Anxious Pet Parent (PVersusNP)

[DragonSong]

Cali smiled as she watched him feed the wyrmlings, absently stroking one hand over the lump that was Meeka curled up in his sling.

She chuckled a bit at Zilmiel's interpretation that Keema was thanking him and nodded. "I do believe you're right. And yes, sometimes they seem to try to mimic people they've taken a liking to, in a variety of ways. I had a pair I adopted to a traveling minstrel who would whistle his songs." Her smile widened when he held the apple out to Meeka and the dozy little dragon sniffed at the offered fruit, then flicked his tongue out to taste it without opening his eyes. He churred quietly and stretched his neck out to nibble at the apple slice, eyes still half closed.

Cali sighed softly and stroked his head gently. "I'm not sure," she admitted with a little shake of her head. "I simply don't have the space to keep all of them with me, but...I haven't had any adoption applications for them that would be a good fit." She sighed again, mouth twisting down at the corners. "I don't sell them—if I can't rehabilitate them enough to be released back in Yoreiq, I just...try to find them good homes. But too many people just see how sweet they are and decide that any price is worth it—no matter if they don't actually know how to properly care for them."

[PVersusNP]

Kora and Keema continued to snack on their apple slices, peeping approvingly at their crispness. Zilmiel began cutting the second apple into halves as he spoke. "What are the qualifications for adopting these drakarys micro creatures? I imagine they need a lot of outdoor space at various times of day for exercise."

Keema finished his apple slice first. The teacup dragon churred at Zilmiel, letting out another loving plume of periwinkle smoke when the dragon dropped the bundle of seeds not onto the floor, but instead neatly onto the counter to the half-dragon's amazement. Keema eagerly took another apple slice from the counter before Kora followed in kind.

"I'm starting to see why adopting out teacup dragons can be problematic. They will happily take on the habits of their caregivers, it seems, including problematic ones. The messy caregiver will blame the dragons for their own messes and abandon them. On the other hand, a caregiver who is neat and orderly will find their little dragons to be clean and not cause messes," Emelys interrupted, wrapping another pair of vibrant healing potions together with silver binding ribbons when her eyes lingered on the growing apple pit pile. "It must be hard finding people who live healthy lifestyles if that is the deciding factor. "

"Well observed, Emelys," Zilmiel praised, holding out another apple slice for Kora who churred before taking it into her clawed digits.

[DragonSong]

Caliope sighed a little half-laugh and nodded at Emelys's assessment. "Yes, that can be part of it—mimicry tends to be a form of affection for them, which can be...complicated, if someone doesn't understand how they socialize. But it's also that they are simply incredibly social creatures, and will bond quickly with their caretakers. If that person doesn't understand the commitment they are making and simply enjoys the novelty of a tiny dragon, they'll eventually get bored."

She sighed and stroked Keema's crest, earning a happy croon from the little creature. "They can actually sicken from loneliness. Even die from it."

Kora, munching happily on her treat, seemed to hear the pain in Caliope's voice. Half done with her apple slice, the tiny dragon hopped on her hind legs—immature wings fluttering—until she was close enough to hold out the gnawed-on treat to Caliope with a questioning churr.

The half-elf laughed and patted her head. "No no, I'm alright. You keep that," she assured her. Looking up at the apothecarist, she said with a shrug and a little half smile, "See what I mean? They may not be considered "intelligent" the way larger dragons are, but they're incredibly empathetic."

[PVersusNP]

"Do drakarys micro creatures- I mean, what sorts of social activities do they enjoy the most with their caregivers?" Zilmiel asked, wiping the knife  clean with the washrag before placing it on the shelf before the display case's doors. "They are most certainly empathetic, I agree. I wonder if-"

Keema finished her second apple slice, dropping the seeds on top of her growing pile. The teacup dragon stretched her forelimbs onto the counter before doing a quick hop. Kora watched cautiously before joining her sister, sniffing the two stacks of apple seeds once she landed before the blue-feathered dragon watched her sister grasp towards Zilmiel's leathery torso with outstretched paws. Three rings of periwinkle smoke rose until Zilmiel extended his arm slowly. Keema churred happily, gripping Zilmiel's hand and climbing the half-dragon's arm like a tree branch. Emelys suppressed a laugh as Keema considered her current position, tilting her head up at Zilmiel.

"I..." Zilmiel stopped himself, confused. Keema scaled Zilmiel's back and neck, yet he did not appear to react in pain due to her claws as Keema popped her head over Zilmiel's, rubbing her crest against his right horn. He smiled, reaching above his head to lightly rub Keema's crest as well. The green-crested dragon churred, letting out another triumphant puff of bluish smoke. "Where was I? Ah- I was wondering whether I might qualify to adopt drakarys micro creatures."

[DragonSong]

"Oh!" Caliope blinked, taken aback, though perhaps she shouldn't have been. The little creatures clearly liked him; it wasn't entirely surprising that the feeling might be mutual. "Well, that's—I mean, right now these three are the only bunch I have who are looking for homes, but...I mean, they're clearly taken with you."

She smiled as a sleepy, still recovering Meeka stirred and peeped quietly.

"It's...something of a lengthy process," she told Zilmiel, almost sheepishly. "I usually like to do a few interviews, and see where the dragons will be living, if possible. But...from what I know of you so far, Serrah, I think you'd make a lovely home for them here."

[PVersusNP]

Did he ask too soon? Keema licked her front left paw, happily nestled on top of Zilmiel's head while Kora watched below. The bluer teacup dragon peeped again, stepping onto the counter and slowly reaching to sniff Zilmiel's left claws. Zilmiel did not say anything immediately, instead giving Kora's crest a gentle rub. Kora recoiled, but only by a half centimeter before she pressed her crest into Zilmiel's finger. Kora exhaled a smaller but none less vibrant plume of blue smoke before she curled next to Zilmiel's hand for a nap.

"I'm sorry if I asked too early, but... this is the first time my appearance has not scared off such friendly creatures. Canines and cats avoid me even when I try to reduce my stature." Zilmiel sighed. Keema's eyes were also closed like Kora's as the teacup dragon fell asleep upon Zilmiel's head. "Please do not rush the process for me. I do travel no less than once every three months while Emelys watches the place. If these creatures bond strongly with only one caregiver, I will have to find a way to bring them with me whenever I fly. I have also had to venture into Connlaothian ruins, for example, in order to obtain fungi, and I am well aware of the dangers getting entangled with their lot... Maybe I have to reconsider."

It was best to be honest, he'd figure, especially seeing how quickly Keema made a perch out of her half-dragon-tree who gently stroked her sister's upper back behind the crest. Kora peeped quietly, tucking her feathered tail around herself for warmth.

[DragonSong]

"Oh, no, it's not that," Caliope assured quickly. She smiled as the two young dragons seemed quite content to make themselves comfortable and fall asleep on Zilmiel. She considered his words as she absently scratched Meeka's crest; he certainly didn't live a conventional life, but they weren't exactly conventional companions.

"It would be...an adjustment," she said slowly, wanting to approach the idea as logically as possible. "For you, I mean. They tend to be pretty adaptable little creatures, I've had people adopt them who travel quite a bit. But you'd have to be sure you're okay with that--if you're their primary caretaker, they'll want to go everywhere with you. Obviously you'll have to use your best judgement on if it might be safe for them in certain cases, but for the most part, well..."

She glanced down at Meeka in his sling, then up again with a shrug and a small laugh. "Honestly, this sort of thing will do just fine for them. And since you can--well, you can fly, they might actually take to that."