>>5863054In the afternoon, you decide to leave your siblings be, with orders for them to stay near Father. Your eldest sibling won't dare lash out at them if they approach Father with the pretense of getting hunting practice. He won't tolerate squabbles in the clearing, for it'd accomplish nothing but scare away wild game.
Instead, you head out into the swamps, hoping to perhaps find your friend again. You remember them well. Red-scale-blue-horn. That's how you've come to think of them. Now that you're pondering it further, you realise that neither you nor your siblings have names or titles. You've been thinking of them in only the simplest of terms. The eldest. The youngest. The sibling, the other one. It's much unlike a rabbit or deer, where you know what their kind is called.
You resolve to ask your parents about it later. They're old, surely they have names and forms of address they could bestow upon you and your siblings.
~~
You hear a rustling in the trees up ahead. Your mind reaches out, finding an unfamiliar presence in the canopy. Unlike Red-scale, it doesn't respond to your mental probe. It comes into view moments later, and you strain your stout neck to keep your gaze upwards.
This dragon is a greenish-blue, with spots of brown on its lithe body. It has nubs of wings sprouting from its back, and is about the same size as you. Horns sprout from its head, and it bears a short mane. You chirp in greeting, and it turns to face you curiously. There's still no outreach of thoughts and feelings from it. Interaction with this one feels rather alien. However, it reacts to your presence all the same, and jumps from the tree without a sound. Its paws land on the dirt and it trots over to sniff you.
You do the same, taking in the scent of dew and leaves. You smell blood on its breath, and know that it’s been eating. Hopefully you’re not a target for seconds
Like the last hatchling you met, you slowly inch forward to play with it. This one looks a lot more agile, with partially developed wings, so maybe it’ll give you a different bout. You still barely get any mental recognition from it, but maybe it’s just shy. It’s receptive to your playing, and the two of you tumble about for a bit. Despite the antlers and extra digits to latch on, it’s nimble enough to avoid your vines, even up close. It’s a little rough when playing, though, and you find yourself annoyed by the real bites you receive.
Tired out, the two of you lie down near each other, basking in a patch of sunlight and taking in the swampy air. You enjoy the sun far more than your new friend does.
A thought comes over you, and you mentally prod your friend. Do they have a name? Anything they go by?
It raises its head to look in your general direction, but doesn’t fancy a reply. You eventually get back to basking in silence.
~~
