Reunion by the Sea {DragonSong}

[Kalak8538]

Eihmo'tei took some long breaths, and allowed his body to relax fully. His nerves settled and allowed the fox the ability to speak calmly.

"There were... the humans..." he began.

"I was in... big box. Big box that moved. Such long time..."

[DragonSong]

"Easy, easy." Kiara wrapped her arms around her little friend and pulled him into her lap, dropping a fond kiss between his ears as she stroked his back gently, as though comforting a child. "Your Common is getting so much better," she praised, hoping the innocuous comment might help his mind settle somewhat.

[Kalak8538]

"I am trying..." the fox responded solemnly.

Eihmo'tei settled down, even to the point that his eyelids began to droop. It was a pleasant feeling to once again be in friendly arms.

"We go to desert... Back south."

[DragonSong]

"You want us to take you home?" Kiara glanced toward Kit, and they both shrugged.

It was certainly quite a distance, but their friend obviously needed the help.

[Kalak8538]

"Good to hear..." the fox responded.

His body began to go limp as his muscles relaxed. His eyes closed, and with the tears that welled in them able to fall finally.

"Big box went to desert, but could not go home. Came here to find you."

[DragonSong]

"Oh, gods." Kiara snuggled him against her chest, letting her cheek rest against the top of his head. "Oh, sweet thing, I'm so sorry. We'll get you back home, I promise."

[Kalak8538]

With that, the little fox passed out. This was the most comfortable rest he would be able to get in a long while.

[DragonSong]

Kit rumbled softly and curled his body around his rider and her friend. With a soft sigh, Kiara let herself relax back against the dragon's side, closing her eyes. Soon enough, she too slipped into unconsciousness, leaving her companion to keep watch as they slept.

[Kalak8538]

Eihmo'tei slept for an extended period of time. The hardship evident in his grizzled appearance had taken quite a toll on the little fox. Much time had passed, and he had been through so much, but now that was all over. Reunited with his friends again, Eihmo'tei was comfortable and content.

[DragonSong]

Kiara woke early, as she tended to do on the road, but a quick glance down at her little friend made her think twice about waking him up too.

With a sigh, she extracted herself from her sleeping companions and got to her feet with a lengthy stretch, arching her spine back as far as she could. "Kit. C'mon, lad, up you get."

Though she kept her voice low, the dragon stirred to wakefulness quite abruptly, shaking his head with a snort and a puff of smoke. Kiara winced-- that likely wasn't going to keep their little fox friend soothed in sleep.

[Kalak8538]

Eihmo'tei was completely unconscious, stuck in a rest that would impress the dead. No amount of words or movement could rouse the fox. Nothing short of danger to his well-being. With smoke in the air, his little nose moved on its own. It took only a few twitches before...

*Snrk... ke... kaff... Kaff KAFF*

In a slow progression, the creature stirred. Quick coughs expelled what tiny amount of smoke he had inhaled. His small form began to rise, even if his eyes stayed closed. A couple more tiny coughs saw Eihmo'tei almost completely awake. Groggily, and still in a daze, he looked about.

[DragonSong]

"Whoa, steady there." Kiara gave her friend's back a little pat and offered a small, almost sheepish smile. "Sorry, we didn't mean to wake you. How'd you sleep?"

Kit snorted again and shifted his bulk, stretching his wings wide over their head as he soaked in the light of the rising sun.

[Kalak8538]

Eihmo'tei sniffled a bit, his senses still trying to readjust. He looked up to his companion with half-opened eyes.

"Good sleep..." he replied with a smile.

After a wide yawn, he added a comment.

"No sleep in long time."

The Fox seemed contented, at least for the moment. It had truly been a long time since he had found the safety to sleep for such a long time.

[DragonSong]

"Oh, Eemo..."

Kiara and her dragon exchange a quick, speaking glance before the girl looked down at him again. "Do you...need to rest some more? Or did you wanna get going?" she asked softly, still rubbing small circles over his back, the way her mother had to soothe her when she was young.

[Kalak8538]

"No." he replied, wiping one eye.

"We can go. Ready to go!"

The Zerdani did his best to conjure as much confidence in his words as was possible in his exhausted state. He resolved to make himself as agreeable as he could after finding his long lost friend once again.

[DragonSong]

Kiara tilted her head at him, but nodded slowly. "Alright. If you sure. You can nap in the air if you need to, alright? I promise I won't let you fall."

Kit huffed an agreement and hunkered down so that Kiara could throw her packs up over his back, then climb up herself. Normally she would have let the Zerdani mount himself, but with his current state she kept her arm around him, pulling him up to sit on the dragon's back in front of her.

"Okay." She smiled down at him, rubbing his head between his ears affectionately. "Probably gonna be a little over a week to get us back to the Moraki, but we'll get you home. I promise. You ready?"

[Kalak8538]

Eihmo'tei simply allowed what happened to happen. He found comfort in being moved about by Kiara, until he was once again secured in a familiar place. He looked about, tingling with a jolt of excitement. Any tiredness the Zerdani had felt was wiped away in that instant.

There was a wash of great emotion. Memories of a long ago adventure returned, causing some tears of nostalgic joy. Being where he was now seemed just about too good to be true. Eihmo'tei even expected to wake soon from a dream. For now, he chose to accept the reality, and hold tightly to the scale behind which the two were mounted. In time, the Fox was able to process the question his friend had asked.

He replied with a giddy "Ready!"

[DragonSong]

Kiara smiled and Kit rumbled a low chuckle as he fanned his wings out to the sides, then bounded forward a few steps before snapping them down as he leaped into the air.

The young dragonrider kept her seat with the ease of long practice, curving forward over Eihmo'tei slightly before settling back again, one hand on the spike in front of them and the other resting casually against her thigh, so that both arms caged the little fox in place, ensuring he stayed secure.

Kit circled once, twice, rising higher with each pass, before he banked in a long, graceful arc and turned them toward the south.

Kiara smiled down at her friend. "Why don't you rest, little one? We'll stop for a break before mid-afternoon, I'll be sure to wake you."

[Kalak8538]

Eihmo'tei braced himself as the great creature bounded into the air. Once again, he felt almost weightless as he watched the world grow smaller and smaller beneath him. The organs tensed inside his body with each jolt of the wings. In the past, the Zerdani had disliked the sensation. Now, he relished it. He began to giggle as the sea breeze blew around him.

"No, no! Sleep too much!"

Almost ironically, he then proceeded to close his eyes. His muzzle pointed more skyward. He was absolutely hypnotized.

"Missing this." he commented, before the trance began to befall him.

Despite his protests, the comfort of his position worked against him. This feeling of contentment would lull him into a light slumber sometime before their descent.

[DragonSong]

Kiara laughed and even Kit gave another of those low, rumbling chuckles as their little friend began giggling once they were in the air.

"Alright, alright. Stay up as long as you like," Kiara assured him with a little crooked smile as he already seemed to be falling asleep.

Once he was out, Kit kept his flight as even as he could, trying not to jostle his passengers too much.



It was a little after midday when the dragon touched down again, and Kiara was roused from her own semi-nap as she felt the slightly jolt of his dissent, then the solid thudding as they actually hit the ground.

"Mmm..." She arched her back and lifted her arms in a long stretch. "Oof. I need to stretch my legs. How you doing, Eemo?"