Cairn Mountain Chain

[Hot Champion_of_justice]

Bane's eyes flashed in anger at Ebony's words. Dress it up in any way and it was still a case where they were helping him and Sasha. As she nuzzled him from behind he clenched his fists and nodded.

"Fine. Exchange of...safety. If you will excuse me, I am going to find a cavern close by and then come back for Sasha."

He left quickly keeping his pride in check as he went to find a place big enough for him and Sasha.  

[Red Gypsy]

Sasha gave a small sigh as she looked back at the others and shook her head, hoping they'd understand.

She stood, wincing in the process and moved herself to the ledge so that Bane wouldn't have to look at the others when he came back for her.  

[Hot Champion_of_justice]

It didn't take Bane very long as he came back for sasha and together they made their way to their own Cavern. Once she was inside he sat at the entrance on guard.

He said nothing to her as he was too angry to say anything.  

[Red Gypsy]

Sasha couldn't help herself as soon as Bane got her to the new cave and simply remained at the entrance of it. She couldn't help but feel his anger and moved to lay down as best as she could at the back of the cave, doing her best to keep out of the way and out of any danger.  

[Hot Champion_of_justice]

Bane eventually left his spot going off to hunt for her. After several hours he returned in his dragon form carrying a deer for her.

He walked to the back and dropped it by her.

"Eat."

It was all he said before he went back to the entrance and curled up there.  

[Alba Derosso]

Lao had remained quiet for the time being, watching the two have a heart felt moment. He was in a much worse position when he lost his first mate, and protectively curled his tail tighter around Ebony as he gave Bane a respectful nod. The man was the king of what dragons had remained upon the island of vampires, and for the two dragon kings to meet under such circumstances was a dishonor to the view the Mountain Emperor had of the Hellbane: the man was a true dragon. To see such wounds in such an equal inflamed his heart with rage.

"As long as Sasha and Bane remain here, we must increase our vigilance my love. This attempts on their life reminisce of the attempts on yours, and I will not see any dragon on our island suffer such indignities. The cowards should be taught a lesson of respect when dealing with dragons; our honor demands such."  

[Red Gypsy]

Sasha looked up at the deer that Bane brought her and sighed softly as he left her again, knowing that she should eat it. But her stomach wasn't too sure of it right now. But she did her best to eat some of it anyway.

Then she laid her head down facing away from the cave entrance and the rest of the deer.



Ebony nodded to Lao, "I agree, but his pride must be salvaged, Lao... Only you can help him in this... Another male... A female would only hurt his pride even more so I can't help him at all...," she told him softly as she nuzzled him back, "They are both in such pain that they cannot see it in the other, cannot help each other as they need to...," she whispered softly, knowing she'd never be able to live if anything happened to Lao...  

[Alba Derosso]

"Heh... He won't hear any words I have for now. The wounds are too fresh, and his mind is clouded with grief. The injury of his daughter will spurn thoughts of vengeance, and we have no way of directing it towards the party responsible." Lao replied and nuzzled the side of her neck softly before slowly getting up to shale the dust from his tail. "No, right now we will remain gracious hosts and aid in the healing of the wounds. Then we can have a man to man chat." Lao stated and got back into a resting position, looking down at the children. "Should they wake, I think some exercise is in order. Their wings should be dry; it'll be time to teach them how to fly soon."  

[Red Gypsy]

Ebony gave him a nod, knowing he was right. They would have to wait until Bane was ready.

She looked down at the hatchlings and nuzzled them gently, "Yes, when they wake we will give them their first flying lesson. Then they will have their first bath...," she told him with a purring rumble of a laugh.

She shifted her head from the hatchlings to her mate and licked his nose teasingly, "You could use a bath as well, my love... To wash the blood of Sasha from your scales from aiding her here as well as the dust you acquired in the process," she teased him a bit, knowing he'd appreciate the humor.  

[Alba Derosso]

Lao let out a grumble at Ebony's suggestion of a bath. "I'm fine for now. I will wash off when the wyrmlings are ready for their bath. Until then, I will remained covered in blood and dust as my servants did in the Ages of Rome. I always enjoyed smelling of a man anyways." He retorted with a bit of a chuckle, fondly remembering his days of hunting vampires in Rome when Carthage still stood.  

[Red Gypsy]

Ebony gave a low rumble at his suggestion, "Well then, you can simply lay on the ledge until the little ones wake up, my love... You may enjoy smelling like that, but I don't...," she told him very sweetly before she moved over to one of her trunks and opened it with the tip of her tail reaching inside to pull out a small sack out.

