Seeing the everlasting blue...alone...

<font color='#000000'>The young pendragon sneezed quite loudly as she padded her way down the sandy coastline. Okkie had never been here before - she had always stuck close to the safety and familiarity of Swaraj and Boreios Sudesha. She liked the warmth and the familiarty of the two central continents - not this blustery cold. Her body was already stiff with a chill as she trekked up the stretch of grain and silt. The weather was not exactly polar up here on the island of Druv's influence, but it was far from tropical. The banded pendragon had to wonder how any of her species could call this place home. Then she wondered - did anybody call this place home? She hadn't seen any other 'dragons since she had set her mitts upon the hard soil of Sucam Island. Perhaps nobody lived here? It was awfully cold. Okkie sniffled as she shook her head and traipsed onwards.

The femme had been at Janardan earlier in the day, taking a break from class in the school's library. There she had discovered a tattered book all about Dhruv, open on one of the reading tables, as if inviting her to read its worn pages. The blue-eyed beauty had practically eaten the novel up, savoring all the delicious facts held within. Instead, she had torn out the map that had been included with the book. Okkie had then shifted into her winged, quadruped state, and had flown here.

"The book forgot to mention that it was unnaturally cool for an island," 'Kie griped. Her whole body shivered; even her draconic tail jolted. "It also forgot to say how lifeless... I thought there was supposed to be a faction of the island that was open to growth?"

Then - it was like Okkie had suddenly walked from a freezer into an oven. Something warm and wet gusted across her muzzle, a zephyr. The she-pendragon peered around. Moments ago, she'd been walking on a bleak beach, wondering where the rumored oasis of Sucam Island was hidden. Now, it appeared, she had stumbled right into its midst. The air was abruptly warmer, there was more sunshine, and more growth. The female swallowed her shock and decided she must have reached the southern tip of the island - the only part that was free of Druv's ice-lock.

"Might as well explore this little slice of -"

The Kanji-marked female stopped. She'd been about to move forwards, further into the warm region, but there was something... soft beneath her paw. Okkie looked down, and, alas! There was a pendragon reposing in the sand, and the youth had just trampled on her tail.</font>

 

<font color='#000000'>'Kie opened her mouth, preparing a profuse apology for stepping on the stranger's tail. But the cocoa female never got a chance to announce her idle regrets. Her jaws clicked shut as the other pendragon bounced to her feet, yipping and yapping and carrying on in a very merry fashion. Okkie blinked as the other female leapt and frolicked, and she couldn't help a small grin that began to curl across her maw as the other touched noses with her. Something about this unfamiliar pendragon's happiness was contagious. It wasn't long before the ringed female was laughing out loud, and grinning at the other.

"I'm just as surprised as you are. I was beginning to think that nobody else walked upon this island. Do you live here?"

Okkie spanked the loose sands with her forepaws, declaring hospitality and good nature. Her serpentine tail flicked back and forth in a portrayal of good spirits, and her blue oculars danced and flashed. Something about this giddy stranger, and something about the sudden change to a warmer climate, had infected Okkie with a splended mood.</font>

 

<font color='#000000'>The younger pendragon kept on smiling, even when the jubilant stranger began to calm down. There was something so simple, and so sweet, about being the singular cause of another's happiness. Just by being here, Okkie had incited in the other female sentiments of joy and excitement. The blithe smiles, the prancing steps, the wags of streamline tail, they were all due to a single pendragon - Okkie. She'd given this stranger - seemingly a lonesome nomad of some sort - a reason to stand up and merrily dance about. And the two didn't even know each other's names yet.

"I'm surprised that someone can call this place home. Not that it's not beautiful - Sucam is quite an endearing place. But it's so cool until you reach this southern-most part. Is this where you stay, most often? 'Round the warmer parts?"

The winged 'dragon looked up at the sky, at the washed-out blue expanse of nothingness. A few wispy clouds scudded by, and the sun clung close to the horizon, faded and buttery. Even this part of the island would get cool at night... Okkie looked back at the stranger as she mused. How could any pendragon choose to live in such uncomfortable cold? Well... to each their own!

