Brother's Keeper

[Shian]

Please excuse the fact that I am not very skilled in grammar usage.

"Come ON, little brother!" Tenkako teased her mirror image, "You're not going to get very far if you don't go hunting!"

Hitori shook his head fiercely and clicked his teeth in a rhythm of long and short clicks.

"No, you should go now, not 'whenever you feel like it'." Tenkako shot back.

Hitori bared his teeth menacingly at Tenkako and scratched the lair floor, the sound echoing slightly making it louder. Tenkako put back her earfins undaunted by Hitori's threat.

"Growl at me all you like, little brother. You still need to come hunting with me. Don't you want to grow up with me? I thought you wanted to be a strong adult. We would grow up together, that's what you said. Or was I wrong?"

In truth, they had only hatched minutes apart. They looked alike, but because Hitori was just a tiny bit shorter, Tenkako got to referring him as 'little'. Something that irritated him fiercely. In addition, she had gained quite a number of hunting skills which he had yet to earn. In truth, he was the runt and last to hatch, but that was something he never liked admitting to. She interrupted before he could think of something to say.

"You know the blight creatures are right outside most days! Do you know how often mom goes outside to kill them all and keep us safe? How long to you intend to stay here, making her worry about us?"

There was a hint of anger in her voice. If she got any madder, she wouldn't have the patience to understand him as it did take patience to work out his clicks. Some days he resented not being able to communicate like every other hatchling he's ever met. Why couldn't he do it too?

He had to try to calm her down. He didn't want her to be so angry at him he couldn't talk to her anymore.

He clicked again, carefully choosing his words, but his attempts to soothe her temper apparently went unnoticed. In a way, she was right.

"FINE!" She yelled and stood up on her hind legs in preparation to cast a prime bolt. He would fight whether he wanted to or not. Fortunately Hitori was no stranger to her old tactics.

He crouched down and leapt on top of her, pinning her down and stopping her concentration. She struggled to throw him off, but he held her down at a weird angle so she wasn't able to use her full weight to push him off. Hitori grinned, proud of himself at besting his sister. She stopped struggling after a moment and prepared another spell. Barrage, he guessed. It was the only thing that she had that could hit where he was.

Oh please, are you really into this? Hitori laughed silently at her half-hearted attempts to goad him into fighting. I can counter this one too! He reached underneath his belly with his tail to tickle behind her wings. A trick he learned from Mom.

The spell energy dissipated as she laughed at his torments. He liked hearing her laugh even though, no doubt it was making her angry at him. He moved his tail a little to get just above her wing when she threw him off quite forcefully with a loud roar. He hit the wall with a thunk and his wing was twisted under him at an odd angle, making pain shoot up his side.

You're stronger than I remember. Hitori thought sadly as he shook off the shock and got to his feet, shielding the wing she had just unwittingly injured from her view.

He didn't want her to worry too, it was an accident. He had to meet her as she got up. He was going to prove to her that he was just as strong as she was.

"Good!" She yelled at him, her voice dripping with anger. "When the blights come, you can just tickle them to death!"

Frantic, Hitori clicked quickly at her, but it was obvious she was too upset with him to listen. There was no way he could reach her now. His only comfort now was to just think at her as she turned on her heels and stormed out of the lair chamber. He felt incredibly guilty for his lack of diligence in combat training, but what else could he do?

Please.

Please try to understand, Tenkako. I... I've not died yet. Do you even remember when Suzu was found dead? Or when Kolodi was thought to be dead? I don't ever want to see Mom that upset again. Kolodi's cryptic and distant even when he is around, Nids... well Nids does things that tends to get us all in trouble. Tenkako, it's JUST US!

Hitori layed down to rest and put his head on his forepaws. His sprained wing was hurting, but that wasn't the reason a few stray tears started to hit his claws.

What is going to happen to you if I... if I'm not gifted. Like Suzu.

Dear sister, I don't want to kill you too.

****

Tenkako stormed out of the lair and recalled with a loud roar to Mahagra where she ran out on the tundra as fast as her legs would carry her. Carry her far from the lair and everything in it. She stopped when her sides started to heave and she had difficulty breathing, but it wasn't from running. She was sobbing.

