ORIGIN

The draconian's jaws were closed to the lights of Polaris; she followed a well-worn patrol still stained with black threads of slime. The soft sound of drips echoed throughout the tunnel until she felt the constricting walls fall away. She rumbled as she moved, a hearty throbbing sound that rattled pebbles and sent puddles softly vibrating until she was long passed. She knew from the scents rather than the lights that she had passed, for the first time in a long while, into Polaris.

It felt like Nox had spent aeons moving between cetus and Fornax, barely stopping to give any of the other rooms a glance. But she was lonely, her hollow heart aching for cycles to be filled but lacking much of the drive to fill it. She was an instinctual creature- she found it hard to deviate from her paths and routines without spurring. And with no warm feelings or voice to guide her, she had little reason to stray from the paths she had chosen.

It was only when the tunnel was left far behind her that Equinox stopped, still rumbling quietly, and opened her jaws. She peered, pupil waxing and waning in the unfamiliar lights as she peered out, curious. She was here now, but she needed moisture. Purposeful and slow, each limb stretching and compressing like bellows under her weight, she walked on. A soft tinkling sound like falling shards of glass caught her attention, and she realigned to find it- after all, she was still moving towards the river. Every inch of skin and flesh rippled to the sound, heightening it in her mind. Heedless of company, she stepped right over a tiny, sheltered cave, casting her great, black shadow upon it and the young inhabitant within.

Strides long, she strode on, following the sound.

"Speech."

Nox didn't notice she had company at first- so focused was she on her mission. The sound was growing louder, curiosity blotting out any inhibitions. Small tendrils of slime dripped from her belly and renewed her trail- one or two might hit her unseen follower he wasn't lucky.

Step by step, the creature moved- and it might have seemed that she kept on walking forever, her skin writhing and dancing in the shapes of the sound that was her only focus. Finally, she drew to a halt, opening her jaws and picking out a glimmer of light in the earth- though she had no way of knowing, it was a chunk of labradorite. Her neck stretched, leaning closer. From the back of her throat, she peered. Then, after a moment of consideration, the draconian picked it free with delicate motions of her beak, and swallowed it. The sound was plunged into silence as she stored the object away in her gizzard. Never usually a hoarder, Equinox was entranced by the sound, and planned to take the jewel home to Cetus.

It was then, finally, that Nox noticed the clicking of tiny claws, and she let out a quiet rumble, her skin once again trembling. Her head turned upside down before tilting upright again, and she opened her jaws peered beneath her belly, slime pooling beneath her chin on the stone.

Her eye flickered in surprise at the little surprise she'd found there, and she peered at the chick through a red tinted gaze. After a moment's consideration she realized that huddled beneath her, they were in danger of becoming coated in slime. Letting out a worried rumble, Equinox moved aside, exposing him to the light.

"Speech."

Equinox gurgled a shocked sound as the little creature let out a piercing shriek, her skin writhing momentarily like a thousand spikes before settling once again into a softly scaled texture. She kept her jaws open and continued to stare- but this time as the little bird hurried under her again, she didn't move. She continued to ripple, tendrils of slime still dripping onto the ground- comming dangerously close to the already-slimed little bird. She was confused. What was wrong? Why was it hiding? Was there a predator? Had she misinterpreted its shriek?

Nox raised her head and pivoted it slowly, scanning the horizon until she was certain they were safe. No sounds of aggression rippled the surface of her skin. Finally, she swiveled her head back in between her forepaws, staring mystified at the little creature, fearfully eyeing the black stains on their feathers.

Was it... the light?

Her throat contorted, gurgles and the hissing rush of air emerging and coming together in a nearly-alien voice, that was barely recognizable as words.

"Light... Hurtssssss?"


"Speech."

As the little one spoke, the draconian's skin displayed a ripple of understanding. She rumbled softly in her chest, a sound of consideration and concern. She couldn't, of course go thrusting the little one back under the lights again if it hurt them- but at the same time, it couldn't stay under her. Her slime was dangerous- she had to warn the little one. Either way, they were stuck out here; she didn't know where the tiny thing had come from, but she hoped she could get it safely out from under her, and back to somewhere dark.

She blew out of her nostrils with a soft snorting sound, sending small droplets of slime scattering on her breath. "Can't.... sssstay there.... Sssslime dangerous," she murmured softly, raising her head again to take a long, slow look around. The river was close by- and she'd been going there anyway. if she could guide them to the river's edge, they could wash it off. With another rumble of affirmation, Nox tipped her head upside down to regard the peachick.

"Come," she rumbled softly, head returning to its usual position arched above her chest. and then she began to walk again, padding at a slower pace and occasionally lowering her neck to make sure the chick was still in tow. It was good to be vigilant.


"Speech."

When she was certain that the little chick was following- and that it was keeping safely out from underneath her enormous paws, Nox relaxed a little bit, allowing her frequent checks to relax and simply using the rippling vibrations of her belly to figure out where exactly he was. As they neared the river, the soft trembling of her skin reached its crux, until her forepaws sank into the muddy bank and she was finally able to open her jaws and gaze upon the river and its pristine waters. When she was there, she stopped, softly rumbling, and dropped her head to check on the position of the little one.

When she was satisfied, the draconian blew a couuple of droplets from her nostrils and dipped her rubbery beak into the river's flow. Breathing through her nostrils, she inhaled water, sucking in fluid until her throat began to swell.

When she'd gathered up a fair amount- but, not so much as to render herself inflexible, she pivoted her head upside down, and opened her beak- letting a small trickling waterfall fall from her beak and flow steadily back towards the river. Through the haze of the flow, Nox tried to work out if the young one was bathing himself, or even if he was still there.

"Speech."