A New Hatchling ((Wisp and AuSurath))

((I guess I'll start out right after Rayla left.))

When the human... dragon... thing left, Wisp let out a visible sigh of relief, watching the horizon until the being was gone, then turning her gaze around towards the little hatchling on her back. He had been quiet most of the time, she hadn't heard him talk since she'd spoken to him inside the mountain. She hoped he wasn't injured, or shellshocked, or anything similar. She'd feel terrible if that happened; it would technically be her own fault, along with the humans. "AuSurath?" she said, stumbling slightly over the name, but attempting it in hopes it would calm him a bit. "Are you okay? You're not hurt or anything are you? Should I bring you to the IceWing Healer?"

Staring at the back of the white dragoness's head, AuSurath took deep, quick breaths as his little heard hammered inside his chest.  Each, frantic breath brought a twing of pain to his head, a small lump having formed over the bruise from his unfortunate kidnapping by the humans.  He hardly noticed Wisp turn her head around to look at him, too scared to think, everything seeming like a blur to him until she called his name out.  It was only natural instinct that caused him to lift his head up at the call, a motherly call.  But Gemini was not white like this one, and he immediately shrunk against her gaze.  He didn't keep himself crouched and low for long, though, her caring and soothing voice slowly coaxing him as if he were a turtle coming out of his shell.  He blinked a few times, trying to process her words several seconds after she had spoke them, the throbbing in his head not helping the process.  Opening his mouth, nothing came out as he thought, and then feeble little words came out.  "Eye....Iy feeen....feyen" he spoke as his pupils dilated as he stared back at her.

His words were rudimentary, but he was a hatchling, that was to be expected. Besides, she understood, after a moment of thinking. Moving her head forward slowly, like she would on a timid rabbit, but without the murderous intent, Wisp sniffed Au over carefully to see he was telling the truth. His darker color made her miss the bruising, but she didn't smell any blood, which was good. "Au," she said carefully. "I know you want to go back to the NightWings. But we're going to my den first. I want to be sure it's safe, okay? I want to stay away from the humans for a little bit, so they can't catch you again. Is that okay?" She didn't want to do anything AuSurath didn't want to do. She was already getting attached to this hatchling, though she'd known him for only a small amount of time. The back of her mind wondered how he'd gotten captured. Was his mother not watching him closely? He was small, he couldn't be that old, let alone old enough to wander around on his own. Especially on the NightWing territory. NightWings she'd met over the years didn't seem like the kind to be particuarly fond of hatchlings.

AuSurath managed a small smile as he looked at the kind dragoness, which quickly faded as he went wide-eyed again as she brought her snout to him.  He did not move, holding still and stiff as she sniffed him, seeing white scale that was not mommy black.  He blinked when her larger head came back into view, looking at him as she spoke slowly.  "Hoeme!" AuSurath squeaked as she spoke of going back to NightWings, which meant mommy, frowning as she continued.  He quite did not understand what Wisp was getting at, and tried to respond as she spoke of being safe.  "Home saf!  Saf home! Nu hoomans!" he peeped out rather loudly at Wisp, before his face seemed to widen as he looked at something, following it as the white speck floated gently down towards his snout.  Cross eyed, he froze as it neared him before landing on the tip of his nose, melting immediately as he sneezed, a shocked  expression adorning his face as to why the fluffy white speck  disappeared and made his snout wet.

Wisp was slightly confused. He'd said home, but she wasn't sure whether he was referring to her home or his. At least he was speaking to her, and rather loudly as well, if not too clearly. It was understandable, but she wasn't sure it would be for everybody. Either way, they'd go to her home first, it was closer, and there was a possibility that they would be found if she flew around the NightWing territory looking for Au's mother. Which, even if he knew where his home was, there was still the matter of finding his mother if she wasn't home. All in all, taking him home while the human threat was still imminent was a bad idea. A snowflake landed on AuSurath's nose, and she smiled at his confused and surprised reaction. "Snow," she said, using her tail to scoop a little up and hold it up to him to inspect. "It's cold. Are you too cold, Au? Do you need something warm?" She opened her wings slightly, snow falling off of them as she did so. Her previously melted ice layers on her horns and spikes were quickly returning, the white ridges sharpening almost invisibly, as the ice made it almost impossible to tell if they were sharp. Au was safe, however, in a little hallow at the base of her neck, the perfect spot for AuSurath, if a bit big at the moment compared to him.