Glad that she had not eaten earlier that day Tenkako felt ill to her stomach. She wanted to throw up. Why... Why did she say such mean things to her brother?

The tactic was sound, she had seen an adult use it once to another hatchling. Goad the other dragon into getting mad at you and they end up doing what you wanted them to do in the first place out of anger.

Unfortunately, it didn't work as her own temper had carried her over the edge. She said things she didn't mean and it wasn't Hitori that was upset in the end. She was sobbing so hard she was starting to hiccup.

She had found a friend today. One that hunted with her even though she was too little to hit the things they were hunting. She liked her new friend and wanted Hitori to come find the joy she felt in her new friend too. She wanted him to come be with her like they were when they were both little.

Now she was stronger than he was. All because he wanted to laze in the lair. He was a chicken and didn't want to hunt. Yet, she knew him better than anyone. She understood his clicks better than Mom did and often had to be a translator for him. Was he that afraid to be without her?

"Why," She hiccuped in between words, "Why can't you just come with? We were supposed to grow up together."

****

There has to be another way. Another way to grow strong without the gamble of dying. Hitori nibbled thoughtfully on one of his front claws feeling the throb in his wing lessen slightly as he rested.

He knew of a biped in Kion that granted small amounts of strength for trophies of dead creatures. He went to market once and found a biped named Dabogus trading a lot of coin for these trophies.

He would do that. He needed coin though. Lots of it and there was only one way Hitori knew to get coin besides picking them off of dead blights.

He got to his feet, suddenly realizing a simple solution to his problem and raced out of the lair to the portal that would take him to Dralk and the grumpy lairshaper trainer that Mom complained often about.

[Shian]

Sighing heavily, Tenkako was slightly irritated that her friend wasn't around today. Most dragons seemed to be sleeping whenever she was awake. It wasn't fair.

She needed to get stronger quickly as her friend was ahead of her by several seasons. Soon he would probably not want to hang out with someone so young. She hadn't seen Hitori in a few days, so hopefully he was out doing the same thing. Maybe killing a few beetles would help her feel better.

****

Coins jingling in his scalepack, it was certainly no easy feat to work for coin. Coin came quickly though for the hard work and soon he would have to start poking his nose into other dragon's lairs for work as he was nearly done with the murals Mom had up. They were intended for other hatchlings trying to get coin for a lair of their own, but Mom had not guessed that her own children would want to work on them too.

Grinning at his cleverness he walked, albeit slightly limping on sore forepaws from all the digging, up the hill to the portal that would take him to Bristugo, and the dwarven city beyond where he would finally get strength tokens. His mother wouldn't worry anymore and his sister would be happy because he would be strong. He knew adult dragons usually frowned on this behavior but the cosigner didn't seem to care as long as he had money.

He sharply inhaled and braced himself for one of his biggest hurdles.

Trying to get the biped cosigner to give him what he wanted. The trainer was easy and seemed to like the fact Hitori didn't speak to him. After all, hatchlings only came to his solitary lair for one reason.

The biped was going to be quite a bit difficult as all Istarian residents came to her for everything under the sun. Thankfully, he had somewhat of a plan.

Tenkako had kept a small number of leftover trophies in her lair. Not enough to make a set, but one was good enough for what he needed. He felt guilty for taking it, but he could always replace it when he got back. Plunking the squishy Beetle Eye on her counter and putting the sack of coins next to it, he beamed hoping she got the idea.

"Oh, you want to sell it?" The over enthusiastic dwarf asked,

Hitori shook his head and pointed to the beetle eye and started to click a sentence to her in reflex, but stopped. There was no way she'd understand it.

"Oh, I have some of those, How many do you want?"

Perhaps this was going to be more difficult than he realized. He clicked to himself nervously, unsure of what to try next.

Thankfully the dwarf got the idea and started counting coins out of his small sack. She was rather chatty while doing so.

Hitori marveled at the dwarf, wondering to himself how she could count and talk at the same time.

"Oh, I get those all the time. The dragons, I mean. Honestly, the ones that don't learn common and only speak draconic are fine and all, but the ones that tend to get upset? Phew! Lunus are SO hard to deal with. Here,"

The dwarf put a large pile of beetle eyes in front of Hitori who smiled at her. Surely this was going to be the most difficult part but she made it so easy.

