Creative Corner

@argenteamoon I think that understanding that everyone has different and wildly varying life experiences from you is a part of life. Eli is just trying to help Nef the only way she knows how.

Thanks! :)

(also I didn't mean offense, sry if I sounded rude uwu )

@LoopGaroux Thank you! :D <3

@cacti Yes, but I guess I was saying wow, how could anyone discount their own sibling's experiences like that???? I think I was just remarking that I find that sort of person completely incomprehensible myself, and that I wouldn't appreciate that sort of advice at all.

I guess I feel like Eli is the one who doesn't understand that people can have wildly different life experiences by saying that Guardians have to have a charge.

And no I don't think you sounded rude :3

@Cacti - Another good entry. =)

Poof Nef. It's so hard when you're so different from anyone's expectations. :C
I think my dragons could sympathize with her. I'm very poor at implementing their proper breed lore. =P

At least she has a place to stay while she tries to figure things out. =)

@orgetzu Same.... I'm like oh yeaahhh guardians need charges... lol. And yes it was generous of Eli, and lucky for her :b

@lakeguts she never really does LMAO

@ArgenteaMoon yesss yes okay we are on the same page then. I think Eli struggles because she wants a charge so much that she can't imagine not wanting one, and comes off extremely insensitive :T thanks :D

ping ding @ArgenteaMoon @SolarPhoenix @Dovalore @Orgetzu @IronPen @lakeguts @kaial


The next few days me and Eli did not speak on the matter we had discussed. I helped with the lair repairs as best I could. Over dinner we laughed and shared stories from years prior. It felt nice to joke with people who had known me almost my entire life.

Things started to head downhill as soon as Clio showed up from getting more food one night, several days after I had arrived. He had my satchel in his mouth. “Nefertiti,” He mumbled, nodding me over. “I think you need to look at this.”

I followed him to a more isolated hallway. I took the satchel and recoiled in confusion. The egg I had rescued, once dark and dully glowing, shone and felt hot to the touch. I dropped it in surprise. I heard a cracking noise as it rocked around on the dirt. Clio and I shared a look of confusion. Cracks formed on the egg's surface and - oh Gods. A goopy pile of feathers and fur rocked out. The small hatchling shook its head, disoriented. I felt like my eyes would fall out of my head with discomfort. “Uhh…” I groaned. “ELI!”

Thank the Gods for Eli’s instincts. She scooped the hatchling right up and worked on getting it cleaned and fed. I felt like the air had been sucked out of the room. I’m not sure what I expected to happen, really, with an egg in my satchel. Clio put a comforting paw on my arm. “Eli will take care of your hatchling, Nef. You don’t need to worry. Is this your first egg?” I snatched my arm away in horror.

“That… thing,” I hissed, “Isn’t mine. You’re out of your mind if you think I would have a nest of eggs.” Clio seemed embarrassed and confused.

“Where did the egg come from, then?” He asked, tilting his head. I sighed loudly.

“I found it outside, I took it in here, forgot about it in my bag. I didn’t think it would hatch. I don’t know. I don’t want that thing,” I emphasized. “I can barely take care of myself.” Clio nodded, his light eyes looking at the floor.

“We should rest, Eli will take care of the hatchling. She will probably put it in the nursery with the others. Come on, Nef,” He motioned with a paw to follow him. I followed his slight, ghostly figure to our shared quarters. I hoped that when I woke up, somehow the additional turmoil would turn out to be a bad dream.
***
Before the rest of the lair woke up, I trotted outside and stretched my wings. I could see my breath in the cold air. I gulped down a few biting breaths. I heard the snow crunching behind me and spun to see Eli coming from the lair. She gave me a cloak and some warm furs for my legs.

We sat silently as the sun rose. I felt a little uneasy, the air between us felt tense from the previous misunderstanding.

“Eli…” I started, nervous. She held up a paw.

“Nefertiti, I think you misunderstood me the other day,” She began, her voice tense. “Look, I know you’re different from me. You’ve always been like this. You also know I consider you family. But your unending need to keep up this facade of uniqueness somehow always seems to get in the way of you living your life.” Her icy eyes met mine. I felt my throat clench with anxiety, anger, I don’t know. “I think you really should consider simplifying your life. Please, Nef, I think it would offer you the clarity you need. You’re so caught up in living as Nefertiti that you’ve lost sight of how to live as a guardian. I just want to see you at peace.”

I sat stunned, mute with shock. Her eyes looked like she genuinely believed that this advice would help me, which made it worse. I’d never felt more alienated and alone in that moment. Figures. I thought I could find answers here, but clearly not. I could never find any relief. I sputtered something about needing some time to process this and went back inside. Anxiety clenched my chest as I hurried down hallways to Clio’s chamber. I grabbed my satchel and a few necessities before I left.

That’s all I could ever do - just run. Pathetic, cowardly Nefertiti. Bitter tears stung my face as I left the lair. I didn’t look back.

@Cacti tch my whole clan of weirdoes and rejects is giving Eli this appalled look right now. "Be a proper Guardian, you might like it!" what the hell. Who wants to be normal for god's sake.

I felt like saying "anyone who doesn't understand that social constructs do not physically exist has something wrong with them" but .... actually that's a pretty difficult thing to understand, and most people don't know that, even pretty smart people. So uh ... I'll go punch myself now ...