When Derkeethus returned from his morning fishing trip, he found Finn laying on the floor of his house. She stared absently at the ceiling, stroking Inkahlok's scaly head as he rested as well. Sulpaazov was spread out on the bed, her tail and wings spilling over the sides. Gaafyahzin was absent.
“He's out hunting,” Finn explained, sitting up to notice the Argonian's quizzical look. “He's a growing boy...brought back another elk the other day.” She eyed the basket of salmon, beaming. “Were you planning on sharing that?” Sulpaazov clicked in agreement, raising her head.
“Fresh fish,” she murmured. “Pook pruzah.” Derkeethus tossed her a few fresh steaks, before laying a few down in front of Inkahlok and handing what was left to Finn. Up close, he could see the shadows under her eyes, and the vaguely glassy look on her face.
“You look tired,” he remarked. Finn nodded, taking a seat by the fire and biting into the salmon steak. When her friend had sat as well, she spoke again.
“I was thinking,” she began cautiously. “I've been thinking, I mean. For a few days. I think I need to go see Paarthurnax.” She paused, turning away and looking at her two hatchlings. “...They're ready, Derkeethus.” Derkeethus looked as well, his heart sinking. Sure enough, Sulpaazov was as large as the bed she lay on, and Inkahlok was even larger. He had seen them fly with strong wings and loud voices, and watched them make meals out of bears. He had known it was coming as much as Finn had, but hearing the words reminded him that they had a reality to deal with.
“You really think so?” he asked, just to make sure.
“I really do.” The Breton bit her lip, then nodded at the window. “But I want to go up and make sure Paarthurnax agrees. I was thinking I'd take Inkahlok with me, just as an example. But that means I'll be gone for a few days. I'm counting on you to take care of Sulpaazov and Gaafyahzin.” Derkeethus' eyes widened, and he leaned forward.
“You want me to what?” he echoed. Finn laughed, reaching across the table for his hands.
“I've been here long enough that you know how to take care of them, Derkeethus,” she assured him. “If they get anxious while I'm away, just feed them a little more than you usually do. It'll be fine.” The Argonian feebly rested his head on the table.
“Every time I think you can't get more insane, Finn...” he began, before sitting up sharply. “Okay, fine. I'll take care of your dragons. You'd better run up that damn mountain, you hear me?” The girl laughed openly now, finishing off her steak and flashing Derkeethus a thumbs-up.
“Of course, my friend. With all my might.”
When Gaafyahzin returned from his hunt, Finn pulled on her boots and slung a cloak around her newly-armored shoulders. It felt like months since she had worn proper steel, and the tension in her shoulders was unfamiliar.
“Monah,” Inkahlok called from his perch on the railing. “Do I get to fly today?” Finn reached out to rub his back, shaking her head.
“Not yet,” she replied firmly, smiling all the same. “We have to say goodbye first.” She turned back to the doorway, where Sulpaazov and Gaafyahzin crowded around Derkeethus' legs. “We'll be back soon,” she promised, stroking each dragon's nose. “No fire, understand? Nid yol.”
“Geh, monah,” the two hatchlings responded. Derkeethus forced a nervous smile, looking between them before eying Finn once more.
“Take care of yourself,” he said. “I'm not ready to be a father if you die.” Finn grinned back, pulling him in for a tight hug.
“Don't worry,” she assured him. “I'll be back in no time. Trust me.” As she began down the steps, Inkahlok stretched his wings eagerly, and clicked his tongue.
“Monah?” he asked again. Finn closed her eyes, the smile still on her lips, and nodded.
“Geh, Inkahlok. You can fly. Don't get too far ahead of me.” The enthusiastic dragon immediately took off, soaring above the treeline, and his mother broke into a run below, looking up as they started into the woods.
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timeasmymeasure
"Something Like Parents" 25/?
Date: 2014-02-15 10:44 pm (UTC)“He's out hunting,” Finn explained, sitting up to notice the Argonian's quizzical look. “He's a growing boy...brought back another elk the other day.” She eyed the basket of salmon, beaming. “Were you planning on sharing that?” Sulpaazov clicked in agreement, raising her head.
“Fresh fish,” she murmured. “Pook pruzah.” Derkeethus tossed her a few fresh steaks, before laying a few down in front of Inkahlok and handing what was left to Finn. Up close, he could see the shadows under her eyes, and the vaguely glassy look on her face.
“You look tired,” he remarked. Finn nodded, taking a seat by the fire and biting into the salmon steak. When her friend had sat as well, she spoke again.
“I was thinking,” she began cautiously. “I've been thinking, I mean. For a few days. I think I need to go see Paarthurnax.” She paused, turning away and looking at her two hatchlings. “...They're ready, Derkeethus.” Derkeethus looked as well, his heart sinking. Sure enough, Sulpaazov was as large as the bed she lay on, and Inkahlok was even larger. He had seen them fly with strong wings and loud voices, and watched them make meals out of bears. He had known it was coming as much as Finn had, but hearing the words reminded him that they had a reality to deal with.
“You really think so?” he asked, just to make sure.
“I really do.” The Breton bit her lip, then nodded at the window. “But I want to go up and make sure Paarthurnax agrees. I was thinking I'd take Inkahlok with me, just as an example. But that means I'll be gone for a few days. I'm counting on you to take care of Sulpaazov and Gaafyahzin.” Derkeethus' eyes widened, and he leaned forward.
“You want me to what?” he echoed. Finn laughed, reaching across the table for his hands.
“I've been here long enough that you know how to take care of them, Derkeethus,” she assured him. “If they get anxious while I'm away, just feed them a little more than you usually do. It'll be fine.” The Argonian feebly rested his head on the table.
“Every time I think you can't get more insane, Finn...” he began, before sitting up sharply. “Okay, fine. I'll take care of your dragons. You'd better run up that damn mountain, you hear me?” The girl laughed openly now, finishing off her steak and flashing Derkeethus a thumbs-up.
“Of course, my friend. With all my might.”
When Gaafyahzin returned from his hunt, Finn pulled on her boots and slung a cloak around her newly-armored shoulders. It felt like months since she had worn proper steel, and the tension in her shoulders was unfamiliar.
“Monah,” Inkahlok called from his perch on the railing. “Do I get to fly today?” Finn reached out to rub his back, shaking her head.
“Not yet,” she replied firmly, smiling all the same. “We have to say goodbye first.” She turned back to the doorway, where Sulpaazov and Gaafyahzin crowded around Derkeethus' legs. “We'll be back soon,” she promised, stroking each dragon's nose. “No fire, understand? Nid yol.”
“Geh, monah,” the two hatchlings responded. Derkeethus forced a nervous smile, looking between them before eying Finn once more.
“Take care of yourself,” he said. “I'm not ready to be a father if you die.” Finn grinned back, pulling him in for a tight hug.
“Don't worry,” she assured him. “I'll be back in no time. Trust me.” As she began down the steps, Inkahlok stretched his wings eagerly, and clicked his tongue.
“Monah?” he asked again. Finn closed her eyes, the smile still on her lips, and nodded.
“Geh, Inkahlok. You can fly. Don't get too far ahead of me.” The enthusiastic dragon immediately took off, soaring above the treeline, and his mother broke into a run below, looking up as they started into the woods.