A New Beginning

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A dragon, not like that of other ongoers of the Stormcaller's, approached the Twilight Palace, gawking at the scenery above him. Knowing not how easy it was to find their home. Of course, stories and legends pointed out the obvious storm cloud sheltering the denizens from most of the barren desert he reluctantly traversed. It was however, curiosity, and fate that had eventually tugged his attention to the only place he knew would be of any asylum, or help.

That being the grand library the Stormcallers had protected over the course of their existence, which was behind the storm he just conquered.

Ever weary and worn from the frantic combat the violent wall gave him, the western dragon finally set down on one of the lower platforms of the mountainous Palace. His wings nearly were drooped to the ground with a hanged head and tail, all signs pointing to tiredness. His scales were still drenched wet from whatever section of the clouds he fought, as with the scarf that covered his chest, appearing heavier and darker than it should appear.

He eyed the wound bandage of plant materia surrounding the majority of his forward right paw, before starting into a limp towards the corridor that would bring him further into the Palace, paying no mind to those whom gave the black dragon estranged glances.

The moment the doors were done swinging their arc, revealing the full glory of the Stormcaller Library, it was as if nothing else mattered to Savan. Cara watched, amused, as her dark-scaled companion bounded into the cool space, awe lighting his reserved gaze, yet she could not really laugh at him for his excitement, for her initial reaction had been similar... Even then, she mused, stepping in after him, who was she to laugh at his passion for books? Even if she didn't share his love for the heavy tomes of knowledge, she wouldn't have mocked him.

A calming sensation swept over her, a brief breeze ruffling her mane as the massive doors swung shut behind them - her, for Savan was already further into the library, going left and right as if unable to decide which part he wanted to explore first. Smiling fondly, she followed after him like a mother after a child. "Well," she said thoughtfully, "if they did, wouldn't it just ruin the fun?" But she doubted he'd hear her; he seemed too absorbed in joy, in wonder, in fascination.

And then there was that moment, where his wings caught the light streaming in from the windows and reflected it onto the polished floor, casting bright patterns that moved and flickered. In those brief few seconds, Savan looked like a painted picture, as if the artist had poured all the happiness of their entire life into painting that one scene. She hummed appreciatively, and picked a book from a nearby shelf. It read:


She offered it to him.

Savan eventually settled down shrinking his body back to its rserved self, but still kept a starry gaze here and there. He chuckled at her remark, "I suppose you're right. Surprises are sometimes better than explanations." Eventually, she handed him a book, at first, his mind reminded him he had a goal to accomplish, one of critical importance. But the combined enticement of 'Soaring' and 'Horrors' cobbled just enough curios in his mind to open the first page of the book. He didn't know much about the 95% of books here, only those his mother selected as she came and went from the library.

"What is this book about?" He asked with studious eyes reading through the first pages. Perhaps this would, in its essence, reveal a hint, or what he wished: an answer. Savan didn't want to just turn her offering away. Rudeness was purged from his mind from the loving kindness and tutelage of his mother, and he himself wished to make a lasting impact on the dragons here; in truth, he had no other to turn to.

Caramina eyed Savan with a tinge of disappointment as the excitement from before faded away from his body, lapsing into its former guarded state, but traces of his joy still lingered in his wondering gaze. Determined to keep the flames of this emotion burning, she had selected a book at random, trusting that the story that lay beneath the beautiful black and dark grey cover would not disappoint Savan any more than the library had. Flicking her tail, she confessed this, with no embarrassment.

"The book was a completely random choice. However..." Caramina, reaching out, pulled out the twin to the tome whose words Savan's eager gaze was rapidly scanning through. "If you would like, we could read it together. Indulging in a book by yourself is certainly enjoyable... But so is the comfort of knowing that there is someone else, right next to you, who can relate to what you're feeling about the story. Or am I wrong?" Her green-eyed gaze was far from expectant as they rested on Savan, only holding a silent reassurance that he was free to turn her down.

Savan looked up towards her with a thoughtful expression, there was no disappointment on mind to her picking at random. However, as Caramina explained the pairing of reading, she... made a good point. He didn’t need to get down to business right away. Not if there was another book related to the one he held.

“You’re not wrong, it’s a fun way to share your thoughts.” He nodded with a slight smile, “We can read it together, lead the way!” Besides, he was long overdue for a friend. Neither did he want to turn her away, or show disinterest.

Savan didn't need to speak for Caramina to know that he didn't violently disagree, but one couldn't be too sure. Radiant joy lit up her gaze when he agreed, and she couldn't help but exclaim, "Oh, this'll be my first time!... I can't wait to look up from an interesting bit in the book, and know that there's someone I can immediately talk to about it."

Gesturing for him to follow, Caramina led the way, literally, to an armchair, and pushed the closest next to it. Settling into the deep red one, she opened the book. It was an older, more worn edition than the one Savan held, but the story, she trusted, would be the same either way.

