Fear and Courage

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(OOC: This might be more than a visit.)

Rii had escaped from the nightwings territory. She was sure that the least they would do was torture her if she was caught leaving them. Now that she had her sister Mairii back all Rii wanted was to be someplace safe.

However the rogue lands were not safe anymore. Not since the nightwings had begun taking them over. Paranoid about sleeping someplace where they might attack her again the female had been traveling near the borders of other dragon tribes. She figured that the nightwings would at least keep away from the other tribes to avoid fighting with them. It was on the second night that she found the young dragon and took the abandoned child from the icy crags of the mountains. The third night she had carried the young child with her to allow it to rest and recover. The fourth night she had been in a forest hiding inside of her own tunnel curled around the hatchling when the she dragon remembered the home of the earthwings.

Nobody since her parents had welcomed her to their home like the earthwings had. Even Adair had not offered to take her to his tribe, and even if he had she would wonder if his tribe would even welcome her. The earthwings though, didn't seem worried about her at all. The healer and the vulcan were curious about her but not threatened it seemed. Rii thought long and hard about what she was about to do and could not see any other option. She had to stay away from the nightwings, and she could only see herself staying with the earthwings. Though she also feared losing all of her freedom, Rii feared torture and death more, and so hoped that the earthwings would be friendly once more. She also feared for the child with her now, that they would not accept him.

Rii left Au for a short time in the tunnel outside of the earthwing's territory then sealed the tunnel up to keep out predators. Of course she left an air hole for the child to breath, but Rii hoped that the young dragon would stay put with the fresh kill she had left it while she acquired them a new home. Then she quickly traveled over earthwing territory rushed and unsure of their future.  

The slender dragon galloped through the trees keeping her wings as close to her body as possible. Her shining scales glittered underneath the dappled sunlight filtering through the thick canopy of trees. The sun was high in the sky as the woman found her old half made tunnel. Quite a few months ago she had quickly made this tunnel to get away from a rather annoying giant eagle, and then the earthwings had found her.

She had accepted that the eagle and Rock had been allies of sorts after noticing their relationship with each other during her first meeting with them. The woman was actually hoping to run into an eagle or one of the earthwings in order to speak with them. Though ultimately her goal was to speak with the earth king.

She passed by the old half made den on her way closer to the cave that she had stayed in for a while when the earthwings had kept her captive. While Rii didn't want to just barge in on their home unannounced she wanted to be someplace more safe than just sitting like a duck in rogue territory. She hoped that by staying at the cave just a few miles outside the earthwings tunnels that somebody form the tribe would come across her and alert the others so that she wouldn't have to scare them on accident.

Baldirak did not seem at all affected by the Hatchling's reaction. He simply watched as Rii chased after the tiny NightWing, he didn't bother to call after her with his answer. Rather, the King was more intrigued by the young Dragon's lack of growth or age. How was that possible?

Having ran into a small crevice, AuSurath wedged himself as deep into the crevice as possible, but the tip of his tail was poking just at the entrance of the tiny crevice. He remembered the scary green giants and how they acted. They were gunna eat him, he knew it! He had to hide and wait till it was safe.

Rii followed Au to the crevice then lay there before it with one eyeball peering into the darkness. I promise to keep anyone from hurting you. Even King Baldirak. She rumbles softly then waits patiently for Au to come out.

Hearing a voice, AuSurath pulled his tail into the crevice and took his time turning around so his head was facing the entrance, allowing him to keep watch. Being hugged by the walls, he felt safer and calmed down slightly, before looking at Rii and shaking his head no. He did not want to come out, it was scary out there! The giants would get him! What AuSurath did not know is that the distance to reach him wasn't far, and he could be dragged out of the crevice.

(OOC: taking that as a hint to drag him out)

IC: Rii lay there unmoving for quite some time until a sigh parted her maw. You are not going to come out are you? She huffed once then let her tongue flick at the air around the opening of the crevice. If you don't come out yourself I'm going to drag you out and slap your behind in three seconds for not obeying me. She put an edge to her voice, that she had heard a few times before from her own mother and father, to hopefully let Au see that she was not messing around.

