kitsune_reflection
It was like waking up from a dream. Or returning to one, at the end of a long day. It was over, done. Freckles was going home, and it was as if she'd never left. Only there were differences, now. The way she walked, with a new sense of confidence, and a tendency to gently rub her shoulder against Cart, to "accidentally" sway to the side, just to reassure herself he was there. And he was. Always. He'd come for her. And there were other changes, too.
"OI, EPHELIS!" she shouted. "What'd I tell you about staying in sight?"
Ephelis winced. Caught again. Well, what could he do about it? He bounded back to his mother, already planning his next escape. Daddy was there, which meant it wouldn't be so long before mommy would get that strange smile on her face again and get all distracted.
"OI, EPHELIS!" she shouted. "What'd I tell you about staying in sight?"
Ephelis winced. Caught again. Well, what could he do about it? He bounded back to his mother, already planning his next escape. Daddy was there, which meant it wouldn't be so long before mommy would get that strange smile on her face again and get all distracted.
Geyser Eelborn
After a long nightmare, an insufferable walk through a dark, cold chasm with only the echoes of his claws to keep him company, Cart felt like he had awoken, the feel of his oldest friend and beloved mate brushing against his side "accidentally" a more blissful sensation than that of breathing, more comforting than sunlight after a storm, more heartwarming than hatching new eggs. And it was so much more than that. Now there were two more--Ephelis, Topography. The family was bigger now, and he was so glad of it he could almost burst. "Ephelis, keep in sight, we don't know the area well," he called out lazily. He was in such a good mood that his guard was down, he had to admit it.
Topography giggled at her brother's disobedience and kept closer to her parents. Truth be told, she felt as curious as her brother; hardly a day went by when they didn't see some new sight. Dad said they were going home, but Toppy wasn't sure what he meant by that; what was this "home" he always talked about? Why would anyone settle in one place? True, when they had just hatched they stayed in one place, but she liked this much better. What if they never saw new stuff?
With sudden chagrin, she loped towards her brother, hissing, "Don't leave without me, Ephelis!"
Bored. Bored, bored, bored. Muspellheim was so BORED. Pa had them always hunting, or practicing defense moves, or listening to bird calls, or learning how to tell weather by the actions of animals around them, or watching grass grow, or boring stuff like THAT. He dreamed of *excitement*, and what did he get? -Chores like having to do stupid stuff. Like looking at rocks for really long times. Well, today's gonna be different! I'm gonna do what I want!- Getting up from where he lay on his belly, the young, red dragon gave a swift glance to see where his father was. Once he could ascertain that Pa was out of sight, he ran for it, racing over the meadow until he was near the old rockfall, moss covering the boulders and causing sounds to echo and grow stronger--where the old path bent. He grinned and wondered what game to play today.
Topography giggled at her brother's disobedience and kept closer to her parents. Truth be told, she felt as curious as her brother; hardly a day went by when they didn't see some new sight. Dad said they were going home, but Toppy wasn't sure what he meant by that; what was this "home" he always talked about? Why would anyone settle in one place? True, when they had just hatched they stayed in one place, but she liked this much better. What if they never saw new stuff?
With sudden chagrin, she loped towards her brother, hissing, "Don't leave without me, Ephelis!"
Bored. Bored, bored, bored. Muspellheim was so BORED. Pa had them always hunting, or practicing defense moves, or listening to bird calls, or learning how to tell weather by the actions of animals around them, or watching grass grow, or boring stuff like THAT. He dreamed of *excitement*, and what did he get? -Chores like having to do stupid stuff. Like looking at rocks for really long times. Well, today's gonna be different! I'm gonna do what I want!- Getting up from where he lay on his belly, the young, red dragon gave a swift glance to see where his father was. Once he could ascertain that Pa was out of sight, he ran for it, racing over the meadow until he was near the old rockfall, moss covering the boulders and causing sounds to echo and grow stronger--where the old path bent. He grinned and wondered what game to play today.
kitsune_reflection
Had he grown up among other dragons, Ephelis might have wanted a brother, but as it was he like Topography quite a bit. The only problem he had with her name. It was much too long and hard to pronounce. Topo, it would always be Topo to him. "Stay close," he said, "and follow me the next time. I think mom might get distracted again soon..."
Sure enough, Freckles was too happy to be worried. And the skills she had learned living on her own and with Stormwind convinced her that she would know about anything dangerous before it approached. And it was such a nice day...
"Now!" Ephelis hissed, and set off at a dead run. He wouldn't be called back, not this time!
Sure enough, Freckles was too happy to be worried. And the skills she had learned living on her own and with Stormwind convinced her that she would know about anything dangerous before it approached. And it was such a nice day...
"Now!" Ephelis hissed, and set off at a dead run. He wouldn't be called back, not this time!
Geyser Eelborn
Toppie watched their parents carefully, just as her brother did. He was right. Mom spent a great deal of her time getting lost into Dad's eyes. Any second now, she would be off in la-la land as she leaned against him. A more mature part of her told her that she wanted a relationship like that someday, but the part of her that she liked to think of as "practical" instead whispered that this would be the perfect time to do some exploring; that the order for the day would be to exploit this lapse of attention on their parents parts and go for it! With a nod, she sprinted after her brother, trying to be as quiet as possible.
Cart was completely oblivious as well. His senses dulled by a sense of contentment, he was perfectly happy to gently, tenderly, nuzzle his mate and murmur in Freckles's ear, "I love you."
In the distance, down the path, Muspel thought he could hear other dragons, and, lifting his muzzle to the sky, he was certain he could hear them as well. Well then! He knew in an instant what he would do. With a grin, he clambered to the top of one of the largest boulders, the one that loomed over the path. Being sure to locate himself in as acoustically advantageous a place as possible, he waited for the other dragons to walk by. When they did...! He would certainly startle *them*!
It wasn't that Muspel was cruel, or that he liked scaring people for power. It was just that he enjoyed having a little fun, and what was more fun than harmless practical jokes in which no one got hurt or almost killed?
Cart was completely oblivious as well. His senses dulled by a sense of contentment, he was perfectly happy to gently, tenderly, nuzzle his mate and murmur in Freckles's ear, "I love you."
In the distance, down the path, Muspel thought he could hear other dragons, and, lifting his muzzle to the sky, he was certain he could hear them as well. Well then! He knew in an instant what he would do. With a grin, he clambered to the top of one of the largest boulders, the one that loomed over the path. Being sure to locate himself in as acoustically advantageous a place as possible, he waited for the other dragons to walk by. When they did...! He would certainly startle *them*!
It wasn't that Muspel was cruel, or that he liked scaring people for power. It was just that he enjoyed having a little fun, and what was more fun than harmless practical jokes in which no one got hurt or almost killed?
