Nin'Queesha couldn't help but notice how quiet the island was after all the younglings left in the spring. No matter how many times she experienced it- the Fire Elemental hated having her home so calm. Even with Killren, Sayen, and Mizai as year round residents, Nin'Queesha found it hard to keep herself occupied and more often than not ended up wandering aimlessly through the afternoons. It was one of those days, the Elemental's mind lost in thought as she strolled down the beach. Memories and dim ideas shifted in and out of Nin'Queesha's mindscape like the relentless waves, dreamlike. Watching their friend, Queesha's bonds, Killren and Sayen watched the Fire Elemental, both looking a bit worried.
::I don't know, Killren.:: Sayen said finally, as Nin'Queesha's form began to dissipate in the evening fog. ::She needs to be doing something.:: "Yeah, cause I hate the depressed Nin'Queesha," Killren quipped pitilessly. ::You think that we should try to get her off world for a while?:: Sayen had long ago learned to ignore Killren's less than polite speech, but there were certainly times when the female dragon bothered him with her rude insistence. If he hadn't long ago fallen in love with the fiery dragoness he might have tried to get rid of her- as she more often than not acted as Sayen's opposite, expecially when it came to Nin'Queesha... He liked to think that the dragoness would want to help their bond, so he continued to try. "Where are we going to send her?" Killren chuckled. "We got some shopping to do?" Sayen managed to keep his anger in check- loosing only a light growl in response to the female dragon. Not stopped to consider the situation further, Sayen took to the air and caught up with his bond. Nin'Queesha turned to meet him, and Sayen noted how her yellow eyes shimmered with the reflection of the moving ocean. "Sayen," she mumbled a greeting and shaded her eyes to look out for Killren, who was still in a lazy flight. "What are you guys doing out here?" Sayen considered the Elemental, knowing that it would be best to be honest with her, but not really wanting to come out and tell her that he was worried about her. In the end, he decided to tell his bond the outright truth, knowing that she would get it out of him eventually anyway, their minds were linked after all. ::Killren and I:: Sayen glanced thoughtfully over his shoulder as Killren landed behind him. ::We are a little...:: "You are depressed, Nin'Queesha, and we don't like it," Killren interrupted Sayen, her eyes glinting dangerously at him. He fumed but made no attempt to stop or reprimand her. Killren, though she had always been a bit of an eccentric, had been going through a strange phase of immaturity, despite the fact that she was not only a mother but a great-grandmother. Nin'Queesha had told Sayen quite seriously one day that she thought Killren was courting him, but whether it was because that was too good to be true or just because Sayen found Killren's actions to be self-defeating, he disagreed with Nin'Queesha. Whatever it was- Killren needed to get ahold of herself. "Well," the Fire Elemental's face became downtrodden, her voice thin and strange. "I suppose I am... Something in me just hates this silence; like somehow I am not doing my job... I mean, I should be doing something, caring for my family, or exploring, or fighting... just something. This nothing is..." ::We think that you should get out of here for a while, Queesha,:: Sayen put in, not wanting to give Killren another chance to get in on the Fire Elemental. "I think that you are right," But Sayen noticed that Nin'Queesha didn't seem to be paying much attention to what he was saying. Was something else on her mind? "You guys ever notice that Mizai doesn't have a bond?" "Yeah, it is weird," Sayen was sure that Killren was just trying to spite him now and he sent her an angered look. "Yeah..." ::Well, maybe she doesn't want a bond.:: Both the females gave Sayen looks of annoyance, but he was not going to let this go down hill. When Nin'Queesha and Killren agreed on something, bad things were sure to happen. ::Don't get all angry at me... It is none of your business whether or not your daughter bonds.:: "What are you saying, Sayen!?" Nin'Queesha snapped, her sudden anger adding a growl to her speech. "Of course I have a say, I am her mother... besides, my first child should not be the recluse of the Chxalli clan!" "Don't listen to him, Queesha," Killren put in, loathe to be left out of any argument. "First off, he has no children of his own, and he is a typical guy..." ::What exactly is that supposed to mean?:: "Look at me, I am big macho Sayen- not only am I the hottest dragon on all of Jhiirsai but I am also the guru of the planet..." Nin'Queesha couldn't help but laugh at Killren's imitation of her friend, but while the fiery pair was rather amused, Sayen could only force himself not to become further angered. ::Go ahead and laugh,:: He said to his bonds. ::But you just wait and see, you send Mizai out there not wanting to bond and she will come back empty handed... then where will your motherly pride be?:: "Oh go suck on a rock, you over grown lizard..." Killren said, sticking her long tongue out at the male. "What about Aepoiio? He didn't want to bond and look at the dragon he came back with." Nin'Queesha stared thoughtfully up at Killren as she spoke to Sayen. ::Admittedly, Berec is a great dragon- but I would venture to say that the ojee's good fortune with her is something of an exception.:: Sayen shook his head, glad that the Fire Elemental actually seemed to be considering what he had to say. "If that cyborg can score a dragoness like that, why would you think that Queesha's daughter couldn't?" Killren still wasn't willing to give up, but neither Nin'Queesha nor Sayen was paying their youngest partner attention. "I suppose you think that I should go talk to her?" Nin'Queesha considered her old friend- the deep trust that they shared getting the better of her, along with her own voiced desire to be doing something of some value. ::Why are you so worried, anyway, Nin'Queesha? You always say that things will happen at their own pace- why force Mizai?:: "I don't know, Sayen," The Fire Elemental stared off into the distance, only vaguely aware that Killren was staring harshly at her. "I feel conflict in her..." ::Like she is lost...:: The dragon finished for his bond, his eyes following the Elemental's into the cloudy horizon. Sayen was feeling that same thing that Nin'Queesha was