Gods, he hated this. Still, it was time to go. He'd already told the faculty he was going for a visit home and arranged everything, and now ... all that was left was to fly away. Taking a deep breath, the lightning dragon stared out into the sky outside his dorm, the stars just starting to show themselves as the last light of day faded. He wasn't entirely sure why he'd chosen to leave this late ... though perhaps it was more a case of putting off leaving until now, when he could have very well gone much earlier in the day. Another sort of sigh, and Aksaja allowed eyes to lid, then shifted into his natural form with a thought and launched himself out into the steadily darkening sky.
He flew for several hours before he saw a pinpoint of light ahead, between an arch made of stone atop a cliff - the Gate he'd used to come to this section of the world in the first place. Back then, it had represented an escape from everything he hated about his life, his home. Now ... it meant that he was going back there, and possibly to stay if this went badly. With an unhappy sort of grunt, Aksaja landed with a thumb and then stepped forward and through the Gate, appearing on the other side a few miles away from their tiny valley on a similar cliff. His claws dug at the dirt for a moment, as he breathed in the familiar scents of the place he'd known as home and hated at the same time for so many years.
Shaking his head, Aksaja steeled himself and took off into the air again, wings carrying him toward the caves where he had grown up, and where his parents awaited him. Before he even got very close, though, his father came out to meet him.
The first thing Aksaja saw was a shadow falling over him, blotting out even the meager light of the stars and moon. Looking up, golden eyes widened and he rolled in the air, trying desperately to escape, though he knew it wouldn't do any good ... the other dragon was too large, and already in perfect position above him. Claws hit him hard in mid-roll and knocked the breath out of him. There was a roar - he wasn't sure if it came from him or his attacker - and then he was simply snatched out of the air by those same claws and dumped unceremoniously onto a stone floor a few moments later, head still reeling from the hit.
came the demand, and the younger dragon flinched.
His father apparently thought so too. One massive forearm flashed out and bowled him over so that he fetched up against a wall, dazing him all over again.
Slowly getting back to his feet, Aksaja lowered his head, wings tucked in tight and crest flat in submission.
His father pinned him with a glare.