Mother had taught them to always say 'Thank you' to such an occasion, so after putting the eyes and the remaining coins in his scalepack, Hitori climbed up on the counter trying to ignore the gooey mess left by the beetle eyes that he was now standing in and licked the dwarf on the face. He hoped that the gesture was understood. Mom always licked him when he was good so maybe dwarves did too.

She laughed and bade him farewell. He raced off to Kion, smiling.

Now I'll show you, Tenkako.

****

Once he got started, it was much easier to keep up a good pace. Dig, smelt, place, get coin, buy trophies, turn them in, go dig again. His coin pack was full again, but this time the dwarf didn't give him trophies.

"I'm sorry, but I don't have any Desert Wolf Skulls." The dwarf had that 'pity' look in her eyes. Hitori hated that look. He wasn't sure if it was because he was small or it was because of his handicap but whatever the reason, Hitori hated it.

Hitori tried the "Hatchie Eye" trick he learned from his brother Nids. Sometimes adults gave you hoard when you used them even though a minute ago they said they didn't have any to spare. This tactic apparently didn't work on bipeds.

"Wolf Skulls?"

The deep voice made Hitori jump. A large black dragon almost the coloring of Dad was right behind him. Hitori was almost sitting on his toes. He felt a deep dread at the large adult that was surely here to scoff at his actions.

"I think I have some of those in my vault. One Moment,"

The large adult dragon's movements were slow when he turned around, as the large adult had to be when in a biped structure. It was easy to knock things over if one wasn't careful. Most dragons didn't like to be smaller if they didn't have to, so it was easy for Hitori to follow him curiously to another part of the building. He was still half-expecting the dragon to cuff him and throw him outside telling him to go hunting.

"Here," The large dragon gave him enough for another season and a few bronze coffers.

Hitori smiled, hoping it was enough of a substitute for a proper 'Thank you' and offered his coin bag. He really didn't want to lick the large dragon's toes as he really couldn't reach anything else.

"No need." The dragon's voice rumbled, "They were just taking up space." Hitori squealed in delight and ran to Kion to turn them in for another season, quite pleased with himself. He was getting tired of digging and any any extra coins he could use to get other trophies. He would take the long way home today. He was too excited to sleep just yet.

****

Kirascent was quiet this time time of day, but Hitori didn't care as he cleared the gate opening. A song Mom used to sing to him was playing in his head so he marched to it, feeling quite giddy at how strong he was getting in such a short amount of time.

The extra coin meant he could buy new scales. He wanted to at least look like he had been hunting. Before coming home, he would often go roll around on the beach as if he were hunting Sand Beetles all day.

Tenkako would be pleased. Mom wouldn't have to worry anymore. Most importantly, Tenkako and Hitori would ascend together.

Daydreaming about the Peak of Storms and what he would look like as an adult, he almost didn't notice the lone guard post was empty.

Almost.

Hitori froze, looking at the empty spot where Pahkis was supposed to be, half-hoping she was just invisible and that she would appear at any moment.

If she was gone, Mom was going to kill him for taking the long way home because that meant...

A blood-curling shriek jolted him from his thoughts as he looked up a small hill to his right and saw the crumpled body of the guard, covered in blood and a Wraith Overlord hovering over her, now barreling down the hill towards him.

Run!

Run! His head was screaming at him, but his feet didn't want to move.

The Overlord was on him now, hitting him in the jaw. It's hands were ice cold and dead, but they hurt.

What did you expect? His head chided himself. The Wraith chose to cast a few spells on him, one making him feel very cold and the other made his insides feel like they were on fire.

He opened his mouth and tried to scream, the pain was unbearable.

But like always, no sound came. He fell to the gound as the Wraith hit him again and he felt blood ran down his head.

He was going to die here and there was no way to call for help.

He tried again anyways and the Wraith stopped hitting him as the loud scream full of anger and rage pierced the afternoon silence.

It took a moment for Hitori to realize, one, the Wraith had stopped hitting him. Two, the scream was not his.

The now ancient silver dragon hit the ground and swatted the wraith away from him as if it were nothing more than a small bird, hissing in fury, turning her body to stand over Hitori as the Wraith came back to try it's feeble attacks on her.

