The Forgotten Zodiac

"Oh, nothing's wrong with you, certainly not." Selana chuckled. She put her muzzle close to Vaira's ear and whispered something, then went back to nuzzling Lutrez.

"Hey! Whispering isn't okay! Secrets aren't nice." Boko yipped, pouting a bit. "Mommy, what's going on? You're not sick, are you? If you're sick, I'm gonna have to beat some germs up!"

Vaira had a completely stunned look on her face, and she had gone almost completely limp. The only movement was the flick of one ear, and the slow blink of her yellow eyes. Her mouth was open, her white teeth showing, and she finally fell backwards into a sitting position, tears blooming in her eyes and pouring down her cheeks.

Boko stared up at her, then started crying too. He wasn't sure why, but if mommy was crying, then he should cry too. That was just how it happened.

Lutrez blinked. "Mommy, why are they crying? Crying isn't good."

"Sometimes it is, sweetie." Selana purred. "Crying can help you feel better. I don't ever want you to hold back. If you need to cry, then you cry, okay? Because otherwise...it hurts."

"Okay." Lutrez blinked, then went back to watching Boko and Vaira.

Vaira finally shook out of her shock, staring at Salana in what could be taken as near-horror. "No," she said softly, shaking her head. "It...it can't be. Can it? How...how can I be..."

But in her heart, she already knew.

With a joyous bugle, she twisted up onto her hind legs, landing again with a thud. She grabbed Boko up in her claws, pressing him to her chest and nuzzling him all over. "Boko," she said breathlessly. "You're going to be a big brother!"

Boko blinked at her, stunned out of his teary mess. "Wha...? Bu-but...whaaaaa-at?!" Boko wailed. He had once been told that Vaira was barren. She had wanted a child of her own, which had led to Boko's adoption. Being the simple-minded child he was, Boko put two and two together in the wrong way. He burst into tears again and slid away from Vaira, making for the entrance of the cave. After all, if Vaira had her own baby, she wouldn't want him anymore, right?

"Boko?!" Vaira cried, stunned. "Wha...come back! Boko, please, it's not what you think!" She ran forward and caught him before he could reach the exit. "Boko, what's wrong?" she asked, horrorstruck by her son's reaction. "A baby means you get to be a big brother! You get a baby sister or brother to help me care for, don't you want that?"

"Nooooo!" Boko wailed. "B-because you only wanted me because you didn't have any babies of your own, that's why you adopted me! And now yo-you're having a baby, s-so you do-don't want me anymore!" He sobbed, hugging her hand. "Don't throw me away, mommy, I'll do anything!"

"Aw," Lutrez smiled a bit. "He doesn't understand."

"He's learning," Selana tutted, then looked up sharply as there was a crack from within the loose coils of her tail. "She's hatching, she's hatching! My little Fiona," Selana moved her tail, the soft white egg already popping and cracking here and there as the little one inside thrashed to get out. Lutrez wiggled right up next to it, watching intently as a little teal nose poked through a small hole before retreating again. It took several minutes of pushing and breaking, but finally, little Fiona crawled from the large egg and made a beeline for Selana's waiting paws. She curled up there, already starting to fall asleep.

"Aww, she's so cute," Lutrez purred, nosing his new baby sister. "A bit late, sure, but still cute. My new baby sister," He said proudly.

"That's right," Selana's own purrs made the cave rumble. She tucked the newly hatched dragonling into her pouch, making sure she was comfortable. Boko watched in silence, his tears since stopped.

Vaira swept Boko up into her arms, licking him over and over. "Boko, baby, sweetheart, I could never throw you away. Just because you didn't come from my body doesn't mean you aren't a part of me. You're my little Boko, my shining star, my Silver-Fire. You're my firstborn and you always will be, even if I were to give birth to a hundred children." She licked him again, closing her eyes and nuzzling him.

Boko hiccuped, pushing his head into Vaira's pouch for comfort's sake. Then he withdrew and hugged Vaira's arm, starting to cry again. But more out of happiness than anything else.

