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Chapter 53: Just two young ones and their guardian
Standing on her personal spot, surrounded by walls rich in tales she recognizes, and looking at the young hybrid and his more shy expression, his wings extended to the back farther than normal, Akhanta realizes he alone can not solve the situation, and so she continues to speak, her head lowered and tone no more asking this time.
- "Surik sim yth toijyl..."
Seeing the great dragoness shifting to a more welcoming stance, her massive limbs gently relaxing, the nightwing steps closer, calm returning to his mind as the thoughtful mind of his guardian focuses on him.
- "It is... good to be at your side again Akhanta." Says Darkstalker as the long tail of the dark blue giant curls around him, his tone a slow and peaceful one her finned ears do not miss.
- "Yth genjum uthu zikos masne zait iole fefmyl..."
Pushing her nearest tablets to the side with a swift motion of her massive talon, the caring kin turns away for a moment, memories and thoughts of her recent goals coming to her mind, before she looks back at her companion.
"Ignum yth, ythe eiuf ospea kes olvumt ust Zyetias tekeis."
Seeing the dragoness standing up with a new goal in mind, the young seer runs at the giant's side as she leaves her chamber without second thoughts, and ventures in the immense corridor, the image of a four winged dragoness laying in the water occupying her mind…
As the two begin their rather short path to the hybrid's last room, many feelings succeed in Akhanta's mind as she thinks of her and the very long discussions she had with her kins, until her head tilts from above toward her young companion, and she has a question for him.
"Cuxt lieju Ikarh hute surh nestoq uthu?"
Glancing at her, the young one clearly sees in the other's mind the image of himself and a blue and purple one laying in the water, and hearing her unsure tone, he simply nods… To that response, the dragoness begins to ask a second question, her voice more personal.
"Lieju uthu jyker tha?"
With his little blue eyes watching her own, and after a silent moment of gazing at the feelings that colour her mind, Darkstalker answers as he feels like it, relieving himself from the tension of the scene with an honest face.
- "What do your words tell, I do not know. Yth huko… But I do have more to say Akhanta. Are you ready to listen?"
Keeping her focus on the young seer as she continues her march like him, the dark blue guardian listens to his foreign words with her sharp senses, the will to understand him a clear one.
"I am surprised, very surprised to have seen such a dragoness laying with me... but it is not a bad thing. Ikarh… that is her name, right? Well, I do like her for the little time I got to see her, even if she is… a big hatchling."
Sensing nothing bad in the nightwing's tone, the great dragoness bears a faint smile as she imagines nothing bad happened between the young ones that she remembers were brought to rest together, though that mood changes when she thinks again of her goal, the pace of her march accelerating slightly in response…
Walking in her chosen path with unwavering confidence, Akhanta having lived for so long in her dead world with the Pyramid as a bastion worthy of housing what's left of dragonkind and more that she remembers its insides, allowing her to guide the young seer to their destination faster than he though when he spots the peculiar drawings in this last corridor.
Slowing her pace partially, the sight of the chamber's entrance barely open reminding her of a recent past with her kins, the dark blue guardian nonetheless goes forward, not even halting for a second as she reaches the richly marked doors and puts a talon over the heavy surface.
- "Yth eiuf moxon oij surh Ikarh…" Mutters Akhanta as she pushes the door with her massive talon, revealing the unchanged chamber behind except for a young dragoness, alone and just outside of the pool, looking at the coming ones with these mystical eyes of her...
Somewhat surprised, the great dragoness steps forward and so does Darkstalker who can feel the other's mind brightening as she looks at him, but also at his grand guardian and her kinder face.
Approaching at her own pace an observing attitude, it takes little for Akhanta's considerate feelings to surge back as she halts in front of the gazing and colourful dragoness, folding the talons of her massive form to settle down and be there for her as she speaks, to her but not really, with closed eyes and a slow but contemplating, almost joyful voice.
"Ivein ythias utnay Ikarh, yth iujosh uthutias oueryk eiuf surh u jykonyl jivun zait vawrie tumok..."
"Kes uthu omku Darkstalker." Adds the dark blue guardian as she turns to the nightwing, her caring tone unchanging as he quietly walks to her side, a shade of joy touching his heart as such a scene reminds him of a beautiful ideal.
Telling of nothing more, the great dragoness simply moves one of her talon below the blue and purple one, and touching her scales and the magical essences that flow just beneath with a swift turn of her paw, she decides to rub the mystical skin of the other all the way up with affectionate care and the pale light of her essences, until her claws delicately settle just under the young being's head, holding it so that part of her points just a bit higher than normal, just above her eyes, into a spot surrounded by the old and proud horns she is bearing…
Letting her talon and the head of the one she faces fall, Akhanta's thoughtful and passionate mind comes to a mundane conclusion, and peacefully stepping backward, she turns her giant and majestic form, starting to walk away, her tone containing eagerness as she speaks again, but to those behind now.
