Derkeethus was pleased to see a setting sun when he stepped back out of the mines. He had worked especially hard, at the cost of not seeing the outside world since morning. Yawning widely, the Argonian strode towards the river, hoping to cool off before nightfall. To his surprise, he found the river already occupied.
Now, Derkeethus knew quite a few Argonians who had an unexplainable preference for smooth skin and soft hair. Personally, he preferred multicolored feathers and bright blue scales, but he wouldn't blame them in any case. Still, when he found Finn bathing, her clothes hanging from a nearby branch, he couldn't help but be a bit flustered. Before he could retreat, Inkahlok noticed him from the rock he was sunbathing on, and perked up.
“Drem yol lok, friend,” he called, stretching his wings. Finn looked over from her spot in the water, and beamed at the sight of her housemate.
“Ah, Derkeethus! Are you here to bathe, too?” she called. “Come on, join us!” Derkeethus blinked, surprised at her nonchalance, but hesitantly pulled his own tunic over his head.
“I-I didn't mean to intrude,” he offered apologetically, sinking into the river beside his friend. The girl shook her head.
“Not at all. I don't mind. My sisters and I used to bathe like this,” she recollected, lounging against the riverbank and sticking her toes out of the water. “It was always fun.” She was interrupted by Gaafyahzin soaring from a nearby tree and landing with a clumsy splash in front of them. “Kiir! Be careful!” The dragon resurfaced, obviously not used to swimming, and flailed his way back to shore. Finn smiled nervously, running a hand through her wet hair.
“They've gotten even more adventurous,” the Argonian remarked, reaching out to rub Inkahlok's head as he drew near. “Bigger, too.” As Finn had predicted, they had finally grown larger than the bears that prowled the nearby forest, and were able to launch attacks on said beasts without fear. The Breton nodded in agreement, looking up as Sulpaazov returned from the bushes with a fox in her jaws.
“They've certainly gotten strong,” she said, her voice tinged with pride. “They're good hunters, too. Gaafyahzin brought back a full-grown moose the other day.” From his spot under a tree, Gaafyahzin lifted his head at the sound of his name, before returning to his nap. Derkeethus tried to imagine the most generally placid of the three taking down a moose, to no avail.
“How long do you think it'll be before they're fully grown?” he asked. Finn lowered her eyes thoughtfully, her smile faded.
“I've heard that dragons grow quickly, and they certainly are...I think it'll still be a few months before they're as large as adults, but I doubt...I doubt I'll be able to see it,” she explained. Derkeethus softened.
“You're worried.”
“You've heard the story, Derkeethus.” The dragons' mother looked up again, trying her best not to look openly gloomy. “I've known them since they were newly hatched, before they could even fly. They've thought of me as their mother for just as long. I know every mother eventually has to let her children go free, but...I dread the day.” She let her eyes close, and shook her head. “I think I'll know when the day comes that they're able to fly to Valenwood, and I dread waking up to that realization.” In the silence that followed, Sulpaazov approached the water for a drink, and eyed her mother with a hint of contemplation.
“Monah,” she murmured, nuzzling the Breton's bare shoulder for a moment. The small gesture was enough for Derkeethus to feel a pull in his heart, and he watched his friend stroke the dragon's face with a comparatively small hand.
“It's hard to think about, I know,” he finally said. “I can't even imagine how quiet it'll be. But...we're enjoying ourselves for the moment, aren't we? I know it's a tired thing to say, but...really, all that either of us can do is enjoy the present.” When Finn remained silent, he slid over to wrap his arms around her. “Come on, Finn. I don't like seeing you so down.” Now he felt the Breton laugh quietly, and she squirmed to look up at him.
“Have you forgotten that my clothes are over there?” Her laughter only grew louder when Derkeethus let go, shoving his hands in the water and mumbling his apologies.
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timeasmymeasure
"Something Like Parents" 22/?
Date: 2013-08-10 10:59 pm (UTC)Now, Derkeethus knew quite a few Argonians who had an unexplainable preference for smooth skin and soft hair. Personally, he preferred multicolored feathers and bright blue scales, but he wouldn't blame them in any case. Still, when he found Finn bathing, her clothes hanging from a nearby branch, he couldn't help but be a bit flustered. Before he could retreat, Inkahlok noticed him from the rock he was sunbathing on, and perked up.
“Drem yol lok, friend,” he called, stretching his wings. Finn looked over from her spot in the water, and beamed at the sight of her housemate.
“Ah, Derkeethus! Are you here to bathe, too?” she called. “Come on, join us!” Derkeethus blinked, surprised at her nonchalance, but hesitantly pulled his own tunic over his head.
“I-I didn't mean to intrude,” he offered apologetically, sinking into the river beside his friend. The girl shook her head.
“Not at all. I don't mind. My sisters and I used to bathe like this,” she recollected, lounging against the riverbank and sticking her toes out of the water. “It was always fun.” She was interrupted by Gaafyahzin soaring from a nearby tree and landing with a clumsy splash in front of them. “Kiir! Be careful!” The dragon resurfaced, obviously not used to swimming, and flailed his way back to shore. Finn smiled nervously, running a hand through her wet hair.
“They've gotten even more adventurous,” the Argonian remarked, reaching out to rub Inkahlok's head as he drew near. “Bigger, too.” As Finn had predicted, they had finally grown larger than the bears that prowled the nearby forest, and were able to launch attacks on said beasts without fear. The Breton nodded in agreement, looking up as Sulpaazov returned from the bushes with a fox in her jaws.
“They've certainly gotten strong,” she said, her voice tinged with pride. “They're good hunters, too. Gaafyahzin brought back a full-grown moose the other day.” From his spot under a tree, Gaafyahzin lifted his head at the sound of his name, before returning to his nap. Derkeethus tried to imagine the most generally placid of the three taking down a moose, to no avail.
“How long do you think it'll be before they're fully grown?” he asked. Finn lowered her eyes thoughtfully, her smile faded.
“I've heard that dragons grow quickly, and they certainly are...I think it'll still be a few months before they're as large as adults, but I doubt...I doubt I'll be able to see it,” she explained. Derkeethus softened.
“You're worried.”
“You've heard the story, Derkeethus.” The dragons' mother looked up again, trying her best not to look openly gloomy. “I've known them since they were newly hatched, before they could even fly. They've thought of me as their mother for just as long. I know every mother eventually has to let her children go free, but...I dread the day.” She let her eyes close, and shook her head. “I think I'll know when the day comes that they're able to fly to Valenwood, and I dread waking up to that realization.” In the silence that followed, Sulpaazov approached the water for a drink, and eyed her mother with a hint of contemplation.
“Monah,” she murmured, nuzzling the Breton's bare shoulder for a moment. The small gesture was enough for Derkeethus to feel a pull in his heart, and he watched his friend stroke the dragon's face with a comparatively small hand.
“It's hard to think about, I know,” he finally said. “I can't even imagine how quiet it'll be. But...we're enjoying ourselves for the moment, aren't we? I know it's a tired thing to say, but...really, all that either of us can do is enjoy the present.” When Finn remained silent, he slid over to wrap his arms around her. “Come on, Finn. I don't like seeing you so down.” Now he felt the Breton laugh quietly, and she squirmed to look up at him.
“Have you forgotten that my clothes are over there?” Her laughter only grew louder when Derkeethus let go, shoving his hands in the water and mumbling his apologies.