"I'm Okkie, by the way..."</font>

 

<font color='#000000'>"It's nice to meet you, Jakhal."

Okkie wiggled her nose as the other female stopped sniffing her and moved towards the water. The other's nose had tickled her ears and cheeks, and the ringed female smiled idly. She momentarily marveled at how open this pendragon was, and how enthusiastic about life. She'd had no hesitation while sniffing Okkie, and she showed no restraint now as she dipped her paws into the lapping waves. Had the Kanji-marked youth not known that Jakhal was around her age, she might have guessed that the maritime femme was a child, a niotie. She had that kind of innocence and bliss, that kind of openness and friendliness. It refreshed Okkie, and the smile ne'er faded from her muzzle. It remained there, as if painted on, as she watched Jakhal plod and play in the water.

"If you live here, would you mind giving me a tour? I've only got a few hours, but I wouldn't mind seeing what the island has to offer. I might also like to taste some oceanic delicacies, if you know what I mean," Okkie piped up, flicking her draconic tail. She gestured towards the little sea critter near Jakhal's foot as she spoke, and the cocoa 'dragon winked amicably.</font>

 

<font color='#000000'>Dusk was beginning to settle at the rim of the earth. Okkie briefly looked out to sea, and she noted how the sky looked like a bruised plum out on the horizon. Evening was creeping up from the bellies of space, and it was spreading its purple haze over the planet. The darkening of the horizon made 'Kie feel comfortable and hurried at the same time - there was something homey and familiar about nightfall, especially on an open stretch of beach, but the femme knew she couldn't spend the night here. Even if Jakhal was kind of enough - and Okkie had no doubt that she was - to offer shelter for the night, the marked youth had to be back at the Academy for her classes the next day. Well, I have enough time to explor the isle a bit with Jakhal, and then I can take a late flight home, 'Kiebean said to herself, chortling at her own joke.

Forgetting the encroaching darkness, the caramel female turned to follow Jakhal. She cocked an ear to listen to the other's speech, and she giggled a little at the thought of little beasties running around Sucam, trying to grab her and take her back home to feed to their baby beasties. Shaking her head at the thought, 'Kie then broke into a lope, following her newfound friend into the brush.</font>

 

<font color='#000000'>Okkie noticed, as she picked and plucked her way through the undergrowth, that the plant life here was of the hardy sort. Most of the stems were tough and scored with thorns, and their roots were deeply embedded in the soil. There was nothing delicate about these flowers and plants, and yet, they were not homely and dreary to look at. In fact, they were quite pleasing on one's vision - soft purple flowers in the shape of a butterfly's crinkled gossamer wings here, buttery, broad-palmed vines there, and amidst it all, a constant peppering of little carmine fuzz balls, cool and whispery to the touch. Through these patches of graceful and substantial beauty, the pendragons loped, and while Jakhal did not seem too enthralled with the aesthetics around her, the winged youth behind her stopped often to study and admire the gorgeous fruits of the soil.

Then Okkie suddenly noticed that her travel companion was gone, and that her stop-and-go pattern had put her far behind Jakhal. The blue-eyed pendragon lifted her muzzle into the air and sniffed. Jakhal's scent wafted to her over the soft, petal-tainted breezes, and 'Kie turned to follow the invisible scent path. Though she desired to take a closer look at all the plants around her, she reluctantly ignored them, and broke into a gallop. This swift gait carried her through a forest of flowers and herbs, through air that smelled strongly of peace and tranquility. Denying her urges to stop and smell the proverbial roses, Okkie pushed on until she sighted Jakhal, standing at the base of a jutting overhang.

Above the pair of females, the bluff rose, and it was both steep and dangerous-looking. Okkie whistled as she scrutinized the shale's vast angles and sharp, curving ledges. She then grinned a little and turned to Jakhal.

