Welcome to my Home! (DragonSong)

[Kalak8538]

"Life... easy here. Life... good here. Human life... hard... and cruel. Takalo do not want for Zerdani. For any tribe."

He sat down in the sand. Giving a chuckle, he continued on.

"Takalo... never miss it. Takalo never... stop Zerdani... from leave. Zerdani do as will.  Takalo only hope... Zerdani come back."

He gestured for Kiara to join him.

[DragonSong]

Slowly, she sank onto the ground next to him. Looking around, she murmured, "I suppose I can see how you would feel that way."

Kiara ran her hand through her hair and sighed. "But...Eihmo'tei wants to come with us. And I will do everything I can to bring him safely home again, I promise." She met the elder's gaze. "Will you let him go to Serendipity?"

[Kalak8538]

"Takalo know. Takalo... never want... stop Eihmo'tei."

Tears began to well in his eyes, yet he smiled.

"Takalo call Kii'arah here... ask Kii'arah... protect Eihmo'tei. World dangerous. Humans dangerous. Eihmo'tei young... need guide."

Reaching over, the elder put a paw on Kiara's lap.

Kii'arah promise Takalo. Protect Eihmo'tei. Make Eihmo'tei safe."

[DragonSong]

Kiara laid her hand over his paw, moved and feeling somehow very solemn. "I- Kiara promise," she said, nodding. She met his eyes and smiled. "Eihmo'tei safe with Kiara. And Kit." She nodded her head in the dragon's direction.

[Kalak8538]

The elder rose, putting all of his weight on his staff as he did so. Once on his feet, he gave Kiara a friendly hug.

"Takalo trust Kii'arah."

Releasing her, he beckoned Kiara and slowly continued on towards the rest of the tribe.

"Takalo say goodbye soon. Takalo see... too many moons. When Eihmo'tei return, will be new elder..."

By the bonfire, the Zerdani were laughing, playing, and sharing food with their visitors. Some had even gotten their instruments out. These drums and rainsticks were as crudely made as everything else they had, yet they were effective. Some Zerdani even danced to the beat in their own tribal fashion.

[DragonSong]

Kiara watched him go, suddenly saddened. He seemed like a sweet old man...fox...whatever. She shook her head and stood, walking to Kit's side.

"Is there a problem?" the dragon asked quietly. She murmured, "No," and began to explain her surprising conversation with the elder.

As she talked, she saw the children nodding and clapping along to the Zerdanis' music and she smiled. Bibi had also now removed her veil, and suddenly she and Perryn were on their feet, laughing and spinning and stamping to the beat.

[Kalak8538]

The elder again took his place by the fire. He enjoyed that his visitors were having a good time among his tribe. Then he looked to Eihmo'tei, still smiling, but with sadness in his old eyes. Eihmo'tei picked up his elder's thoughts immediately. He could not help but to wonder where he and Kiara had disappeared to, and what had happened between them. He moved in close to ask her, but was cut off by an announcement from the elder:

"My brothers and sister Zerdani! Let us perform "The Song" for our wonderous guests!"

All of the Zerdani stopped what they were doing and quickly got into positions. They all seemed excited about what was about to happen. Even Eihmo'tei's eyes lit up in silent anticipation for what was coming. His tail wagged back and forth in excitement.

Some Zerdani started up with soft vocals, then another joined in with a rainstick. Soon, the elder began singing in a voice probably unfitting his age just as the drummers started. Soon, about half the tribe had joined in, each contributing their own vocals or drum beats to the harmony. Some others started a synchronized dance in circles around the bonfire.

[DragonSong]

Kiara was enchanted. Even Kit simply sat in awe, watching the celebration unfold around them. Bibi and Perryn stepped back to watch, smiling and swaying to the beat. Tala slowly reached up and undid her veil, letting the fabric fall to the sand to reveal her brilliant smile.

Ras, sitting next to Kiara, looked at her with wide eyes. She laughed and began clapping to the beat. As the song began to slow the others drifted to her sides and sat gently on the sand, eyes glinting in the firelight.

To everyone's surprise, Kit suddenly raised his head and let out a sharp, undulating cry that sounded more like the call of a hunting hawk than the roar of a dragon. Kiara looked up at him, eyebrows raised. She hadn't even known he could make that sound.

The dragon dropped his head and shuffled his wings, embarrassed. "I- I'm not sure why I did that," he muttered.

Kiara looked at the Zerdani with a smile, saying, "He's just excited." She pointed to her grin, then gestured to Kit, hoping they hadn't scared their hosts.

[Kalak8538]

The sound was surprising, but the song did not falter. There was a smile on their little faces though. Those who were not occupied gave their own choir of giggling, laughing, and cheering. The performing Zerdani started up again strong, their song reaching a crescendo. Now the celebration was in full swing. Even Eihmo'tei added his voice to the rest of his kin's, not with words, but with sound alone. The sandy dunes themselves seemed to ring with music.

As slowly as it rose, the melody fell again. The song reached its diminuendo, and all was calm again. Once the song ended, every Zerdani began cheering.

[DragonSong]

Kiara and the children clapped and cheered along.

