"Auberon!" Eclipse gasped, flying over to his nest. "Auberon, sir, I think I might've figured it out!"
Silence.
She peered in, ears perked. The sound of wings flapping behind her made her jump. She turned. It was the red colored dragon from before. He cleared his throat.
"Do you have an appointment with the king?"
Eclipse faltered. "Uh, appointment?" She recognized this dragon as Russet.
He nodded briskly. "Yes. You need one to talk to the king. He's very busy." His eyes widened at his last words. She cocked her head.
He snorted a flame. "Just leave, before I have to escort you out!"
Eclipse scanned his petty frame. "Yeah, okay."
She allowed him to bustle her out, and took off, leaving him sprawling in the air.
She only got a few wing-beats away when someone knocked into her. Irritated, she whipped towards the accuser. Emit.
Her stomach boiled and didn't notice her warning hiss before he held up his skinny hands. "Wait! Don't fire, please."
She choked back the fire, mouth tasting like smoke, and glared at him. "What do you want?" She crossed her arms.
He looked at her sheepishly, rubbing the back of his ruffled neck. "Well... I..."
Eclipse snorted smoke at him. He coughed and waved it away. "I just... wanted... to warn you," he whispered.
Eclipse leaned in. "What?"
He looked at her with fearful eyes. "To warn you. What you're doing... is dangerous."
She blanched. "Dangerous? How? What are you talking about?"
He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Annoying and oblivious as ever."
She opened her mouth, and he flinched. "Okay, okay! I'll explain. Let's just find somewhere to talk."
They landed in the brush outside of the castle. Emit was pacing.
"Answers. Now." Eclipse demanded. He shrunk under her gaze.
"We're not allowed to speak about the... interbreeding. It's undignified! I don't know where you come from, but it's not allowed here."
She looked at him, curious. "Why, though? What's so dangerous about it?"
He paused, clawing at the ground. "Because it makes dragons... turn out deformed. A mistake. They live handicapped or cursed in some way. It's just not... natural. Tell me, Eclipse," he cut off her protest. "would you ever think about making eggs with a Snaterin?"
She clamped her beak shut. Would I? She recoiled at the thought.
Emit nodded. "That's what I thought."
Eclipse shook her head. "Yeah, maybe for me, but, it's really not that bad..."
He had a grim face. "Then perhaps I should show you."
She blinked, surprised. "You can show me?" Several nagging thoughts catered in the back of her head.
"Emit, what on earth are you doing?" someone snapped. He yelped and ran out.
She walked over to the food pile, ducking on the occasional swooping dragon. She observed the options.
Should I go with fish or mammal today?
She sat back and teetered on that question. Ah, finch it, I'll go with deer.
She greedily took a doe from the pile, backing off quickly as a group hustled in. She bent down to tear at the flesh just as a sharp caw snapped her ears.
She looked up to see Emit circling above. "Eclipse!" he called. "let's go."
She had been waiting around for a day now, waiting for Emit to show her what he just 'has to do'. Something life-altering. Something so shocking, she wouldn't be able to sleep at night.
Eclipse groaned and ground her beak as he landed in front of her. "What is it, Emit?" she growled, pulling her carcass closer to her body. Why did he have to decide right when I'm about to eat?
He looked greedily at the deer and sighed, landing in front of her. "It's time to, uh, see the sun..." he said, not sounding very casual at all. They had practiced the lines to represent what they were really after. Emit had suggested it, so Eclipse went along with it to get him to stop freaking out.
They flew for a while, passing the forbidden part of the territory. They flew for so long, Eclipse thought her wings would fall off. But suddenly, they stopped.
"Here," Emit whispered, pointing down. It was a vast, barren wasteland with only a few gnarled bushes and trees. They looked like emancipated claws ripping out from the earth. The dirt was so cracked, it reminded her of a desert she passed once.
He was pointing towards a large mound. It would've been nothing interesting, nothing that would catch her eye.
Emit stiffened. "Don't move," he hissed.
"Yeah, like I'm going to," she hissed back. He elbowed her. Eclipse clamped her beak shut from yelping.
Eclipse turned to Emit. "Let's go."
