"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
you should see me in a crown; your silence is my favorite sound
His chest was feeling tighter and tighter. It was so uncomfortable and it pushed a scowl into his young dragon face. He stared at the ground as he followed them, trailing at a distance and only occasionally glancing up to see that he remained true to course. It wasn't necessary. He already knew he was. He could smell it clearly.
He followed his baby sister and her mother. Father was gone again, and they didn't seem headed back to the cold place he'd grown up in thus far. He missed his spotted woman and wondered why she wasn't here with them. He wondered why they'd had the terrible adventure to the island and now to another new land. He was deeply confused and didn't understand any of it. He wasn't even sure if he was meant to follow them or not. If they were headed to Dad or not.
But he did anyway. Because what else did he have?
Besides, she didn't chase him away and she absolutely knew he was following.
He'd never felt so outcast as he did now though.
Dad was here, so he'd chosen correctly. The moment he caught his father's scent he peeled away from... his family? The strangers. He should probably take some space. He wasn't sure he had a place here. Were they even staying or were they just leaving again soon? He didn't know. Father would tell him perhaps when he had a moment. Maybe he would teach him more things.
His lithe, gold-gray body flopped to the ground with a huff, his muscles still tense in this strange land. It was an odd day. This was not what they usually did when Father took him out. Hunting, yes. This, no. It had been just him and Father before. Dad left sometimes, and these people must be part of what he'd leave for, but he still didn't know where he fit into it now that they were all in the same place. But it was fine. Dad would find him when he was done settling whatever he was settling. He just had to sit tight and learn patience.
He was Dragonborn. He didn't know patience.
His head lifted and he rolled a knot out of his shoulder, webbed wings flaring out as he twisted his neck this way and that then gave a good shake. Hmm. Slightly better. It would do for now, he decided, and he sighed heavily and looked around. There was an odd taste in the air here. Strong emotions, maybe. A touch of fear; he knew that one. But so many other emotions too. Some sort of glee over there, some sort of caution or wariness in another direction. Many others he didn't have names for. This place was even more confusing than the last one. Does their presence always cause this wherever they go?
He grunted to himself. He'd have to think on that, test it out sometime. At least for the moment though, he was just going to lay his thinly-armored cheek in the dirt just like so, and breathe out another sigh. And wait.
He was crossing back this way, returning from the Sylvan forest and his interactions there. The most direct path took the golden stallion through Loess, and he made his way carefully, unsure of the changes being wrought on the land, and how his own home factored into them. Mostly he wanted to be safe in the cove, and to greet his own heart when he saw Warlight again. They had many things to talk about, but his main concern was just to hold her again. He wouldn't truly be home until that happened.
The fiery stallion considered making his presence known, when a glint of blue-tinged cream caught his eye. His heart leapt at the sight, and all pretense of calm left him. "Tana! SANTANA!" He screamed upward, rearing as he called. The wind carried his cry skyward to the broadwinged figure soaring overhead. Miraculously it seemed, the draconic form seemed to hear him, drawing down in a tight spiral, wings furling as he hit the earth.
A fluid shift rippled through the gold and white dragon, until Raul saw the familiar form of his twin standing before him. Matching smiles illuminated their dissimilar faces, speechless in their joy. They pranced about each other, heads tossing and steps high while they bumped into each other and spun apart. "I can't believe you're here!" Raul said at last, forehead pressed into his brother's. Tana rubbed the flaming tassel of Raul's forelock, tangling it with the white threads of his own. "You should come back to the Cove with me," Raul insisted, knowing they needed time to catch up. "Mom is there, too. And War- you have to meet her. She's... incredible. I love her." He admitted a little shyly.
Tana grinned broadly as his twin invited him home. "Yes, yes, of course I'll come with you. I too have tales of ladies to spin. Ladies, plural." He made certain to emphasize with a roguish wink. Still. How wonderful was that? His brother had a home, and their mother was there! A twinge went through him as he considered the possibility that perhaps... maybe their sire had made it there as well. Maybe their family was whole. But it seemed unlikely. That kind of fact would certainly be a thing Raul would mention. Still, it was a nice thought.
The brothers turned to move on, remembering that they stood in unfamiliar territory. The sooner they reached Raul's home, the better. They had not gone far when another form interrupted their path. They had nearly tripped over a prostrate form lying in the dying autumn grass. Mottled gold and grey hair disguised the body, and what a strange body it was.
The twins exchanged uncertain glances. Raul cleared his throat loudly, while noting the young creature's rather unorthodox appearance. He then looked back to the glittering stallion at his side. The faces... at least when Tana was in his alter form, bore some resemblance. The wings, as well. One look at Tana was enough to tell him that the his thoughts were shared. They had stumbled upon another sibling.
you should see me in a crown; your silence is my favorite sound
His head perked up the moment he heard noises nearby, new voices. Although, every voice here was new to him except Father's. They seemed to be staying this time, not immediately leaving again. It was all so confusing and nobody explained anything to him. Maybe everyone assumed because he was so different, so unlike them, that he was less. That he wasn't capable of understanding their language or their concepts.
The language was a little tricky sometimes, he'd admit. But the hardest part for him was forming the words himself. He could understand most of it.
It only isolated him further, though. That he was.. unimportant. Or undeserving. Or forgotten. He felt cast aside.
He'd make Dad proud today, he decided, and launched to his feet to chase the strangers out. If they were staying, that would mean this was theirs. That would mean he would be responsible for helping. He could hunt. And he could fight. And maybe if he did well enough, Dad would give him more of his time. So he lowered his head, ocean eyes steely in determination, and raced straight to the two males with a ready snarl in his dragon's mouth.
As he got closer though, he caught that little twinge of familial bond. Like the dark man. And his baby sister. And of course Father. He slowed, brows pulling down in confusion and head raising again. When he was near enough, he stopped a few feet away to study them.
He didn't understand. They were family. He could smell it even clearer now this near to them. But they were strangers. Why were they not here with the family? Or maybe they had come to stay? They were different from him though, but the same together. He was different from Reia, too. His baby sister was different because of the tiger's bond to her. He was different because he lacked the tiger's bond. Or any other bond. And these two...
They were the same together. They were their family but only half his family. Why was it so confusing!? Why were the scents in the family so twisted and mixed and disorderly!? Were they supposed to be that way? Why did he not have a tiger woman too, or this shared scent between this pair? Why was his only connection to Father and none of these others?
He stomped a golden hoof hard, his webbed wings bowing out and shuddering in frustration. His tongue passed over his lips and he glanced away, preparing himself and hating that he had to speak. With a sharp look that dared them to say anything about his gravelly voice, he remained frowning as he forced the words out as clearly as he could manage.
"Ghiss!" He growled and repeated it, aware that he already hadn't said it right. So damn frustrating. "This!" Yes, that. Good enough. "Is home?" he snapped, his confusion evident in his questioning tone.
