Welcome to Gaia! ::

Sasha gave a low growl as soon as she heard someone entering the cave but dropped it to a quieter sound when she saw who it was. She looked over the whale a moment then flicked her tongue over the eggs to check their temperature. Since they were starting to get a bit cool, she let loose a small and carefully controlled tendril of flames over the rocks surrounding them to bring their temperature back up.

That done, she finally moved closer to Cedric and looked over the offering, "A deer would have sufficed, you know..." she told him softly then finally got her instincts back under control and leaned in to nuzzle him a bit, "But thank you anyway," she added with a soft purr.

She still managed to be standing between him and the clutch, though, with her tail moving over the eggs slowly and protectively.

She did catch his thoughts on the eggs and licked him across the nose, "And don't think too much about the colors of the shells. That holds nothing on what kind of dragon they'll be. Ebony's clutch held plenty of dark-shelled eggs but none of the clutch carried any of her shadow abilities," she pointed out to him.

She hesitated a moment more then moved on past him to start eating, finally allowing him full access to the eggs. Thankfully, she'd started creating the egg chamber the moment she'd learned of the impending clutch, so she could eat the meal in the main room of their cavern. Once the eggs hatched, they'd need to start making rooms for each of the hatchlings. But they still had a bit of time for that...

Sasha gave a purring growl at the rough treatment, thoroughly enjoying it before she settled down to her own part of the meal. She thought on his worries then tilted her head as an idea occurred to her but pulled a chunk of meat from the whale and set it aside then took a few bites before she voiced the idea.

"Leave him a trail to follow... Make it a good trail, though... One that'll lead him over to the demon realm... As close to Gypsy as you can get... She's one of the best fighters I've ever seen... And the most beautiful... If nothing else, she can distract him for a while..." she suggested, knowing that he'd met Gypsy briefly at the meeting with Lao.

She turned her attention back to her meal, though, finding herself ravenously hungry. Laying the eggs and caring for them took alot of energy out of her, and the stress of protecting them took it's toll on her as well. So her current hunger shouldn't have been too surprising.

Though, as she glanced up at Cedric during her meal, she had to wonder if she might have a chance for them to visit the playroom they'd put in shortly after he'd moved in here with her...

Sasha gave a low growl at the treatment but knew it was his way, taking a silent thrill over the fact that he took such good care of her. He didn't just make sure that there was enough food, didn't just make sure she was protected. He also made sure that every need was met, even her need for him.

But she took his questions seriously as she moved away from him to check the eggs temperature and flamed the rocks around them again before she stepped back and turned to him, "There's no telling. But it's likely that at least one will carry your angelic powers. There are five of them, Cedric... Five eggs to carry your powers and mine... Five eggs in our first brood..." she told him, meeting his eyes.

Then she shifted to her human form, her ankle-length brown hair framing her with the light of the heated rocks behind her. She wore a simple sheath dress in a pale shimmering material that was partially sheer. She wanted to entice him, but not be blatant about it.

She glanced at the eggs over her shoulder then turned back to him with a small slightly shy smile, "We have two hours before they cool again..." she said softly, knowing that they both needed a little bit of time together.

Sasha let out a soft laugh as he pulled her towards the playroom, a thrill moving through her at the prospect of what they'd be doing in there. She went willingly. More than that, she went eagerly, nearly dancing along behind him on her bare feet.

Behind them, the eggs would be safe. Not just with the fire surrounding them or the heated-to-glowing rocks. Sasha and Cedric had both laid magical protections around the room, hiding it from magical sight, premonitions, scent, heat vision, and anything else they could think of to prevent anyone ever finding the egg chamber.

The only thing the parents-to-be had to worry about was maintaining the temperature so the hatchlings would develop properly and hatch on time.

So they could take a bit of time for each other and renew their bond.

Thankfully, the playroom was soundproof as well...

