The Scavengers
The water's edge was quiet, the sun had risen long ago, leaving the waters a crystal blue, occasionally broken by the sun's reflection. Tora was curled half in her shell partially asleep in an alcove that couldn't be gotten to by anything but a flighted or swimming dragon. She was out of the sunshine and her new chevotrain friend, Reignbeau had left off poking about the cave to curl up in the hollow of her neck. Her rider was off doing ridery things and had insisted the dragon stay behind. The turtle was mildly confused and wasn't sure she'd trusted Dari, but had finally allowed herself to be convinced the shattra would be fine. It had been an hour and Tora still wasn't convinced, but decided to give her rider the benefit of the doubt and not go after her. The turtle snuggled in the cool sand and stared up at the clouds, wondering at the place Dari had come from.
Eventually, however, even the placid dragon turtle twitched. Another hour went by, but Dari wasn't back. Tora finally moved from her overhang and into the water with a soft plop, making the pale deer squawk in protest. Despite her long body, she didn't eel through the water, but the shell was buoyant enough she could just drift, propelling herself with a flick of her tail. She swam outwards and tucked the chevotrain into her shell before ducking beneath the waves to see what she could find. Playfully snapping at a few passing fish, Tora dived deeper to pick up a little shiny shell and tuck it away. She found her way to one of the not-so distant islands and heaved herself onto the beach. Her familiar protested the mistreatment, but she soothed Reignbeau's fur with a few licks. She could slither easier than attempting to walk, but for the moment, just looked around warily. There were a few trees here and there, but the area was mostly soft, rolling grass, dotted with a few rocks that looked to have some animals sunning themselves on. Tora slithered into the grass, giggling at the feel of it along her belly and sniffed a wildflower. The breeze ruffled against her antennae and fins and the dragon tilted her head upwards, then sneezed as a bit of cotton drifting by tried to get into her nostril. She shook her head and eyed the seeds, dried grasses and other things floating in wind and huffed at one, watching it swirl away.
As Tora explored, she found a small ravine, cut into the ground like a colossal dragon had taken his claws and gouged deep into the earth. It was small enough, however, she could get across, though it looked to be quite deep. Tora wasn't sure she should bound across it as that wasn't her best activity and finally decided against it when the rocks at the bottom looked too sharp. Too much of a likelihood she'd fall in and either get stuck halfway down or fall to her death. Disgruntled, she moved along the edge, occasionally inspecting an odd plant here, or an unusual root or rock there.
Not too far into the plains, Tora heard mutters of another dragon and blinked at the odd words as her deer pranced around her, uncaring of the large predator. Tora blinked down at Augury, who looked up at her with his own placid expression, having not expected to find a giant turtle on his beach babysitting a deer. After a moment, the turtle nodded and relaxed, but the dragon didn't seem to mind. Tora explained she was exploring and pointed back the way she'd come as to her home and Augury offered to accompany her, which she agreed to instantly, enjoying his presence. Neither seemed inclined to break the silence of the plains, though she did show him a few of her underwater finds, assuming the wind dragon probably had never been that deep. Augury showed the turtle a few hidden tubers and they had fun trying to carve them into shapes before the potatoes got eaten.
After a lunch of some scavenged grains for Reignbeau, tubers and a marmot Augury brought down, the pair moved further into the plains, Tora spied a few floating islands above them, but only sighed. The only way she'd get up there is if Dari took her, she was much too large for anything else and colossal dragons didn't come around often enough. The turtle moved quickly for her size, running her stubby hands over curious rock formations and sniffing at no few plants that she remembered from last time, but were distant memories and had to keep her familiar from munching on everything they passed. She watched as Augury inspected a few herbs and carefully gathered them, cutting them expertly to keep from destroying those around. Spying a cave, the turtle's antennae brightened and she slithered over. Much to Tora's disappointment, it wasn't very deep, but the onyx walls sparkled and she had to duck to avoid barking her head on the smooth ceiling. Was this man-made? She picked up a few small rocks because they were pretty, intending to show them to Dari when she returned and tucked them in a little pocket of her shell. Augury cooed happily when he found some mushrooms deeper in and gathered them as well, prompting Tora to ask what his rider was going to do with those. The pair got to chatting about their riders likes and dislikes, but Tora was interrupted by an enraged squeak from practically beneath her. Immediately, she coiled backwards like a snake, peering down at the irate little black dragon she'd almost smashed. "I'm so sorry! Are you all right?" she oozed, keeping her voice down so it wouldn't echo in the small space.
Kyran, for his part, accepted the apology, but coiled in a tiny ball, petting his horns with his tail as if to check they were still intact. "Some days, it doesn't pay to be big," Tora muttered and offered a hand to the small dragon. He slithered on after a moment, more curious now he'd confirmed he hadn't been damaged. Kyran finally asked what the two larger dragons were doing since Tora looked more at home in the water than anywhere on land, not to mention a vast plain. The turtle chuckled, but agreed when Augury only shrugged. He seemed more intent on the area around them as Tora explained they were just exploring, occasionally gathering materials she was sure Dari would like. Kyran nodded and offered to join them and the turtle agreed, letting him sit on her head since he was small enough. She had an idea that had been the little snake's idea, but it only made her smile. Her familiar didn't seem to appreciate letting something else ride her dragon, but huffed after a moment and pranced atop Tora's shell like a little miniature drummer. Smart enough not to vanish into the brush and possibly get eaten, the little deer knew she was well protected between the three dragons.
The trio wandered deeper into the plains, watching birds scavenge for bugs along the trickling creeks or the smaller ones even snap mosquitoes on the wing. Tora asked if Augury hunted like that, but he shook his head with a smile. "Too big." Kyran chuckled, snapping at a droning fly that was too interested in one of Tora's glowing antennae. A few times, the little black snake slithered down and vanished into the grass, hunting for his own trinkets. He coiled about a large root, requesting one of the larger dragons to pull it up for him and Tora offered to carry it. The black dragon poked around in the grass, picking up berries here and there and stuffing his face. Occasionally, he offered some to the larger two and Tora accepted the tiny things and started hunting for her own berries, but was aware enough not to denude the plains of such just to fill her belly. Instead, she found a small stream and caught a few fish for herself. Eventually, Tora realized it had been practically all day when she looked up at the setting sun and blinked. Augury offered to escort them both home and the trio traveled across the plains to where Kyran said his home was.
Tora was shocked there were so many other dragons at Kyran's home, but he greeted them all like old friends and the turtle realized there was more than one rider here at the moment and chuckled to herself. Augury only smirked and didn't say anything, but the turtle had the feeling he was used to a lot of dragons as well. She chuckled and resolved to bother Dari about getting more. The shattra could learn a thing or two about caring for something herself now that Tora was big enough. The pair moved down the beach until the turtle could see her own shoreline again and her familiar sighed, but ducked into the crevice of her shell in case the turtle had to dive again. Leaving her new wind friend on the beach with a farewell wave and an invitation to visit, Tora slipped into the water to head home.