"You're still not messing with me, right? Because this is an awful long way to go for a simple prank." An unfamiliar, feminine voice reached Verbena's ears as it echoed down the tunnel, "a real, live dragin? No illusions or lies or trickery? Don't make me put you under a true light!"

Verbena lifted her head out of the ball of worry she previously curled into to watch for the owners of the voices as they would come into view.

"Yes, Hytha," a male voice Verbena recognized spoke as the voices neared, "a real, very much alive, dragin."

Verbena struggled to place the voice but then realized the voice belonged to the one guard she heard speak earlier. Her nose crinkled in distrust and anger, but she resisted the urge to growl.

"I'm so excited!" The feminine voice exclaimed in joy as one of the sets of footsteps increased in frequency. Soon, a female Ulven with long brown hair appeared in Verbena's view. Once the figure spotted the female dragonet, she swiftly slid to a stop and a wonderstruck grin spread across the tanned skin on her face. "Oh, what a beautiful creature," she awed and spoke in the same feminine voice Verbena heard previously and approached the cage.

The female Ulven before her did not wear a mask, unlike all of the other Ulven Verbena had seen. She had the same light bronze skin tone as all of the Ulven, but her slightly slanted green eyes were softer in comparison to the hard gazes of all of the other Ulven she had encountered. She smelled like the sweet scent of dirt, the same as all the Ulven, but also scents of strange animals clung to her shirt, and verbena sensed the same sort of magical presence Verbena could not explain to Celia well.

Verbena was unsure about this new person, so she stayed where she was and stared straight into the female Ulven's green eyes. The dragon only blinked occasionally when she absolutely needed to blink.

"Such a beautiful green color, the pattern is especially beautiful with the touches of darker shades accenting the brilliance of the main shade of green," the female awed with wide eyes and an excited, open-mouthed smile, "and her eyes, they're such a brilliant, dazzling purple. I've never gotten to see a live false dragon so close before, especially not close enough to talk to one."

Verbena snorted at what she perceived to be an insult. "I a real dragon!" She raised her head high as she glared slightly and her wings raised a few inches off of her back to make her appear larger to the slightly smaller creatures on the other side of the magic metal bars.

"I did not mean that as an insult," the female Ulven assured, "we call your species false dragons, or dragins because your species is so different from the true dragons, which are scaly and are weak when it comes to cold." She smiled to Verbena, then added something, "and that is why dragins are far superior to dragons. You are so much more beautiful and stronger than a dragon could ever hope to be."

At first, Verbena accepted the compliment with a purr and a slight wag of her tail, then paused in realization and refocused on the female Ulven in front of her, "You understand me?"

"I have a gift to be able to understand all languages of all species, so yes, I can understand you, though my brother here only here's growls and other noises." She pointed to her brother the guard as she spoke as if he was completely useless. "He's only good at defensive magic."

"Hytha! I would like to remind you that my talents are at least useful. The most you could ever be is a garden keeper while I get to be a guard and help protect what remains of our land."

Hytha rolled her eyes as she mocked her brother by mouthing along with his words with her hand as if she's heard it all before. When he was done, she looked to him and smirked, "being able to spend every waking moment in the garden? That's my dream job!" She grinned, then turned back to Verbena, "don't mind Doegus. He can't see how amazing and smart some creatures are."

Hytha looked to her brother, "please open the cage, I want to go touch her fur. It is a real dragin!" She looked up to her taller brother with wide, sparkling green eyes and a small lip quiver.

"No," Doegus crossed his arms, "absolutely not! Not only is that a break of protocol, but its also highly dangerous. This is a wild animal."

"Pffft." Hytha scoffed, "You said the human girl was in there and was perfectly fine, and I will be fine as well. This is a very intelligent creature, and besides, if she does anything you will defend me. So, remove the chain and unlock the cage!" She believed her logic to be sound.

However, her brother had doubts, "still no," he snorted in defiance. "I don't care if the human could be fine in there, I am not letting you in there. Not only are dragins large predators with sharp claws and teeth, but they breathe fire! They are nothing like the tame leomah. This creature is wild."

Hytha gazed up to her brother with wide, pleading eyes, "please? It's a once-in-a-lifetime chance!" She gently tilted to the side and stuck out her bottom lip. "She has some sort of rope-like saddle on her back, so this dragin has to be somewhat trained. I doubt I will be hurt. So please let me go in there I will really, really careful, and you will be there to watch over me.

