The Last Infernal - Innocence of Youth

Passing Dawns (VII)

Passing Dawns. (VII)

Time started to pass dawn by dawn, Star-fall after Star-fall. The dawns crawled by and the months slowly passed, only ten months in a cycle with twenty-nine dawns a month. Little Korvi hardly knew of the shifting dawns and seasons, only aware of the safe dwelling she lived in with her mum. Over time she has started to improve each dawn on her words, and with practice she was slowly getting better, though for the next few cycles she will have trouble with trying to learn. As time passed she grew slowly in her size, slowly each dawn. To her young mind, the dawns came fast, as she hardly knew that she grew slowly, getting slightly bigger in her size and mass, though slender and gracefully agile,
while her teeth started growing sharper within her first cycle. The claws on all four of her paws got sharp, as her scarlet-ruby hide became higher toned; as well her chest plates and azure eyes became more noticed in plain sight. Not a single dawn passed though that Korvi felt with nothing to do, with a curious hunger massive enough to devour every new thing to try learning that her mother teaches her. A daily routine was formed in Korvi's mind, memorizing it as such;

wake up early dawn with mum,
have Early-feeding with mum,
practice small words,
learn from mum
Dawn-rest feeding
go bed at dark.

It was such a simple schedule that she learned and adapted herself, easy to remember! Only one small problem that saddened her inside, her father Furyan rarely shared meals in the Early-dawn with her and mum, nor spent much time with her, as he went out more often, aiding Fierya by helping with responsibilities in the meadow so she could raise her child. After Early-dawn's feeding, little Korvi continued to follow her small memorized dawn-plan, practising her words by trying to sound out everything, usually by first mumbling lowly to herself before trying the word her mum teaches. By the hundredth-forty-fifth dawn; only half a cycle, despite slow gradual progress little Korvi started to learn well the basics of small sentences, thus starting to endlessly speak during the morning dawn to her mother, simple and basic. Fierya enjoyed each and every moment spent with her daughter with full passion, encouraging her to improve and supporting her in every little way, keeping her safe, and at most times with her speech improvements; helps explain to her the most basics of words each day. After early dawn, her mum would help her work on her movement and balance, so she could start learning how to walk, managing after effort of practice to get herself into small sprints of running before falling down head over heels! Even though it was embarrassing to little Korvi, it was good practice. During the half-cycle period, at the time the tenth month, Glaea; which was the coldest of all the cycles, Fierya had to bring out a thin, light yet large stone rock slab from a small chamber in the far back of the cavern to cover the entrance to their home. The slab was light and thin for a reason, for ease to move it, and to shelter the inside entry tunnel to their main chamber from cold wind.

Korvi felt though the small difference inside the depths of their cavern home in the main chamber, not understanding what it was but it was cold! During those cold times was when Little Korvi stayed closest to her mum. For each dawn that went by, her curiosity of the outside grew, not understanding why through the short time of her existing life why outside got cold in the shifting seasons, though despite curiosity, She always obeyed her mother who firmly told her to not approach or go in the entry hall of the family cavern. Korvi couldn't imagine going out on her own, nor going out without her mother as she felt great fear of being alone so she obeyed her mother! There was only one flaw that her mum discovered of her, wither permanent or short-termed, Korvi had a speech disorder, her voice most of the time prolonged words with the `s` sound, along with at times `sh` and `u` to words such as `is` and `no`, being pronounced by the young as `ish` and `nu`. Disorder or not, Fierya didn't care, as it makes her sound more cute, and that no matter what, she would always love and accept her little blessed and beautiful daughter, watching with pride and joy to see her precious hatchling slowly age to a yearling. Over lessons with her mum, Korvi started to learn about what she was as an Infernal, how life was outside, which was most of the time always peaceful and wondrous amongst their kind, there was little crime, as it was seriously punished if there were any disputes, to then after learning about the fabled Sky-Mountains that soared above into the sky, rumoured in legend to reach even the heavens. Korvi listened with eagerness most of the time to the words her mother said, finding interest in every topic, especially about the Sky-Mountains, amazed that they protected their land by trapping them within, hidden from the rest of Kelreth. One dawn's lesson, Korvi learned that the meadow itself outside was the grassy main land for all Infernal dragons, with three forests on edges of the borders of their home, one to the North-West, one to the South-East and last was to the East. Each of the forests was beautiful in nature, the wild-life lived without much fear, as the purity of the land was un-matched, healthy and beautiful, tall trees in the forest, with well walked paths, though flying within was impossible. Despite the Infernal dragon species being the element of 'fire', they lived and had home in natured beauty, It was thanks to the second generation Highborne Dragonqueen who stood up and made the choice to prove that `fire` could mean more then `destruction`, but also `life`, and thus why it was decided many Cycleos ago, starting the believe that they did not have to live in some fiery burning place, even though their bodies can tolerate such heat,it was chosen to live in this blessed land, and to not make it a razed fiery wasteland. Korvi was awed by that tale her mum told her, bringing excitement to the young, as it was her Great-grandmum that made that choice for the species! To the far south at the edge against the sky-mountains on top of other lesser reachable mountains, was their sacred volcano that was active, though it never erupted. They used it for final departures of resting the fallen Infernals in peace when they die; to return the bodies back to the nature of the earth was their religious belief so that the fallen could ascend to rejoin their ancestors with the great creator in heaven. The most simple fact, was this land was the most grandest of areas to live a full life, to cherish growing up. Korvi even heard that there were mentors and teachers of elders and adult Infernal dragons whom teach younglings after they grew up from being yearlings, topics and lessons on such like how to hunt, and to make friends and grow a prospering life! Such small information taught to little Korvi was sparking curiosity and excitement to grow! It all was the perfect living for them all as they kept their land clean and pure! Naturally after meals the adult would clean any messes and respectfully place the body within a separate small part of their cavern's to store it until ready to be placed within the volcano, as their beliefs were strong and free-spirited kin even for the animals. Safe and protected, younglings usually ran free in the meadow with their mothers watching casually just in case. Different stories for different days. It was almost like a fantasy hatchling story being told to her of what the home meadow outside is like by her mum! She couldn't wait to be able to go out to learn! Little Korvi over small time started to fatansize about meeting other younglings, running about freely, wishing so much she could find others to play with right now! Korvi had little understanding about one fact her mother shared, and that was of her being a Highborne. Fierya started worrying to herself about how the other younglings would act upon to her when Korvi was ready to go out... it depended how the younglings of those others were raised. Mostly Fierya feared that Little Korvi could become a bullied picked on target for multiple reasons, such as of her symbols, her speech impairment could be mocked, her feelings could get hurt from feeling left out... just motherly concerns gradually filled Fierya's thoughts, debating seldomly during the dawn if she were to hold back Korvi a cycle or two than the other young... Korvi was an Infernal by pure blood, though that didn't change the fact she would be treated differently from all the other younglings. Hopefully none would directly attack Korvi when she meets other young, as they would know and fear the troubles they could get into for injuring the Dragonqueen's daughter, But that wouldn't change facts she wouldn't be teased and treated out of difference from the other young if they didn't like her... only time would tell how others would react to Korvi. Fierya decided that as she raises her little Korvi during the dawns of her first cycle, that it would be best to wait until Korvi was a grown youngling before she was publicly introduced and known to the species of the Infernals as a whole out in the open meadow, that way she could deal with insults if any of the Infernals had any objections of her young child, which would be a very foolish mistake. Suddenly, thoughts of Sarenala crossed Fierya's thoughts, her own close best friend since they were young... having grown up together, and even fallen deeply in love with each other despite both being females, and having Furyan for a bonded mate, the term was used as `lovers` of two female dragons who held care and feelings, and even Furyan knew of this and accepted it, as their traditions and species had greatly different viewpoints than other dragon species. Fierya and Sarenala were both open about the truth to him so no issues were caused, nor any feelings lessened for either of Furyan or Sarenala.

