It had been many many years since the old guardian had found his calling working the forge located deep within his lair. Since that time many young guardians had found their way into his apprenticeship before going on to find their own charges. So it had always been and so it would always be, and today was no different.
The old dragon stared down at the identical young guardians who stared back with the bright eyes of the arcane flight. "Procrius I understand you wish to join your sister on her search but do you not think it would be wise to stay here and attend do your own charge now that you have found it?"
The young male glanced to his twin before twitching his tail and replying in almost a wail "well...Yes? But she needs me! who will guard her and keep her safe? Make sure she doesn't get so lost in her thinking?"
Melete gave her brother an annoyed look "I can protect myself! Besides, it's just up to the sunbeam ruins, I am sure I will be perfectly fine getting there on my own."
Kalo shook his head at that "No, he is right," Procrius got a hopeful look at that but his face immediately fell as Kalo went on. "Rowdy and Mouse will accompany you, Both are skilled and have Kin in the areas you will be passing through."
The young female gave her brother a triumphant look before nodding to Kalo "Thank you Forgemaster, I will find them and get ready to leave soon.
He simply nodded at that before turning to Procrius and giving him a stern glower "Get back to the bellows boy, there's work to be done. The lady doesn't tolerate shirking in her forges!"
---
It hadn't taken her long to find Rowdy, the young fae was busily chirping away happily with the rest of the colony as they set about expanding their territory in the cave by way of making more nests anchored to the wall with specially constructed pitons. Once she had finally convinced him she needed his help the two set off to find Mouse. They heard the pearlcatcher long before they saw him extolling the virtues of the great flamecaller and his adopted flight.
Rounding the final bend the dark dragon finally came into view and his audience as well, his two young hatchlings were lounging against their mother's side looking rather bored of this display and as if they had heard it all before...many times. Catching sight of Melete they quickly scrambled to their feet leaving Mouse hanging mid sentence as they dashed over babbling at the same time in an attempt to get her to play with them.
Shaking her head, and subsequently gaining a round of scolding from Rowdy for almost unseating him, she gave them an apologetic look. "Sorry, Just here to talk to your papa. The Forgemaster said he was to accompany me on my quest to the ruins."
The pair drooped their fins in disappointment before making their way back to Aegwynn's side. Mouse paused long enough to nose the two and give them an admonishment to mind their studies so they would do their lair proud at the lady's side before making his way over. "The ruins you say? I have kin there, well all of my kind do. The light is absolutely perfect for showing off one's work, not that any of our work would ever be anything less then perfect but you understand lightning just makes it look that much better."
The young guardian nodded "Yes, I have a feeling my charge is somewhere up there and I need to go find it. My brother wanted to come as well but he was told no and I was sent to you."
Mouse nodded thoughtfully to that "Yes Yes...of course, Obviously I was the perfect ch-"
Whatever Mouse had been planning on saying was rudely interrupted when one of his boys crashed into his legs and gave him a pleading chirp "Papa papa! Can I go? Pleeeeeease? It's up there I know it is!"
Carefully extracting himself from his offspring the pearlcatcher cocked his head "What's up there Duscias?"
The chirp this time was even more plaintive as the young guardian flared his fins "My charge! I know it is, please papa? I'll be real good and listen to everything you say on the way up I promise!"
Glancing over to his mate Mouse simply was afforded with an amused expression. Sensing he would get no help from that front he turned to trying to coax his son into what he thought was sense...even though the promise of a rapt audience WAS tempting. "Now now, wouldn't it be good for you to wait? Why who would your brother play with then and what would your mother think?"
Unfortunately the hatchling had answers ready. "Procrius is here! So's Warpstorm and Hawkstone! Momma would also think that I was growing up and becoming a full dragon for finding my charge! She'd be proud, right momma?" The young guardian glanced under his wing back to his mother who smiled and nodded at him.
Mouse simply stared at them all for a long moment then let out a defeated sigh before turning to Melete. "I suppose I should be asking when do we leave?"
She grinned brightly at him. "Now if you are ready! A Package already came from one of our allied clans and the Forgemaster sent word ahead to expect us in the next few days."
