Welcome to my Home! (DragonSong)

[Kalak8538]

The Zerdani released his grasp to reveal a piece of primitive jewelry. It was crudely made, even for the Zerdani tribal standard. It was only a short length of twine with three wooden beads wrapped onto it.

He looked up, eyes meeting Kiara's. "Eihmo'tei... Okay..." he said with a slow nod. A single tear rolled down his fuzzy cheek as he did so. "Tire..."

Then he grasped the jewelry tight, before putting his weight against Kit's side.

[DragonSong]

"Oh..." Kiara's hands fluttered, unsure what to do. She settled for leaning back against Kit next to him and putting her arm around Eihmo'tei. "Get some sleep," she said quietly, curling protectively around him.

Tala shifted in her sleep and Kiara reached out to lay her free hand on the girl's shoulder. Her eyes closed slowly.

[Kalak8538]

His eyes closed, but Eihmo'tei did not rest. Not yet, at least.

He knew it would be a long time before he returned again. He was glad to show his kin that he was still alive, and to say his goodbyes. That weight was finally off his chest. However, being home again after his journey also rekindled his love for his simple life here. Leaving again would be hard, but he remembered what his elder had told him.

Without curling up first, he slowly drifted into sleep. 

[DragonSong]

"Kiara? Wake up, Kiara."

With a groan, she blinked herself back to consciousness. Bibi and Pereyn were leaning over her, Tala and Ras visible behind their peering faces. It was still dark-ish, but she could tell darn was near. "I'm up, I'm up," she muttered, pushing herself off of Kit's side. The dragon snorted and grumbled in his sleep.

She prodded Eihmo'tei gently. "Hey, up and at 'em."

[Kalak8538]

Eihmo'tei gradually regained consciousness. Once his sight returned, he saw that it was still early. Dawn's first light had not yet come over the dunes. He wondered why they had all arisen so early.
Getting up from his unusual sleeping position, the tired Zerdani delighted in the fact that he still held his little treasure.

"We... go? now?" he asked in choppy common. He hoped they would not go so soon, but if it was time to depart, then it was time, and he would accept it.

[DragonSong]

Kiara shook her head, giving him an encouraging smile. At least his Common was becoming more understandable. "We should eat before we leave," she said, reaching for her back and diving up travel rations among her companions. "Plus Kit is still asleep."

She thumped the dragon's flank and he grunted, cracking open one golden eye to glare at her.

[Kalak8538]

Eihmo'tei let out a wide yawn. He refused the rations handed to him, but returned the smile. He had eaten enough during the celebration last night.

Instead, he started off in a seemingly random direction. "I will be back!"
He did not know how to say that in Kiara's language.

His destination was actually his home burrow. There was something he had to do before leaving.

[DragonSong]

Kiara blinked, once again simply watching him run off. "What?"

"He said he'll be back," Kit yawned, arching his back and shuffling his wings. Looking to the rising sun, he added, "I'm hungry. I'm going to hunt."

Kiara quirked an eyebrow but didn't argue. It had been a few days since he'd eaten. "Be back in an hour," was all she said.

He snorted an affirmation and took to the sky, the gale caused by his wings buffeting her and the children.

[Kalak8538]

The wind from the dragon's wings loosened some sand from the closer of the dunes. Slowly, loose sand rolled down, burying the burrows that were dug into their bases. One of which, was Eihmo'tei's.

Feeling the ground inside his hole shake, he knew the great dragon had taken off. He was skeptical. Why would the dragon fly off? Kiara and the others knew he was coming... right? Although he probably DID come off as hesitant... he had to make sure his friends were still there.

Going to the entrance, sand suddenly began to fall and fill his "doorway". This happened every so often, but it was not what the little Zerdani needed right now. He needed to get outside as quickly as possible and check that his companions were still around. He started digging his hole out as he had done countless times before, although this time, it was at a more rushed pace.

All around, Zerdani were doing the same. The Zerdani were excellent at digging, being that their homes were burrows dug in sand. The ones who were not buried in their homes came out of their holes now. Some wondered about what happened, others were grumpy after not getting enough sleep. Some knew where the holes of others were, and assisted in the effort to re-dig the entrances.

[DragonSong]

"Oops," Kiara muttered, going to the nearest hole and helping the Zerdani excavate his home. "Sorry about that," she said with a smile.

Glancing over her shoulder, she saw her young charges were offering similar assistance to the others. Her smile grew a bit. Sweet kids.

She looked around for Eihmo'tei, wondering if his little errand had been completed.

[Kalak8538]

Kiara's apology was only met with angry chittering and fist shaking from the disgruntled resident of the hole. Perhaps it was best that she could not understand exactly what it said. The hot blooded Zerdani then popped back inside, needing to clear the excess sand from his home. The children seemed to have better luck, as kinder residents thanked them for their assistance (Ras even recieved a lesson on how to dig more efficiently).