Mom... Hitori put his head on one of her talons, too tired to get up. She had gotten bigger somehow. The wraith was dead with another strike.

Shian stretched her neck around to nuzzle and comfort him, but he couldn't stop shaking. He felt so cold.

A cleansing spell made him feel warm again and Shian continued nuzzling him, churring at him.

He picked up on the fact she was worried by the pitch of her puur. Worse still, he felt a few drops of wet on his back.

Hitori felt cold again, but it wasn't from the spell this time. It was guilt.

Oh Mom, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I didn't mean...

He knew why she was upset. He hadn't announced to her he was gifted yet as Tenkako and more or less, Kolodi had. She was reminiscing on losing Suzu, but was trying to hide it. Poorly.

Please don't cry.

He forced himself to relax enough to chur at her to tell him he was okay. After a moment or two, she picked him up quickly and flew him to the entrance of the lair dropping him off and flying off into the distance.

He could get to his own lair chamber by himself. Mom had left him him rather quickly. He didn't want her to leave, but where there was one blight there were others. She could also restore Pahkis. He looked at his claws still feeling guilty for upsetting Mom.

I was so happy an hour ago. So proud of myself. Why is it that every time I try to please someone, they get upset?

A 'whump' beside him startled him. Tenkako had dropped down from above, returning from her hunt. She wrinkled her nose at him.

"You smell like Blight!" she teased with an overdramtic air. "You need a bath!" She poked his side and he winced a little.

Hitori moved away from her and clicked a protest. Tenkako tilted her head at him, suddenly getting suspicious for some reason.

"So where have you been hunting?"

Hitori shrugged and grinned, clicking a cryptic response with a sarcastic overtone and flashed her his new iron chest scale to show off his new purchase.

"Oh really?" Tenkako raised an eyeridge.

Hitori nodded.

"With this?" Tenkako reached over to pull Hitori's wing and stretched it to his nose, making the position slightly uncomfortable.

'Ow!' He mouthed at her, then realized she wanted him to see the bronze shimmer on his wing.

Oops... I guess I forgot to replace that one.

"Hitori, these are your baby wing scales! You wouldn't last five minutes in the NT deadlands with these on!" She narrowed her eyes at him and reached over to his scalepack. Hitori tried to pull it away but it ended up just coming off in her hand.

No, Please, no.

He clicked quickly when he realized he hadn't actually said it to her, but it was too late.

She dumped it's contents unceremoniously on the lair entrance. She looked at all the trophies in disbelief.

"You... you've been cheating... Why?" She snapped her head up to look in his eyes, hers glowing with the feelings of one hurt and betrayed. Hitori swallowed hard, at a loss for words and unable to move his mouth under the gaze that bore in him like knife.

I did it for you. It was all for you. You said we were supposed to grow up together. I was going to make it happen. It was WORKING!

Tenkako just turned and ran into the lair when he didn't answer, leaving him to pick up the trophies and a few pieces of his heart.

Who said you need to die to drop soul shards? He thought bitterly wondering on how he could make things right again.

[Vaz]

Excellent.

It's nice to learn what those two have been up to.

As soon as Hitori decided to take the long way home I had a sense of foreboding.

Looking forward to more!

[Veruliyam]

Yeah.

I'm hooked.

[Shian]

Awww thanks guys. Glad it is enjoyed ^_^
I'm working on getting one more chapter up, but then I'll have to work on these two. Thier story is surpassing the IG characters as I'm just.. not good at playing alts.

[Myrra]

rRRrrRRrrr nice one

[Shian]

Mom did not get back till very late.

I heard her stop at Hitori's chamber briefly before poking her head into mine. I chirped at her to let her know I was here, half-awake. She must have been very tired because she said nothing before moving further down to her own sleeping chamber.

I was at the grass beetles all day. I died so many times, my body was hurting even after the life-heal of recalling. It was so bad, I had to eat and couldn't hunt anymore. I'm so far behind.

Yet, on the way home I remember seeing him walking from Kira. Whatever in Istaria possessed him to go that way even though he's been told not to is anyone's guess. I'll have to remember to ask him about it later.

