He'd shared an egg with his sister, and he didn't like it. After hatching, he
was glad to see the world around him, and glad to ignore his twin. He didn't so
much as look at her as he walked away. It wasn't hard to find his way in the
kitchens, and with the rest of his newly-hatched siblings, he was given strips
of raw meat for his first meal before being ushered off to bed. He, however,
slipped away on his own and explored the various tunnels and passages, soon
becoming lost in the labrynthine and forgotten paths. Though he had lost his
way, he refused to let his fear and worry show--until he encountered the
Other.
His had been lit by dim glowbaskets that let him see his way but not
much else. But now the tunnel was lit by torches, and none of them were lit.
Clueless of his ability to breathe fire, he stumbled in the dark until he saw a
light ahead of him. Glad to find someone else, he approached. A great golden
dragoness, like his mother but larger, and smelling of a curious mixture of
living and dead matter, rested in a tiny opening ahead of him. Well,
cavern was the best word for it; it didn't look like anything made by
dragons or humans. He was beginning to realize that his home of Darkling Dawn
was a very odd place.
The dragoness must have heard him as he approached, for
she lifted her head with a snarl, stopping him in his tracks. Nervously, he
lowered his head, though the stubs of his horns would do nothing to protect him,
and growled. Startlingly, the dragon laughed, and he looked up in
surprise.
What's a newborn hatchling like you doing
in these tunnels? Were you exploring? Her voice was surprisingly
kind, given her earlier ferociousness.
He blinked, taken aback. But it seemed
the dragon didn't want to hurt him after all, so he relaxed. Not wanting to
admit he was lost, he said instead, No, I was just looking around! Hmmph. My name's Burrakith, what's yours?
I am Asayichae, she stated. Shouldn't you be running back to your clutchmates
and...bond? she asked, as though unsure whether he had either.
He
sat down, and with a derisive snort, replied, I don't
have one. And the others...and my sister...I don't care about them, and they don't
care about me. Hesitantly, Burrakith continued, hoping she
wouldn't be angry. I'd rather stay here with you.
When she first gaped her jaw,
it looked terrifying, until he realized it was her way of smiling. Would you? Well, I can't turn down a request like
that.
Her companion, who he later met, was very, very different.
And jealous. What's that? the double-headed
hydra demanded, fixing all four threatening eyes on Burrakith, who automatically
shrunk back against Asayichae's leg.
The golden dragoness stepped in front of
him protectively. I found him, and he's staying with
me, she said, daring the hydra to refute her.
Though the ground
was rent by the hydra's claws, he didn't move. The two of them talked a bit
more, about things Burrakith did not understand or care about, and he was glad
when the hydra went away. He would have to be careful around that
one.