A child with hollow eyes wandered the empty sand, blissfully ignorant of the ever-changing land. Shifting from grains to a rock-hard floor, he'd eventually stumble across an ominous black door. Stopping in front of it, the child would knock, unaware of the shadow that was behind it.

The door creaked open, and he was snatched in, nothing but fading footsteps showing that he'd ever been there.

A curious gaze formed on Savan, not knowing it would be her first time, but it didn't appear to concern him, quite opposite for that matter. He began to follow Caramina towards one of the seats, it took a moment to realize he had to sit in one, and upon taking a minute or two to figure out the mechanics of their use, he finally settled into the worn leather of the bage chair, hoping she wasn’t watching.

As he read along intently and with focus, each word strummed along his mind as it came, a natural and almost invisible hook that drew him in. He felt young again, but silent.

When Savan didn't sit immediately, Cara's gaze lifted to peer at him curiously, then at the seat. What was wrong? Was the armchair dirty? Was--

Ah.

Attempting to spare Savan some dignity, she hastily returned to admiring the book cover, or at least appearing to. A true rogue indeed, one to find the armchair foreign, while the sight of it had long grown familiar to her. With a tinge of pity that she made sure didn't show, Caramina wondered what other comforts Savan hadn't had the privilege of experiencing. Well then. She would pamper her dark-scaled companion the way she would a younger sibling, starting now, by being there for him should he want to talk about the book. The physical luxuries could come later.

"That was a bit short," she remarked quietly at what she'd just read, but without further comment read on, only dropping comments here and there about what she thought of the writing, or the characters.

--

A blue ribbon was attached to the spine of the book. Folding this bookmark between the book's yellowed pages, she closed the tome with a loud, heavy thump and announced, "Much as I would love to continue, I am hungry," At this, her stomach gave a hearty growl as if to reaffirm her statement. "Um. If you wish, you can continue reading, while I get some food."

"A bit, but I'm already drawn in!" He exclaimed rather softly, the book floating before him strongly. While they read on, he would lose himself in the book, and Caramina, as they referred to the various medias within, happily striking up a few sentences.

--

He chuckled at her pouty stomach, "Always the case when you need focus." He chimed, nodding quietly to her words for food, watching her leave. Knowing himself, Savan couldn't wait for others when they took a break, deciding to read on, of how far... that's something Savan worries about when it comes to good books. To stave off his rapidity of quick reading, he forced his head upwards, watching the others go about their day around him.

Hatchlings off in the corner showed some form of discipline before their teacher, explaining to them, of what he could hear, the world outside their protective, stormward veil. Others were seen laying upon other sources of luxury with relaxed, studious eyes curiously, quietly, harvesting the information of their respective books. But the sun always appeared to draw his attention the most. Their radiant beams almost always touching his black scales in some direction, never daring to leave his embrace.

But the quietness about this place, that is what truly relaxed him.

It hadn't occurred to him that his own stomach was loosing its own complaint. Tearing something from deep within his scarf, a sanguine ribbon of incredible age was produced, both its ends - while one was more recent - tattered, with old scars of sown and stitched areas along its soft, silky surface. He decided to place it where they both stopped, laying down before him to draw out a few slabs of well seasoned, preserved, and pristinely conditioned meat, wrapped completely and carefully in dried plant materia.

He unwound a select few, chomping into it, taking utmost care as to not soil the book beside him, nor the floor and seat he was on, waiting for Caramina to come back.

In response to what you said in Discord, I would like to reiterate that long posts are fine, and that I like them. :D --

Concealing her disappointment behind a bright smile, Caramina said cheerfully, "Well, I'll bring the food up here so you don't need to wait too long." With that, she turned in a whirl of green and white, and strode out, shutting the massive wooden doors quietly behind her.

Funny, she mused as she walked, how much prouder she felt as a Stormcaller than she had as a Xoyan — not of herself, but rather of the Stormcallers as a whole: The sheer amount of knowledge that they stored in the biggest library known to Nuira; the diversity of dragons that lived here; their neutral/pacifist reputation, and so on.

The Xoyans were impressive in their own right, of course, having great military power. But their society hadn't been as accepting of a pure white, eastern-western mix who, despite being born and raised in Xoya, had been ostracised, and that was perhaps the reason why she hadn't been as attached.

The opinions of others never really mattered to her; if they excluded her, she simply could rely on herself for company. It wasn't a bad life; but not one she would have chosen.

She was happy where she was, and would not return.

Except to Savan. Who was waiting for her.

Having hastily collected the food from the tables that were ever present in the dining halls, Cara began making her way back up to Savan. To her dismay, she found that he already had some meat in hand — goodness where it came from, but it made her situation awkward, for she'd taken enough for two. She tried not to show it on her face as she sat beside him, offering, "I guess the leftovers can be snacks for later on."

Savan jumped in surprise, watching her carry the feast over, showing guilt and shame for not knowing there would be some for him. “S-sorry, I didn’t know you would bring enough for two.”