It was a weird sensation, he'd seen white covered mountains, but not white grass or white water fall slowly from the sky.  It was all very strange to him.  Hearing Wisp's voice, he refocuses his eyes on her, frowning at her words.  "Nu!  Home warm!  Nu col!"  As she spoke of him being cold, he gaze a small shudder, hunkering down between her shoulder blades in the divot where neck met back, even though the cold was not really bothering him at the moment.  "Eye fine! Nu col!" he blurted out more than thought, bringing his small paws around the base of Wisps shoulders and lightly gripping her scales like he would with his mother.  Thoughts of the humans had quickly left his mind, as there was much more interesting things about, like the falling white specks, the white scales he clung to, and the overall unfamiliarity of his surrounding.  Having not a clue as to how far away from home he actually was, AuSurath relaxed, feeling more at ease with the very friendly female he laid upon.

Not cold. That was good, Wisp wasn't wuite sure how she would've warmed him up if he had been. Not much on the IceWing territory kept you warm. It was a frigid place. Even those who lived there were cold, thoughh more in body than personality. "Okay," she said gently, turning forward again and spreading her wings, the joints cracking slightly as they opened. "Hold on, we're going to fly now." crouching slightly, Wisp jumped into the hair, flapping hard until she was high enough to soar off, heading towards her den. It was surrounded by trees, so all around it she'd placed booby traps to stop those coming from land and air. Only she knew the way in, and she hid her tracks afterwards. To be a prankster wasn't a safe life. She never knew when someone might try to get her back. So she was always prepared. She glanced back at Au, checking he was safe before angling downward, having spotted her home not far off.

Au tucked his head down so that his face was against her back and his nose touching his own chest as he prepared for her to take off.  His small claws lightly grabbed her scales so that he would be able to hold on during the takeoff, learning that it was the bumpiest part by almost falling off the first time.  He felt her wings stretch and move, before getting the lurching feeling in his stomach as Wisp leaped into the air, feeling her wings catch an air current as the headed off into the sky.  Sometimes, he'd look around in flight, but the fast moving cold air just made him tuck his face against himself to the best he could to stay slightly warm.  Instead of being the dark gray he usually was, he was a much lighter shade of gray, almost silvery.  He did not move much, even as he felt Wisp start to move down by the change in wind flow, waiting till they came to a complete stop to signify mommy had made it to where ever they were heading.

Glancing back at Au again, Wisp landed as gently as she possibly could, folding her wings to her back, creating a barrier for Au against the wind. She began to walk carefully, making her way around her traps with memorized precision, her tail sweeping out her tracks as she went. Reaching a hole that went underground, Wisp lowered her head and crawled inside, her wings pulling close to her, and her neck spines protecting Au from hitting any walls. She entered a room, dug out by herself as a trained. It was a medium sized den, with a large area of various comfy items such as ripped human cloth, dinosaur feathers, moss, and others such things. Other than that, there was another tunnel leading underground into her storage area, and an armor case that held custom made armor. Wisp hardly ever wore it, she'd never had a reason to. So she left it where it was. Turning her head, she lifted Au up gently with her nose, not sure how he'd react to her picking him up by the scruff, and made her way over to her best, setting him down on her pillow, an item made by the humans she found quite comfortable.

Feeling the small jarring impact of feet meeting earth, AuSurath lifted his head from his nook, tiny bits of snowy ice around his nose, which quickly fell away with a snort.  The area around was even more strange than the white landscape they had just left.  There were tall pine trees, dusted with the powdery white water, before Wisp walked down a hole.  The skin on AuSurath was now a very light shade of white as they entered a hole, and his eyes widened as he took in the surrounding.  Funny human furs were laid around the room with the fluffy feathers found on the weird, big birds.  He was still looking around when he felt something Wisp's nose nudge him up, then let a small yip out as he was picked up, going instinctually limp, letting Wisp carry him without struggling.  He then blinked as he was set on something squishy, and pushed a paw against it, giggling at the weird sensation.  He stood, circling as he padded down the pillow, then bouncing up and down, before laying down in the fluff as he peered at Wisp with expectant eyes.

