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 Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 7:48 pm
The volcano was quiet on this warm spring dawn. Soon, the family would start to stir. Already one member was awake, though she was still developing inside the shell of her slightly cracked egg. She had been pushing it, and so it had cracked. Cracked because Marint wouldn't stop screaming about the dirt. He had been screaming again yesterday. She had asked him to stop, but her brother had just kept screaming. Shrieking. Then he had shut up abruptly. Or she thought he had. In her world of darkness, everything had gone silent. She couldn't even remember thinking. Teialta was just thankful it had stopped.
As the sun broke free of the horizon, she heard, or felt the vibrations at least, of something stepping on the sand. Tei's mind immediatly felt the mental patterns of a familiar mind. Delame! She said quietly, excitedly. He had been absent on the sand pit for a few days now. Even though sometime's his thoughts and memories leaked and suddenly made the warmth nearby seem cold, he was welcome company. She branched out to feel for her father as well, but only encountered his sleeping mind, thoughts well guarded, and the faintness of his dreams echoing in the human male's mind.
"Hey, Tei." He sounded tired. He always sounded tired, even though his mind seemed to always be moving. "You're awake early." The vibrations shook her shell, causing mild discomfort. She let loose a small red flag in her mind. Sorry. I forgot. Forgetting. Also something Delame always seemed able to do.
It's fine. Happy feelings seemed to radiate off her, trying to help him. Trying to make his darkness a little more light.
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Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 7:57 pm
The world was good and clean, as far as Marint was concerned. His happy dream about frolicking in a clean, dirtless field of grass beside a small, clean, clear stream had put him in an unbelievably good mood. For once, the little wyrmling awoke happy and calm. He had had a good dream, there was no dirt on his shell, and the outside world was... quiet. Or it sounded quiet, anyway. He stretched out a bit with his mind, bumping into an all-too-familiar presence. Sis! Good morning! he said cheerfully, his mental voice far too chipper for one that had just awakened.
Marint's probing hadn't wakened Alinta, who was curled loosely around her eggs and was too deeply asleep to be stirred by much. She had had a long day previously, and the rest was more than welcome. Somewhere in the depths of her mind, she knew she should be awake, but the comfort of sleep was too much for her practical side to fight with. Nope. The world could wait; Alinta-the-queen was getting some long-awaited sleep.
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Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 8:25 pm
He was awake. He was happy. That was odd, wasn't it. Morning. She didn't sound nearly as cheery as Marint, but that was partly because she was afraid he would start screaming again. Maybe not afraid, but a little frightened? She wasn't sure. She just didn't want him to do it again. Because she would have to yell to make him stop, though he never listened.
Delame sat down on the sand a few feet away from Alinta, wiggling his toes in the sand. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Tempest's mind recognized his mate through his bond's eyes and gave a happy sigh. He smiled, blue eyes looking up at the fading blue-black sky as it slowly turned to morning. It always seemed the happiest moments were when Tempest saw Alinta, because then all chaos in his mind, his thoughts, seemed to reorder themselves. Were perfectly at peace. It was so odd, he thought, about how when he saw Ravea, all things seemed to become chaos in its most unrefined form.
Humans are chaos, you being the most unrefined of them all. Tempest mumbled only to Delame, his bond's thoughts disturbing his sleep.
And you are a large lizard. Delame shot back, smiling over his shoulder at the hulking form of his wyrm.
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Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 8:31 pm
You're not happy to talk to me. Marint said, making it a statement rather than a question. C'mon, Sis! It's morning! Be happy! The world is clean; there is no dirt...
Slowly, higher brain functions began to return, and Alinta found herself stirring from the depths of happy-sleep. After what seemed like an eternity, the light female opened her mouth in a massive yawn that lasted far too long. She half-closed her mouth, running her tongue over her sharp teeth and opening her eyes just a bit. Mmmmm... it's too early... she mumbled, glancing around to find what it was that had awakened her. As a matter of habit, she reached out for Ravea's mind, quickly withdrawing when she realized the therian was still peacefully sleeping. Oops. Best to leave her be.
