Shining and Mirrored, --Last Attepmt at getting Mirror to 5--

[RunningAir]

Mintek's Level: 12.1
Minetek's Loyalty: 14


Mirror's Level: 0.1
Mirror's Loyalty: 2

RunningAir's paw shot up to his eyes, sheilding it from the red dirt and tiny sandstones that blew in the night wind. He'd never seen (or rather, barely seen) the canyon's top so... dry. It hadn't rained in quite a while, obviously, and he could just see a bit of withered grass over to the far corner of his eyesight, trying to soak up the last bit of moisture before kicking it.

Atleast the sky was visable, dark blue, with tiny flickering flecks of white, and golden, so pure. He sighed a bit, stiring a bit of dust ahead of him. Hopefully it would rain soon! Mintek sneezed beside him, and he looked down were he usually saw his face, instead, he was forced to look up, into Mintek's eyes. "Darn Mintek, your growing a bit." even if it was much from where he was last time, it was still enough for complimenting.

Mintek smiled, in that draconic way, opening his mouth, just barely, hardly enough to spit out the words very softly, "Either ... th-that or yo-you are getting shorter." RunningAir snickered. But they weren't the only ones there, a small newer, draconic. A nice yellow one, that was unfurling and refurling it's new light-blue wings. It made a quiet chirping noise, and suddenly noticed it's onw tail, shrieking and chasing it around.

RunningAir--
12.1

[RunningAir]

Mintek's Level: 12.2
Minetek's Loyalty: 14

Mirror's Level: 0.2
Mirror's Loyalty: 2

RunningAir- 12.2


RunningAir would've almost turned back, except he wanted to see that spot again! The one where he'd visited many different times before. His eyes wandered for a moment before trekking ahead. Mintek followed happily, greatly happy to be stretching his legs. Mirror, however, stayed where she was, chasing her tail as it glistened in the moonlight.

"Mintek, will you tell... him, to get his groove on?" Mintek smiled and looked back at Mirror, who looked forward to him, with great admiration and respect. Mintek coughed, getting sand up his nose again. "She sa-sa-says she be called M-Mirror." Runningair's face flushed. "Whoops, well tell Mirror to come on."

Mintek once again turned back to the Draconic, Mirror, whom was standing a bit straighter now. She blinked and came along, happily skipping along, tripping over her own newish, four legs. She landed in a huge mess, wings over her face, upside down. Not even that could keep little Mirror down, she got up and followed earnestly, not midning the red dust on her yellow scales.

[RunningAir]

Mintek's Level: 12.3
Minetek's Loyalty: 14

Mirror's Level: 0.3
Mirror's Loyalty: 2

RunningAir- 12.3


RunningAir walked forward, scanning the midnight area for grass. Any sighn of grass. Because were grass grew, water was. There was water in the place where they were. Water was important for sustaining life, and RunningAir's throught was already parched, he should've brought some bottled. Mintek spoke up, translating a bit. "M-Mirror says she-she th'th-" he sounded it out throughly. "Th-thirsty. I'm too..."

RunningAir smiled, finnally catching a glance at a truft of green grass. He looked down at it, silently, green as cannned-be! And Canned-be is gree-een! He smiled and followed were it was in all directions with his eyes, trying to remember monuments there, rocks, logs... anything. Ah yes! He remembered faintly, and followed a small yellow rock to the west a few feet and stopped dead in his tracks.

Grass! Green, green grass! Crowded thickly around a small, crystal-clear pond. He ran so fast that Mintek raced forward, almsot leaving the newly-hatched Mirror behind. She sped up, almost tripping over herself, and skid to a stop. RunningAir stooped and sipped the water. Mintek did the same, and Mirror mirrored Mintek, and leaned a bit too far...

SPLASH!

[RunningAir]

Mintek's Level: 12.4
Minetek's Loyalty: 14

Mirror's Level: 0.4
Mirror's Loyalty: 2

RunningAir- 12.4


Mirror fell in, and jumped up, sputtering out water. Luckily, it was pretty shallow, and she wouldn've drown. Atleast her scales were clean now. She drug herself out of the water, clearly angry. Even one who new nothing of draconic tongue could tell she was very angry. Mintek was snickering, tail slapping the ground happily in delight, like a big brother laughing at a mean joke played upon a little sister. She drooped, scales slick with the water. RunningAir smiled and patted her 'shoulders' in a comforting way, trying not to get his claws hung on her golden scales.

