Little ripples in the lake�s surface heralded Toshida�s appearance. His head soon broke the water, his eyes blinking to clear them. In his mouth was a large fish, which he then brought to where Insei sat at the lake�s edge. She quickly took it from the shrape�s mouth, and placed it in a basket near the water�s edge. She patted Toshida on the head, and smiled, before he slipped once again into the lake�s deep waters.
Toshida had grown over the past week, growing longer and thicker. She smiled as she remembered when Desiree had told her that Toshida had finally reached Shrape stage, and the way that Kashi�s chest had puffed out as he heard the news. Toshida now was full-grown and had developed into a lovely marine, but he would not be considered a Bishen until the Shantel. And Toshida now could use mind-speech, but he rarely talked. He preferred silence, the perfect companionable silence that needed no words.
Crystal chimes sounded through the clearing, low enough as to not break the silence cloaking the area. Toshida�s crystal toy surfaced upon the lake�s surface, forcing the calm waters to ripple out as it bobbed rhythmically. Toshida was not far behind it, circling around the object before pushing it down with him. He made a small noise, very similar to a human laugh, before disappearing again. Insei smiled; she loved to watch the little dragon play, he was the perfect image of pure, happy innocence.
A sound broke her out of her small reverie, and she looked up to the source of the noise. Ihen smiled down at her, and stepped of the small trail that led into the clearing. He came to where she sat, and settled down next to him. His hair caught the moonlight spilling through the forest�s canopy, creating a halo of light about his light features. Insei nestled against him, glad for his embrace.
Although the past couple of days had been glorious, there had been an undertone of sadness. The locket was still in the cottage, Ihen having hidden it from her so she would not have to see it again. At night when she dreamed in a restless sleep, she saw Misora�s face looking down upon her from the many rows of seats inside the Tower. Her eyes would bore into hers, all of the hatred and anger emanating from them breaking her heart piece by fragile piece. And as the last part broke, she would wake screaming in darkness.
A cold and wet body slithered over her arm and around her shoulders. Toshida curled around her shoulders, the tip of his tail touching the soft ground. He made a small purring noise, and butted his head against hers, trying to cheer her up in his own way. Insei felt waves of calming peace enter her mind, and she pushed away the face of her old, beloved friend. Ihen tightened his hold around her, knowing what she had been thinking of. Bless both of them, she thought. She would surely have given up if not for them.
*My father is coming* Toshida�s voice was like a chime in their minds, like the faintest of ripples on the cool water of their lake. He gave his imitation of a hug before slithering off and slowly snaking his way towards the trail. And soon enough Kashi appeared with a small gray sack in his mouth. They both brightened and embraced before coming to sit with the two guardians once again.
*I brought a gift to you, Toshida. A present to herald your coming into shrape stage* Obvious pride seeped through his words as he looked onto his beaming son. He let the sack settle onto the ground before Toshida, who immediately nosed it open. An item fell softly onto the ground, allowing the moonlight to touch it. It was a small, square metal plaque; a picture of a cloudy sky lit by the full moon elaborately carved onto its surface. It caught the light of the moon, and seemed so come to life as it shimmered in the forest air. Toshida made a happy gurgling sound, and twined the end of his long body around the precious object.
*Thank you, father!* The two guardians smiled at the two dragons, listening to their happy conversation.
***
(This next part is a joint writing between Deb and I. Visit Itsu here)
A tall and wide portal slowly came into being, allowing those who were standing about the clearing a view of the world on the other side. Desiree stood from where the sat, and walked to where the portal floated a few inches over the ground. Kashi, Toshida, and the two guardians were also in the clearing, waiting to find out what the surprise Desiree kept ranting about was. The four sat forward as a shape could be seen through the portal. Eventually, a girl and a dragon stepped through, and the portal faded away behind them.
"Welcome Hachi-san! And you too, Itsu!" The girl looked about the same age as Desiree, although she was blonde and taller, the seeming opposite of Desiree. The dragon was a Bishen, a green terran who looked about the clearing with curious eyes. Kashi smiled with his chest puffed out in pride, and walked over the female Bishen who looked just like him.
*Welcome daughter.* Kashi said as he gave his daughter a draconic hug.
*Hi Daddy!* Itsu returned his hug with enthusiasm. *It's good to see you!* Deborah stepped around the two dragons and smiled at the others.
"Hello Nen-chan!" She greeted the guardians as well. "Good to see you all. Itsu has talked of nothing but today since you invited us over. And I'm sure she will talk of nothing but today when we get back." Itsu and Kashi have finished their greetings.