Mouse stared at her then grumbled about old dragons and presumption before prodding his son. "Alright boy, say your goodbyes and lets get this going."
The old dragon stared down at the identical young guardians who stared back with the bright eyes of the arcane flight. "Procrius I understand you wish to join your sister on her search but do you not think it would be wise to stay here and attend do your own charge now that you have found it?"
The young male glanced to his twin before twitching his tail and replying in almost a wail "well...Yes? But she needs me! who will guard her and keep her safe? Make sure she doesn't get so lost in her thinking?"
Melete gave her brother an annoyed look "I can protect myself! Besides, it's just up to the sunbeam ruins, I am sure I will be perfectly fine getting there on my own."
Kalo shook his head at that "No, he is right," Procrius got a hopeful look at that but his face immediately fell as Kalo went on. "Rowdy and Mouse will accompany you, Both are skilled and have Kin in the areas you will be passing through."
The young female gave her brother a triumphant look before nodding to Kalo "Thank you Forgemaster, I will find them and get ready to leave soon.
He simply nodded at that before turning to Procrius and giving him a stern glower "Get back to the bellows boy, there's work to be done. The lady doesn't tolerate shirking in her forges!"
---
It hadn't taken her long to find Rowdy, the young fae was busily chirping away happily with the rest of the colony as they set about expanding their territory in the cave by way of making more nests anchored to the wall with specially constructed pitons. Once she had finally convinced him she needed his help the two set off to find Mouse. They heard the pearlcatcher long before they saw him extolling the virtues of the great flamecaller and his adopted flight.
Rounding the final bend the dark dragon finally came into view and his audience as well, his two young hatchlings were lounging against their mother's side looking rather bored of this display and as if they had heard it all before...many times. Catching sight of Melete they quickly scrambled to their feet leaving Mouse hanging mid sentence as they dashed over babbling at the same time in an attempt to get her to play with them.
Shaking her head, and subsequently gaining a round of scolding from Rowdy for almost unseating him, she gave them an apologetic look. "Sorry, Just here to talk to your papa. The Forgemaster said he was to accompany me on my quest to the ruins."
The pair drooped their fins in disappointment before making their way back to Aegwynn's side. Mouse paused long enough to nose the two and give them an admonishment to mind their studies so they would do their lair proud at the lady's side before making his way over. "The ruins you say? I have kin there, well all of my kind do. The light is absolutely perfect for showing off one's work, not that any of our work would ever be anything less then perfect but you understand lightning just makes it look that much better."
The young guardian nodded "Yes, I have a feeling my charge is somewhere up there and I need to go find it. My brother wanted to come as well but he was told no and I was sent to you."
Mouse nodded thoughtfully to that "Yes Yes...of course, Obviously I was the perfect ch-"
Whatever Mouse had been planning on saying was rudely interrupted when one of his boys crashed into his legs and gave him a pleading chirp "Papa papa! Can I go? Pleeeeeease? It's up there I know it is!"
Carefully extracting himself from his offspring the pearlcatcher cocked his head "What's up there Duscias?"
The chirp this time was even more plaintive as the young guardian flared his fins "My charge! I know it is, please papa? I'll be real good and listen to everything you say on the way up I promise!"
Glancing over to his mate Mouse simply was afforded with an amused expression. Sensing he would get no help from that front he turned to trying to coax his son into what he thought was sense...even though the promise of a rapt audience WAS tempting. "Now now, wouldn't it be good for you to wait? Why who would your brother play with then and what would your mother think?"
Unfortunately the hatchling had answers ready. "Procrius is here! So's Warpstorm and Hawkstone! Momma would also think that I was growing up and becoming a full dragon for finding my charge! She'd be proud, right momma?" The young guardian glanced under his wing back to his mother who smiled and nodded at him.
Mouse simply stared at them all for a long moment then let out a defeated sigh before turning to Melete. "I suppose I should be asking when do we leave?"
She grinned brightly at him. "Now if you are ready! A Package already came from one of our allied clans and the Forgemaster sent word ahead to expect us in the next few days."
Mouse stared at her then grumbled about old dragons and presumption before prodding his son. "Alright boy, say your goodbyes and lets get this going."
