[CC} Udua & Isa: Prestige and Hatchery Quest

The moment they pierced the surface she felt it again, heard it like music. Whale song beneath the waves, tugging her and the blorb barely realized she had been released. Wings pulling her through the water, deeper, following the tug... and blinked as all at once she saw the shell. A huge pearl in the depths, but she could feel the life within. Tail wrapping it as she struggled against the weight, dragging it toward the surface as the silent dragoness watched. A single tentacle nudged her in the last moment, pushing the egg onto solid ground as Udua flopped. Tail still curled protectively around her egg.

Cam and Kyran glanced at one another when the dragon paid little attention to either of them or Chusi’s dark magic; and it didn’t seem interested in harming Udua, though... they still weren’t happy with how trapped she was.... suddenly, the shadows rippled falling back just as something above opening, the mechanisms singing almost as they moved, both youngsters looked up... to see Isa falling, Chusi as well. The gleeful chortle of their rider had them glancing at one another. At the very last moment Chusi shifted the shadows, forming massive wings as she gripped Isa in her jaw, and somehow landing next to Cam and Kyran, it was at that point that Isa spotted the immense dragon as Chusi let go of him. ”Oh hello-Nya, lovely day-Nya.” it said politely, turning to watch as Udua struggled to the surface., Cam and Kyran surged over to see if she was okay, careful to keep a respectful distance from the egg. Chusi dipped her head in respect to the elder dragon, and before running her whiskers over the tow youngsters. Isa grinned at Udua, ears twitching as the mechanism above closed sealing that passage. ”looks like we’re staying a while-Nya.”

Udua huffed for the cheerful voice, but lifted her face enough to squirt water at Isa before flopping again. "Wings hurt..." she churred unhappily, but blinked as the sense of the place abruptly changed, the dragoness seemingly gone as a rush if wind filled the space. Muttering something that might have been a muffled greeting for the whiskers.

All three dragons peered at ,the place where the dragoness had been, no sign of her exit other than a few faint ripples, but rather than follow Isa as it started nosing around the area they remained by Udua, letting her use them as support if she needed it... though... Cam continued to look aroUnd the area, all but humming with excitement now that the big dragon had gone.

"Lookout... for traps..." Udua churred, not moving, but all too aware of Cam's movements with the sound of his steps. After a very long moment the blorb shifted, then pulled herself upright. Blinking at Chusi as the closest and largest dragon. "You mind company?" she asked, yawning, but dragged herself atop the dragoness' back when she was allowed. Carefully pulling the egg up and against her fur. Wings still rather limp, but wrapping the egg both to keep it warm and to absorb the heat it offered. Watching Isa as it moved about over the mottled shell. Curious what the other stilla was up to, but not having the gumption for more than observation at present.

Isa's ears twitched. "Am-nya." It said, Cam scratched his head sheepishly, knowing what his rider was getting at, Chusi remined still, flattening herself somehwat to allow Udua to climb on, and adjusting the shadows to help should she need it. Kyran sniffed at the egg, but like the others didn't touch it, slithering slowly after its rider. Isa halted next to a large statue, the jewels glimmering beneath the flowing waters, slowly it tested the markings around, before pressing something.... and the statue shifted, waters receeding as a hidden entrance became apparent. "Lots of secret passageways and tunnels-nya." Isa chortled, waiting for the others to come closer, only then did it peer at the egg.

"Sounds strange." Udua agreed, when they got closer. The echoes of the space were far too large, but the corners and angles of the passages, even where they were detectable, made it impossible to tell exactly where thigs were in reality, beyond the sense of more. Much more than her eyes registered. "How deep are we going... Oru?" She asked quietly, tail twitching along Chusi's back before re-wrapping the egg. Tilting her head for the other's interest in her egg, but not overtly bothered by the same. Curious, if anything and growing more so.

"No idea-nya." Isa responded returning its attention to the secret entrance..... but it made no move to enter, turning its attention back ti Udua and the egg. Cam and Kyran both peered inwards, but following their rider didn't enter. Chusi ignored it completely, her shadows touch the egg as she hummed, peering at Isa. Si-nya thinks we should leave-nya, come back and explore later-nya." It replied, pressing two more markings and the entrance sealed back up, water returning to flow over the statue, any sign of the passageway gone... except for those who'd seen it. Baby dragons are hungry dragons-nya. Cam sighed, and returned to Isa, oh how he wanted to continue exploring...