Tenkako growled bitterly to herself.

Even though I saw the blight creature before he did, I just stood there. It wasn't like I could get to him in time, me being on top of a mountain and far away, but what good would I do up against one of those creatures? I should have tried to help instead of just stupidly standing there on Winter's Peak. He would have deserved that death though. Maybe having to sit around with his body hurting all day having to eat strange food would teach him a good lesson.

Her eyelids drooped and her head was heavy so she put it down.

He was stronger than me! In three days time he was stronger than me -and- I had weeks of time ahead of him. I knew something was up, I was just... somehow hoping it wasn't that. That's why I lay down and covered my pink belly when Mom flew over. I had to see...

Exhaustion took her before she could continue her troubled thought process.

****

Hitori was restless and couldn't sleep, despite it being late. He got up and changed positions over and over until it just made him dizzy. He wanted nothing more than to just go for a walk out in the air, but fear of the afternoon events kept him in his sleeping chamber. The last thing he wanted was to see another one of those noisy, painful creatures that burned his insides.

Eventually he decided that it would be better to step out than to risk waking his sister with his constant moving around. He was nearly to the portal before he realized he ran the minute he hit the lair entrance.

Coward, he chided himself. And rightly so.

Bristugo was so empty this time of night. It made him shiver a little, but he sat down, comfortable in the evening air. Hitori took off the bronze wing scale Tenkako was yelling at him for. Going to get the right one seemed appropriate, but the NT connie had no wing scales. He had already looked earlier that morning.

Maybe getting the right one will make her not so upset anymore.

He frowned, doubtful at the notion, but got up and padded to the marketplace, hoping someone might be there.

He could find no one. Traveling to a popular dragon spot yielded the same results. He paced around a bit, unsure of what else to try when a large red dragon entered the clearing.

He was scarred and lanky. To Hitori, a bit frightening, but the intimidating looking adult just lay down with a groan and a grunt.

Padding quietly over and sitting well out of claw reach just in case it was disgruntled or upset, he debated on trying to ask this dragon for a new wing scale. After all, he was an adult and all adults can craft at least one scale, so maybe.

".... yes?" The red grunted.

Hitori looked up at the noise, realizing the dragon was giving him the attention he wanted and met a set of piercing red eyes. He swallowed nervously before trying to think of how to communicate.

Here goes nothing... He held out the wing scale, hoping the dragon would get the idea that it was too small for him.

".... what are you wanting me to do with that..?"

Yes, I realize how stupid this looks too. He took off his chest scale and also showed it to the disinterested dragon.

".... Verbal communication... little one"

Ouch. Hitori put his head down. It's not my fault... It's not my fault I have to play these stupid games. He picked up his head a bit after a moment and gave the red exactly what he asked for and clicked out a response.

I would just like a new wing scale please. Can you make one for me?

".... can you write at least...? otherwise I am not understanding you"

There's an idea. Hitori tried writing a few runes in the dirt, but as writing lessons were few and far between, they just looked like gibberish to him. He cleared the dirt with a sweep of his tail and nodded 'goodbye' politely to the dragon who just yawned and put his head down, obviously bored with trying to understand him. He made a mental note to prod Mom into giving them lessons again. They had kind of died down when Tenkako was happy being a translator for him and Mom learned his language.

He was about to just give up and go home when a female's voice addressed him.

"Hello little one."

He turned around to see a blue scaled dragon who smiled at him. He smiled back.

She's pretty. Might as well try. He thought to himself.

Hopping over to her, he handed over the little scale, hoping that maybe this adult would get it. He could hear the red one hitting his head against the ground. He hoped that the dragon just had a temporary moment of insanity instead of referring to the frustration Hitori brought to others. Hitori sighed internally and clicked to himself to give himself the patience he would need.

Who knows how many others he would have to go through before someone could guess what he wanted. At least this female seemed more promising than the apathetic, scary-looking male.

"Oh, is that for me?" He decided he liked her voice too, but her guess was off, so he shrugged.

I guess. If you feel you want it and can give me a better one. He looked around. What other tactic can I use to try and get my point across....

As he was trying to think up a new tactic, she pulled an orb out of her scalepack and gave it to him. He lay down and rolled it a little to at least show that the gift was appreciated and licked her in thanks.

