The life of a three-year-old is blissfully unobservant. Colours, shapes, objects, names; nothing matters but the simple fact of being happy. If they aren't happy, everyone hears about it. When Damier was born, it was no different. Like any three-year-old, he cried when he was upset, gurgled when he was happy, and was absolutely irresistable to anyone who looked at him. He was also his mother's pride and joy.
Siltek crouched low in the dew wet grasses of her hunting grounds. Tall trees overshadowed her black fur and hid her behind leafy firns. The musky odour of spices and flowers swirled through the air and concealed her scent. Velvety, black ears flattened against her head with the soft click of her earrings as she studied her prey. A small, grey rabbit nibbled on a water rose leaf, oblivious of it's certain demise. Carefully, the huntress picked up the long, wooden spear beside her and held it ready to strike. Her tail flicked in anticipation and her muscles coiled for the attack.
The rabbit's ears swiveled forward suddenly at a slight noise. A small, hiccuping whimper from behind Siltek. In a flash, the would-be dinner was gone and the whimper had turned to a high-pitched cry. Siltek cursed softly and unstrapped the baby carrier from her back, craddling the soft leather pouch in her arms.
"Shh... Damier. Hush little one." She tried to sooth the ball of black and white fluff held within the carrier. With a sharp glace around her, Siltek began to sing softly.
The child's cries slowly then quieted altogether as he listened to his mother's soft voice. Damier opened his pale blue eyes and gazed up at the black Lironess with a wide grin. He flicked his white stripped tail against his blankets and giggled happily, stretching two furried paws towards her face. Siltek smiled softly despite herself and nuzzled her son.
"You know you've cost us another dinner." She scolded the half Liron gently. Damier returned with another gurgling laugh and wrapped his paws around her muzzle.
"He only cost you the thrill of the hunt. There's plenty of food in the dining hall." A sleek, white form leapt through the underbrush and landed lightly beside Siltek. His silvery white fur shone in the darkening light, disappearing into black shadows where his strips cross his back. Moonshadow chuckled lightly as he looked down at their son.
"How am I supposed to teach him how to hunt if he keeps crying?" Siltek lifted the white stripped feline out of his carrier and waited for her husband to take his human form. Once that was done, she carefully handed Damier to him.
"He's only three, Siltek. Give him time to grow." Moonshadow cradled the child close to his chest as Damier squirmed playfully. As if agreeing with his father, Damier stuck his stunted thumb in his mouth and looked over at his mother with wide, blue eyes. Siltek sighed.
"We'd better head back to the Warren. Elmyka said she wanted to see me about something." The tall huntress unstrapped the carrier and handed it to Moonshadow. While juggling their cub in one arm, the Tigra/man managed to slip the leather pouch over one shoulder. Siltek smiled softly, her heart warming just at the sight of their first born.
"He'll be as strong and graceful as you, my dear." Moonshadow purred, brushing his lips gently against her furred cheek. The Lironess laughed, a low purr rising in her throat.
"But he'll have your skills, and probably your attitude." She grinned, brushing a hand gently over Damier's forehead. Baby soft fur flattened away to reveal the gleaming blue stone embedded in his forehead. He gazed at her with wide, wondering eyes.
"Would you mind having another me around?" Moonshadow grinned a guiless grin, gently returning Damier to the carrier pouch. Siltek laughed and helped him secure the straps on his shoulders. She tickled Damier's nose and chuckled as he sneeze lightly. Moonshadow wrapped an arm around her waist and together they began heading back to the Warren. The rest of that day would be an event not soon forgot.
* * * 15 years later...