When he was finally done, he sniffed, "Can we go see Shiya? I want to tell her about my baby sibling," He wiped his eyes on his tail scales, fighting back more tears.

"Of course," Vaira answered, almost moving to put him into her pouch before remembering that his head was literally all that would fit now, he had grown so much. She instead put him on her back and walked off. Some would think it odd that she babied him so much, but she had always harbored a deep, intense love for her beloved son, and she always would.

((xDD I can live in peace now. Only Boko's head fits. Just the image of him getting scared of something and shoving just his muzzle in her pouch amuses me so much...))

Some would think of Boko as stupid or unintelligent, but it was as Selana had said. He was still learning, and he had so very much to learn still. He wasn't slow or damaged. Just a little silly and overcurious, that was all.

When they reached Shiya's caves, however, Boko perked up something mighty. He slid off of Vaira's back and puffed out his chest before calling into the cave. "Shiya! Shi-iya!"

((Hee hee hee~

Also, that little macho display. I love it. X'DDD))

When he stepped in, however, it was to the sound of Shiya's soft sobbing. Vaira quickly looked around, but the smell of death hit her nose hard. She backed up in shock, quickly realizing what had happened; Shiya's father, already extremely old and forgetful, had finally passed away.

((Boko: I CAN BE BIG AND STRONG FOR SHIYA, YES I CAN))

Boko hesitated for a moment before darting towards Shiya, wrapping his coils around her. He didn't say anything, instead choosing to wrap himself loosely around her and put his muzzle under hers, to comfort her.

It wasn't fair. Or was it? Selana had been given a healthy newlyhatched...and Shiya's father had been taken away. All in the same day. A life lost and one gained. Was that fair...? Boko's mind wandered, and suddenly he wanted something he hadn't wanted in...well, ever. The Lexicon, tucked away in his mind, which had become dormant. He would know with that, wouldn't he? He could be smart. He would understand why...

Shiya tucked herself against him, pressing her little red muzzle to his silver chin and sobbing.

Vaira stepped closer and looked over the lifeless body nearby, then sighed. She bent her head down and nuzzled the two little ones before asking kindly "Shiya, do you want to spend some time in my pouch? You're welcome to live with us, you know that."

She hesitated, then gave a tearful nod and slipped into Vaira's pouch, still tiny enough to fit inside comfortably.

Boko nuzzled the outside of Vaira's pouch, sighing heavily. "I'll go tell the elders. They'll know what to do," He slipped from the cave, silently wishing Vuker was here. The elders didn't like him already, for him to bring about bad news without someone there to support him...

He did it anyway. Soon enough, four of the Elders emerged from their cave to give burial rites and do the traditional cave burning. The burning would turn the dead corpse to ash, which would blow away on the wind. Thus was the custom for those who passed from age.

Shiya didn't watch the burning, instead tucking deeper into Vaira's pouch, still crying softly. Eventually, Vaira gave Boko a nudge and they walked off together, back to Salana and Kelora. There, Shiya crawled out of Vaira's pouch and let the dragoness curl up around her, grooming her scales gently.

Boko watched from Vaira's back, crooning a sad note that Vaira didn't hear often out of him. "Mommy?" He whispered in Vaira's ear. "Can Shiya stay in our nest from now on? I'll sleep in the very far corner to make room," He pleaded, a mingled expression of sorrow and worry on his face. Shiya would have her entire family cave all to herself. Boko didn't want that. Lonliness made people sad. He never, ever wanted Shiya to be sad.

"Of course, dear," she answered, licking his nose gently. "You know she's more than welcome to stay anyways, what with you two being so close. She can live here in our nest as long as she wants, it's perfectly fine." She blew a small puff of smoke at her son, smiling at his kind, generous nature.

((Yeeeep. But Riordan doesn't like being given orders, too. xD

Would Luna get her out first, though? Or would Cynyr show up?))

Shortly after these thoughts, she heard footsteps decending the stairs. Luckily for her, it was Luna, her silver hair strung out behind her, flowing like a silver breeze. "Isslia," she said tersely, crouching before the girl's cell. "I don't have a lot of time. I need something someone can follow a scent of you by, quickly!"