Eihmo'tei threw the last remaining sand from the entrance of his burrow and peered outside. Kit was nowhere to be seen. The Zerdani was nervous, at least until he saw his other comrades spread throughout the community. He let out a sigh of relief. They had not left him.

Still, he could not help his curiosity. He called to Kiara,  "Kii'Arah! Where... Kit?"

[DragonSong]

Kiara smiled, relieved to have found her little friend. "He went to hunt." She made her hand "fly", then swoop down to grab a small stick from the previous night's bonfire. "Food," she said, then added- because this seemed to be a word Eihmo'tei had picked up easily, "Kit hungry."

The children drifted over to them, sandy and smiling. Kiara chuckled and began brushing them off.

[Kalak8538]

It seemed the entire village was awake and about, drawn out by the commotion. The elder joined Eihmo'tei and their strange guests. He was successfully able to translate and teach his younger tribesman the words "Fly" and "Hunt" and "Food".

"All... leave soon?" The inquisitive elder questioned. His eyes were squinting in the morning light.

Eihmo'tei interjected. "Elder Takalo, I believe when Kit comes back..."

The elder's eyes never left Kiara's. He wanted to hear the response from her.

[DragonSong]

Kiara met his gaze steadily. "Yes," she replied. Gathering the children to her, she continued, "These little pests need to get to their new home as quick as possible. If I'm the one looking out for them, I'm gonna do the job right."

The children squirmed slightly and made faces when she called them pests, but honestly they seemed a little sad to leave the Zerdani village.

Kiara was too, if she was being honest with herself.

[Kalak8538]

"Takalo... know... Kii'Arah traveller. Eihmo'tei tell... Kii'arah travel long way."

The elder grabbed Eihmo'tei by the shoulder, gave him some words in their own language. He nodded in response, and made a desperate effort to hold back some tears. The two looked to the humans now.

"No... have home? Welcome... here. Always... welcome here. Come... any time!"

[DragonSong]

The words his Kiara like a physical blow to her gut. A lump formed in her throat and she swallowed, touched by their kindness. "Thank you," she said softly, bowing her head. "Thank you so much."

The children echoed her sentiment, nodding and smiling around at the couple of Zerdani they seemed to have bonded with.

[Kalak8538]

The elder conveyed to his people what he had told the humans. They responded with nods and cheers. Before too long however, they hesitantly went on with their businesses, off to do whatever it was they needed to do for the day. The elder offered a farewell, and was off as well.

Eihmo'tei beckoned his friends over to the hole that he just had to dig himself out of. The entrance was just big enough for a small child to fit, but it was not his intention for anyone to join him inside. He pointed to the sky, saying "Still waiting for Kit." in his native speech. He then crawled back into the tiny burrow in the sand. 

[DragonSong]

Kiara looked up at the sky, shielding her eyes against the rising sun. She hoped the dragon returned soon, it was going to start getting unbearably hot...

As though her thoughts had summoned him, a thunderous roar echoed through the air and a dark shadow blotted out the sun. Kit spiraled above the Zerdani village, then came in to land several yards away. He must have realized the disturbance his takeoff had created and was attempting to avoid a repeat of the incident.

He strode easily over the sand to where Kiara waited. In his jaws he clutched what seemed to be a juvenile sand worm, which he dropped onto the ground once he reached the five humans. "For the village," he rumbled. "It may not seem like it, but their meat is actually quite good."

Kiara gave him a half smile, reaching up to stroke his cheek. "You old softy," she teased quietly.

[Kalak8538]

Hunters about to set out for their hunt cautiously circled around the sand worm carcass. With their stone spears, they prodded it to make sure it was dead. These were the few that were a little hesitant to accept the newcomers last night. After all, the security of the tribe was also their concern. After it was confirmed that the worm was in fact a gift, they celebrated it. Sand worms, regardless of size, were a difficult quarry for the little Zerdani after all. Now, the hunters also accepted the strangers as friends. As four Zerdani dragged the carcass away, the lead hunter offered his thanks, laid down his spear, and gave a low bow like Eihmo'tei gave the day before. Then he was off to join his brethren.

Eihmo'tei came back into the open, securing his pack. It was just in time to see the worm go by. He knew that a hunt never went that quickly, especially for a sand worm. He put two and two together. "Did Kit bring that?" he asked, rejoining the group.

[DragonSong]

The dragon nodded. "A gift, to thank your people," he rumbled, lowering his head to speak closer to the Zerdani's level.

Then, uncomfortable with admitting he had emotions, he snorted and drew his head back, passing his eyes over their little, ragtag group. "Are we ready to leave, then?" he asked.

Kiara nodded, shooing the children toward him and shouldering her pack. Glancing to Eihmo'tei she said, "Ready? Or did you want to say some quick goodbyes?"