The dragon looked up, faintly relieved.
Dread hesitated. Were he a more eloquent creature, he could have been more reassuring but he was--as Cadenza thought him--quite direct. And not eloquent. He struggled for a moment, still blinking, to better phrase himself.
Pride flattened back his ears, eyes squinting against Dread's screeching bellows.
When he'd finished, Pride struggled to actually process what he'd said. He thought, perhaps, that the dragon was telling Cadenza to do whatever made them happy. Which was a little surprising, but--Dread had always been a good parent, hadn't he? Otherwise, Pride would never have trusted him alone with a child of his own.
He nudged the large, plump banana he'd summoned toward them, then.
@Cadenza
Loud was comforting and safe, in much the same way as melodic tones were becoming. Cadenza's dads were very different. But they were both what the hybrid described best as 'home', for all their differences.
"You make me happy," They reassured their dragon-dad. "And I will explore, because that will make me happy as well, but I will come back."
That resolved, they turned their attention more fully back to their deer-dad. "A garden?" They repeated. It was not an underwater city, but it was nevertheless an interesting notion. "I would like to see it if it is not too far. I am tired. For now, I can eat and drink only a little."
Cadenza then accepted the offered magical banana, consuming it very easily in a single bite. But then they paused. "That was more filling than I expected," The surprise is clear in their tone. Then they glance down with curiosity at their sparkling self.
Sparkles are pretty, they decide. They wonder if there are any creatures that always sparkle.
@Dread
Pride listened to this exchange, then nodded, a little, smiling at the sparkles dancing around Cadenza.
He turned, pacing off toward the garden with dignified, delicate steps, each one the quiet click of a hoof. He didn't think to explain why he was wearing heavy gemstone armor sheathed around his body, or why a small, white arctic hare shot out of the underbrush and leapt atop his back, settling in there as though he were her mighty steed. He did think to gently warn,
@Cadenza
It did not seem possible, but, then again… ”Would you be using magic to carry me?” They wondered aloud. Magic seemed to accomplish many strange things, they were learning. Like making fruit that makes the eater sparkle.
Cadenza did not immediately know what a carnivore was. But they could extrapolate from context. They did know there were beings that could eat only plants or not-plants. Or both, like them. So if this was a fruit, then it was a plant. If the word ‘even’ was being used, then it was not a standard thing that carnivores did. ”Carnivores are what the beings that do not eat plants are called?” They asked to seek confirmation to their guess.
”Hello Mischief,” The hybrid greeted the arctic hare seriously as they followed their deer-dad. ”My name is Cadenza.” They seemed to expect a response. After all, named beings could speak, was their understanding of the world.
Their deer-dad wanted to know more about them? They made them happy. But, truth be told, Cadenza did not know too much about themself that they had not already stated. So they thought it over.
”…I like swimming? I fell into the water when I first tried to fly earlier. And I liked the water. But I figured flying out when I got to the shore! I love flying, but it can be tiring. I do not like the idea of fighting, because I do not like the idea of harming others. But I think I would fight to protect others, too,” They paused briefly to think more.
“…I want to learn magic and explore the caves. And meet family!” They declare, finishing their semi-short explanation of themself for now. ”Would you like to tell me more about yourself, dad?” They asked their deer-dad in return. Hopeful eyes regarded their deer-dad, eager to hear more about him.
@Dread
Dread pushed up, plodding along behind. He scooped the citrine into his mouth, tossing his head to and fro with snapping jaws until he managed to settle it in the side of his mouth, beside his teeth.
Then he wing-walked just behind and beside them, a hulking black shadow with glowing ember eyes. He seemed wholly unaware that maybe this should be a bonding moment between child and newly met father. Instead, a proud father in his own right, he spoke up after Cadenza finished speaking of flight, of swimming, and of fighting.
That was the extent of his input, for now; he kept shuffling along behind, content otherwise to listen.
Yet, though she could not speak, the hare sat up on his back and sniffed toward Cadenza. It seemed to be a greeting of her own, in a way.