"Come out, come out, wherever you are." Damier cajouled to the silent weyr. He crept along the ground on all fours, dark blue eyes scanning the black recesses where a wolf-sized creature could hide. Now at eight-teen years of age, Damier had become everything his parents expected. He was strong, buldging with muscles in his shoulders and legs. Thickly defined lines rippled beneath his reverse stripped fur. Careful, skilled feet navigated the ground without so much as a whisper being made. A short mohawk of white hair stood up on the top of his head, threatening to spill into the thick, full mane of his adulthood. It would still be a year or more before it was finished growing. His magic rested in a stone that glowed a soft blue from the center of his forehead. He'd mastered the art of shape shifting, but couldn't do nearly as many 'neat tricks' as his father. Damier stalked around the room like his great ancestors, anticipation tensing all his muscles.
A soft scurring of claws on stone alerted him to his approaching adversary. He turned, one paw coming up to ward off the attack, and was knocked to the ground by a furry lump.
The thing landed on his chest and forced him to the ground, four paws pinning down his limbs. A wet, bristled muzzle rubbed against his cheek and a warm tongue gave his fur a sloppy bath.
"Eeeeeyuck!!!" Damier cried, struggling to crawl away from his attacker. The Liron/Tigra growled a laugh and his companion yelped triumphantly. Explosion leapt from his chest and pranced proudly around the room, wings half extended for effect.
"I won again." The fralamar sang teasingly. Damier's lips pulled back in a mockery of a grin and he pounced on the wolf, rolling with him across the ground until, once again, Explosion's wet tongue was making a sweep of his face.
"Ok! Ok! You win!" Damier cried, throwing both hands in front of his face to stop the wolf's bad breath and dripping tongue. Explosion let off a howl of joy and paraded away, head held high. Damier smirked and drew his thick arm across his face, wiping away the drool. "Dumb mutt." He muttered beneath a smile.
Explosion cocked his head and looked back at his friend with a wolfish grin. "Dumb? Me? Is that why I always win?"
"I let you win." The Liron/Tigra sniffed dignantly, rising to his full, 6'1" height. A long, thick tail swung behind his legs in a pendulum-like motion.
"Oh, so you let Letanri win too?" The fralamar's voice was low and energetic, always seeming to hold a hint of laughter.
Damier smirked and ruffled the wolf's fur with his large paw. "Of course. I could take both of you any day." His voice was far deeper. More like his mother's seductive purr though without the taunting tones. He had more of a carefree look on life that reflected in every word he spoke.
"Ha!" Explosion laughed, pink tongue lolling out the side of his mouth. "You'd be on the ground before we even started!"
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah!"
With the common words of challange, both wolf and cat-man took off out of the weyr. The room itself was Damier's, only because he wanted to stay in the Warren and there were no other free rooms. So, he had an average sized weyr all to himself... and Explosion.
The companions raced across the open grass lands of the flight fields, passing dragons and dragon riders alike. They earned a few laughs and a few more waves as everyone recongized the blurs of black and silver. Explosion had bonded with Damier at a very young age. He was one of three pups that had stayed after Elmyka's first litter. The other two often traveled with their parents but could be found hanging around Damier's younger sister, Letanri. When the two had found each other, Explosion was barely more then a few hours old. His fur had earned him his name, being a mixture of gold, brown, silver and black. Siltek had called him an Explosion. Damier, three years old at the time, had caught on to the word, and the wolf, and wouldn't let go. They'd been fast friends ever since.
"Stop!" Explosion called out suddenly, skidding to a halt behind a tall patch of grass and rocks. Damier took a moment longer to catch onto the call but when he did, he flipped agily behind the hiding place and peered inquizatively over the edge.
"What is it?" The cat-man whispered loudly.
"There." Explosion whispered back, nodding towards a pair of winged wolves and a Lironess with white tips on her ears and tail. Damier grinned openly and crouched low behind the boulder.
"On the count of three..." He began. "One..."
"Two..." Explosion furled his wings and crouched beside his friend, eyes trained on the silver-black fralamar beside the cat-woman.
"Three!" The word bellowed from Damier's throat and he leapt from behind his hiding place. Both he and Explosion dropped into a full out run as they charged their respective siblings.
Damier is a candidate at: Vella Crean
Explosion is from: Marbithel