[CC] Pair Bond: Enderia & Kuraokami

Enderia was nervous, it had been week's since she last saw Kuro, so long that she'd started to think that maybe he'd tired of the fort and the springs he was quite often in; she glanced down at the 'ring' she'd made, gripping it gently in her claws, she'd backed out of giving it to him just after she'd made it, to scared of how he'd interpret it.... A shadow passed overhead and she looked up, spotting Whisper as the dark dragon dipped his wings, drawing her attention to a large dragon slowly slithering over ther ground. She narrowed her eyes thoughtfully, that was not the direction he normally came from, this was from the north. Worry had her darting down the battlements, the light flickering over her, as she spotted him come closer and closer, an air of sadness clinging to him, and his normally shimmering hide dull. Breathless, she slipped into the entrance of the hotsprings, Kuro already inside for he could move far quicker than she could. "Kuro?" she asked softly, her voice echoing in the warmth, the steam from the waters obscuring her vision, so much so that she walked into something; running a gentle claw over it, she realised it was an egg, no two... and a stab of hurt echoed in her chest.

Kuro opened his eyes as he heard the soft call of Enderia; he should of been returning to the cenote, but he'd stopped here, partly because one of the eggs would hatch for Meeth, (he'd seen it) but, mostly to see the other dragon, he could see her just, near the two eggs,. "I'm sorry i didn't come sooner." he said, moving the warm waters to lay his head next to her, relaxing in a way very few saw him."They aren't mine." he explained, not wanting her to think that. She cocked her head at him, raising a claw to touch him gently. "So why are you sad?" She asked. For a moment he was quiet, before he spoke, pressing into the soft touch of her claws, despite their sharpness, they were infinitely gentle. "The blizzard has ended, and these are her last snowflakes." He responded, it would of been cryptic, except for how they'd hatched.

Enderia started, she remembered the blizzard, like her and Kuro, she too had hatched early, amidst the Festival of Night. "You saw it?" She whispered, remembering he could see the future, at his nod she keened softly, and for a few moments they remained like that, though she was aware of the ring pressing against her. "Are they your riders?" She asked, the hurt gone now thats she knew they weren't his. "One is.The other is yours, but i need to get them to the cenote, one won't hatch without the other, and Meiron cannot leave the cenote at the moment." came the response. Meeth wouldn't be happy, Enderia knew, not that she'd show it, her reaction to the cat who was Kuro's bonded something that fascinated most of the dragons, and that Nyx especially found endlessly amusing. "Meeth could come with us... i mean... if you want me to come?" She asked, ducking her head shyly. Kuro didn't respond, simply nuzzled her gently, enjoying her company and glad she was with him.

The trip to the cenote was simple enough, though Kuro could tell that Enderia's rider was not comfortable with the thought, but both her and Enderia kept the eggs safely secured as he slipped over the ground; he hadn't expected Enderia to ask to come with him, but he'd easily gone along with it, eager to show her where he lived. Eventually he drew to a halt, waiting patiently as Meeth and Enderia clambered down, he could feel the others around him, the larger dragons who lived outside, and while they watched, they didn't approach. Meiron was waiting, his rider leaning against the large boulder that hid the outer entrance to the cenote's hatchery. "Meeth, Enderia." the feline said, straightening, his tone polite..... except for the amusement lingering beneath it. Kuro bared his teeth at his rider, unseen by either of his 'guests'. Not bothered by his dragons warning, Meiron stepped closer holding out arms for one of the eggs.The cat was far too amused that Kuro had used him as an excuse to get Enderia to the cenote.

Enderia peered up.as Meeth handed him one of the eggs, her expression giving nothing away. "Our apologies if we're disturbing you." Her rider said, tensing as the cat shrugged, though her tone remained the same. "Kuro says you have a hatchery?" Enderia asked looking up, both curious about it, and to distract the other rider so Meeth could gather herself. She did wonder if Meiron's hatchery was akin to Aurelia's, the one she'd hatched in. Her attention was taken as the large boulder took on a green glow, and smoothly rolled to one side, revealing a opening. "Ladies, first."" the navy cat said, tail twitching as be beckoned them forward."Oh, and try not to draw your weapon, my lady." Meeth glared at him, the bestia bared his own teeth in a grin.

