Welcome to Gaia! ::

Naveen nodded, turning and heading for the mountain path. He kept an eye on Cynthia as they trekked back up to the dragon's cave, unable to keep from worrying about her. "Tell me if you need to stop," he said softly, concern in his pink eyes.

Naveen's expression softened. "You're being here is thanks enough." He gave her gentle nudge before turning his full attention to the path ahead of them.

When they reached the cave, he took several steps inside before opening his cart and inspecting his passengers. Curled up together, they stared out at him with beady black eyes. Replacing the top, he headed a bit deeper into the cave to where the dragon was. "We've returned."

"And you have the purple badgers?" The dragon drew forward when the stallion nodded. "Well, let's see them, then."

Naveen removed the top once more, showing the dragon its occupants. "They were the only ones." The dragon glanced at Naveen for a moment before inspecting the significantly smaller creatures in the cart. "Ah. You've kept them alive... good. Very good..." Picking up the male, he continued. "The last one I tasked with this task crushed their skulls before bringing them to me."

"I'm assuming that confrontation didn't end well." The dragon lifted his head to snort, keeping his smoky amusement away from the badger in his claws. "Not at all. These creatures are much more valuable to me alive than dead."

"I could tell." The dragon's large, slitted eye fixed its gaze on Cynthia. "Your treatment of them was exceptionally gentle." He carefully placed the male back in the cart. "If you wouldn't mind bringing them back here... my claws are not suited for carrying them."

Naveen nodded, pulling his cart after the receding dragon. When the reptilian creature halted, so did he. He blinked as he beheld a structure similar to a pasture, a little fenced in area with other little badgers inside. Most of them were pure white, though a few were purple like the ones they'd retrieved. "You're preserving them."

"Yes. I don't know why, but the predators are particularly fond of eating the purple ones... here they'll be safe." He carefully removed the two badgers from the cart and placed them in the pen with the others. "Well, a deal's a deal... you may rest here as long as you like."

Naveen dipped his head in a respectful gesture. "Thank you."

The dragon chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound. "I can see that," it replied, amused. "I would not object to your visiting them at a later time..." Nudging one of the other badgers in the pen, he continued, "Think of your safe delivery of them here as a lifetime pass."

Naveen smiled. "Thank you very much. We appreciate it." The stallion gave Cynthia a gentle nudge. "You should rest, Princess," he said softly. She had to be exhausted...

"It would make me feel much better," Naveen replied. He paused before heading back towards the front of the cave. "I'm going to go refill the cart." He didn't want to leave his wares lying around.

Naveen sighed as he put his wares one by one back into the cart. What was this... sudden heaviness in his chest? Things were well again; he shouldn't feel this... down--depressed even. He shook his head, finishing his task and putting the lid back onto the cart. He could think about it later; it was getting late. He returned to the area where Cynthia was, laying down across the cave from her before letting his own eyes slide closed.

(( I hope we get the certs for these two soon. :/ They would have beautiful babies. .3. ))

The dragon glanced over at the two Azrien before disappearing further into the cave. He'd give them their privacy while they rested.

(( Sure, why not? I think they'd make a cute couple. -3- ))