the very forests will whisper your names

Carja was curled around the chrysali, eyes upon them ever since the first cracks started. Already one child was out, but the other remained.

”Come out, my dear,” she mumbled to it, breathing warm air over it in case the child inside became too cold, ”There are so many who wish to see you.”

She was anxious, ready to meet her spawn, shuffling and shifting restlessly, the nest shifting with her. She was so... excited!

The first child was curled up against Carja's warm flank, soaking up her warmth as he rested, still slightly wet from his hatching. Wings covered the majority of his body, gangly and long, folded up awkwardly with his tail sprawled out behind him.

Vanyel's eyes opened for the first time, blinking blearily against the dim slight of Eridanus, ducking a bit as he took in the sounds around.

He felt a snout against his back, warmth washing over him, and shuddered, arching into it like a cat. As he did, his feet touched the ground and he leaned against his mother, unstable and unused to walking, his eyes large as he stared at his clawed hands.

One step forward, two steps forward. On the second, he tumbled, rolling onto his side and crying out, flailing around. After some wriggling he got onto his front, laying on his belly as he gripped sticks and moss, trying again.

Up he went on all fours, claws digging into the turf as he wobbled, baby fangs bared in a determined grin as he stood for the first time, his wings pressed to the ground as extra support. He'd done it!!

Cracks spiderwebbed across the fire opal, its walls weakening as the child inside pressed outward. With a sudden surge of strength, it gave one final push, and the chrysalis crumbled. Fiery orange shards fell and gave way to the emerging creature, who was already stretching its wings and beginning to float.

Hovering a little less than a foot above the shattered opal, it watched its surroundings with an unwavering gaze. Ten eyes focused on The One Who Was Black and Blue, who resembled it the most in body shape. (Mother? it wondered, a half-formed thought for a word that slipped through its mind before it could grab onto it.) The others watched the rest of the nest, The One With a Stick, and The Small One. They were not unblinking--it would be rather uncomfortable if they did not blink, and they did not like that--but always there were at least four open at a time, taking in the new world around them.

And it was quite a lot to be absorbed, for one who was newly hatched.

Carja gasped softly as Ascent emerged, floating off of the ground. Gently, she reached forward, taking the hatchling into her hands before nuzzling her gently, brushing off bits of chrysalis off the dragon's body.

”Hi baby...” she said softly, ”You're beautiful too, how lucky is that? Two beautiful little babies.”

She thumbed over Ascent's glossy feathers, opening her many wings to fawn over them like she had with Vanyel, watching as Ascent's tail naturally rested in a curl over her back. She was so... adorable.

”Ascent,” she said, ”You are Ascent Lightwing, and I am Carja Voidwing, your mom. And that little ball of goodness is Vanyel Songwing, and that right there is Talys.”

Carja set her back afloat and pushed her in the direction of the two, craning her neck to bump against Talys' chest, ”Aren't they perfect?”

Vanyel looked up at Talys and reached out, grabbing Talys' hand as he slowly wobbled onto his back feet. He flapped wildly, hissing as he struggled to get his balance with his massive wings in the way, and hunched forward, puffing a bit with his wings spread out to either side.

There was a fuzz of black, curly hair atop his head, not nearly as curly as his magic-giver's, but enough that there were swirls all over his head. There were two bald spots near his temples, with small bumps suggesting horns, and two more on his lower jaw. His mismatched eyes, one of Talys' brown, the other of Carja's neon blue, looked up at the elf, his tiny claws hands bunched up in the man's own.

”... Hi,” he said softly, lifting a hand to gnaw at his fingers, blinking slowly with his thick, long lashes.

The child felt the Black and Blue Dragon's soft touch on her feathers, and decided right away that this was good. Downy feathers ruffled as Ascent leaned their head against Carja's--Mom's--hands, before they were sent floating back to their sibling again.

"Mom," they blurted, drifting back in a flurry of clumsily flapping wings. It was slow going, with their feathers still unfledged and rumpled from their chrysalis, but they were making progress. Their tail flicked toward the ones with dark skin and no feathers. "Vanyel Songwing. Talys." Several blinks. "Why--I don't look like you?"

@Carja

”Don't you?”, Carja said softly, cradling Ascent in her hands, bringing her up to nuzzle her once again, ”My sweet little girl... you have my eyes. All of them.”

She stroked along closed lids and lifted one of Ascent's hands, holding them up to her own, fingers splayed, ”Our hands are the same shape, and padded. Your talons may be gold, but they're as hard as mine, and sharp.”

She flicked her tail out and flared the fins, ”And our tails are the same, though yours are covered in feathers. Your stone-giver was white and feathery, beautiful like yourself. But then again... looks aren't everything. I can't wait to see who you'll become, my dear.”

She looked over to Vanyel and smiled, watching her boy connect. Warmth flared in her chest and she preened, her scales raising along her neck like feathers. It felt like a hole had been filled.

Vanyel gripped Talys's hands, legs as wobbly as a newborn foal's. He peered at his life-giver's hands and then up at him, his mismatched eyes scanning his face, head slightly tilted.

”Like me?”, he mimicked, speaking with the slightest lisp, as there was a gap in his two front teeth.

He smiled and hopped up and down with excitement, cooing as he watched Talys's hand heat up, eyes sparkling. He wanted to do that!!

His magic flickered and his hands heated up slightly, but they cooled before anything could happen. He pouted and looked up at Talys, frowning.

”Jewel-lery?”, he said, wondering what that was.