Homecomings [MadEmperor] [M]

[DragonSong]

@MadEmperor

[Continued from here

"M" for minor discussions of previous abuse]


It only took about a day to get from the foothills into the mountains proper, but even with just that day of travel the change in the land was palpable. The trees grew hardier, the ground rockier, even the scrubbrush was tough and clinging as opposed to the deep, leafy ferns of Serendipity or even most of Connlaoth. A wind was blowing in from the north, carrying the chill and scent of the tundra with it.

Home.

River was practically a pup again, constantly darting off the path to sniff at game trails or particularly interesting plants, romping about through the evergreens and occasionally circling back around so she could play-stalk Kahroan along the trail. It had become something of a personal challenge to her, to see how close she could get to the dragonman before he recognized her presence.

She never got too close--dragons were fairly difficult to sneak up on.

[MadEmperor]

Kahroan couldn't help but laugh happily at her antics. He had never seen her let herself be so much of a wolf before, and it warmed his heart to see her so happy. It was a shame that he wasn't built to frolic with.

Suddenly, he released a huff and his mouth formed a muted smirk. "Behind me, to my left."

[DragonSong]

"Damn."

She emerged from some scrubby foliage and linked her arm through his, grinning crookedly. "Thought I might have ya that time."

A sharp wind cut across them and even she shivered a bit, pressing closer to his side instinctively. "Oof. I'd nearly forgotten how chilled even early spring can be up here," she murmured as they walked. To be fair, she wasn't exactly dressed for the weather; since they'd left the caravan she'd stuck to wearing her enchanted clothes that stayed with her as her form changed, and they didn't exactly come with a coat. All things considered, she was significantly more resilient to the cold than a human would have been.

[MadEmperor]

The ice dragonman was quite comfortable, so it took him a moment to remember that she wasn't as cold-resistant as he was. He folded a wing around her for what little protection it offered. He just wished he could do something to warm her.

Guiltily, he said, "Are you sure you're going to be alright? I wish we had thought to buy you a coat or something."

[DragonSong]

"Oh, I'm fine," she assured him quickly. "I grew up in this--though my family spends most of the winter as wolves, usually, if we're not in the cabin. It's just...been a while since I've been back."

She gave his wing a soft, curious look, but appreciating the shelter from the wind and still quietly baffled that he had wings. They had clicked together so quickly, so naturally that she sometimes had brief moments of remembering how very different they really were.

She frowned a bit. "Alright. So. My family. I warned you they may be a bit...protective, yeah?"

[MadEmperor]

"You did." He rumbled thoughtfully. "I feel like you mean more than being suspicious of anyone you bring home."

He imagined her brothers quietly stalking them. Any moment, they might pounce on him and demand to know his intentions towards their sister. She would tell them to back off, but would they listen? He didn't know.

[DragonSong]

"Errr...yeah." She sighed and glanced down, rubbing at the back of her neck. She'd known this was something she'd have to bring up with him since their relationship had begun developing into something romantic, but she still didn't like talking about it.

"They're not—they trust me, but I...I had someone, I mean I was with someone for—for a little while, and it...wasn't good. I hid it from my family because—I dunno really, I guess I thought I'd done something wrong? But then it got really bad, and I finally told them, and—"

She huffed. "They just...they don't wanna see me hurt again, y'know?" Trying to lighten the mood, she said quickly, "I think Storm will take a shine to you, though, he's always been fascinated by dragons." She chuckled a bit.

[MadEmperor]

Kahroan gently squeezed her hand. "I understand. Family is like that. I'll try not to take it personally."

"And Storm will probably be disappointed he can't go on a dragon ride. Or that I actually know very little about being a dragon," he added, lightly amused.

"So... any advice on winning the others over? "

[DragonSong]

"Woof." She laughed lightly, happy to be moving on with conversation. "Well, Sky, my sister, and Shadow have seven pups between the two of them and their mates, so if you can tolerate that long enough you'll have earned their respect for life. Mmm, Mam's a hunter, so she's happy to talk survival skills all day if you let her, Storm loves stories, and Ash is the eternal baby. Oh, and my dad seems scary, but he's a soft touch and he like bunnies."

She crinkled her nose up. "I'm not kidding. He's mad for them—we aren't allowed to hunt them in family pack territory."