Patting him gently on the head with her tail, Wisp disappeared into the storeroom, coming out with a small piece of meat, and an dinosaur egg. Setting them down just outside the next, she crouched down, looking at the little NightWing carefully. He was almost white now.... Was he too cold? "Are you okay, Au?" she asked. "You're changing color, little one." As she spoke, she used her talons to cut the meat into small pieces, setting one in front of Au carefully. She wasn't quite sure what hatchlings ate, but she'd assume meat, just like the rest of them. She had an egg as well, which she could poke a hole in so he could suck the insides out, as her own other had had her do in the small span before she'd died when Wisp was a hatchling.

Giggling happily at his new found bed, he tilted his head as he felt Wisp pet his head, then go off.  When he saw that she was carrying some meat and a weird cylindrical shape, he sat up, his tail now thumping as his eyes refocused on the meat, licking his chops and wiggling in excitement.  "Eye wheat!" he peeped out quickly, more focused on the delicious looking meal that Wisp had at the mention of his skin color, only glancing down at his paw to see before he told her.  When the piece of food was set before him, he quickly pounced on it, growling as he began to chew on it.  Even though it was too big to swallow whole, AuSurath still took the challenge and tried to anyway, only to gag it back up.  Now mad at the meat, he pounce, planting both his front paws on it and pulling at it and shredding it until only small chucks remained, which he then happily swallowed.  Satisfied, having not eaten since his capture, he let out a little gurgle of a burp, then started to run around Wisp as his skin became a darker gray again.

Wisp looked a bit worried when Au found himself unable to chew the chunk of meat shed given him. She'd tried to make it small enough for him to eat. Shed have to remember that in the future she should make the pieces smaller. With a bolt, Wisp realized she was growing attached to this little hatching. Which wasn't very good, as she tended to keep what she liked. But, if Audi had been kidnapped in the first place by humans, his mother wasn't doing a very good job caring for him as it was. A small laugh came out of her throat when she realized that Audi had shredded the meat to miniscule pieces and eaten them, and was now running in circles around her. Wisp smiled, tickling at him gently with her tail, teasing him into playing with her.

(This is Asuuuuuuu!!!!!)
Having had a nice full tummy, AuSurath had felt a spirit of energy, which he was no burning as he ran circles around Wisp.  He was panting as he sprinted, till he lightly tripped, and then was tickled by Wisp's tail.  Giggling as he tried to push her tail free, he had decided that that tail-tip was now his worstest enemy of them all!  Growling as ferociously as a 1 foot hatchling could, he charged at Wisp, trying to snap the tail into his mouth with his hatchling teeth, climbing all over Wisp as he pursued the tickling tail.  As the meat worked into his system, he eventually felt tired, and exercise after a big meal was bad.  Clinging now to Wisp's chest, he nuzzled his snout against her, hugging/dangling from her neck as he tried to get comfy as his eyes became droopy with sleep.

Wisp was laughing almost uncontrollably as Au crawled over her, being ticklish. She played with him with her tail for a while, smiling as he slowly became tired out. When the little NightWing finally settled down on one of her front paws, nestled against her chest, she smiled gently, watching him for a few minutes, and how peaceful he looked. She opened her mouth, letting out a yawn of her own before setting her head down on her free paw, her emerald gaze drooping until it disappeared. A few moments thereafter, Wisp was asleep, her sides gently rising and falling with her intake and outtake of breath.

