No matter how small

[kai]

Feeling safe here he did not tense up as he usually did when someone came out of nowhere. "Yeah, not that I needed the help. I just thought it would be rude to turn it away" Clearly Kai was feeling better. Following her gaze he saw an earth dragon like himself much older though. From the vague description he had received weeks ago Kai assumed this was the one he had to make the delivery to. "Just a moment" He told his friend. "Got something I have to do"

Going over to the wall he looked up and called. "You the earth guardian?"

["Cosmos"]

watching him climb the wall, she was about to follow him. hearing the clink of weapons, she knew this sound well. turning towards the two large dragons, she could tell that they were trainees. remaining silent as they issued her a challenge, she tapped her staff on the stone ground several times.

as a few of the trainees gathered into a group to watched this challenge, the two dragons ran at her. with their training weapons posed to strike, Akrina found a weakness instantly, and struck. blocking the first weapon, she lurched out with her wounded leg and grabbed the head of the second one, clenching her teeth as pain shot through her leg. bending her knee, she slammed his head into the ground, dazing him as he went limp.

having been watching the trainees and warriors training in the courtyard, the gaze of the Earth Guardian was changed when he heard the male call to him. turning fully towards him, he nodded. "i am the Earth Guardian. Terrador is my name," he said, his voice rugged, carrying the age and wisdom of a warrior of conflicts long passed.

[kai]

"Really?" Kai asked as he looked the old dragon up and down. "I was kinda expecting more. Oh well." Kai like most young earth dragons was confident. Disrespectfully so. "I was told to give this to you from some old dragon I traveled with in the wilds." With that he took the necklace off and tossed it.

With that business concluded Kai did not even wait for a reaction as he turned to call to his friend. "We have not even been here for a day. Play nice like a good little girl. Go paint your nails or something"

["Cosmos"]

hearing Kai call out to her, she threw her staff with such force that it slammed into a pillar that was next to him and imbedded into the stone. letting go of the head of the dazed trainee, she grabbed the swinging training weapon, skidding only a inch backwards. spreading her claw wide, she slammed her palm into the last trainees neck, the way she struck sending a paralytic burst into his body. stumbling backwards as the pain in her leg became bad, she clenched her claw over the stitched wound, before the stitches became undone. clenching her other hand into a fist, Akrina shook it at Kai in a friendly, but threatening gesture.

rolling his eyes at the dragon's words, Terrador caught the necklace when he tossed it at him. watching him, he turned his gaze down to the female. raising his brow-ridge when she threw the staff, he was slightly amazed when she single-handedly defeated his best two trainees.

[kai]

Kai waved back and proceeded towards her. "Not bad. You single handily took out some guys who probably never left the confines of the temple walls. Standing on his hind legs he clapped. "I'm impressed.

Looking at her leg he added. "But seriously, not bad. I know how much fun it is to fight. You know I do when you saw what I did in the swamp." Speaking lowly now he said. "But to do this right after we get out of the healing rooms is a bit crazy. At least give yourself time to heal." As if to give incentive he added. "I wont spar with you until your a hundred percent healthy. Otherwise I will feel cheated after I win." With that he stuck out his tongue.

["Cosmos"]

listening to him, the Dragonborn summoned another staff to lean on. laughing at his incentive, she punched him in the arm. "this is nothing, you undersized golem. this wound is nothing more then a nuisance, only limiting my mobility. doesn't mean i can't kick your butt," Akrina said, grinning as a large warhammer appeared on her back, its head designed to rend flesh and crush bone at the same time. spreading her wings several times, she let out a deep breath, a puff of poison-like green smoke leaving her mouth.

[kai]

Kai scowled at her having barely felt the punch. "If your mobility is limited its not a fair fight." He was serious about this. Kai was hardly ever serious. "If I get hold of you the fight is over. I will not fight until you are back to normal. That is that"

"If I beat you in a fight Dragons will pick fun at me for beating a weakling just out of the healing rooms. If I lose, I will be known as a weakling for being beaten by a someone fresh out of the healing rooms. Understand?' He asked. Kai hoped she did. "No matter what happens, I lose."

Looking back at the old earth guardian he called back. "So will you train me or what old timer?' He asked. That's what the amulet meant. Kai was above the average earth dragons in there control of the element. And as such deserved special attention. He was possibly even the current earth guardians heir when it came Terradors time for retirement.

