[COMPLE]Voiceless Song, Ageless Night [Shalbyath | Khamaith]

[Spockat]

The evening was beautiful in all the ways that Shalbyath loved it. The sun was slowly sinking painting the horizon lilac and peach across the rippling coastal waters. The tide frothed slowly, luxuriously onto the warm sand. The gold dragon left a trailing set of pawprints while she traveled the coast. She favored dragging her wings in the surf, splashing great waves with her fidgeting tail.

She gazed out to ocean, deceptively calm. Its depths near black and fathomless. The sun slowly being swallowed by the lap of waves before changing its shift with moons. The first ribbon of starlight coiled low on the horizon. Shalbyath’s hide cooled from baking in the sun all evening. It was the perfect spot to catch up with a friend.

Shalbyath called out to Khamaith. "Come little one, come stretch your bones with me a while." She stopped her lazy walk to gaze towards the sky where she hoped the young queen would appear.

Prism Shine

[x]

 

[Prism Shine]

From her wallow where she'd settled down to watch the sun set over the water. Her wounds having healed nicely, leaving a patchwork of scars down her back and across her face -- the mark of a survivor, even if she sometimes fret over how they tore into her pretty hide. Yet she stretched into the sand, her claws gently digging into the granules. It was a lovely evening, one she would see long into the night with how sleep had been evading her.

Perking up at Shalbyath's call, Khamaith paused but briefly at her call. She took stock of herself and the sleeping form of Cucuaranath. But a moment, Shalbyath dear. Standing oh-so-carefully, not wanting to disturb the sleeping blue, she stretched almost luxuriously to wake her muscles before making her way to the older gold.

A lovely evening, thank you for inviting me to share it with you. With a gentleness, she carefully nuzzles under Shalbyath's chin, crooning gently.

Spockat

 

[Spockat]

Shalbyath returned the nuzzle in kind, tucking the younger queen under her chin. She trailed her nose to against their wedge-shaped head. She took stock of her like a grandmother might to their grandchildren. Oh my, oh my.
I hope I didn't wake you, dear. The older queen started diplomatically. It was not late in the slightest. The purpling sunset was glowing around them. Her rider's thoughts still buzzed with wakefulness on the otherside of their link.

It hadn't escaped her eagle eyed notice that Khamaith was looking... peakish. No queen should be looking quite so pinched! She worked her claws into the sand, making little grooves for the ebbing and flowing tide to fill. To claim back into the ocean. It was too beautiful a moment to spend alone. And who couldn't use the relaxation, yes? I rather out for a long walk than lay restless in my wallow.

Prism Shine

[x]

 

[Prism Shine]

The softest thrum escaped Khamaith, like a weak purr from a kitten. She was always happy for the attention she got, from anyone -- dragons, humans, even firelizards. But Shalbyath was one of her closer confidants since that nasty fall, and spent the long months conversing. A mother figure -- perhaps even a grandmother figure -- one she could confide in when her own mother could not find the answers she sought.

Not at all. I was only settling down to watch the sun set. Though for being known as the sleepy gold that she was, perhaps that might be showing her hand. After all, she could still remember the trips to the healers to make certain she wasn't sick -- Khamaith just liked to sleep. The evening sun would have been a perfect time to nap and doze, usually. The vibrant colors lulling her into sleep. Or, they used to, anyway.

She tucked against the older queen's side, head ducked as her tail coiled loosely about her. The tide rolled in, splashing her forked tail and batting it around gently as it rolled back out. With each roll, her tail grew more and more buried into the sand, until with a deft shake she flung sand out once more. I'm grateful for spending the evening with you. I was only planning on watching the stars come out until sleep came for me. Khamaith pauses, pulling away to study Shalbyath for a moment, before sighing. Shalbyath... Is.. Is it normal for thoughts to keep sleep at bay? Her claws worked the sand beneath her almost fretfully, near touching on shame. Shouldn't she be past this? Even for.. extended amounts of time?

Spockat

 

[Spockat]

Shalbyath, to her credit, made sure to look surprised. She looked the younger queen over, eyes trailing over her. Her wing touching gently over her healed scars. She kept quiet a moment filled with patience, waiting for her friend to express her fears.

Why yes, your color is a bit pale. Her tail flicked in the water sending a small splash between them - a bell of a sound against the tide.
She stopped her walk to turn, and to watch the sun dip, the clouds deepening to rich purples.

