Sniffles, only for a moment, realizes they've not introduced themselves. "Sniffles is my name!"

They let Dragon have the 'floor' for a bit, letting him speak as they gaze at the nest being created. Under the mud, unable to be found by lessers, and perhaps some gembound too. As long as they don't detect the magic underneath. If someone does find it, there will be two (potentially three) angry parents to chase them away.

Sniffles thinks the more the merrier, having a third would be good! However they're not sure how Dragon would feel about it. Having someone so close to their home, so close to their group - and the younglings. Children of Rot is about avoiding these kinds of situations. Staying hidden and staying alive. Away from danger.

"What do you think?" They question to Dragon. "More won't hurt."

@Dragon

"It is because--I am DRAGON," he answered, though the old screech of youth was replaced by a dignified rumble of a voice. With it, however, came the ethereal red wings streaked with black, wings that spread and lifted him gently a foot or so into the air. Their beat, though phantasmal, came with the soft whoomph of air; the horns that curled out and back from his skull, though ghostly, looked distinctly draconic.

He had already stated that his name was a who, and not a what--but he'd always considered himself a dragon, regardless. "And I breathe fire," he added, setting himself back in the mud and allowing the magic to dissipate.

He'd been jealous of Dread, but... in the air, with magic, he'd very nearly caught up with him. And his fire, well--it was almost as powerful.

Almost.

Dragon eyed Yanyue again. "I would not have imagined you to be a dragon," he observed; it was perfectly polite, but he just didn't see it. Maybe it was another sort of dragon altogether? He pondered this, for a moment, then dismissed the thought, easygoing. He glanced toward Sniffles at the question, and then to Yanyue. "By all means. And you are welcome, yourself, to remain with us--if you wish?" He relented, after a moment longer, finally allowing for more than "survival" as an answer--going so far as to explain a little further. "Master Aquarian sleeps in the Heart. Those are the waters, here. We make our offerings to him--food, trinkets; in turn we are under his protection. To an extent." He managed to keep the irritation of that last bit out of his voice.

Aquarian had a tendency to scream and hide when the going got tough.

"Beyond that... Cetus is a safe haven. Few bother with it, and when they do, we defend it. The Children of Rot. We aim to survive where others have fallen." It was in the name, really. Others might die and rot; those who survived were the Children.

"Or you may leave a child with us. We are, I would like to think, very good parents."

Unlike some. Dragon thought of Vargas and all of his maladjusted children, and grimaced to himself. Given how rigid his face was, however, it was barely an expression at all.

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@Yanyue

”A pleasure to meet you both, Sniffles and Dragon!” Yanyue proclaimed earnestly. Yanyue looked fascinated by Dragon’s display of magic. ”Oh, your magic! It’s so-“ they cut themself off with a startled pause. Cool, they had been about to say, a word learned from Diem.

They had not seen Diem since bringing them to the Blacksmith, back when they were in their first cycle. But they never forgot a friend, no matter how briefly they had known that friend.

It was not the memory of Diem that gave them pause, not exactly. Rather, they remembered Diem’s chirping construct of magic. It had looked… rather like Dragon, actually, if Dragon was miniscule. Not only that, but Diem had considered naming the familiar ‘Dragon’, as well.

A puzzlement came to them now, but they tried to mentally shake it off. ”…My apologies, just had a sudden thought. I meant to say your magic is very cool, because it is.” …How could Diem know of Dragon, having come through the Gemini portal? Maybe it was a coincidence, because Dragon was a dragon?

It didn’t fit entirely, really, though… They would ask another time, they decided.

Dragon’s other words caught their attention. ”You have to give him things for him to help you…?” Yanyue was uncomfortable with the very thought, but they had no intention to judge, not knowing this ‘Master Aquarius’.

Yet… ‘To an extent’, Dragon had said. If Yanyue could frown, they would have. As it was, they looked distinctly upset, if quietly so. At minimum, it was rude to take what offers gave but not give back.
However, if survival was what they asked for, and Master Aquarius did not defend them…

It was not their place to make decisions for others. Freedom was different for everyone.