He clicked his teeth in a laugh as she nuzzled and slurped him back.

"Little one, my name is Nyya." Her name was soft too. Like Mom's. He decided she must be a mother too. He nodded, making sure to remember her name. He got another idea.

He took off and donned on his iron chest scale and head scale, putting the wing on the ground and pointing to it, looking up at her expectantly.

Surely this will work? Is this clear enough? Just please, I'm wearing the wrong scale and need a new one. He smiled at her, reminding himself to keep patience.

She picked up the scale, and gave him a thank you and another orb in return.

He clicked his teeth nervously, but didn't want to be rude. She was being so nice.

"Would you like to play with me little one?"

Someone to play with? Really? You will play with me? He felt so excited and nodded eagerly.

Except he was laying down. He didn't remember laying down and tried not to yawn, but it came out anyways. It was late. The female curled herself around him and nosed him gently.

So comfortable...I guess... I guess I'll just have to try again tomorrow.

"You're safe with me, little one."

He didn't think he had the energy to walk home anyways. He curled up under her wing and fell fast asleep.

[T-Sar-Goth]

... Nids only got everyone in trouble a few times >_>

[AguaRush]

very nice shian hehe i have met Nyya this fits her to a T

[Shian]

This one is kinda long, but it's because I'd rather be at the craft project :P

It took quite a while to find the three anchors that were littered across the tundra. There were so many blight creatures running around, Shian had to call for more help than usual to clean up the mess and patrol for the stray blight creatures.

They converted the resources today. They're getting stronger by the day. What happens if all the resources are taken? Do they then start polluting the land too?

Shian wanted to head home and rest more than anything, but she landed at the portal instead. One more thing needed to be done first.

The heat of Dralk prickled her scales when she arrived. She didn't like the heat Part of why she chose her lair at the base of a snow covered mountain. Fortunately, she did not have to stay long and hopped up the other portal to arrive at Drakul.

Funny how the flight seemed longer today than when she was carrying a heavy cargo disk full of supplies just last week.

The lair at the base of the mountain was closer to the water than she would have liked, but there was little other choice in the matter. It was cool as she carefully made her way around the half-built lair to the sleeping lairs below.

Her mate was in one of them, hopefully still awake. The large black and purple dragon was just waking up from a nap, blinking away sleep. She couldn't help but smile inwardly as he startled himself a bit upon waking.

I did the same thing too, right after my Ancient ascension. It's scary waking up in a bigger body the first few days...

Noticing her entrance, he churred a greeting before asking, "What is the matter?"

Shian narrowed her eyes, but she had already had a debate with herself and this really was the best answer. That didn't make it any easier. she drew a long breath before starting.

"The children cannot stay in my lair anymore. The blights are becoming stronger and more frequent by the day. I realize you lair is not fully built yet, but this island is the only place where blight has not appeared."

Nidhogg sighed. For a brief second, Shian was afraid that it was because he didn't want to say no. To her relief, it was because he was mirroring her frustration at having to fight them all the time.

"I've fought the anchors there several times. You need not ask, love. They just need to be careful with the construction."

Oh, I don't think that will be a problem. Hitori's taken quite an interest in it apparently. Shian mused. Nid's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Getting them to the island may be a challenge though."

"I don't think so.Valkoth should be able to get them there. I will take them to Valkoth. You just need to be at the pad when they arrive." Nidhogg said nothing but nodded and nuzzled her gently.

We've both been busy, haven't we? Shian thought at him, but didn't want to break the few precious tender moments they shared before she returned to her sleeping children.

Tenkako chirped at her when she poked her head in and Shian wasn't sure Hitori was really asleep or not. As long as they were both in their sleeping chambers, safe, she headed down to her own sleeping chamber to get her own much needed sleep.

****

Hitori woke early, yawning. Blinking the sleep from his eyes, he realized he wasn't in his lair. This frightened him a bit as he looked around trying to get his bearings. Where was he?

A large blue nose nuzzled him.

"Hello little one," It purred, "Did you have a good rest?"

Hitori smiled and put his forepaws on the nose playfully and nodded.

Oh yes, I remember now.

The adult pulled the low level blighted wing scale out of her backpack and gave it back to him.

