A Salty Encounter(Open)

Travelling along the coast had left the aging seawing tired, not by distance travelled as he had been used to it, but by the constant skirmishes with random monsters. Though it did bring some joy to learn he wasn't the last seawing and some icewings still survived. As he made his way up onto the beach near a rocky outcropping settled down before curling up with a grunt against a warm boulder to sun himself. Stretching a bit before yawning deeply brought a webbed paw up to his snout, blowing slowly to form a bubble and watch it float away before popping.

"Now I know I'm getting old. Can't even handle a small trek from the north without getting aches. Blasted cold snow." Blowing another bubble he sighed and looked over the calm ocean. "Maybe I'll meet more seawing survivors, who knows?"

The sun was high overhead though it was colder than what he was used to, he held his wings outspread to catch as much of it as he could to stay warm. However it stung a little to do this. he hurried along the sandy shores to find quite nice rocky surroundings. here it was warm. massive boulders scatter the area and were heated by the sun. He spent his time looking for one that seemed the most comfortable, it took a while but he finally found it, the rock he stood in front of would spend most of the day in the sun. perfect to warm yourself up with. he climbed up and stretched resting his wings. he nearly dozed off but he heard a noise "pop" his ears shot up, the noise was coming from his left side, he looked over to see another SeaWing at the foot of this warm boulder. he watched as the SeaWing blew a bubble with his snout, fly away and make that distinguished "pop" sound.
he then thought he should attempt this himself, only to blow a massive booger from his snout, along with making some noise. He quickly got rid of the booger, ducked down and then hoped he would not get noticed.

Minnow swam slowly though the water, trying to conserve energy. She hasn’t seen fish in a long time now, and it made her worried. As she swam though, the Seawing would notice something. She peeled her head out of the water, seeing what looked like two dragons on the shore. Her eyes darted around before she slowly swam up, and began to crawl out of the water with her serpent-like body. Her legs weren’t use to not being in water, and it showed, but she nervously looked at the two.

The hermit Guardian couldn't help but blink when hearing a strange sound above him followed by a young seawing coming out of the water. It had been quite obvious they were one of the types not used to walking on land, but still came up to him. Looking into their eyes he could tell their focus seemed between himself and above-ah, that explains the sound.

"Well I'll be, seems Kelarth has seem to bless me with a chance meeting." He gave a small smile. "I don't bite young one." A lazy eye drifted upwards, "For the one hiding poorly well, no idea." With another blow a bubble formed that slowly flew upwards before popping.

Poem knew he was compromised, he slowly climbed down the back of the boulder. He walked around slowly to where he now comes to face with two Sea Wings. One did not have wings which he thought was a little weird. "uh hi" he could not remember the last time he saw another one of his kind, though he was not sure exactly if they were his kind. but it did not matter because maybe they know something about him. "My name is Poem, I have been wandering these beaches for over ten years I think, haven't seen another Sea Wing let alone two in one place. I guess I just don't know what to say." he looked at them both expecting some kind of answer. Knowing he wouldn't be very surprised if they were imaginary.

Minnow gave a nervous look to both dragons, not sure what to do. She looked at the old Seawing before curling up to rest her legs.

"Oh. That sounds horrible. I'm Minnow, but... I don't know him."

He just sighed and yawned. Nice to see two young seawings, even though this is our first meeting." And very interesting responses...I guess. Thinking to himself while blowing another bubble. "My name is Aquantei young ones," a slight chuckle escaped from him as he smiled, "how do you do on this fine day?"

Maybe they were real, he knew he wasn't insane enough to hear voices. "I guess it's nice to meet you." he looked at the other dragon without wings. "Hi to you too." The day was showing signs of evening, with shadows stretching out far into the ocean. "Do you have places to go? Cause I know no Dragon would want to spend a cold night on a beach." He looked at the wet rocks he stood on wishing he was instead standing on warm sand, he began moving racks out of the way to see if there was sand underneath. After finding none he gave a long sigh. He climbed back onto the top of the boulder, his heavy blade lagging behind him clanking on the surrounding stones. he then laid back down." you can leave, Im fine on my own." He looked way from them, but a small part of him hoped they would stay.

