ORIGIN

Cadenza, though a very gentle soul, would kill for their children even unhatched as they were. Family was everything to them. Since they learned that there were those that hunted dragon-children, they had been on their defensive.

But that was not enough, they had decided. They needed to practice. With their magic usage, at least. Not any spells too dangerous, close as they were to their children's somewhat-concealed chrysalises covered in a bit of sand and plant debris.

But, still, spells that they could creatively use for combat.

They remembered how they had captured the lanternfish with the stones that two of their children now had. They had frozen the water solid around the lanternfish. If any being stood in the water, they wanted to be able to freeze the water around them.

And so, already close to the water, the chrysalises being just out of reach of the tide, Cadenza focused on freezing the water.

Water transformed into ice, which was swept away by the current. Cadenza was pleased with their success, but it wasn't enough. They needed to be even better.

@Sprig

Sprig wasn't quite sure what had drawn him to Leo. Perhaps it was the fact that Eridanus, his home, had been taken over by the disease that was order. The white fungus that destroyed through its craving for perfection, sacrificed individuality for uniformity. He had decided that a second home would need to be made somewhere. Pegasus was currently the top candidate in his mind, but he figured it would be best to check out other caves too.

And he came upon Leo.

He felt the sea breeze ruffle his mane and tickle his eyestalks, prompting him to fold them back. His amber eyes scanned through the area, and landed on a familiar sight. "Cadenza!" the lion called out, breaking into a light jog towards the dragon. His paws sank uncomfortably into the sand, but a much looser consistency than dirt. "How have you been?" This cave was rather lively, but it contained a different kind of life than he was used to. Less trees and bushes, but it seemed that there was plant life in the water. Strange.

@Cadenza

The sound of a voice had Cadenza alert, quick to cast a defensive spell around themself even before the words or familiarity registered. Or try to cast a spell, at least. Magic flickered around their body for half a second before fading into nothing. The spell had failed.

Still, Cadenza turned towards the potential danger, their wings spread in a threat display that made them seem even larger. Their teeth were bared, and the beginnings of a growl rumbled in their throat.

However, the sound died as recognition overcame their instinctive wariness. Their wings folded, and their expression became apologetic. "Sprig, you... surprised me. I apologize for my reaction."

Cadenza ducked their head in embarrassment. Sprig was friendly, had taught them about cooking, and was not a danger. Cadenza liked the lion hybrid quite a lot, actually.

"I have been on edge, lately," They admitted.

They glanced towards where the three partially hidden chrysalises were. Cadenza could trust Sprig, they decided. "Nearly a cycle ago, I gave life to three lesser stones that I had gathered. They have not hatched yet. I did not quite think things through, though I could never regret giving life to the stones. And I did not know dragon-children were hunted until my dragon-dad told me. So, I have been... Concerned."

"I do not wish harm upon any creatures, but... I would go to great lengths to protect my children regardless. I was practicing my magic, when you arrived. I need to keep them safe," Cadenza finished the longwinded summary.

@Sprig

Sprig thought it was a case of mistaken identity for a second- the Cadenza he knew didn't act that threatening! But a moment later the dragon had returned to their usual friendly state. "It's alright, we're even now after you surprised me the first time!" he laughed lightly thinking of their first encounter back in Pegasus when Cadenza was the one who had surprised him with their sudden appearance. But it had turned out well, and he definitely considered them a friend. It was not often he met a gembound that took interest in his doings.

He followed their gaze to the chrysalises that had been partially hidden by sand and plants. He reached out with his magic to try and see how they felt, but was instead hit by a stronger, more intense wave of his own emotion, his own feelings. Sadness. Grief. They reminded him of him and his three siblings. Adonia, Abraxas, and Amaryllis. Sprig hadn't seen them since he was a mere cub, and they were the closest family he had had left. They were probably gone. His father had died giving life to the four of them. He didn't know much about Aristotle, it was only through the stories from Sun that he was able to learn about his father. But the monkey had also disappeared. He had no family left. The least he could do was make sure Cadenza was happy with theirs. That's what friends did, right?

Sprig shook his head to clear these thoughts. "I understand." He knew the importance of family, and the feeling of protectiveness that one felt towards them. He would give his life for his sisters. "Is it alright if I take a look?" Even if they were friends, he still thought it was important to ask permission before approaching the dragon's children. "I can help you keep them safe, if you would like." He did not know dragon-children were hunted. That was a terrifying thought, and he felt the need to keep them safe now that he knew of this. Though he didn't know if he had it in him to hurt anyone.

