Callahan had no idea what they were talking about with the 'hunt' or some creature attacking. More questions piled into his brain, but he figured he might save those for later. Plus, Dragon was talking to Sniffles, not him. Sniffles didn't seem to have much to say, so he was happy that his friend still be the focus for some conversation. Maybe he could help Sniffles talk more? Dragon didn't seem to have much issue with talking lots, so maybe he himself wasn't the strange one after all! That would be a lot better if he didn't have to stop his words too many times. That could get difficult, with them all backing up in his head.

"Yeah, counting!" He squeaked, and bounced again. Then maybe he would be able to figure out the hidden mystery of how many teeth Dragon had! Dragon's next words didn't sound quite so exciting. Death. He knew that he didn't really understand it properly, though he had felt it creeping up on him. "I don't like dying," he said, sounding quite solemn for a moment. "Did I get left behind?"

His eyes lit up once more at one word in particular as Dragon spoke of the other things he could teach. He rolled the word around in his mouth. "Magic," he said, then quickly added with a squeak "And everything else too! ...But magic." He felt a subconscious tug and noticed for the first time, the sparkling not-fur patch in his chest. He rubbed a paw over it gently.

The little ferret was so eager to soak up everything, but upon hearing of somewhere safe to rest, he felt his eyes droop once more, and sleep try to pull him in. He let out a yawn. "Not hungry. Sniffles caught me a massive rat! It was huge, and I ate it all!" Maybe not the truth seeing as he could only eat a few bites...was it bad not saying the truth? That was a lesson for another day at least.

@Dragon

Little did Sniffles know, but Dragon's wings were not, in fact, from the Hunt. No, he'd had them for what felt like a lifetime (two whole years); it was perhaps a surprise that the snake hadn't seen them before. The Hunt was not something he'd participated in--it was a rampaging mess that had smashed through Cetus when he'd just been lying about, minding his own alligator business. He'd just tried to stop Draconua. That had, perhaps, been a mistake; but he'd wounded her, at least. It wasn't a fight he'd like to repeat; just as Raheerah had been fun to battle but inevitably beyond him, so had Draconua been. Scary to think that such a creature might still be roaming through the caves.

And if Dragon had known that Sniffles' father hadn't bothered to teach them magic, he'd have rectified that (and been rather taken aback) at once. But he didn't. Septiezal had been a strong fire-user; he'd never have expected him to leave his child wanting for an education. In any case, Sniffles wasn't hungry; and Dragon looked to Callahan.

The child was both enthusiastic and clearly sleepy, and Dragon let out another huff of amusement. It is good to have children around, he thought, again; a swamp house was just not a swamp home without them. Ahh... but serious questions were at hand.

"You were not left behind," he assured the little ferret. "You are here, and you are alive, and if you stick with us for awhile we will make sure you stay that way!" This was loud, booming encouragement. "If you are not hungry, I can tell that you are tired, at least. Sniffles, if you'd like, Callahan can ride on my back--if it is a rest for you. But I can take you both farther in, up toward the Crags, and make sure there are no spiders too close. It is one of the only dry places in the caves, and it's warmer near the lights."

He turned, and as he moved--squelching through the mud to curve an arc so that he could face the distant Crags--it was clear that his right hind leg was damaged. Thinner than the left, lame and scarred and twisted, it left him lurching whenever he pushed off that side. The wings had made it easier for him to travel, but without that option his movements were jerky and laborious.

"If you do not wish to go to the crags, where we can rest, tell me! But if you do, you may climb on if you wish. And we can speak of either magic, or counting, on the way. Which would you like to learn first?" he asked, settling for a moment in the mud so the ferret-child could decide if he wanted to come with, and if so, which all-important lesson he'd like to learn.

He shot a warm glance back to Sniffles. "You will stay with this one, yes?" he asked, hoping they'd answer in the affirmative. They seemed close, already, and Sniffles would undoubtedly be a good guardian against Cetus's massive spiders for the night.

@Sniffles

Sniffles would have taken the sentiment of helping them talk more with good intentions. They most likely would have agreed to it, though they simply could just speak more from the get-go. It's more like they'd been speaking in short bursts for so long they didn't know if they should stop, or how to. It was a habit, essentially. Like talking about oneself in third person.

Sniffles let Dragon answer the questions Callahan had again, they didn't know how to explain things in great detail like he did. At least, not with how they spoke now (once again, the sentiment of speaking more would have come up). Still, Sniffles didn't mind letting Dragon do the talking for now. Callahan needed someone that knew how to explain things well for them to make sense. At least, for it to make sense somewhat.

When Dragon offered to allow Callahan to ride on his back, they moved closer to drop the small gembound on top of his ridges. Riding on their head through the muck was just going to get him more soaked, and it would take ages for the mud and goop to wash out all the way, his fur could get stained! They did notice Dragon's leg, but chose to not say anything about it. Sniffles could always ask at another time.

They turned to watch Callahan through ruby reds and waited for his answer. They'd go where he wanted for now.

@Callahan