirmea wondered who they were, but as no introductions were made he figured that it wasn't his concern right now. He lay his head back down, chin resting on his pearl. "Who are they?" He asked anyways, unable to contain his curiosity.
Sunat was silent for a minute and then simply said, "Dragons who met each other on the road of misfortune. Their clan sold them".
Silence hung in the air after Sunat's blunt answer back. After just a few short moments, Tyroanti's footsteps could be heard echoing against the cave walls and eventually resubmerged, looking a bit tired but just as stoic as ever.
Sunat was silent for a minute and then simply said, "Dragons who met each other on the road of misfortune. Their clan sold them".
Silence hung in the air after Sunat's blunt answer back. After just a few short moments, Tyroanti's footsteps could be heard echoing against the cave walls and eventually resubmerged, looking a bit tired but just as stoic as ever.
Sunat was silent for a minute and then simply said, "Dragons who met each other on the road of misfortune. Their clan sold them".
Silence hung in the air after Sunat's blunt answer back. After just a few short moments, Tyroanti's footsteps could be heard echoing against the cave walls and eventually resubmerged, looking a bit tired but just as stoic as ever.
Sunat was silent for a minute and then simply said, "Dragons who met each other on the road of misfortune. Their clan sold them".
Silence hung in the air after Sunat's blunt answer back. After just a few short moments, Tyroanti's footsteps could be heard echoing against the cave walls and eventually resubmerged, looking a bit tired but just as stoic as ever.
"Sold them?" Shirmea exclaimed, horrified at the very idea of such a thing. Could dragons even be bought and sold like that? Were they slaves? Had Sunat and her friend bought them? Shirmea's ears flattened. Had he just stumbled into a slavers' lair?
No, don't be stupid. They don't look the type. Perhaps these two Faes were helping them. Yes, he would just have to go with that instead.
"Sold them?" Shirmea exclaimed, horrified at the very idea of such a thing. Could dragons even be bought and sold like that? Were they slaves? Had Sunat and her friend bought them? Shirmea's ears flattened. Had he just stumbled into a slavers' lair?
No, don't be stupid. They don't look the type. Perhaps these two Faes were helping them. Yes, he would just have to go with that instead.
Sunat looked over at Shirmea and simply shrugged, "You don't get out much, do you? The buying and selling of dragons is not such an uncommon thing to see. Even being a hermit I know that, so I can only imagine what kind of upbringing you've had".
Tyroanti shook their head before stating, "Can you really blame the boy, though? I mean, look at his clothes. You know he's been a sheltered lad, no? Ah, but it doesn't really matter. I'm sure the boy and his companion will be on their way before too long, back home where they belong".
Sunat nodded and Tyroanti had just put their journal back on the shelf when they turned to Sunat again and said, "Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, this does raise a question. Are we going to be moving caves once they leave?"
Sunat thought about it for a moment, "Hmmm".
Sunat looked over at Shirmea and simply shrugged, "You don't get out much, do you? The buying and selling of dragons is not such an uncommon thing to see. Even being a hermit I know that, so I can only imagine what kind of upbringing you've had".
Tyroanti shook their head before stating, "Can you really blame the boy, though? I mean, look at his clothes. You know he's been a sheltered lad, no? Ah, but it doesn't really matter. I'm sure the boy and his companion will be on their way before too long, back home where they belong".
Sunat nodded and Tyroanti had just put their journal back on the shelf when they turned to Sunat again and said, "Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, this does raise a question. Are we going to be moving caves once they leave?"
Sunat thought about it for a moment, "Hmmm".
"That's terrible," Shirmea protested. "My clanmates come from all over and they've never talked about such a thing." He refused to believe that something so evil would be so widespread. Or was that why his father had built their castle so high up in the sky? To get away from the world?
Back home. That seemed so far off, with Yorgreph and his broken wing. Shirmea hadn't the faintest idea how long it would take for that to heal. If it came down to it, he could always fly home and bring back help, but the prospect of flying all that way on his own wasn't as appealing now that he had seen firsthand what the world was like.
