((Suri, Erza, Anna, Cassia and Lunaris are in a cave. I'm not sure where the other dragons are - they haven't posted in a while. The storm has just passed.))
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+Croner Septa Ler+Seeing the clearing, Croner swooped down to land. As he did the ground seemed to shake beneath him, as if he had created an earthquake. That was usually the effect a dragon of his size landing had. "Really?" he mindspoke back. "Perhaps they also used dragons to carry stone up to the top of their towers - I find it hard to imagine them building those structures on their own. They are, after all, much taller than the dwarves are." He studied the nearby caves. The Grand Archmage was right, as always - very few of them had an opening large enough for him to fit through. But some of them did, and there were enough of them for him to be satisfied with exploring. "So. Which one shall we visit first?"
He stooped down to allow the Grand Archmage to climb off his back, then mindspoke a request for some pen and parchment so he could take notes. He grinned as a gentle breeze rippled his scales. It was a calm day - perfect to go researching. If only Claudia was there... a few clouds dotted the sky, making it slightly chillier than otherwise, but mountain dragons were more resistant to temperature than humans and even most other dragons. As he sniffed the air he could smell the tang of metal mixed with the sweet aroma of wafting daisies. He grinned. He was going to enjoy this day. Still grinning, he waited for the Archmage's response.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
. . . Cassia Alla Moore . . .
The sea dragon's first reaction when the elf dragon sent her an image of her aura was to pull back and feel infuriated - how dare she read her like that? - but she forced herself to calm down. If she wanted to make friends - when had she decided that? she could never trust another dragon enough to make friends with it! - she should at least try to listen to what ehy had too say and give them a chance. She felt the elf dragon really did want to help her. Her scales rippled unsteadily, then settled back into a smooth, if slightly more agitated, flow. Friends had confidence in each other. They shared their thoughts and feelings with each other. Cassia wasn't sure she could do that, but she felt she needed to try. Otherwise she'd never feel complete again. Only empty and angry. Seeing the mental image she was sent, it was hard to hold back a giggle and in the end she didn't succeed. The stale salty scent of the cave felt for a second warm and comforting and familiar. She forced herself to pull back again and control her emotions, but didn't quite succeed. Closing her eyes, she considered the dragon's - Anna, that was her name - offer. Travelling together. Companionship. She would try her best to warm up. She wasn't sure if she could, but she liked the warm feeling that flooded her when she tried. She liked feeling complete. "Yes," she mindspoke, "thank you." Closing her eyes again, Cassia remember joking with her baby brother, laughing with her family.
I miss them, she realised. More than ever. Are they all dead now? All the sea dragons? Am I the only one left? Queen of a race that no longer existed. Did it? she had failed to protect them. Failed to protect her family. Holding back a sob as her scales rippled slowly, indicating her depression, she sank back into lonliness. She had no paints and no canvas, but dipping her tail in seawater she sketched another cave, not this one, where she had lived once back when she hadn't been alone. The wind yowled hollowly in her ears. She felt cold, though it was a warm enough day, and the blasted wind had nothing to do with it. She felt that chilly, deep cold that wouldn't leave her. Not the cool stone against her scales, but something coming from deep inside. "Thank you," she mindspoke again, weakly. So weakly. She couldn't be strong on her own any longer. Quickly she wiped away the shape of the cave she had sketched before anyone else could see it. The cave stank of salt and seaweed but she kept imagining the scent of stale smoke and ashes.
I need to stop running, she decided. I need to stop hiding from my feelings and myself. The reason I'm afraid of letting anyone else know about things I consider private is that I'm afraid of letting myself know. And that stops today.