@Cadenza

Cadenza laughed in return, a lighthearted noise and musical as their tones usually were. This was the most relaxed they had been since they had heard the news of dragon-children hunters. It felt safe, having Sprig here. Comforting. "That is true!" They agreed.

"You were startled when we met, I remember! ...Many gembounds appear startled when I make my presence known, actually. Or stare at me a lot. I am uncertain why either occurs, but it seems fair for me to be surprised in return." It did not occur to Cadenza that anyone could fear them, nor admire them, as the responses tended towards those two.

The antlered dragon tilted their head curiously at the mention of understanding. "Do you have any children?" They inquire.

"Your aid would be welcome, of course! Feel free to approach them. Thank you for asking first, though." Cadenza's protective instincts were quite strong, recently. But Sprig was most decidedly safe, and he had been so polite to ask, and that helped soothe their instinctual wariness that tended to cling to them, as of late.

"The pyrite's stone was from a six-legged creature with hooves. I did not acquire that one personally, but that was what I was told about that one. The pink diamond and purple amethyst both came from the same kind of fish- these deep sea fish that could glow. Which is why I nested so close to the water, in case they require water once they hatch," Cadenza happily spoke of their children.

Cadenza paused. "Are you comfortable with the temperature? It is somewhat colder this close to the water usually." Eager to be hospitable, Cadenza went to use their magic.

In moments, the air was comfortably warm. "How is that?" They inquired.

@Sprig

Sprig smiled, glad that he was able to make Cadenza laugh, or at least less anxious about the situation. "Maybe because of your size?" He purposely didn't mention the possibility that others could be scared of things larger than themselves. It was certainly more true for prey animals compared to predators, but he was a lion and even he had been surprised! Dragons were just another level of huge. Now that he thought about it, he had never met a gembound that was of a greater size than Cadenza. They probably haven't ever experienced the feeling of being much smaller than other gembounds.

The thought of having children was a bit of a shock. He was indeed at an age where it was possible for him to have children! He had just... never considered it. Spending all his time gardening and cooking meant he didn't exactly find any stones that could be revived. Though there was the possibility of raising a child with someone. He knew some gembounds did that, but that was another thing that he had not thought about, as he was raised by a single dad. Or, well, adopted dad. "No, but I have three sisters. I have to protect them, you know?" Sprig considered himself the older brother even though they all hatched at the same time. "But... I failed. I don't know where they are now. They're just- gone."

"That's interesting." The lion knew of only one other gembound who had six legs. Or at least that he could recall. Was this a coincidence? "Glowing deep sea fish, I didn't know those existed. It's smart to be by the water then." Sprig wondered what the children would look like. Would they take after Cadenza and be of similar size? Or would they be smaller? Though he wasn't sure how large the deep sea fish were. The only fish he knew were those that could be caught in rivers, and they were rather small. "I'd love to meet them when they hatch." There was slight smile at this.

Sprig felt the air around him warm, and recalled that the dragon had magic that could control the temperature. "Thank you! It feels like Eridanus." a slight flinch at this thought. He would invite Cadenza over, but it wasn't exactly. Safe. At the moment.

He nodded at Cadenza's approval, walking up closer to where the chrysalises were, and surveying the area for a few moments. Yes, he could see it already. A tree here, bushes there. Perhaps flowers too? Though he wasn't sure if he would be able to grow any flowers in this sand. Sprig placed his paw where he wanted the coconut tree to grow from, feeling the magic surge easily through his body and out into the sand. A rather large sprout emerged, and he smiled. "I think a coconut tree will be nice here. For food, and for shelter."

@Cadenza

Cadenza paused to consider this notion. "I suppose I am rather large in size. Almost all beings I have met are smaller than me. My dragon-dad is bigger, though!" Their musical voice was fond as they mentioned their parent. They adored both their parents, of course, but their dragon-dad had welcomed them into the world.

"I have thirteen siblings total," Cadenza admitted. "I am the youngest, I believe. I have only met Acheron so far, one of my deer-dad's children."

They were quiet for a moment as they pondered the grief of Sprig. They tried to imagine what it would be like to lose siblings, but it was hard to imagine. Then, Cadenza considered what it would like if they failed their children, and...