"That's terrible," Shirmea protested. "My clanmates come from all over and they've never talked about such a thing." He refused to believe that something so evil would be so widespread. Or was that why his father had built their castle so high up in the sky? To get away from the world?
Back home. That seemed so far off, with Yorgreph and his broken wing. Shirmea hadn't the faintest idea how long it would take for that to heal. If it came down to it, he could always fly home and bring back help, but the prospect of flying all that way on his own wasn't as appealing now that he had seen firsthand what the world was like.
"Aye, and I bet every single one of them come from royalty or noble bloodlines. The rich, if you will," Tyroanti countered. "People don't care to talk about what isn't right, you know".
Sunat shook her head and said, "The world is a terrible place young one. At least, it has been for me. I guess that's why Tyroanti and I have set out on our journey to build a clan together."
Sunat glanced back towards the cave where the two newcomers had gone. "We did buy them, that is true. But they're not slaves. We don't own them and they are free to leave when they wish."
"Hah! Free to leave when they wish. You have a sense of humor Sunat," Frer grumbled, "And not a very good one."
Tyroanti explained, "Their clan sold them because they had an affair together and their partners weren't very happy. That woman, Chimera? She's carrying two eggs with her. While Frer and I were out searching for new dragons to maybe recruit into our clan, we heard of their story and decided to buy them."
"Legally, we have the rights of ownership over them and their offspring, but..." Sunat continued. "We could choose to exercise it, but we won't. It goes against the spirit of why we're forming this clan..."
Frer growled and muttered, "Count yourself lucky boy. In most clans, the rich never sees what becomes of the poor 'commoners'".
"Aye, and I bet every single one of them come from royalty or noble bloodlines. The rich, if you will," Tyroanti countered. "People don't care to talk about what isn't right, you know".
Sunat shook her head and said, "The world is a terrible place young one. At least, it has been for me. I guess that's why Tyroanti and I have set out on our journey to build a clan together."
Sunat glanced back towards the cave where the two newcomers had gone. "We did buy them, that is true. But they're not slaves. We don't own them and they are free to leave when they wish."
"Hah! Free to leave when they wish. You have a sense of humor Sunat," Frer grumbled, "And not a very good one."
Tyroanti explained, "Their clan sold them because they had an affair together and their partners weren't very happy. That woman, Chimera? She's carrying two eggs with her. While Frer and I were out searching for new dragons to maybe recruit into our clan, we heard of their story and decided to buy them."
"Legally, we have the rights of ownership over them and their offspring, but..." Sunat continued. "We could choose to exercise it, but we won't. It goes against the spirit of why we're forming this clan..."
Frer growled and muttered, "Count yourself lucky boy. In most clans, the rich never sees what becomes of the poor 'commoners'".
"You know nothing about my clan!" Shirmea snapped, ears flattening as he sat up, hands tightening around his pearl. "So don't presume you do!"
"Shirmea, that's enough," Yorgreph coughed, stirring. He raised his head, eyes groggy and still fogged with pain, but his voice was stronger. He sat up, slowly, and straightened his hat -it was a miracle it was still there after his ordeal.
Wincing, Yorgreph offered the two Faes an awkward bow, tipping his hat off to them before replacing it on his head. "You are right on one thing, he knows nothing about the world, but please don't judge my clan based upon Shirmea. He's a poor example." The Skydancer offered a shaky grin. His side ached and his broken wing throbbed, Even the carefullest of movements sent a jolt of pain up the limb.
"You know nothing about my clan!" Shirmea snapped, ears flattening as he sat up, hands tightening around his pearl. "So don't presume you do!"
"Shirmea, that's enough," Yorgreph coughed, stirring. He raised his head, eyes groggy and still fogged with pain, but his voice was stronger. He sat up, slowly, and straightened his hat -it was a miracle it was still there after his ordeal.
Wincing, Yorgreph offered the two Faes an awkward bow, tipping his hat off to them before replacing it on his head. "You are right on one thing, he knows nothing about the world, but please don't judge my clan based upon Shirmea. He's a poor example." The Skydancer offered a shaky grin. His side ached and his broken wing throbbed, Even the carefullest of movements sent a jolt of pain up the limb.
