| They appeared out of between over Cathair Fionabhain, Nyroath gliding in and backwinging gently to land. "Go have fun, kay Nyro? I want to poke around and check this place out. See if you like it here," Ak'rei said, dismounting and giving Nyroath's eyeridge a quick skritch. They were, after all, on a search for a possible permanent home. Nyroath rumbled agreement, and went to scope things out. Ak'rei entered the Lower Caverns, well, the equivalent of whatever Cathairs called them. He didn't really understand the differences between the Dragonworlds, but he figured different place, different name. Shrugging it off, and seeing that there wasn't much excitement to be found, he went to look at the beach. One thing they'd agreed on was that there had to be a beach. A multi-coloured flit flew up at him, chittering angrily. He stepped back, and looked down. He'd nearly stepped in a lizard clutch! [Hey Nyroath, come check this out!] he called. The great red dragon glided in, landing behind Ak'rei. The multi-colour cheeped once, and disappeared. "Aw, you scared her," he said, crouching to look at the eggs better. "They're pretty hard, should be hatching soon..." he mumbled. <Interesting colour, don't think I've ever seen quite that odd a mix anywhere at Ryslen... well, excepting that rainbow one...> Nyroath commented. "Think the Cathair people would mind if I took one?" Ak'rei asked, looking at the half-buried clutch. <Hey look, there's a sign over there. Says something about rules,> Nyroath said, pointing with his muzzle at a sign, slightly faded from the constant salty sea breeze. Ak'rei stood, dusting off his jeans, and went to read it. "Well, I suppose I fit all the requirements, even if our home is really only temporary..." Ak'rei said thoughtfully. "Would you mind a little flit hanging about?" he asked, turning to Nyroath. <Not at all; they're charming little creatures, so long as there aren't too many about. I'm a red though, and not all that small, so I daresay I won't attract flocks and flocks like some whites and silvers do,> Nyroath replied equably. Ak'rei grinned. "I was hoping you wouldn't mind. I think they're useful little guys, well, or girls," he amended, bending to look at the eggs again, trying to pick one out. "Wanna help? I can't decide between these three," he said, gesturing to three on the leftish side. <Do eeny meeny miny mo,> Nyroath suggested. "Oh, big help," Ak'rei said, blowing a raspberry at him. Nyroath merely grinned at him. "Ah, I give up, they're all neat no matter what colour," he said, choosing the one on top of the "pyramid". He took his trenchcoat off and tied the sleeves together, pouring warm sand into the middle part. He placed his 'chosen' egg in the sand and wrapped it up, using the sleeves as a shoulder strap. Standing, he looked around once more. "I dunno, Nyro, what do you think about this place?" <Can't put my talon on it, but I don't think this is the place for us,> Nyroath confessed. <That okay with you?> "Course it is, I wouldn't dream of staying anywhere you didn't like," Ak'rei said reassuringly. <Not that I don't like it, it just isn't for us,> he replied. <Come on, let's go poke around some more.> "Certainly," Ak'rei agreed, mounting carefully so as not to jar the egg. "Sand sure is heavy..." he commented, making a face. "Ah well... wonder what colour I'll get?" <Guess we'll just have to wait and see... hope it isn't gold, they can be so stuck up. They hardly ever deign to talk to me like the browns do,> Nyroath said, springing into the air and blinking between. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Late evening of that day... ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Oy, I am so tired..." Ak'rei said, flopping down on his bed. "We must've searched twelve weyrs, cathairs, caers, whatevers! Not a one fit us right..." <Geh...> was Nyroath's only reply, the red dragon being curled up in the stone couch. He blinked at Ak'rei in weary surprise as the rainbow flit swooped in, chittering happily, and landed on his head. <Get off... pleease?> Nyroath asked. The flit hopped to the nearby bedpost instead and hummed softly. "Why's he... hum... ming? The flitter egg!" Ak'rei yelped, hastening to pull the makeshift sling off and unwrap it. He laid it on the floor, dusting some of the sand off and pulling the egg out. It was rocking slightly in his hands. "I don't have any food, just this meatroll from lunch!" he half-wailed. The rainbow flit disappeared, then reappeared with a fish from the lake a minute later, still wet. "Oh thank you thank you thank you!" he sighed, accepting the fish with a grateful smile. The flit chirped happily and resumed its thrumming. The egg was rocking violently now, and Ak'rei hurriedly pulled out one of his bootknives, slicing pieces of the fish off quickly, remembering Ikara's lesson on always cutting away from yourself. With a sudden CRACK, the eggshell shattered as its occupant gave it a good hard kick from all four paws. The slate-coloured flit began creeling immediately, and Ak'rei gave it a little piece of fish. Its hungry creeling abated to whimpering, then stopped altogether as Ak'rei gave it another piece, slowly feeding it so as not to choke it. When the last pieces of fish (and the meatroll) were gone, the little flit yawned sleepily. Ak'rei picked it up and petted it for a while. Soon it was asleep, and Ak'rei, feeling immensely tired himself, stood slowly and got carefully into bed, laying the flit gently beside his pillow. "Aurezinc," he said, naming the slate flit. <You know Ikara's gonna throw a fit about all that sand,> Nyroath commented sleepily. "I'll sweep it up in the morning," he replied, yawning. Soon dragon, human, and flitter were all fast asleep. |
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