Chapter 8: A Temporary Reunion
#9 of Pursed Series
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Xenorosth landed right in front of his mother's lair, but he didn't enter right away. He was still thinking about Darkwing. Did he think of her as a friend or a little more? He couldn't help about reflect over that. Finally, he realized that he should go into the lair to assure his mother and Flare that he was okay. As soon as he entered he saw the two dragons arguing. He paused to observe what was going on. Ariel, who had pinned Flare to the ground, must have been interrogating him about how and why he was here.
As soon as the red, pinned dragon noticed the hatchling standing there at the entrance, he pleaded,
"A little help here? Your mother doesn't think that I am being truthful about you teleporting me here."
"Hey! What are you doing? Let him up!" Xenorosth ordered quickly. His mother blinked and let Flare up. He let out an irritated snort at Ariel and quickly put some distance between her. It was obvious that the two had gotten off on the wrong foot.
"Xenorosth!" Ariel squealed happily. She swiped him up with her tail, nearly knocking him over, and brought him over to her side and started snuggling and nuzzling him. It didn't seem to end. It was as if for every day that he was gone she took a century to nuzzle, snuggle, and cuddle him. Ticklish, Xenorosth laughed throughout the whole thing until he finally managed to get the breath to say,
"Okay! Okay! That's enough." Flare couldn't help but laugh. It was kind of embarrassing to be seen like this after what they had been through together. After what seemed to be an eternity, she finally stopped.
"I am so glad you are safe! When I got word that you had crossed the black dragons' turf I thought I was about to faint. And you did it without being caught!" Ariel ecstatically said. Xenorosth and Flare's eyes met briefly as the hatchling hesitated.
Then he reluctantly informed, "Actually, I was captured, but I escaped right in front of father's claws." Ariel went quiet.
"Twice," Flare added grimly, "Yamizephyr had paid a visit to the fire dragon's realms as well, which we just evaded. Somehow he blocked the moons to create more shadows to control. We all knew if he could do that, we wouldn't stand a chance against him in a fight. Unfortunately, he caught Xenorosth while he was by the lava pools and from what I have been told he used them to hold him still. Luckily, he teleported into the lava, and the shadows disintegrated. He found..."
"He can swim in lava?" Ariel interrupted, "But how?"
Flare paused again looking at Xenorosth, and whispered something to her. Xenorosth rolled his eyes, annoyed. Evidently, Flare thought that he was too stressed out to hear that he was supposed to "master the elements". It was rather obvious.
Ariel's eyes widened at the news. Xenorosth chuckled, ready to shoot a fire bolt if she wanted any proof. To his surprise though, no such request was made. She just sat stayed there, curled up. She started stroking him with her large tail, watching Flare, waiting for upcoming news.
"Is that all?" Ariel asked.
"Well... He found the secret someone got him through the secret tunnel, then because Yamizephyr was threatening to take the place over and enslave everyone if Xenorosth didn't reveal himself, he teleported me here, and flew out to meet him. From there you'll have to ask him." Flare informed.
"Well? How did it go?" she asked, nosing Xenorosth lightly, urging him to tell what happened. He hesitated for a moment.
"Actually," Xenorosth started, "I didn't find Yamizephyr. Someone promised that she'd tell father that I teleported off." Flare blinked. Ariel looked relieved.
"She?" Flare interrogated, "Who is she?"
"A black dragon that had an age stop spell."
Ariel's ears perked up, but she said nothing. Flare, however, didn't seem to have any patience and started urging him to go on and tell everything that happened. It was slightly annoying.
"Patience, Flare! Well, first she snuck me into a small cavern. Then she convinced me to leave and let her tell Yamizephyr she saw me teleport away. Then..." Xenorosth couldn't help but take a moment to remember her kiss.
"Well what?" Flare asked.
Xenorosth smiled, "She kissed me."
Both adult dragons looked at the hatchling, then at each other, and then back at the hatchling again. Flare seemed to become a question generator. However, he knew he wouldn't ask any of them around his mother. Ariel seemed to be very concerned. It was probably just motherly instinct to be concerned though. She probably didn't want to give up her little child. Could she be blamed?
There was an awkward silence. No one dared to break it, so everyone was left in his or her own thoughts. Finally, Xenorosth spoke out.
"Its about time I go establish my own territory. I don't want anyone to be in danger because of me. And this time I plan to go south," He said. Flare looked nervously at Xenorosth. But Ariel seemed to agree.
"Then go. I really wish you to stay longer, but if your heart tells you that, then you are probably right. Go as soon as you're ready. Remember that its okay to be afraid, but only the best of us can face that fear," she advised, nudging her hatchling supportively.
Xenorosth nodded and nuzzled Ariel then headed for the exit of lair. Something told him that he would not see this place again for a long time. He sighed.
"I am glad you stopped by to let me know you were okay. Just try to stay safe. That is all I ask," Ariel requested. Xenorosth nodded. Flare curled his tail around Xenorosth's leg. He obviously knew that he would teleport again. He closed his eyes and he teleported off, away from his former lair. It felt weird knowing that he wouldn't be able to go over there for a while. He would still be in the midnight dragon's territory, but in a very secluded place.