I wouldn't call it unusual. But for you dear… what's troubling you so? She draped her heavy wing over Khamaith, as comforting as a blanket. Is it quite bad?

Prism Shine

[x]

 

[Prism Shine]

Had her color paled? Perhaps, she does recall Ezyzu saying something of the matter. However, she was fine -- just a touch tired, is all. When wasn't that true, though? Khamaith had always craved her next nap. The touch of her friend's wing is a reassurance the young queen hadn't quite known she had craved, yet found herself leaning slightly into Shalbyath.

She revels in the feeling of her claws in the sand as they walked, and as she came to a natural rest beside the other queen, the feel of the tide washing in around her paws and making her sink ever slightly into the sand as it washed out was a soothing presence. Khamaith shifted, gently leaning against Shalbyath and beneath her heavy wing.

Yet she found herself quiet for a moment, watching the sun play over the waves. What had been troubling her? Truthfully, what hadn't been troubling Khamaith. The past few months had been one stress after another. Ezyzu continues to have trouble sleeping, despite us having returned to threadfall duty. She gave a soft sigh, shifting her footing in the sand as she sank a little too far into the sand. Normally she would have loved to slowly be engulfed by the rise and fall of the tide, but tonight... Tonight it almost felt suffocating. A.. friend of mine gave me insight during a hatching months ago, and has since put me a bit at ill about what might be in store for when my body feels is ready. Not one to speak ill of anyone, particularly a friend of hers, Khamaith took her time choosing her words precisely. You think you know how someone will act, yet when the time came... Her eyes turned a murky, off shade of doubt. To feel a baby's fear of being rejected by one who should celebrate your arrival the most -- next to impression -- had been hard to stomach. I fret that time comes, I may choose a sire... wrong.

For her children would have Baihath, and no doubt in her mind could cement that her love wouldn't be a great father. But an unknown factor?

Spockat

 

[Spockat]

Shalbyath gave deep chuckle, tucking her forepaw over her muzzle. She couldn’t help it. Oh, oh she knew where this talk was going. She Oh, honey. She lifted her chin to gaze at the flowered queen. Shalbyath’s eyes whirling with gentle, maternal affection.

The truest worry of any great queen. That our king will fly us into rock or be dumb as a load of firestone. There was gentleness in her tone, it was a worry that she shared when younger. It took seasons and clutches to refine the sense of calm that came with Rising.

Now we both know that Baihath would be the true father to any clutch of yours. Shalbyath gave her a nudge with her shoulder. It was no secret of the deep affection that pair shared. A lovely, sweet thing to behold. Those youngins will know their mothers sweetness and love for Baihath. That’d make him the true clutch parent in my book anyway.. It makes no difference which brown or bronze you fly, its the love in your heart that makes all the difference. You can’t choose wrong that way.

For how many clutches Shalbyath has had in her time… well, some of the sires she chose some were certainly blockheads. It was the odds, it was in the moment. And whose perfect anyway! She was mother enough alone with her eggs in those cases. They turnt out alright, she was confident Khamaith’s would be simply wonderful with two parents to love them.

And if a sire gets it in his head your somehow mates after all that...or you think their stamina is more than their brains - raise your voice a little and kick his behind out of the Caverns. No fuss, no muss. She flicked her forked tail against the beach, spraying sand into the water. When in doubt, throw the whole man out - as Nona would say.

Prism Shine

[x]

 

[Prism Shine]

Perhaps in all her time to have known the older queen, Shalbyath’s frankness never stopped to catch her off-guard in the best of ways. Yet just as Steriath’s wisdom had her looking at the quality of sires, Shalbyath also made good points. No matter which bronze or brown might catch her, her hearts were alight for her love. Baihath would be the best father, for that she was certain.

I’d rather avoid kicking someone from the sands, but perhaps I allowed my worries to cloud the simplest answers in front of me. After all, she hoped that any she picked would respect her, her mate, their children. Yet she sighs softly, leaning just a little further into Shalbyath’s warmth. I would hope that whoever catches me understands where my loyalty lies, but.

Her eyes began to shut, as perhaps too long without proper sleep was beginning to n** at her heels. Thank you for listening to my woes, Shalbyath.

Spockat

Sorry for the delay. I think we can wrap this up soon?

 

[Spockat]

(I'll mark it as complete!)