A Clan begins as an idea. A dream. One shared between two dragons.
Iskal scrambled over the rocks that made up the Crystalspine Reaches, every so often jumping and gliding to the next rock.
He’d set out on his own, wanting not a pack of mirrors but a Clan. His four pink eyes took in his surroundings, searching for food or other dragons. One eye caught movement and he leapt.
“Omph.” He missed, what he’d thought was a skink, and landed painfully on the ground, his feet sliding out from under him so he landed on his stomach.
Someone was laughing, and he lifted his head to see another mirror standing over him. She was a bit taller than him, and she looked rather amused at his landing. At least she hadn’t thought he was attacking her.
“Are you alright?” she asked as he got to his feet.
“Yeah, just bruised my pride,” he flinched as he rubbed his chest, “and maybe my ribs.”
She laughed again, and he had to as well. “I’m sorry, I think I mistook your tail for a skink’s.”
She waved him off, “you’re fine.” She smiled gently at him, “no harm done. Or well, harm done only to yourself.”
He shrugged, “not used to hunting by myself.”
“You’re on you’re own?” she asked, looking around, “I was kind of wondering where your pack was.”
“I could ask you the same thing,” Iskal pointed out, the other shrugged.
He sighed, “if I”m being honest, I’m hoping to make this my territory.” He’d found a small set of caves, ones that would be safe, secure, and a good place to begin building his Clan.
“You’re planning to settle?” she asked, and he nodded.
“But of course, it’s just me right now, so...”
the female dragon hummed thoughtfully, “it sounds like you aren’t planning to make your own pack.”
“I want something different,” he admitted, looking away to gaze out over the reaches, how the stones glistened pink in the sun, “I wanted a place where dragons from various Clan’s gathered and shared knowledge.” When he’d been young he’d always asked questions, about other Flights, other territories, other dragons, he’d wanted to see everything, know everything.
“My pack always said I had the Arcanist’s curiosity, so I thought I’d settled where he could keep an eye on me,” he joked, they both smiled. He noticed she was staring at him though.
“What?”
“It just seems like there’s more to you than that,” she mused, still studying him.
“I’m just overly curious,” he shrugged, “and I figured making a Clan would be the best way to learn more about the world. Let others come to you.”
“Bring and share their knowledge,” she agreed, Iskal perked up, yes that was what he meant, “and together become greater than the sum of their parts.”
“Yes!” his eyes lit up, “I want to see what a group of dragons together can become!” It was an experiment almost, would it work? Would it fall apart? Or would his Clan become something even he couldn’t have imagined? He just wanted to know.
“Then I want in.”
“What?” he stared at her in surprise, but she was unwavering.
“I’ve lived around here most of my life, and I want to know what’s out there. I want to meet dragons from all over, and you seem to have a plan,” she paused and continued, “and plus, we’re both alone, so why not? Two is better than one.”
Iskal grinned, “I can’t really argue with that.” And to be honest it was getting lonely with only the stone’s for company. “I’m Iskal.”
“Shalestone.”
“Great!” he jerked his head, “let me show you the caves I found, and to be honest, I’m having trouble thinking of a Clan name, and I could use all the help I can get!”