"Darkstalker, Ikarh, ignum yth, yth eiuf ajek uthutias oxemime ysilil iole altolkam elzurt."
But as she begins to leave, the young seer catches up to her only to tell a few words in a more doubtful voice.
- "Akhanta… Ikarh can't follow you."
Blinking in response, the dark blue dragoness looks back at him, then at where he alludes to, and realizes the second young one has not even taken a single step forward. Surprised, the great guardian quickly finds a solution to this problem, and leaning closer with her form, her talons and tail large enough that they could reach the water of the pool behind if she wanted, the greater one begins to apply it.
Keeping just a little distance with the dark blue kin, the young seer watches her from the side taking care of the one they name Ikarh…
Settling down once again, the grand kin bringing her paw ever so closely to the chest of the other and all the magic that flow inside, she waits only for a moment of captivation before shifting her talon to hold one of the young dragoness, an act that seems to sooth her as she relaxes and lets the great one guide her body.
Staying quiet and attentive, Darkstalker watches Ikarh's mystical form being brought to move, gently but firmly grabbed by the paw of another to be aligned with common but graceful, natural movements she has yet to learn… And soon, it the turn of her other limbs to be given that therapy, until none are left and the great dragoness recoils by one big step, her gaze still as kind.
- "Ofemyl surik alikus ythias toijyl..."
Hearing her words but focusing on her guardian's moving and welcoming paw, the light that emanates from it becoming the center of her gaze almost immediately despite her silent behaviour, the blue and purple one decides to lower the distance between them. At first, she simply leans her head while she can, bringing her sensitive snout closer to the radiant glow, and after a few seconds, even goes as far as forcing her whole body to bring itself forward, tilting her form heavily until her head touches the ground, making her blink as she suddenly feels the coldness of the floor.
Chuckling at that moment, Akhanta decides to help her young one, carefully picking up her snout with a few claws before grabbing the child by the smooth scales of her chin.
"Uthu kenib velt toij… Ikul ghyt heia mesita, yth eiuf ifyat uthu imote elzurt uthu okutes th." Says the dark blue kin as she slowly extends her holding talon, making it rub along the body of the other until she halts at her chest.
Now that her paw is just under the right spot, the great dragoness uses it to bring Ikarh slightly higher and closer to herself, little by little until the young one's talons no longer touch the ground, before she is put down, her front limbs now folded instead of extended as she seems somewhat surprised by that turn of event, and even more when Akhanta retrieves her captivating talon…
Feeling the blue and purple one might still remain confused for a while, it is the young seer who decides to come closer, and extending his almost pitch black wing colours by blue to cover her magical form, he shows her the way to go by taking a step forward, a movement she tries to imitate just after, half with her mind and half by reflex and instinct.
Despite the crudeness of her behaviour, Ikarh ends up one step closer to the grand guardian like his companion. And seeing such a scene, the great one can only grin, before partially turning away and distancing herself somewhat from, while her eyes still gaze at the two, encouraging them to follow.
Going along with that, the nightwing begins to close up the distance recently created, though he quickly slow down to give time for his quiet partner to match with him, the movements of her march getting indeed better, more fluid and swift, even if there is still a lot of room for improvement as she herself does not seem at ease during that moment…
"Uthu surh feshur ghyt jykon, oje u pilmeo…" Mutters Akhanta, her mind being reminded of pairs of dragonets standing together, with a duo of red and brown marking her the most.
Lowering herself for a moment, the wings of her majestic form almost touching the ground, the great dragoness faces the two dragons more personally, her gaze a satisfied one. And rising a talon, she makes a swift gesture to the side while she speaks again.
"Uthu tunis ywult tha utnay Darkstalker."
Understanding what he is asked to do, the night dragon folds back his wing and steps once to the side, allowing more space for her before the imposing guardian leans closer, and with her paw grabbing the young dragoness by the belly, her claws holding the confused one without trouble, Akhanta kindly brings her to her back, over dark blue scales surrounded by her wings and neck.
"Ofemyl uthu yenuv surh masne toijyl..." Declares the great kin as her new passenger settles the way she can on her body, her grand presence and the slow beating of her powerful heart quickly calming the other.