Mintek finished his drink and stretched, glad to have reached water. RunnignAir sat silently, looking for the tree, the one he and Mintek fell out of when Mintek was alot younger. It mus'eve withered away, only grass, which did not require as much water, could survive, even near such a natural resevoir. He blinked and picked up a bit of dust in his paw. Mirror stared into the water, at first with disgust. Then, she slowly looked at herself in the water, a mirror of Mirror...

[RunningAir]

Mintek's Level: 13.0
Minetek's Loyalty: 15

Mirror's Level: 1.0
Mirror's Loyalty: 3

RunningAir- 12.5


RunningAir got up, his fur slicking down as he moved, and walked a ways across the water, going up to his 'knees' at it's deepest part. He the waded to the other side, shecking for the tree, feeling the cold night air sting on his legs. The cheetah boy shuddered, and looked for the tree. The one that had fed them with it's deep purple fruit...

Mintek looked at the water, and much disliking getting his own scales muddy and wet, he desided to go around. He turned, almost forgetting about Mirror. He said sharply in draconic tongue for her to move on with him, and she snapped out of her trance and followed him.

Mirror looked onward, following her 'brother'. One could tell by the mischeievious look in her eyes that she was thinking of some way to torture him. To get him back for laughing at her. She watched his feet hop a bit away when a bit of water touched them. She Got It!

[RunningAir]

Mintek's Level: 13.1
Minetek's Loyalty: 15

Mirror's Level: 1.1
Mirror's Loyalty: 3

RunningAir- 12.6


Mirror looked at Mintek, waiting for the correct moment to strike. Her already lean muscles let her stalk him with accuracy. She bunched herself up like a kitten about to pounce on a ball, then she leaped. She landed perfectly on his back, her claws never touching him, only knocking him into the water.

Mintek's eyes widened as he fell, or tumbled, rather, into the water. He stood up, shaking the water out of his scales. Ugh. He didn't like water on him, he'd rather it be -in- him. He nudged Mirror with his nose angrily, pushing her down, and scolding her with a 'No horsing around!' in the tongue.

Mirror slinked from the shallows of the water, watching it drip as she held her wings submissivly to her golden sides. She apologized with a weak 'Sorry' is the draconic tongue. Soon, she was following him again, not planning on any more strikes soon.

RunningAir smiled, as he seen that Mintek and Mirror were coming his way. He turned once again. Wait, was that? It was! He ran close to the water's edge and around to the east side, the it was! The best of all, it was harboring it's purple fruits! He smiled with contentment, suddenly wishing that a certain person was here.

[RunningAir]

Mintek's Level: 13.2
Minetek's Loyalty: 15

Mirror's Level: 1.2
Mirror's Loyalty: 3

RunningAir- 12.7


Mintek sped up, quite alot, Mirror following him. Man, it was hard keeping up with an exited cheetah mamilian! He raced ahead, Mirror could abrely keep up, jsut as before, but they made it to where RunningAir was. RunningAir had already began testing the branch with his arm, then his foot, then he hauled his 95 pound self up into it, almsot slipping on the way up. Mintek rested his sharp claws on the frail tree's bark and looked up. "Wha-wha, what are you doin'?"

RunnignAir retorted. "Getting us food!" He picked a few berries, slicing them with his sharp black claws. Finnaly! Somthing those thigns were -good- for. The berries soon began to fall in a heap below him. Mirror rushed over to them, but before she could taste a single berry, Mintek stepped infront of her, deflecting her off of his chest. 'Not so fast, wait unti R'Air splits 'em."

Mirror looked cross. "Why does this 'RunningAir' person have so much domain over us?" Mintek snickered. "He has no domain over anything, even dirt. Repect him, he's like us in many ways... You've yet to see." Mirror angry sat down, a puff of sand coming up. She spat in the tongue, "Why do we have to lsiten to him?" Mintek mearly laughed.

