Layla's tail and paws flooded his vision as the pair of spotted cats made their way to her birthplace in Cetus Cave. She'd offered to introduce him to Dragon, an alligator, an old one. He knew the risk, that this old one would remember the old Him, but for Layla, such a wonderful new friend to have, he'd make the sacrifice. They left his comfortable home in Pisces and travelled through freezing tunnels to get here. Now there was no turning back.

He'd probably get lost if he tried, honestly. Cetus was nothing like his waterfall cave, bigger than he'd ever imagined it'd be; or so it felt, wandering through endless mist as Layla led the way. He guessed she knew the way like the back of her paw; just as he knew his way around Pisces now. He felt no discomfort from following her, though he wondered what else lurked in the mist with weary apprehension.

"Is it very much farther?" He asked, skipping a step to catch up and fall in step beside her. "The ground is getting soggy. It keeps grabbing my paws." His complaints weren't soured by his tone of voice, which sat at a fairly happy medium. He found it hard to feel grumpy in the company of someone so positive.

He would come to later wonder if anyone else found the she-leopard so entrancing as that.

^{@Layla @Dragon}

The journey was only about an hour long. Using her light to illuminate the darkest parts of the tunnel, Layla knew the way back easily. She made her way through the marshy area, checking back every once in a while to make sure her new friend was still with her. So far she had two, and that was good enough. But Maybe even Carcino would be enough. She liked him, quite a bit already.

No!

She had made a vow to not be like Dragon's other friends, to always stay true to finding answers. But deep down, Layla knew she would end up like the others. She knew that eventually, she would stray from her quest for knowledge. But the cub didn't know it yet. So far, it was just fun and adventure, and a thirst for things most did not know of. Recognizing more familiar markings, Layla saw a few remnants of her chrysalis.

"Her Carcie, this is what I hatched out of! Or what's left of it." Layla said, pawing at the smoky red rock. "It's not far. In fact, I bet Dragoon could hear us if we yelled loud enough." Layla suggested, before letting out a loud call.

"DRRRAAAAAGGGOOOONNNNNN!"

@Carcino
@Dragon

Dragon lifted his heavy head from where he lay near the Heart. He was, as he often was, lying shallowly in the black water near the half-rotted pile he often left for Aquarian, waiting for scavengers--the rats, the birds--to come pick at it. There was always the carrion-seeking creature that would come too close, one he could then snag by lunging up from the lake... and then add it to the offering pile.

So he listened in the pitch black, lightless dark--listened for a skittering, or a sniffing or a rustle of wings--

"DRRRAAAAAGGGOOOONNNNNN!"

He snorted. He recognized the voice, at least--it was the young, fluffy thing he had broken free of its shell just a day or two ago--had it been only that? or was it longer?--the one who'd liked fish.

Was it in danger?

His bull alligator fatherly instincts kicking in, Dragon shoved up in a spray of water and began to charge through the swamp in a mad rush. It was relatively familiar land, but even so, with the dead lights, he several times managed to crash down into the narrow channels of water, or shove through muddy embankments in sprays of dead reeds and dirty water.

When he saw the glow ahead he rushed forward, summoning up his magic in an attempt to cast a gout of flame overhead, to further illuminate the situation.

If something was attacking the cub, he wanted to see it.

His arrival was heralded by the three-meter plume of fire spewing into the air over the cats' heads, and then he paused, eyeing the two. Quickly, he jammed his jaws into the water, a hiss of steam signalling a soothing of the maw-searing pain of his spell. He then lifted his head again, staring.

"ARE YOU HARMED?" he bellowed at once--straight to the point.

@Layla ; @Carcino

Layla stopped their progress to show him shards of green and red stone just like her own and sure enough, she announced quickly that it was indeed the remains of her chrysalis. He eyed the spot she'd been born with a mixture of envy and pity; his own home might've been smaller and less earthy, but this place also seemed endlessly dreary and suffocating.

"I bet Dragon could hear us if we yelled loud enough." Her words broke him from his thoughts with a startled panic. Yelled?

"Wait, Layla, don't--" But his protest came milliseconds too late as the paler cub let loose a yowl that had Carce bending to cover his ears. He winced as he sat back up, opening his mouth to tell her that she hadn't needed to yell like that, when suddenly the mist began to thrash and splash wildly. "What is--" Again he found himself cut off and this time, he wasn't just startled when a flaming alligator came charging out of the murk.

Fire roared inches above his head and he ducked into the muddy ground to avoid its heat instinctively, gasping and cowering even after it burned away into the mist. A savage sounding hiss came from the 'gator as it doused its flames and bellowed to his ward. Carcino simply remained tucked into the mud, not seeming to notice or care that his fur from his elbows down was now coated in the slime and muck. His chin dripped as he raised his head to peer over the scorched reeds at Dragon.

"...is that him?" His voice was meek and quivering with the remains of shock and adrenaline that had his whole body shivering and fur on end.

^{@Layla @Dragon}

It wasn't very long before Dragon came rushing through the marshy area, blowing flame and bellowing.

"I'm fine Dragon! I didn't know where you were, so I yelled for you! I wanted you to meet my new friend, Carcino. He is a snow leopard, like me, but we were wondering why he was all black. Also! I was thinking he could help us!" Layla said, her words rushed and excited and wonder. She thought maybe someone who was around when Carcie was born burnt him, and now his fur was permanently burnt, but she didn't want to be rude.

"Yeah, this is Dragon. He is really nice, he is just intimidating at first. Don't worry, he won't eat you. He had every chance to when I hatched, but instead, he saved me."
@Carcino @Dragon

Dragon peered. He turned his head to and fro, eyeing Carcino with first one eye, then the other. He examined this, cat, and all at once, he recognized him.

Dark eyes widened as he recalled it: the black leopard cub pouncing on him, the glint of its orange gem horns in the dim light of the marsh. The tricks it had played on his body, twisting his blood so that he could not move--its claws raking over hide, paws pressing his jaw shut.

Granted, in the end the cat had apologized, and fled, but it had been rude, and violent, and Dragon had sworn vengeance.

Some day.

With a burst of violent motion he surged forward once more, trying to lunge and pin the cat beneath his bulk. Not so much to hurt him, but enough to hold him down while he spoke. Whether the cat moved out of the way, or not, he let out a low and rumbling hissss, and growled his words.

"Why do you return here? You will not hunt my children."

Never mind that his children were long-gone--and Dragon didn't even consider, at first, why the black leopard had shrunk instead of grown. Perhaps it was a cat thing. He hadn't known all that many of them, after all.

...And even if he did manage to pin Carcino, and the cat didn't move, the alligator would find it very difficult to glare down at him as he'd intended. He just couldn't turn his head that way, and well, his eyes were on the top of it.

@Layla @Carcino