Minnow looked between the two, then thought when Poem asked if they had a place to go. As it got darker a light green glow would surround the dragoness. She nervously looked down, sighing a little.

“I... usually just find a sea cave. I’m not sure how well others would handle my... glowing though.”

It had indeed gotten darker, making the aged seawing grimace slightly. "So much for a nice day." Getting up he stretched and grunted, giving both young seawings a glance over. "I do vaguely remember a cave not far down the beach from here." Maneuvering himself through the rocks stopped a few paces and looked back with a short smile. "I for one enjoy the comforting glow and wonder if such a young dragon," looking towards Poem blew a small bubble, "Might struggle keeping with this old timer, so I'll go a nice and steady pace." Giving a slight chuckle he resumed his walk, keeping a steady pace as he said he would.

Nothing in his mind prepared him for what just happened, he was always so tense when it came to these kind of situations. No he was always tense and at ready to fight anything in his way. But he never felt this way before. It was like he did not have to be so on edge, but instead it was replaced by a diminishing and criticizing feeling, like as if he would do anything wrong they may think poorly of him. He shook this off, however it still lingered. He watched as the other dragon walked ahead of him as he stood there, not sure he should continue. Wasn't this what he always wanted, a way to find out who he was. He then continued to follow, staying a little behind. Trying his best not to be conversational.

Minnow seemed a bit embarrassed by the compliment, but her chuckle soon stopped as she tried to walk along with the others. It was pretty clear Minnow kept to the water as she flopped around "walking." The ness would then look back at Poem.

"You ok?"

Two young seawings and their socially awkward. He's certainly got his work cut out for himself in trying to strike up a conversation. Interesting as they may be best bet is to give them a bit, warm up the waters, or break the ice so to speak. Slowing his pace a bit to help the ness keep up with her 'walking' he didn't show annoyance at the fact, but he could tell she's purely a swimming seawing and while he couldn't help it eavsdropped a bit on the conversation between the two.

He needed more tome to think, the question was so sudden. the waves in the backround filled his mind, he clenched the sand in between the webs of his hands, and then looked up at Minnow. "Oh uhh... Sorry I've never really been around my own kind before, I guess I just don't know what to do or say." He paused and looked to the horizon, the sun halfway below the ocean. He then looked to the dragon in front almost forgetting his name. "hey Aquantei have you ever seen another dragon similar to me by chance have you?" He said this in hope of getting a clue to who he was. The sun has nearly set, he quickly caught up with the others. He paused one last time and looked back. noticing how far he had come. So many years alone... Will it finally end? Will he find his, home?

Minnow noticed that Aquantei slowed down, and looked a bit embarrassed as her tail dragged behind her. She really wasn't use to walking on land, and it was kinda obvious. As then sun went down, the glow of her fins and bulbs would become more apparent, and she would nod a little to Poem.

"Oh? I haven't met many other Seawings either. Trying to walk isn't helping either."

"Another dragon like you?" He shook his head. "Its...been a while since I've last seen the tribe so long ago. Even now, I'm sorry but I have not." Taking another look back still noticed Minnow struggling to walk and turning back forward sighed. Stopping he lowered himself slightly, looking back towards the finned ness, "While I may be getting up there in age, I'm still a Guardian and I do I believe I can carry a dragon your size well enough. There's nothing wrong about it, not the first I offered this kind of help before." He gave a small comforting smile.