With thoughts drifted on Sarenala, Fierya thought of taking Korvi for a visit to her some dawn, having known that her old deceased mate has caused her best friend to become gravid, though to Sarenala's despair, he died dawns after mating with her from an unknown sickness. The death of Sarenala's bonded mate caused her to become a single parent. Thinking deep, Fierya considered higher about her little Korvi mayhaps becoming friends with Sarenala's child, as like mother and daughter, hopefully Korvi could have a friend like how she herself became close friends with Sarenala.

***



Korvi was fully one whole cycle now, known as a yearling for having reached one full cycle of two-hundred ninety dawns, being ten in dragon years, her first cycle, and has grown fully able to properly walk and run on her little paws with little flaws. Korvi's red hide shifted more to a bright shade of ruby red, looking outstanding and beautiful reaching near its proper tone of colour that it would be for the rest of her life, her azure symbols were greatly noticed and made her extremely remarkable and beautiful in appearance, even Fierya felt a little envy of how beautiful and cute her daughter was, full of pride and happiness that her little one was slowly growing, being only a yearling, the yearling growth spurt has ended, and would start growing a little more slower but still naturally age properly in the body. As she grew more age in dawns, compared to a human, she'd be up to their waist standing, about the size of a young matured wolf. Excitement grew in Korvi of the outside lately, having recently started complaining to her mother who was firm in her answer due to it being Dawn-rest, as Korvi questioned about wanting to go outside with her mother right away.

"But Mum! Whys can nots go nows?? Soo its darks buts stills! Pwease??"

Korvi begged her mother, who only chuckled and smiled.

"My sweet little one... how about the coming early dawn will be when we shall explore together, as I have a best friend I think you would enjoy meeting! She is an adult dragon, though I heard she has a child too that hatched the same dawn you did! A yearling like you! If you be good for mum and rest now with me, we shall go see them next dawn as it is time to sleep. Sound like a plan?”

Korvi really wanted to protest and whine more to her mother as her little heart and curious mind wanted to venture outside the home cavern and meet this friend of her mum, but she herself felt very tired, a yawn heard from little Korvi's maw as she curled up beside her mother. Fierya gently placed a wing lovingly around Korvi, snuggling her close to her side and hums softly.

"Awrights...mums."

Korvi mumbled in her young pitched tone, as Fierya giggled softly, resting her large head upon her paws,
while protecting Korvi under her wing against her belly, lovingly holding her daughter close, the most perfect mother... she couldn't fully believe she was a full cycle old now! It just seems to mind...that the flow of time can pass so fast you hardly notice when you're young, as both Korvi and Fierya slept peacefully, the bright Kelrethan moons slowly slinking down beyond the horizon.