Welcome to my Home! (DragonSong)

[Kalak8538]

Eihmo'tei took another glance around, and let out a sigh. It was finally the time he dreaded. Looking up at Kiara, he gave a somewhat confident nod. "Rea- Ready..."

He went to climb Kit's black scales when a sudden sound rang out. A few younglings, without anything else to do, were watching the group intently. At this point, it was obvious that the time had come for their guests to be on their way. They honestly did not know Eihmo'tei was leaving again. While the others sat there confused, the one young female (the same that had bitten Kiara's boot the night before) called out "Everyone! Eihmo'tei is leaving!"

Suddenly, the entire tribe flocked over. Gathered around in a crowd around the dragon, they offered their "goodbye"s and "good luck"s and "health"s.

[DragonSong]

Kiara skittered back, a little surprised by the sudden rush of well-wishers, but she paused in climbing onto Kit's back and smiled around at them. "Thank you for having us," she told them, nodding politely. Swinging easily up onto the dragon's back, she leaned forward and asked him to translate.

He nodded and did so, adding as she said it in Common, "We'll bring Eihmo'tei back safe and sound, on our honor."

The children settled into place behind her and Kiara held out her hand to her Zerdani friend, eye glinting. This would be an adventure for both of them. "Let's go."

[Kalak8538]

The Zerdani accepted Kiara's help onto Kit's back. Looking around, his eyes teared up again. He had become quite the celebrity. He waved goodbye to his kin, returning their sentiment. The last eyes he met were those of his elder, who he picked out of the crowd easily from so high up. The tears in the old Zerdani's eyes were as apparent, and just as meaningful as the smile on his muzzle. He remembered what they had discussed last night, how this would be their final goodbye. Elder Takalo had seen over 500 moons (about 38-40 years). He would most likely be dead by the time Eihmo'tei returned. The time spent last night was sacred to them both, and would not easily be forgotten.

With that, Eihmo'tei braced himself for takeoff.

[DragonSong]

Kit ran a few paces from the village before taking to the air. Kiara heard a soft gasp- either from Tala or Perryn- and smiled. There really was nothing like flying on dragonback, and it wasn't something you got used to easily. Even she was awed more often than not, and she'd been flying on Kit since his wings were strong enough to carry them both.

"Alright." She fished out the map and unfolded it, figuring out their position. "It'll probably take us a week to reach Serendipity, if we stop every night," she told her companions, Kit translating for Eihmo'tei.

[Kalak8538]

The youngest of the tribe ran after the dragon. Of course, they could not keep up, but it was fun regardless. Eihmo'tei's gaze never left his people. Even when they took to the air, he never looked away. The burrows were hard to spot, but the rest of the tribe stood out against the desert sand. With every meter they flew, his heart grew heavier. They were nearly out of sight when Kit's translation snapped the Zerdani out of his daze.

"What? Oh. R-right..."

It would be a long time before he would be used to the homesickness. Eihmo'tei took solace in that fact that he would return one day.

[DragonSong]

"Hey," Kiara said gently, laying her hand on her littler friend's shoulder. "We'll have you home before you know it, promise," she said softly, smiling at him.

The children had been leaning back to wave at the Zerdani, but now that they were too high to do so they turned their attention forward. "Don't be sad, Eemo," Tala urged, leaning around Kiara to smile at him.

"I can't believe it," Bibi murmured, looking around at the sky that lay spread out before them. A brilliant smile spread across her face. "We're really free..."

Kiara smiled at her in return, though she kept her hand on Eihmo'tie's shoulder. She was a little worried about him.

[Kalak8538]

Eihmo'tei knew there was always going to be a place in his heart for the tribe, but he decided that it should not dampen his spirits the whole time. He bucked up, and looked straight ahead.

"Thank you, friends I am fine. I am ready to see the "not-desert" now... he said, wiping away his tears.

[DragonSong]

Kiara laughed. "Well, we should be at the edge of the desert by the time the sun sets," she told him, Kit translating.

"Really?" Ras piped up from behind her. "That seems fast..."

She grinned back at him. "You know the phrase "as the crow flies"?" He nodded. Her grin widened. "Crows have got nothing on a dragon."

Kit gave a rumbling chuckle and with a sharp snap of his wings rocketed forward.

[Kalak8538]

Eihmo'tei wondered what it would look like once they left the desert. What made a desert a desert? How much could land change once they left the desert. The sea, which was water instead of sand was already described to him, and that concept was still unthinkable to the Zerdani. That's when he had to ask.

"Kii'arah, is Serenippy close to the sea?"

[DragonSong]

"Parts of it are," Kiara told him. "Actually..." she glanced at the map, then nodded. "Yep. We're gonna be dropping the kids off in Cerenis, which is a coastal town. It's right next to the sea."

Kit translated distractedly, maneuvering around a cloud bank that seemed to have rolled in out of nowhere.

