It was when Carja's wings were getting tired that she started to wonder about landing.
She slowly tilted down and circled around as she descended, trying to figure out how to land without hurting herself. Blight said the water would be better to land in...

Carja drifted down and flapped a few times to slow down, before splashing into the water, head going under for a moment. She reared it up and snorted, legs kicking out instinctively as her wings flapped weakly, tail thrashing behind her as she doggy-paddled towards the shore, breathing quickly as her legs pumped. She stopped after a few moments, already tired, floating as best she could, hoping nothing under the water wanted her as a snack.

"Bliippthh!!" she crowed, calling out to her friend, still not quite sure on how to say Blight's name, but getting better with practice.

Her head tilted up to peer at the dragon as he flew overhead, and she started to paddle again, aiming for the shore, tail flicking to try and assist her slow swimming.

@Blight

The moment she faltered, the instant he dipped, he was sweeping down beside her--keeping level, encouraging her with quiet words. "You can land, I'll get you--just stay calm. You're doing good! Glide, don't flap, glide down... Put your feet down..."

Blight's feet were not the hook-taloned, grasping toes of a bird of prey, so he knew that he would need to be very, very careful. He circled back around, bringing both feet down below the water's surface--wings pumping against the increased drag, tilting upward to compensate. He attempted to dip them beneath the smaller dragon hatchling's body, to pull her up from the water and sweep her over to deposit her safely on shore.

@Carja

Carja felt something under her and squeaked, head snapping to look, before realizing it was Blight. She latched onto his claws and hung on as she was taken out of the water, soaking wet and not really liking the feeling. Better than crash landing.

She hopped down when they got to the shore and shook herself off, water flying every which way as she stumbled, before sniffling and turning to Blight, tail wagging.

"Did it!!" she said happily, springing to the side to toss her head and bounce around in joy.

She shook off as much water as she could before snapping out her wings, ready to try again. She wiggled her bum and took a running start, flapping as hard as she could, feet leaving the ground a few times before she caught air finally and flew upwards, her wingbeats clumsy, but not as much as before. She crowed out and shakily turned around, fluttering around Blight like a drunk butterfly before crashing into his shoulder and sliding down his wing and tumbling to the ground.

Carja popped up immediately after and giggled, so excited that she could barely contain herself.

@Blight

He did not land, yet--first gently depositing the child, then lifting off to carefully land himself a few yards further on. Then he settled--he hadn't had much of a rest, climbing up the icy tunnel, and only now was he at last able to sprawl out across the shore, wings half-spread to take in the warmth of the light above. He watched Carja, as he did, content in her success.

"Good!" he encouraged, enthusiastically (and caught up in her own excitement) at her 'Did it!!' He was already somewhat attached; her attempts to say his name, while complete failures, were absolutely adorable. "I can show you how to fish, if you want? There's silverlings--uh, silver fish--right near the shoreline, there. I just--need to rest a minute, first," he added, trying not to be embarrassed by his own weariness.

@Carja

Carja waddled back over to Blight and nodded happily, settling herself down under one of his wings. She started to dig into the sand, making a divet in the ground, before curling up in it and burbling happily, patting her paws on the ground as she drew different shapes in the sand.

She yawned and shook her head, her stomach rumbling and reminding her that rest could come after her belly was full. And so she waited (im)patiently for Blight to catch his breath, shuffling a bit to get comfortable before finally settling down against the bigger dragon.

After a while, she stood up and trotted away, nose to the sand as she searched for something to do. She found a rock and started batting it around like a cat would, entertaining herself while the elder reptile rested.

@Blight

It took several long minutes for the dragon to regain some of his energy. Blight offered Carja a nudge when she was close--brief, friendly.

He could feel, already, that he'd need a good long sleep tonight--he'd worn himself out--but for now, there was still one trick to teach the young one. At last he pushed up and turned, plodding for the water's edge.

"Okay, fishing--ready?" he asked, glancing back. He stretched, again, preparing his wings--they were sore already--and then thundered into a low flight over the breakers. A bank, a spin, and he sped up: sweeping parallel to the shore, coming up alongside where Carja was. "Watch!" he called out, and then dipped lower--wings half-folding as his lithe body swept beneath the surface.

He'd seen the silver shapes, glittering as they darted to and fro, and his open jaws got lucky: snagging one almost at once. He dipped back up, momentum carrying him back into the sky, and flapped hard to regain speed.

When he came to shore the fish was dead--crushed in his jaws--and he deposited it in front of Carja.

@Carja

Carja immediately whipped around to face Blight, and planted herself down to watch the other dragon eagerly. She cooed as he took flight, her own wings flapping weakly as she watched him dip down and disappear under the water.

She gasped and ran forward, skidding to a stop at the edge, waiting for him to surface. She fell back, startled as he breached the water, and made a noise of awe, stepping back to give him space to land.

Carja raised her wings and slapped the ground excitedly when food was placed in front of her and got to work tearing it apart, eating as much as she could before picking up the rest and placing it down in front of Blight. She licked her lips and looked up at him expectantly, nudging it closer as if to tell him, Your turn!.

She sat down and tucked her wings in, tail wagging gently.

@Blight

Blight gave a quiet laugh. He dipped his head down, sniffing the fish. "Thank you," he said, and then snapped it up and ate what remained.

He then turned, glancing around and curling up on the pebbled shore. "I can take you to meet Dad and Dad-Dad some time, if you want. I need to rest my wings now, but--maybe after? Do you--wanna sleep? Are you tired, or anything?" he asked. Blight was uncertain just how much sleep Carja had actually got on the trip up here--if she was fully rested and ready to be a kid, he might have to stay awake and watch her. But if it had been the tip of a snoozing iceberg, maybe he could get some rest--he really wasn't sure.

He didn't really mind, either way, either; he'd take his cue from Carja.

@Carja

Dad and Dad-Dad? Who were they?

Carja tilted her head questioningly, before nodding. She wanted to meet Dad and Dad-Dad! If they were anything like Blight, she was sure she'd love them too.

The dragonet was surprised by her next yawn and blinked up at Blight before making her way towards him and snuggling up and under his wing, curling up against his side before setting her head down and licking her lips gently, getting the rest of the fish off of her mouth.

"Sleepy," she mumbled softly, eyelids starting to droop.

@Blight

"Sleep, then," he encouraged--quietly, warmly; and then he curled his head around Carja. He was not anywhere near as large as Dad, or Dad-Dad, but he was still far larger than this hatchling, able to carefully shield her with a wing and head, and tail, as he himself curled up to sleep. If anything came, it'd have to go through him first.

Blight intended to stay awake--to keep watch--but in moments his eyes had slipped shut, and the tired dragon succumbed to sleep.

@Carja
exit Blight?