Poem stopped, as he gave an expression of slight disbelief towards Aquantei. "Wait, how could so many SeaWings have disappeared?" however he for one did not know what was going on in the world, something could have happened... Maybe its just that he can't remember.  He Continued walking, wracking his mind for something that could give him a clue to what possibly could have occurred, he walked looking down at the sand as he gave himself a headache. Along with his heavy blade dragging slowly behind, pulling on his tail. And he gave it no mind, he just wanted to know. And with night nearly upon us, he just wanted that cave. A place he could think. "sigh... soo how much farther..?"

Minnow’s eyes widened a little in surprise as she thought for a second. She looked back, noticing her not so elegant trail that was left behind her. The Seawing sighed, then nodded.

“That would probably help, if you don’t mind.” Minnow would carefully climb up onto Aquantue’s back. She wasn’t sure how comfortable it was carrying her. The ness then looked a Poem, looking down a little.

“The monsters happened....”

He gave a slight grunt from the new weight, but gave little indication that it bothered him too much and resumed walking at a much better pace. "Patience young poem." Coming up a bit further ahead he nodded to a large rock and going around it came upon the cave itself. " Ain't that old yet young'n." Chuckling he entered and stopped near the back. "Do you have a preference for the front or back?" Looking to either seawing with a questioning look.

Poem walked away and into the clear waters of the sandy beach, he looked ahead. There was a coral reef glowing below the water under the light of the rising moon. "Its beautiful isn't it.." He began to dig his usually hole deep into the waters of the beach. " I sleep under the stars and in the waters where I belong.." He then slowly submerged himself below only to hear the silence of the waters and the waves above him. The soft sand soothing his scales, he nearly drifted. But as he lay there he wondered what had become of his kind. Monsters possibly wiping almost all of them out and chasing them away. But he was not angry with this, he was just sad. Even as he was underwater he could feel the tears in his eyes, now he just lay there.. waiting for tomorrow.

Minnow looked at Poem, not sure how to respond to him walking into the water near the cave as she looked at Aquantei, slowly sliding off before moving towards the back. Notably a pale, blue green glow lite the cave.

"This kinda seems good." She then sighed a little. "Why did Poem hide out there?"

He gave a shrug to Minnow's question, "I have no qualms with it, to each their own." Poetic as it may be. Keeping that thought to himself curled up near the entrance and began to slowly blow bubbles once more. "So much has changed...for better or for worse."

Poem woke to the silent push of the waves. The sun was now slightly above the horizon. And he was somewhat buried in sand. He stumbled out of the pit he dug and shook off the sand he decided to head for shore. Something large moved in the distance, Fish... a whole school of them nearby, he thought it might be nice if he caught some for the others. he took his hefty blade with him, he slowly approached them while hiding behind some of the coral trying not to seem too apparent. The fish were of decent size and would make a fine meal for a dragon. Now close enough to catch some, he was waiting for a good time to strike. Dashing from his hiding place He quickly turned around to let out the blade, this time managing to skewer four fish. as the rest of the school swam away. "not bad." He once again made it through the reef, this time with something to eat. He came upon shore to take off the blade from his tail and took off each fish all of decent size. Maybe a little too big for him, he then dragged each one to the mouth of the cave. "uhh good morning...
I guess I caught food." He Hoped he didn't startle them.

Minnow slept quietly at the back of the cave, still letting off a light as she did. It wasn’t until the smell of fish hit her that the Seawing finally woke up and noticed Poem. She smiled a little, seeing the fish and she uncoiled herself, and stumbled over.

“You... caught us fish? Th-thank you.” Minnow still seemed somewhat nervous, but she would grab one of the fish, licking her lips before taking a bite.

Aquantei had a relatively peaceful sleep, a small bubble blowing from his snout every time he snored and upon hearing voices popped. Groggily he woke up with a grunt and yawned as his head rose, "Morning already?" Then sniffed and looked down to find decently sized fish, already guessing Poem brought them up. "Won't say no to free food." He ate one whole and chewed a bit before swallowing, "Thank ya for the fish, I'd probably scare them off from my attempts at hunting." Chuckling and smiling, knowing from his own past experience from trying to hunt for schools of fish.