sensing, but he didn't feel it in Mizai, he felt it in Nin'Queesha herself. "You can guide her, Nin'Queesha," Killren said, this time changing her strategy. Sayen shot the female dragon a surprised look and she smirked back at him. Nin'Queesha only nodded and without another word to either of her bonds she was off. * * * The Fire Elemental's first child, the hybrid Mizai Chxalli-Gredelle, was not far from the beach where the trio had been chatting- at the Chxalli household. Much like her mother, Mizai was feeling the sadness of the quiet, though her Water side allowed her to cope with the sedate environment a bit more skillfully than Nin'Queesha. She had spent the day cleaning up the house with her constant companion and close friend Verdi- both of them were thoughtful and silent for most of the morning, but Mizai desperately wanted to ask her friend something... "Verdi?" The dragoness looked up in response but didn't say anything. "I need to... ask you something." Mizai wasn't quite sure how she wanted to go about asking Verdi her question, but now that she had started she would have to go through with it... ::Hmm?:: Verdi sent questioning colors through Mizai's mind. "Have you ever thought about whether or not you or I should... bond?" Mizai offered her friend a guilty expression, but was set on getting a proper answer out of the dragoness. Verdi was a bit surprised at the notion, and beyond that found herself somewhat hurt by what Mizai was asking her. Though they had never actually bonded, Verdi and Mizai's relationship had been close- the dragoness had always assumed that she would be enough for Mizai. ::I...:: Verdi didn't know what to say. ::No, I haven't... not really.:: Without much by way of hope, Verdi's mind scrambled for any reasons that Mizai would have for wanted to ask such a thing. Perhaps Mizai had thought that Verdi wanted a bond? Or maybe that Killren had been bothering her... or... or... "Well," Mizai's voice broke into Verdi's train of thought. "It is just because, I think that it is time for... well, time for me to find that bond." Verdi flattened her wings against her sides in rage but forced herself to retain an expression of calm. ::Why are you asking me about it, anyway?:: Verdi failed to keep the venom out of her voice. ::It is not like I have any real say in the thing.:: Mizai's mouth dropped open, and she looked as though she was about to attempt to explain herself; she never got the chance for just at that moment Nin'Queesha burst through the front door, her two bonds with her. "Mizai, dearest!" Verdi got to her feet and wandered out of the room- too angry to have to talk with any of the rest of the family. She felt the eyes of Sayen on her back, ever questioning, ever analyzing; Verdi didn't return his gaze. "I must talk with you!" Mizai frowned back at Verdi for a moment for properly greeting her mother. "And I have an announcement for you as well..." Nin'Queesha stopped- obviously not expecting to hear anything of the like coming from her child. "Yes?" The Fire Elemental's curiosity got the better of her. "Is this something that I will be happy to hear about or should I step back outside?" More than once a surprised/angered Nin'Queesha had managed to burn down the house... now wasn't the time. "Heavens, no!" Mizai covered her mouth with a slender hand in the pretense of being appalled at the idea- Nin'Queesha could only narrow her eyes in disbelief. "I just wanted to ask you if you might want to come with me!" "Come with you?" Nin'Queesha raised an eyebrow, and forced a look of skepticism onto her face, despite her growing excitement. Sayen and Killren exchanged a knowing look. "I am going to Nidus Avengaea, to bond!" Before the words were out of Mizai's mouth she found herself enclosed in her mother's embrace and burning with the hateful gaze of Verdi. "I always knew that we thought alike!" Nin'Queesha cried pleasantly. "What took you so long?!" Killren put in before Sayen could hit her, and Verdi could hardly suppress her growing anxiety. "Oh mother," Mizai took on an expression of exasperation. "I wanted to make sure that I chose the right place- that it would really mean something... where I could find the perfect... I think that... I have heard that it is beautiful and..." "Nevermind the details!" The Fire Elemental, in proper Fire Elemental style, was in a flurry. "When are we leaving?!" "Well, I thought that we could..." "Perhaps I could see about sponsoring some dragonets, too... the house has been horribly quiet the past few months. What do you think?" "Sounds good to..." "What are you standing around for, child!? I know you got water in you, but indulge your fire side once in a while... come on!" ::I would like to come as well,:: The room grew silent as Verdi stepped forward. Nin'Queesha's happiness had simmered into a suspicion at the dragoness's unexpected words and the Fire Elemental thought that she could feel something dark in the dragon. Something told her that it would not be smart to bring the creature along with them... she knew how Verdi thought of Mizai's relationship with her. ::To bond...:: Verdi added, as though aware that the matriarch was not satisfied with what she had said. ::I don't suppose it could hurt anything,:: Sayen put in tentatively, meeting the intense gaze of his bond. What else could be said? Sayen could see that Verdi was up to something- but there was a saying, "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer." Verdi had become, within a matter of minutes, both to Mizai and he could not help but feel as though the closer the dragoness was kept to the mother and daughter the better. Besides, if she bonded, her anger might be curved. Nin'Queesha seemed to agree with her bond and turned back to Verdi. "Get ready, you two," she said softly. Verdi turned away and plodded up to her room- mind racing. She would have to be careful, Nin'Queesha already didn't trust her and the Fire Elemental obviously wanted her daughter to bond... whatever plan that Verdi hatched to get Mizai back to her would have to be careful... and if she failed... if she failed, then she would try to bond as she said that she would, and they would all just have to see how things turned out... |
| Nin'Queesha's Stats Page Mizai's Stats Page Verdi's Stats Page |
|
All information, images, and artwork ©Bonnie Jean Raschke 2000-2006 Unless Otherwise Stated. May not be used without permission. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED!
Back Backround From: AIREONA! ^ ^ |