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Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 8:42 pm
It's not you. I've just been feeling a little weird since yesterday. Tei withdrew from the world around just to focus on Marint and herself. To keep the conversation private. It darkened her already limited knowledge of the outside, but if her parents thought something was wrong, they would be unhappy. And the dirt will be back. It always comes back. She pointed out, already betting that the first breeze would start him yelling again.
An awake lizard. Tempest mumbled unhappily, opening one of his eyes to glance at Delame. He scooted over beside Tempest, patting the wind wyrm's head. Why so much thinking this early?
Didn't sleep very well last night. I was awake for a little bit before dawn. Talked with Eve.
Eve frightens me a little. Tempest admitted. The dark skinned girl who never let the sun look upon her. It wasn't healthy. Delame had tried to explain her...condition, but the male had refused to understand. All he knew was that once the sun vanished over the horizon, almost no one could calm Tei like she did.
She's fine. I wouldn't let her near any of us if she wasn't.
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Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 8:50 pm
Oh. Why's that? Marint inquired curiously, shifting a bit inside his cramped egg. He wanted out, but he didn't want out. Out was dirty, but in was cramped. Bad both ways. Hard to decide which was worse, really! Nuh. Mum will make it go away. And Ziv. Ziv is coming. he added, sounding far more cheerful about that. Ziv always made things better... always!
Why do I get the feeling that everyone else is blocking me from their conversations? Alinta commented almost to herself, executing a full-body stretch accompanied by another massive yawn. Ahhhh, better! She flared her wings out once and then settled back down, fully opening her eyes and glancing about. Her Fluffbutt was present, as was his Delame. The two eggs... and Ravea was asleep, presumably tired from taking care of Daela. Ye gads, the girl was a handful. Cute, yes, but also tiring.
Uttering another yawn, the light wyrm glanced down at her offspring and tenderly nuzzled them both, being sure to flick a tiny speck of dirt off Marint's shell. She was surprised, albeit pleased, that he hadn't commented on it. Perhaps there was progress after all!
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Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 9:04 pm
I don't know. Tei lied. She knew exactly why. Because Marint had stopped screaming. It wasn't right. It wasn't how it worked. She preferred the yelling over silence. Good for Ziv. Eve never came out in the day. She always came when everyone else was asleep. Tei didn't try to ask a second time, after the first time all Eve's mind had been disoriented, and only one picture coming over the faint mental bond they shared, identical to those every living creature shared with others, whether they realized it or not. And Tei had been afraid.
I didn't want to wake you. Tempest said to Alinta, ignoring Delame in favor of his love. He understood perfectly, Delame did. And suddenly, there it was. Everything in his mind aligned perfectly, though it meant nothing as it all became disorganized again. He shrugged, leaning back onto Tempest's coiled body.
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Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 9:11 pm
Yoooou lyiiiiiiiiing! Marint fairly chirped at his sister's mind, unbelievably excited. Yes, good for Ziv. He promised he'd get me fresh fish after I hatch. I can't wait. I like fish. Fish is good. But not if it's slimy. He showed me a picture, and it looks slimy. But it tastes good, I think... he babbled on, obviously unaware of his sister's unease at the moment. But it was all well and good, because Ziv was coming! Oh, how wonderful it was to have a single-track mind!
Alinta gave a rumbling chuckle and scooted a little closer to her mate, stretching out her neck to nuzzle at him. You really thought I'd sleep for long? I'm a mother, and my children are awake. I have to wake up. she said, giving him an amused look. She spied Delame and snorted softly, stretching out her neck to nose at his shoulder. "Good morning to you too," she said aloud, her voice beautiful despite the odd rasp to it that all wyrms possessed. This was why she preferred mindspeaking. It was so much easier.
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Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 9:37 pm
Am not. Tei snapped, closing out his fish ravings after the first few minutes. It was tiring, having him for a brother, it really was. She wanted him to listen, to hear, but he didn't. She hoped dirt ate his shell.
Tempest wing shrugged, nuzzling back at her. Thought you could sleep for a little longer, at least. No one was screaming bloody murder, so... He smiled as best he was capable, sitting all the way up and shifting Delame's position slightly in doing so.
Delame smiled at Alinta, bowing his head in respect. "Morning."
