Fishing (solo)

Malaki was never the hunting type, but any with eyes could see that for themselves, he was scrawny even for a night wing. He had more of a scroll reader scholar look about him. But he had learned with time to fish and more importantly, he learned he was really good at it.

He was strangely good at swimming and it could easily be questioned if he was part sea wing if not for obvious pure blood night wing black scales Malaki had. Night was receding as light loomed on the horizon and most on the island the night wing tribe resided on would be going to bed now.

Malaki would have been as well if he did not sleep all night because of his tribal duties. His sleep pattern was a bit messed up because of work and nightmares or possibly visions contributed to it. At the moment he felt restless and the need to swim. He walked along the coastal cliffs as blood dripped out his nose. The headaches had been bad as of late and not even his elixir would calm them. Thankfully the quiet of the oceans water would help.

Standing upright with his back to the vertical drop off the cliffs Malaki hugged himself with his fore claws and closed his wings around his body like a blanket. Behind his goggle covered eyes he closed his eyes and listened to the waves crashing against the jagged rocks below. Malaki let the visions flood his sight without resisting and sidestepped a few times before going to a halt and letting himself fall backwards blindly to the rocks below.

As if he knew the future he disappeared into the waves avoiding all the rocks that would have been his death. Swimming out away from the cliffs Malaki allowed his body to go limp. Slowly and gently he sank while watching the trail of blood coming out his nose leading back to the surface. All the world was drowned out and quiet. It was strangely pretty to watch the rays of light penetrating the waters surface that was gradually growing further away. It was cold and the getting darker as he sank into the oceans depths. Reminding himself as much as he loved the ocean he could not breath underwater Malaki went back up to the surface and took in a deep breath of fresh air.

The headache and the bleeding nose was gone, now only hunger needed attending. Diving back under the waves he went searching for fish among the colorful reef.

It was a nice needed break to swim and hunt in the ocean. With his hunger satisfied Malaki dragged a giant Goliath grouper on the beach shore. It was his mothers favorite fish....well, the only fish she really liked. She preferred red meat and was always providing it for Malaki as he lacked the skill to hunt on land. She never took to the slimy feeling of fish sliding down the throat but Goliath grouper was the exemption. Wanting to provide for her for a change he carried the giant fish back to the tower that his tribe and he called home.

Softly walking in while avoiding the clack of his talons on the stone floor Malaki observed his mother shifting her body into a more a comfortable position. Putting the giant fish before her fore claws he gently touched her with a clawed hand. She jumped at the contact and shot her head out from underneath a wing. "Talons and Tails you made me jump!" She exclaimed after realizing it was her adopted son.

"Just because your getting good at sneaking in shadows does not give you the right to use those skills against your mother." She said with a smile only now realizing her favorite fish was at her for claws. She gave a grateful look and rubbed her head and snout against her sons in gratitude. "I will sleep well today with this, Tonight I will see about bringing home a boar for us to eat when I leave with the hunting party. Your such a good son, always thinking of your mother."

With a final rub of his head and snout against hers he left his mother to eat in peace. She would need the energy of the giant fish to fly over the great water of the ocean with the hunting party to the mainland and bring back food for the tribe. It was a very important job at that with so few skilled at hunting as she was.

Malaki went to a separate chamber and nestled himself in for a good rest. But he did not sleep well these days and his dreams would be haunted by a visage of himself with always the same message. His subconscious talking back to him. "Look at what you have done coward. There can be no forgiveness. You let dragons die when you know how to save them with your visions.....All to protect yourself. Look at what you have done coward..... there can be no forgiveness"

Malaki awoke from his dream with a sharp jerking motion just as his mother was leaving the chamber after checking on him. "Had one of your visions?" She asked softly. Malaki slowed his breathing and shook his head to become fully awake and said sleepily, "No, Just a bad dream." He paused in thought at that as his mother told him she was leaving with the hunting party. "Hey mom..... am I a bad dragon?"