[Kalak8538]

The Zerdani's eyes lit up when he heard that. Finally, he would be able to see this "sea". At least that was something to Look forward to. It excited Eihmo'tei to think about everything he would see on this journey, and all the stories he could tell his people when he eventually got back.

He scanned the landscape below, looking for the exact point where the desert ended. The naive Zerdani believed that the sands would stop suddenly at the border, like it did on the map.

"How much farther to the end of the desert?"

[DragonSong]

"Hmm...probably another hour or so," Kiara told him, peering toward the ground as well. "But there isn't really any tree coverage or anything for a good few miles after that, so we'll probably keep flying until we find a good place to camp."

"Will Kit have to hunt for us?" Bibi piped up from behind her.

That was an excellent question. When Kiara had first packed for her trip to the Moraki, she hadn't planned on have four extra mouths to feed on the return journey. "We'll manage," she said over her shoulder, trying to sound in charge and reassuring.

Though she knew they had a ways to go, she could tell they were nearing the edge of the desert. Scrubby plants were more frequent beneath them, and the dunes seemed to be growing gradually smaller.

[Kalak8538]

Eihmo'tei attention was caught by the word "hunt".

"Kit hunt? Eihmo'tei hunt!" he responded. He hoped his "common", as the elder called it, was improving. Zerdani were notorious hunters, and most were trained as younglings how to track, stalk, and kill/capture their quarry.

"I only need to make a spear! Needs good wood and stones." he said in his language. He did not doubt Kit's hunting skill. Just earlier, he caught and carried a whole sand worm. Eihmo'tei only wanted to feel like he could help out, that he was useful to the group.

[DragonSong]

"Alright then, if you want to," Kiara said, rather startled by his sudden enthusiasm. When Kit told them that the Zerdani needed a spear, Ras suddenly spoke up.

"I can help him make one," he said, Kit translating. "I belonged to a smith for a while. Even with sticks and stones, I know how to fashion a decent weapon. If you want help, that is," he added.

[Kalak8538]

Eihmo'tei was confused by the word "smith". The translation did not accurately come through since he could not get a proper concept in his head.

"A... Hunter? I do not understand." he told the dragon.

"If Ras can make one, we will both have spears! Ras is still young, has he ever hunted before?" The words were directed to Kit, but it was obvious that the Zerdani wanted him to ask Ras on his behalf.

[DragonSong]

Once the question was passed along, Ras shook his head. "I've never really been outside of Essyrn before," he said. "I'm a quick learner, though. Master Vizari said it was my best quality."

Kiara bit her lip to keep her anger in check. "I'm sure you are, but Vizari isn't the authority on you. You are, understand?" She looked back at the boy and he nodded slowly. It seemed it would take more than casting aside their veils to help these children truly understand the concept of freedom.

Kit relayed the conversation to Eihmo'tei, banking into a gentle dive as he did. Kiara glanced over his shoulder and saw they had reached the edge of the Moraki; the dragon was aiming to land on an outcropping of rock where the sand changed to dust and scrubby plants, and where there was probably a cave of something they could use for shelter.

Seemed they'd be making camp sooner than she'd thought.

[Kalak8538]

"I will show you! Once you make your spear."

They began to lose altitude now, with a noticeable feeling in the little Zerdani. Below, there was more dense plant life, like there was back at the river. However, it did not seem like there was any water around. There was more rock here than sand as well. Such a slight change in scenery was still a lot to Eihmo'tei, who had been born and bred in the soft sands of the Moraki.

"So many plants... and rocks... Is this the end of the desert?" He asked in his native tongue.

[DragonSong]

Kit touched down and ran a few paces to lose momentum. As he slowed, he twisted his head around to nod an affirmative at the Zerdani.

"We're officially out of the Moraki now," Kiara said, jumping off the dragon's back and then reaching up to help her smaller companions dismount.

[Kalak8538]

The area looked more... different... when they were on the ground. So this is what the edge of the desert looked like. Although it was not as fantastical as the Zerdani originally thought it would be, it was still new.

He threw himself from Kit's back, landing hard on the rocky terrain below. It hurt, but there was no real damage. Eihmo'tei's pain was masked by his excitement in his mind. He wanted to take a look around. There were different plants here, and more of them. He made sure not to stray too far from his companions, although the urge to explore a larger area was great.

[DragonSong]

"Hey, don't wander too far," Kiara called after him, brow furrowing slightly. "I promised your tribe I'd look out for you, and I won't have you make a liar of me."

She was mostly teasing, but being in charge of her five smaller companions was beginning to take it's toll on her. She wasn't used to being the "responsible adult" figure. In fact, she was usually the one giving the "responsible adult" the finger and running away laughing.

She snorted to herself and shook her head. "Oi, Ras, why don't you go with him, see if you can find any materials for those spears you want to make."

The boy nodded and eagerly followed after the Zerdani.