[RunningAir]

Mintek's Level: 13.3
Minetek's Loyalty: 15

Mirror's Level: 1.3
Mirror's Loyalty: 3

RunningAir- 12.8


Finally RunningAir slid from the tree, his feet joing the ground, gravity making sure of that. Mintek stood up happily, watching his 'sister' wearily out of the corner of his eyes. "Hey RunningAir... c-k-can you split em' n-now. I'm hungry." He seemed to be getting a little better at this 'speaking business'. His voice was mroe sure of itself. RunningAir nodded, seperating the joined pile into three smaller piles.

Each was the same hight, RunningAir made sure of it. Mintek stepped out of the way of Mirror and her eyes glsitened at the sheer thought of eatin. She was very hungry. She stepped up to the food and sniffed it, mintek and RunningAir watching her, like she was the plague.

She then dug in, not messily, or quickly, but snarfing it down all the same. Mintek then looked at his sister and also begun eating, personally wondering if RunningAir was planning on teaching her to speak, or if she even -could- speak at all. He decided not to think about it altogether. RunningAir picked up a plump berry from his own pile, and tested it, before eating some more happily. They were sweet.

[RunningAir]

Mintek's Level: 13.4
Minetek's Loyalty: 15

Mirror's Level: 1.4
Mirror's Loyalty: 3

RunningAir- 12.9


Mintek, being the fast-eater that he was, finished eating before his Sister and RunningAir. With a satisfied smile, he walked down to the water to get a drink. RunningAir finished, and looked around, then up at the stars. He pointed out Orion quickly, just for the heck of it. Mirror got done soon after, and looked over to RunningAir, following his eyes to the stars.

She was somewhat surprised to see that she and the mamilian had somthing in common. They both seemed to love the stars. The glowed faintly, sparkling from some other world just beyond her reach. She wondered if she ever be able to go, to get way up there. She then looked back to RunningAir, wishing she could communicate with him without the translations of Mintek.

Mintek came back, and watched the two, staring up at the stars. He followed their gazes, and stared up at the twinkling bueties his own self. He couldn't help becoming perplexed at a certain star RunningAir had told him about. The norther star he'd called it.

[RunningAir]

Mintek's Level: 14.0
Mintek's Loyalty: 15

Mirror's Level: 2.0
Mirror's Loyalty: 4

RunningAir- 13.0


RunningAir watched a bit longer then looked down to his freinds, observing Mintek's green eyes, catching a single star in their irises, glistening as with morning dew. Then his brown eys floated over to Mirror's. Her light blue eyes reflected the entirtey of the sky, the cresent of the moon, each and every single detail. He could've cried then, being reminded of the one he wished was now there.

If only Mirror's were a little darker, they would've been just hers.

He watched, half in sadness, and half in utter joy. He reached over to Mintek and patted his scaley head, whispering to him and Mirror of his happy times, and is past. Although Mirror knew nothing of his tongue, she loved the soft flow and sharp peaks of the human tongue.

Not to mention she had Mintek translating to her every two or three words what RunningAir spoke of. The wind whipped around them in circles, as if it were welcoming them. RA had always felt this odd connection to it, and Mintek longed to feel it under his wings. He wondered silently if Mirror wanted to too.

[RunningAir]

Mintek's Level: 14.1
Mintek's Loyalty: 15

Mirror's Level: 2.1
Mirror's Loyalty: 4

RunningAir- 13.1


Runningair could've fell asleep, right there. Sitting under the mulberry tree with Mintek and Mirror. His eyes lulled back, and he fell asleep, really quick, like the flutter of the wings on a butterfly. His tail peacefully jerking several different ways in his sweet slumber. He usually didn't fall asleep at night much.

Mirror looked down for a moment, and noticed the mamilian's tail jerking, and she noticed how bored she was too. She jumped up and batted it with one of her paws, and to her delight, it moved the other way. She chased it around and smacked it, but it was jerked from underneath her, and she opened her paws up, and looked into them. Dangit! She jumped right back up, and missed. It was fun, nevertheless.

Mintek stared at Mirror and her game and yawned himself. He stretched a little and felt the grass on his paws, softly blowing in the breeze. He sneezed, getting more of the sand blown from a little ways from there by the same breeze. Then he looked back up at the stars, happily, no-doubt.