Kuro slipped in behind them, mentally growling at his rider, he wanted Enderia to be comfortable, not for her rider to be uncomfortable simply because Meiron found it amusing. Around him he was aware of the crystal cluster shifting to a pale hue, with echoes of rainbows, like all dragons in the cenote he was used to them, but this he found this particurly lovely, for it reminded him of Enderia. The hatching cavern was warm, with a small stream running through it, and beyond, a door which led to the main cenote. Meiron walked past the other rider, genlty placing the egg in the middle, after a few moments Meeth followed suit."They need a nest." Kuro said questionly at his rider, easing into the cavern fully, and peering around, this was the first time he'd been in here, and if he was truthful, the first time he'd tended to any eggs... though he did recall Zee making a nest for Nights clutch in the cenote garden.

The cavern was warm, and the crystals around lit the cavern up gently, but.. it seemed to so empty, the two eggs lost in the sands. "Won't we need some nesting material material?" She asked Meiron, relaxing at his nod, still not able to see anything, she waddled closer to the eggs, digging the sand up somewhat and pressing it against them. Kuro too began nudging at the sands, creating a larger ring. "Do you leave the area empty on purpose?" She heard Meeth ask the feline. "Yes, different dragons prefer to nest with different materials.." She heard him shrug. "They seem to prefer to build from scratch, and if they struggle the sands are warm enough to serve as a nest in their own way." He explained.

Kuro halted and stared at his rider thoughtfully, who just stared back as Meeth began helping Enderia, that last bit had been quite... civil. Though, if both riders were here, why hadn't the eggs hatched yet. His attention turned to Enderia as she spoke. "Maybe... something soft for underneath, for when they hatch?" He nodded, letting her take over the 'building', this.. this felt right. He ignored the mental snicker from his rider.

The building was slow, Her, Meeth and Kuro slowly built up the nest, while Kuro's rider vanished, first to get some old furs, and then for food, faint sounds filtering through the stone, much like how the fort did, the crystals above shifted colors gently. Finally though she leaned back against Kuro, who'd dug out a shallow for himself, with his head resting against the eggs. Meeth too had sat down close enough that Enderia could waddle over, but not too close to bother Kuro, nearby her cloak fanned out on the sands, her wings still hidden beneath the dark cloth. Meiron didn't immediately join them, checking over the nest carefully,. Eventually he nodded, and leaned against Kuro, now they could only wait, for surely the eggs would hatch soon.

The silence wasn't quite comfortable, but Kuro ignored it, his focus on the eggs and on Enderia, he knew they would hatch, but it meant more that she was with him, and despite how much his rider wound up Meeth, he knew Meiron would continue to support him if he choose to bond with Enderia, and she was receptive to his courtship. One of the eggs rocked, but otherwise showed no signs of hatching. The light shifted slightly and his gaze landed on the small stream nearby, with a careful tug of his magic, began to 'weave', some of the water rising above its bed, the droplets moving as he played with it, a display for Enderia, he was nervous, but... it felt right.

Enderia's mind went to the ring she'd made, wondering if she should give it to him, Meeth currently held onto it for safekeeping. "Oh. She stared at the water, she knew it was for her, just as she knew Kuro was controlling it. One of the droplets shifted, becoming a mini watery form of her, and danced over her claw that she'd held out. Her heart expanded at the sublte show of courtship, shyly she looked back at him, and flared her wings, the gentle light that had lit the cavern up became hers, and she refracted it, creating rainbows to frolic with the watery display. She knew the riders were watching it as well, but... this, this was for him. Still playing the light over the water, as if the two elements were dancing, she felt Meeth press the ring close, though it was less of a ring and more of a band, and she could use her magic to adjust it to fit him if he accepted. "Kuro?" She said softly, catching the males attention. gently she held the band out, the black metal glinting gold and silver in the rainbows she'd created. She sensed his riders interest in it, but he, like Meeth kept quiet.