It was overwhelming, even hypothetically. They ducked their antlered head apologetically. "I am so sorry. I did not mean to bring up a topic that would hurt." They wished, abruptly, that they were smaller. That they could easily show affection and comfort by leaning close to Sprig. But there was no way to change how things were. It is what it is, sometimes.

At the mention of Sprig meeting their children, Cadenza perked up. "I would like that- You are welcome to stay as long as you want to."

"I have an enchanted gift from my dragon-dad that lets me breathe underwater, and I like swimming. I found the fish in Fornax, and I caught them by freezing the water around them," Cadenza explained, always content to talk about their children.

The mention of Eridanus gave them pause. "Have you... been to Eridanus, lately?" They asked, worried that Sprig might not know. "It's... My deer-dad said that 'Order' caused the change. It's... infected, I suppose. I liked going there before, since it was close to Orion, where my deer-dad lives. But now it's..." They fell quiet, unhappy at the thought of Order.

Cadenza perked up at the sight of the sapling. "I think a tree is a wonderful idea! Thank you! Your magic is so useful!"

Truly, Cadenza admired Sprig and his plant magic. It seemed far more useful than their own magic. "My magic is not the most practical... My deer-dad says it can be very dangerous, some spells, but... Those are harmful spells. I do not want to harm anything, not really."

"There is a spell that makes anything bounce instead of fall, though! That one is useful, I imagine. Acheron was using it to almost fly, even though she does not have wings."

They focused on a rock on the shore, attempting to demonstrate. At first, they weren't sure whether it had worked, so they picked up the rock and dropped it. Sure enough, the rock bounced! It didn't bounce high at all, but it definitely bounced.

"I think that could be useful, if someone is falling. Though, I could always catch them since I can fly... But if I could not get airborne quick enough, it could be useful then."

@Sprig

A dragon that was even bigger than they were? Sprig didn't think that was possible! Well, surely it was, but he just wasn't able to imagine it. Cadenza was already huge. He wondered how their dad was like. Did they share the same voice? The same features? The same magic? Sometimes he wished he had been able to meet Aristotle. He wondered how alike they looked. If they looked alike at all. They shared the same plant magic at least. Did his father also take an interest in gardening? Or cooking? Oh what he would've given to meet him. Even just once.

"Thirteen is a lot of siblings!" The lion could not imagine having that many. How would one be able to care for all of them and ensure for their wellbeing? "I haven't met Acheron. I do know a deer named Aran. Is that your dad?" That had been quite a while ago, long before the forest had been taken over by Order.

Sprig noticed the moment of silence. "It's alright. You couldn't have known." a sad smile lingered on his face, "I have accepted it now. The best I can do is to protect the family I have left. My friends." He glanced at Cadenza for a moment before turning his head to face the breeze, taking in a few deep breaths of the fresh air. He considered for a moment establishing a home in this cave. It did not have many plants, but he could make it work if he wanted to. And it was far away from Eridanus too. A benefit in a way. The infection would not be able to spread all the way here. Or he hoped so at least. "Leo is nice. I might stay here for a while. Thank you." And he could keep Cadenza company if they wanted it too.

He didn't know things could be enchanted. How did that work? Something that allows one to breathe underwater sounded incredibly useful. But probably not for a gembound like him who didn't live near water or had a diet consisting of fish. "I have not tried swimming before. I should try it sometime." The closest he had ever really gotten was with the river in Pegasus, though that hadn't quite been swimming. More like wading. "I don't think I have been to Fornax either. That is a really smart use of magic." It took creativity to come up with something like that. Freezing the water around fish to catch them? He would never have thought of something like that!

Sprig felt his breath catch again at the mention of the present state of Eridanus. And Order. "I- I have." His voice was a bit unsteady. "My home is in Eridanus. It has all been infected. Destroyed." He had tried so, so hard to do what he could to cleanse the forest of the fungus. But he was too weak. Too small in the grand scheme of things to stop it. And the damage was irreversible. He was not sure when he would be able to return. If ever. His gaze dropped to look at his paws as he tried to collect himself. Don't break down now, come on. Deep breaths. One. Two. The lion looked back up, "But it's alright. I can always... rebuild." Sprig knew that it would never be the same. But he didn't want Cadenza to worry. He tried his best to pull his mind away from the thought of Eridanus, not wanting to experience the pain of grief once more. He had done it once. He had dealt with it. Not again.