(To lazy to change again)
Feeling quite comfy back against a motherly chest instead of cold iron, AuSurath had drifted into a quick sleep.  Being smaller, his chest heaved faster up and down that Wisps, but was completly out.  He slept for a decent nap, awakening with the urge to relieve himself, but was comfy against the IceWings body.  Squirming out from underneath Wisp's head, he trotted around, confused for a moment that the place was different, before remembering that Wisp brought him here.  Sniffing the air, he followed his nose outside of the den, where he relieved himself.  Feeling much better, he bounded off without a care in the world outsie the den, still marveling at the white frozen stuff that was cold, yet so fluffy!  He bounded up into the snow, only his head above the surface as he jumped like a rabbit, disappearing into the snow again and then bouncing around giggling.  He was completely unaware of all the traps set up around Wisps home, stepping on a small contraption.  Hearing a click, Au held still, tilting his head to the side as the ground suddenly swung upward, launching him upwards.  The only thing that came from him was a startled yelp as if he had been stung as he was thrown by a slingshot of sorts.  His yelp was quickly silenced as he smacked into a tree, making an audible thud on impact, and sliding/falling from the tree limp and silent, only partially cushioned by the snow.

Wisp had been sleeping peacefully, dreaming of her own mother, which was strange, as she hadn't done that for many years. She could barely remember her. But there she was, in all the ice covered glory. Wisp smiled lightly in her sleep, in the back of her mind, hoping she could care for Audi as well as her mother had cared for her before.... yeah

It was Au's yelp that woke her. Her eyes snapped open and she was immediately on her feet. She looked around, somehow just knowing that AuSurath wasn't inside her den anymore. She then heard a sickening thud, and her heart rose into her throat. She scrambled down the tunnel that led to the surface, breaking free of the snow that had piled overnight and looking around. For a moment, she could see nothing, her eyes wide as she scanned frantically. "AuSurath!" she called, stepping out and weaving her salvaging traps as she looked for him. It wasn't until a few minutes later that she spotted the small gray figure laying still in the snow under one of the trees. Letting out a little squeak of fear and worry, Wisp ran forward, frantically sniffing at thevhatchling

He was limp, unconscious, and she wasn't sure if he had any broken limbs or not. "Dont worry," she whispered, leaning on her back paws and picking up Au in one paw, cradling him to her chest, trying to be gentle. "You'll be okay." Opening her wings, Wisp took to the air, automatically turning and flying towards the only place on her mind: the Healer's area.

(Am I allowed to post here? If not, I can delete the post. I was told to join so I can be a help and involved in the plot)

Solstice lay in her den, herbs floating around in orbs of ice as she forced them to organize. She heard the rustle of wings and stopped the ice, the herbs falling to the sparkling clean ground. She stepped out of her den, which also functioned as the healer's area. She raised an eyeridge at the sight of a dragoness she had met rarely. "Hello, Wisp. You seem a bit.. stressed out. Mother's instinct, you know. What's going on?" Solstice asked, her eyeridges now knitting together in worry.

((Yeah, you are. ))

Wisp landed on her back legs outside Solstice's den, dropping to one of her front paws, the other still holding Au close to her. Folding her wings, she looked up from the hatching when Sol came out, her green gaze wide with worry. While she spoke, Wisp's tail waved back and forth, the tip twitching, betraying her current inability to keep still. "Solstice!" she helped, her voice cracking slightly as she did so. "Au is hurt! He's hurt! Younger to help him, please!" She was too panicked to say much more, hopping forward on three legs, letting Sol see the little gray hatching curled up in the crook of her arm, held up by Wisp's gentle grip.

Cold....pain......freezing....hurt....that was all that went through AuSurath's mind.  He was only partially conscious....only cold was around.  It hurt to breath.  Everything hurt.  It was still cold, but he suddenly felt a slight warmth, before drifting, as if he were in a river....a very cold one.  Breathing still hurt....and only hurt more as he breathed.....why is breathing so hard?  Why does everything hurt?  I can't breath.....everything hurts....its all so cold....

(Idk what to post....so der .w.)

Solstice gasped as Wisp tripped over herself, explaining quivkly in a frantic tone. "Wisp, I can help. But I can't fo anything until I know what's wrong. Do you know?" she asked, matching Wisp's speed. She stepped over to the hatchling, resting the back of her paw on his forehead. He felt cold. She raised an eyeridge and grabbed juniper berries, helping the hatchling to eat them. She could tell already he was having issues breathing. She also took catnip, giving the hatchling this as well. It'd help. She hoped.

