ORIGIN

Wretched things. She disagreed; the search had been inconvenient but the joy of approval had been more than worth it, to her. Red wings sprouted from his back, an illusion, only, but she knew then that his gifts had not been to Alnilam. Perhaps he was not happy because he had chosen the wrong bird - Desire was pleased with whatever gift the golden one would have given her, and she was happy with this one.

He spoke a lot, then. To him, it seemed, everything would come in time. She wondered if it was true. If these truths had to be pursued - or if those who pursued would come to an end, like his Children. Maybe we are not meant to seek, but to wait, as he says. If all is in time, perhaps we cannot chose when. His final words were wise, meditative, almost, and it reminded her of other older gembounds she had met, at least a little. They seemed to be made of wisdom, and willing to share. Maybe that was the time. Age. The knowledge would come in time. It could only be shared by those who knew it, and the youngest would start out with more. But they needn't search - she hadn't even asked. "If all things come in time, Dragon, perhaps we cannot seek it, as your Children did. It may be the truth that comes to us." She paused. "I didn't learn to survive because I knew I was looking to. I was taught to survive by the cave, and by others. Like you."

@Dragon

Dragon eyed Desire slyly. He let out a long exhale, and then spoke, quietly, dragging himself a few paces closer. His voice dropped further, into a conspiratorial quietness.

"The older creatures of the cave," he began, "the powerful ones--they lie to us, Desire. They hide truth from us. They fight amongst themselves, even; they have taken our fate into their hands. They fear something: something we do not yet know, or understand. They do these things because they feel they have no choice. They are custodians... but they are not guardians."

Dragon slowly looked around, eyeing the jungles, then continued. "I believe that some have given up, as my father has, and seek simply to survive. This is what he meant, when he said we would learn, if we survive long enough. There are those who toy with us--as Nemean does! There are those, too, who have turned to chaos--the dragon Raheerah, who would see us burn. But," he added, solemnly, "I do not know if any are our true allies. My father seeks survival above all else. The others... I do not know what purpose they serve. Which master, and which goal. For whom they act, as custodians. The birds offered us but trinkets, toys for our service. Yet they can offer us so much more. We are but children, to them. They will use us as they see fit--all of them would. Do not repeat this!"

This, Dragon said very seriously, giving Desire a stern look, dark eyes wide with solemnity. "For if they know that we know, they may kill us. We might represent, then, a threat to them. We must remain silent, and we must watch. I do not know why the flowers wished our aid, nor why it was you who was brought to me--but I tell you all of this so that you may know. And, perhaps, survive... and learn. I will be in the cave of swamps, should you seek me. Should you learn anything, I would be glad to know of it. It is only together that we might survive."

Nothing particularly had prompted this speech, either--it certainly was unrelated to the damn flower. But somehow, Dragon felt that this snake--pure white as she was, and curious, intelligent--deserved to know. Perhaps it was because they had been, if even for a short time, in one another's minds. Because their thoughts had touched. Perhaps she could even do something with the knowledge that he was giving her.

@Desire