Hare

Hare wasn't sure when she had fallen asleep; but only guessed that it was when the first light of dawn crept past the Claws of the Cloud Mountains just east of them.

She was never a deep sleeper, or even one to get a lot of sleep in general. Kholohdo and Fuga woke her and Mala up after they had two or three hours, hardly ever four hours. It wasn't a surprise to her when she opened her eyes, the sun was barely up.

Aureus was still asleep next to her in his bed, his claws slight twitching as he quietly dreamt. Hare stayed there, mostly because of her not wanting to leave seemingly the only dragon who didn't seem likely to kill her.

Well, besides Adobe, and she was pretty sure she could kick Roadrunner's tail if he attacked her. Her mind drifted for a moment, before her eyes widen slightly. Adobe and some Scorch dragon was going to train her!

She quietly got up, and looked over the other next to her. The albinic saw how close he had gotten to her as he rolled around in his sleep, barely a talon length away. She smiled softly, before making sure he was alright, before quietly walking out of the room.

Since it was so early, it was no real surprise that not everyone was up, maybe a few here and there; but Hare was for sure she was the only one up at the moment.

She carefully walked down the maze of hallways, trying to sniff out the smell of food. Her stomach let out a small growl, almost like a pathetic whine of desperation. Hare softly cursed herself for not eating last night, too focused on protecting Roadrunner since he was the only heir there.

Now she regretted it, her belly mad at her. She soon found the dining room, the lights were still low, so it was much easier on her eyes. The room was large and spacious, long wooden and sandstone tables. A table in the middle had what looked like four thrones, two side by side while the other two looked at each other. It was where the Leader and his family sat down to eat at as she was forced onto the floor, like some animal.

She figured the kitchen would be closer to dining room, she walked past it, soon finding her destination. She stepped inside, and looked around. The sandstone walls were still there, with a large pool of ice water to the side, keeping some food fresh thanks to the temperature.

Boxes of different foods were in one corner, and the smell of dried blood seemed to be coming from a room off to the side. She looked around in the cupboards over the counter, looking in them. Different jars of herbs and spices filled it, before her eyes spotted what she was looking for.

She grabbed a jar of black coffee beans, and took a few into her talons, and began to crush them in her grasp. They broke up more and more, becoming small chunks. She took a cup before looking for a kettle, finding one in another cupboard.

She filled it with water from a large barrel off to the side of the ice pool, and set it on a wooden stove. She set the wood inside on fire, and began to wait for the water to boil.

She remembered doing this nearly every day for Fuga, who always wanted a cup of hot coffee in the morning. She normally sneaked her her own cup, and loved the taste, finding the bitterness addictive.

"New dragon, right?"

She jumped st the noise, mentally cursing herself for being ambushed by another dragon. The dragon in front of her was small and wiry, but his wings were large and broad.

His scales were a tan color with peach top scales that seemed to be tinted yellow, like Adobe's but more saturated with the peach. His neck and underbelly were a dark brown, along with the tips of his wings that went from a cool brown to dark.

He didn't have a sail like a normal SandWing, but instead had spikes like that of a SkyWing. His eyes were a blue green color, a cold look to them.

Hare was a bit frozen, before nodding. "Yes, I am. My name is Hare. You are?"

"Scorch. Good to see I'm not the only-"

She quickly sighed, "I'm not a hybrid, I'm albinic. Don't worry, a lot of folks get it wrong. Is it almost time to begin training?"

Scorch looked surprised by her, before letting out a soft hiss, flicking his harmless tail. "Riiight, I forgot I'm supposed to help train you. Adobe is going to do all training, Camel Spider just doesn't want me sitting on my tail being useless; now that Goody-two-talons is old enough to not need a play toy, thank the moons."

Hare was a bit confused, tilting her head slightly. "Goody... two talons? Are you referring to Master Aureus?"

"Don't call him that, he's a spineless pushover who nearly got eaten alive by a pack of Painted Dogs. Honestly, it was sad, he could have shot a few plumes of fire and that would have ran them off. What does he do though? Cry and cry, and nearly made his snout into their next chew toy."

Hare felt a little worried. What was even happening here? Shouldn't Lady Eve or Lord Camel Spider have come to their dragonet's rescue? A small seed of worry seemed to have been planted in her. Was Master Aureus not being treated right?