"Of course, though I have not tried coconut before. It will be my first time tasting it. Have you had it before?" Sprig had encountered it several times, though he had never ended up actually eating any. But it was edible of course.

"All magic has its purpose. Not all harmful spells need to be used for harm." he was unable to imagine Cadenza harming anyone at all. The dragon was simply too kind to do anything. Unless someone attacked their children. That was another story. "Plant magic can be used to poison. But also to heal. It matters who the wielder is."

He watches with amusement as they picked up a rock and dropped it to show how it bounced. There was something very funny about a dragon bouncing a stone. Sprig let out a light chuckle, "Wow! That's really cool." The lion wondered if he would be able to use the bouncy spell to fly even though he also didn't have wings. "Useful, and also fun!"

Sprig focused his magic further, but felt it give out. "Hm, seems like I need to practice a bit more." No matter! He could always try again. There was time to spare, as he didn't exactly have anything else in mind that he had to do. And spending time with Cadenza was always fun.

@Cadenza

At the mention of another deer gembound, their curiosity was piqued. "I do not know Aran. My deer-dad's name is Pride. I get my pale coloring and antlers from him. My voice is similar to his, too. And I have his magic," Cadenza explained.

"I wonder if you have met any of my siblings? On my deer-dad's side, there's... Charity, Arsu, Azimos, Thalia, Temperance, Jampa, and Acheron who I mentioned. Also, there's Ember, who is actually my dragon-dad's child, but Ember was raised by my deer-dad." They had every name memorized.

"My dragon-dad's name is Dread, but he's very nice! He speaks loudly, is dark in coloration, and has interesting markings on him! I have his eyes and stone. And his general shape, I suppose. Other than Ember, my siblings on his side are Bone, Svartis, Bug, and Callum... And there's a chrysalis that has not hatched yet but is alive and older than me." They were a bit sad sad as they mentioned the unhatched chrysalis.

The mention of friends and the glance towards Cadenza warmed their heart which had grown distraught at the upset of Sprig's lost siblings. "You are my friend too," Cadenza blurted out, as Sprig turned to face the breeze. "I would protect you as well... I do not know that I have many friends," They abruptly realized. "I have many siblings, and my dads, but most of the other gembounds I have met are children. Not that there is anything wrong with children! But interactions with children are different," They explained as best they could.

"Leo is one of my two homes, and I would be delighted to have a friend around. There is no need to thank me," Cadenza warmly informed Sprig.

Cadenza was startled to hear that Sprig had not swam before. "You could borrow the enchanted item while you learning to swim, if you would like! That way, you do not have to worry about drowning even though the water in Leo can get very deep. My dragon-dad gave me it originally so that when I was learning to fly, I would not drown if I fell." They paused. "I wonder if any of my children will be able to fly."

They ducked their antlered head at the compliment regarding their creative magic usage. "Thank you," Their musical voice had a note of some shy delight.

At the revelation that Sprig's home was Eridanus, their posture wilted. "I am so sorry. It was very beautiful there. ...I promise, you can stay here as long as you want." They do not know if that helps, but it is all they can say.

At the change in subject to plants, they tilted their head at the tree sprout. It was definitely familiar, so they could guess what coconuts were. "I have not- I did not realize they were edible," They admitted. "So, we can try them for the first time together!" Their gaze brightens.

"I do not know any of the truly destructive magic I could potentially learn... But, their is no purpose to that magic except destruction that I can see. And if it fails... It could kill the person using the spell. It is... very dangerous. I worry for my children that will inherit my magic," They admit. "But, my deer-dad is skilled with magic, and he has offered to teach my children."

Cadenza was delighted by Sprig's chuckle, happy their demonstration of the spell that caused bounciness had provoked amusement. "Yes! I had not tried it before, only seen it before, but it does look fun!"

They tilted their head at the plant. "I wonder..." The air near the shore fell somewhat wet, even though it was not water. Could water be found in the air? Like how water could freeze and unfreeze, could it also become airborne and unairborne?

Sure enough, water fell on the sprout. Not much, but... "Oh wow! I think... I think I just pulled water from the air? I did not know if it would actually work, and yet..." They admired their success with awe.

@Sprig

Pride... the name sounded vaguely familiar, but he wasn't sure why. Where had he heard it from? The perception he had of the deer was that they were benevolent, but no more than that. Strange. "I have never met him, but the name is familiar. Pride is part of The Seven, right?" Yes! That's how he knew. His adopted sister who was really more like an aunt was part of The Seven too, and she had told him about it. It was making sense now.