Wisp watched worriedly as Sol gave Au what looked like a few random leaves to her. The more poltergeist part of her would've done some teasing on that, but right now she was too panicked. "I-I don't know what happened. I fell asleep and he was in my arms, the next moment I wake up to the sound of one of my traps being set. He was underneath one of the farther away trees, so it was either the catapult, or he was close to the tree and the slingshot got set off. Either way, I think he hit the trunk, and I'm not sure if he's broken or not! Please, Sol! He's the first hatchling I've taken care of, if he dies, I don't think I'll ever be able to look at any hatchling, let alone an egg, ever again!" She sat down, curling her tail about her and sniffing at Au again, checking he was still breathing.

Pain...its like one of those scale nits....constantly accompanying you, yet you never desire its company.  Something...something is in my mouth....tastes... AuSurath slowly became aware of his surroundings as food was forced into him. He was able to start breathing easier, and warmed slightly, yet it still hurt. His eyes slowly cracked open, a pained yet quite mew, almost like a sigh, came from his as he inhaled. It hurt. His entire body hurt. Each inhale a sharp knife to his chest, each exhale a hammer. His small paws clenched together into small fists, shaking as the pain over took him, whimpering as water slowly pooled in the corner of his eyes. He had no idea what was happening, nor where he was, and nor did he care, he just wanted the pain to stop.

Solstice watches the hatchling's reaction while listening to Wisp's explanation. She gently touched Ausurath's ribcage, seeing one that pointed outward in a manner that was not normal. She also saw that his bottom leg on the same side had been broken, and he had received a few scratches. She poofed up comfrey from her storage and set it aside, also grabbing stinging nettle. She applied the stinging nettle first, which would bring down swelling the broken bones would cause. She then chewed up the comfrey, applying it on his leg and rib. This would mend the broken bones. Solstice also noticed he fact that the grey hatchling happened to have no scales. She shrugged in the slightest and took the hatchling from Wisp, walking into her den. She placed him in one of the many nests she had set up for the patients, which she ensured was as comfortable as she would keep her own bed, if not more.

Solstice rested him on his back, grabbing dandelion and poppyseed, which was accompanied by large oak leaves and cobwebs and thyme. She returned and gave Ausurath a single poppyseed with thyme. This would calm his nerves and make him slightly numb to rid of the sense of pain. She wiped his scratches with cobwebs, also applying chervil to rid of the scratches. She sprayed the thinneat coat of healing frost onto his wounds, nuzzling the hatchling afterwards.

"It'll be okay," the icy blue dragoness said, attempting to keep hwrself calm and happy. If the healer had an emotion, their patients would sense this and potray the same. Whoch is why she didn't panic. She wrapped up his wounds in the oak leaves, which had a natural healing ability. She then covered this with a thicker coat of healing ice to ensure the fact that they stayed in place and he was healed as quickly as possible. She gently wiped Ausurath's tears...

"You're fine now." Solstice said gently before getting up and turninf to Wisp. She dropped her voice to a whisper: "Calm down. I do not mean to be rude, but as a healer, I have figured out that other dragons, especially young ones, take onth e emotions of those around them. You are now acting as his mother figure. You are to keep him safe. To watch him and rid his life of dangers and pain. I can help you if you wish. Anything for a hatchling. By the way, I can give him stuff for a nap, or you can take him now. He should, however, if kept awake, be in a calm environment and such so as not to force him panic. Again, I can help you with the mothering thing. I have seven children of my own."

Wisp watched with wide eyes as Sol did various things to Au, most of which confused get to no end. What did the plants do? The ice worried her, considering Au didn't seem top have scales. Would he get too cold? She followed after Sol when she took Au from her, going early into her hut after her. Her tail still doing its nervous twitch. "Will the ice make him too cold?" she asked with a shaky voice. "He's not as resistant to it as we are." When Sol turned on her, her eyes widened and she took an unconscious step back, but listened quietly to her words. "Y-Yes Solstice. Is he well enough to take him home? I don't want to hurt him any more than I already have...." She shook her head, still struggling to keep herself calm. "I've never taken care of a hatching before," she said. "I'm not sure I can even be a good mother to him. I've had him barely a day and he's already injured on my fault."