Wings of Evolution (WoF AU)

Chapter 20

Echo of the Strata

Uhar found it both relieving and aggravating to finally be home. He'd wondered before how he would adjust to being home again, but this wasn't what he'd pictured.

Everyone who saw him had two possibilities; exited, in awe, asking him questions upon questions about the surface; or angry and silent, with a dash of violence. As a result, everyone he passed either glared at him or smiled. There were a few who didn't seem to care who was in charge, but they were far harder to come by as the dissenters and enthusiasts flocked to him.

As a result, it was a huge relief when he finally ran into Esin.

The old Kiaen looked mostly the same as the last time Uhar had seen her, dark grey scales perhaps a bit more scuffed and eyes a bit more worried, but she seemed to be in high spirits as she smiled at Uhar, speaking in broken Pyrriahn. "Echo! You succeed!"

They used to spend as much time as possible speaking to each other in that language, though now Uhar could see all the little speech things he and Esin had missed. Had he sounded like this that first day when Cactus had found him? He smiled at Esin, "Thanks to you, Crystal. I never would have gotten half as far without your knowledge."

She made an appreciative noise, "and you grow." she fell back into the tongue of the caves, "you use more words than we ever found, you will have to tell me all you've learned. Come, Uhar, tell me of your travels!"

Uhar smiled, finally, something he wanted to do.

Esin led Uhar into her cave, rolling out a dead fish as Uhar smiled at the nostalgic simple decor. There was really no place like the caves, and there was no Cave like Esin's cave. The fish was a large eyeless one, covered with grey scales and thin gills.

After his initial once over of the room, he glanced at the fish again, shocked as he realized what it was, "Where did you get an Inirae?"

Esin, smiling, tapped the delectable fish with a claw, "I found it this morning for you, I bet they don't have any idea how to make a good Inirae up on the surface!"

Uhar blinked at the fish, "thank you Esin, it's wonderful. Although, for the record, I think Inirae only live down here." he pulled off a piece of the fish speculatively, "Are you sure you don't want some?"

Esin nodded, "Come on, Uhar, I got it just for you!"

Uhar gave her a flat look, pushing it closer as she rolled her eyes. "It's a big fish." it really wasn't, but he knew that Esin wouldn't call him out on that.

She wasn't fooled, but she still took a piece, nodding at Uhar. they ate, and it was complete bliss. Uhar had had Inirae before, and he'd had Irirae that Esin had prepared, but somehow this one was just better in comparison, it could have just been because of his long journey, but it seemed Richer, sharper in flavor, and more smooth in texture. The flavor was just the right balance of Savory and the spices that Esin had added completed the circle.

In reality, the Kiaen had probably hunted the Iniraw almost to extinction, they'd become increasingly rare in recent years, but the breeding grounds that they'd set up were slowly resisting that steady decline, but that didn't stop the kiaen from taking every inirae they found and savoring its delectable flavor.

The fish was gone far too soon in Uhar's opinion, and Even Esin, who he'd been pretty sure certain was fine with giving up and entire Inirae, was looking at the picked-off bones with disappointment.

"So... Uhar," she started, expertly changing the subject, "What have you found?"

Uhar looked up from the bones, meeting Esin in her blue eyes. Those eyes that looked eerily similar to those of an icewing.

He decided to cut to the chase. "You know the white dragons that came with me?" he waited for Esin to nod. "they share our ancestors."

Esin looked thoughtful at that idea, but she didn't dismiss it. "Have you proven this?"

Uhar shrugged, pulling out the useless seawing scroll. He handed the thing to Esin. "I have this, but it's been pretty... pointless so far."

Esin took it. "But does it confirm the timeline at least?" Uhar shook his head. "It doesn't confirm or deny anything. It's all about the..." he frowned, "is there a translation for seawing in the tongue of the caves?"

Esin looked at him blankly. "Sea... wing?"

Uhar blinked, remembering that Esin didn't know some of his words. "Oh sorry. Well... you know that dragon who glowed reallllllly brightly at the gathering? It was one of her assistants that brought it to me. It's a history of their type of dragon." he poked the scroll. "Like their line of queens and magic."

Esin widened her eyes, looking at the scroll with new curiosity. "They do still have queens? She said it so extravagantly that I sort of doubted that sparkly dragon..."

Uhar grinned, "yep, six tribes, all with a queen." he cleared his throat. "Anyway, it has nothing about the white dragons in there, just the blue ones, so I still don't know."

Esin frowned, "do the white dragons have records?"

"Probably," Uhar amended, "I wasn't with them for long though, and didn't manage to learn anything."

"Alright..." she tapped her chin, "what about your three companions? Have you asked them?"

Uhar shook his head, "haven't gotten around to it. It was pretty stressful getting here." Esin gave him a look and he sighed, "Don't worry, I'll ask them before anyone leaves. But on that note, I've realized how few dragons we have that can translate, and I know that you want to practice your grasp on the ancient tongue... so would you be interested in acting as a translator if I end up leaving?"

Esin gasped, a shine in her eye surfaced at that thought, "I would love to! I've been trying to catch that sparkly female who got stuck in the sub-tunnel earlier, but she's been busy lately."

Uhar snorted, "Don't ask radiance, she's too focused on preparing for her queen. Tsunami would be better, she's the blue one who nearly blinded everyone."

Esin looked thoughtfully toward the door, "are you sure? She seems..."

"Angry?" Uhar filled in.

"Yeah... not very professional."

Uhar shrugged, "I promise you, she's plenty qualified, Tsunami is the only reason we got this far. She might request that you teach some of Aurora's dragons the tongue of the caves, but I think she'll be relieved to have more translators.

"Alright," Esin said, "thank you Uhar, but remember, I expect a full report of this Journey of yours eventually."

Uhar smiled, "Don't worry, it will come."