ORIGIN

(Backdated To The Beginning Of August, if Possible.)

Garnet-Epsilon

Epsilon had been relatively silent these last few days- since their first encounter with Bloodstone, to be quite precise.

A petty part of it's mind wanted to continue the silent treatment, going back to their younger days of quiet...

But it wouldn't be allowed that luxury for long, it supposed. It had a job to do, directly given or not, and quite frankly Epsilon wanted a reason to be seen as more than just an annoying spawn for once.

So, between it's many patrols up and down the tunnel as they kept watch as instructed, they eventually managed to get the hydra's attention- and gestured for them to follow it when they had time.

This may not last long, but someone had to do something to make the new recruit useful, and by the caves that would at least start with Epsilon. If nothing else they could use this as an excuse to avoid the others for a small time, and to learn how to present oneself as useful to a stranger.

"Bloodstone," they rasp, voice dry and quiet from a while of disuse. An untimely coincidence that they'd address this new one in that way, but it would be changed. "Has anyone told you how to use these yet?" and it flicks its wings out wide, gesturing at the large Gembound as they approach.

@Bloodstone

The hydra had been resting, with Koi and Luci resting while Hellfire kept watch, though his head was drooping a bit, so bored that he was falling asleep. At the sounds of another approaching, he turned, training droopy eyes on Garnet.

Yawning, they stood up, each head rising slowly to face the other, blinking the sleep from their eyes.

"... Hello," Hellfire said, raising a paw to rub his eye, "Um... No. We haven't had time. We've been training."

Stretching out, they raised their wings up high, the undersides grey with speckles orange scales rising from the bottoms and up towards the center of the webbing before slowly disappearing. They flapped once, displacing the dust on the ground, before looking up at Garnet.

"Are you going to teach me?", they asked, shuffling gently.

@Garnet-Epsilon

Garnet-Epsilon

An unamused tilt of the head, and as close to a frown as they can get- They'd honestly look a lot like Hemlock right now if they thought about it, and they speak again, this time a tad stronger.

"You're saying that, during your training, no-one has gone over what could be one of your most useful and destructive attributes?"

A sigh, and they move on, not really expecting an answer as they hop down from their small perch and make their way over to the dragon, peering up at their wings and the scaling.

"And also possibly a massive weak point? I will not teach you to fly," a beat, and a glance down the Tunnel to see if anyone is within earshot, "Not yet, anyway. Not until everything has been secured and we are once again allowed into Canis. You're going to be much too large much too soon, I feel."

They jump and flap, once, sounding like someone had snapped a wet towel if that was a noise that could have existed down here, and they gain enough altitude to be above the hatchling's heads before landing once again, wings wide and acting like a parachute, to make their landing soft.

"I will, however, teach you how to do that, to an extent. Land softly, and not hurt yourself. We cannot," this last word is almost hissed, and another glance up the Tunnel, ears still fixed on the hydra, "Be seen training together unless it is under the guise of you approaching me. Is that understood?"

Epsilon had done this whole small monolouge in a relatively kind voice, but had fallen harsh and serious near the end, their voice almost... fearful.

But they're not disobeying anyone, right?

It's mane fluffs up slightly as they think back to the dragon's hatchday.

@Bloodstone

"What!?", Luci squawked, the grey head pinning their ears, "We- We need to fly!!"

The other two heads hissed and shushed them initially, but didn't protest their latter words. They were desperate to fly. Any attempted ended up with a hurt wing they had to hide or a bruised ego. Their wings were big enough, and they caught the air, but with how they were either guarding the stupid tunnel or being sent off to rest, they couldn't find a lot of time or opportunities to practice. Not to mention training days.

"Please, Garnet?" Koi asked, her beautiful white scales a stark contrast to her siblings' darker tones.

Hellfire nodded gently, hope in his eyes as he shuffled his feet.

Though at the last of Garnet's words, they drooped. Pouting, the hydra shuffled, ears down and eyes averted as they grumbled and growled, claws digging into the dirt. Why couldn't they go out and hunt, or something? Then they could practice their flying and bring back a kill.

"What... if we asked to go out and hunt?", Hellfire asked, wings drooping, "Then we could practice and not have to worry about being seen, and bring back something big and just say it was hard to catch."

@Garnet-Epsilon

Garnet-Epsilon

They can't help the sympathetic wince to wanting to fly- and Epsilon nods, offering some sort of sad shrug in response to the complaint and begging.

"It's not for me to decide, but as I said, I'm willing to offer you a way to figure this out on your own, without hurting yourself. I've seen your landings, Bloodstone. You are heavy, but still young, and will grow heavier yet. Would you like to get into the air and proceed to break a limb, and be left to the Doctor's devices for healing?" Its a clear warning, and threat, and a reminder that Epsilon has no more power than any other Sentinel- if anything, it knows it's at the bottom of the pecking order, under even their hatchmates thanks to it's attempt at helping a few short weeks ago.

But at the offering of an idea... Epsilon hackles up, and looks at the head that had offered it up. "Right now is not the time for pretend folly, especially since we have orders. When this is over, I will have a short time to offer you full advice before I, myself, leave for my assignment. I will allow you that question this once, but asking for things like that gets you punished. You have no need to offer ideas at this stage, you earn that once you've proven yourself." Now this last part sounds like something Epsilon has memorized, what with the nearly flat way they recite it.

"Take the help I offer you, or I can give you nothing. It's for everyone's safety, and the good of the Sentinels. That's the main reason I'm risking this step out of line." Liar. They're lying but unless you know how to read the tiny hybrids sideways glance and flick of it's tail, this seems like the truth.

Epsilon cannot let it's small bias show, and will not fail Commander Hemlocke before they've even began anything.

@Bloodstone

The heads each winced at the idea of being sown up like they'd seen Alpha been. It looked painful, and they had no intention of causing their own untimely demise.

"Okay," Hellfire said, speaking for all of them.

Their ears pinned at the notion that they weren't allowed to ask questions or offer ideas. So far their willingness to prove themselves and be useful has gotten them kicked out and sent on guard duty, or neglected in favor of the other, older, higher ranking Sentinels. They couldn't even have individual names.

"... When-", ah, a question.

Sagging a bit, they sat down heavily, fuming silently. No questions.

This wasn't fair.

@Garnet-Epsilon

Garnet-Epsilon

Blackwing

Garnet-Epsilon

Blackwing

Garnet-Epsilon

Blackwing