Doegus released a growl and a sigh at the same time as he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, "sister, you are so lucky I love you." Defeated by the power of his care for his little sister, he undid the chains keeping the door closed. He slid the door open just enough for Hytha to slip into the cell, all the while watching Verbena in an intense, protective gaze.

"Thank you!" Hytha squealed in delight and gave Doegus a huge hug, then released her strong grip on her brother and slipped into Verbena's cell. Once inside, Hytha looked to the dragonet and awed in the glory of the green's presence. "You're so much more beautiful without the bars blocking my view," she paused and enjoyed the experience for a few more moments. "My name is Hytha Nagan, may I approach and pet your glorious fur?" She spoke in a breathy whisper.

Verbena paused, "I'll allow it," she nods, then watched as the Ulven female approached her and gently touched her neck. Despite her calm and indifferent exterior appearance, Verbena actually enjoyed the pleasant gentle touch of Hytha's hand and believed that she may have some experience petting other creatures.

"So silky," Hytha sighed in joy as she stroked Verbena. "So are those white straps a saddle or harness? Do you let people ride you?" Her eyes were alight with excitement and dreams.

"Those straps are my harness" Verbena explained as if the answer was obvious. "Those for my rider to hang on to so she does not fall off me in the air. Why else would I be wearing something like this?"

Hytha blinked, then a wide grin spread across her face, "It's possible to ride a dragin?" She bounced on her heels in excitement, "Now I really want to have a friend dragin and ride him or her through the sky."

"Absolutely not!" Doegus stomped his foot, "there is absolutely no reason for you to ever be near a wild dragin, and I will drag you away far before you can even begin to think about getting close." He gave the dragonet a slightly angered glare for giving his sister the idea.

Hytha looked to her brother with a determined gaze that dared the older Ulven to try and stop her if she ever got the chance.

Verbena blinked an remained silent as she looked between the siblings as they continued their standoff. After a moment, Verbena snorted at their childish infighting, "As long as the draga is not stolen from parent dragons, then it is fine if you raise an orphaned draga. Do not steal from dragons"

Hytha gave her brother another pleading pout, "If you ever find an orphaned baby dragin, will you get it for me pleeeeeeease? It would be great garden keeper training, and it would rescue the poor creature from harm."

Doegus sighed in defeat and broke the stare, "fine," he sighed again, "but that is a gigantic if." He rubbed the bridge of his nose, "You are so, so lucky to have me as your brother. I doubt anyone else would give in to your pout. If I find an orphaned draga by chance, then I will bring it to you."

Hytha squealed in delight and hopped over to the bars, then gave the older male Ulven a large hug through the bars, "this is why you are the greatest brother in all of the history of the world and I love you!"

Doegus rolled his eyes, but could not stop a small smile from forming on his face. "You are my sister. I'm supposed to care about you." He looked away to keep his sister from seeing the blush as it briefly spread across his face.

Hytha grinned up to her brother, then released the hug and turned back to Verbena, "so why are you and your rider here?" She reached out and began to pet Verbena's fur again with a smile on her face.

"We on a quest to return the sun!" Verbena chirped enthusiastically, "and thought you may know where next piece is," she seemed pleased with herself, "we know two, but need two more."

Hytha was taken aback and paused, "if..." she whispered to herself and recalled her brother's words from mere days ago. "If you already have half of the rays of light, then the sun could return soon." She glanced between Doegus and Verbena with a conflicted frown on her face.

Doegus looked to his sister. "Now, you have had your fun, now it is time to go. We are technically fraternizing with the enemy here, and us being here is completely against the rules." He set a forceful narrow-eyed gaze on his sister as encouragement to get her to hurry up.

Hytha hesitated, then slowly looked up to Verbena, "I have to leave, but thank you for talking to me and allowing me to stroke your fur." She reached up and stroked Verbena's head one last time, then slipped out through the small gap between the wall and the door Doegus held open for her.

Doegus swiftly replaced the chains with his magic and locked the door. Once he was finished and confirmed the security the cell door, he silently led her sister away without looking back.

However, Hytha looked back with a conflicted expression that implied she had plenty of things to think about.

Author Notes! 

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