Glancing with more eagerness at the young seer, Akhanta turns to the chamber's open entrance, and after walking for a bit between crystals with him closely following, the group finally leave the room, the dark blue guardian having for destination a grand room that sounds familiar to the nightwing…
Walking his way through the titanic pyramidthat he is now far more tempted to call home, Darkstalker feels quite better, far less in solitude than any time he was guided by another and progressing through such a building. And to that, the night dragon is quite surprised, not imagining such a new dragoness he knows almost nothing about would add, at least for now, so much to the atmosphere.
But then again, Ikarh is already quite captivating in herself despite her complete immaturity, and the first interaction he had with her was a very tender experience, like that of a brother and sister now that he thinks about it. So maintaining his gaze on her, the young seer continues his march with the good presence of others, fearing not the future but just being mundanely curious, if a little silly thinking about it…
Arriving close enough to their destination, the dark blue guardian and her two young ones can see through such an open entrance the room that it leads to, with the great table, surely needing the strength of a giant and more to move, laying at the center and still having a few things over, though at this distance, it is very hard to identify them.
Feeling the mild but unwavering joy of Akhanta as she marches forward with the young dragoness found of resting on her back, though said smaller one was and is still gazing at him, as well as beginning to look around a little, the young seer remains observant of the richly marked architecture before he and the others enter into the grand diner room he recognizes, such a place feeling a bit lonely as no one else is present to bring life into such a spacious area…
Halting just before the gigantic table, her front talons touching the water of a purposefully placed pool, the great dragoness decides to take off her blue and purple one, firmly but carefully grabbing the dragoness from her back to lay her gently on the polished block closest to the table, shocking the dragonet who passes from an intimate closeness with a great entity to the cold surface of an old stone, its neat markings useless to console her.
"Kovtur tsekat ythias toijyle, yth eiuf jernup nestoq ofuge." Says the considerate guardian while she glances at both Ikarh and Darkstalker, before walking away to another room on the side, the images of pretty crystals, dust and bowls of water appearing in her mind...
Being left with the young and mostly quiet dragoness, Darkstalker turns around the relatively big water pool to reach the other side of the polished chunk of rock, where he climbs to arrive at Ikarh's side, his gaze crossing her own, before looking away, partially paying attention to the paintings that hang up over the walls enclosing them from far away.
- "So… it is seems you are new to the place young dragoness…"
Staring for a moment at a portrait of Xamirh bearing a faint but warm grin on his snout, the nightwing knows he is talking in the void more than anything, even if he can see in the other's mind she hears him clearly with these finned ears of her.
But despite that, Darkstalker maintains his act, a feeling of nostalgia pushing him to play the scene of welcoming a new guest to the palace his mind shapes from reality, going as far as moving neck and wings, gracefully surrounding his blue and purple companion in an attempt to show that charismatic confidence he seems to retain, even after everything.
In response, Ikarh adjusts her head to better align with his own and moves her front talons almost instinctively, bending and extending them as a way to better apprehend him, her purple eyes unavoidable.
"I see you seem to not even know of words and little of a dragon's full body and their movements, let alone manner… But that's okay, you are still my dear guest." Says the nightwing as he rises a paw to rub the underside of the other's long neck, a gesture he maintains as he looks away, though his thoughtfulness is quite obvious, even for her.
Hearing the faint echoes of some thoughts, the young seer blinks in surprise, snapping him back to his companion, where he gazes a moment, no longer acting. But not seeing something clear enough, Darkstalker returns to his way of before, he voice having that refined tone which could seem a bit out of place, especially when considering the one he is talking to.
"You know, maybe you could talk if you wished to. Not that I don't like to feed a conversion all by myself for the one I like, but maybe you should learn to have something you truly want, with your heart..."
Tilting her head, the young dragoness only seem to use of her eyes and scales, her mind shifting at the sight of his changing face and the sensation she gets as she extends a wing herself to surround the other, and even tries to do that with the one behind, a detail he does not miss.
Feeling invited by such a behaviour, the young choses to bring all of his dark body a little closer, and being faithful to a mix of siblings and romantic custom, the night dragon decides to put a paw over Ikarh's neck, not long after the beginning of her horns, a spot that appears to be quite sensitive as she shivers at first.
But that moment of closeness is halted when Akhanta, now holding with magic the many tools and ingredients she needs on two large plates, comes back from what is functionally a kitchen, and arrives at the very big table in no time, laying over the sorted elements with crystals and dust on one side, and water and utensils on the other.
- "Tsekat surh uthuetias ijopt ythias toijyle." Declares the great dragoness with a bit of pride, before she grabs Ikarh who closest first, then brings her over the table without asking.
Having seen that little scene, Darkstalker is, however, not spared from that treatment either, and struggle a little, complaint instantly appearing on his face as the dark blue guardian puts him on the table, just aside the young dragoness who glances at him.