Hitori took it back eagerly and nuzzled her side gratefully. Or at least he hoped. Sometimes it was difficult to get these things across with body language alone. She responded by petting his back.

Oh thank you! I have no idea how I can ask for this stupid wing scale if you had really taken my prop!

He looked around, seeing what other dragons were in the area. Maybe today he would get his iron wing scale.

A small hatchling had bounded over to Nyya and was currently headbutting her leg. Hitori wanted to play too, but after he got what he was after. Mom might wake up soon and he needed to get back to his sleeping chamber so she wouldn't worry. Mom usually worried a lot.

He spied another large blue dragon, a male sleeping in the clearing. The hatchling had given him an idea. Maybe if Hitori was cute and playful, someone would pay attention to him. Enough for him to ask for a wing scale. He ran around the male in small circles, hoping it was enough of a light disturbance to wake him, but ended up just tripping on the large tail and got a mawful of dirt.

Yuck! Hitori spit it out as best he could and turned to look at the large dragon to see if that had woken him. The other hatchling responded by pouncing on the elder's black.

To Hitori's surprise, the dragon just rolled over leaving him to scramble quickly out of the way so he wouldn't be crushed. The hatchling too, missed his mark and ended up sliding down the large belly scales.

The hatchling quickly recovered and tried a running leap, only to be deflected off a wing membrane when the larger dragon rolled over again. Fortunately, this worked and the larger dragon murred and started waking up.

"Try tickling him." Nyya offered, the male dragon, now looking around.

"Hmmm? What's going on?"

"The little ones have marked you as their playmate, Elder Lucient." Nyya chuckled.

"Eh?" Lucient asked, "What'd I do to deserve that?"

Hitori ran around to Lucient's head and tried to show him the bronze wing scale. Unfortunately, the small hatchie had taken Nyya's advice and tickled the large dragon with a tiny claw, making the larger dragon jump with an "Eep."

The hatchie was more interested in tickling the larger dragon, making getting his attention quite difficult. Even more so when Nyya entered the fray of tickling Lucient who flapped his wings to create a 'whoosh' of air, sending both hatchlings backwards like tumbleweeds, the smaller one jumping up and going in for another attack.

Hitori sat down where he was, simply watching as the playing was getting too out of hand for him to ask for the wingscale. It did look like fun.

"Ack! No! I'm not your playmate!" Lucient howled while Nyya tickled him silly. A soft 'Mew' came from a few feet away from Hitori's side. He jumped a little at the noise, but thankfully no one noticed. They were all much too busy.

"Umm.. What is going on?" Inquired the Saris.

"Just keeping the little ones entertained, Starlight." Answered Nyya.

Might as well try. Hitori thought to himself. She seems to be the only one not busy.

He tried showing the iron head scale to the Saris, then put the bronze wing on the ground and pointed to it. The Saris considered it for a moment before answering.

"Well its a decent one. Minor hinder but otherwise ok."

Umm.. yes. And? And? He frowned and tilted his head, pointing to it again. Keep going!

"Mew. What about the wing scale hun? Its blighted but if ya a season 10 it better than nothing at all I say." Hitori tried showing her his iron chestscale again.

Oh please get it. He silently begged.

"It's really not a bad scale at all in my opinion, a little less armor, but the bonuses are really good." Nyya commented.

Another dragon who had entered to watch rolled another Exquisite Orb to Hitori.

Hitori curled up into a tight ball in frustration. This was too much.

I don't want hoard! Don't you get it! I just want the other scale! Hitori was dimly aware of many noses that were touching his sides, encouraging him to come out.

"Maybe he wants you to put an enchantment on it?" A further unknown voice guessed.

I'll never get bigger or stronger and I'll be stuck having Tenkako or Mom translate for me all the time. I'll be stuck as a *baby* forever because I can't tell others what I want! And the closest one to guess what I wanted was the biped.

"Ah ha! Upgraded wing scale." Hitori's eyes popped open, realizing someone had said the right words and he uncurled quickly. Lucient grinned at him.

"Needs an iron one." He rumbled.

Ecstatic, Hitori ran to Lucient's side and nuzzled him.

Oh thank you! Someone got it!