"That was wonderful!" the young woman said, leaning down to speak to Eihmo'tei. Kit rumbled an agreement, translating the sentiment.

"Eemo!" Tala excitedly grabbed at his arm, smiling. "Thank you." Her eyes were shining with excitement. "Thank you," she repeated. She looked around at her fellow ex-slaves and Kiara.

Kit shifted, curling around his human companions and laying his head on the sand. "Your people are interesting," he said to Eihmo'tei, nudging the Zerdani with the tip of his nose.

[Kalak8538]

"They are, aren't they..." responded Eihmo'tei with a bit of sadness to his tone. "leaving again is not easy..."

Perhaps he had underestimated his simple life amongst the Zerdani tribes. He looked around, seeing his kin as if he would never see them again. His eyes became glassy, the tears reflecting in the roaring fire. The crowd was wild. Each Zerdani seemed to be doing something different, and had a lot of energy to do it with. The elder, being the voice of reason, again interjected. The crowd was silent.

"Brother and sister Zerdani! Be mindful! The humans need rest for their journey. The celebration should not linger too much longer.

With the calm, Eihmo'tei remembered something. "Kii'arah, you disappeared with elder Takalo. Why?"

[DragonSong]

Kiara hesitated, unsure what to tell him. She settled for a half truth, saying, "He asked me to make sure you stay safe."

As Kit translated she got the children's attention and said with as much authority as she could muster, "Alright, get some sleep. We've got a long couple of days ahead of us."

[Kalak8538]

The crowd of Zerdani began to thin. There were some stragglers, those who were still not satisfied with the limited interaction. Mostly, they were younglings, not yet escorted away by parents.

Eihmo'tei seemed a little incredulous of Kiara's answer. "Kit was here. Were you able to understand him?"

In the distance, Elder Takalo watched with anticipation of her answer. Although elderly, his large ears were still able to pick up the conversation, and he understood both parties.

[DragonSong]

"Ahhh..." Kiara hedged, glancing from the Zerdani to her dragon, who was ushering their young charges to sleep under his wing, curled close to the warmth of his belly. She hadn't even told Kit yet about the elder's surprising revelation.

"He...well..." Normally she was a very good liar. But meeting Eihmo'tei's eyes, she just couldn't do it. "He speaks a little Common," she admitted finally.

[Kalak8538]

Eihmo'tei could not believe it. Not entirely anyway. Even Kit seemed surprised as he translated it. He looked to his elder who, in response, let out a long sigh. His secret was out. Walking over to them, the old Zerdani began.

"It is true young one..."

Eihmo'tei almost felt betrayed. There were so many things he wanted to ask, but the only thing to come out of his mouth was "How?"

"Come, I will explain it to you." said the elder, putting a paw on his shoulder. He looked up at Kiara. "Thank you. Kii'arah... honest. Made good choice."

Hearing Kiara's language coming from his elder's muzzle was all the proof that Eihmo'tei needed. He was hurt that such a secret was kept from not only him, but from all the rest of the Zerdani. Eihmo'tei remembered back when this same Zerdani that stood next to him telling him that there was nothing beyond the tribes and the desert. Now he spoke human language? He needed more information.

The elder led, and Eihmo'tei followed. Now, the party was alone. All the Zerdani had disappeared into their burrows. The fire began to get smaller as it burned through its fuel. It's crackling and popping the only sound that could be heard...

[DragonSong]

Kiara felt a little guilty that she has told a secret the elder had kept for so long, but it seemed she'd made the right choice. She sighed and climbed up onto Kit's back, sprawling over his neck.

"Care to explain?" the dragon asked with forced calm. She rubbed her eyes tiredly, peering over his shoulder to make sure the kids were settled in before explaining her odd conversation with Takalo.

Kit snorted smoke, shaking his head. "Poor kid," he muttered, looking to where Eihmo'tei had followed the elder.

[Kalak8538]

The two Zerdani were talking by the elder's burrow, the same place where he took Kiara. They talked quietly, being respectful to everyone. It seemed like the elder was explaining the same things he explained to Kiara. However, Eihmo'tei was not taking it as well as she had. He seemed flustered and, perhaps a bit angry, at what the old Zerdani was saying. He beckoned for Eihmo'tei to enter the hole, and the two disappeared into the desert sand.

[DragonSong]

"Well that doesn't seem promising," Kiara murmured. Kit snorted an agreement. She sighed and shook her head. She was tired, she'd admit, and she really should get some rest before they started travelling the next day.

But she was reluctant to do so without knowing the outcome of this conversation. So she settled in to wait.

[Kalak8538]

After nearly half an hour, Eihmo'tei emerged from the burrow alone, and walked back over to his companions. There was a troubled look on his face, and he had something clutched in his paw. He seemed lost in thought.

Without a word, he took his place in the sand next to his youngest companions. He did not even notice that Kiara was still awake. Instead of curling up, like he normally did when it was time to sleep, he simply sat. His attention was on whatever was in his paw

[DragonSong]

Kiara and Kit exchanged a look as the Zerdani settled in. Moving slowly so as not to wake the children, the young woman slid down the dragon's flank to land lightly on the sand beside Eihmo'tei.

"You okay?" she asked, touching his shoulder gently.