Day after day, week after week. No one knew how long it was going to take to be enough in Tribex's eyes. They all worked hard, they all trained till they could barely breathe, but every time they went to show they're improvements to Tribex, he always turned them away.
Jewel was working on her patience, and aim. Restlessly, she will meditate every night, hoping to reach the peaceful state that she sees Tribex accomplish in his area of the cave. After hours, she would get anxious, fidget, and get impatient. Finally giving up, she would go to the training grounds, and shoot at the targets, until her throat burned in protest after each fireball, each flame getting weaker and weaker. After every day, she kept getting more frustrated. She was impatient to be patient.
Luna was working on her defense, and hot-headedness. Luna wasn't what you call, a defensive person. She would take beatings, and never try to defend herself. To her, it was all about attack. During the weeks, she would ask Alec to help with her defense, while Jewel helped, attacking Luna while also improving her aim.
Alec and Sirius on the other hand, they had a lot of work to do. There wasn't a moment that those two weren't fighting. Neck-at-neck, there was always something to go about with them. Despite that, they went everywhere together, to try to overcome they're differences. Later, and later in the time, there were less and less fights. Alec, still being his outgoing and fun self, got calmer, not stepping on tails as much. Sirius, started to get ahold of her anger, and her smartass remarks.
Tribex had a sharp eye over the four, overseeing all of they're progress, barely speaking, but telling enough so they know what to get done. He always wore a withering frown, wrinkles under his eyes and mouth, showing of us old age. Crowfeet marked on his face, showing off the years of excessive worry, and his eyes dark, as if he had seen all the secrets of the world.
"That was awesome! I gotta say, now that me and Siri don't fight anymore, we can totally whoop your asses!" Alec taunted to Jewel and Luna, who were grinning with excitement.
Jewel scoffed and taunted back, "Oh yea? Well who landed more hits on you guys? This dragon! That's who!"
"Well, I saved your tail from that rockslide he pulled. And all thanks to me, that you weren't taken down!" Luna boasted, proud of her defenses.
All four laughed as the walked through the cave to they're room, unknowing of Tribex watching them, a small smile on his face.
"I think they are ready, wouldn't you think?" He asked, to no one in particular, but as he said it, a soft, warm wind passed through the cave, and his small smile, broke out into a wide grin.
"Yes. They're training was shorter than expected, but we are running out of time." His grin faded into a frown again, as the breeze grew, and became colder. "I know. Tomorrow. I just hope, that they are truly ready for what awaits."
Tribex shook his head, riding the thoughts from his head. The wind dissipated, as he turned and began to walk towards the entrance of the cave.
He gazed out at the forest, watching as a deer kept across the small river, to the right of the cave. He turned his attention to the moon, giving a soft sigh, as the moon was red.
"Tomorrow. Ancestors, please let tomorrow pass without harm to the children." He pleaded, his gaze hard, not straying from the red moon, as it slowly, but surely, turned back to its silver color.
Giving one last glance to the forest outside, he padded his way back to his children, events on his mind, but all of them stopped as he looked into the room his children were in, watching as they all laughed together, talking about the progress they all had underwent, proud of it. He let his frown melt into a smile. He had hope.
Tomorrow, will be a good day.
"Wake up! We have a long day ahead!"
All four dragons groaned in protest at being woken up by Tribex. While each stumbled to get up, Sirius lifted up to look at the hole in the roof of the room, only to stare in shock, it was still pitch black outside.
"Wait, why are you waking us up so early?" She asked, "you never wake us up till sunrise."
Alec groaned, the left side of his face matted from sleeping on it. "Aw, c'mon, I liked my sleep." He pouted, to which Tribex only chuckled at.
"Today, you get your surprise." He said, watching all the dragons faces light up. Instantly, they were all scrambling towards Tribex, waiting anxiously.
"What's the surprise?" "Do you have more things for us?" "Is it your Venison?" "Where is it?"
Tribex only smiled at they're questions.
"No, none of that."
The fours faces went down, but sparked curiosity on what it could be.
Tribex turned, walking out of the room, and called out to the dragons, "Follow me."
The kits followed him with interest and confusion.
"Wait." Jewel slowed down, looking at the walls, "I've never seen this part of the cave before."
Alec, Sirius and Luna all looked at the walls, noting, that this part of the cave was indeed new. The walls were more damp, more rigid than the ones they knew.
Before they could ask anymore questions, Tribex spoke up.
"Were here."
The four dragons looked at him in suprise, then ran in front of him.
There, right before they're eyes, was the clearing, trees littered around it. The sun had just started rising, giving the earth its amber glow, making the small river next to the cave shimmer and sparkle, as nature started to wake up. Birds were chirping, butterflies started to flutter in the sky, as rabbits came from they're burrows. The sky was like a painting, first yellow, then orange, till it finally painted itself into the beautiful dark blue the kits stared up at through the small hole in they're ceiling.
All in shock, they stared out at the scene in front of them. Tribex smiled and walked up behind them, looking out with a sigh.
"Today, we will be leaving the cave."