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Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 9:41 pm
Something penetrated Marint's hard skull, and he understood that something was definitely up. Tei-tei? What's wrong? he asked quietly, wishing he could give her some sort of awkward hug. That was what Ziv said humans did when they wanted to be nice. He wished he was out to try that. It sounded promising.
No, wait... it sounded... geeeeeeeermy...
Eh, not yet. He will be. Alinta said with an all-knowing rumble of amusement. She gave Tempest an extra nuzzle and gentle croon. How she loved him. She glanced back at Delame, snorting again, this time in amusement. "Don't bother being formal. You're my mate's bonded. You're kin," she said with perfect logic, gently nuzzling at his shoulder. "You are unsettled?"
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Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 10:13 pm
You stopped screaming yesterday. After I asked. You never do that. What happened?! She was so careful to make sure no one else could hear. She didn't want them to. It would be trouble for them all if someone thought something was wrong, and Tei wanted no trouble.
Probably. Tempest agreed, slithering slowly over from his Alinta and Delame to go check on Tei and Marint. When the part of him Delame was leaning on was next, one of the wings on his tail tickled at his back to get him to sit up. He didn't try to eavesdrop on their conversation, he just wanted to be near the two spheres that brought him the most joy that anything in the world could. (After Alinta and just a tiny bit after Delame, of course.)
Delame reached up and gave her a one armed hug. "Kin or not, I am in awe." He said, letting his arm fall back to the sand. "I'm fine. A little tired, is all. Sleep well?"
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Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 10:28 pm
Marint stopped to consider this. Nuh, I didn't. You stopped telling me to, and then Ziv came and got rid of the dirt. You just stopped talking, I thiiiink.... he said thoughtfully, as though summoning up the memories was difficult. He fell silent for a moment and then a happy mental shout reverberated through the entire area. ZIV!
Still a good league away, Ziv resisted the urge to chuckle as the wyrmling's mental shout echoed through his head. Ahhh, what a little character Marint was...
Alinta watched as her mate slithered over to their offspring, feeling quite proud of her family. She loved her family, both the wyrm and humanoid members of it. She crooned down at Delame when he gave her the hug. "In awe? Charmer." She snorted into his hair, settling back down into the sand. "Tired? Have you been sleeping alone? And yes, I slept well. Stop trying to change the subject," she teased him gently, tilting her large golden head to one side to watch him.
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Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 10:47 pm
I stopped? What had happened? Tei mused quietly as her brother greeted Ziv. She suddenly missed Eve. She'd sleep during the day so she could be up at night, but everyone else was awake during daylight, why couldn't she be?! She felt lonely.
Tempest felt his daughter's sudden want for attention. It was instinct. He dropped his head and nuzzled her egg softly, mindful of the small flaw in the smooth shell. The appreciation he felt from her end made him warm up inside.
Delame laughed, shaking his head to rid his hair of anything Alinta had left up there. At her next question, he felt his face heat up. Sleeping alone?! "What?" He murmered, wanting to make sure he had heard correctly.
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Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 10:52 pm
Yes, you did. I don't know why, though... Marint trailed off, quivering eagerly inside his shell as he felt his bonded drawing near. He hated it when Ziv had to go away. As soon as he was hatched and out , he was going with the humanoid male, wherever Ziv decided to go. He sensed Tei's loneliness and gave a quiet croon. Y'know, we can share Ziv during the day... he suggested, not wanting his sister to be sad. Yeah, okay, she was really mean sometimes, but he didn't want her to be sad!
Alinta contained her amusement at Delame's response. "Have you been sleeping alone, without my bonded?" she inquired again, shoving her nose against his chest. "She is thinking about you frequently."
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Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 11:10 pm
No way. Tei disagreed, though there was no fight in her voice. She couldn't have... what? Fallen asleep? No. Because then there'd be dreams. Ziv's yours though. I want mine! She whined childishly, sulking in her shell.
"Of course!" He hadn't meant it like that, not to sound like that. They hadn't been together since The Night, and... and... WHAT?! "Huh?" RAVEA'S BEEN THINKING ABOUT ME?!
Delame, if you're going to shout, please TONE IT DOWN. Tempest had him beat on loudness over their private talk. Delame winced slightly, apologizing quickly. "She's been what?"
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