”My magic can be used defensively,” Yanyue offered instead. ”I can form barriers with wind. So long as I stay among the Children of Rot, I will help defend, if needed.”Yanyue had spoken these words in the same way as a promise

They turned towards Sniffles, gaze focused. ”I will give you a piece of my stone now. Is it alright if I travel, after the chrysalises are secured? I will return before they hatch! …Though I am not quite sure how long children take, when made like this. If it is a certain time range at all?”

As they spoke, they focused on their magic. As soon as they paused their speech, a piece of labradorite started to fall off, but Yanyue caught it carefully with their mouth.

Yanyue moved over to Sniffles, placing the stone shard down before the serpentine being. ”Your turn!” they exclaimed, letting their unease drift away and be replaced by awed excitement.

@Sniffles

[Exit]

Sniffles' head turns quickly when they notice Dragon rising above the waters, red wings and horns ethereal in the swampland. They've never seen that spell before! So cool! Sniffles raises their body up a little bit to inspect it - but before they can really look, it ends.

Their many eyes blink in confusion, but Sniffles can only feel a flash of absolute glee when Dragon says it's fine if they add the stone. He speaks about Aquarian, but Sniffles doesn't care about all of that. They let Dragon talk as they wiggle in place, excited to add a new young to the nest if the (hah) dragon allows it.

Their many eyes travel to Yanyue when Dragon offers the nest to them. That magic seems helpful, but Sniffles isn't worried about protecting the clutch. They're sure the nest will be fine. If anyone tries to touch it they'd be stupid to even try.

"I do not know how long it takes." Dragon might know that one - but Sniffles has never had any children.

When the stone is placed in front of them, Sniffles feels giddy again. Another youngling for the clutch! Yes! Something instinctual pulls their magic from within to bring life to the little stone. It will need some time to grow, but the group will be prepared. Sniffles moves the small thing for dragon to put in the mud-nest with the rest of them.

@Dragon

Dragon offered as close as an alligator could to a shrug. "A cycle or so. Usually. Some take longer; some, much longer," he added, his toothy (and permanent) grin briefly matching his tone. "I think they are lazy." But there was humor in it.

"If you wish you may join us 'officially.' But of course you are welcome to simply be here. We do not own the cave; we only defend one another." And survive, of course; but he'd already said that.

He glanced over at the newest stone. It had been granted life now, and obligingly, as Sniffles moved it closer, he nudged it in with the rest.

He gave it enough room to grow on its own. Dragon had no idea what might happen if a bunch of new chrysalises tried to grow close to one another when there was no space to do so--and he didn't particularly wish to find out. So he spread them, carefully covering them with the mud in a thin, insulating layer; then he moved so he was half-covering the nest, and flopped his belly into the mud to rest. It had been a lot of work for him--he was lazy, by nature and by design. It wasn't natural for an ambush predator to be so active, not for long, and he was tired, now.

Of course, his magic might've had something to do with it--but it didn't feel like that sort of tired. More like he needed a few minutes to breathe, that was all.

...Maybe he was out of shape.

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@Yanyue

With everything taken care of, Sniffles looks to the stone still held in one of their mostly-useless claws. They still have one more that they can do -- The more the merrier! Still feeling jittery with excitement, Sniffles attempts to revive the stone.

"One more!"

They say, before burying it near the others in a safe place under the mud. Soon they will be too big to damage, but for now it will be a good idea to keep them hidden.

@Dragon

Children.

Dragon curled over the final stones, ever the protective and vigilant father, but he wasn't on high alert, or paranoid, or the like. No, he was... content.

How long had it been..? Years, he thought. Many cycles, in any case. "It has been too long since the Children welcomed new hatches." His voice was a rumble, his tone, pleased. The look he gave Sniffles was a warm one.

What would they be like-? There was never any knowing, really. Most of his children had turned out wonderfully. Happy, indomitably so, in most cases. Fiery in their heart and soul. Whatever their physical forms, he could hope for that, at least: the heart of a Dragon, flaming and undefeatable.

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exit Dragon; @Sniffles and @Yanyue for their exits!

Sniffles, quite tired now, settles near Dragon and the hatchlings. They've never revived a stone before - and here they did two! Plus the one the other gembound revived - Yanyue. They wonder what all of the gembound will look like when hatched. Maybe serpent-like? There's no way to know with lost stones.

"Soon." They hum, happy with how things turned out.

Soon, if the children decide to stay, the Children of Rot will thrive.

Exit Sniffles!