Tamables

The sound of small droplets dripping down from the cave ceiling echoed in the underground area. An area hollowed out by not nature itself, but something more man made judging by the sharp marks left in the rocks. The walls angular, as if picked at for years on end and then was left abandoned for a reason or another. Small glimmers of gems stuck out what was left behind, along with holes where other gems were removed. Dark, damp, with a slight musty earth smell lingering. Only the call of the ocean echoed off what was left of the walls. Walls that were soft to the touch from the algae that had grown over them.

In the open area the pool of water was still. Rippling when a drop came down to break the surface but otherwise was stagnate and if creatures lived in that water they weren’t active enough to show life in the dark cavern area. Slowly though, the still waters of the cave started to ripple. Gently at first, and then, from the water a pair of brown twitching ears came. Twitching as they came above the wet surface, the rest of the soaked came soon after the area was scanned for noise and came back with nothing that was considered troublesome.

The rider’s dark colored clothes were drenched from the swim, looking far from pleased even if he didn’t say anything about it. His usually fluffy brown hair was also soaked, as expected. Plastered against his head currently in a more tamed state, but left him looking like the wet cat he was. His different colored eyes glowed in the darkness, his rather round pupils getting used to it before his head turned right to look at the bubbling water.

“Kross? Kiwi? King?” He called.

From the water first came the dark colored dragon, soaking wet as he should be. Shaking off, his green eyes glowed as well as he looked at Clover. Nose twitching as he sniffled the area. Careful as he was learning the ways of the adventuring, be quiet first and examine the area. Not living that weighed down feeling through, the short dark blue bipedal shook off. Leaving his rider sighing as he trudged towards land and away from the dragon who also wanted dry times.

“It’s so dark!” Kiwi called next, just excited to be out again, chirping as she hopped out of the water. Shaking off as well but her smooth scales didn’t hold water like fur or clothes did. Her marriage bracelet caught the moonlight that seemed down from somewhere, casting a sparkle across the walls as she ran inland. She wasn’t fond of water, but often found herself in it.

“Yeah, very dark. Where’s King?” Clove questioned the two as he started wringing his clothes off before stripping off his cloak and shirt to dry on a nearby rock as they explored.

“I’m here.” The noodle called as it circled the area that was dripping, sniffing at it as his whiskers reached out to touch, jumping when the cold droplet fell and washed that unpleasant feeling over him. He was a curious sort, but Clover wanted to move on and away from the water. Not surprising for the feline rider.

Pulling a small bag from his pocket, about the size of a coin purse, Clover shook the water off of it before he opened the sash to take out a paper far too big to fit in there. His dragons were used to the enchanted carriers though, each having one of their own strapped to them and protected from their watery pre adventure by what they assumed was more magic but could just be waterproofed leather for all they knew. Unrolling the paper, Clover examined it in silence before he looked up.

“The treasure trove on the map shows it should be close by. Down the path.” The map was a bit hard to read without light, but his fingers could feel the dashed lines in the paper lead off. There weren't many options left, being underwater in a cave that had one opening in it.

Pulling at a coin that was stuck in a rock, freed it as she heard the news of nearby treasures. Kiwi was delighted and holding the coin in her foot hopped off down the path. Kross soon followed the hybrid. Both adored shinies more than anything, more so Kross who has been excited this entire trip from the idea of just a load of treasure he could bring home and get told he was such a good boy for helping with.

“Wait for me!” He called after Kiwi who was smaller and used to the ways of quick travel.

“Don’t get too far ahead!” Clover called after the two, sighing as he looked over to King who was circling him, waiting for him to start leading the way. The other two hybrids were just heard happily chirping and meowing in the distance, still young and too impatient to wait for Clover to roll back up the scroll and put it in the bag. King was at least good, which was nice enough and he minded not as it was a bit cute how excitable they all were for treasure. It made travels fun when all were well behaved but the end goal drove them so.

The duo weren’t too far ahead, CLover only walking about a minute before he found the two of them. He, however, found quite the bright light that had him shield his eyes. Kiwi and Kross had already readjusted, poking at the gold pile the shiny horse was sitting on, watching them curiously and occasionally got sniffed at by the pair. Huh, Clover wasn’t expecting a wild dragon, but he did have a knack for finding them when he least expected it.

“Go on King, go gather up some shinies.” He told the noodle who was looking around but didn’t move, more curious of the thing a top the treasure then the treasure itself. Clover minded him not though, shaking his head. Starting to slowly approach the kirin looking dragon with King close behind him, he was ruffling through his bag for what he was looking for. “Are you hungry little guy?” He asked the horse, getting a few huffs until he held out what was left of his lunch, a chicken leg that was snatched up without a second thought.

“Clover! There’s so much treasure!” Kross called excitedly, followed by Kiwi agreeing as they were shoveling coins in their bags.

“Yeah, it is.” He chuckled, stroking the dragon as the two were having fun.

King, the more curious of everyone, slowly reached down to the pile though. His whiskers gently grabbed a coin as he leaned in closer to sniff at the shiny being and pulled back as their wet and cold nose touched his own. He wasn’t discouraged though, the shiny coin still grasped and was slowly held out to the dragon who took it into its mouth and made a more pleased noise.

“Do you think he liked that?” He asked Clover, who nodded and stroked the horse creature, loving how it loved the tender touch.

“I think so.”