1...........2......-

Rii sounded mad. But why would she be mad at him? There was the evil green monster out there! It wasn't safe. AuSurath couldn't understand why Rii was getting so angry with him. Unhappily and timidly, he inched forward so that he was just inside the crevice, but not getting out of it. There was no way he'd come out! It was scary!

Baldirak gave up trying to figure out the mystery for now. He stood and followed Rii and AuSurath. He found where the Hatchling was hiding and Rii stood encouraging him to come out. "Are you afraid, Young One? I was too, when I first arrived here. I was afraid all my family and friends were gone. I was afraid I might lose my leg, or worse, my life. Even this very moment, I am afraid. I fear you may stay in that little crevice and never come out." Baldirak lowered his head down to the ground and looked at the Hatchling. "You know, I would be much more afraid of Rii than me. She could give you a smack for not doing as you're told. I, I could only threaten you with her, lest I risk her wrath if I even considered breathing too close to you. So, which sounds better, coming out of there and being a little brave... Or getting on Rii's bad side?" He smiled then glanced at Rii before whispering to Au, "Personally, that crevice does look pretty safe... But I'd rather be on Rii's good side."

Ri paused in her counting as the king came forward and stooped to the hatchlings level in order to see and talk to him. She then continued to pause as she listened and then watched Au to see what he would do.

2 and a half....2 and three quarters... She was getting very close to that 3 now.

Laying just so his nose was peeking out of the hole, he looked at Rii, before yiping and scurrying back when the giant that wanted to eat him looked into his hole. He wasn't going to let the monster eat him! And it seemed that Rii didn't care and wanted him to be eaten by the giant. No way was he going out there. Too scary. AuSurath squeezed himself as far back into the crevice as possible, not speaking or making any move to come out. Especially with the giant there.

So you already know this little hatchling then? What's his real name? I keep making him mad because I'm saying it wrong... She asked Baldirak quickly while watching to see if the little nightwing would come out on his own.

Rii didn't voice her number three as she sighed. She wondered if scaring Au would do anything to help him learn in the first place. Certainly slapping his behind wouldn't help. It might only make him more scared of her and her king.

Come here and hug me in my arms. There no one will be able to get you and hurt you. I will always keep you safe when you are close to me. Rii opened her arms while peering into the hole. She glanced back to Baldirak and gave him a pleading look hoping that he might get the hint and move away for a little bit since he seemed to be the one scaring Au.

The EarthWing nodded. "I met him once, long ago.He was at the center of some turmoil between a few Tribes, then. His name is AuSurath. Most just called him Au, for short." Baldirak watched the small Hatchling before lifting his dad again to look at Rii. He could only wonder how she must have felt at seeing that the tiny NightWing wasn't listening to her. His pale gaze caught her pleading one and he understood what she wanted. The King turned and limped away, going off to find his Advisors for a meeting.

AuSurath did not want to go out. AuSurath would not go out with that scary monster there, waiting to eat him. He would sit in his little crevice until it was safe, which really meant until the hatchling could calm down. As Rii called him in for a hug, AuSurath just stared at her, not moving for several long moments before slowly creeping to the entrance of the crevice, glancing around for the scary giant. Not seeing the scary giant, he made a bolt into the blue fluffy wilderness of Rii's coat to hide in, deploying the master technique of 'I can't see you, you can't see me'. Burring himself as deep as he could into the blue fluff, AuSurath put his head against Rii's chest, not looking up or anywhere else.

(awwwww...)

Rii hugged AuSurath happy that the king had known the childs true name. Now maybe Au wouldn't look so angry at her when she called him. However she had to think of a way to punish the young dragon for not coming out when she told him to.

Why is it that the best thing I can think of is giving him a time out? she thought quietly while carrying the child towards the end of a tunnel that headed into a bathing chamber.

Did you see the green dragon hurt me AuSurath? She asked the young dragon kindly hoping that he noticed how healthy and uninjured she was.