#i hold them gently...

[iron-sparrow]

A sketch of Yein I commissioned from @uldahstreetrat. Love those big ears they got.

[reversescale]

so as it turned out, using ones workstation as an odd birthing site would result in a rather peculiar bonding experience. for upon return to the express rice dumpling and a plethora of little baby critters would swarm around ren. as if, by being present at the moment of their creation they had bestowed upon him the title of reluctant protector. even sesame, who had shown the most hostility towards ren, now regarded him, even if it was just with an upwards tilt its chin. that is how dan heng would find him, sitting upon one of the lounges of one of the quieter cars on the express while his colleagues conversed with the other trailblazers. his eyes closed in a state of meditation, or perhaps the hunter was asleep ( it was hard to tell ) surrounded by the little catcakes, rice dumpling happy nestled in the middle of ren’s folded legs and purring, sesame at one of his knees and seemingly the only one awake, making its regular ominous eye contact with dan heng as he entered the car.

( from ren @ lightricks. )

In the weeks following the end and rebirth of Amphoreus, Dan Heng's recovery had been gradual, and the fallout had been substantial. Hundreds of thousands of brave fighters had perished from among the allied forces, and the Cosmic Alliance was convening together for talks that would last weeks. As their seniors aboard the Astral Express, Himeko and Welt took on the role of representing their factions while the vanguard was allowed to heal. And slowly, Dan Heng was. Though his strength wasn't yet back up to par, his health was slowly recovering, all thanks to the Medical Department of Herta's Space Station. Perhaps he'd never be the same after contracting Mara and suffering a psychic death he was still understanding the consequences of, but he wasn't dead. He was here, and his family was still whole. Amphoreus would be reborn, and their dear comrades would be reborn, yet...

A dull, lusterless gaze turned towards Ren on the lounge within the Library Car, tucked away among the rows of shelves that touched the ceiling, warm light cast from chandeliers suspended above their heads that bathed them in a warm glow. It made sense that Ren would retreat here. As the Stellaron Hunters had been within close proximity of the conflict, they hadn't been far. In the thick of it and immediately after, there hadn't been anything. Then, once Stelle had recovered, Himeko granted them permission to board to visit their former comrade. Then, once all of them had spent their fill, they'd been left to their own devices. Their criminal status made it impossible to leave the Express, which led them to the present moment. Some of the kittencakes (if that was even the right term) bounced towards Dan Heng, and the Trailblazer sat on the floor to receive them without hesitation. Several nestled in his lap, unwilling to part a long way from their parents, currently settled on or around Ren.

For all the silence, there was a quiet kind of company Dan Heng never thought he'd feel around this man. It was there, it was undeniable.

For now, it would remain unsaid.

[reversescale]

"So.. how does the -- " He purses his lips in thought, words eluding him despite how dignified he wishes to sound. " -- You know. How does the dragon thing work?" | because we are not over the tail and horns yes

Dan Heng glanced down from the scroll he'd been reading, Phainon since dozing with his thigh as a pillow that he'd quietly yielded to. It wasn't an uncommon sight for the two Chrysos Heirs, as Georios' Heir had firmly established himself as the bookish sort that could be relied on to retain everything he learned and relay it when needed, something Phainon had come to know and experience, too. Yet, as it would happen, Phainon had fallen asleep in the middle of that reading and Dan Heng had elected to continue reading on his own, a common occurrence for them both. The question came unexpectedly, but it wasn't one that he was unwilling to answer.

"Among my people, the Vidyadhara, we have a series of rituals. In antiquity, there were five dragons we called our ancestors, who led us, but wound up dying. When they did, rituals were devised so that five among us would inherit their power. Upon completing those rituals, five Vidyadhara would emerge with horns and tails emblematic of our ancestors and become the next Dragon Kings; eventually, those kings would become High Elders," Dan Heng explained. his book moved off to the side. "In a way, it's not much different to how a Chrysos Heir comes into being. Speaking from experience, I'd say it's almost similar."