She stopped halfway out the room and replied, "What a strange question to ask, of course you are not." Dragons were not like humans and as such were not limited to the simple, primitive archaic means of communication they had. Flicking her forked tongue out she took in more information about the emotions his body gave off in smells and gave her son her full attention. "Whats wrong my love, what troubles you?"

Malaki shifted his fore claws and crossed them replying. "I see dragons die in my visions but I never do anything about changing there future. I....." His mother did not let him finish his thoughts as she quickly replied having said it many times before in the past. "You cannot change other dragons futures, you can influence it but from what you have told me it all falls down to choice, you cant be responsible for the lives of so many. Every dragon in this world is responsible for there own destiny and the fates there choices bring, for good or ill."

It was wise advice but there was more that bothered him. "I have seen myself doing terrible things mother in the future. I fear I am evil or will become it." At this she strode over in her usual catlike manner and rested her forehead against his. "I will tell you a secret my child, you want to hear it?"

Malaki nodded his head expecting some great revelation from his older and much wiser mother who had experienced more of life then he had. After he pause she answered. "Inside every dragon there are two other dragons fighting for control, one full of love and joy, the other, all consuming hate that devours everything like fire. You know what dragon wins? The one you feed the most."

All dragons have a dark part of them and every dragon is capable of great unspeakable evil. If any say otherwise they are lying to you, or worse, themselves. We are what we choose to be my son. The future as you know is not written in stone. You are far to young to be worrying about such things. You are young and so focused on the future that you forget the most important part of our lives in this world.....living."

Pulling her forehead away from his she presented a wax sealed envelope. "I was going to leave this outside your chamber but I think I best give it to you now. You have been invited to a social gathering by a elderly dragoness with a old and well respected family from the tribe. I want you to go to this party while I am away and try to live a bit and enjoy life.

His mother did not want to leave but forced herself as she would be late for the hunting party if she delayed any longer. "And bring a gift!" She said, "Its customary!"

Malaki took in her words and and with a deep breath exhaled. His mother was right. He was young and should be enjoying life and not dwelling on futures and self doubts. The young night wing did not have much to offer in the way of gifts to a party host but his pet carnivorous plant had produced offspring he had recently put in a pot. It was a rare plant and a beauty. He thought it would make a great gift. Little did he realize the gift would make him the talk of the party in a good and funny way to many.

Malaki stood in front of the mirror and posed his body. At first in a casual way, then mysterious, finally ending in a cavalier dashing pose. "Nope", he said abruptly and threw everything off in the corner. It went like this for a while until he finally settled for the basics. This was his first appearance publicly on the social scene as Chief Apothecary of the Potentate. That in itself would create a stir. There was no need to go fancy.

Still, he felt like doing something to throw all the dragons off guard that think they know everything. With that he donned a white shoulder cape he had custom made for nothing particular until it felt right. Tonight, felt right. It was a bit old fashioned but still stylish. Old fashioned would suit him being in a position normally held by older dragons. It would show he respected tribal traditions even though he was the youngest to ever hold such a position. At least that is what he thought. He would have to double check with the historians to confirm that.

But it was the crest of the snake in a circle biting its own tail that would throw everyone off. He had discovered who his birth mother was through great effort as she had been erased from tribal records for a crime not recorded, he guessed treason. For all intense and purposes her noble house no longer existed as she did not have any known offspring at the time of her death. He did not know who his father was and after trying to find out and failing, no longer cared. It felt right to wear the cape as white as alabaster like his mother along with her house sigil.

He had heard the whispers of those that spoke ill of him holding such position at a young age. Malaki would enjoy rubbing it in that he came from questionable breeding as well.

Other than the should cape he decided to wear a humble leather chest piece that crossed into a X across his chest with the sigil of Chief Apothecary of the Potentate. He chose to wear wooden horn rings with the fossilized amber of an extinct tree. Of course, he attached a pouch to his chest harness containing things required of his duties and station on the social setting should the need arise. A wax seal, vellum and inkwell and a few other dew dads. Being as it was night, he also left behind his signature goggles to show off his glowing malachite green eyes that his adoptive mother named him for.

Taking the small potted carnivorous plant in claw he departed for the party.