She opened it and pulled out smaller sacks that smelled of fresh herbs. She tossed the smaller sacks into the corners of the cave, instantly making it smell much better.

She moved back to the still sleeping hatchlings and curled up around them, motioning to the ledge with her head and giving Lao a pointed look.  

[Alba Derosso]

The primal let out a huff before slowly walking out towards the ledge, giving his mate and their children a wide berth from his apparent stench. He wasn't too happy about her indignation with his hygiene, but she was in one of her many moods that would come with being a mother. Laying himself down on the hard stone, his eyes kept survey of the island, keeping guard since he figured more dragons would eventually come. Some may stay and roost upon these isles as friends, others would come to claim territory as enemies. However, all would acknowledge that he was Emperor of these isles, and all would bend to his will or break in the denying of it.  

[Red Gypsy]

((Okay guys, I'm bored out of my mind here so I'm going to post a small time-skip in here...))

When the hatchlings woke from their nap, they were all given their first flying lesson with Ebony and Lao watching over them carefully. They were all lead to the small lake for their first bath, Lao getting one while playing with the little ones.

After the bath was finished, all of the dragons laid out in the sun to dry their scales before the hatchlings flew back to the cavern that was their home with Ebony and Lao ever-watchful over them.

Once back at their home, the pair saw to creating a room specifically for the young dragons that was safe and easily protected then made certain that there was plenty for them to play with; toys, cushions to rest on, etc; and a low wall at the doorway that would prevent the hatchlings from leaving the room until they were old enough to move around without supervision.

Only once all of that was accomplished and the hatchlings asleep once more after another feed, only then did Ebony and Lao curl up for their own nap together in the main chamber.

Each day, Ebony went to check on Sasha though she rarely made it past Bane and really felt like giving him a good dose of her sarcastic tongue but held back for Sasha's sake, wondering how she would broach the subject with Lao about the young female. Each day, the young dragons grew a bit more, making Ebony even more proud of the little ones. But she couldn't divide her attention between Sasha and the hatchlings forever and the strain was starting to show...

Sasha was miserable. There was no other word for it. She hurt from nose to tail, she itched unbearably, and she couldn't help but feel that Bane was angry with her beyond belief. Even worse was that she had no idea how to make the situation any better...

So she remained in the back of the cavern that Bane had found for her to stay in, only eating when he was watching her but not moving otherwise. She couldn't help but feel that she was a burden to him now, that he might regret having found her again or having her around at all.

Days went by and yet she still couldn't move much. She couldn't even shift to her human form.

And still Bane wouldn't speak to her beyond a few words to tell her he was going to hunt or to check on the goings-on back on the main island...  

[Hot Champion_of_justice]

Bane was spiraling into a deeper and darker depression than anything before. He began to wonder about his purpose and found himself wanting to just...not wake up.

It didn't help that once Sasha was healed she would fly off on her own and get attack yet again. She had this very bad habit of not being aware of her surroundings and not listening when he told her not to ******** fly alone.

No...there was nothing he could do once she was healed. Couldn't protect her...couldn't stop her from leaving. She was her own dragon too old for the nest.

Perhaps she should strike out on her own. She was more than old enough and frankly he was tired of the whining she would do when they would talk about how she is an adult and he should respect that and blah blah blah.

She just could and would never understand why he tried to keep her sheltered. She was his only bit of family. She wasn't his hatchling, but she was like one.

He blinked and got up.

Bane needed air. He turned his head and looked at Sasha at the back of the cave.

"Do as you will. Air yourself or whatnot."

He left the cave and steered clear of Ebony and Lao's area. He dove off the cliff and opened his wings and flew off.  

[Alba Derosso]

As Bane was leaving, Lao was outside keeping watch as Ebony tended to their young. It wouldn't be long until his progeny was ready to strike out on their own in these lands, to find their own caves and begin their own lives. Until then, they would remain with him and his mate. Her strain was causing him concern, and Bane's maddening depression was also weighing heavy upon the Emperor's mind. Seeing the Dragon King of Vampire Island take flight, Lao huffed a gout of flames and took off after him.

"Bane! A word if you will!" He shouted out, hoping to at least break words with Bane and perhaps alleviate his sorrow. It was becoming sordidly pathetic how such a proud and regal being was digging himself a large hole of self-pitying. However, Lao just watched Bane fly away before shaking his head, deciding to turn back and go check on Sasha. Arriving at the entrance of their cave, he slowly walked in until he found the Princess in a pitiful mess, shaking his head. "How are you feeling kid?"