Welcome to Gaia! ::

Of course Keke could fly, but his magic made him far more comfortable with all four paws on the ground, and there he stayed. At her call, he surged confidently from the rock, not having to worry about where he put his feet as he raced over hard crags and smooth-worn stone. He leapt up the ledge, nodding at his name as he dove in to retrieve the orb.

He felt the earth rumble with dragon magic, the stone rearranging itself to shoot a stabbing spire into the air. No. He reached out with his magic and undid the dragon's doing, putting the rock back to normal and earning a roar of frustration from the dragon above.

The orb in his mouth, Keke couldn't call to her or use his crystalline spit to help her. He had to trust that she knew what she was doing, and, also, to do what he could from the ground. He undid another dragon spell, dodging out of the way of the dragons themselves as he dashed down the dangerous rift.

Near the churning river, there was sand. He curled his magic around it and fused it into a javelin of glass, holding it ready to cover Xenosa's actions... be they retreat or fight. Retreat, however, was seeming likely as an entire family of dragons swirled around her.

Oh dear. he thought, concerned, tensed to release his weapon from his magical grasp...

Keke watched Xenosa swoop by, awed and delighted by her sheer reckless speed. This was spectacular! This was amazing! This was exciting!

The dragons soon came after her, and Keke hurriedly abandoned his spikes, running as the dragons chaotically collided in the air as they tried to avoid death by impalement. He ran, quickly and assuredly, around the riverbed and into the crags, turning this way and that to shake off all hope of pursuit. It was a tangled path that he took back to the campsite, but his magic-enhanced sense of direction and his adrenaline fueled pace brought him trotting back to the campsite, the dragon soul firmly in his mouth. He plopped down near the remains of the fire and dropped the orb – only slightly slicked with salive – panting.

“That was...” he managed, flopping onto his side in exhaustion, “exhilerating!”

Keke began to laugh too, a deeper, stonier laugh, quieting when the vildean came bearing its message. He lifted his head curiously as she read it, watching intently as she tore it to shreds.

“Oh.” he said. Well, she had told him so before, hadn't she? She was to go home. He rested his head back down, still looking at her. “Surely you will go tomorrow?” He had been looking forward to post hunt talking and, possibly, dinner with his fascinating friend, but if she had to go...