*Hello Desiree. Everyone.* Itsu said, her big black eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Ihen, Insei, this is my good friend Deborah," Desiree said, motioning to the new girl. "And Hachi-san, these are two that have been taking care of Toshida." Desiree sat next to the two guardians, motioning for Deborah to follow. Toshida snakes over to where Kashi stands with his daughter, his quiet eyes asking many questions.
*Kashi, this is one of your siblings. Her name is Itsu*
Itsu looks up at her brother, eyes a little wider than normal. She gives the pale blue a friendly smile.
*Hello. My name is Itsu. It means peace and beautiful. What�s yours?* Deborah smiled at her bondmate's bluntness. She leaned towards the others and whispered: "Not one for taking it slow, is she?"
Desiree whispered back to her friend, "Toshida is just the opposite. He's a quiet one, that's for sure."
*Toshida is my name* The blue snakes closer to Itsu, looking into her eyes. He gives her one of his own smiles, one that lights up his eyes as well.
"I can't get Itsu to sit still or be quiet for even a moment! She is just too full of energy."
Itsu grins. *What a cool name! I like it!*
*I like yours too* Toshida smiles again, warming up to the sister he had never known until now.
Desiree laughs, watching the brother and sister talking. She pulls out a little basket from behind where she sits, a blanket covering the top.
"I gathered some toys from Toshida's home for the two of you to play with," Desiree said as she took the blanket off. Toshida motions for Itsu to go first to the basket of toys.
Itsu came forward, smiling at her brother. She poked her nose into the basket, pushing around a bit before pulling one out with her teeth. The toy she had chosen was a little Bishen dragon on wheels with a string tied around its neck. Itsu laughed when she saw what she had chosen, and took the string in her mouth, tugging the toy behind her, obviously pleased with her choice.
Toshida snaked over the basket and slithered in. All that now could been seen of him was the top of his head and eyes, as he watched with humor his sister play with the toy.
Desiree leaned towards Deb, "Toshida loves baskets, kinda reminds me of a sleepy cat� Hey," an idea seemingly comes to Desiree. "Why not have Itsu take that toy home with her? That way she can remember this day!"
Deborah giggled at the sighted of Toshida. "Your right! He does remind me of a cat. And I think Itsu would like that. Itsu! Come here for a moment, please." Itsu trotted towards them, the string dangling from her mouth.
*Yes?*
"Nen-chan wants to know if you would like to keep that toy?" Itsu turned her gaze to Desiree.
*Really? I can?*
"Of course you can! We have plenty of toys to spare," Desiree finishes with a smile and pats Itsu on the head. "You look so much like your father, Itsu!" Kashi's chest puffs out with pride with the mention of his children.
*Hooray! Thank you very much Desiree!* Itsu hugged her new toy to her chest, grinning from ear to ear. She smiled up at her father when Desiree mentions how much the two looked alike.
"Yes, you do, Itsu." Deborah agreed. Itsu stood a little straighter, proud to be so much like her father. Itsu turned to Toshida.
*I might be like our dad, but I bet you could beat us both at swimming!* She grinned at her brother.
Toshida smiles, a bit embarrassed to be complimented.
"Toshida's an excellent swimmer, he actually ends up feeding us two more than we feed him with all the fish he catches," Insei says, speaking up for her ward.
Itsu laughed. *I've never been very good at catching fish. They are always too fast for me.* Deborah laughed as a memory came to her.
"One time, Itsu tried to catch a fish she saw in the shallows of her stream. The thing darted away so quickly that she fell in face first." Itsu blushed a little, but grinned good-naturally.
Desiree laughed and scratched Itsu on the head once more. Toshida snaked out of the basket silently and made his way to where everyone sat.
The dragons played together and talked for a while longer. Finally, Deborah stood, looking at the sun to judge the time.
"Well, Itsu, I think it's time that we were getting back." Itsu nodded and turned to her brother and father.
*It was really fun playing with you Toshida. I hope we can get together again. Maybe you could come and visit me at my home.* She turned to her father. *And I hope that you, too, will come and visit.* Itsu gave them both a hug.
*Yes, we must do this again* Toshida said as he hugged his sister back. Kashi looked happily on the two, pride swelling his chest once again. And with a few more token goodbyes, Deborah and Itsu walked through a newly made portal and left the Forest behind.
Our bishel dragon has come from Bishen Realm, no stealy!
Images for this dragon home were made by me,
do not use unless you ask.
*page one
*page two
*page three
*page four
* page five
*page six
*page seven
*page eight
*page nine
*page ten
*page eleven
*page twelve
*page thirteen*