A new surge of wanting to protect came to her. She would not sit down while another dragon was suffering to something she could somewhat relate to. Was it because of his kinder heart, or tamer thoughts, not the seemingly stone cold or dangerous thoughts of his family?

Hare hissed a hit under her breath. So what if he was diffrent? Everyone is allowed to be who they are, no matter what they are born into, or where they grew up in.

The kettle started to whistle, braking her from her thoughts. She looked over, and took it, pouring her a cup before adding the broken up coffee beans. She stirred the water with her clawtip, the water slowly turning to black thanks to the bean chunks.

"Coffee musta gotten some extra coffee beans from the last time she went out to the market. Better not let her see you messing with her kitchen or even drinking her coffee."

"Who?"

"Coffee, the head chef here, MudWing, nearly black scales, eyes a ambery orange color. W
Kinda weird, but her food is the best."

Scorch suddenly looked behind him, before looking back with a smirk. "I'd drink that coffee quickly if I were you, I think I hear her."

Hare looked at the cup, blowing on it gently before muttering under breath. She drank the boiling hot drink in one go, not minding the intense pain in her mouth and throat. Scorch looked a little surprised at her, eyes wide and mouth slightly open.

Her throat burned from the drink, and her tongue suddenly felt numb. She felt her stomach tighten from the sudden heat, like it was trying to refuse the scolding liquid. She took a few deep breaths, able to block out the uncomfortable feeling in her guts.

"H-how did you...?"

"It doesn't hurt as bad as being hit, bit, and stung by two fully adult dragons. Or blow muscles."

Just as Hare finished talking, a large dragon entered the door way. It was a MudWing, who Hare guessed was Coffee. Coffee looked at them a bit strangely, before shaking her head.

"Breakfast will be done in a bit. Three moons, it's like you guys think all I do is cook, a 'ness has to sleep too."

The large MudWing walked between to the window on the wall that Hare didn't notice at first, pushing the wooden shuttered open, sunlight shining in.

Immediate pain shot in Hare's eyes, squinting as she looked away, hissing. She heard Coffee scoff, "You act as though you've never seen the sun, sandie."

Hare groaned a bit, holding her tongue back, not wishing to make anyone mad the second day she was here. The albinic turned and left the kitchen, navigating her way to Adobe's room. If she remembered right, it was the next floor and the last door on the left.

Scorch was with her, probably to go see if she could guess the right room. It didn't take her long, already standing at the door. She knocked, waiting for the other to answer.

She heard talonsteps, the door soon opening. "Morning, sorry, I didn't mean to sleep in so much," Adobe apologized, clipping on his emerald spider necklace.

Hare smiled and giggled a bit. "It's only dawn, Adobe, you haven't missed much."

"Besides watch her chug a cup of steaming hot coffee," Scorch added, before yawning. Adobe looked to her. "I see you've met Scorch. Glad I don't have to introduce him to you. Alright, let's head out to go train, you ready?"

She nodded, letting him take the lead. He lead her down the stairs, and hallway after hallway, eventually taking them outside.

The air was fresh, yet still dry. The early morning rays beginning to heat the sands of Pyrrhia. The wet season should be sometime soon, so hopefully it will make things a lot cooler.

The three began to head off to where ever they were going to train at, eventually finding what looked like an old oasis just outside of town.

The pool was dry and the plants around it were shriveled up and dead. Hare felt like if she barely touched them, they would turned to dust under her claw. The oasis pool itself was rather large, able to hold all of them in it with ease.

Adobe landed in it, and turned to them, smiling. "Alright, let's start with-"

Hare felt Scorch beat his wings as he flapped over to the side, landing on a few dried fronds, resting his chin on his talon. "I'm gonna sit this one out, Adobe."

The older looked a bit surprised. "Scorch, Spider said you were gonna help me train Hare."

"Adobe, she already kicked your tail, what can you even teach her?"

"Aerial fighting, talon to talon, single blow manuevers, rapid attacks, faking out the opponent," Adobe listed so many things, Hare was a bit surprised he was still going. "Detecting and striking, how to get mono on mono during an ambush, block and disarming, and even more."

Hare couldn't stop the happiness rising in her body. She loved to learn how to fight, it made her feel at ease and remember the good times. Like that one time her father gave her her first lesson in sword fighting.