Pride listened, then, as Cadenza spoke of themselves, a little. But before Pride could quite formulate his response, Dread had interjected--and the white stag, delicately stepping around a pile of old ruins, flicked back an ear and listened with a faint smile. The dragon, though brash and blunt, often surprised him with his warmth to his children. He waited for Dread to finish before answering for himself.
He agreed with Dread on one other point, too.
He glanced at them, gentle, warm amusement in his tone and expression.
The garden was small, but lush, its edges spreading out; it was one of those places Mercurius had tended for herbivores to have a place to graze. While it had only a small pool of water, it held a few baubled stones hanging from the branches for light, and a variety of plants within--edible grasses and brush, mainly, but also ferns and vines that gave the place an almost magical sort of feel.
Pride smiled. He cared deeply for Mercurius, and this place always felt like a part of him--even if Pride was linked to Mercy directly, mind-to-mind. It was like... coming home, in a way, every time he visited one of the lion's little sanctuaries.
@Cadenza
Though their dragon-dad was speaking quieter than usual, his words were no less powerful for it. Cadenza might be literally shining at the moment, but they were also metaphorically shining with delight at hearing their dragon-dad's pride with regards to them.
And while the offer to fight for them for free might have seemed awkward to some, to Cadenza it meant everything. They briefly turned their head towards their dragon-dad to make it clear whom they were speaking to. "Thank you, dad," Cadenza voiced their sincere gratitude laced heavily with fondness.
"The view is even better there?" They seemed surprised that was even possible. "I would like to fly there, and have you go with me using magic," They decided. "After I eat and drink a little?" They suggested.
When their deer-dad spoke about himself, Cadenza quickly found themself overwhelmed. There was a lot of information, most of which they did not know what to make of. Cadenza noted it all, of course. But they did not understand it all, for all they tried to. They could understand why their deer-dad would not know where to start- That was a lot, especially compared to them who had probably been awake for a total of a single day at the moment.
Sure, they were fully grown and had the thoughts to go with it. But, in comparison to their deer-dad, they felt so very young. They nodded in agreement about the 'who I am' concept. That sounded much easier and very important to know.
"How do you not worry?" They questioned with puzzlement.
They drank a little water, ate some plants, and then looked between their two dads as a thought occurred to them that stood out. "And... how many siblings do I have, exactly?" It was a question directed at both of their dads.
@Dread
With the sound of Dread shuffling behind him and Cadenza walking alongside, Pride felt oddly companionable. He didn't often have company here, not like this--and when he did, it was usually a single visitor. It was nice, somehow, to have Gembounds here.
Cadenza's thanks, Pride noted, to Dread were met with a deep nod. And he himself nodded at their question that immediately followed.
Once he was in the garden, he stepped about himself, nibbling here and there at fruits and greens. He didn't eat much; he hadn't been all that hungry. But he thought he might as well, while he was here. As he did, he answered Cadenza's other question. Well--one of two. His tone, though, was thoughtful.
Well, that was a bit of a speech. Pride took a breath and pushed on; it was, it seemed, time to impart parental lessons.
The stag took a mouthful of food, chewed, and swallowed, thoughtful.
Dread offered a deep nod in return to Cadenza's thanks. This was, in part, because "please" and "you're welcome" often eluded him. "Thank you" he knew by heart, but the other two sometimes... were forgotten.
He came to a halt at the edge of the garden, watching as the two wandered in, ate, and spoke. His mind was partly elsewhere--nowhere in particular, just not really here. He half-listened, only, to Pride.
Cadenza, though--he heard their every word. And when they asked of children, he waited first for Pride to answer, though his mind was already ticking back over his kids. He sat more upright, a little, sliding down some on his hind legs, wings propping him higher so his neck arched up, ember eyes peering down. It seemed to be a thoughtful pose, but even so, Dread rattled off his children in a swift list. He didn't seem to need to really try to recall them one by one--they were, very clearly, always in his mind.
Such was life, it seemed.
@Cadenza