¤ Vehya's story ¤

part 4: The Terramania

by Neishai

The Terramania hatching occurred before the Kempler-Hikaru's and their flitter guides made it to Calienta. Perhaps it was just as well, for while her wait was longer than she would have liked, Vehya found who she was looking for...

Now there was only one egg left, one egg rocking before Vehya-ilaasu. The flitters that she had befriended circled around the egg, their small voices calling forth the hatchling inside. Was this it? Was this the presense that she had felt in her mind, a dragon soul? Veyha drew in her breath sharply as a large crack spread along the length of the oval shell. Slowly the hatchling inside pushed its way outwards, forcing a hole out of its shell instead of breaking the entire thing apart. When it was finally out it stood before her, wings wide.

A greater air. He watched Veyha for a moment with an almost comical expression on his face. First he tilted his head to one side, then to another. The examination continued until finally he gave a satisfied nod. Yes. You are the one. I didn't recognize you in your body at first. Hello, Veyha. I'm Kazeika.

Veyha's parents cheered from the stands, proud of their daughter's achievement. Vehya cast a glance over her shoulder at them and they waved back merrily. She turned back to the hatchling now, smiling at the young dragon. "Now Kazeika, I know that you're hungry, aren't you?"

Yes...

"Then what are we waiting for?" She beckoned for the hatchling to follow her as she left the sands, proudly escorting out the last dragon of the hatching. The sands seemed strangely quiet after she had left, no more eggs visible on the golden surface of the sands.

~Exerpt from the Terramania hatching, by Sherra

By the time Vera and Omaji found Vehya, she was already feeding her new bondmate. "And now, it's my turn to teach you the ways of the physical world," she was saying.

"Reinou!" Vera waved as her daughter looked up. The hatchling looked confused for a moment, until Vehya explained. By that time, her parents had arrived. "We're so proud of you," Vera sighed into her ear as they embraced. She hugged her father as well, then introduced them to her dragon.

"Kazeika, these are my parents, Vera and Omajinai. Mom, Dad, this is my bondmate, Greater Air Kazeika." She was grinning from ear to ear as she spoke, so happy and proud and excited that she could hardly say more.

Understanding this, Omaji said, "We do not want to keep you from your first meal. We will come see you later once you have settled in." Vera nodded. Vehya gave them each one last hug before they left.

She is so young, Kazeika remarked thoughtfully between bites, at least compared to what I've seen of human females.

Vehya nodded. "She hasn't aged since I was very small, Kaze. She has looked just like that for as long as I can remember. Mom says it's because of her bond to my dad, but I don't know. Something smells of magic." She waited before saying any more, wearing a small frown on her face. "All I know is, if it weren't for him, Mom would be an old woman by now. Humans don't live long at all."

Surprised, Kaze asked, And you? Are you old as well? You seem so much younger than her, in your mind. Though she does not have the mind of an old lady either!

Vehya laughed, she just couldn't help it. "If you were to ask, Mom would say I made her old before her time. But seriously, I think it's what's kept her young. She's never had to feel old, so she goes through her day as if she were still twenty-five. And me? I'm almost half a century old, but I don't age as quickly as a human probably because of my dad. I still have much to learn, and I'm only a hatchling to his family." She chuckled. "To them, my father was barely out of the egg when they had me."

And what are they like?

Vehya shrugged. "I don't know, and I'm not so sure he really knows either."

I think we should go visit them sometime. I am very interested to learn about your people.

"Me too," she said. "When you're older, we'll go visit my human-sides' homeland. Mom is from a place called America, and Dad's mother is from Japan, though she's a dragon like he is. We were going to visit when you came along," she grinned, poking the hatchling's now distended belly.

Oooh, please stop. I think I'll pop if you do that again.

"I'm sorry," she said, wrinkling her nose as she giggled.

We both know you aren't. I'm glad I had such good timing though.

"Excellent timing. We'll have to postpone the trip for a while, but Cy is a nice place to be. I'm sure Mom and Dad won't mind at all." She rose to her feet, and Kazeika followed. "Now let's get you to bed, it's been a long day."

Stay with me until I sleep?

"I wouldn't dream of it."

¤ ¤ ¤

Later that night, Omaji and Vera found Vehya and Kazeika asleep together. It was a light sleep, accomplished only moments before. Their approach awakened Vehya, and as she sat up rubbing her eyes, the Air dragon opened his eyes groggily as well.

"Hey," Vera said softly, crouching down in front of them.

"Mmn," Vehya murmured. She was awake in the next moment, when Buttercup and the other two flitters joined them, the former flying headlong into her chest, sending her flailing backward into Kaze. Both grunted in surprise, Vehya grinning at the exuberant flitter. Scratching her head between the two horns, she looked up apologetically at her parents. "Sorry. Turns out if one of us falls asleep, the other one does too. If one's awake, the other can't sleep either."

Behind her, the pale-brown dragon looked very sheepish. I tried, honest.

"I know you did," Vehya crooned, turning back to scratch him behind the ear. "Finally I just lay down with him and before I knew it you were here waking me up."

"That is a strong bond indeed," Omajinai commented.

Vera nodded. "No worries. You might want to eat some dinner though, before there's nothing left. We can stay and talk with Kazeika if you want."

No, I'll be fine. You should go and make plans, he said, emphasizing the last word ever so slightly, with a very meaningful look aimed at Vehya.

Her eyes widened in understanding. "Now?"

Well of course! You are planning to get back to your roots. Whyever not?

Vehya bit her lip. "Well, I suppose…"

It's not like I'm going anywhere right away, he sighed wistfully. I can dream about it, but it will be quite some time before I can fly.

"True," she said reluctantly. Finally, she shrugged, then came between her parents, guiding them back toward what was left of the feast with an arm around each. "It would seem we have a slight change of plans for our vacation, so Kaze had an idea. And what better time to discuss it than tonight?"

Kaze watched them go before settling back into his bed. Perhaps he wouldn't sleep, but he could doze contentedly. He had certainly made the right choice in Vehya, and her family was more than he could have hoped for. But it was not as if he had had to make a choice earlier today. As with Omajinai, he had known his destiny before he had ever been born.

¤ ¤ ¤