"Lucky for me I have these wings, eh? I can just fly up."</font>

 

<font color='#000000'>There was barely time to blink before Jakhal bowed, positioned, and launched herself high into the air. Okkie's mouth fell open as she watched the other female stretch out her claws and grab a hold of the shale. Muscles rippled and writhed beneath Jakhal's effervescent scales, and the caramel pendragon marveled that, although her newfound friend had the mindscape of someone youthful and innocent, she was fiercely athletic and fairly strong. Not just anybody could leap at a rock face and instantly start climbing, after all!

Gathering up her own strength and fortitude, Okkie bounded into the air. One beat of her ivory wings was all it took - then she was soaring. She banked sharply and then fluttered out beneath the shadow of the cliff. She skimmed outwards a bit, and then doubled back, all the while arching higher into the air. By the time she was upon the rocky ledge again, she was even with it, and Okkie softly landed on the edge of the precipice. She folded her blanche wings and peered over the side, smiling encouragingly at the toiling Jakhal below.</font>

 

<font color='#000000'>When Jakhal finally made it to the top of the cliff, Okkie snapped her roo'ish tail and grinned at the other female. She even went as far as to nudge the other's shoulder, as if trying to tell her how well and fast she'd scaled the wall of rock. Her blue orbs shone with friendliness, and she would have vocalized her praises, but an innate essence of restraint kept her silent and smiling.

"I don't think anyone can ever get used to something so beautiful. It would make that thing petty, and then everybody would start taking it for granted," the banded femme said in reply to Jakhal's breathless remark about the setting sun. Okkie peered out over the vast sea, at the darkening lip of the planet. The sun was dipping lower and lower in the sky. "And that would be a damned shame."

Jakhal had turned, and so 'Kie obediently swerved after her. The slightly older pendragon lead the tag-a-long to a narrow bridge held together by strands of rope. Never being one to fear recklessness and risk, Okkie did not feel any hesitations before setting her mocha mitts upon the swinging gateway. She faithfully followed her guide out over the black pit, not even unfolding her wings in case the whole bridge decided to break and tumble into the pit below. That would just take the fun out of this evening's adventure!</font>

 

<font color='#000000'>Okkie idly trailed Jakhal after the two had crossed the bridge, her senses prickling with excitement. Above them, the sky was turning into a spread of inky darkness, and in front of them, the blue-eyed pendragon could see a void of shadows. It was not long before the females reached this shaded area, and 'Kie came to a halt near her companion. She sniffed the air, and then watched Jakhal as she commenced to feel around the dark passageway. The youth could do nothing but blink and flick her tail as she watched Jakhal work. Only when the streamlined she-'dragon caused a spitting shower of sparks to erupt did Okkie move, and only in a jolt of alarm.

"What was that?" she squeaked, surprised, but still not quite fearful.</font>

 

<font color='#000000'>The tattooed female blinked at the feathery flames, and then at Jakhal. She considered the other female's magical abilities, and, for the first time, wondered if she was in any danger by being in Jakhal's company. If she was capable of scaling nearly vertical cliffs and creating fire at will, there was a possibility Jakhal could severely injure Okkie if she wanted to. This thought made the gingersnap female shudder involuntarily, though she knew it wasn't as if it was David verses Goliath. Though Okkie only had limited magical powers, she had a magnificent pair of wings. Not to mention all her spy and rogue training, and her obvious athleticism. Besides, she'd been in plenty of scuffles and spars before, and had a lot of combat experience tucked under her belt. Hence, if, by some queer and unlikely chance, Jakhal was an ax murderer leading Okkie to certain doom, she could put up a sufficient fight for her life.

Not that she really believed Jakhal was dangerous - it was just an idle thougt, really.

However, as she followed her travel partner into the darkened tunnel, 'Kie made sure to keep quite alert. Her senses continued to prickle, as they were now attuned to the keenest pitch, and her silvery blue oculars followed the patterns of dancing flame on the stone wall. Her tail was erect, in whipping position, as she slunk after Jakhal, and her fangs were at the ready.

Just in case Jakhal, or some random beast, decided to jump out and attack.</font>