Sprig listened intently as Cadenza listed off the names of their siblings. "Hm, I have not met any of them. You are the only dragon I know." And, well, the only other deer he knew was Aran. Though he supposed Pride semi counted now. He wondered how their siblings were like. He was sure if he met any of the ones on Dread's side he would know immediately. It wasn't often you found dragon sized gembounds or dragon hybrids in these caves.

As for Pride's children, he supposed that he would be able to tell through how they spoke. "If I happen to meet any, I'll let you know!" the lion wondered if they would be as calm and collected as Cadenza was, or if they would have a bit more chaotic energy to them. "I'm sure the chrysalis will hatch soon." Perhaps they were in hibernation? Surely you couldn't die in chrysalis. Though you could never really know when they would reemerge.

"That- means a lot. Thank you." He hadn't felt this kind of happiness in a long time. Not since he had last spoken with Adonia. It wasn't that he was surprised that Cadenza considered him a friend. But it was the affirmation that he was, and the sincerity of it. The warm feeling flooded through his body, and he felt... at peace. Content. There was someone who cared. Someone he could rely on. But it was also someone who he had a duty to protect. And he wouldn't fail this time. Sprig had to admit it was a bit of a surprise that Cadenza didn't think they had many friends. How was that possible? They seemed like a gembound who got along with everyone they met!

"That is true. I haven't met many gembounds, and even less children." Perhaps he should journey more, it would help him meet more inhabitants of these caves. Now that he really thought about it, the dragon was actually his only true friend. But he did not need to have many friends. Sometimes, one was enough. Especially when that one was Cadenza.

"Two homes? Where is your other home?" It seems that the idea of having more than one home was not so far fetched, and it was a rather practical idea too especially considering recent events. Sprig tried to recall if he had been told before, but couldn't quite remember. Either way, even if he chose not to establish a permanent home here, he would probably check in from time to time to see how Cadenza's children were getting along.

Sprig looked into the depths of Leo's bay, and found that it was indeed rather deep. He could not see the bottom, not to mention the water looked vast and endless. It was rather frightening really. "Thank you, though even with an enchanted item swimming is a bit scary," he admitted, "If I do learn, I think I would want someone to teach me instead of learning on my own." Plus, there were so many things that could be down there! What if he encountered something huge and scary? Like a kraken? He knew those were real. He heard stories about them.

"If they're able to fly, I'm sure you'll be a great teacher." The mention of flying sounded even scarier than swimming. Being up that high in the air? What if you fell? At least with swimming you had a longer reaction time to correct your mistakes. With flying you mess up and you fall from the sky. Or at least that's how he thought it was like. He hadn't really done either, being confined to land for his whole life. A smile danced across his face upon noticing that the dragon seemed a bit... was it embarrassed?

"It was." A wistful expression crossed his features, "But I know now I need to be stronger. To protect my home in the future." And that's why he had been practicing his magic with a new fervor. It wasn't just as a hobby any longer, it was also to defend, to cleanse his home.

Sprig nodded, "Yes! They're tough on the outside, and I haven't figured out how to crack them yet." That was one of the main barriers that had deterred him from trying one. But he figured with Cadenza here it would be considerably easier to break one open. He was very excited to try eating one as soon as he finished growing this tree. How would it taste?

He looked concerned after Cadenza explained the dangers of their magic. Sprig had never met another gembound who had their kind of magic, and so had no idea what kind of spells it included. "That does sound dangerous. Destruction... perhaps it could be used in self defense." It sounded like the highly volatile sort, perhaps like fire magic. But even then, there were plenty of other spells that could be used to defend oneself that wasn't nearly as dangerous. It seemed like a curse. "Pride is powerful, he sounds like he would be a good mentor."

The lion watched on as Cadenza condensed water from the humid air and watered the sprout. "Wow, your magic really is amazing!" There were just so many uses for it, not to mention the mastery the dragon displayed over their spells. He was quite impressed. Sprig followed up with his own magic, and it flowed as easily as before, and the coconut tree grew rather quickly, shooting up from a sapling into a full tree within a minute. "It's so tall!" He looked up, squinting as he tried to see the top. There weren't any coconuts yet, but perhaps with the next spell he would be able to encourage the tree to grow some.

@Cadenza