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Khoshekh @
plagueling @
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Sulka
Sorry for the double ping, but once I got started, I just needed to write another installment. As always, any critique is welcome.
The First Hunt
The next few days passed by in a blur. Xabiere spent most of his time scouring riverbanks in hopes of finding more building materials for Elthia to use in the ever-growing maze that their lair had become. She seemed to be determined to have separate chambers built for each of the hatchlings by the time they broke out of their soft membranes. She had finally accepted that Xabiere would have to nest on the ground, but had insisted on helping him dig the burrow. She seemed to be content with placing protective wards around the nest for the time being, but she had burrowed deep into the cliff face to build a new nest that was less exposed. There was no talk of moving the eggs into the protection of their cliff; plague eggs lacked the hard shell of other flight eggs, instead relying on the putrid goo they floated in to keep them safe until they hatched. The time they didn’t spend digging or gathering, the two spent wrapped around the nest. It took energy from both parents for the babies to remain healthy.
Yet, a dark cloud lurked over their routine. The small amount of food they had collected was quickly dwindling and it was difficult for Xabiere to find more in the small radius he allowed himself from their cliff. Very few animals wandered far into the Wandering Contagion and the ones that did were often so wrought with disease that they would not do for food. Reluctantly, Xabiere widened his search, nearly reaching the Reedcleft Ascent before he found anything worth hunting. There was a small clearing with small beasts that looked healthy enough. He engaged a Death’s Head Stag, expecting it to be as easy to defeat as a sick one that had passed by close to the cliff. Yet, he did not know how to properly direct his strength into blows that would fell the creature. He was soon riddled with blows from the stag’s sharp antlers and was forced to flee back to the safety of the cliff.
Sick with worry, Elthia had taken it upon herself to put together a healing salve from a recipe Xabiere had found one day floating in the river. When Xabiere arrived, bleeding from several wounds, she wasted no time in applying what it. After a short while, his skin and scales began to regrow, thicker and rougher than before. Most of his pain gone, he rested. When Xabiere awoke, he opened his eyes to find Elthia curled around the nest. “Elthia, I hate to ask this of you, but I think it would be best if both of us went back to the glade to hunt. The beasts there are stronger than those that wander this far. With the two of us, we should have enough strength to bring back some food.”
“And leave the eggs unprotected? Are you mad?” She replied, curling tighter around the nest, “It’s bad enough that you have to fly long distances to bring back the food that we desperately need, but these eggs need to at least have one parent. Going out to fight is dangerous, and is certainly no place for my dull claws.”
“As much as it pains me to say it, I need your help, Elthia. They’re too strong for me to defeat on my own. You saw how that stag turned my hide to shreds. We can place a protective ward around the nest like you do when you work on the lair. We won’t be that far. It’s not that long of a flight.”
“But I can’t fight. My fur won’t deflect as many blows as your scales will, and my claws are wide and dull, great for digging but much less practical for hunting”
“So stay behind me and throw spells. I’ve seen you practicing one to knock the breath out of your opponents. You can do this, Elthia.”
And so the small tundra reluctantly agreed. She flew in Xabiere’s wake; her winter coat was beginning to grow in and the extra fur weighed her down. When they arrived at the field, Elthia chose a Leafy Moth as their first opponent. It was difficult, but the Xabiere slashed at it until it fell to the ground. He stood over Elthia as she gathered bits off the carcass for them to eat. Killing the moth had taught them how to work together, Elthia hiding under Xabiere’s bulk while she gathered enough breath to send a spell at the enemy, Xabiere slashing as much as he could. They moved on to larger prey, finally conquering two Webwings at once. Each time they learned something new and got stronger, though many of the monsters still managed to slash at their hides. Xabiere took most of the hits and Elthia would rub more of the salve on his wounds after each battle. By the time both were too tired and sore to continue, they had collected several large bags of food, and flew home, Elthia riding on Xabiere’s great back.
Upon touching down, the first thing she did was check the eggs. The ward was growing thin in places, but it had held. She replaced the wards and set out some meat and plants for their dinner. It was the first meat Xabiere had tasted since they had arrived at the cliff and Elthia enjoyed watching his face as he devoured his meal. She marveled at the fact that he had always made sure that she had her favorite food, while he made do with whatever else he could find. He deserved this little bit of pleasure he got from the meat. “I’m sorry I fought you over going hunting. It was wrong of me to be so afraid and selfish.”
“No, it’s okay. You were only being protective of yourself and the eggs. I think I can handle the hunting on my own for the next couple of days. We did great today, but I won’t feel comfortable until we know we have plenty of food we can keep and preserve. I want you to feel comfortable too, and I know to do that you need to be nearer to the eggs.”
Elthia’s heart gave a pang as she thought of him putting himself in more danger so that she could stay safe and in her element, “No, I’ll go with you tomorrow. I hate you think of you being in more danger than absolutely necessary. Besides, with the two of us, we can bring home more food.”
He opened his mouth to protest but she shushed him, “Really, I want to go with you and nothing you say can change my mind. Someone needs to be there to make sure these eggs have a father who’s alive.”
Xabiere smiled and wrapped his front legs around her, “Thank you.”