She was so little, she could barely hold the wooden swords, that were talon carved by her father. She loved their lessons, and learning more made her want to begin as soon as possible.

"Let's just start off with easy stuff first. Stretches!"

~

Hare trained for over six hours, practicing and refreshing her skills as much as possible. Adobe was a formidable opponent, and went all out, rather then hold himself back as much as her father. Scorch watched them do it all, but soon fell asleep due to boredom.

They had decided to go to the near by actual filled oasis in town. Gila Town, for the most part, was split in half, the good and the bad.

The bad was filled with low lives, drug dealers, lot lizards, gangs, and even sported an under ground fighting ring. That was the side The Coyotes were on.

However, the other side, the good side, was filled with homes, shops, restaurants, a clinic, and more. It also homed a large oasis nicknamed, 'The Desert's Water Bowl'.

The Water Bowl was quiet today, the morning crowd now gone, leaving it mostly empty. Hare looked at the water, smiling at her reflection.

She didn't have any really bad scratch marks on her; and was able to dodge all potential barb stabs. Now, of course he wouldn't, but everyone can lose themselves in a spar.

She took her talons, cupping water and began to wash off her few scratches incase any opened without her realizing. Adobe was doing the same as Scorch waited for them from afar.

"You did great today! Where did you learn to fight like that?"

Hare looked to him, momentarily stopping as she thought. Quickly, she snapped out of it, and continued to wash off her scales. "My father taught me how to do basic moves, like block, parry, and stuff like that."

"Father, eh? He must be proud of you then, seeing you become a body guard for one of the four main gang boss' sons."

Hare's wings and head drooped slightly, a small smile coming to her face. "Yeah, he would be, won't he?"

The albinic looked over to the admin, seeing the tinder, clawed markings from where they fought at the orphanage. Up until now, Hare hadn't realized Adobe didn't seem to notice when he was hit or bleeding.

"Hey, Adobe?" She began.

"Yeah, cotton tail?"

"How come you can't seem to feel pain?"

Adobe chuckled. "I can't feel pain. I hatched without pain receptors."

Hare was a bit shocked. A dragon who couldn't feel pain? He could use this to his advantage if he ever wanted to! It would be risky, but he could deal major damage to a dragon.

Before she could ask him anymore, he shook the water off of him. "Come on, let's head back. Camel Spider and Eve have a some visitors today, and it would be good for you to learn about meetings."

Hare nodded. The two picked up Scorch, and the three then flew back to the hideout. After going through the mazes of hallways, they came to the Meeting Room. Adobe showed her her place, right beside the platform the 'royal family' sat on. Camel Spider and Eve soon came in, talking to one another as Eve was being guided by her husband to the platform.

Soon the other two came in, Aureus' eyes seeming to brighten as he saw her. 'He must have been worried, after all, I did leave him.'

Hare felt a little guilty, but not enough to make her feel too bad. The two 'princes' took their spots on coyote pelts, standing at attention as meetings began to start.

Dragon and dragon came in, some were accepted, some were brushed off, some even killed. Hare was deeply disturbed as the now dead SandWing seemed to be looking at her, eyes glazed over and body frozen stiff. He had suggested something to do with teaming up with someone, and whoever that someone was, Camel Spider seemed to hate deeply.


This was what Master Aureus and Master Roadrunner were going to grow up to be?

Thoughts of either one of the two brothers eventually becoming cold and manipulative only seemed fitting for one. Hare wasn't sure about Aureus, but told herself not to brush off the thought too soon. Although she found herself trusting him, another part told her he could change.

Eventually, the sound of talonsteps graced her ears. Hare watched on as a young SandWing came in. His scales with a sunny yellow with black diamond shaped markings going along his body. He had necklace made of bat skulls digging into his neck, where it seemed nearly impossible to take it off at.

He had a slightly crazed look in his cold black eyes. Hare even seemed to notice how he would twitch slightly, or have a scattered brain look to him, as though trying to figure out words. He started to laugh, which sounded a bit strangled thanks to the tight necklace.

"Hehehe-- Camel Spider, I come in -- hahaha! In honor of Lord Burrow -- Hahaha! Hehe -- he would like to meet with you - Phuhuhu haha! In person outside, right now!"