The Sisters of Yin and Yang

Chapter 24: Earth is a Stuborn Element

During the day the desert is a hot wasteland ready to swallow any dragon foolish enough to step into its maw. At night, it's a canvas of stars over an expanse of hearty life.
Seara stares up at the sky as they walk trying to imagine her troubles as small and insignificant under the infinite sky.

Any dragon could easily rationalize why earth tribe was nocturnal. It didn't take any special mental skill. Still Seara half wished it was day. Perhaps she could lay in the sand and let the desert  slowly bury her, or perhaps the sun could finish what it had failed to before... She was tired... so so tired.

"Here we are," Granite says placing his paw on a flat patch of ground. With a swipe of his tail he reveals a large slab of stone just buried beneath the dunes.

"Rock is easier to begin. It doesn't shift like sand." He rears up coming down hard on the surface forcing two stone pillars out of the earth. the sisters sideways towards each other to avoid them.

"Rock is firm and unmoving without something to act upon it, to do so your minds must be steady and firm just like the earth. You must learn to hold your ground in the face of danger." without warning he hurls several rocks at their heads. Seara jumps to the side but Aquira catches the stone in her mouth in such a way that Seara was sure she just broke all her teeth. Aquira bites down, the rock crumbles in her jaw.

"You are a quick learner," Granite hums with a toothy grin. "Lets see just how fast you go"

The night inches on slowly as Granite puts them through a series of excersises each one more strenuous then the last. the sky begins to pinken with the first breath of morning when aquira jumps onto the stone with all fours sending a spray of rocks in all directions.

"I did it!" She chirps in delight. Aquira throughs around more earth for good measure.

"You have done well. Now it is your turn sister Seara."

Seara, had she not already been the color of fresh snow, would have paled. She takes a few tentative steps forward, hurls her body into the air and lands on all fours without even making a dent in the stone beneath her.

"I can't."

"What do you mean you can't? Do you wish to tell me you are not one of the sisters of prophecy?"

Seara shakes her head starting to believe after everything, maybe she wasnt after all.

Granite sighs. "The sun will rise soon, it's time to return to the nest."

The small group begins to turn back when Talc runs up to Granite. "Master, if I may perhaps I could try to train sister Seara?"

Granite glances at the sky judging the time. "Be sure to leave this place before the stars vanish." Granite motions for Aquira to follow. She hesitates looking back at Seara then granite then Seara again. Seara nods telling her to go. Aquira mouths the words good luck and runs after Granite.

Talc waits until they vanish over the horizon before taking off the half empty water jug strapped to his back.

"Whats your big idea hm?" Seara clicks.

He sets the clay jug in the sand without a word.

"Are you going to through rocks at my head?"

He pads over to her.

"Hit me then? Igna knows I deserve it. Try to force something out thats just not there? Whats the plan?"

Talc takes a deep breath shifts his paws and forms a dome around them with only a single hole at the top too small to squeeze through.