Nyya smiled. "So that's what you were trying to tell us."

~~~~

It wasn't long before Hitori was heading home, proudly wearing a full set of proper scales. Proof that he wasn't totally helpless. The victory he achieved lightened his spirits.

Tenkako was sitting in the lair entrance, waiting for him, her expression was that of worry and a bit of fear.

"Mom wants to talk to us." She said simply and turned her back to him, wanting to be the fist one there.

Well, I suppose I was going to get the punishment for yesterday sooner or later. He mused darkly. The question is, is it for taking the long way home or for staying out last night?

Shian was in Tenkako's sleeping chamber, waiting for them both. Hitori had a grim feeling. This was probably going to be a lecture on taking the correct path home no matter the circumstances, but why Tenkako too? Now she'll be even more upset at him because she has to sit through this stupid lecture too.

Hitori sat down next to Tenkako and settled himself in. Mom had a serious look on her face which meant this was going to be bad...

Shian looked at them both, her eyes switching from one to the other.

"I'm taking you both to the portal to Dralk. You will talk to Valkoth who will tell you how to get to Drakul. Your father has a lair up there that you can both stay at."

"What?!" Tenkako yelled. "We're leaving? Why?" At this she glared at Hitori who wasn't quite sure how to take quite a blow. She was sending them away? For what he did? Hitori clicked an apology and started on his explanation for yesterday but Shian cut him off.

"This isn't from yesterday. It's from the past week and a month or so after you hatched. It's just not safe here anymore. The blights are too strong."

"Why'd you build it here anyways if there were blights?"

Mom hissed and spiked her scales a little, Tenkako shrinking back, quickly realizing she had just crossed some sort of line.

Tenkako, Shut up. Hitori made a mental note to teach tact to his sister whom he loved very dearly just not at this moment. Shian soon relaxed again and spoke calmly.

"The blights weren't here when I moved here. They weren't here when I built the lair and they were not here when I first brought you here. They came after"

Tenkako squeaked meekly. "Come with us," She offered, hoping her mother would take her offer. Hitori hoped too, that Shian would agree to come with.

Shian tilted her head at her daughter. "So, I would abandon Winter's Peak? And leave the blight creatures to have free reign here? To move up and attack Kirascenct or take the land itself?" Tenkako was quiet for a moment but still wouldn't accept the fact that her mother wasn't coming with.

"You can always come back sometimes. Whenever they needed to be killed..." By this time Tenkako was just begging.

"Too far a journey. I would spend more time traveling than I would hunting, let alone rest." Shian nodded to Tenkako and smiled. "I am coming to visit you when I can." She stood up moved quickly out of the chamber. "I'm going to go get you two some things I've been saving. You both should gather whatever it is you want to take with."

Her tail left Hitori's sight leaving him feeling incredibly guilty and unwanted. If he had not gone the long way home, this wouldn't have happened.

Apparently Tenkako thought the same thing as she turned on him, snapping her teeth fiercely as she growled quietly at him in case Mom wasn't deep enough in the lair to still hear her if she yelled.

"This is all your fault!"

She sneered and continued her verbal assault. "What in Drulkar's name were you doing walking from Kirascenct? If you hadn't 've walked that way! We've been told over and over the route to go! Do you LIKE dying?"

Hitori narrowed his eyes at her, now just feeling annoyance at her constant outbursts and clicked a quiet response.

I wouldn't know

"What do you mean you don't know? Why would you..." Tenkako trailed off, her eyes widening and the frightening meaning of what he just said to her starting to sink in. "You... you haven't died? At all?"

Hitori shook his head. I've prayed at many shrines, He clicked, But I've not been able to recall yet. I think it only works the first time you are gifted.

"I... I thought... All those times I've died... All those hours I've spent hunting, I thought you had too. Is that why you bought trophies?" Hitori nodded.

Tenkako rushed over to press her head on his side. "Oh, Hitori! I'm so sorry!" Hitori put a wing around her as she started babbling about wishing him dead a few times because she thought he was gifted already.

He waited for her to finish, just glad she wasn't angry at him anymore.

"We should be getting ready, huh?" Tenkako grinned at him.

There's the sister I know. He nodded and padded off to gather his few other belongings.