Kai was arrogant. But such was the curse of youth. Training here always tempered the spirit of youths. Kai was no different. He was as they say. "salvageable"

["Cosmos"]

smiling at him, she understood perfectly. "i understand. anyway, i already said i would wait until you are fully healed. this is nothing, and will heal within the next few days," Akrina said, turning towards him. looking up at the Earth Guardian when Kai asked his question, she remained quiet.

looking down at him as the male ask if he would train him, Terrador looked at the amulet. letting out a sigh, he called out in his gruff voice, "go rest up, you foolish boy. find me when you had had that rest, and take your hot-headed friend with you." turning towards the rest of the courtyard, he barked to the trainees to get back to their practices.

[kai]

"You forgot devilishly handsome" He said to the old dragon with a smile. Getting while the getting was good he passed by Akrina and gave his best at a gentle bump with his shoulder. "Lets go get some hot chow. My stomach is growling.

"I hope they got enough food. I can eat a lot" It made sense. With his high energy he required a lot of intake to maintain that energy.

["Cosmos"]

letting out a laugh, she sniffed the air as she was about to follow him. stopping after taking one step, she turned towards the outer walls. "i'll meet up with you in a bit, i need to go hunting. i have never really liked having my food served to me," she said with a smile. spreading her wings, she spoke before he could say anything, "don't worry, i have hunted with broken limbs before. all about being a Dragonborn." with a smile, she flapped her wings and got airborne. flying over the wall of the temple grounds, she got to work on hunting a creature of decent size.

[kai]

"But, but" Kai muttered as he left. She was growing on him. Akrina was the first female friend he ever had. The first that genuinely understood him. As such he treated her like a friend and respected her wishes to hunt. Doing something for her he had never done for any other living creature. Kai relaxed his mind to allow any visions to come. Up until now he had suppressed and fighted against his gift of second sight. But not today just in case.

After fetching his bowl Kai went to the area where all the dragons of the temple ate and stood in line. He was use to it after working for the shadow seekers. But unlike his former employers. Here at the temple they were very generous with the meat. Handing the beautifully crafted bowl unique to his culture Kai waited anxiously for the stew.

"Wow" The cook said as he examined the bowl. "Never thought I would see one of these again." Kai was a bit put off by what the cook said. "Why not?' he asked. The cook made a face. "You don't know? The isolated Astroja clan of earth dragons were wiped out a year ago by the shadow seekers. Down to the last living thing.

Kai felt a jump in his chest and a deep pain he had never felt before in his life. Like the air was sucked out of him. As the bowl was handed back to him it fell from limp talons to hit the ground. Picking it up and ignoring the stares as the falling bowl caught every ones attention Kai left. His face was blank. But the wet shine in his eyes betrayed his need to cry. He was holding it in. With no more appetite and wishing to be alone he sought a quiet place to be alone.

["Cosmos"]

finding a larger then normal bulb spider within minutes of leaving the temple, she dove at it with such speed that it was severely wounded when she landed on it. using her leg talons like a bird of prey, she grabbed its weakly squirming body and bit down hard on its neck. as the last of its life faded from its body, she began to devour it as its blood stained her limbs, body, and face. feeling full as she picked the last of its meat clean from its exoskeleton, she sat down and tried to wash as much of the blood away as possible. finding herself cleaned enough, she spread her wings and took flight once again, her body still stained with some of its blood.

returning to the temple grounds, she landed weakly as her leg hurt from her hunt. using her staff for support, she walked into the temple in time to hear a group of younglings talk about a male who kinda made a scene in the meal hall. recognizing the description, she sniffed the air, looking for Kai's scent. after walking around for several minutes, she found the scent and quickly followed it to a alcove that was out of the way from everything else. "Kai?" Akrina called out, slowly walking into the alcove.

[kai]

"Hey" He replied in a monotone voice devoid of emotion. "I wish to be alone""

["Cosmos"]

not accepting to just go away, she moved closer to him. "if you hold whatever it is in, you may regret it as it eats you up. please confide in me what happened," Akrina spoke, looking at Kai with a look of wanting to help him.

[kai]

Kai took in a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. "Did you feel numb when everything you knew was taken from you? If so I think I know now how you felt. I feel numb, hollow. I'm all alone now. My home and all I knew are gone"

"I suppose the temple shall be my home now"