Two hours later, Sasha emerged on shaky legs with a very pleased grin on her face. She shifted to her dragon form on the way into the egg chamber and let loose a bout of flame over the rocks edging the precious eggs, heating up the rocks to maintain the right temperature.

That done, she snagged the chunk of meat she'd set aside earlier and pulled it over by the eggs so that she could snack on it while curling around her treasured clutch. She was drowsy, but not sleepy yet. Cedric had made sure not to exhaust her this time, knowing she'd be worried about their children.

She laid there with a soft draconic purr emanating from her as she waited for Cedric to emerge from the playroom as well, loving to watch him move in any form....

Sasha gave a grumbling croon at him, "The eggs are fine, Love..." she assured him softly and was about to say more when something caught her attention, turning her head towards the entrance of their cavern with her eyes narrowed. She went completely silent and shifted silently to place herself over the eggs with her wings spread protectively.

In the silence that followed, she tilted her head to one side and listened carefully. Then she heard it: the soft sounds of wingbeats in the air. The sounds were very distinctive as she listened for a few more moments.

"Two dragons... One sounds like Ebony..." she told Cedric in a soft whisper then guessed that the other dragon had to be Lao and turned to face her mate with a serious expression, "Be nice," she told him simply then moved fast to get the whale carcass into their food storage room deeper under the main cave system, suddenly finding herself feeling obsessed with cleaning their home up like a child expecting a parent over for the first time.

The comparison wasn't too far off, though. Lao and Ebony had become second parents to her when her father had gone but they'd never been to the spot she'd taken to calling home. So she was understandably nervous about this. Especially with her first clutch...


Ebony landed behind Lao and tilted her head at the entrance to the cavern Sasha and Cedric had made their home. After a moment, she raised her head to catch the air and moved up next to Lao to nuzzle him briefly, "I have a feeling that we should wait for them out here..." she said softly, "Something's changed in the scent here..." she cautioned him, not quite sure what the change meant. But at least they wouldn't have to wait for long to find out...

Lao had remained oddly silent as they reached the mouth of Sasha's cove, moving into Ebony's nuzzle though he remained rather straight backed. Ebony was right though; the scent had changed. Closing his eyes, his senses reached out, feeling out their surroundings before snapping back with eyes wide open. He sensed life, and in abundance. Perhaps it was because Cedric had appeared, and his angelic heritage was interfering with his abilities. But the ashen dragon was almost certain that there was something else afoot; they would be pleasantly surprised, he surmised.

Noticing Cedric, Lao gave him a dignified nod, though choosing to remain silent in the man's presence. Though a good deal of time had passed, he still remembered Cedric's actions towards his children, and felt himself trying to let go of his silly grudge. "Sasha." He called out, his gravelly voice travelling through the cave like a haunting echo and a pleasant memory all at once.

Cedric folded his wings over his shoulder like a cloak and lightly rested his tail around his feet loosely, allowing it to rest o the ground but still able to move quickly should it be required as he tilted his head looking Lao over slowly. His eyes flicker to watch the two females enter the cave and he sniffs slowly.

"So what brings you by? Surely not just a neighborly visit? Last I recall was a cave, some great battle was about to go down, memory gets a bit foggy after that. Hopefully that turned out alright?"

Cedric shrugs and leans back on a sun bathing rock stretching out to let the sun warm his scales.
"Sasha has been answering any questions I may have. Before meeting her I've never been around other dragons. All my clan was killed in my realm and no others survived the Vampire Wars that ravaged there. I am the last. I was raised by my father and the other angels.* He shrugged and flicked a rock into the ocean.

"I know that angels are frowned upon around the islands, and yes. I'm concerned my brood will be judged by the gift of my power if they get it. But there is nothing I can do except show them how to respond to that fear by being strong and righteous."

Cedric let a puff of smoke escape and torch a small plant. If he admitted it to himself he was a little frustrated that he carried the weight of being the last of his kind.