I always knew Raahn had an issue with our religious laws, but this...

This takes the cake.

I waited for hours on end for the thief's arrival, a time I had spent cleaning up the still house and prepping some of mine and Raahn's favorite supper: My own version of Rabbit Stew. I never truely thought it was any better than Raahn's father, but he always says otherwise, so I'm forced to believe him just to watch his face light up. It lights a fire within me. One that I never knew was buried...

I shook my head to clear away the returning embers as I finished up organizing the pottery lining the tall shelving in my room, the vacancy of the house making my feathers prickle in unsease. At least in here, I felt safe enough to do what I wish.

The sweet scent of the broiling broth from the kitchen rumbled my stomach, but it was easy to ignore for the time being, so I continued my organization in the cornered room of lavender scents and multiple hanging plants. They draped over my ceiling like the drooping lights at the annual festivities, greens and blues reflecting along the black walls I painted myself - well, with the help of Raahn's height.
Small amber orbs dotted the corners of my room, emitting the softest of lights and the calmest of rays to float like faded paints everywhere they seemed fit to touch. This was my haven. I took a breath in and let it out smoothly.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I was actually thankful for Raahn's late arrival; the quiet helped rope my mind back to a logical state of calm, a place that I am automatically kept in for reasons I can barely understand myself. Raahn always says it's a curse the Kalcul leader placed on it's subjects to keep them from rebellion.
I always tell him that there are plenty of Kalcul that are more rebellious than he, but of course, his mind is stuck on the imagine of me being controlled, and becomes defensive.

I dont know why... What's so special about me?

While I ponder in the idea of me having real value, I traveled out of my safe haven and to the kitchen of delightful aromas, checking the small cauldron for signs of the meal being done cooking. I mentally shrugged to myself once I decided to drop the roaming idea of my importance, focusing instead on the knocking at the door. It sounded mucu lighter than usual, but I assumed Raahn was trying to be a sneaky dragon and "hide" like a "true spy would". The thought of him cradling his prize like a baby nearly made me laugh if it wasnt for what the prize is and how bad actually having it in your posession is.

I flattened a few feathers on my arms, now subconcious on my appearence - much to my aggressive dismay - and swung open the stone front door it with a simple, "Heyo."

A pale blue, furious face met mine instead of Raahn's.

Uh oh.

...

"Raahn, this is Priest Yuhndil, co-leader of the Religious Council and Your Majesty's war chief," I introduced with a respectful bow towards the towering figure next to me, who merely nodded their crested head in tense reply.

Raahn stared, mouth agape, disbelieving the literal presence of the robe's owner who is actually looking at the thief himself with no clue. Thankfully, he cleared his throat and gave a stupidly-elaborate bow, the smirk on his young face heating my ears with what I hadn't decided yet was either fury or the fire at work again.
"It's my pleasure, Priest Yuhndil," he said, his voice calm and coated with more respect than my bow had given. I was nearly jealous.

"You're Raahn, correct?" The Priest croaked, their wrinkled face folding in on itself in a failed attempt to snarl. Or was that a smile? I couldn't tell.

"Yes, sir."

"Tell me, Raahn, what are you doing in Kalcul territory so late at night? You know how mad Hilno's parents get when they find out."

IF they find out... I heard my mind whisper, and I knew Raahn was thinking the same thing as we shared a second-long glance towards one another. But because of the old Priest, they'll for sure know, and they'll for sure give me a lecture on the importance of my status as a noble.

"I know, sir, but I wanted to come and see him. You see he was preparing a meal and I-"

"That's enough," The Priest commanded with a single raised hand covered in crackled skin from decades of no real care.

I could feel Raahn heating up despite his cold scales, the redness of agitation began brushing along his face through his eyes, which are now glowing in closeted defiance. I wondered in fear whether or not he will actually follow the order or cause himself more trouble by yelling back. But eventually, he closed his mouth and said no more, and even glowered in my direction with more annoyance towards the Priest than at me.
I softened my eyes in silent thanks.

"Now, as a Jaadigo, you must expect what I am here to ask, right Raahn? There was a thief and it stole my valuable robes. Black scales and a bulky body. I know a Jaadigo when I sense one."

My heart lurched like a fish caught on a hook.

He was SEEN?

I felt my own blood boil over with bretrayel. He didn't even bother telling me he was caught! Was we going to say that once he came over?! That he was caught by a Priest?! And not any Priest, the very Priest he STOLE FROM?

Raahn remained calm, however, and said, "I understand, but I can assure you I have no whereabouts to your robes. I do hope you find them, soon, though, sir."

Yuhndil looked pleased. Or mad, I couldn't tell. Their face was like a weird form of melting clay waiting to be turned into a vase of low value.

...

"OW! QUIT IT, IM SORRY!"

"Oh, now you're sorry?!"

I had Raahn by the ear, dragging him to my room so his wings dont knock over the pot of stew with the amount of vicious flapping they were doing.

I threw him forward - he only went a few inches, but it was enough to spark my confidence - and ruffled my feathers to appear twice my size. It was a move I knew bothered him since his scales couldn't do the same, and it proved the right choice since Raahn yelped and tried to find a place to hide his bulk. Once he realized it was a futile attempt, he covered his eyes with his hands and repeatedly apologized in a voice of a dragonet in the middle of being scolded for doing wrong.
I hissed in the middle of his breath so he didn't have a chance to continue, "When were you planning to tell me that you not only stole from the Priest of WAR in BROAD DAYLIGHT, but that you were CAUGHT WITH THE ROBES?!"

"Stop yelling Hilno, and I'll talk!"

"You expect me to be CALM?!"

"NO! JUST DONT YELL!"

My ears fell flat, stalking towards him with a snarl on my lips.
This drew the line. This drew every line I gave to him ever since he talked to me about how much he hated the Kalcul rules a year ago.

It was always subtle things.
Painting a picture of him freeing me from a jail cell built by the Priests.
Whispering to passerbys on the rules of the country and how toxic they are.

But stealing from a Priest, it crossed the line for me.

And its hard to get me to stop once I get going.

"Raahn, I can't BELIEVE you! I trusted you to not break my promise, the promise YOU DECIDED, EVEN. But what do you do?! Run along to take one of the most precious things to the leaders of my home!"

"Please... Stop..."

"- Do you not realise I couldn't been EXECUTED if they knew it was you?! If they found out I was even a WITNESS?! You never think about this, Raahn, that's the issue!"

"Hilno, stop.."

"What?!" I whipped my head around to face the thief, having turned around to pace the room in a furious stride.

Tears soaked the ground where Raahn was, curled up in a ball of shivering black scales and quiet sniffles. My heart sank.

I sounded just like his dad at that moment of anger. That moment of release after pushing the rage I felt the moment I knew Raahn had caught something he wasn't supposed to. That moment of direct criticism that always brought Raahn down, the times he would come crying at my house because of it.

I did the exact same thing.

"Raahn, I..." My breath hitched in my throat, and I found difficulty to say any true words, but the thief had ignored my words anyways, still rocking back and forth on his talons in attempt to ground himself.

At that moment of anger, I knew...

I broke a promise, too.