Kuro turned his head from the display of light and water, to regard the dragon before him, his gaze resting on the band she held, his heart swelled and the magic responded, becoming finer, more... like mist, that created dozens of rainbows, he remained still as she 'opened' it, wrapping it around his neck and using her magic to make it fit. It likely looked more like a collar, but he didn't care, he knew it was a sign of her feelings for him.

Of course, that was when the eggs started to hatch.

Both dragons jumped, turning to stare at them, the water soaking them all, as the magic faded. Meiron snorted in amusement as the two eggs rocked violently; but against the warm sands of their nest they didn't go far. "Meeth!" Enderia called, spotting the egg shatter, though she remained next to Kuro, as a tiny snout appeared out, the nose wrinking as the rest followed, large ears twitching as it crawled forward, and onto Meeth's knee, creeling with hunger. By the time she turned from the adorable dragon, she realised that Meiron held a second hatchling, as small as other one, similar... and yet not. "Storm." came the comment from the cat. "Well, storm hybrids." Enderia nodded, they were adorable.

Over the next few days, Kuro and Enderia helped look after the hatchlings, the size of Eira, the dark/storm hybrid bonded to Meeth worried the metal hybrid, though Meiron assured her he would likely be fine, still Meeth and Enderia had decided to stay a few more days, both to let the little one grow, and for Enderia to spend more time with Kuro, she knew they couldn't be together all the time, their rider's living so far away from one another, but she knew he'd come when he could, and she... she would try to make the journey as well. She'd even ventured into the cenote, and met several of Meiron's other dragons, even talking to Night, a dragon like her who was 'pair bonded', and whose own clutch carefully nestled in the garden, showed no signs of hatching.

For now though, she returned her attention to the little chaotic terrors, huffing she glared at them, both Eira and Yuki chortled from their perch, atop Kuro's dorsal fin, the large dragon sprawled out in the hatchery. They were so much quicker than she was, and this... had now become a game. it was made harder by the fact they had both started flapping around, gliding from one part of the hatchery to the other, and as she couldn't fly. Something she'd found quite interesting, was that though Eira was bonded with Meeth, and Yuki with Meiron, they were both quite happy to be with either rider for quite long periods of time. "Oh no you don't." she scolded spotting Eira flaring his wings. Despite her stern tone, she was happy, been here with Kuro.

Kuro hummed happily watching Enderia chase the little ones, they were a handful, but he wouldn't trade it for anything, and he'd never dared dream of this happiness, he wouldn't forget the hard years after his hatching, but this made it all worthwhile. He rolled over, sending Yuki into the air much to his joy, flaring the large wings out to land near a crystal cluster. Eira squeled, flapping to get away from Enderia, who'd almsot caught him, and fluttering over to Yuki. This time Enceria laughed out loud, throwing her claws into the air and waddling to press against Kuro, who all but purred. The two terrors, dove down, not wanting to left out of the dragon pile, cuddling close to the two older dragons, and while not truly related by blood, they were a familiy.

Eventually Eira and Yuki fell asleep, curled into tiny balls between her and Kuro, and only then did she ask something of the other hybrid. "What.... do you think it is between our riders?" She asked, warily glancing towards the exits, neither rider present at the moment. Kuro snorted in amusement, "No one knows, i do know Sorcha has never seem him like this, with anyone." he responded quietly, and Sorcha was Meiron's 'first' dragon. "Nyx says it might become more." Kuro nuzzled her, a glint of something in his eyes more akin to how the little terrors acted. "If it does...well, it'll be very amusing to watch." Enderia chuckled, stretching out and closing her eyes, her mates reassuring presence and the sleepy breaths of the two youngsters relaxing her.

Kuro sensed Enderia fall asleep, he too closed his eyes; letting sleep take over as he listedned to the three smaller hearts next to him; there was little more he could ask for; a mate who shared his heart, the two mischievous and energetic 'flurries', fragments of memories of a dragon lost to the world to soon, and a rider who would always be there for him.