He quickly wrapped the remaining slabs back under his scarf, seemingly disappearing beneath it’s large overhang. Even if she thought he’d be full, rationing was of the utmost importance as a Rogue; picking up a few pieces of food here and there that were familiar to his taste buds, he began eating, showing his respect for his host.

He gulped down the first ever feast that didn’t comprise of either elk or caribou, while it was enjoyable in his own right, having a mixture of flavor truly stimulated his mind and stomach, it being an almost unoccurinng feeling in his loneliness, where others were always out for his own flesh.

“Thank you, I honestly wasn’t expecting this.”

Caramina shrugged, putting on a reassuring smile. "It's fine. It's not like I told you, anyway," she pointed out as she carefully laid the food in front of her, making sure not to spill any. There was a large array: Roast and grilled meat, steamed and fried fish, vegetables, fruits, even two cakes, some small tidbits, all spread out in front of her. The aroma that wafted from them would be irresistible even to the fullest, and Cara, being far from full, dug in.

To her surprise, Savan put away his meat underneath his scarf and began eating. Hm. Saving for later? she guessed, watching him. That made sense, and it was a win-win situation anyway. Smiling in a pleased manner to herself, she picked up a fish and began nibbling on it, her gaze wandering about absentmindedly as she began to retreat into her mind.

This was stopped when Savan spoke, and she huffed, though not in annoyance. "No problem. It's only right that I take food for two, anyway. How could I leave my friend hungry?"

Savan's reaction was delayed for a short moment as she made the jest, before quickly realizing it was a jest, forcing a chuckle, "No tribal would anyway." He replied distantly, biting down on some of the grilled meat with a side of a potato, gobbling it down as if he hadn't eaten in days, to which it may truly have been, even with his small granary of meat lining his chest behind the scarf. He smiled again at her reply to his appreciation, glancing down at the book for a moment as he wondered in a chewing thought.

"What's it like, being in a tribe? Everyone seems very... happy here." He didn't realize what he said until the pause, only finishing it with a rather confusing tone, shying away from her to his scarf with another daydreaming look.

Cara frowned at Savan's tone, the gloominess of it not escaping her notice.

He must be really lonely, huh.

However, she kept quiet, feeling that her observation wouldn't be very welcomed. After all, which lonely person would like to be reminded they were lonely in the first place? Or perhaps Savan wasn't even lonely at all, and she was just overthinking it. Yeah, that was likely.

Hearing Savan's question, a thoughtful look crossed Cara's face, and she only responded after a few seconds: "For one... You feel safe. Even if you don't have a family, or they're not with you" —a pained look made itself evident on her face, but it was fleeting— "you have a place to return to, every night. That's one. Also, it's less lonely. Even if the dragons you pass are faces that'll soon fade from memory, you at least feel a sort of ... connection with them? Does that make sense? I don't know, but I rarely feel lonely. If anything, I feel safe."

Savan parsed the information as she spoke, taking several minutes of silence to think about her reply. "Safe. That's a word I never enjoyed saying." He didn't seem to notice her expression, looking at the rays of the sun through the windows, his teal eyes seemingly melting into an aquamarine as the radiance danced upon them.

"I believe it does, but I wont until... if, I ever join a tribe." He mused, looking back down to the plate, which was literally a shadow of its savory self, realizing he had devoured the majority of the plate. His expression turned panicked as he came to his senses. "Oh, I didn't mean to... I'm so sorry." He pushed the tray towards Caramina in an attempt to stifle his bottomless stomach. He let out a sigh as he thought on.

"I just, wish I didn't have to, constantly fight for survival..." His bladed tail slowly hovered to his eyes, gleaming with its steel beauty, but there was a sense this part of his body had opened more wounds, and impaled more hearts than it let on. "A-anyways, should we con.. continue the book?"

Shaking her head with an almost-fond, reassuring smile to show that she did not take offence in the slightest at her companion's appetite, the dragoness pushed the plate back, and said warmly, "It's fine, Savan. Eat up—I've had too many good meals here, anyway, and you too little. Enjoy yourself, and do not hesitate to eat to your heart's content, for we have a very large supply of food that you'll find won't be running out anytime soon."

She didn't respond to the question about the book; after all, it was the least of her concerns at the moment, not when Savan sat in front of her with eyes that were filled with loneliness and pain, almost deadened by it. As she looked at him, the only thought in her mind was that here was one who needed comfort and reassurance, and Cara's green eyes were sincere as she said, "My Tribe welcomes all and turns away none—save for those with ill intent, that is, and while I have not met you for long, I am assured that you arrived with no malicious goals in mind. I trust you, Savan—enough to extend a formal invitation. Will you join us, the Stormcallers? I can promise that you will have a permanent, steady home to return to every night; I can promise that you will not have to live every day in fear of being attacked or chased out of your home. You will never again go to bed hungry, and you will never again be lonely."

She added softly after, "Of course, you could simply reject me. I will not be angry, for it is your choice, but I would like to see the light return to your eyes."