"What do they eat?" Udua asked slowly, eyeing the egg herself. Realizing she would need to go hunting... or gathering... or... something. If that was the case. "When will it hatch?" she asked, glancing at Isa even as the tug 'answered' somehow. She shook her head but was grateful for the dark dragoness as she carried them, rather than having to try to manage the egg nearly her own size alone. She spent the whole trip back out of the ruin asking similar questions of the other stilla, curious everything she could learn of the dragons... and the one that had 'kidnapped' her before dissappearing.

They were about to ask another when something soft and heavy abruptly landed atop her in a smothering FWUMP of fur and... purple... and snoring that cut off awkwardly. Chittering as she managed to push it off... and stared at the ball of fur. Then two eyes blinked at her and the flattened ears snapped up, and she was smothered in fur again. "Momma!" Her own ears rose for the word, startled, "Wait... wait, what?" she chirped, squirming enough the strange furball was at her back instead of covering her face. "Oro?" the bat stilla churred, confused, looking first to Isa, then Chusi for clarification as the... bat?... blo-no... it was another dragon. Her dragon? Udua huffed and flopped over the egg; now she had two baby dragons, not one, apparently. How did she get into these things?

"Depends on the dragon-nya" Isa responded, bouncing along the ruins next to Chusi, Cam and Kyran were still checking things out and had both managed to find some stray silvence and gems. "Meat and berries-nya, insects and fish-nya." If continued on, responding to the others stilla's questions as best it could. "When its ready-nya, some hatch as soon as they find their rider, others a bit longer-nya." In response to when it would hatch. Chusi halted when something dropped, but sensing no hostility she made no move to block it. "Some dragons-nya, hatch when in a certain proximity to their rider, say within some ruins-nya." It churred at the teensy dragon. "And then have to find the rider, Si-nya was like that." Cam and Kyran slipped back peering at the tiny ball just as light started to filter though. "Whatcha calling him, Udua?" Cam asked curiously.

Udua managed to glare at Isa for the 'joke' from under a wing, but huffed and focused on Cam's question. Realizing he was right and she would have to name the tiny thing. It would be easier if she was able to see him, but the little burr seemed determined not to allow that. After a few more moments she managed to get the small batlike dragon at least to attach himself to her tail rather than her back, and peered at him. There were markings there, but they were all muddied by the sheer volume if fur the tiny thing possessed. Like a fluffy little bumblebee... for a moment the blorb stiffened, then snorted. "Apidae." she answered, pausing to inspect the pretty stones that had scattered across Chusi's back when he had dropped on them. "His name is Apidae." she asserted, letting one wing extend around the tiny dragon and snorting as he dissappeared as fur flattened like an overstuffed pillow.

Cam nodded, leaving the tiny dragon and Udua and returning to looking for anything to salvage; the few glimmers proved to be singular silvence; Kyran though managed to find an emerald, the green stone covered in dirt, but he ate it, Isa wouldn't mind, and he was hungry. Chusi gently touched a shadow to the tiny fluff, stroking it gently, purring as they slipped back out to the courtyard, the sun dazzling bright after the time inside. Isa halted ears twitching as it considered something. "If you want, you can nest with us-nya." it offered. "The cave is big enough for everyone-nya"

"Nest would be good... until egg hatches?" Udua murmued, eyeing the hatchling and watching the shadows. She would prefer her own, but they could find one when the baby could move about on its own. For now it would be safer for the egg and the tiny... storm... she frowned, wondering how she knew that, but shook her head. It wasn't important... yet. What was important now was caring for the soon to be two hatchlings, and making sure both were safe - and well fed. Once there was a safe place to settle the egg temporarily she would go hunt for them both. For now, thankfully, Api seemed content clinging to her tail. Snoring softly again, but refusing to let the goo loose of his wings and tiny claws somewhere in all his fur. "Thank you." she offered belatedly, leaning enough to bonk the other stilla lightly, before resettling. Her fangs bared in a wide yawn and the blorb rested for the present, aware with multiple babies in her wings there wouldn't be a chance to do so often in the near future by any means...

WC: 1729