Now that everyone is where they need to be, Akhanta can begin to prepare the food… Taking a few seconds to pick the adequate dust, she tilts its relatively little recipient so the ever so tiny grains fall into the chosen bowl of water, the mixture turning to light green as more of the ingredient is added.
Watching the process of his meal in the making, the young seer realizes as he casts a quick glance to the side that his companion is not looking at the same thing. Intrigued, the nightwing turns to her, only to realize she is simply looking at him. Finding it quite pitiful the blue and purple one only knows of looking at the closest other, he decides that making her change is something he can try.
As the grand guardian begins to use of clawed paw on an orange crystal, making fitting noises has it fractures, Darkstalker moves his companion's head in the ingredient's direction, using of his gentle but pushing talon to do so. However, as Ikarh's gaze gets closer to the target he set for her, her eyes turns away, captivated by the entire being that is the great dragoness.
Sighing, the young seer releases his grip from his partner's neck, and knowing he can do little at the moment, decides to simply watch Akhanta finishing to make their meal… Putting down the bowl containing the last ingredient, she stirs the mixture like a soup with big talon and the spoon of adapted size only a few times before this is it.
"Uthuetias ijopt surh lihotu." Declares the dark blue guardian as she takes two bowls of far smaller size, and begins to pour the infused and now brown liquid she made in each of them.
But seeing such shades of colour hardly inspire the nightwing, and so it is with closed eyes that he drinks the content of his bowl, drawing the attention of others on him as he finds the mixture a bit nice to his surprise.
"Ofemyl, uthu tunis omku nistouv toij Ikarh, uthu pyteya uwite uthutias okutie sylis almu…" Says the great one as she takes hold of her child's bowl and brings it a little closer to her snout, hoping it helps her find the desire to feed herself.
Smelling the mixture and sensing the essences that bath in the recipient, the young dragoness appears to grow curious of that as she leans in her snout. Though after a moment, she still has not tasted her meal, her head having halted just before. And seeing that, the grand guardian begins to act anew, but it is Darkstalker who solve the problem by gently, though not without mischief, pushing her head, forcing her to finally drink, if only by surprise.
Despite that "accident", the magical youngling appears to be found of the bowl's content as she makes it run through her throat seemingly by instinct, her mind vividly coloured by sensations so new to her…
"Yth kenib heij uthu pyteya hefum. Iole Ikarh surh tekeis, kes ko, tha eximn surh uyl…" Says Akhanta as she eyes the young seer, her mind picturing the blue and purple one having hatched from her fleshy cocoon and brought, her eyes still closed along the way, to the chamber where he first was.
Getting such surging memories of the great dragoness can answer some of his questions, Darkstalker appears pensive at the moment, not that focused on anything while his matching companion continues to drink… until she has consumed everything, and retrieves her head from the bowl, her gaze now returning to the two dragons whose beings she feels with unfiltered clarity.
"Uthu hute jyker yl affieron? Jykon prita uthu…" Comments Akhanta as she pats the young dragoness with two of her claws, gently rubbing the still soft skin between her three pairs of horns.
Remaining close to his companion, the nightwing does not really pay attention to her as he thinks about what he saw in his guardian's mind, and Ikarh's origin, occupied by the task of remembering the things of importance for his question… But not for long.
Retrieving her whole talon from the giant table, the great dragoness seems to have made up her mind in what the trio will do next, and staring to turn away, her head now facing the entrance by which they came to this grand diner room, it is with a kind but firm voice that she informs the two others.
"Toijyles, ofemyl iole uthue surh ivestun, yth hefum th ajek elzurt yth diltuv sim yl ulven, uje u coitam surh."
Saying that, Akhanta wastes no time in grabbing the blue and purple one, her overwhelming gesture both considerate and effective to put the young one on her back. And while his companion ends up once again on the dark blue scales of his guardian, the seer uses of his agile talons to descend, two mild jumps being enough to reach the floor.
Now that everyone is ready, it is the great one who takes the lead, her attitude quite eager and innocent as she marches forward while Darkstalker follows. Though for the seer, something feels different, and focusing on what is right before him, maybe far away in that straight line beyond the extremely large entrance or hidden at the side, he does feels the presence of another kin, the intensity of the aura leaving almost no doubt.
And so it is why the young hybrid is not that surprised that when they were about to leave the area, the fiery kin joins Akhanta in a moment, and becomes shocked when his gaze stumble upon the one laying on his kin's back, her purple eyes instinctively gazing into his own.
"Ko, Ikarh surh olvetu, kes yth eiuf oxemin Za sazne."