Chapter Ten: Qothaan

"Shyvana" Jarvan called out watching the dragoness walk towards her father's body. He looked at Dagonett but the older man just shrugged.

Jarvan got up and followed the dragoness. He stopped standing beside her watching her intently. Shyvana closed her eyes and kneeled beside her father running her hand over his smooth scales now cold to the touch. It was foreign to her seeing her father like this feeling his normally warm scales now completely cold. She quickly wiped at her eyes tears threating to fall. Jarvan placed a hand on her shoulder and Shyvana looked up at him. she wasn't sure why but his presence brought her comfort.

"What are you going to do?" Jarvan asked looking down at the dead celestial dragon.

Shyvana whispered something to her father and stood stepping away from Jarvan.

"Burn him" she said her eyes beginning to glow a vicious shade of purple.

Scales burst from her skin, long talons replaced her nails she fell to her knees and hissed. Her body began to morph her skin stretching and ripping apart dark black scales replacing her pale skin. Her bones snapped and elongated a thin purple membrane forming between her arms as two massive wings formed. Flames enveloped her as she changed into a mighty dragon. Jarvan took a step back as purple flames licked at Shyvana's body. Before him sat a massive dragon, her ebony scales glittered in the moonlight. Her bright purple eyes looking at him expecting him to flee in terror before the might of a dragon but he just stood there and smiled at her.

"I thought dragons were immune to fire" Jarvan said stepping close to Shyvana.

"under normal circumstances we are, however this is different" she rumbled her voice deep and velvety.

Jarvan nodded his head and watched as Shyvana lowered her head to her fathers.

"You are free now father, as I will never be. I send your soul back to the stars from which it was born. May you find happiness in your eternal slumber. I love you and I always will, vonok bormah" she said her deep voice cracking as she rested her scaly cheek on her fathers.

Shyvana took a step back and turned to Jarvan motioning for him to step back as well. It pained him to see her in distress tears welling in her massive eyes. She mumbled something in draconian that he could not understand and inhaled her chest glowing an ominous purple she began to exhale, fire slowly consuming her father's body. It was unlike anything Jarvan had ever seen her father's body began to glow with soft white light slowly evaporating floating high into the dark night sky like a star ascending to the heavens. Jarvan turned and looked at Shyvana her eyes were closed and a deep sorrowful rumbling was coming from her. she opened her eyes and looked at him her large glowing eyes clouded by tears. She began to weep quietly great tears rolling off her snout onto the ground splashing Jarvan's greaves. She looked into the starry sky and smiled as a star shone brightly down upon the two of them. It was far more miraculous than the surrounding stars and Jarvan could have sworn it wasn't there moments ago. Shyvana moved towards Jarvan and lowered her head to look into his steel blue eyes she gestured to the vivid star with a sweep of her head and Jarvan understood.

"You are home now father; may you shine brightly for all time" she sniffed and tried to smile showing off a maw of massive teeth.

Jarvan looked at Shyvana wishing he could offer her comfort but she was so large as a dragon that he settled for placing his hand on her snout.

Shyvana rumbled and pressed her snout into his hand "thank you".

"My father lived for thousands of years and during that time he came to love poetry often finding wisdom in words I feel I should say something for him" Shyvana rumbled her voice deep and quaking.

"Say whatever you feel" Jarvan shrugged trying to be supportive.

"Do not stand at my grave and weep. I am not there; I do not sleep. I am the thousand winds that blow. I am the diamond glints on snow. I am the soft stars that shine at night. Do not stand at my grave and cry, I am not there; I did not die" Shyvana said lifting her head high into the heavens.

Jarvan moved away from her as soft purple light enveloped her and her form shrank back to a human woman. She was curled in a ball her long purple hair surrounding her, her dark horns curving upward towards the sky. He went to approach her but quickly moved away coughing into his hand.

Shyvana looked up at him and squeaked.

"I…I forgot about that, my clothes get destroyed when I transform" she said trying to cover herself.

Jarvan turned away from her and removed his cloak handing to Shyvana trying not to look at her naked form. Shyvana snatched it from him and wrapped herself up moving away from him towards the lair she once called home.

Jarvan took a deep breath and exhaled slowly looking into the sky staring at the beautiful star that was Shyvana's father. Sorry he mumbled and went to rejoin Dagonett at the campfire. Something sparkling caught his attention and he turned and looked at the ground. Sitting in the grass next to him was a beautiful pendant illuminating its surroundings casting a soft glow onto a golden object a few feet away. Jarvan picked up the pendant and walked towards the glint of gold. He kneeled and picked it up studying it. It dawned on him the golden object in his hand was a piece of dragon horn long and slender it gleamed in the starlight. Jarvan got up and walked toward the campfire.

Shyvana was already sitting at the campsite with Dagonett having retrieved some leather scraps to fasten into clothing. She was quiet as Jarvan approached and pulled his cloak tighter around her shoulders.

"Shyvana I found these next to your father" he said handing her the pendant and horn.

Shyvana looked at the pendant fondly and then at the piece of golden horn grief sweeping over her features.

"This was my mothers, and this my fathers" she said picking up one item at a time, placing the horn in a bag beside her she ripped a piece of leather off her skirt and fastened the pendant around her neck.

"That's a mighty fancy necklace lass, where'd your mother come across that" Dagonett said looking at Shyvana.

Shyvana reached up and touched the pendant smiling sadly. "My father gave it to my mother when he took her as his mate. He was a lord among dragons and this pendant represented his status. It's made of starlight".

"Starlight? My lass I think you got even the prince over here beat gold gems and all" Dagonett laughed slapping his knee.

Jarvan rolled his eyes and looked at Shyvana smiling.

"I do not care for wealth; I would trade anything for more time spent with my parents" Shyvana said lowering her head sighing.

The three of them sat in comfortable silence for some time before Shyvana finally fell asleep lying beside the campfire. The flames dancing playfully casting shadows across her pale skin. Jarvan smiled and got up to get a blanket to cover her with. The dragoness smiled and pulled it around herself mouthing thank you before falling fast asleep.

Dagonett smiled and yawned throwing more wood onto the campfire.

"Well I like her" he said grinning at Jarvan.

"Pardon" Jarvan said looking at Dagonett confused.

Dagonett rubbed his eyes and stretched "You know what I mean, she's smart as a whip and if you trust her so do I, be nice to have some good company for once".

Jarvan nodded "Get some sleep lieutenant, I can keep watch for now".

Dagonett shrugged and stood looking down at Jarvan "Wake me up in a few captain"

"Umhm" Jarvan said waving his hand at Dagonett.

"Sir?" Dagonett asked before he turned to leave.

"Yes what is it Dag" Jarvan asked yawning

"We are going to help her kill that dragon aren't we" Dagonett asked.

"Of course" Jarvan said frowning

"Good" Dagonett said grinning as he turned and left.