[RunningAir]

Mintek's Level: 14.2
Mintek's Loyalty: 15

Mirror's Level: 2.2
Mirror's Loyalty: 4

RunningAir- 13.2


Mirror continued with her game, fittfully jumping this way, and that, trying to catch his orange tail, with it's white fluff, and sparkling rossetts. Her paw smacked at the tip, extending claws, and missing. Then she turned around and made a dash for it, jumping and extending her paws again. Once again, she missed. It was much like clockwork to her. Finnally, she learned somthing. She kept still, her body low to the ground, and watched his tail with her sky-blue eyes. She found a pattern to it. Left-left, all the way to the right, back to the left, and forward...

"Woah!"

RunningAir hopped up and raised his tail, muscles showing even in it. Mirror held on to his tail for dear life, lifted up to the utmost, back-claws not touching the ground, wings outspread for some way (even though it'd be pretty helpless) some vain hope that she would die when she hit the ground. RunningAir laughed a bit and set her down, rubbing hsi sore tail.

Mintek was laughing harder than RunningAir, his own draconic laugh mingleing with RunningAir's mamilian 'purrlike' laughs, and the Shrill shreiking of Mirror as she raced towards her 'brother' and tackled him.

[RunningAir]

Mintek's Level: 14.3
Mintek's Loyalty: 15

Mirror's Level: 2.3
Mirror's Loyalty: 4

RunningAir- 13.3


Mintek yelped, letting out a small cry and opened his eyes, seeing Mirror's blue ones looking down at him, with pride. He smirked at his little 'sister' and raised his right paw, she stared at it and went left to dodge, and he up-and smacked her with his outstretched left paw. Then he rolled over and palyfully nosed her, she shreiked playfully, and smacked his with her tail. A frenzied game of tag-play fight.

RunningAir watched the draconics palying around and smiled, his eyes widening when Mintek smacked her, and cheering them both on. Of caurse he would break the two siblings up if it got too rough, but right now, he would let them play their little game.

The stars were slowly getting less an less seeable, and the sky lightnend into a deep purple. RunningAir couldn't really tell if it was green like the grass or purple, but he knew the sky was -never- green. So he ruled out the green.

[RunningAir]

Mintek's Level: 14.4
Mintek's Loyalty: 15

Mirror's Level: 2.4
Mirror's Loyalty: 4

RunningAir- 13.4



After a while of the fighting, Mintek restled Mirror to the ground, slamming her. 'Hah. I win.' He held his head up high, knowing he'd gotten his sister down for sure. But Mirror had other plans. She kicked her back legs straight up, sending him sprawling. Mintek had brought it upon himself, by rolling her over on her back he'd given her wide-range for the blow.

Mintek cought wind with his wings, softening, but not stopping, the incoming blow. He landed backwards, his spines rubbing the ground. Mirror pranced over, showing off her golden scales along the way. "No, I win." And instead of engaging in the playfight again, she walked over towards the water to get a drink.

Mintek stared after her. "Sh-she's small, fights hard tho-though." He brought himself to his feet and walked over to RunningAir, ashamed. RunningAir just watched. He'd never seen Mintek give up like that. He'd seen him wrestle down his other draconic with ease. Maybe it was the kin thing. Mirror wasn't that scary.

[RunningAir]

Mintek's Level: 15.0
Mintek's Loyalty: 16

Mirror's Level: 3.0
Mirror's Loyalty: 5

RunningAir- 13.5



Mirror came back from her triumphant return, maw wet with water, feet wet from the dew now-falling. Her eyes seemed to glitter with amusement. While Mintek's were downcast, even dull, soaked in defeat. RunningAir drew his arm around Mintek, "Perhaps next time?" the Draconic just looked sad, his orange scales gleaming duller then her golden ones.

He was definaatley not taking a loss well. Mirror stretched and curled up near RunningAir. She looked up silently, staring at somthing in the tree... somthing shiney, like her scales... A honeycomb! She got to her feet, eyes gltitering with want. She wanted the sweet stickyness! But how? Her eyes wondered for a moment.

Mintek Looked mournfully over at Mirror, watching her stare. What was she looking at? He followed her eyes. A honeycomb? If she wanted it so bad she could fly up there herself and get it. He could... He watched her for a moment, sadness coming to him. He felt sorry for her- she didn't know how to fly yet! RunningAir fell right back into slumber, his eyes closing, and tail flicking rythmaticly.