[MadEmperor]

He laughed, gaping. "Elba's ashes, that's-- I thought my family was big, and we Yoreiqi have a very open concept of family."

"I mean, we don't bind ourselves by blood. I had two mothers and six siblings, and I can't tell you if any were blood. The connection is what matters."

[DragonSong]

"Oh, I like that," River said thoughtfully. "A pack can be like that, sometimes—just sort of pulling people in when the connection is there. We, ah—"

She paused, abruptly remembering a few rumors she'd heard of Yoreiqi culture that she'd never actually asked him about. "We tend to be a little more...monogamous, I suppose," she said carefully, then hurried to add, "I mean, usually. It's not like, a hard rule or anything."

[MadEmperor]

"Honestly, I never was much for the usual Yoreiqi open relationship. I wasn't really into relationships at all. I find connection... difficult, which is why my mind rebelled against how I felt about you since the first time we fought together." He gave her a fond look. "And, maybe it's the dragon in me, but I can't imagine you not being enough. "

Realizing that dragons mate for life made his expression briefly morph into shock before settling on embarrassment. "Well--that is--I..."

[DragonSong]

"Oh?" That was actually quite gratifying to hear, though she didn't know if she would have expected it to be. Then he was fumbling and stuttering, and she fully processed all of what he'd said. "Oh."

"...Kah?" She paused and reached up to cup his cheek, tilting his face gently toward her to meet his eyes. She smiled slightly. "Me too."

She stretched up onto her toes to kiss him lightly before starting to walk again, faintly flushed.

[MadEmperor]

The dragonman rumbled happily as they continued on, even more like a purring cat than usual.


Icy wind buffeted them as they made their way across a narrow ledge. A single rock came loose by Kahroan's foot, clattering down the mountainside as he held tight to the cliffside. He'd never be able to fly in this weather unless he suddenly became a true dragon.

"Whew. That was close." He silently cursed fate for the rockslide that had blocked the short way to their destination.

[DragonSong]

"Careful!" It was a stupid thing to say, and she knew it, but the word was torn from her anyway. Just in front of him, River was toeing her way carefully along the narrow ledge, checking each step for stability before she rested her weight on her foot. She squinted against the wind, trying to judge the distance from where they were on the ledge to safer ground.

"I don't think it's too much further," she called over the sound of the wind, continuing to pick her way carefully along. "Once we're around that bend we should be able to jump it..."

[MadEmperor]

Being a heavy dragonman did him no favors as he followed carefully behind her. Just because the cliff held for her didn't guarantee it would for him. He told himself to be ready for anything.

The ground cracked under her foot this time. And the broken section shifted to the side, threatening to spill her to her doom.

[DragonSong]

The ground started shifting under her feet, wreaking havoc with her balance, and she yelped, trying to press herself closer to the cliffside. "Get back!" she shouted in warning to Kahroan as the cracks spread, spiderwebbing away from the cliff face in all directions. "Get back, it's not safe!"

A stone beneath her left foot clattered free, and her ankle twisted at the sudden change in stability. In a desperate bid, she tried to fling herself around the bend in the ledge toward the wider section of the trail.

The ledge crumbled away beneath her heel as she moved, and she gave a wordless cry as she fell, grabbing desperately for what was left of the jagged edge of the ledge.

[MadEmperor]

"River!" In a panic, he lunged for her but was forced back by the crumbling ledge. "Hold on!"

As the jagged ledge cut into her hands, Kahroan rammed his claws into the mountainside to create handholds and began to climb sideways. It was agonizingly slow for him, in terror that she would lose her grip at any moment.

[DragonSong]

She couldn't give a proper answer beyond a grunt of acknowledgement as she struggled to heave herself back up onto the ledge. But there just wasn't room--her feet scrabbled at the sheer side of the rock face, trying to find some sort of purchase so she could at least more securely hold herself in place.

The stone cut into her palms, making her grip slick with blood. She clenched her eyes shut and just tried to breathe for a moment, to calm the instinctive panic and think.

[MadEmperor]

Kai give me strength

Kahroan prayed he was fast enough to reach her in time as he climbed over to her. He  reached down for her, urgently calling out, "Grab my hand!"